ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Very premature infants: Towards better care
• Immune cells cast nets to save us from harm
• Distinct differences in structure, features of retroviruses
• Neuroscience study identifies new trigger mechanism for fragile X syndrome in mice
• Effects of supervision variables in treating ASD
• Why do aged muscles heal slowly?
• Enjoying meals prepared at home: Short-cut to avoiding diabetes?
• Elegant way of pinpointing how new drugs exert beneficial effects
• Policymakers fall short on global agreement to reduce marketing unhealthy foods to kids
• Some genetic causes of ALS may need an epigenetic trigger to activate the disease
• Living longer associated with living healthier, study of centenarians finds
• Parkinson's Disease biomarker found in patient urine samples
• New targeted gene therapy could lead to improved treatment for emphysema
• Professor finds positive effects from bringing physical activity to the desk
• Malaria study shows how multiple infections make disease worse
• How toxins activate cellular guides
• Higher consumption of unsaturated fats linked with lower mortality rates
• More calories consumed from subsidized food commodities linked to cardiometabolic risks
• Maternal vaccination against influenza associated with protection for infants
• Effect of palliative care-led meetings for families of patients with chronic critical illness
• Drug helps control involuntary, sudden movements of Huntington disease
• Despite increasing global legalization of physician-assisted suicide, use remains rare
• Link between stress hormone, obesity in depressed, bipolar patients
• Many elderly are prescribed antihypertensive medication despite having low blood pressure
• New detection method paves the way for 100 percent detection of esophageal cancer
• New brainstem model reveals how brains control breathing
• Extra 1000 steps a day has benefits for children with type 1 diabetes
• New study examines Freud's theory of hysteria
• Scientists identify an essential role of the immune receptor CD69 in psoriasis
• Extra fat does not act as an insulator
• Research highlights adolescent abuse and neglect risk
• Fluorescent protein from Japanese eel muscles used to detect bilirubin in newborns
• Changes in brain networks may help youth adapt to childhood adversity
• Regulatory T cells' involvement in the progress of colon cancer
• Study finds sensing mechanism in food poisoning bug
• A short period of bed rest after intrauterine insemination makes no difference to pregnancy rates
• One small step for babies, one giant leap for humankind
• Genetic mutations found linked to rare cases of multiple bowel tumors
• Want kids to eat their veggies? Turn squash into a superhero
• CT follow-up sufficient for some lung nodules
• Patient complaint procedures leave doctors emotionally distressed, finds new study
• Junk food advertising is too tempting for children
• Engineers design programmable RNA vaccines
• Vagus nerve stimulation significantly reduces rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, study shows
• Staph risk runs in families, especially among siblings
• Pasta is not fattening -- quite the opposite, Italian study finds

Very premature infants: Towards better care Posted: 05 Jul 2016 05:31 PM PDT Born too soon, very premature infants are particularly vulnerable and need appropriate care. New research examines how medical practices based on scientific evidence are incorporated into the care of these neonates.

Immune cells cast nets to save us from harm Posted: 05 Jul 2016 05:31 PM PDT Our immune cells can undergo a spectacular form of cell death, using their own DNA to make nets that kill infectious microbes. Now for the first time, advanced microscopy techniques have allowed scientists to visualize details of how immune cells behave during this extraordinary process.

Distinct differences in structure, features of retroviruses Posted: 05 Jul 2016 03:31 PM PDT In the most comprehensive study of its kind, researchers report that most types of retroviruses have distinct, non-identical virus structures.

Neuroscience study identifies new trigger mechanism for fragile X syndrome in mice Posted: 05 Jul 2016 03:31 PM PDT A new study identifies an astroglial trigger mechanism as contributing to symptoms of fragile X syndrome in mice.

Effects of supervision variables in treating ASD Posted: 05 Jul 2016 01:45 PM PDT Scientists have announced study findings on the effects of variables in treating autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The evaluation provides the most up-to-date, scientifically sound evidence to CARD and other autism therapy specialists in order to provide the best treatment to those with ASD.

Why do aged muscles heal slowly? Posted: 05 Jul 2016 01:01 PM PDT As we age, the function and regenerative abilities of skeletal muscles deteriorate, which means it is difficult for the elderly to recover from injury or surgery. New work demonstrates that a protein called b1-integrin is crucial for muscle regeneration. The findings provide a promising target for therapeutic intervention to combat muscle aging or disease.

Enjoying meals prepared at home: Short-cut to avoiding diabetes? Posted: 05 Jul 2016 11:40 AM PDT People who often consume meals prepared at home are less likely to suffer from type 2 diabetes than those who consume such meals less frequently, according to new epidemiological research.

Elegant way of pinpointing how new drugs exert beneficial effects Posted: 05 Jul 2016 11:14 AM PDT A collaborative effort by cancer researchers and chemists has resulted in the identification of a new drug target in leukemia and creation of a candidate drug that hits the target. More important, the research demonstrates a new, highly accurate way of proving how this and certain other classes of drugs work -- extremely valuable information in the risky business of drug development.

Policymakers fall short on global agreement to reduce marketing unhealthy foods to kids Posted: 05 Jul 2016 11:14 AM PDT While small steps have been taken by the global food and beverage industry to reduce the targeted marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages to children and teens, comprehensive measures to keep them from falling under the influence of such marketing efforts have fallen short of a World Health Organization resolution to reduce obesity, a new study suggests.

Some genetic causes of ALS may need an epigenetic trigger to activate the disease Posted: 05 Jul 2016 11:14 AM PDT A new research report shows why, for some people, having a genetic predisposition to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis may not be enough to actually guarantee having the disease.

Living longer associated with living healthier, study of centenarians finds Posted: 05 Jul 2016 11:14 AM PDT Those who live 95 years or more are able to stave off age-related disease, with serious sickness compressed into only a few years late in life, a study of nearly 3,000 people has found.

Parkinson's Disease biomarker found in patient urine samples Posted: 05 Jul 2016 10:53 AM PDT Stored samples of urine and cerebral-spinal fluid from patients with Parkinson's disease hold a brand-new type of biomarker -- a phosphorylated protein that correlates with the presence and severity of Parkinson's disease -- new research indicates

New targeted gene therapy could lead to improved treatment for emphysema Posted: 05 Jul 2016 10:51 AM PDT Researchers have developed a new strategy using lung-targeted gene therapy that may lead to improved treatments for inherited diseases including emphysema.

Professor finds positive effects from bringing physical activity to the desk Posted: 05 Jul 2016 10:51 AM PDT A positive link between mood, motivation and physical activity during work and study has been uncovered by new research that studied the cognitive effects of physical activity workstations and traditional desks on student volunteers. The results of the study suggest the inclusion of light physical activity during work or study has positive effects without detracting from work or study effectiveness.

Malaria study shows how multiple infections make disease worse Posted: 05 Jul 2016 10:50 AM PDT Scientists have discovered why infections with the two most common types of malaria parasite combined lead to greater health risks -- because one species helps the other to thrive.

How toxins activate cellular guides Posted: 05 Jul 2016 09:19 AM PDT The ingestion of antibiotics often damages the intestine's natural flora. This prevents it from keeping pathogens under control; diarrhea and intestinal inflammation are the result. Researchers have now demonstrated how the toxin CDT of C. difficile bacteria forms harmful cellular protrusions.

Higher consumption of unsaturated fats linked with lower mortality rates Posted: 05 Jul 2016 09:00 AM PDT Consuming higher amounts of unsaturated fats was associated with lower mortality rates, according to a new study. The researchers found higher consumption of saturated and trans fats was linked with higher mortality compared with the same number of calories from carbohydrates. This study provides further support for the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans that emphasize the types of fat rather than total amount of fat in the diet.

More calories consumed from subsidized food commodities linked to cardiometabolic risks Posted: 05 Jul 2016 09:00 AM PDT Two related dietary studies and a commentary online examined whether an individual's consumption of food derived from subsidized food commodities was associated with cardiometabolic risks. The second study looked at long-term associations between the dietary intake of specific fats and the risk of death.

Maternal vaccination against influenza associated with protection for infants Posted: 05 Jul 2016 09:00 AM PDT How long does the protection from a mother's immunization against influenza during pregnancy last for infants after they are born? A new study indicates that the vaccine's efficacy against influenza illness was highest when infants were 8 weeks or younger at 85.6 percent but decreased as the infants grew to 25.5 percent among infants 8 to 16 weeks and to 30.3 percent among infants 16 to 24 weeks.

Effect of palliative care-led meetings for families of patients with chronic critical illness Posted: 05 Jul 2016 08:21 AM PDT Among families of patients with chronic critical illness, the use of palliative care-led informational and emotional support meetings compared with usual care did not reduce anxiety or depression symptoms, according to a study.

Drug helps control involuntary, sudden movements of Huntington disease Posted: 05 Jul 2016 08:21 AM PDT A new study evaluated the efficacy and safety of the drug deutetrabenazine to control a prominent symptom of Huntington disease, chorea, which is an involuntary, sudden movement that can affect any muscle and flow randomly across body regions. Chorea can interfere with daily functioning and increase the risk of injury.

Despite increasing global legalization of physician-assisted suicide, use remains rare Posted: 05 Jul 2016 08:21 AM PDT Despite increasing legalization of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide (PAS) worldwide, the practice remains relatively rare and, when carried out, is primarily motivated by psychological factors such as loss of autonomy or enjoyment of life, rather than physical pain. A new comprehensive assessment of data from around the world shows that in areas where they are legal, only 0.3 to 4.6 percent of deaths result from euthanasia or PAS, with more than 70 percent of cases involving patients with cancer. The study also shows that the majority of patients requesting euthanasia or PAS are older, white and well-educated.

Link between stress hormone, obesity in depressed, bipolar patients Posted: 05 Jul 2016 08:19 AM PDT Low levels of the stress hormone cortisol are linked to obesity, high levels of fat in the blood and metabolic syndrome among patients with recurrent depressions or bipolar disorder, according to a new study.

Many elderly are prescribed antihypertensive medication despite having low blood pressure Posted: 05 Jul 2016 08:19 AM PDT According to a new study a significant proportion of patients over 70 remain on antihypertensive medication despite having low blood pressure. This, the study argues, has a significant effect on increased mortality rates and admissions to hospital.

New detection method paves the way for 100 percent detection of esophageal cancer Posted: 05 Jul 2016 08:19 AM PDT Recognizing early stages of esophageal cancer is difficult because it can easily be missed. Medical researchers have now been working to develop a method to enable a computer to scan esophagus images for signs of esophageal cancer. With exceptional results: the computer recognizes early cancer with almost as much accuracy as top specialists, of which there is only a handful.

New brainstem model reveals how brains control breathing Posted: 05 Jul 2016 08:19 AM PDT Scientists have discovered how the brain controls our breathing in response to changing oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the blood.

Extra 1000 steps a day has benefits for children with type 1 diabetes Posted: 05 Jul 2016 07:29 AM PDT Keeping count of daily steps and boosting physical activity can really pay off for children with type 1 diabetes, according to new research.

New study examines Freud's theory of hysteria Posted: 05 Jul 2016 07:24 AM PDT New research has studied the controversial Freudian theory that Hysteria, a disorder resulting in severe neurological symptoms such as paralysis or seizures, arises in response to psychological stress or trauma. The study found supportive evidence that stressors around the time of onset of symptoms might be relevant for some patients.

Scientists identify an essential role of the immune receptor CD69 in psoriasis Posted: 05 Jul 2016 07:24 AM PDT The findings of the study suggest that CD69 might also participate in other inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis.

Extra fat does not act as an insulator Posted: 05 Jul 2016 06:29 AM PDT Carrying excess fat does not contribute to a warmer body in obese mice, a new study on the insulating effects of fat finds. What did work to keep the mice warm was fur. The research team found fur to be a significant protector against heat loss, responsible for roughly half of a mouse's insulation.

Research highlights adolescent abuse and neglect risk Posted: 05 Jul 2016 06:22 AM PDT New research from England reveals an increase in the number of adolescents who died or were seriously harmed as a result of abuse or neglect.

Fluorescent protein from Japanese eel muscles used to detect bilirubin in newborns Posted: 05 Jul 2016 06:20 AM PDT A fluorescent protein sourced from Japanese eel muscles can be used to accurately detect unconjugated bilirubin in newborns. This detection method is ideal for newborn patients who can only give limited blood samples, and could revolutionize ways of monitoring jaundice in newborn infants, say researchers.

Changes in brain networks may help youth adapt to childhood adversity Posted: 05 Jul 2016 06:20 AM PDT A new study reports a neural signature of emotional adaptation that could help researchers understand how the brain adapts to childhood adversity and predict which kids may be vulnerable to developing later psychopathology.

Regulatory T cells' involvement in the progress of colon cancer Posted: 05 Jul 2016 06:20 AM PDT Researchers have clarified that T-lymphocytes expressing FOXP3 at a low level found in colorectal cancers (CRCs) facilitated cancer immunity. FOXP3 is a master gene of Regulatory T (Treg)  cells that suppress various immune responses including cancer immuity. They found that a certain intestinal bacteria species was involved in the induction of such FOXP3-low T cells enhancing tumor immunity. These findings suggest new potentials in the treatment of CRCs via regulation of intestinal bacteria.

Study finds sensing mechanism in food poisoning bug Posted: 05 Jul 2016 05:57 AM PDT Researchers have uncovered a mechanism that a type of pathogenic bacteria found in shellfish use to sense when they are in the human gut, where they release toxins that cause food poisoning.

A short period of bed rest after intrauterine insemination makes no difference to pregnancy rates Posted: 05 Jul 2016 05:57 AM PDT Despite the positive results of small studies and a widely held belief in its benefit, the practice of keeping female patients immobilized after intrauterine insemination has no beneficial effect on pregnancy rates, according to results of a large randomized study.

One small step for babies, one giant leap for humankind Posted: 05 Jul 2016 05:57 AM PDT Even before they stand up, infants have a rough idea of how to walk; they just need some time to lay down the right neural wiring. Understanding how babies take their first steps can also help us to improve the rehabilitation of patients recovering from spinal cord injury, and children with cerebral palsy.

Genetic mutations found linked to rare cases of multiple bowel tumors Posted: 05 Jul 2016 05:57 AM PDT Researchers have identified genetic mutations affecting the immune system which may lead to the development of more than one bowel tumour at the same time. Understanding how these cancers develop could improve targeting of therapies, according to the new study.

Want kids to eat their veggies? Turn squash into a superhero Posted: 05 Jul 2016 05:57 AM PDT Convincing kids to choose vegetables becomes easier when you deploy a team of animated characters to sell them on the good stuff, new research has found.

CT follow-up sufficient for some lung nodules Posted: 05 Jul 2016 05:57 AM PDT Annual low-dose computed-tomography (CT) screening can eliminate the need for biopsy or surgery in nonsolid lung nodules, according to a new study.

Patient complaint procedures leave doctors emotionally distressed, finds new study Posted: 04 Jul 2016 07:37 PM PDT Complaints against doctors can impact on their psychological wellbeing, according to a new study. The statements from doctors about the complaint process included phrases such as: "Makes you feel worthless even when you know you've done the best you can," "It seemed as if the patient is presumed to be right, and the doctor is presumed wrong, unless you can prove otherwise."

Junk food advertising is too tempting for children Posted: 04 Jul 2016 07:37 PM PDT Children describe junk food advertising as 'tempting' and 'addictive', and say they could 'lick the screen', according to a new study that talked to children in the United Kingdom aged between 8 and 12 years.

Engineers design programmable RNA vaccines Posted: 04 Jul 2016 07:34 PM PDT Engineers have designed programmable RNA vaccines that could be rapidly manufactured and deployed. The vaccines have been shown effective against Ebola, H1N1 influenza, and Toxoplasma gondii, in tests in mice. They could also be useful against other infectious diseases and cancer.

Vagus nerve stimulation significantly reduces rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, study shows Posted: 04 Jul 2016 07:34 PM PDT Clinical trial data demonstrates stimulating the vagus nerve with an implantable bioelectronic device significantly improved measures of disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Staph risk runs in families, especially among siblings Posted: 04 Jul 2016 07:34 PM PDT Having a first-degree relative, especially a sibling, with a history of staph infection significantly increases a person's risk for the disease, regardless of sex of the family member, comorbid conditions, or direct contamination, results of a large American study shows

Pasta is not fattening -- quite the opposite, Italian study finds Posted: 04 Jul 2016 07:11 AM PDT A study based on over 23,000 Italian citizens recruited in two large epidemiological studies does justice to one of the fundamental elements of the Mediterranean diet, showing how pasta consumption is actually associated with a reduced likelihood of both general and abdominal obesity.

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