ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• General practice in England nearing 'saturation point'
• Can your fitness tracker save your life in the ER?
• Controlling cell turnover in the intestinal lining
• Irregular heart rhythm may affect walking, strength in older adults
• Hispanics/Latinos at higher risk for cardiac dysfunction, heart failure
• How printing a 3-D skull helped save a real one
• Suicide risk can be intercepted in the emergency department
• Cancer link offers another reason to avoid highly processed carbs
• Scientists find safer way to make common blood thinner heparin
• Blueberries may offer benefits for post-traumatic stress disorder
• Key to Herbal Remedy’s Success May Be in the Bacteria
• The down side of your sweet and salty addiction: Rapid onset high blood pressure?
• Move over, polar bear plunge: Ice swimming is next big extreme winter water sport
• Exercise Reduces Cardiovascular Risk Factors From Constant Stress
• New study reports on suicidal thinking among US veterans
• Certain gastrointestinal tumors associated with higher mortality
• Online comment sections may influence readers' opinions on health issues
• Researchers test new Risk of Bias assessment tool for non-randomized intervention studies
• The science behind bodily secretions
• New mouse model to aid testing of Zika vaccine, therapeutics
• Scientists get first-ever glimpse of 'teenage' HIV-neutralizing antibody
• Interventions requiring less individual agency should be prioritized to fight obesity
• Uninfected or asymptomatic? Diagnostic tests key to forecasting major epidemics
• 'It's not worth me having a long-life lightbulb': Rare insight into attitudeson death among the very old
• Trophoblasts resistant to Zika/Zika in the mouse
• Research finds evidence of lung abnormalities in light-use waterpipe smokers
• Novel 3-D imaging offers new tool for identifying advanced fibrosis in liver
• Few children get 60 minutes of vigorous physical activity daily
• Better fix for torn ACLs
• Household food insecurity at record high in the North, say Canadian researchers
• Sugar shock: Insulin costs tripled in 10 years, study finds
• Pain, physical function improve after weight-loss surgery
• Screening for COPD not recommended
• Rhythm of oscillations in cerebral cortex, key to understanding Down syndrome
• Pharmacists in care teams improve care for patients with dementia
• The ups and downs of transportation within cells
• Promising new method inhibits TB-causing bacteria
• Maternal smoking during pregnancy leaves its lasting mark on the child's genetic make-up
• Scientists reveal endocardial origin of liver vasculature
• Invading the brain to understand, repair cognition
• Study examines bed bug infestations in 2,372 low-income apartments in New Jersey
• Targeting gut microbiome to fight heart disease
• Examining alcohol use prior to suicides, motor vehicle crash deaths
• Effects of alcohol, methamphetamine, and marijuana exposure on the placenta
• Closer examination reveals changes to the 'gender gap' in drinking
• Fluctuations in student drinking during the calendar year
• Researchers seeking ways to help older adults preserve their mobility
• Viruses cause bacteria to produce pink pigments
• Exercise counteracts sitting time
• Risk of breaking a bone depends on where you live
• Effect of economic crisis on birth outcome in Spain
• Presently recommended exercise levels may be much more than needed for significant health benefits
• Trial drug ineffective in preventing contrast-induced kidney injury
• Survivorship improving for acute liver failure patients, 16-year analysis led
• Altered circadian rhythm worsens Parkinson's disease, researchers show
• Gamblers Anonymous associated with progress, could benefit from more combined approach
• Objective predictors of suicidality in women identified
• Insomnia linked to damage in brain communication networks

General practice in England nearing 'saturation point' Posted: 05 Apr 2016 07:12 PM PDT The largest analysis of GP and nurse consultations to date shows workloads in general practice have increased by 16 percent over the past seven years, with more frequent and longer consultations. The researchers warn the increases are unsustainable, and that general practice in England could be reaching saturation point.

Can your fitness tracker save your life in the ER? Posted: 05 Apr 2016 03:30 PM PDT Emergency physicians used a patient's personal activity tracker and smartphone to identify the time his heart arrhythmia started, which allowed them to treat his new-onset atrial fibrillation with electrical cardioversion and discharge him home. This was the first case report using information in an activity tracker/smartphone system to assist in medical decision-making.

Controlling cell turnover in the intestinal lining Posted: 05 Apr 2016 03:29 PM PDT The lining of the intestine is the most rapidly-renewing tissue in the body. Routine shedding of epithelial cells from this lining is a key element of tissue turnover, and is thus essential to maintaining optimal health. Altered shedding is associated with multiple disorders, ranging from inflammatory bowel disease to colorectal cancer.

Irregular heart rhythm may affect walking, strength in older adults Posted: 05 Apr 2016 03:29 PM PDT When people over age 70 develop atrial fibrillation, the most common type of irregular heartbeat, it accelerates age-related declines in walking speed, strength, balance and other aspects of physical performance.

Hispanics/Latinos at higher risk for cardiac dysfunction, heart failure Posted: 05 Apr 2016 03:29 PM PDT Hispanics/Latinos have higher rates of cardiac dysfunction but are rarely aware they have the heart-pumping problem that can lead to heart failure. Hispanics/Latinos have higher rates of risk factors for cardiac dysfunction, including diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure. Increasing preventive therapies may be the best strategy to keep cardiac dysfunction from turning into heart failure.

How printing a 3-D skull helped save a real one Posted: 05 Apr 2016 03:24 PM PDT Doctors 3D printed a 15-year-old's skull to prepare for surgery to remove a rare tumor lodged deep in his sinuses. The rare and aggressive tumor in this child's nose is known as juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma, a mass that grows in the back of the nasal cavity and predominantly affects young male teens.

Suicide risk can be intercepted in the emergency department Posted: 05 Apr 2016 03:23 PM PDT Universal suicide risk screening in emergency departments nearly doubled the number of patients who were positively identified as thinking about or having attempted suicide. In a new study, suicide risk screenings among 236,791 ED visits over five years rose from 26 to 84 percent, increasing detection of suicide risk from 2.9 to 5.7 percent.

Cancer link offers another reason to avoid highly processed carbs Posted: 05 Apr 2016 03:21 PM PDT A new study finds that consuming sugary beverages, processed foods and other energy-dense carbohydrate-containing foods markedly increased the risk of prostate cancer, choosing healthy carbs like legumes, fruits and whole grains was associated with a substantial reduction in the risk for breast, prostate and colorectal cancers.

Scientists find safer way to make common blood thinner heparin Posted: 05 Apr 2016 03:21 PM PDT Contaminated heparin has caused the deaths of dozens of U.S. patients in recent years. Scientists have discovered how to make this common blood-thinning medication using human cells in the laboratory, offering a safer alternative to current production methods, which rely on animal byproducts largely sourced in China.

Blueberries may offer benefits for post-traumatic stress disorder Posted: 05 Apr 2016 02:56 PM PDT In a series of studies conducted in rats, researchers have found that eating blueberries could help to reduce the genetic and biochemical drivers behind depression and suicidal tendencies associated with PTSD.

Key to Herbal Remedy’s Success May Be in the Bacteria Posted: 05 Apr 2016 02:56 PM PDT Juzen-taiho-to, also known as shi quan da bu tang, is a most popular herbal formula in China and Japan and is used in the West by practitioners of traditional Asian medicine. New research suggests the remedy's immune-boosting effects are due, at least in part, to bacteria that grow on the roots of one of the formula's component herbs.

The down side of your sweet and salty addiction: Rapid onset high blood pressure? Posted: 05 Apr 2016 02:56 PM PDT High levels of fructose similar to amounts consumed within the American diet may predispose individuals to fast-onset, salt-sensitive hypertension, according to new research.

Move over, polar bear plunge: Ice swimming is next big extreme winter water sport Posted: 05 Apr 2016 02:56 PM PDT Hundreds of athletes around the globe are competing in one-mile ice swims. Performance and human physiological response in water 5 degrees Celsius or less has not been well-studied. Researchers will present new data on how age, gender and environmental factors such as wind chill affect ice swimming performance.

Exercise Reduces Cardiovascular Risk Factors From Constant Stress Posted: 05 Apr 2016 02:56 PM PDT Constant stress is associated with signs of poor blood vessel health and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. New research finds that aerobic exercise kept the blood vessels of stressed rats working normally.

New study reports on suicidal thinking among US veterans Posted: 05 Apr 2016 01:13 PM PDT Nearly 14 percent of veterans reported suicidal thinking at one or both phases of a two-year study. The research involved more than 2,000 men and women who took part in the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study.

Certain gastrointestinal tumors associated with higher mortality Posted: 05 Apr 2016 01:13 PM PDT Certain gastrointestinal stromal tumors are more deadly than previously reported in medical literature, researchers have found, adding that further studies are needed to develop novel risk assessments for patients with these small tumors, to determine appropriate indications for surgery and/or medical therapy.

Online comment sections may influence readers' opinions on health issues Posted: 05 Apr 2016 01:12 PM PDT A new study reveals that one-sided comments posted on online news articles may influence readers' opinions about health-related topics. This raises questions about how health social media should be moderated, especially considering the potentially polarized nature of these forums.

Researchers test new Risk of Bias assessment tool for non-randomized intervention studies Posted: 05 Apr 2016 01:11 PM PDT The Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool for Non-Randomized Studies of Interventions shows potential value in systematic reviews in an assessment.

The science behind bodily secretions Posted: 05 Apr 2016 01:11 PM PDT The secretion of fluids like saliva and digestive juices are important in countless activities that keep our bodies running day and night. When secretions are disrupted, diseases like dry mouth and pancreatitis occur. A new study uncovers a previously mysterious process that makes these secretions possible.

New mouse model to aid testing of Zika vaccine, therapeutics Posted: 05 Apr 2016 01:11 PM PDT Scientists have established a mouse model for testing of vaccines and therapeutics to battle Zika virus. The model mimics aspects of the infection in humans.

Scientists get first-ever glimpse of 'teenage' HIV-neutralizing antibody Posted: 05 Apr 2016 01:11 PM PDT Scientists have described the first-ever immature or 'teenage' antibody found in a powerful class of immune molecules effective against HIV. The new knowledge of the evolution and key traits of anti-HIV antibodies could help researchers design a vaccine to prevent AIDS, they say.

Interventions requiring less individual agency should be prioritized to fight obesity Posted: 05 Apr 2016 01:11 PM PDT Public health interventions that require individuals to invest fewer individual personal and psychological resources are likely to be most effective and equitable; such 'low-agency' approaches should therefore be central to public health action on diet and obesity.

Uninfected or asymptomatic? Diagnostic tests key to forecasting major epidemics Posted: 05 Apr 2016 01:11 PM PDT Major epidemics such as the recent Ebola outbreak or the emerging Zika epidemic may be difficult to forecast because of our inability to determine whether individuals are uninfected or infected but not showing symptoms, according to a new study. The finding emphasizes the need to develop and deploy reliable diagnostic tests to detect infected individuals whether or not they are showing symptoms, say the researchers.

'It's not worth me having a long-life lightbulb': Rare insight into attitudeson death among the very old Posted: 05 Apr 2016 01:11 PM PDT Death is a part of life for people over 95 years old, who mainly live day-to-day, concludes a rare study of attitudes to death and dying amongst the very old. The research finds that this group is willing to discuss dying and their end-of-life care, but is seldom asked.

Trophoblasts resistant to Zika/Zika in the mouse Posted: 05 Apr 2016 01:11 PM PDT Two unrelated studies on the Zika virus -- one ruling out a theory for how Zika may be passing through the human placenta and another on using mouse models to trace Zika pathogenesis have just been published.

Research finds evidence of lung abnormalities in light-use waterpipe smokers Posted: 05 Apr 2016 09:29 AM PDT A study of light-use hookah or waterpipe smokers found evidence of lung function abnormalities, including marked changes in cells lining the airways, a new study shows.

Novel 3-D imaging offers new tool for identifying advanced fibrosis in liver Posted: 05 Apr 2016 09:27 AM PDT Researchers have conducted a prospective study of 100 patients (56 percent women) with biopsy-proven NAFLD to assess the efficacy of two-dimensional magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) and a novel 3-D version. They found that both MRE technologies were highly accurate for diagnosing advanced fibrosis, with 3-D perhaps providing additional capabilities in some patients.

Few children get 60 minutes of vigorous physical activity daily Posted: 05 Apr 2016 09:26 AM PDT Only 15 percent of children achieve the recommended daily average of at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and only 8 percent achieve the school-time recommendation of 30 minutes, shows a new American study. Girls, compared to boys, had significantly fewer minutes of physical activity.

Better fix for torn ACLs Posted: 05 Apr 2016 09:26 AM PDT A torn anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, is one of the most common knee injuries. Approximately 200,000 Americans experience a torn ACL each year, and more than half undergo surgical repairs. Now, researchers have developed a model to show that a newer surgical technique results in a stronger, more natural ACL repair.

Household food insecurity at record high in the North, say Canadian researchers Posted: 05 Apr 2016 09:26 AM PDT Despite anti-poverty efforts, hunger in Canada has not decreased, and it has now reached epidemic levels in Nunavut, where almost half of households suffer from food insecurity, according to a new study.

Sugar shock: Insulin costs tripled in 10 years, study finds Posted: 05 Apr 2016 09:20 AM PDT People with diabetes who rely on insulin have seen the cost of that drug triple in just a decade -- even as doctors have prescribed higher doses to drive down their blood sugar levels. Meanwhile, the cost of other diabetes drugs has stayed about the same or even gone down.

Pain, physical function improve after weight-loss surgery Posted: 05 Apr 2016 09:20 AM PDT Among a group of patients with severe obesity who underwent bariatric surgery, a large percentage experienced improvement in pain, physical function, and walking capacity over three years, according to a study.

Screening for COPD not recommended Posted: 05 Apr 2016 09:20 AM PDT The US Preventive Services Task Force does not recommend screening for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in persons who do not have symptoms suggestive of COPD, a new report says.

Rhythm of oscillations in cerebral cortex, key to understanding Down syndrome Posted: 05 Apr 2016 08:46 AM PDT A first-ever identification has been made of the alterations in the neuronal circuit that impact cerebral cortex physiology, and that could be the cause of cognitive deficits in Down Syndrome. The study explains how a gene linked to Down Syndrome is associated with altered oscillations in the cerebral cortex, the region responsible for our capacity for reasoning, language and social behavior.

Pharmacists in care teams improve care for patients with dementia Posted: 05 Apr 2016 08:46 AM PDT Problems related to elderly patients' medical drug treatments are widespread and commonly result in hospital admissions for people with dementia. New research shows that including clinical pharmacists in health care teams might improve the quality and safety of patient care and halve the risk of drug-related hospital readmissions.

The ups and downs of transportation within cells Posted: 05 Apr 2016 08:05 AM PDT How do cells avoid growing topsy-turvy, growing so your top, front, bottom and back all wind up on the correct side requires a good sense of direction at the cellular level? A research group has identified a familiar gene with an unexpected role in directing proteins around the cell.

Promising new method inhibits TB-causing bacteria Posted: 05 Apr 2016 08:04 AM PDT Scientists have found a new way to inhibit the growth of the bacterium that causes tuberculosis (TB). Researchers havesaid the discovery held promise for the development of treatments.

Maternal smoking during pregnancy leaves its lasting mark on the child's genetic make-up Posted: 05 Apr 2016 08:04 AM PDT If mothers smoke during pregnancy, they influence the epigenetic programming of their unborn child's genetic make-up in the long term. This may give rise to an increased risk of the development of disease risks later in the child's life. Researchers discovered that these changes are not limited to individual regions of DNA.

Scientists reveal endocardial origin of liver vasculature Posted: 05 Apr 2016 07:58 AM PDT Taking advantage of genetic lineage tracing and tissue specific gene knockout technology, researchers found that part of liver vasculature is derived from endocardium in the developing heart.

Invading the brain to understand, repair cognition Posted: 05 Apr 2016 07:55 AM PDT People are using brain-machine interfaces to restore motor function in ways never before possible - through limb prosthetics and exoskletons. Technologies to repair cognition have been more elusive. That's rapidly changing with tools -- from fully implantable brain devices to neuron-eavesdropping grids atop the brain -- to directly probe the mind. These technologies are mapping new understandings of cognition and advancing efforts to improve memory in patients with cognitive deficits.

Study examines bed bug infestations in 2,372 low-income apartments in New Jersey Posted: 05 Apr 2016 07:55 AM PDT In order to determine where bed bug outbreaks are occurring and the best way to prevent and control infestations, entomologists examined 2,372 apartments in New Jersey and looked at factors such as the age, race, and gender of the inhabitants.

Targeting gut microbiome to fight heart disease Posted: 05 Apr 2016 07:55 AM PDT A compound found in red wine, resveratrol, reduces the risk of heart disease by changing the gut microbiome, according to a new study. Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in industrialized societies including the United States, and the incidence is growing in developing countries.

Examining alcohol use prior to suicides, motor vehicle crash deaths Posted: 05 Apr 2016 06:42 AM PDT Injury death – including those due to intentional injury, with suicide most common, as well as unintentional injury, with motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) causing a majority – is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Postmortem examinations commonly test for blood alcohol concentration (BAC). This study utilizes postmortem data to examine the hypotheses that high, and very high, BACs are more common among MVC decedents than among suicide decedents, whereas low alcohol levels are more common among suicide decedents.

Effects of alcohol, methamphetamine, and marijuana exposure on the placenta Posted: 05 Apr 2016 06:42 AM PDT In the United States, prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is the most common preventable cause of developmental delay. Animal studies have shown some of the adverse effects of PAE on placental development, but few studies have examined these effects in humans. This is the first study to examine the effects of prenatal exposure to methamphetamine, marijuana, and cigarette smoking on human placental development.

Closer examination reveals changes to the 'gender gap' in drinking Posted: 05 Apr 2016 06:42 AM PDT Previous research on an apparent narrowing of the historical "gender gap" in drinking prevalence found that girls were more likely to start drinking before 18 years of age compared to boys. This research seeks to extend these epidemiological findings by estimating the fine-grained, age-specific incidence of becoming a drinker among 12- to 24-year-old U.S. males and females, and comparing incidence estimates with prevalence proportions.

Fluctuations in student drinking during the calendar year Posted: 05 Apr 2016 06:42 AM PDT Heavy drinking by students is common during the college years and is associated with potentially serious consequences. While student drinking tends to fluctuate throughout the calendar year, with marked increases during celebrations, most studies of the issue are limited to the academic year itself, relatively few focus specifically on special heavy drinking events, and even fewer include drinking during summer break and subsequent school return. This study uses longitudinal data to address these gaps.

Researchers seeking ways to help older adults preserve their mobility Posted: 05 Apr 2016 06:40 AM PDT Mobility is a major issue for older adults, and researchers are working with colleagues across the United States to help keep seniors on their feet.

Viruses cause bacteria to produce pink pigments Posted: 05 Apr 2016 06:39 AM PDT Plants use certain color pigments in order to convert light into energy by way of photosynthesis. They allow plants to gather light energy. This also works in a similar way for microbes, for instance cyanobacteria. The fact that a very large number of viruses are able to contribute towards pigment production has now been demonstrated by biologists. The viruses introduce genetic material into the bacteria which then allows them to produce the pink-colored pigments.

Exercise counteracts sitting time Posted: 05 Apr 2016 06:39 AM PDT Office workers can stave off health problems associated with sitting down all day by regularly exercising, a new study has found. The study further emphasizes the importance of physical activity in the promotion and maintenance of health.

Risk of breaking a bone depends on where you live Posted: 05 Apr 2016 06:35 AM PDT Ethnicity, socioeconomic status and place of residence in the UK all influence the risk of breaking a bone, a new study has shown. Researchers undertook an analysis of the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink database and calculated the risk of an individual experiencing a fracture. They also examined whether this risk varied according to age, sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and place of residence in the UK.

Effect of economic crisis on birth outcome in Spain Posted: 05 Apr 2016 06:34 AM PDT The unprecedented post-war European economic crisis which began in 2007 and the resulting fiscal austerity policies are generally considered to have had a negative impact on public health. A new study investigates the impact of the economic crisis on birth outcomes in Spain; specifically detailing temporal changes (from 2003-2012) in underweight at birth, birth weight being an important indicator of health outcomes throughout the life course.

Presently recommended exercise levels may be much more than needed for significant health benefits Posted: 05 Apr 2016 06:34 AM PDT International physical activity guidelines generally recommend 150 minutes a week of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity, but a critical review of the literature indicates that just half this level of activity may still lead to marked health benefits. They challenge physical activity and exercise guidelines development groups to update their recommendations to reflect the evidence.

Trial drug ineffective in preventing contrast-induced kidney injury Posted: 05 Apr 2016 06:33 AM PDT Patients treated with CMX-2043—an investigational drug that has previously shown some ability to protect heart muscle from damage during stenting—saw no improved protection in their kidneys compared to placebo, according to research.

Survivorship improving for acute liver failure patients, 16-year analysis led Posted: 05 Apr 2016 06:31 AM PDT More patients hospitalized with acute liver failure -- often the result of acetaminophen overdose -- are surviving, including those who receive a liver transplant and those who don't, a new analysis shows.

Altered circadian rhythm worsens Parkinson's disease, researchers show Posted: 05 Apr 2016 06:31 AM PDT Chronic lack of sleep and irregular sleep-wake cycles may be risk factors of Parkinson's disease, new work suggests. In an animal model, the researchers show that disturbances in circadian rhythm that exist before Parkinson's onset dramatically worsen motor and learning deficits brought on by the disease.

Gamblers Anonymous associated with progress, could benefit from more combined approach Posted: 05 Apr 2016 06:31 AM PDT People who attended Gamblers Anonymous gambled less often, showed increased readiness for change and enhanced coping skills, but appeared to fair better when Gamblers Anonymous was combined with other therapeutic approaches, a comprehensive review has found.

Objective predictors of suicidality in women identified Posted: 05 Apr 2016 06:31 AM PDT Researchers have identified blood-based biomarkers and developed questionnaire-based apps that may help clinicians identify which of their female patients being treated for psychiatric disorders are at greatest risk of suicidal ideation or behavior.

Insomnia linked to damage in brain communication networks Posted: 05 Apr 2016 06:30 AM PDT Using a sophisticated MRI technique, researchers have found abnormalities in the brain's white matter tracts in patients with insomnia, according to a new study.

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