ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

---

• Scientists discover a natural adhesive with biomedical applications
• New breast cancer genetic mutation found in Chinese population and will help refine screening and target drug development
• Physical activity does not influence breast density: Protective effect against breast cancer is due to other mechanisms
• Diabetes treatment can reduce mammographic density
• How an artificial protein rescues dying cells
• Custom-fitted spine implants
• Antidepressants linked to tooth implant failure, new study finds
• Trouble sleeping? The size of your tongue, tonsils could be why
• How weight affects 'wait'
• Predicting potential pharma side effects
• Researchers unlock mechanisms in brain that separate food consumption from cravings
• Active social life associated with well-being in life
• Doctors aren't diagnosing or treating most cases of prediabetes, study finds
• HIV targets tissue macrophages, researchers demonstrates
• Design research can improve patient experiences of radiotherapy
• Cardiovascular safety of obesity treatment naltrexone-bupropion uncertain
• Brain activity of nematodes seeking food offers new view on sleep
• Women suffer more neck pain than men
• How skin cancer starts: Skin cancer teams up with Sonic the Hedgehog
• Green tea and iron, bad combination
• First case of acute myelitis in a patient infected with Zika virus
• Do gun restrictions help reduce gun deaths?
• New scanning technology benefits diabetic eye care in national telemedicine trial
• For lupus patients, anti-inflammatory immune cells are maturing Into wrong cell type
• Precision medicine: Can we afford it? Can we afford not to explore it?
• Want to avoid a cold? Try a tattoo or twenty, says researcher
• More than two million people co-infected with HIV, hepatitis C
• Drug-resistant genes spread through environment, not meat products
• Anti-bacterial fabric holds promise for fighting superbug
• New nanoparticle technology to decipher structure and function of membrane proteins
• An easier path to treating malaria
• New discoveries on the connection between nicotine and type 2 diabetes
• Exercise curbs your hunger, study shows
• New target could help to reduce symptoms of asthma attacks, research shows
• Surprisingly long learning curve for surgeons operating on esophageal cancer
• Renal cell carcinoma: Therapy change can significantly improve treatment result
• Scientists uncover history of ancient viruses as far back as 30 million years ago
• Leading cause of stroke in young going untreated, and it shouldn't, study finds
• Amputee feels texture with a bionic fingertip
• Small cuts, big outcomes
• Low-level arsenic may impact fetal growth, study finds
• Increased education could help adolescents limit caffeine consumption
• Video games improve brain connections in multiple sclerosis patients
• High white blood cell ratio linked to recurrence risk in early stage breast cancer
• Bacterial brawls mark life in the gut's microbiome
• Lack of physical fitness in youth associated with threefold risk of developing type 2 diabetes in adulthood
• Signs of naturally occurring chronic periodontitis reversed
• Holding mirror to docs who overprescribe addictive drugs doesn't stem prescriptions
• New placenta model could reveal how birth defect-causing infectious agents cross from mother to baby

Scientists discover a natural adhesive with biomedical applications Posted: 08 Mar 2016 06:17 PM PST Chemists created a nonpermanent adhesive from a natural chemical reaction that can be used in the biomedical field. This discovery may benefit tissue repair or drug delivery.

New breast cancer genetic mutation found in Chinese population and will help refine screening and target drug development Posted: 08 Mar 2016 06:17 PM PST A genetic mutation that appears to be associated with a high breast cancer risk has been identified by researchers from Hong Kong. It is likely to be important enough to be included in genetic screening for people of Chinese origin with a family history of breast cancer, they say.

Physical activity does not influence breast density: Protective effect against breast cancer is due to other mechanisms Posted: 08 Mar 2016 06:17 PM PST Researchers have found no link between physical activity and breast density, and believe that the protective effect of physical activity on breast cancer must be through other mechanisms. This finding is unexpected because it was believed that reducing BMI and fatty tissue would increase breast density.

Diabetes treatment can reduce mammographic density Posted: 08 Mar 2016 06:17 PM PST A large study has found that the use of diabetes treatment decreases mammographic density, a strong risk factor for breast cancer, whereas taking insulin increases density. This is the first time that data on the effect of diabetes treatment and insulin use on breast cancer have been studied.

How an artificial protein rescues dying cells Posted: 08 Mar 2016 03:34 PM PST Researchers discovered the unexpected way in which a synthetic protein called SynSerB promotes the growth of cells that lack the natural SerB gene, offering insight into how life can adapt to survive and potentially be reinvented.

Custom-fitted spine implants Posted: 08 Mar 2016 11:08 AM PST Advances in medical imaging and implant manufacturing are making it possible to tailor an implant to the patient receiving it, and using patient-specific rods in reconstructive surgery gives patients with spinal deformities implants designed to fit their anatomy perfectly.

Antidepressants linked to tooth implant failure, new study finds Posted: 08 Mar 2016 11:08 AM PST Antidepressants, commonly used to treat anxiety, pain and other disorders, quadruple the risk of dental implant failure, according to a new pilot study. Each year of antidepressant use doubled the odds of failure.

Trouble sleeping? The size of your tongue, tonsils could be why Posted: 08 Mar 2016 11:08 AM PST Oversized tonsils and tongues place people at high risk for obstructive sleep apnea, a disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep due to blocked upper airways, suggests a new report.

How weight affects 'wait' Posted: 08 Mar 2016 10:51 AM PST Overweight and obese children are at greater risk for pedestrian injury, new research shows. It's not because overweight and obese kids can't cross the street fast enough. Rather, in a study involving traffic simulations, researchers found that children with higher body mass indices were more impatient and impulsive than their peers; they waited less before crossing, allowed for a smaller buffer of time and distance between themselves and oncoming traffic, and were involved more collisions in the experimental settings.

Predicting potential pharma side effects Posted: 08 Mar 2016 10:49 AM PST A computer program that can predict whether or not a given pharmaceutical will have worrying side effects has been developed. Researchers have developed the 'in silico' testing system for drugs in the early stage of drug development.

Researchers unlock mechanisms in brain that separate food consumption from cravings Posted: 08 Mar 2016 10:49 AM PST Understanding non-homeostatic eating -- or eating that is driven more by palatability, habit and food cues -- and how it works in the brain may help neuroscientists determine how to control cravings, maintain healthier weights and promote healthier lifestyles. Scientists recently discovered the chemical circuits and mechanisms in the brain that separate food consumption from cravings. Knowing more about these mechanisms could help researchers develop drugs that reduce overeating.

Active social life associated with well-being in life Posted: 08 Mar 2016 10:49 AM PST Staying active socially despite health-related challenges appears to help lessen the decline in well-being people often experience late in life, according to research.

Doctors aren't diagnosing or treating most cases of prediabetes, study finds Posted: 08 Mar 2016 10:48 AM PST Less than one-quarter of patients who met the criteria for prediabetes received drug or lifestyle modification treatment from their primary care physician, according to researchers, who say the findings indicate physicians are missing opportunities for diabetes prevention.

HIV targets tissue macrophages, researchers demonstrates Posted: 08 Mar 2016 10:47 AM PST HIV infects and reproduces in macrophages, large white blood cells found in the liver, brain and connective tissues of the body, new research demonstrates. This discovery has significant implications for HIV cure research.

Design research can improve patient experiences of radiotherapy Posted: 08 Mar 2016 10:47 AM PST Patients risk experiencing anxiety and fear when health care does not meet individual patients' needs. New approaches to reduce anxiety for instance over radiotherapy are needed and design research is well-suited to meet these challenges, one expert says.

Cardiovascular safety of obesity treatment naltrexone-bupropion uncertain Posted: 08 Mar 2016 10:31 AM PST The cardiovascular safety of the obesity treatment naltrexone-bupropion remains uncertain because of the unanticipated early termination of a trial to determine its safety, according to a study.

Brain activity of nematodes seeking food offers new view on sleep Posted: 08 Mar 2016 10:30 AM PST If you have trouble sleeping, the neurons in your brain may be firing like those in roundworms randomly seeking food in the absence of clues, says a biologist.

Women suffer more neck pain than men Posted: 08 Mar 2016 10:30 AM PST Women are 1.38 times more likely than men to report neck pain due to cervical degenerative disc disease, according to a new study.

How skin cancer starts: Skin cancer teams up with Sonic the Hedgehog Posted: 08 Mar 2016 10:30 AM PST An international team of scientists studied what mutations are responsible for formation of the most common skin cancer type.

Green tea and iron, bad combination Posted: 08 Mar 2016 10:29 AM PST Green tea is touted for its many health benefits as a powerful antioxidant, but experiments in a laboratory mouse model of inflammatory bowel disease suggest that consuming green tea along with dietary iron may actually lessen green tea's benefits.

First case of acute myelitis in a patient infected with Zika virus Posted: 08 Mar 2016 10:29 AM PST A first case of acute myelitis following infection with Zika virus has been reported for the first time. A young patient in the acute phase of an infection by Zika virus presented motor deficiency in the four limbs, associated with very intense pain and acute urinary retention.

Do gun restrictions help reduce gun deaths? Posted: 08 Mar 2016 10:29 AM PST Researchers looked at the associations between firearm-related laws and firearm homicides, suicides, and unintentional injuries and deaths. The results indicate that gun violence tended to decline after countries passed new restrictions on gun purchasing and ownership. The paper is the first to explore the evidence from around the world on gun laws and gun violence to determine whether gun restrictions help reduce gun deaths.

New scanning technology benefits diabetic eye care in national telemedicine trial Posted: 08 Mar 2016 10:29 AM PST Ultrawide field (UWF) scanning technology significantly improved the ability of experts at a remote central location to identify diabetic retinopathy in a patient, and to judge whether the eye disease warranted referring the patient to an ophthalmologist for further care, a national clinical trial suggests.

For lupus patients, anti-inflammatory immune cells are maturing Into wrong cell type Posted: 08 Mar 2016 10:29 AM PST One of the mysteries of lupus is why the immune cells that normally keep inflammation at bay can't seem to do their job. A study now suggests that for people with lupus, the B cells that regulate inflammation are getting signaled to become pro-inflammatory cells instead. The research also provides evidence that how a lupus patient responds to treatment is related to their levels of these cellular signals.

Precision medicine: Can we afford it? Can we afford not to explore it? Posted: 08 Mar 2016 08:00 AM PST Imagine that the next time your doctor orders a round of tests, in addition to cholesterol and vitamin D, she also orders a genome sequence. It sounds like science fiction, but the day might come sooner than you think.

Want to avoid a cold? Try a tattoo or twenty, says researcher Posted: 08 Mar 2016 08:00 AM PST There's no known cure for the common cold, but receiving multiple tattoos can strengthen your immunological responses, potentially making you heartier in fighting off common infections, according to research. However, receiving a single tattoo can, at least temporarily, lower your resistance.

More than two million people co-infected with HIV, hepatitis C Posted: 08 Mar 2016 07:56 AM PST An estimated 2.3 million people living with HIV are co-infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) globally, a new study has found. Very little was known about the extent of HIV/HCV coinfection prior to this study, which was the first global study of its kind.

Drug-resistant genes spread through environment, not meat products Posted: 08 Mar 2016 07:50 AM PST A current focus for policy-makers is to reduce antibiotic use in livestock to curb the spread of drug-resistant bugs. New findings show that traffic from humans to animals, and back to humans via the environment, should be a new focus for research.

Anti-bacterial fabric holds promise for fighting superbug Posted: 08 Mar 2016 06:16 AM PST Antibiotics have proven to be a valuable weapon in the fight against infectious bacteria. However, due to the excess use of antibiotics in conventional treatments, overtime antibiotics have become less effective. Now a Korean industry-academic collaborative group has recently developed an anti-bacterial fabric that are effective against antibiotic-resistant superbugs.

New nanoparticle technology to decipher structure and function of membrane proteins Posted: 08 Mar 2016 06:11 AM PST Researchers have developed a nanoparticle technology that can be used to stabilize membrane proteins so that their structure can be studied in a lipid environment. The method makes it possible to access drug targets that previously could not be investigated and therefore potentially allows for the development of novel drugs, therapeutic antibodies and vaccines.

An easier path to treating malaria Posted: 08 Mar 2016 06:11 AM PST Bringing three powerful chemical groups together offers new possibilities in drug development.

New discoveries on the connection between nicotine and type 2 diabetes Posted: 08 Mar 2016 06:11 AM PST Two new discoveries have been made with regard to the beta cells' ability to release insulin. The findings can also provide a possible explanation as to why smokers have an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

Exercise curbs your hunger, study shows Posted: 08 Mar 2016 06:07 AM PST Exercising is more effective than food restriction in helping limit daily calorie consumption, new research shows. The findings contradict previous studies that suggest exercise makes people -- in particular women -- eat more. They also show the response of the hormones ghrelin and peptide YY to exercise is the same for both men and women.

New target could help to reduce symptoms of asthma attacks, research shows Posted: 08 Mar 2016 06:07 AM PST The role of a receptor in the body that could help to prevent or reduce the effects of asthma attacks has been examined by an international team of researchers. The team examined the role in the body of nociceptin, a peptide that activates the nociceptin receptor, better known for its association with pain processing.

Surprisingly long learning curve for surgeons operating on esophageal cancer Posted: 08 Mar 2016 05:59 AM PST A surgeon who operates on esophageal cancer must have performed 60 operations to prevent any lack of experience adversely affecting the long-term survival of the patients, according to a major Swedish cohort study. The finding has potential significance for clinical practice.

Renal cell carcinoma: Therapy change can significantly improve treatment result Posted: 08 Mar 2016 05:59 AM PST A research team was able to demonstrate that a therapy change in the area of metastasizing renal cell carcinoma significantly increases the life average expectancy and clearly improves the compatibility of the therapy. The extent of the influence of the administration rhythm of Sunitinib, an effective ingredient which is utilised in the target-oriented therapy, on the treatment results was examined. The result: In 71% of the patients, the therapy change resulted in an average survival extension of 33 months to approximately 75 months.

Scientists uncover history of ancient viruses as far back as 30 million years ago Posted: 08 Mar 2016 05:49 AM PST The global spread of an ancient group of retroviruses that affected about 28 of 50 modern mammals' ancestors some 15 to 30 million years ago has been revealed by a team of scientists.

Leading cause of stroke in young going untreated, and it shouldn't, study finds Posted: 08 Mar 2016 05:49 AM PST The most common cause of strokes in children and young adults is sometimes left untreated, but a sweeping new study strongly suggests that is generally a mistake.

Amputee feels texture with a bionic fingertip Posted: 08 Mar 2016 05:49 AM PST An amputee feels rough or smooth textures in real-time -- in his phantom hand -- using an artificial fingertip connected to nerves in the arm. The advancement will accelerate the development of touch enabled prosthetics.

Small cuts, big outcomes Posted: 08 Mar 2016 05:49 AM PST A move to promote less invasive surgeries for women with severe gynecological problems has sped up patient recovery, led to fewer complications and saved the hospital money, according to a study.

Low-level arsenic may impact fetal growth, study finds Posted: 08 Mar 2016 05:49 AM PST Fetal growth may be impacted by low levels of arsenic that pregnant women consume in drinking water and food, a study finds. Arsenic, which can contaminate our food and water supply, is a common metalloid on Earth's crust that is used for industrial purposes.

Increased education could help adolescents limit caffeine consumption Posted: 08 Mar 2016 05:49 AM PST Caffeine is the most available and widely used psychoactive substance in the world and is the only drug legally accessible and socially acceptable for consumption by children and adolescents. Some studies have shown that adolescents are the fastest-growing population of caffeine users, with 83.2 percent consuming caffeinated beverages regularly and at least 96 percent consuming them occasionally. With this in mind, researchers developed a study to determine attitudes and beliefs as well as factors influencing caffeinated beverage consumption among adolescents.

Video games improve brain connections in multiple sclerosis patients Posted: 08 Mar 2016 05:49 AM PST Playing 'brain-training' video games may help improve some cognitive abilities of people with multiple sclerosis by strengthening neural connections in an important part of their brains, according to a new study.

High white blood cell ratio linked to recurrence risk in early stage breast cancer Posted: 07 Mar 2016 06:10 PM PST A high ratio of two types of immune system cell is linked to an increased risk of disease recurrence after a diagnosis of early stage breast cancer, finds the first study of its kind.

Bacterial brawls mark life in the gut's microbiome Posted: 07 Mar 2016 03:43 PM PST Bacterially speaking, it gets very crowded in the human gut, with trillions of cells jostling for a position to carry out a host of specialized and often crucial tasks. A new study suggests these "friendly" bacteria aggressively stake out their territory, injecting lethal toxins into any other cells that dare bump into them.

Lack of physical fitness in youth associated with threefold risk of developing type 2 diabetes in adulthood Posted: 07 Mar 2016 03:43 PM PST The combination of low aerobic capacity and low muscle strength at age 18 is associated with a three times greater risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes in adulthood, according to new research.

Signs of naturally occurring chronic periodontitis reversed Posted: 07 Mar 2016 03:40 PM PST Periodontitis, a gum disease present in nearly half of all adults in the United States, involves inflammation, bleeding and bone loss. Now there is new hope that the disease can be effectively reversed.

Holding mirror to docs who overprescribe addictive drugs doesn't stem prescriptions Posted: 07 Mar 2016 03:40 PM PST Researchers conducted a randomized trial of informative letters aimed at suspected inappropriate prescribers of addictive substances like opioids and amphetamines. Top prescribers of these substances were identified and sent a letter informing them of their high prescribing rate. The investigators were unable to detect a statistically significant effect of the intervention on prescribing practices.

New placenta model could reveal how birth defect-causing infectious agents cross from mother to baby Posted: 07 Mar 2016 12:33 PM PST Researchers have devised a cell-based model of the human placenta that could help explain how pathogens that cause birth defects, such as Zika virus, cross from mother to unborn child.

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