ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Legions of nanorobots target cancerous tumors with precision
• Study charts provide picture of drug use in the United States
• Signs of pure altruism converge in the brain, increase with age
• Gaming camera could aid MS treatment
• Unraveling knotty chemical structures enables rapid screening of anti-cancer compounds
• Nanoribbons in solutions mimic nature
• 'Bursts' of chromosome changes fuel breast cancer tumor growth
• How mechanical force triggers blood clotting at the molecular scale
• Gadget grabs more solar energy to disinfect water faster
• Does longer walking distance to buy cigarettes increase quitting among smokers?
• Study of Chinese teens examines nonmedical use of prescription drugs, suicidal behaviors
• Researchers pinpoint key regulatory role of noncoding genes in prostate cancer development
• CRISPR gene editing reveals new therapeutic approach for blood disorders
• Study finds one in three former ICU patients shows symptoms of depression
• Work productivity is key factor in assessing recovery of depressed patients
• Expanded role of PARP proteins opens the door to explore therapeutic targets in cancer
• High expression of short gene appears to contribute to destructive eye pressures in glaucoma
• Racial inequity, violence climb list of child health concerns for black adults
• Brain study confirms gene mutation link to psychiatric disorders
• A very hungry caterpillar: Researchers sequence genome of 'gluttonous' tobacco hornworm
• Researchers develop new strategy to limit side effects of stem cell transplants
• New study explains why MRSA 'superbug' kills influenza patients
• Cancer in context: 37 years of painstakingly collected data
• Schizophrenia emerged after humans diverged from Neanderthals
• Replacing just one sugary drink with water could significantly improve health
• Blood pressure diet improves gout blood marker
• Cancer overtakes heart disease as the main cause of death in 12 European countries

Legions of nanorobots target cancerous tumors with precision Posted: 15 Aug 2016 10:49 AM PDT Researchers have just achieved a spectacular breakthrough in cancer research. They have developed new nanorobotic agents capable of navigating through the bloodstream to administer a drug with precision by specifically targeting the active cancerous cells of tumors.

Study charts provide picture of drug use in the United States Posted: 15 Aug 2016 10:49 AM PDT An extensive and easy-to-use collection of charts that present findings from decades of government survey data of drug use in the United States is now available to the public.

Signs of pure altruism converge in the brain, increase with age Posted: 15 Aug 2016 10:48 AM PDT Combining insights from psychology, behavioral economics and neuroscience, researchers have found converging signs of pure altruism and behavior that increase with age in the brain.

Gaming camera could aid MS treatment Posted: 15 Aug 2016 10:48 AM PDT A commonly used device found in living rooms around the world could be a cheap and effective means of evaluating the walking difficulties of multiple sclerosis patients. The Microsoft Kinect is a 3-D depth-sensing camera used in interactive video activities such as tennis and dancing. It can be hooked up to an Xbox gaming console or a Windows computer.

Unraveling knotty chemical structures enables rapid screening of anti-cancer compounds Posted: 15 Aug 2016 10:48 AM PDT A graduate student has devised an ingenious way to make tiny knotted and interlocked chemical structures that have been impossible for chemists to fabricate until now.

Nanoribbons in solutions mimic nature Posted: 15 Aug 2016 10:48 AM PDT Graphene nanoribbons twist and bend like DNA or proteins in a solution and their rigidity can be tuned, making them potentially useful for biomimetic applications, according to scientists.

'Bursts' of chromosome changes fuel breast cancer tumor growth Posted: 15 Aug 2016 08:50 AM PDT As with most cancers, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells have abnormal amounts of chromosomes or DNA copy number aberrations (CNAs) in their genomes. A new study used single cell sequencing technology to provide previously unknown details about how and when CNAs impact tumor formation and growth, information that may have significant implications for diagnosis and treatment.

How mechanical force triggers blood clotting at the molecular scale Posted: 15 Aug 2016 08:50 AM PDT Using a unique single-molecule force measurement tool, a research team has developed a clearer understanding of how platelets sense the mechanical forces they encounter during bleeding to initiate the cascading process that leads to blood clotting.

Gadget grabs more solar energy to disinfect water faster Posted: 15 Aug 2016 08:48 AM PDT Researchers have created a nanostructured device, about half the size of a postage stamp, that disinfects water much faster than the UV method by also making use of the visible part of the solar spectrum, which contains 50 percent of the sun's energy.

Does longer walking distance to buy cigarettes increase quitting among smokers? Posted: 15 Aug 2016 08:48 AM PDT Walking one-third of a mile longer from home to the nearest tobacco shop to buy cigarettes was associated with increased odds that smokers would quit the habit in an analysis of data in Finnish studies.

Study of Chinese teens examines nonmedical use of prescription drugs, suicidal behaviors Posted: 15 Aug 2016 08:48 AM PDT The nonmedical use of prescription drugs and the misuse of sedatives and opioids were associated with subsequent suicidal thoughts or attempts in a study of Chinese adolescents, according to a new article.

Researchers pinpoint key regulatory role of noncoding genes in prostate cancer development Posted: 15 Aug 2016 08:48 AM PDT Prostate cancer researchers studying genetic variations have pinpointed 45 genes associated with disease development and progression, a new report explains.

CRISPR gene editing reveals new therapeutic approach for blood disorders Posted: 15 Aug 2016 08:48 AM PDT An international team of scientists has found a way to use CRISPR gene editing to help fix sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia in blood cells isolated from patients.

Study finds one in three former ICU patients shows symptoms of depression Posted: 15 Aug 2016 08:14 AM PDT Almost one in three people discharged from hospital intensive care units has clinically important and persistent symptoms of depression, a so-called meta-analysis of reports on more than 4,000 patients suggests. In some patients, the symptoms can last for a year or more, and they are notably more likely in people with a history of psychological distress before an ICU stay, the investigators say.

Work productivity is key factor in assessing recovery of depressed patients Posted: 15 Aug 2016 08:14 AM PDT While medications can quickly reduce depressive symptoms, monitoring work productivity can provide unique insight into whether a patient will require additional treatments to achieve long-term remission, a new study finds.

Expanded role of PARP proteins opens the door to explore therapeutic targets in cancer Posted: 15 Aug 2016 08:13 AM PDT Using technology they developed, researchers have identified a previously unknown role of a certain class of proteins: as regulators of gene activity and RNA processing.

High expression of short gene appears to contribute to destructive eye pressures in glaucoma Posted: 15 Aug 2016 08:13 AM PDT Too much of a short gene that normally has the tall order of helping the eye continuously clear fluid and regulate intraocular pressure appears instead to have the opposite effect and contribute to the most common form of glaucoma, report researchers.

Racial inequity, violence climb list of child health concerns for black adults Posted: 15 Aug 2016 08:13 AM PDT Black adults rate school violence and racial inequities higher on their list of children's health concerns than other groups, a new national poll says.

Brain study confirms gene mutation link to psychiatric disorders Posted: 15 Aug 2016 08:12 AM PDT Brain scans have revealed how a genetic mutation linked to major psychiatric disorders affects the structure, function and chemistry of the brain. The study offers further clues about how the mutation increases the risk of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression.

A very hungry caterpillar: Researchers sequence genome of 'gluttonous' tobacco hornworm Posted: 15 Aug 2016 06:45 AM PDT The genome of the tobacco hornworm -- an important model of insect biology -- has now been sequenced by a team of researchers. The sequenced genome can lead to improved molecular biology, physiology and neurobiology research in insects and also may help in developing future new methods for insect pest management. The tobacco hornworm is a good model species because of its large size -- the caterpillar can measure up to 4 inches long -- making it easy to collect tissue samples.

Researchers develop new strategy to limit side effects of stem cell transplants Posted: 15 Aug 2016 06:45 AM PDT A new approach that may prevent leukemia and lymphoma patients from developing graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) after therapeutic bone marrow transplants has now been developed by scientists.

New study explains why MRSA 'superbug' kills influenza patients Posted: 15 Aug 2016 06:45 AM PDT Secondary infection with the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacterium (or 'superbug') often kills influenza patients because the flu virus alters the antibacterial response of white blood cells, causing them to damage the patients' lungs instead of destroying the bacterium, researchers have found. A new study suggests that inhibiting this response may help treat patients infected with both the flu virus and MRSA.

Cancer in context: 37 years of painstakingly collected data Posted: 15 Aug 2016 06:45 AM PDT A new report includes every cancer diagnosis in the Los Angeles region over the past 37 years -- more than 1.3 million. With easy-to-read charts, the book divides L.A.'s population into 11 ethnic and racial groups to highlight the fact that cancer risk is a result of genetics, environment and behavior. The report card provides evidence of how environmental and lifestyle choices can alter one's cancer risk.

Schizophrenia emerged after humans diverged from Neanderthals Posted: 15 Aug 2016 03:49 AM PDT Schizophrenia poses an evolutionary enigma. The disorder has existed throughout recorded human history and persists despite its severe effects on thought and behavior, and its reduced rates of producing offspring. A new study may help explain why-comparing genetic information of Neanderthals to modern humans, the researchers found evidence for an association between genetic risk for schizophrenia and markers of human evolution.

Replacing just one sugary drink with water could significantly improve health Posted: 15 Aug 2016 03:48 AM PDT New study findings modeled the effect of replacing one 8-ounce sugar-sweetened beverage with an 8-ounce serving of water, based on the daily dietary intake of US adults aged 19 and older, retrieved from the 2007-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys.

Blood pressure diet improves gout blood marker Posted: 15 Aug 2016 03:47 AM PDT A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy and reduced in fats and saturated fats (the DASH diet), designed decades ago to reduce high blood pressure, also appears to significantly lower uric acid, the causative agent of gout. Further, the effect was so strong in some participants that it was nearly comparable to that achieved with drugs specifically prescribed to treat gout, a new study shows.

Cancer overtakes heart disease as the main cause of death in 12 European countries Posted: 14 Aug 2016 04:09 PM PDT Although diseases of the heart and blood vessels (cardiovascular disease, CVD) kill more people worldwide than anything else, with 17.3 million deaths globally, cancer has now overtaken CVD as the main cause of death in 12 European countries.

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