الأربعاء، 2 ديسمبر 2015

ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

Nano-walkers take speedy leap forward with first rolling DNA-based motor

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 12:23 PM PST

A rolling DNA-based motor that's 1,000 times faster than any other synthetic DNA motor has been devised by physical chemists, giving it potential for real-world applications, such as disease diagnostics.

Herniated disks in children, teens linked to lower spine malformations

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 12:23 PM PST

Most children and adolescents with herniated disks in the lower (lumbar) spine have some sort of malformation of the spinal vertebrae, reports a study. Herniated disks in the lumbar spine are common in adults, typically related to repetitive overloading and age-related degeneration. But this type of wear and tear can't explain the uncommon occurrence in children and teens.

Clinical workstations: An overlooked reservoir for deadly bacteria?

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 11:13 AM PST

Clinical workstations within hospital intensive care units (ICUs) may get overlooked during routine cleanings and could therefore harbor more dangerous bacteria than regularly cleaned objects in patient areas, according to a pilot study.

Antibody for severe hemophilia a may reduce injections needed to prevent bleeding

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 11:12 AM PST

An antibody engineered to prevent excessive bleeding in patients with severe hemophilia A may be safe and effective, and require fewer injections than existing options, according to a first-in-human study of the treatment.

Underage drinkers' brand preferences vary by race, age, study finds

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 11:12 AM PST

Two beer brands -- Bud Light and Budweiser -- are uniformly popular among underage drinkers, regardless of age, gender or ethnicity, while certain other brands appear to have a unique appeal to African-American youth drinkers, according to a new, American study.

Decline in cognitive ability leads to fear of upfront costs

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 11:12 AM PST

Older individuals with lower cognitive abilities are susceptible to behavioral biases, such as being adverse to upfront costs, report investigators in a new report.

Type 2 diabetes reversed by losing fat from pancreas

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 11:12 AM PST

Type 2 diabetes is caused by fat accumulating in the pancreas, researchers show. They add that losing less than one gram of that fat through weight loss reverses the diabetes.

Cognitive-behavioral stress management in breast cancer

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 10:04 AM PST

Women who were provided with skills to manage stress early in their breast cancer treatment show greater length of survival and longer time till disease recurrence over eight to 15 years after their original diagnosis, newly published research from a randomized trial shows.

Radical signal to the progeny

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 10:04 AM PST

A globin protein has been discovered in the roundworm model Caenorhabditis elegans that is able to generate free radical signals. It is very likely that more unexpected globin discoveries will be made in this 1-mm worm as its genome encodes a staggering 33 globins, the majority of which the function is still enigmatic.

HIV/AIDS drugs interfere with brain's 'Insulation'

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 10:00 AM PST

Commonly used antiretroviral medications disrupted the function of oligodendrocytes, research shows, crucial brain cells that manufacture myelin, the fatty material that serves to insulate neurons, helping them transmit signals in the brain fast and efficiently.

Study 'opens gate' to understanding depression

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 10:00 AM PST

A new scientific model that incorporates the myriad drivers of depression could lead to more precise treatment for an illness that affects 350 million worldwide, report investigators.

Early progress reported in designing drugs that target 'disordered' proteins

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 10:00 AM PST

Scientists capitalize on technological advances to lay the groundwork for drug development against 'disordered' proteins that play key roles in human health and disease. A small, drug-like molecule that inhibits the function of a "disordered" protein in research that may advance a novel approach to hearing restoration, they say.

Enhanced treatment for hepatitis C could cut prevalence by 80 percent

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 09:58 AM PST

Novel antiviral therapies for hepatitis C could reduce the prevalence of the blood-borne infection by more than 80 percent, according to a new analysis. The finding raises the possibility of greatly reducing, and even eliminating, hepatitis C in the United States if enhanced screening and treatment efforts target high-risk populations.

Adults with cerebral palsy more likely to have chronic conditions, researchers find

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 09:58 AM PST

Adults with cerebral palsy are more likely to have secondary chronic health conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, than adults without cerebral palsy, suggests a new report.

Metformin does not improve glycemic control for overweight teens with type 1 diabetes

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 09:58 AM PST

In a randomized trial that included overweight and obese adolescents with type 1 diabetes, the addition of metformin to insulin did not improve glycemic control after six months, report researchers.

Optimal global C-section rate may be as high as 19 percent to save lives of mothers, infants

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 09:58 AM PST

New research examining the relationship between C-section rates and maternal and neonatal mortality in 194 countries concludes that as the country-level C-section rate increases up to 19 percent, maternal and neonatal mortality rates decline.

Researchers hope to harness human dna to fight HIV

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 08:54 AM PST

Researchers are learning more about how an ancient "error correction" system in the human genome helps protect the body against HIV, in hopes that their latest discovery may help in the fight against the infection.

Risk management plan for functional imaging in cancer clinical trials

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 08:51 AM PST

In cancer clinical trials, scientists are always trying to strike the right balance between maximizing data quality and minimizing cost. Here, risk management can be an extremely helpful tool, because it can help to prioritize, reduce costs, and decrease attrition rates. In a new study, researchers used a quality risk management approach to help us outline a consensus framework for imaging biomarker driven trials.

Plant hormone may play a vital role in blood sugar control, diabetes management

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 08:50 AM PST

A treatment for managing blood sugar levels might be as close as the local health food store, suggests a new research report. Specifically scientists have found that when the plant and mammal hormone, abscisic acid, is taken in low doses, glycemia in both rats and humans is reduced.

Magnesium ions show promise in slowing progression of Alzheimer's disease in mice

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 08:50 AM PST

In mouse models Alzheimer's disease, oral administration of magnesium-L-threonate (MgT) alleviated cognitive decline, scientists report in a new article.

Important step toward preventing, treating some MRSA post-implant infections

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 08:50 AM PST

New research helps explain why Staphylococcus aureus infections take hold after prosthetic surgery that are resistant to both the body's natural defenses as well as antibiotic treatments.

This is why we do not constantly get ill despite viruses, bacteria

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 08:48 AM PST

New research breaks with existing knowledge about how our immune system works. The new experiments have shown how the body mobilizes a hitherto unknown defense against viruses and bacteria. This also explains why we do not constantly get ill despite the viruses around us.

New technique reveals causes of aging in yeast

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 08:48 AM PST

A unique experiment to study aging in yeast cells has been designed by researchers. By following molecular processes inside aging yeast, they discovered that an overproduction of the proteins needed to make new proteins could be the root cause of the cellular processes that eventually kill the cells.

Biophysicists develop a model for arterial thrombus formation

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 08:47 AM PST

A group of biophysicists have developed a mathematical model of arterial thrombus formation, which is the main cause of heart attacks and strokes. The scientists described the process of platelet aggregation as being similar to the popular video game Tetris and derived equations that allowed them to reproduce the wave process of platelet aggregate formation in a blood vessel.

Stopping ovarian cancer in its tracks: Antibody may help patients heal themselves

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 08:47 AM PST

In a first, researchers show the potential a PD-1 antibody, nivolumab, has in fighting the disease. Nivolumab, an inhibitory antibody for PD-1, has shown efficacy in several types of malignancies including melanoma, kidney cancer, and non-small cell lung cancer.

Scientists draw evidence-based blueprint for HIV treatment, prevention

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 08:47 AM PST

For many years, clinicians debated the best time to start antiretroviral therapy for HIV infection, with some worrying that the risks of treatment in terms of drug toxicities could outweigh the benefits of controlling the virus. In a new commentary, scientists argue that the results of three large clinical trials definitively prove that the benefits of starting ART early in infection outweigh any theoretical risk.

Gaming technology may improve X-ray precision

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 08:47 AM PST

With the aim of producing high-quality X-rays with minimal radiation exposure, particularly in children, researchers have developed a new approach to imaging patients based on the Xbox gaming system. Using proprietary software developed for the Microsoft Kinect system, researchers have adapted hands-free technology used for the popular Xbox system to aid radiographers when taking X-rays.

Genes for a longer, healthier life found

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 08:39 AM PST

Out of a 'haystack' of 40,000 genes from three different organisms, scientists have found genes that are involved in physical aging. If you influence only one of these genes, the healthy lifespan of laboratory animals is extended -- and possibly that of humans, too.

Scientists overcome key CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing hurdle

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 08:39 AM PST

Researchers have engineered changes to the revolutionary CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing system that significantly cut down on 'off-target' editing errors. The refined technique addresses one of the major technical issues in the use of genome editing.

Cancer cells can poison normal cells

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 08:39 AM PST

A fundamental finding that cancer cells can induce neighboring normal cells to become cancerous has been released by scientists. The researchers used a three-dimensional co-culture system where they grew normal cells and cancer cells together, mimicking the situation inside the body, to reach their conclusion.

Taking Truvada 'as needed' can prevent HIV-transmission amongst people at high-risk

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 08:39 AM PST

In a study into the prevention of HIV transmission, people who took the antiretroviral drug Truvada were 86 percent less likely to contract the disease than those who took a placebo, report the researchers who led the study.

Childbirth an athletic event? Sports medicine used to diagnose injuries caused by deliveries

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 07:13 AM PST

Childbirth is arguably the most traumatic event the human body can undergo, and new imaging techniques show that up to 15 percent of women sustain pelvic injuries that don't heal.

State workers' compensation policies affect costs, disability time

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 07:13 AM PST

Certain workers' compensation (WC) policies explain much of the state-level variation in costs and outcomes of claims for low back pain (LBP), reports an American study.

New diaphragms grown from stem cells offer hope of a cure for common birth defect, possibly future repairs of the heart

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 06:42 AM PST

New diaphragm tissue in rats has been successfully created in the lab using a mixture of stem cells and a 3D scaffold. When transplanted, it has regrown with the same complex mechanical properties of diaphragm muscle. The study offers hope of a cure for a common birth defect and possible future heart muscle repairs.

Scientists put final pieces into place for seeing cancer with protons

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 06:41 AM PST

Scientists are currently in South Africa putting together a unique medical imaging platform which could improve treatment for millions of cancer sufferers by making proton therapy a viable option.

Growing stem cells faster on seaweed

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 06:41 AM PST

Alginate forms a kind of supporting skeleton in the cell walls of certain kinds of algae. Scientists use the gel-like mass from Chilean seaweed as the substrate for stem cells. They can flexibly adjust the pore size and elasticity of the alginate, and it transports active ingredients and has better optical characteristics than plastic materials.

Food and Emotions: 90 percent overlook key to weight loss, survey finds

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 06:36 AM PST

The results of a national survey about weight loss barriers finds 90 percent of respondents discounted one of the most important factors -- your mind. A neuropsychologist says the most crucial factor is your psychological relationship with food and exercise, yet the majority (60 percent) listed diet and exercise to be the biggest barriers of weight loss, and only 10 percent of people thought psychological well being was the biggest barrier to weight loss.

Why some people would pay for a drug they probably won't ever need

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 06:35 AM PST

A sick person is obviously willing to pay for a good medical treatment, but economists have found that healthy people are potentially a much broader, if largely overlooked, market for medical innovations.

Physicians and burnout: It's getting worse

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 06:35 AM PST

Burnout among US physicians is getting worse. An update from a three-year study evaluating burnout and work-life balance shows that American physicians are worse off today than they were three years earlier.

Higher cigarette taxes linked to fewer infant deaths

Posted: 01 Dec 2015 06:35 AM PST

Higher taxes and prices for cigarettes are strongly associated with lower infant mortality rates in the United States, according to a new study. The association was stronger for African American infants than for non-Hispanic white infants, which has implications for trying to reduce disparities in infant mortality between the two groups.

Dead-easy test to tackle parasites

Posted: 30 Nov 2015 07:23 PM PST

Science has a new weapon in the global war against parasitic worms that kill hundreds of thousands or people annually: xWORM. While testing various drugs, parasitologists spend interminable hours staring down microscopes, checking whether the worms are dead or alive after being exposed to the drug. xWORM uses existing lab equipment in a new way to provide fast and accurate wiggle counts.

Lower survival rates in women with breast cancer diagnosed with depression

Posted: 30 Nov 2015 07:23 PM PST

Women with breast cancer who subsequently had a recorded diagnosis of depression had a 45% higher risk of death from all causes, according to a study. The researchers suggest this finding could help to target and support those women most at risk of depression.

Discovery of an embryonic switch for cancer stem cell generation

Posted: 30 Nov 2015 03:27 PM PST

Decreases in a specific group of proteins trigger changes in the cancer microenvironment that accelerate growth and development of therapy-resistant cancer stem cells (CSCs), a team of researchers has found.

Genetic study of patients with inflammatory bowel disease could lead to better treatments

Posted: 30 Nov 2015 03:27 PM PST

Genetic variation in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) appears to play a major role in determining how sick they will become and could provide a road map for more effective treatments.

Black women less likely to benefit from early chemotherapy, study shows

Posted: 30 Nov 2015 03:25 PM PST

Among minority women treated with early chemotherapy, black women fare worse than the other groups, new research shows. While the cause of this is not known, researchers suspect biologic differences in chemosensitivity, disparities in treatment, or socioeconomic factors that cannot be adjusted for in the study.

Sleep gene found to be linked to heart failure

Posted: 30 Nov 2015 03:22 PM PST

A gene that, when working properly, appears to reduce the risk of heart failure and improve treatment outcomes has been identified by researchers, highlighting a possible target for the development of new drugs.

Genes linked to stress-triggered heart disease identified

Posted: 30 Nov 2015 01:34 PM PST

For the first time, genetic risk factors have been identified that are linked to stress-induced cardiomyopathy (SIC), a rare type of heart disease. Patients with SIC generally show no symptoms until they suffer some form of intense emotional or physiological distress. For this reason the disorder is sometimes referred to as 'broken heart syndrome.'

'Fitness landscape' charted to fight Hep C virus

Posted: 30 Nov 2015 01:34 PM PST

Borrowing from several statistical science models, an interdisciplinary team of researchers has developed a novel computational approach for massively accelerating the search for a hepatitis C vaccine.

A better way to grow bone cells

Posted: 30 Nov 2015 01:32 PM PST

A new, more precise way to control the differentiation of stem cells into bone cells has been devised by researchers. This new technique has promising applications in the realm of bone regeneration, growth and healing.

Procreation trumps survival, even on a cellular level

Posted: 30 Nov 2015 01:32 PM PST

A cellular mechanism observed in worms suggests that mothers are hardwired to protect their reproductive capability at the expense of their ability to survive.

Level of computer use in clinical encounters associated with patient satisfaction

Posted: 30 Nov 2015 09:52 AM PST

Patients at safety-net hospital clinics where there was high computer use by clinicians were less likely to rate their care as excellent, according to an article.
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