ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• High and low levels of ‘good cholesterol’ may cause premature death
• Does marriage affect drinking? A new study provides insights
• Children score low on cardiovascular health measures
• Structural images shed new light on a cancer-linked potassium channel
• Emergency financial aid from call centers effectively prevents homelessness
• Visualization of newly formed synapses with unprecedented resolution
• Autophagy under the microscope as never before
• Unproven stem cell therapies for lung disease on the rise despite promise of new treatments
• Disrupting mitochondrial function could improve treatment of fungal infections
• Targeting the gut-brain connection can impact immunity
• Two Zika proteins responsible for microcephaly identified
• Dietary compound linked to heart disease may be influenced by gut microbiome
• Watching molecular machines at work
• Our ancestors: More gorilla than chimp
• Study sheds light on use, effectiveness of sexual assault hotlines
• Paraplegics regain some feeling, movement after using brain-machine interfaces
• Believe it or not: Exercise does more good if you believe it will
• Researchers have identified why cancer tumours resist drugs designed to 'starve' tumors
• Molecular features of biguanides required for targeting of mitochondrial respiratory complex I and activation of AMP-kinase
• The fourth state of matter, plasma: A technology to improve bone healing?
• Health behaviors, management critical for spinal cord injury patients
• Students in government-funded school meal programs at higher risk of being overweight
• Researchers link senescent cells to most common form of arthritis
• Patients with TB and HIV should receive prompt coordinated treatment for both conditions
• New treatment option for Alzheimer's disease possible, say researchers
• More than 200,000 crashes caused by road debris
• Car drivers are four kilograms heavier than cyclists, new study reveals
• Artificial skin tests for stopping sun damage
• Reducing the harms of alcohol through weaker beer
• Cancer drug for mums-to-be may curb baby girls' future fertility
• New, improved guidelines for diagnosing fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
• Adding milk, meat to diet dramatically improves nutrition for poor in Zambia
• New PET scan tracer allows first imaging of the epigenetics of the human brain
• Surgery as treatment for myasthenia gravis
• New method for bone marrow transplants without using chemotherapy
• New hope for shock patients in intensive care
• Isotopic analysis of teeth may identify starvation in victims of the Great Irish Famine
• Brain stimulation technique shown effective in phantom limb pain
• New disease gene linked to telomerase abnormalities in some cases of pulmonary fibrosis, emphysema
• New study evaluates link between young women's beliefs on alcohol use and sexual risk-taking
• Molecule in brain may drive cocaine addiction, scientists show
• Analysis of metastatic prostate cancers suggests treatment options
• First-in-U.S. blood test that assesses risk of heart attack using plasma ceramides
• New guidelines published for physicians treating patients with kidney stones
• New technology enlisted in battle against hepatitis B
• Treating at the earliest sign of MS may offer long-term benefit
• Cutting off the cancer fuel supply
• Frozen embryos more effective than fresh in women with polycystic ovary syndrome
• Case workers need more holistic approach to identifying chronic child neglect
• Recording selfies while brushing teeth can improve oral health care skills
• Immune analysis of on-treatment longitudinal biopsies predicts response to melanoma immunotherapy
• Trajectory of functional recovery after postoperative delirium
• Gene signature in healthy brains pinpoints the origins of Alzheimer's disease
• New map details threat of Zika across Europe, US
• Pancreatic cancer cells find unique fuel sources to keep from starving
• Discovery of key component of HIV yields new drug target
• Fusobacteria use a special sugar-binding protein to bind to colon tumors
• Neurodevelopmental model of Williams syndrome offers insight into human social brain
• Sticking It to Rogue RNA
• Crude oil causes heart and skull deformities in haddock

High and low levels of ‘good cholesterol’ may cause premature death Posted: 11 Aug 2016 04:09 PM PDT Commonly touted as "good cholesterol" for helping to reduce risk of stroke and heart attack, both high and low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol may increase a person's risk of premature death, according to new research. Conversely, intermediate HDL cholesterol levels may increase longevity, according to the research.

Does marriage affect drinking? A new study provides insights Posted: 11 Aug 2016 02:16 PM PDT Are you more or less likely to drink often and heavily when in a relationship? That may depend on the relationship.

Children score low on cardiovascular health measures Posted: 11 Aug 2016 02:16 PM PDT Most children are born with ideal cardiovascular health and promoting good heart health should begin at birth. While most children have ideal blood pressure, about 91 percent of American children have poor diets.

Structural images shed new light on a cancer-linked potassium channel Posted: 11 Aug 2016 11:35 AM PDT Using cryo-electron microscopy, researchers gained new insights about how the channel functions based on what they saw in the section that spans the cell's membrane. The channel has been found in a number of cell types, including in tumors, where it is thought to have a cancer-promoting effect.

Emergency financial aid from call centers effectively prevents homelessness Posted: 11 Aug 2016 11:35 AM PDT Nearly every major US city offers a hotline for people facing homelessness to call in order to request emergency financial assistance. Despite the fact that over 15 million people call these hotlines each year, little has been done to understand what effect they have on homelessness. In a new study, researchers examined a Chicago center and found that call centers have substantial positive effects on people facing homelessness.

Visualization of newly formed synapses with unprecedented resolution Posted: 11 Aug 2016 11:35 AM PDT The spatial arrangement of synapses has a critical role in neuronal function, but the rules that govern this precise synaptic localization remain unknown. Researchers have identified mechanistic and functional elements that govern synapse formation and have established new insights about how synapses are formed in cortical neurons in early postnatal stages.

Autophagy under the microscope as never before Posted: 11 Aug 2016 10:16 AM PDT We don't tend to wrap our recycling waste in bubble wrap but that's essentially what cells do during the cellular recycling process called autophagy. Researchers have viewed the earliest stages of this encapsulation and recycling process in super resolution to reveal what's happening in unprecedented molecular detail.

Unproven stem cell therapies for lung disease on the rise despite promise of new treatments Posted: 11 Aug 2016 10:16 AM PDT Stem cell medical tourism and unproven stem cell interventions are growing and concerning issues for patients afflicted with lung disease. According to researchers, there are an increasing number of clinics worldwide offering expensive stem cell-based therapies that are ineffective or have no proven benefit.

Disrupting mitochondrial function could improve treatment of fungal infections Posted: 11 Aug 2016 10:16 AM PDT By identifying new compounds that selectively block mitochondrial respiration in pathogenic fungi, scientists have identified a potential antifungal mechanism that could enable combination therapy with fluconazole, one of today's most commonly prescribed fungal infection treatments. Severe, invasive fungal infections have a mortality rate of 30-50 percent and cause an estimated 1.5 million deaths worldwide annually. Current antifungal therapies are hampered by the increasingly frequent emergence of drug resistance and negative interactions that often preclude combination use.

Targeting the gut-brain connection can impact immunity Posted: 11 Aug 2016 10:16 AM PDT The brain and the gut are connected through neural networks that signal hunger and satiety, love and fear, even safety and danger. These networks employ myriad chemical signals that include the powerful neurotransmitter dopamine. Researchers have shown that manipulating dopamine signaling in the nervous system of the worm C. elegans can control inflammation in the gut. The study demonstrates that the immune system might be controlled using drugs originally designed to target the nervous system, such as antipsychotics.

Two Zika proteins responsible for microcephaly identified Posted: 11 Aug 2016 10:15 AM PDT Researchers have tracked down two Zika proteins potentially responsible for thousands of microcephaly cases in Brazil and elsewhere -- taking one small step toward preventing Zika-infected mothers from birthing babies with abnormally small heads. The Zika virus contains 10 proteins, but only NS4A and NS4B matter when it comes to microcephaly. These miscreant proteins, researchers discovered, have two shared life goals: to handicap fetal brain formation and to mobilize their malevolent forces.

Dietary compound linked to heart disease may be influenced by gut microbiome Posted: 11 Aug 2016 09:04 AM PDT A new study reports new results that raise questions about whether circulating TMAO causes heart disease or whether it is simply a biomarker, or a sign, of developing disease.

Watching molecular machines at work Posted: 11 Aug 2016 07:13 AM PDT When one cell divides into two, the newly born daughter cells have to be equipped with everything they will need in their tiny lives. Most important of all is that they inherit a complete copy of the genetic information from their mother cell. If this is not the case because a wrong number of chromosomes gets passed on during cell division, the daughter cells will often not survive, or worse, contribute to the development of diseases such as cancer or other conditions. Segregating chromosomes correctly is therefore of great importance and cells use complex molecules to carry out this process. How one of these "molecular machines" works has now been elucidated by researchers.

Our ancestors: More gorilla than chimp Posted: 11 Aug 2016 07:10 AM PDT A new study that for the first time examined the internal anatomy of a fossil human relative's heel bone, or calcaneus, shows greater similarities with gorillas than chimpanzees.

Study sheds light on use, effectiveness of sexual assault hotlines Posted: 11 Aug 2016 07:10 AM PDT Since the 1970s, sexual assault hotlines have grown in popularity in North America as conduits for survivors, their loved ones and professionals to unite for immediate support. Today, there are more than 1,000 crisis hotline affiliates in the United States alone. Yet, despite their widespread use, much remains unknown or unclear about their service efficacy.

Paraplegics regain some feeling, movement after using brain-machine interfaces Posted: 11 Aug 2016 07:10 AM PDT Eight people who have spent years paralyzed from spinal cord injuries have regained partial sensation and muscle control in their lower limbs after training with brain-controlled robotics, according to a new study.

Believe it or not: Exercise does more good if you believe it will Posted: 11 Aug 2016 06:00 AM PDT People benefit more from exercise when they believe it will have a positive effect, new research indicates. A psychologist and his team have conducted a study demonstrating that test subjects derive more psychological as well as neurophysiological benefits from exercise if they already have positive mindsets about sports. Moreover, the team provided evidence that test subjects can be positively or negatively influenced in this regard before engaging in the exercise.

Researchers have identified why cancer tumours resist drugs designed to 'starve' tumors Posted: 11 Aug 2016 05:59 AM PDT New research helps us to understand how cancer cells resist common cancer drugs designed to 'starve' tumors. The findings demonstrate how cancer cells detect glucose levels and have the ability to survive with virtually no blood supply in the middle of a tumor mass.

Molecular features of biguanides required for targeting of mitochondrial respiratory complex I and activation of AMP-kinase Posted: 11 Aug 2016 05:59 AM PDT The biguanides are a family of drugs with diverse clinical applications. Metformin, a widely used anti-hyperglycemic biguanide, suppresses mitochondrial respiration by inhibiting respiratory complex I. Phenformin, a related anti-hyperglycemic biguanide, also inhibits respiration, but proguanil, which is widely used for the prevention of malaria, does not. The molecular structures of phenformin and proguanil are closely related and both inhibit isolated complex I. Proguanil does not inhibit respiration in cells and mitochondria because it is unable to access complex I. The molecular features that determine which biguanides accumulate in mitochondria, enabling them to inhibit complex I in vivo, are not known.

The fourth state of matter, plasma: A technology to improve bone healing? Posted: 11 Aug 2016 05:56 AM PDT Cold plasma looks like the glow from the "Star Wars" blue light saber but this beam of energy, made of electrons that change polarity at micro-second or nanosecond speeds, could help bones heal faster, according to a study.

Health behaviors, management critical for spinal cord injury patients Posted: 11 Aug 2016 05:56 AM PDT A new, two-part series of studies examines health behaviors and management challenges in spinal cord injury patients. There are approximately 282,000 people currently living with a spinal cord injury in the United States.

Students in government-funded school meal programs at higher risk of being overweight Posted: 11 Aug 2016 05:56 AM PDT Government-funded school meals are putting financially vulnerable children at risk of being overweight, a researcher has found. As many of the millions of kids who eat government-funded breakfasts or lunches head back to school this fall, most of them will participate in meal programs that may be part of the cause of the nation-wide obesity epidemic. Students from low-income families and those who live in the Northeast, South, and rural America are most susceptible to the problem, suggests a new report.

Researchers link senescent cells to most common form of arthritis Posted: 11 Aug 2016 05:56 AM PDT Researchers have reported a causal link between senescent cells -- cells that accumulate with age and contribute to frailty and disease -- and osteoarthritis in mice.

Patients with TB and HIV should receive prompt coordinated treatment for both conditions Posted: 11 Aug 2016 05:56 AM PDT Tuberculosis is a leading killer of people with HIV, and providing therapy for both illnesses simultaneously saves lives, according to new guidelines on the treatment of drug-susceptible TB. Treatment of TB in the presence of HIV infection is one of several special situations addressed in the new guidelines.

New treatment option for Alzheimer's disease possible, say researchers Posted: 11 Aug 2016 05:56 AM PDT A research project has shown that an experimental model of Alzheimer's disease can be successfully treated with a commonly used anti-inflammatory drug.

More than 200,000 crashes caused by road debris Posted: 11 Aug 2016 05:56 AM PDT More than 200,000 crashes involved debris on US roadways over the past four years, a new report announces. About two-thirds of debris-related crashes are the result of items falling from a vehicle due to improper maintenance and unsecured loads.

Car drivers are four kilograms heavier than cyclists, new study reveals Posted: 10 Aug 2016 07:45 PM PDT People who drive cars as their main form of transport are on average heavier than those who cycle, according to an ongoing Europe-wide study.

Artificial skin tests for stopping sun damage Posted: 10 Aug 2016 07:45 PM PDT Sunbathing without sunscreen can be dangerous. But it's not just your skin you need to be worried about: some substances in drugs, cosmetics and medicinal herbs can be toxic to the skin when exposed to ultraviolet light. Experts call the phenomenon phototoxicity. It occurs when a substance absorbs light energy and is thereby chemically modified. Only the modified substance is toxic to the skin, which can cause redness, swelling or inflammation - similar to a sunburn. Companies can examine the phototoxicity of a substance with an in-vitro test method.

Reducing the harms of alcohol through weaker beer Posted: 10 Aug 2016 07:37 PM PDT Could a small drop in the alcohol content of beer or other drinks reduce the harmful effects of alcohol in society at large? A new review, which explores the evidence, suggests this approach may be worth pursuing.

Cancer drug for mums-to-be may curb baby girls' future fertility Posted: 10 Aug 2016 07:37 PM PDT Chemotherapy treatment during pregnancy may affect the future fertility of unborn baby girls, a study suggests. Researchers have found that a drug called etoposide can damage the development of mouse ovary tissue grown in the lab.

New, improved guidelines for diagnosing fetal alcohol spectrum disorder Posted: 10 Aug 2016 03:10 PM PDT A group of experts on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders has produced proposed clinical guidelines for diagnosing FASD, which can result when a mother drinks during pregnancy. The proposed guidelines include a new definition of documented prenatal alcohol exposure, guides to evaluating facial and physical deformities characteristic of FASD, and updated information about the cognitive and/or behavioral impairments seen in different FASD subtypes.

Adding milk, meat to diet dramatically improves nutrition for poor in Zambia Posted: 10 Aug 2016 03:09 PM PDT Adding livestock to poor households in developing countries such as Zambia is shown to improve their financial status, but how the addition of milk and meat to their diet effects their nutrition has not been studied. New research finds that adding a small amount of milk and meat to the diet dramatically improves the supply of nutrients -- specifically protein, calcium, zinc, iron, vitamin A, B2, B12, and D.

New PET scan tracer allows first imaging of the epigenetics of the human brain Posted: 10 Aug 2016 03:09 PM PDT A novel PET radiotracer is able for the first time to reveal epigenetic activity -- the process that determines whether or not genes are expressed -- within the human brain.

Surgery as treatment for myasthenia gravis Posted: 10 Aug 2016 03:09 PM PDT In a global study of myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune disease that causes muscle weakness and fatigue, researchers found that surgical removal of an organ called the thymus reduced patients' weakness, and their need for immunosuppressive drugs.

New method for bone marrow transplants without using chemotherapy Posted: 10 Aug 2016 03:06 PM PDT Scientists have devised a way to destroy blood stem cells in mice without using chemotherapy or radiotherapy, both of which have toxic side effects. The new procedure could clear the way for patients to receive blood stem cells from donors more safely.

New hope for shock patients in intensive care Posted: 10 Aug 2016 03:06 PM PDT Care for critically-ill patients with shock could be improved, it is hoped, after the first successful testing of a new machine to record oxygen consumption in real time. The new device combines laser spectroscopy and precise flow measurement of breath in a single medical device which fits into a standard ventilation tube.

Isotopic analysis of teeth may identify starvation in victims of the Great Irish Famine Posted: 10 Aug 2016 03:06 PM PDT Isotopic analysis of teeth may identify signs of starvation in human tissues from 19th century Irish workhouse residents, according to a new study.

Brain stimulation technique shown effective in phantom limb pain Posted: 10 Aug 2016 03:00 PM PDT As many as 25,000 people a year worldwide lose limbs from land mine blasts, and a new study shows that transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) administered to the scalp can stimulate the brain and provide significant reductions in phantom limb pain.

New disease gene linked to telomerase abnormalities in some cases of pulmonary fibrosis, emphysema Posted: 10 Aug 2016 02:49 PM PDT Researchers say they have identified a new disease gene that, when mutated, appears to increase the risk in a small number of people of developing emphysema and a lung-scarring condition known as pulmonary fibrosis.

New study evaluates link between young women's beliefs on alcohol use and sexual risk-taking Posted: 10 Aug 2016 02:45 PM PDT A new study looks at how young women's beliefs about alcohol and sex affect condom usage during sexual encounters involving alcohol. The work shows that just over two-thirds (66.9 percent) of college-aged women engaged in unprotected sex during their last sexual encounter involving alcohol.

Molecule in brain may drive cocaine addiction, scientists show Posted: 10 Aug 2016 02:45 PM PDT Increased levels of a molecule in the brain, called hypocretin, may contribute to cocaine addiction, a new study suggests. The research shows that blocking hypocretin may reduce compulsive drug-seeking behavior in rat models of cocaine addiction.

Analysis of metastatic prostate cancers suggests treatment options Posted: 10 Aug 2016 02:45 PM PDT A new study maps out abnormal signaling pathways in prostate cancer cells and provides computational approaches to identify individualized targets for therapy.

First-in-U.S. blood test that assesses risk of heart attack using plasma ceramides Posted: 10 Aug 2016 02:45 PM PDT A new type of blood test has been launched that will be used to predict adverse cardiovascular events in patients with progressing coronary artery disease (CAD). The test measures blood concentrations of plasma ceramides, a class of lipids that are highly linked to cardiovascular disease processes.

New guidelines published for physicians treating patients with kidney stones Posted: 10 Aug 2016 02:45 PM PDT New extensive guidelines have been published for the surgical management of kidney stones. Kidney stones affect more than 8.8 percent of the population in the United States, with direct and indirect treatment costs estimated to be several billion dollars per year, making it a common and costly disease.

New technology enlisted in battle against hepatitis B Posted: 10 Aug 2016 02:44 PM PDT A method for "silencing" RNA that has recently emerged is in clinical trials in Europe, Asia and the United States against hepatitis B, an infection that can destroy the liver.

Treating at the earliest sign of MS may offer long-term benefit Posted: 10 Aug 2016 02:44 PM PDT Starting medication for multiple sclerosis (MS) in people who show the beginning signs of the disease is associated with prolonging the time before the disease is definitively diagnosed, according to a long-term study.

Cutting off the cancer fuel supply Posted: 10 Aug 2016 02:43 PM PDT Research has identified a new approach to cancer therapy in cutting off a cancer cell's 'fuel supply' by targeting a cellular survival mechanism known as autophagy.

Frozen embryos more effective than fresh in women with polycystic ovary syndrome Posted: 10 Aug 2016 02:43 PM PDT Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) who receive frozen embryos during in vitro fertilization have safer and more successful pregnancies than those who get fresh embryos, according to the results of a recent study.

Case workers need more holistic approach to identifying chronic child neglect Posted: 10 Aug 2016 11:37 AM PDT Child Protective Services caseworkers may need to use a more all-encompassing approach to improve how they respond to cases of chronic neglect, a new study suggests.

Recording selfies while brushing teeth can improve oral health care skills Posted: 10 Aug 2016 11:37 AM PDT Recording smart phone video 'selfies' of tooth-brushing can help people learn to improve their oral health care techniques, according to a new study.

Immune analysis of on-treatment longitudinal biopsies predicts response to melanoma immunotherapy Posted: 10 Aug 2016 11:37 AM PDT Immune response measured in tumor biopsies during the course of early treatment predicts which melanoma patients will benefit from specific immune checkpoint blockade drugs, researchers report.

Trajectory of functional recovery after postoperative delirium Posted: 10 Aug 2016 11:36 AM PDT Delirium is a common, serious, often fatal disorder occurring in 11% to 50% of hospitalized older patients, although it is significantly underdiagnosed. Postoperative delirium negatively impacts recovery in older adults, new research confirms.

Gene signature in healthy brains pinpoints the origins of Alzheimer's disease Posted: 10 Aug 2016 11:28 AM PDT Researchers have discovered a gene signature in healthy brains that echoes the pattern in which Alzheimer's disease spreads through the brain much later in life. The findings could help uncover the molecular origins of this devastating disease, and may be used to develop preventative treatments for at-risk individuals to be taken well before symptoms appear.

New map details threat of Zika across Europe, US Posted: 10 Aug 2016 11:19 AM PDT A team of researchers has mapped Zika risk around the world with unprecedented resolution while considering more factors than previous models.

Pancreatic cancer cells find unique fuel sources to keep from starving Posted: 10 Aug 2016 11:19 AM PDT Pancreatic cancer cells avert starvation in dense tumors by ordering nearby support cells to supply them with an alternative source of nutrition.

Discovery of key component of HIV yields new drug target Posted: 10 Aug 2016 11:19 AM PDT Scientists have discovered an essential feature of HIV that the virus uses to infect cells whilst avoiding detection by the immune system. This discovery presents a new drug target and the opportunity to re-evaluate existing treatments for HIV to improve their efficacy.

Fusobacteria use a special sugar-binding protein to bind to colon tumors Posted: 10 Aug 2016 11:19 AM PDT Some bacteria, called fusobacteria, commonly found in the mouth, use a sugar-binding protein to stick to developing colorectal polyps and cancers, according to a new study.

Neurodevelopmental model of Williams syndrome offers insight into human social brain Posted: 10 Aug 2016 11:19 AM PDT In a study spanning molecular genetics, stem cells and the sciences of both brain and behavior, researchers have created a neurodevelopmental model of a rare genetic disorder that may provide new insights into the underlying neurobiology of the human social brain.

Sticking It to Rogue RNA Posted: 10 Aug 2016 08:40 AM PDT Scientists have developed a process that could lead to stickier -- and better -- gene therapy drugs. The drugs, called antisense DNA, are made from short, single strands of synthetic DNA.

Crude oil causes heart and skull deformities in haddock Posted: 10 Aug 2016 08:38 AM PDT Even brief exposures of the eggs of Atlantic haddock to low concentrations of dispersed crude oil can cause severe and usually deadly deformities in developing fish, an international research team has found.

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