ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• New treatment options, better hope of preventing vision loss from diabetes
• Children born to women after bariatric surgery at higher risk of obesity, diabetes
• Nanocarriers may carry new hope for brain cancer therapy
• Parasitic worms affect human reproduction
• Danish cannabis is stronger than ever
• Microbiome technology may help combat certain infections
• Yin and yang of serotonin neurons in mood regulation
• Ethical issues analyzed regarding social media, healthcare
• 'Rat vision' may give humans best sight of all
• Control of blood vessel formation
• How weight-loss surgery reduces sugar cravings
• 'Healthy' foods differ by individual
• Running prevents postnatal side effects of epilepsy drugs in mice
• Infants with blind parents pay less attention to eyes
• New model to study, find ways to target rare tumor
• In dying cells, research team finds potential way to control cholesterol levels
• Can a website keep suicidal thoughts away? Study in stressed young doctors suggests so
• How exercise may energize brain cell function: Animal study
• Architecture of Protein Complex Hints at Its Foundational Function in Chromosome Segregation
• Intelligent gel attacks cancer
• Improving fitness may counteract brain atrophy in older adults, study shows
• New method to calculate lifetime energy requirements of cells, genes
• Novel proteins linked to Huntington's disease identified
• Details from the inner life of a tooth
• Visual test to quickly check brain function quality developed by scientists
• Smoking hits all-time low, but not for these three groups
• Preventing famine with mobile phones
• New approach to help bones heal faster and better
• New insights in the search for treatments for neurological diseases
• Can natural remedies jeopardize cardiovascular health?
• Urine-derived stem cells predict patient response to cholesterol-lowering drugs
• Possible new mechanism for aspirin's role in cancer prevention
• Obesity spells problems for trauma patients
• Sound deprivation leads to irreversible hearing loss
• New way to monitor vital signs
• Functional vocal cord tissue grown in lab
• Nationwide look at diabetes in Mexico paints grim picture
• Ebola vaccine is safe, stimulates strong immune response, study shows
• Brain scan reveals cognitive deficits in older 'cognitively normal' HIV+ individuals
• Neuroscientists reveal how the brain can enhance connections
• Patients improve speech by watching 3-D tongue images

New treatment options, better hope of preventing vision loss from diabetes Posted: 19 Nov 2015 01:31 PM PST This National Diabetes Month, there is some good news for people with eye complications from diabetes. A network of researchers has found that the drug Lucentis (ranibizumab) can be highly effective for treating proliferative diabetic retinopathy, an eye disease that can occur as a complication of diabetes. The researchers say this is the first major advance in therapy in 40 years.

Children born to women after bariatric surgery at higher risk of obesity, diabetes Posted: 19 Nov 2015 01:26 PM PST Weight-loss surgery can boost fertility in women and reduce the risk of pregnancy complications that commonly occur in obese women. However, a new study in rats suggests that weight-loss surgery alters mothers' hormone and chemical balance, which harms offspring during gestation and later in life.

Nanocarriers may carry new hope for brain cancer therapy Posted: 19 Nov 2015 01:10 PM PST A new family of nanocarriers, called '3HM,' has been developed and meets all the size and stability requirements for effectively delivering therapeutic drugs to the brain for the treatment of a deadly form of cancer known as glioblastoma multiforme.

Parasitic worms affect human reproduction Posted: 19 Nov 2015 01:10 PM PST Anthropologists study the Tsimane people of Bolivia to determine how parasitism affects female fertility.

Danish cannabis is stronger than ever Posted: 19 Nov 2015 11:23 AM PST The concentration of the euphoriant THC in cannabis has tripled in the space of 20 years in Denmark. The reason may be a systematic processing of the cannabis plants, some of which are being grown in skunk farms in Denmark. Cannabis of such high quality can lead to a greater risk of harm and adverse side effects. This is in particular a problem for the large group of young people who smoke it several times a month.

Microbiome technology may help combat certain infections Posted: 19 Nov 2015 10:41 AM PST Two patent applications were filed for nutrient based compositions utilizing an innovative microbiome technology that may help combat certain infections.

Yin and yang of serotonin neurons in mood regulation Posted: 19 Nov 2015 10:40 AM PST Low levels of serotonin in the brain are known to play a role in depression and anxiety, and it is customary to treat these disorders with medications that increase the amount of this neurotransmitter. However, a new study suggests that this approach may be too simple. It appears that neighboring serotonin-producing brainstem regions exert different and sometimes opposing effects on behavior.

Ethical issues analyzed regarding social media, healthcare Posted: 19 Nov 2015 10:39 AM PST Social media has become ingrained into almost every area of our life, but should you really be Facebook friends with your doctor? A new article uses five case studies to highlight possible ethical and legal issues that arise with the use of social media in health care. The cases address topics such as posting work-related photos on Facebook, tweeting personal or political opinions, and Googling patients and prospective candidates for jobs.

'Rat vision' may give humans best sight of all Posted: 19 Nov 2015 10:39 AM PST Humans have the best of all possible visual worlds because our full stereo vision combines with primitive visual pathways to quickly spot danger, a study has discovered.

Control of blood vessel formation Posted: 19 Nov 2015 10:39 AM PST Scientists have elucidated the control of cellular movement during blood vessel formation. Their findings show that cellular motion occurs not in only the direction toward the tip of the blood vessels, but in a dynamically changing manner.

How weight-loss surgery reduces sugar cravings Posted: 19 Nov 2015 10:32 AM PST Weight loss surgery curbs the sweet tooth by acting on the brain's reward system, according to a new study. The researchers found that gastrointestinal bypass surgery, which is used to treat morbid obesity and diabetes, reduced sugar-seeking behavior in mice by reducing the release of a reward chemical called dopamine in the brain. The findings suggest that positive outcomes are more likely if sugary foods seem less rewarding after surgery.

'Healthy' foods differ by individual Posted: 19 Nov 2015 10:32 AM PST Ever wonder why that diet didn't work? An new study tracking the blood sugar levels of 800 people over a week suggests that even if we all ate the same meal, how it's metabolized would differ from one person to another. The findings demonstrate the power of personalized nutrition in helping people identify which foods can help or hinder their health goals.

Running prevents postnatal side effects of epilepsy drugs in mice Posted: 19 Nov 2015 10:32 AM PST The simple act of running may be sufficient to prevent long-term cognitive impairments caused by prenatal exposure to antiepileptic drugs, according to a study. The findings revealed that prenatal exposure to a commonly used antiepileptic drug called valproic acid inhibited the birth of new neurons in the brains of adult mice and impaired their performance on learning and memory tasks.

Infants with blind parents pay less attention to eyes Posted: 19 Nov 2015 10:32 AM PST For parents of young children, there are few milestones more memorable than that first word. But people communicate an awful lot to each other without ever saying anything at all. So, how do infants learn to communicate with the people around them nonverbally, through eye contact? Researchers have some new insight into this silent form of communication from an unlikely source: the sighted children of blind parents.

New model to study, find ways to target rare tumor Posted: 19 Nov 2015 10:32 AM PST Angiosarcoma or lymphangiosarcoma, a rare malignant tumor of the blood or lymphatic vessels, has no cure, say cancer researchers. However, through recent study, a team has found a new target that could lead to therapies for this rare type of tumor.

In dying cells, research team finds potential way to control cholesterol levels Posted: 19 Nov 2015 09:26 AM PST A discovery about how the body deals with the cholesterol contained within its dying cells has suggested an exciting new approach to control people's cholesterol levels – and thus their risk of developing heart disease.

Can a website keep suicidal thoughts away? Study in stressed young doctors suggests so Posted: 19 Nov 2015 09:26 AM PST If you think your life is stressful, try being a new doctor. Their first year especially is a time of stress, sleeplessness and self-doubt – and four times the usual rate of suicidal thoughts. But a new study shows that a free web-based tool to support their mental health may cut that rate in half.

How exercise may energize brain cell function: Animal study Posted: 19 Nov 2015 09:26 AM PST As we age or develop neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, our brain cells may not produce sufficient energy to remain fully functional. Researchers have discovered that an enzyme called SIRT3 that is located in mitochondria — the cell's powerhouse — may protect mice brains against the kinds of stresses believed to contribute to energy loss. Furthermore, mice that ran on a wheel increased their levels of this protective enzyme.

Architecture of Protein Complex Hints at Its Foundational Function in Chromosome Segregation Posted: 19 Nov 2015 09:26 AM PST The organization of a protein complex that is critical during chromosome segregation has been revealed by researchers. Without the foundation it supplies, the link between chromosome and kinetochore would fail, as would chromosome segregation and cell division.

Intelligent gel attacks cancer Posted: 19 Nov 2015 08:38 AM PST A new injectable "biogel" is effective in delivering anti-cancer agents directly into cancerous tumours and killing them. This technology has already been successfully tested in the laboratory. If it works in patients, the therapy could one day revolutionize treatment for many forms of cancer.

Improving fitness may counteract brain atrophy in older adults, study shows Posted: 19 Nov 2015 08:34 AM PST Older adults that improved their fitness through a moderate intensity exercise program increased the thickness of their brain's cortex, the outer layer of the brain that typically atrophies with Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study. These effects were found in both healthy older adults and those diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment, an early stage of Alzheimer's disease.

New method to calculate lifetime energy requirements of cells, genes Posted: 19 Nov 2015 08:27 AM PST In a recently published paper, Indiana University biologists have calculated the lifetime energy requirements of multiple types of cells, as well as the energy required to replicate and express the genes within these cells.

Novel proteins linked to Huntington's disease identified Posted: 19 Nov 2015 08:27 AM PST A new discovery about Huntington's disease has been made by researchers, showing that the gene that causes the fatal disorder makes an unexpected 'cocktail' of mutant proteins that accumulate in the brain.

Details from the inner life of a tooth Posted: 19 Nov 2015 08:27 AM PST Both in materials science and in biomedical research it is important to be able to view minute nanostructures. Scientists have developed a new computed tomography method based on scattering of X-rays. With this technique they can visualize nanostructures in objects measuring just a few millimeters, for example the precise 3-D structure of collagen fibers in a piece of human tooth.

Visual test to quickly check brain function quality developed by scientists Posted: 19 Nov 2015 08:24 AM PST A simple technique to measure an individual's visual processing speed -- the speed at which an individual can comprehend visual information -- has been developed in order to identify whether or not they may have cognitive issues. The recent study focuses on using a simple test of visual flicker to evaluate an individual's level of executive cognitive abilities.

Smoking hits all-time low, but not for these three groups Posted: 19 Nov 2015 08:24 AM PST A first-of-its-kind program targets groups with highest tobacco rates and matches smokers with counselors in their demographic to help them quit, say experts from one of American's largest nonprofit quitline.

Preventing famine with mobile phones Posted: 19 Nov 2015 07:33 AM PST With a mobile data collection app and satellite data, scientists will be able to predict whether a certain region is vulnerable to food shortages and malnutrition, say experts. By scanning Earth's surface with microwave beams, researchers can measure the water content in soil. Comparing these measurements with extensive data sets obtained over the last few decades, it is possible to calculate whether the soil is sufficiently moist or whether there is danger of droughts. The method has now been tested in the Central African Republic.

New approach to help bones heal faster and better Posted: 19 Nov 2015 07:32 AM PST A new type of drug is being developed that may help bones heal faster and better. Using bone samples from people undergoing hip replacement surgery, the researchers were able to show that the drug - a protein that activates a molecular pathway called the 'Wnt' pathway - causes stem cells found within bones to divide and to turn into more bone cells The Wnt pathway is found throughout the animal kingdom - from sponges to humans - and it plays a fundamental role in animal development and disease. It is involved in controlling the growth of stem cells, which are 'master cells' that help restore tissues after injury.

New insights in the search for treatments for neurological diseases Posted: 19 Nov 2015 06:57 AM PST The fine details of a mechanism that provides more insight in the communication between neurons has been revealed by a team of scientists. The research has clarified how damaged synapses -- the connection points between neurons -- are repaired to keep communication between neurons at an optimal level. Disturbances in these mechanisms are believed to play a role in the development of neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia, ALS or Parkinson's disease.

Can natural remedies jeopardize cardiovascular health? Posted: 19 Nov 2015 06:57 AM PST Physicians report on the case of a woman who presented with aconitine-induced cardiovascular symptoms. Their report warns that the use of this natural ingredient may lead to severe poisoning.

Urine-derived stem cells predict patient response to cholesterol-lowering drugs Posted: 19 Nov 2015 06:57 AM PST High blood cholesterol is linked to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. To identify new strategies to combat high cholesterol in genetically predisposed individuals, new preclinical models that mimic the underlying pathophysiology are needed. Researchers have now shown that cells derived from patient urine samples can be reprogrammed to rapidly generate patient-specific models of hypercholesterolemia. These models provide a tool to accurately predict patient response to cholesterol-lowering drugs.

Possible new mechanism for aspirin's role in cancer prevention Posted: 19 Nov 2015 06:57 AM PST A new technique called metabolite profiling has been used by scientists to identify a biochemical pathway previously unknown to be regulated by aspirin. Specifically, the researchers found that aspirin substantially decreases the level of a chemical called 2-hydroxyglutarate in the blood of healthy volunteers and in two colorectal cancer cell lines.

Obesity spells problems for trauma patients Posted: 18 Nov 2015 03:05 PM PST A link between obesity and a higher risk for surgery in orthopaedic trauma patients has been uncovered by new research. In addition, researchers found that patients with obesity had longer hospital stays and greater treatment costs.

Sound deprivation leads to irreversible hearing loss Posted: 18 Nov 2015 03:05 PM PST Sound deprivation in adult mice causes irreversible damage to the inner ear. The findings suggest that chronic conductive hearing loss, such as that caused by recurrent ear infections, leads to permanent hearing impairment if it remains untreated.

New way to monitor vital signs Posted: 18 Nov 2015 03:05 PM PST Doctors may one day be able to monitor patients' vital signs by having them swallow an ingestible electronic device that measures heart rate and breathing rate from within the gastrointestinal tract, report scientists.

Functional vocal cord tissue grown in lab Posted: 18 Nov 2015 03:04 PM PST Scientists have succeeded in growing functional vocal cord tissue in the laboratory, a major step toward restoring a voice to people who have lost their vocal cords to cancer surgery or other injuries. Experts from several disciplines were able to bioengineer vocal cord tissue able to transmit sound. About 20 million Americans suffer from voice impairments, and many have damage to the vocal cord mucosae, the specialized tissues that vibrate as air moves over them, giving rise to voice.

Nationwide look at diabetes in Mexico paints grim picture Posted: 18 Nov 2015 12:54 PM PST If diabetes in Mexico continues unchecked, at least one in three people, and as many as one in two, could be diagnosed with the disease in their lifetimes, suggests a new report.

Ebola vaccine is safe, stimulates strong immune response, study shows Posted: 18 Nov 2015 12:53 PM PST A clinical trial of a new Ebola vaccine has found that it is well tolerated and stimulates strong immune responses in adults in Mali and in the US, according to a new study. The study, carried out in Mali, West Africa and Baltimore, included the first testing of this vaccine in adult health care workers and other at-risk persons in Africa.

Brain scan reveals cognitive deficits in older 'cognitively normal' HIV+ individuals Posted: 18 Nov 2015 12:53 PM PST Although a group of HIV+ older individuals scored 'cognitively normal' in standard neuropsychology testing, a scan of their brains tells a different story, report neuroscientists following a small study.

Neuroscientists reveal how the brain can enhance connections Posted: 18 Nov 2015 12:53 PM PST When the brain forms memories or learns a new task, it encodes the new information by tuning connections between neurons. Now neuroscientists have discovered a novel mechanism that contributes to the strengthening of these connections, also called synapses. Learning more about how synapses change their connections could help scientists better understand neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism, since many of the genetic alterations linked to autism are found in genes that code for synaptic proteins.

Patients improve speech by watching 3-D tongue images Posted: 18 Nov 2015 10:26 AM PST Watching 3-D images of tongue movements can help individuals learn speech sounds, a new study has demonstrated. Researchers say the findings could be especially helpful for stroke patients seeking to improve their speech articulation.

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