ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• A disposable, highly sensitive biosensing system
• New evidence gives women informed choice in the prolapse surgery debate
• Exposure to air pollution 30 years ago associated with increased risk of death
• Five common causes of erectile dysfunction
• Antiretroviral therapy reduces HIV in the female reproductive tract
• Expanding use of vaccines could save up to $44 for every dollar spent, study suggests
• Predicting who will develop multiple sclerosis
• Newer pain management strategies can lead to quicker, shorter recovery after total knee replacement
• Social hormone promotes cooperation in risky situations
• Scientists elucidate genetic underpinnings of congenital heart disease
• Cotton candy machines may hold key for making artificial organs
• Using medical marijuana to stop seizures in kids
• New strategies, tools offered for genome editing
• Older and younger adults surf different brain waves
• Nanoparticle therapy that uses LDL and fish oil kills liver cancer cells
• Researchers identify new Borrelia species that causes Lyme disease
• New research identifies drug target for dengue virus
• A step closer to understanding fertilization
• Brain scars in multiple sclerosis patients reveal possible cause of taste problems
• Veterans Affairs health system faces significant challenges, studies find
• Research finds no easy answers to use of drug screening for pain patients
• Wholesome wholegrain
• New device to get people with paralysis back on their feet
• Nature's mirror: The code for chirality
• Search technique helps researchers find DNA sequences in minutes rather than days
• Origin of sighing reflex in the brain pinpointed
• Multicomponent intervention linked to better sun protection for kids
• Scientists propose 'pumpjack' mechanism for splitting, copying DNA
• Turning the volume of gene expression up and down
• Traffic-related air pollution linked to facial dark spots
• New target, potential treatment found for unhealthy levels of fat that can occur in type 1 diabetes
• Kitchen skills are highly dependent on level of income and children living at home
• New type 2 diabetes biomarker identified
• Taser shock disrupts brain function, has implications for police interrogations
• Ultra runner Susie Chan sets new 12-hour treadmill world record
• Why your muscles get less sore as you stick with your gym routine
• Muscles on-a-chip provide insight into cardiac stem cell therapies
• Fall detector for older people
• Sustained aerobic exercise increases adult neurogenesis in brain
• Cocaine users present alterations in function, structures of brain
• New wireless sleeve to help people recover arm use after stroke
• Wbp2 is a novel deafness gene
• More detailed analysis of how cells react to stress
• The refugee crisis: Biologists warn of the problems of determining age from biological indicators in children
• Alcohol consumption in Valencia rockets during Fallas
• Removal of complex renal tumors performed safely by robotic surgery in selected patients
• Treatments that reduce knee buckling may help prevent falls in older adults
• Study compares effectiveness of phone-based and web-based smoking cessation programs in four states
• Public back ban on children's junk food advertising

A disposable, highly sensitive biosensing system Posted: 08 Feb 2016 06:37 PM PST A new biosensing platform has been fabricated for the determination of haptoglobin in human blood.

New evidence gives women informed choice in the prolapse surgery debate Posted: 08 Feb 2016 06:37 PM PST New evidence published today highlights benefits and harms of using artificial mesh when compared with tissue repair in the surgical treatment of vaginal prolapse. Slightly better repair with mesh needs to be weighed carefully against increased risk of harms.

Exposure to air pollution 30 years ago associated with increased risk of death Posted: 08 Feb 2016 06:36 PM PST Exposure to air pollution more than 30 years ago may still affect an individual's mortality risk today, according to new research. Highest risks were seen for respiratory disease, such as bronchitis, emphysema and for pneumonia. Air pollution also affected mortality risk from cardiovascular diseases, such as heart disease.

Five common causes of erectile dysfunction Posted: 08 Feb 2016 03:34 PM PST You've seen the late night commercial come across your screen. An older man is on a date with a beautiful woman in a romantic setting. A big smile stretches across his face as he looks in her eyes, but something is secretly bothering him. Cue the voiceover about erectile dysfunction.

Antiretroviral therapy reduces HIV in the female reproductive tract Posted: 08 Feb 2016 03:33 PM PST For the first time, investigators have determined how antiretroviral therapy (ART) affects the way HIV disseminates and establishes infection in the female reproductive tract. These observations have significant implications for future HIV prevention, vaccine and cure studies.

Expanding use of vaccines could save up to $44 for every dollar spent, study suggests Posted: 08 Feb 2016 03:33 PM PST Vaccinations, long recognized as an excellent investment that saves lives and prevents illness, could have significant economic value that far exceeds their original cost, a new study has found.

Predicting who will develop multiple sclerosis Posted: 08 Feb 2016 03:30 PM PST A team of investigators has launched a study of individuals at risk for multiple sclerosis (MS) to better understand the sequence of events that leads some people to develop the disease and set the stage for developing and testing interventions with which to block the onset of MS.

Newer pain management strategies can lead to quicker, shorter recovery after total knee replacement Posted: 08 Feb 2016 03:30 PM PST According to a new literature review , a team-based care approach (consisting of the patient, family members, the orthopaedic surgeon and other medical practitioners) on total knee replacement (TKR) procedures, in conjunction with newer pain management strategies, is key to maximizing patient outcomes.

Social hormone promotes cooperation in risky situations Posted: 08 Feb 2016 03:29 PM PST A hormone implicated in monogamy and aggression in animals also promotes trust and cooperation in humans in risky situations, researchers say.

Scientists elucidate genetic underpinnings of congenital heart disease Posted: 08 Feb 2016 11:10 AM PST Mutations in the gene TBX5 have been shown to cause both rare and more prevalent forms of congenital heart disease, yet the underlying mechanisms have remained unclear. A team of researchers has now found evidence pointing to a culprit.

Cotton candy machines may hold key for making artificial organs Posted: 08 Feb 2016 11:07 AM PST Engineers have modified the cotton candy machine to create complex microfluidic networks that mimic the capillary system in living tissue and have demonstrated that these networks can keep cells alive and functioning in an artificial three-dimensional matrix.

Using medical marijuana to stop seizures in kids Posted: 08 Feb 2016 11:06 AM PST Desperate for relief, parents are taking unusual steps to help children plagued with seizures. The relief, however, comes in a most unlikely form: marijuana.

New strategies, tools offered for genome editing Posted: 08 Feb 2016 10:54 AM PST Bioengineers have studied alternative CRISPR-Cas9 systems for precision genome editing, with a focus on improving its accuracy and limiting 'off-target' errors.

Older and younger adults surf different brain waves Posted: 08 Feb 2016 10:54 AM PST Cognitive scientists have found more evidence that aging brains work differently than younger brains when performing the same memory task, pointing to a potentially new direction for age-related cognitive care and exploration.

Nanoparticle therapy that uses LDL and fish oil kills liver cancer cells Posted: 08 Feb 2016 10:54 AM PST An experimental nanoparticle therapy that combines low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and fish oil preferentially kills primary liver cancer cells without harming healthy cells, researchers report.

Researchers identify new Borrelia species that causes Lyme disease Posted: 08 Feb 2016 10:54 AM PST A new bacterial species that causes Lyme disease in people has been identified by researchers. The new species has been provisionally named Borrelia mayonii. Prior to this finding, the only species believed to cause Lyme disease in North America was Borrelia burgdorferi.

New research identifies drug target for dengue virus Posted: 08 Feb 2016 10:44 AM PST No vaccine or drug has yet become available against the Dengue virus. A flavivirus like the newly prominent Zika virus, Dengue has become a leading cause of serious illness and death in some Asian and Latin American countries. Now a team of investigators has data suggesting that a protein in dengue virus that goes by the scientific name, NS4B, would make a promising target for antiviral drug development.

A step closer to understanding fertilization Posted: 08 Feb 2016 10:44 AM PST Researchers have taken a step closer to understanding the mechanism that leads to the fusion of egg and sperm at fertilization. Using the technique X-ray crystallography, they have determined the 3-D structure of Juno, a mammalian egg protein essential for triggering gamete fusion. Their findings are not only interesting from an evolutionary perspective, but also reveal the shape of a possible target for future non-hormonal contraceptives.

Brain scars in multiple sclerosis patients reveal possible cause of taste problems Posted: 08 Feb 2016 09:48 AM PST Taste deficits appear to be more prevalent among multiple sclerosis (MS) patients than previously reported and correlate with brain lesions left by the debilitating disease, a new study has found.

Veterans Affairs health system faces significant challenges, studies find Posted: 08 Feb 2016 09:48 AM PST A series of reports prepared as part of a Congressionally mandated review of the Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system finds that demands on the VA will continue to increase through the end of the decade. Veterans who rely on the VA for health care are less healthy, with higher rates of chronic conditions and mental illness, than veterans who do not use the VA health system.

Research finds no easy answers to use of drug screening for pain patients Posted: 08 Feb 2016 09:42 AM PST Doctors who treat patients suffering from chronic pain face a quandary, according to research. Monitoring patients through urine drug screenings, part of the standard protocol to ensure patient safety, is associated with an increase in the odds that the patients won't return for future treatment.

Wholesome wholegrain Posted: 08 Feb 2016 09:42 AM PST When it is a matter of health, whole grain has the X factor -- or rather the BX factor -- in the form of a certain group of bioactive compounds called benzoxazinoids, or BX. Scientists have documented the uptake of these compounds in humans and their possible beneficial effect on the immune system.

New device to get people with paralysis back on their feet Posted: 08 Feb 2016 09:42 AM PST Medical researchers have created a new minimally invasive brain-machine interface, giving people with spinal cord injuries new hope to walk again with the power of thought.

Nature's mirror: The code for chirality Posted: 08 Feb 2016 09:42 AM PST How information is transferred from biological molecules to crystalline surfaces could pave the way for the development of new drugs and other synthetic materials.

Search technique helps researchers find DNA sequences in minutes rather than days Posted: 08 Feb 2016 09:38 AM PST Database searches for DNA sequences that can take biologists and medical researchers days can now be completed in a matter of minutes, thanks to a new search method developed by computer scientists.

Origin of sighing reflex in the brain pinpointed Posted: 08 Feb 2016 09:38 AM PST Two tiny clusters of neurons in the brain stem are responsible for transforming normal breaths into sighs, say researchers. The discovery may one day benefit patients who cannot breathe deeply on their own -- or who suffer from disorders in which frequent sighing becomes debilitating.

Multicomponent intervention linked to better sun protection for kids Posted: 08 Feb 2016 09:38 AM PST A multicomponent intervention including reminder text messages, a swim shirt for children and a read-along book was associated with increased sun-protection behaviors among young children and a smaller change in children's skin pigment, according to a new article.

Scientists propose 'pumpjack' mechanism for splitting, copying DNA Posted: 08 Feb 2016 09:38 AM PST New close-up images of the proteins that copy DNA inside the nucleus of a cell have led a team of scientists to propose a brand new mechanism for how this molecular machinery works. The scientists studied proteins from yeast cells, which share many features with the cells of complex organisms such as humans, and could offer new insight into ways that DNA replication can go awry.

Turning the volume of gene expression up and down Posted: 08 Feb 2016 09:38 AM PST Gene expression in a fruit fly embryo can be accurately and predictably tuned, new research shows. This study has important implications in cellular and developmental biology, with potential applications in stem cell reprogramming and regenerative medicine.

Traffic-related air pollution linked to facial dark spots Posted: 08 Feb 2016 08:29 AM PST A large scale study that included women from Germany and China has demonstrated a link between levels of traffic-related air pollution and air pollution-associated gases with the formation of dark spots on the skin, known as lentigenes. The most pronounced changes were observed on the cheeks of Asian women over the age of 50.

New target, potential treatment found for unhealthy levels of fat that can occur in type 1 diabetes Posted: 08 Feb 2016 08:27 AM PST Researchers have new insight into the complex interchange that can raise blood levels of unhealthy lipids, or fat, in type 1 diabetes, and early evidence that a drug under study to block cancer cell growth can restore healthier levels.

Kitchen skills are highly dependent on level of income and children living at home Posted: 08 Feb 2016 08:26 AM PST Our knowledge of food and our kitchen skills are highly dependent on our level of income and on whether we have children living at home, say investigators at the conclusion of their study in Denmark.

New type 2 diabetes biomarker identified Posted: 08 Feb 2016 08:26 AM PST Type 2 diabetes accounts for around 90 percent of diabetes cases as well as being one of the major cardiovascular risk factors. Researchers have found an epigenetic mechanism implicated in the regulation of blood sugar. The results of this work could help identify patients at risk of developing diabetes, control treatment response, and generate possible future therapies for this disease.

Taser shock disrupts brain function, has implications for police interrogations Posted: 08 Feb 2016 07:02 AM PST In a randomized control trial, volunteer participants were subjected to Taser shocks and tested for cognitive impairment. Some showed short-term declines in cognitive functioning comparable to dementia, raising serious questions about the ability of police suspects to understand their rights at the point of arrest.

Ultra runner Susie Chan sets new 12-hour treadmill world record Posted: 08 Feb 2016 07:00 AM PST Ultra runner Susie Chan has set a new 12-hour treadmill world record with the support of sport science and exercise experts. The 40 year old, from Farnham, Surrey, ran a total distance of 68.54 miles (110.3km) in 12 hours – beating the previous women's record for the same time period of 66.79 miles.

Why your muscles get less sore as you stick with your gym routine Posted: 08 Feb 2016 06:59 AM PST Scientists have studied the reduced-soreness phenomenon for decades, but they still can't figure out exactly why people feel less sore the second time around. What they do know is the immune system plays some role in how the muscle repairs itself and protects against additional damage. But now exercise science researchers have produced evidence that shows for the first time the surprising presence of very specific immune workers: T-cells.

Muscles on-a-chip provide insight into cardiac stem cell therapies Posted: 08 Feb 2016 06:58 AM PST Stem cell-derived heart muscle cells may fail to effectively replace damaged cardiac tissue because they don't contract strongly enough, according to a new study. This may help explain why stem cell-based therapies have so far shown limited benefits for heart attack patients in clinical trials.

Fall detector for older people Posted: 08 Feb 2016 05:36 AM PST A new sensor will make life safer for the elderly, say its developers. Pressure measurements enable a newly developed fall detector to "observe" falls that current sensors do not register, thus improving safety for older people who live at home.

Sustained aerobic exercise increases adult neurogenesis in brain Posted: 08 Feb 2016 05:36 AM PST It may be possible to increase the neuron reserve of the hippocampus – and thus improve preconditions for learning – by promoting neurogenesis via sustained aerobic exercise such as running, say researchers.

Cocaine users present alterations in function, structures of brain Posted: 08 Feb 2016 05:36 AM PST The presence of alterations in brain functioning and structure in cocaine users has been seen in a new study where researchers used three different magnetic resonance imaging techniques to study the brain activation patterns and the integrity of grey and white matter in cocaine users.

New wireless sleeve to help people recover arm use after stroke Posted: 08 Feb 2016 05:35 AM PST Scientists are intending to develop and trial a new wearable technology to help people who have had a stroke recover use of their arm and hand. The team will create a wireless sleeve, which will provide automatic, intelligent information about muscle movement and strength while patients practice every-day tasks at home. The data will be available on a computer tablet to enable patients to review their progress as well as to allow therapists to tailor their rehabilitation program.

Wbp2 is a novel deafness gene Posted: 08 Feb 2016 05:35 AM PST For the first time, researchers have demonstrated a direct link between the Wbp2 gene and progressive hearing loss. The scientists report that the loss of Wbp2 expression leads to progressive high-frequency hearing loss in mouse as well as in two clinical cases of children with deafness with no other obvious features.

More detailed analysis of how cells react to stress Posted: 08 Feb 2016 05:35 AM PST Stress in the body's cells is both the cause and consequence of inflammatory diseases or cancer. The cells react to stress to protect themselves. Researchers have now developed a new technique that allows studying a fundamental response to stress in much more detail than previously possible: the ADP-ribosylation of chromatin. In the long term, this method could help finding ways of blocking disease-causing processes.

The refugee crisis: Biologists warn of the problems of determining age from biological indicators in children Posted: 08 Feb 2016 05:33 AM PST The thousands of unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC) entering Europe to seek escape from war and poverty are in the headlines as the British Government considers the acceptance of 3000 refugee children to the UK.  In addition to the loss of their families, many of these children will also have no documentary proof of their identity or age and no-one to support their status as "children" and thus their claim of asylum.  In those cases in which the child appears to be mature, scientific evidence is required by the government to support an age of less than 18 years. In these cases an assessment of the biological maturity of the child is made on the assumption of the close relationship between maturity and age.  In 2015 these assessments were carried out in 488 of the 2168 applications by UASC; over 20% of all applications.

Alcohol consumption in Valencia rockets during Fallas Posted: 08 Feb 2016 05:33 AM PST It is possible to measure the alcohol consumption of a given population based on the presence of a stable metabolite excreted in urine in wastewaters: ethyl sulphate. Now research is focused on the scientifically quantification of the massive spike in drinking in Valencia during local festivities.

Removal of complex renal tumors performed safely by robotic surgery in selected patients Posted: 08 Feb 2016 05:33 AM PST Renal cell carcinoma can sometimes spread to the inferior vena cava (IVC), the body's largest vein, posing a threat to the heart and brain. Robotic nephrectomy for inferior vena cava tumor thrombus has favorable outcomes in selected patients compared with open surgery, which can have a high rate of complications.

Treatments that reduce knee buckling may help prevent falls in older adults Posted: 08 Feb 2016 05:31 AM PST Symptoms of knee instability in older adults may indicate an increased risk of falling and of experiencing the various physical and psychological effects that can result from falling, according to a new study.

Study compares effectiveness of phone-based and web-based smoking cessation programs in four states Posted: 08 Feb 2016 05:31 AM PST A new analysis indicates that states' Web-based and phone-based tobacco cessation programs can help people quit smoking, but certain personal characteristics may lead individuals to prefer one type of program over the other.

Public back ban on children's junk food advertising Posted: 07 Feb 2016 05:34 PM PST Three quarters of the UK public back a ban on junk food advertising before the 9pm TV watershed, according to a new survey. And one in two support a tax on sugary drinks, which could help tackle the rising childhood obesity epidemic.

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