ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• When it comes to making patients safer, is a hospital's 'safety culture' that important?
• Cancer patients miss appointments, prescriptions due to inability to afford care
• Counseling patients at risk for cancer over the phone reduces costs, access burdens, study finds
• Social adversity early in life may affect the expression of stress-related genes
• Therapeutic antibody eculizumab caught in action
• Cobimetinib in advanced melanoma with BRAF V600 mutation: Added benefit now considerable
• Mechanisms of persistent infection for the human T-cell leukemia virus
• Anti-DNA antibody prefers damaged dsDNA over native
• Low risk of dengue infection predicted for foreign visitors to Rio Olympics, shows study
• Stress hormone link with psychosis
• Cancer cell immunity in the crosshairs: Worth the expense?
• From a heart in a backpack to a heart transplant
• Psychopathy need not be a disadvantage
• Enzyme with high potential for new cancer treatment identified
• Investigational immunotherapy drug shrinks tumors in high-risk neuroblastoma patients
• Promising treatment prospects for invasive breast cancer
• Testing blood metabolites could help tailor cancer treatment
• Healing function of sweat glands declines with age
• Pregnant women may need more information about medicine use
• Mortality is much lower in obese patients who have obesity surgery compared with those who don't
• Prodding leukemia cells with nanoprobes could provide cancer clues
• In resource-poor settings, vaccinating mothers against flu can protect newborns too, new study finds that
• Walnuts may improve your colon health
• Patient trial confirms Wearable Artificial Kidney proof of concept
• Study suggests new ways to protect against neurodegeneration
• Researchers uncover how 'silent' genetic changes drive cancer
• Brain power: Gene critical for human brain development identified and workings unravelled
• Pick me! Pick me! How genes are selected to create diverse immune cell receptors
• Watch your step -- blur affects stepping accuracy in older adults
• Novel compound shows promise against breast cancer
• Gut microbes' metabolite dampens proliferation of intestinal stem cells
• New clues to leukemia resurgence after chemotherapy
• Novel immunotherapy approach shows promise in blood cancers
• Researchers convert cirrhosis-causing cells to healthy liver cells in mice
• High-throughput, sensitive approach helps reveal what's 'real' in genome-wide association data
• Physicians first in Texas to transplant lungs using new technology to make more organs viable
• Infant visual reflex, accuracy may improve with age
• Are EEG neurofeedback benefits due to placebo effects?
• Finely tuned electrical fields give wound healing a jolt
• Topical skin creams effective to treat superficial basal cell carcinoma
• Robot carers safer with new technology

When it comes to making patients safer, is a hospital's 'safety culture' that important? Posted: 03 Jun 2016 08:08 AM PDT If you work in a hospital these days, you've probably gotten the invitation: Take a survey about how well you, your team and your hospital do at protecting patients from harm, and how empowered you feel to do the right thing. But a new study questions whether such surveys actually measure how well a hospital is doing at keeping patients safe.

Cancer patients miss appointments, prescriptions due to inability to afford care Posted: 03 Jun 2016 08:08 AM PDT 26 percent of a survey of adult cancer patients reported they paid more for medical care than they could afford, a new report outlines. Those patients also reported missing appointments and prescriptions because of affordability issues.

Counseling patients at risk for cancer over the phone reduces costs, access burdens, study finds Posted: 03 Jun 2016 08:08 AM PDT Delivering genetic test results to patients at risk for cancer-causing genetic mutations over the phone helps to ease cost and transportation burdens and, compared to receiving results in person, does not cause patients additional stress, according to a new study.

Social adversity early in life may affect the expression of stress-related genes Posted: 03 Jun 2016 08:06 AM PDT New research suggests that early severe social deprivation may impact DNA modifications that affect the expression of stress-related genes.

Therapeutic antibody eculizumab caught in action Posted: 03 Jun 2016 08:06 AM PDT Scientists have used X-rays to understand how the therapeutic antibody eculizumab prevents our immune system from destroying red blood cells and damaging kidney tissue.

Cobimetinib in advanced melanoma with BRAF V600 mutation: Added benefit now considerable Posted: 03 Jun 2016 08:03 AM PDT Further advantages of the drug Cobimetinib in comparison with the comparator therapy resulted from the analyses subsequently submitted by the drug manufacturer in the commenting procedure.

Mechanisms of persistent infection for the human T-cell leukemia virus Posted: 03 Jun 2016 08:02 AM PDT New research has revealed the mechanisms of persistent latent infection of the human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1). This is an important achievement that may contribute to the prevention of refractory leukemia, a form of leukemia in which leukemic cells do not respond well to treatment.

Anti-DNA antibody prefers damaged dsDNA over native Posted: 03 Jun 2016 08:02 AM PDT Researchers have conducted a study of structural mechanisms of an antigen recognition and interaction of anti-DNA antibodies which provides a basis for understanding the role of DNA-containing immune complexes in human pathologies and for new treatments.

Low risk of dengue infection predicted for foreign visitors to Rio Olympics, shows study Posted: 03 Jun 2016 06:28 AM PDT Three months before the opening of the Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics, a group of researchers used a mathematical model to calculate the risk of dengue acquisition by the 400,000-odd foreign visitors expected to attend. This model was used with success during the last FIFA World Cup, in 2014. Once again a very low number of dengue cases among foreign visitors to the Olympics is likely, according the study.

Stress hormone link with psychosis Posted: 03 Jun 2016 06:28 AM PDT A link between levels of the stress hormone cortisol and psychosis has been discovered by researchers, which could help identify people at greatest risk of developing the severe mental disorder.

Cancer cell immunity in the crosshairs: Worth the expense? Posted: 03 Jun 2016 06:28 AM PDT Scientists have found unique genetic alterations that could indicate whether expensive immune checkpoint inhibitors would be effective for a particular patient. Their study reports that genetic alterations affecting a part of the PD-L1 gene increases the production of the protein, allowing cancer cells to escape detection by the immune system.

From a heart in a backpack to a heart transplant Posted: 03 Jun 2016 04:21 AM PDT More than a year after leaving the hospital without a human heart, Stan Larkin, 25, trades his wearable total artificial heart for a real one. The surgery was a unique national triumph in efforts to replace the failing heart as heart disease grows and donor hearts remain scarce.

Psychopathy need not be a disadvantage Posted: 03 Jun 2016 04:19 AM PDT Persons with marked psychopathy are considered callous, cold, unrepentant, dishonest, and impulsive. At work, therefore, they can endanger the success of their entire team – at least that is the popular conception. But some people with psychopathic traits can also be different, research shows, because not all "psychopaths" are the same. Instead, at least two different facets of personality come together in psychopathy. They can occur together, but do not have to.

Enzyme with high potential for new cancer treatment identified Posted: 03 Jun 2016 04:19 AM PDT A team of researchers has identified an enzyme that separates DNA replication from repair. This discovery could be of tremendous significance in the treatment of tumors.

Investigational immunotherapy drug shrinks tumors in high-risk neuroblastoma patients Posted: 03 Jun 2016 04:17 AM PDT Investigators report promising preliminary results for an experimental monoclonal antibody when combined with chemotherapy for newly diagnosed neuroblastoma patients.

Promising treatment prospects for invasive breast cancer Posted: 03 Jun 2016 04:17 AM PDT Scientists have now been able to understand for the first time why many cancer cells adapt relatively quickly to the treatment with therapeutic antibodies in invasive forms of breast cancer. Instead of dying off, they are merely rendered inactive. The researchers have now developed an active substance that kills the cancer cells very effectively without harming healthy cells.

Testing blood metabolites could help tailor cancer treatment Posted: 03 Jun 2016 04:17 AM PDT Testing for metabolic changes in the blood could indicate whether a cancer drug is working as designed, a new study reports. This new way of monitoring cancer therapy could speed up the development of new targeted drugs -- which exploit specific genetic weaknesses in cancer cells -- and help in tailoring treatment for patients.

Healing function of sweat glands declines with age Posted: 02 Jun 2016 07:06 PM PDT A group of scientists and dermatologists is now looking at the role sweat glands play in how aging skin recovers from wounds. It's a step to better learn about aging skin, in order to better treat -- and slow -- the process.

Pregnant women may need more information about medicine use Posted: 02 Jun 2016 07:06 PM PDT Pregnant women overestimate the risks of taking over the counter and prescribed medication. New findings reveal that women choose not to medicate common pregnancy symptoms such as nausea, heartburn and aches and pains. Most worryingly, moms-to-be are choosing not to take medication for UTIs -- which can cause significant complications and harm the fetus if left untreated.

Mortality is much lower in obese patients who have obesity surgery compared with those who don't Posted: 02 Jun 2016 07:05 PM PDT A study of almost 49,000 obese patients shows that those who do not have obesity surgery are much more likely to die from any cause than those who do have surgery, after an average of five year's follow-up.

Prodding leukemia cells with nanoprobes could provide cancer clues Posted: 02 Jun 2016 07:05 PM PDT Giving blood cells a gentle squeeze can reveal a great deal about their health. To find out more, researchers have used a tiny force probe to compare the mechanical responses of healthy and cancerous hematopoietic cells (biological structures that help to renew blood in the body).

In resource-poor settings, vaccinating mothers against flu can protect newborns too, new study finds that Posted: 02 Jun 2016 01:39 PM PDT Each year, influenza causes between 250,000 and half a million deaths around the world. Now a new study has shown that immunizing mothers against flu can decrease by 70 percent the risk of their infants getting flu during the first four months after birth. This is the largest study so far to show that maternal vaccination against flu is feasible and effective in resource-poor environments.

Walnuts may improve your colon health Posted: 02 Jun 2016 01:29 PM PDT Eating walnuts may change gut bacteria in a way that suppresses colon cancer, researchers report. A team of researchers found that mice that ate 7-10.5 percent of their total calories as walnuts developed fewer colon cancers. The effect was most pronounced in male mice, which had 2.3 times fewer tumors when fed walnuts as part of a diet similar to the typical American's.

Patient trial confirms Wearable Artificial Kidney proof of concept Posted: 02 Jun 2016 01:29 PM PDT The results of an exploratory clinical trial indicate that a wearable artificial kidney could be developed as a viable, new dialysis technology. Some redesigns would be required to overcome device-related, technical problems observed during the testing. The technology is being developed as an alternative to conventional hemodialysis for people with end-stage kidney disease. Such a device would allow more freedom and mobility, and the benefits of more frequent, longer dialysis.

Study suggests new ways to protect against neurodegeneration Posted: 02 Jun 2016 12:17 PM PDT A new study has found evidence that an enzyme known as NMNAT2 may help protect against the debilitating effects of certain degenerative brain diseases, including Alzheimer's.

Researchers uncover how 'silent' genetic changes drive cancer Posted: 02 Jun 2016 10:26 AM PDT Small molecules called tRNA, whose job is to help translate genes into proteins, are not usually considered important for understanding the causes of disease. But a new study shows that fluctuations in some tRNAs may in fact influence the progression of breast cancer.

Brain power: Gene critical for human brain development identified and workings unravelled Posted: 02 Jun 2016 10:26 AM PDT Compared to other mammals, humans have the largest cerebral cortex. A sheet of brain cells that folds in on itself multiple times in order to fit inside the skull, the cortex is the seat of higher functions. It is what enables us to process everything we see and hear and think.

Pick me! Pick me! How genes are selected to create diverse immune cell receptors Posted: 02 Jun 2016 10:26 AM PDT Researchers have taken an in-depth look at the gene shuffling process that is responsible for our body's ability to recognize a vast range of foreign agents such as disease-causing microorganisms (pathogens). Failure in this process lies at the heart of a variety of immunodeficiency diseases and is also relevant to the decline in immune function observed with age.

Watch your step -- blur affects stepping accuracy in older adults Posted: 02 Jun 2016 10:26 AM PDT Visual blurring -- like that produced by bifocals or multifocal lenses -- may cause errors in foot position when walking. And that could contribute to the risk of tripping and falling in older adults, suggests a new study.

Novel compound shows promise against breast cancer Posted: 02 Jun 2016 10:24 AM PDT A promising new compound appears to impede a process that fuels breast cancer in mice, a discovery that could have implications in the treatment of a host of cancers.

Gut microbes' metabolite dampens proliferation of intestinal stem cells Posted: 02 Jun 2016 10:24 AM PDT Intestinal stem cells are located in 'pockets' in the intestine to avoid contact with a prominent metabolite produced by beneficial microbes living in the gut, new research indicates. That metabolite -- butyrate -- restricts the proliferation of stem cells, potentially hampering the intestine from repairing itself after an injury or damage resulting from inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's and colitis, say scientists.

New clues to leukemia resurgence after chemotherapy Posted: 02 Jun 2016 10:24 AM PDT For the first time, researchers have discovered that some leukemia cells harvest energy resources from normal cells during chemotherapy, helping the cancer cells not only to survive, but actually thrive, after treatment.

Novel immunotherapy approach shows promise in blood cancers Posted: 02 Jun 2016 10:24 AM PDT Cancer researchers show that injecting substances that mimic tumor-cell DNA into the bloodstream can stimulate the STING pathway to provoke a life-extending immune response in mice with acute myeloid leukemia. This is the first demonstration that this approach could be effective in widely disseminated 'liquid' cancers, such as leukemia.

Researchers convert cirrhosis-causing cells to healthy liver cells in mice Posted: 02 Jun 2016 10:24 AM PDT A team of researchers has demonstrated in mice that it is possible to generate healthy new liver cells within the organ itself, making engraftment unnecessary. What's more, they did it by converting the very cells that drive liver disease, thereby reducing liver damage and improving liver function at the same time.

High-throughput, sensitive approach helps reveal what's 'real' in genome-wide association data Posted: 02 Jun 2016 10:24 AM PDT Tackling one of the key challenges facing current human genetics, two multi-institutional research teams have demonstrated a tool that should help untangle which genetic variants actually create risk for heart disease, diabetes and a host of other diseases. The research employs an experimental technique called the 'massively parallel reporter assay' that lets researchers probe thousands of DNA variations to identify ones that affect gene regulation -- how genes are turned on and turned off.

Physicians first in Texas to transplant lungs using new technology to make more organs viable Posted: 02 Jun 2016 09:25 AM PDT Transplant surgeons have performed the first lung transplant in Texas using donated lungs treated with new technology known as ex-vivo lung perfusion.

Infant visual reflex, accuracy may improve with age Posted: 02 Jun 2016 09:25 AM PDT Infants and toddlers take longer to notice new visual stimuli and are less accurate in their gaze than adults, but slowly improve as they age. The findings reinforce the importance of raising young children in stimulating environments, and set an important baseline as detection of developmental disorders increasingly rely on tracking eye movements.

Are EEG neurofeedback benefits due to placebo effects? Posted: 02 Jun 2016 09:22 AM PDT Neurofeedback using electroencephalograpy boasts thousands of practitioners and appears to both improve normal brain function and alleviate a wide variety of mental disorders -- from anxiety to alcoholism. But after examining the scientific literature and consulting experts in Europe and the U.S., researchers now conclude that clinical improvements from this increasingly popular alternative therapy are due to placebo effects.

Finely tuned electrical fields give wound healing a jolt Posted: 02 Jun 2016 09:18 AM PDT A new research report opens up the possibility that small electrical currents might activate certain immune cells to jumpstart or speed wound healing. This discovery may be of particular interest to those with illnesses that may cause wounds to heal slowly or not at all.

Topical skin creams effective to treat superficial basal cell carcinoma Posted: 02 Jun 2016 09:18 AM PDT Basal cell carcinoma is one of the most common cancers and its incidence is increasing worldwide, putting a significant burden on health services. Topical treatments are available for superficial basal cell carcinoma (BCC) but there has a lack of long-term follow-up data to guide treatment decisions. A three-year randomized controlled clinical trial has found that two topical creams are effective in most primary, low-risk superficial BCC, comparing favorably with photodynamic therapy (PDT).

Robot carers safer with new technology Posted: 02 Jun 2016 07:42 AM PDT Robots carry out their tasks more safely if they are controlled by another technology. This makes them much more suitable for use in the care sector.

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