ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

---

• Understanding why group singing helps in dementia
• Stretchable, wearable sensor made with chewing gum
• Don’t want to raise a psychopath? Be sensitive to a child’s distress
• One in 10 globally suffer from foodborne diseases, WHO study finds
• Micro-map of hippocampus lends big hand to brain research
• Genetic link between heart and neurodevelopmental disease
• Brain receptors for hunger hormone control food intake, study shows
• Sperm carries information about dad's weight
• First look at gut microbes in an American Indian community
• 'Nanobombs' might deliver agents that alter gene activity in cancer stem cells
• Neurotoxic effects of chemotherapies on cognition in breast cancer survivors
• New map of paths of hundreds of urban males helps determine how to minimize their violence risk
• Sense of purpose in life linked to lower mortality and cardiovascular risk
• Are blood clots in patients with heart-assist pumps decreasing or on the rise in 2015?
• Weaker breaths in kids linked to early pesticide exposure
• Sexual dysfunction: Overdiagnosed or undertreated?
• Cannabis increases the noise in your brain
• Graphene oxide could make stronger dental fillings
• Can cancer itself damage the heart?
• Affordable Care Act has reduced racial/ethnic health disparities, study shows
• New class of inhibitory compounds developed to aid melanoma treatments
• Engineers develop potential treatment for whooping cough
• Scientists create 'fingerprints' for major drug development targets
• New research sheds light on neuronal communication
• Cheap, disposable device for diagnosing disease
• Study reveals non-invasive warning sign of kidney disease progression
• Can slow walking speed in elderly signal Alzheimer's disease hallmarks?
• Weight gain between pregnancies linked to increased risk of stillbirth and infant death
• Depression contributes to preventable hospitalizations in Danish study
• Ovarian follicles used to preserve fertility
• Researchers isolate cells implicated with breast cancer-derived brain tumors
• How to wake a sleeping cancer cell, and why you might want to
• New insights on how to improve face transplants
• Lower patient satisfaction in hospitals that employ more nurses trained abroad
• Patient mood can impact medical procedure results

Understanding why group singing helps in dementia Posted: 03 Dec 2015 05:36 PM PST Couples where one partner is suffering from dementia can benefit from taking part in group singing.

Stretchable, wearable sensor made with chewing gum Posted: 03 Dec 2015 01:03 PM PST Body sensors, which were once restricted to doctors' offices, have come a long way. They now allow any wearer to easily track heart rate, steps and sleep cycles around the clock. Soon, they could become even more versatile -- with the help of chewing gum. Scientists report a unique sensing device made of gum and carbon nanotubes that can move with your most bendable parts and track your breathing.

Don’t want to raise a psychopath? Be sensitive to a child’s distress Posted: 03 Dec 2015 12:21 PM PST How do you stop a child, especially one who has experienced significant adversity, from growing up to be a psychopath? Responsive, empathetic caregiving -- especially when children are in distress -- helps prevent boys from becoming callous, unemotional adolescents, according to a new study of children raised in foster care.

One in 10 globally suffer from foodborne diseases, WHO study finds Posted: 03 Dec 2015 12:02 PM PST One out of every 10 people worldwide suffer from foodborne diseases annually, and children and the poor suffer most, according to the findings of a World Health Organization task force.

Micro-map of hippocampus lends big hand to brain research Posted: 03 Dec 2015 12:02 PM PST A new detailed map of the hippocampal region of the brain is helping the scientific community accelerate research and develop better treatments for patients suffering from epilepsy and other neurological and psychiatric disorders.

Genetic link between heart and neurodevelopmental disease Posted: 03 Dec 2015 12:02 PM PST Children with significant congenital heart disease have a far better chance of surviving today than in decades past, thanks to major advances in surgery. But some infants who recover from repairs to their hearts later show the effects of delays in brain development. But why? In a new study, researchers reported exome sequence analyses of more than 1,200 children and their parents and showed that children with both congenital heart disease and neurodevelopmental delays share certain genetic mutations that thwart the normal development of both the heart and the brain.

Brain receptors for hunger hormone control food intake, study shows Posted: 03 Dec 2015 10:59 AM PST Activating receptors in the brain for the body's hunger hormone increases food-related behaviors, such as gathering, storing and consuming food, a finding that has implications for the treatment of obesity, according to researchers.

Sperm carries information about dad's weight Posted: 03 Dec 2015 10:58 AM PST Turns out dads are also eating for two. A study reveals that a man's weight affects the heritable information contained in sperm. The sperm cells of lean and obese men possess different epigenetic marks, notable at gene regions associated with the control of appetite. The comparisons, which included 13 lean men and 10 obese men, offer one biological explanation for why children of obese fathers are themselves more predisposed to obesity.

First look at gut microbes in an American Indian community Posted: 03 Dec 2015 10:58 AM PST Very little is known about how the diversity of gut microbes might vary among different groups of people, and whether and how those variations might play into well-recognized health disparities. Now, researchers have taken a step toward filling those gaps with the first descriptions of the gut microbiomes of individuals in a Native-American community.

'Nanobombs' might deliver agents that alter gene activity in cancer stem cells Posted: 03 Dec 2015 09:22 AM PST Nanoparticles that swell and burst when exposed to near-infrared laser light have been developed by researchers. These 'nanobombs' might overcome a biological barrier that has blocked development of agents that work by altering the activity -- the expression -- of genes in cancer cells. The agents might kill cancer cells outright or stall their growth, suggest scientists.

Neurotoxic effects of chemotherapies on cognition in breast cancer survivors Posted: 03 Dec 2015 09:22 AM PST Cancer-related cognitive impairment is often referred to as 'chemobrain' and anthracycline-based chemotherapy may have greater negative effects on particular cognitive domains and brain network connections than nonanthracycline-based regimens, according to an article.

New map of paths of hundreds of urban males helps determine how to minimize their violence risk Posted: 03 Dec 2015 08:28 AM PST Gunshot violence is the leading cause of death among 10- to 24-year-old African American males and the second leading cause of death among 10- to 24-year-olds males overall in the United States. A new study is the first to outline the details of how an individual's location and activities influence that risk.

Sense of purpose in life linked to lower mortality and cardiovascular risk Posted: 03 Dec 2015 08:28 AM PST People who have a higher sense of purpose in life are at lower risk of death and cardiovascular disease, reports a pooled data analysis.

Are blood clots in patients with heart-assist pumps decreasing or on the rise in 2015? Posted: 03 Dec 2015 08:13 AM PST Evidence-based data indicate that left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) have saved many lives. However, starting in 2011 device failures due to clots forming inside these pumps (pump thrombosis) appeared to rise dramatically. There is some indication that these failures may now be declining, but data analysis and interpretation are complex. Several studies suggest that management of patients with LVADs may have to change.

Weaker breaths in kids linked to early pesticide exposure Posted: 03 Dec 2015 08:12 AM PST A new study links early exposure to organophosphate pesticides -- widely used in agriculture -- to reduced lung capacity in kids. The findings are the first to show exposure effects on lung health in children.

Sexual dysfunction: Overdiagnosed or undertreated? Posted: 03 Dec 2015 05:27 AM PST The difference between mild sexual difficulties and clinically diagnosable sexual dysfunction is not a new source of debate among health professionals, but it has been stirred up recently by changes to official diagnostic criteria. A new study estimates the likely impact of these morbidity criteria on the prevalence of sexual dysfunction.

Cannabis increases the noise in your brain Posted: 03 Dec 2015 05:22 AM PST Several studies have demonstrated that the primary active constituent of cannabis, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, induces transient psychosis-like effects in healthy subjects similar to those observed in schizophrenia. However, the mechanisms underlying these effects are not clear. A new study shows that this active ingredient increases random neural activity, termed neural noise, in the brains of healthy human subjects. The findings suggest that increased neural noise may play a role in the psychosis-like effects of cannabis.

Graphene oxide could make stronger dental fillings Posted: 03 Dec 2015 05:22 AM PST Graphene oxide could be used to make super strong dental fillings that don't corrode, according to a new study. Research suggests we chew around 800 times in an average meal; that's almost a million times a year. We put our teeth under huge strain, and often require fillings to repair them. Fillings are typically made of a mixture of metals, such as copper, mercury, silver and tin, or composites of powdered glass and ceramic. Typical metal fillings can corrode and composite fillings are not very strong; Graphene on the other hand is 200 times stronger than steel and doesn't corrode, making it a prime new candidate for dental fillings.

Can cancer itself damage the heart? Posted: 03 Dec 2015 05:21 AM PST Both treated and untreated cancer patients showed impaired heart function, report researchers at the end of a study. The finding raises the possibility that cancer itself may damage heart muscle irrespective of exposure to cancer drug therapies.

Affordable Care Act has reduced racial/ethnic health disparities, study shows Posted: 03 Dec 2015 05:19 AM PST The Affordable Care Act has significantly improved insurance coverage and use of health care for African Americans and Latinos, according to a new study.

New class of inhibitory compounds developed to aid melanoma treatments Posted: 03 Dec 2015 05:19 AM PST A pharmacology researcher has helped create a class of inhibitory compounds that can strongly enhance the effect of anti-tumor drugs for melanoma.

Engineers develop potential treatment for whooping cough Posted: 03 Dec 2015 05:19 AM PST Engineers are making progress on a potential Whooping Cough treatment for vulnerable infants. In preclinical testing conducted on animals, the team demonstrated that their antibodies work as a prophylaxis to provide short-term immunity and as a treatment to accelerate recovery.

Scientists create 'fingerprints' for major drug development targets Posted: 03 Dec 2015 05:19 AM PST Detailed 'fingerprints' of a class of surface receptors that have proven highly useful for drug development have been created for the first time. These detailed 'fingerprints' show the surprising complexity of how these receptors activate their binding partners to produce a wide range of signaling actions.

New research sheds light on neuronal communication Posted: 03 Dec 2015 05:18 AM PST To better understand and address a number of neurological disorders, we need a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms that regulate neuronal communication. A new study has revealed an important function of a class of presynaptic proteins previously implicated in neurological disorders in the regulation of synaptic strength.

Cheap, disposable device for diagnosing disease Posted: 03 Dec 2015 05:18 AM PST The development of a reusable microfluidic device for sorting and manipulating cells and other micro/nano meter scale objects will make biomedical diagnosis of diseases cheaper and more convenient in regions where medical facilities are sparse or cost is prohibitive.

Study reveals non-invasive warning sign of kidney disease progression Posted: 03 Dec 2015 05:18 AM PST Researchers have identified an accessible, non-invasive way to identify patients at risk for progression of kidney disease. Chronic kidney disease is a condition in which damaged kidneys cannot filter blood as well as healthy kidneys. Currently, it is estimated that over 10 million individuals suffer from chronic kidney disease, with the number of those affected continuing to rise.

Can slow walking speed in elderly signal Alzheimer's disease hallmarks? Posted: 03 Dec 2015 05:17 AM PST How fast elderly people walk may be related to the amount of amyloid they have built up in their brains, even if they don't yet have symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, according to a study.

Weight gain between pregnancies linked to increased risk of stillbirth and infant death Posted: 03 Dec 2015 05:17 AM PST Mothers of healthy weight during their first pregnancy who gain even a moderate amount of weight (around 6 kg in a woman of average height) between their first and second pregnancies increase the risk of their baby dying in its first year of life, according to new research.

Depression contributes to preventable hospitalizations in Danish study Posted: 03 Dec 2015 05:17 AM PST Individuals with depression are more than twice as likely to have hospitalizations that might be preventable with timely outpatient medical care, a Danish study finds. Preventable hospitalizations included exacerbations of common chronic conditions, such as diabetes and congestive heart failure, and acute illnesses, such as bacterial pneumonia and urinary tract infections. As access and patient costs were not factors in a country with universal health coverage, a solution may be to better integrate mental health services into primary-care settings.

Ovarian follicles used to preserve fertility Posted: 03 Dec 2015 05:12 AM PST A potential new approach to fertility preservation for young cancer patients has been discovered, which addresses concerns about beginning cancer treatment immediately and the possibility of reintroducing cancer cells during the fertility preservation process.

Researchers isolate cells implicated with breast cancer-derived brain tumors Posted: 03 Dec 2015 05:12 AM PST Researchers have isolated genetic signatures of some circulating tumor cells found in breast cancer, which one day may lead to a preventive treatment for metastatic cancer cells, report scientists.

How to wake a sleeping cancer cell, and why you might want to Posted: 03 Dec 2015 05:12 AM PST Cancer cells that lie 'snoozing' in the skeleton can be awakened by changes in the bone that surrounds them, scientists have shown. In a world first, researchers have used state-of-the-art microscopy techniques to watch cancer cells sleep within living bone over a period of months. They show that cancer cells can be 'woken up' when bone tissue is broken down around them, suggesting new possibilities for treating metastatic cancer in bone.

New insights on how to improve face transplants Posted: 03 Dec 2015 05:12 AM PST Over 30 face transplants have been performed to date, but little is known about the long-term outcomes of recipients. A new study reveals that faces, when transplanted, change their appearance based on the bone structure of the recipient, and they seem to age at an accelerated rate.

Lower patient satisfaction in hospitals that employ more nurses trained abroad Posted: 03 Dec 2015 05:12 AM PST Many Western countries including England and the United States have come to rely on nurses trained abroad in times of nurse shortages. Yet little is known about how such practices affect quality of care and patient satisfaction. A novel study has concluded that the employment of nurses trained abroad to substitute for professional nurses educated at home is not without risks to quality of care.

Patient mood can impact medical procedure results Posted: 03 Dec 2015 05:12 AM PST Feeling high levels of distress, fear and hostility prior to undergoing an angioplasty or other interventional radiology procedure may lead to a poor outcome, according to new research.

You are subscribed to email updates from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States