ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Brain-sensing technology allows typing at 12 words per minute
• Strong alcohol policies can help prevent suicide
• Scientists discover antibodies that target holes in HIV's defenses
• Light tames lethal heart disorders in mice and virtual humans
• Suicide attempt a stronger predictor of completed suicide than previously thought
• Could quality of sleep have to do with sex differences?
• Stress negatively affects chances of conception, science shows
• Study results advance 'transposon theory of aging'
• Placenta plays pivotal 'umpire' role to influence pregnancy outcomes
• New paper provides insights for music therapy in surgical area
• Evidence of 'hidden hearing loss' in college-age human subjects
• Low statin use in people with diabetes despite cardioprotective effects, guidelines
• New studies double number of known sites in genome linked to high blood pressure
• Exercise app reduces incontinence
• First multicellular organism inspires the design of better cancer drugs
• Chemists make strides to simplify drug design and synthesis
• Alzheimer's beginnings prove to be a sticky situation
• Study of euthanasia trends in Belgium has lessons for other countries
• Weight loss drug's effect on the brain revealed in study
• First accurate simulation of a virus invading a cell
• Pac-Man like protein which eats dead cells could help in the fight against cancer
• Scientists identify novel approach for bacteriophage treatment of CDI
• Learning to turn down your amygdala can modify your emotions
• Snail venom holds key to better diabetes treatments
• Journey to the centre of the cell: Nano-rods and worms wriggle best
• Brain's stunning genomic diversity revealed
• Study details Zika virus disrupting fetal brain development during pregnancy
• Quadruple helix form of DNA may aid in development of targeted cancer therapies
• Historical analysis examines sugar industry role in heart disease research
• Study explains mechanisms behind glioblastoma influence on the immune system
• Major global study reveals new hypertension and blood pressure genes
• Newborn gut microbiome predicts later allergy and asthma, study finds
• Eating your greens could enhance sport performance
• Gaining scientific proof of adverse effects of cannabis, a world first
• Outcomes for girls without HPV vaccination in Japan
• Many parents lack the confidence to get their kids to exercise
• Combined FISH, IHC identifies patients with rare ALK Fusions that respond to crizotinib
• Human kidney progenitors isolated, offering new clues to cell renewal
• Focus on the mental health of young obesity surgery patients
• Many adolescent girls with leukemia are not being screened for pregnancy before beginning chemotherapy
• Healthcare costs for infections linked to bacteria in water supply systems are rising
• How ionizing radiation damages DNA and causes cancer
• Rate of injuries among youth soccer players doubled, new study finds
• WWI babies whose fathers were killed in action have shortened adult life expectancies
• Measuring new hormone may reduce teenagers wrongly diagnosed with PCOS
• Two protein studies discover molecular secrets to recycling carbon, healing cells
• New software helps to identify course of cancer metastasis, tumor 'evolution'
• Heat shock protein appears to turn on Schistosoma invasion
• New research sheds light 'gender gap' in cystic fibrosis
• Maternal gastric bypass may be associated with low birth weight babies
• Social connectedness can increase suicide risk
• Investigators characterize world of resistance gene exchange among bacteria
• Study could herald new treatment for muscular dystrophy
• Double negative leads to big positive against bladder cancer metastasis
• A microRNA plays role in major depression
• X-rays: The first and best screening tool in diagnosing knee pain among middle-aged patients

Brain-sensing technology allows typing at 12 words per minute Posted: 12 Sep 2016 04:29 PM PDT It does not take an infinite number of monkeys to type a passage of Shakespeare. Instead, it takes a single monkey equipped with brain-sensing technology -- and a cheat sheet. Technology for reading signals directly from the brain could provide a way for people with movement disabilities to communicate.

Strong alcohol policies can help prevent suicide Posted: 12 Sep 2016 02:39 PM PDT Suicide was the tenth leading cause of death in the United States in 2013. There is clear evidence that intoxication and chronic, heavy drinking are often associated with suicide. While alcohol policies are known to be effective in reducing excessive drinking, this review undertakes a critical look at the literature on the relationship between alcohol policies and suicide.

Scientists discover antibodies that target holes in HIV's defenses Posted: 12 Sep 2016 02:38 PM PDT A new study shows that 'holes' in HIV's defensive sugar shield could be important in designing an HIV vaccine.

Light tames lethal heart disorders in mice and virtual humans Posted: 12 Sep 2016 02:38 PM PDT Using high-tech human heart models and mouse experiments, scientists have shown that beams of light could replace electric shocks in patients reeling from a deadly heart rhythm disorder.

Suicide attempt a stronger predictor of completed suicide than previously thought Posted: 12 Sep 2016 01:12 PM PDT While a prior history of suicide attempt is one of the strongest predictors of completed suicide, a new study finds it is more lethal than previously known.

Could quality of sleep have to do with sex differences? Posted: 12 Sep 2016 01:10 PM PDT You may have noticed that women are more prone to sleep disturbances than men. They are, for instance, up to twice as likely to suffer from insomnia than men. Could there be a link between the body clock that regulates sleep and being a female or a male? Yes, according to a new study.

Stress negatively affects chances of conception, science shows Posted: 12 Sep 2016 01:10 PM PDT Women who reported feeling more stressed during their ovulatory window were approximately 40-percent less likely to conceive during that month than other less stressful months, research shows.

Study results advance 'transposon theory of aging' Posted: 12 Sep 2016 01:10 PM PDT Substantial new evidence that health becomes endangered when aging cells lose control of rogue elements of DNA called transposons has been provided by recent research.

Placenta plays pivotal 'umpire' role to influence pregnancy outcomes Posted: 12 Sep 2016 12:16 PM PDT The amount of nutrients transported to the fetus by the placenta adjusts according to both the fetal drive for growth, and the mother's physical ability to provide, new research suggests.

New paper provides insights for music therapy in surgical area Posted: 12 Sep 2016 12:16 PM PDT During a two-year clinical trial on music therapy during breast biopsy procedures, the authors of this study gained information on potential benefits, challenges and methods of facilitating a surgical music therapy program. In addition, they learned approaches to integrating the program with perioperative nursing staff members.

Evidence of 'hidden hearing loss' in college-age human subjects Posted: 12 Sep 2016 12:16 PM PDT Researchers have, for the first time, linked symptoms of difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments with evidence of cochlear synaptopathy, a condition known as 'hidden hearing loss,' in college-age human subjects with normal hearing sensitivity.

Low statin use in people with diabetes despite cardioprotective effects, guidelines Posted: 12 Sep 2016 11:28 AM PDT Nearly 2 out of 5 people with diabetes who could benefit from statin therapy to lower their risk of future heart attack, stroke and related death were not prescribed one, according to new research. The analysis also showed wide variation in statin use across cardiology practices included in the study.

New studies double number of known sites in genome linked to high blood pressure Posted: 12 Sep 2016 11:19 AM PDT Several large international groups of researchers report data that more than doubles the number of sites in the human genome tied to blood pressure regulation. One of the studies turned up unexpected hints that biochemical signals controlling blood pressure may spring from within cells that line blood vessels themselves.

Exercise app reduces incontinence Posted: 12 Sep 2016 11:16 AM PDT Urinary leakage whilst coughing and jumping is common in women. Using a self-administered treatment via a mobile app for three months reduced symptoms, led to fewer leakages and improved quality of life.

First multicellular organism inspires the design of better cancer drugs Posted: 12 Sep 2016 11:15 AM PDT Inspired by Volvox, the first multicellular organism, researchers have developed a novel approach for treating cancer.

Chemists make strides to simplify drug design and synthesis Posted: 12 Sep 2016 11:15 AM PDT Synthetic chemists discover a one-step solution to make nitrogen-laden molecular precursors for the preparation of drugs, agrochemicals and other bioactive molecules.

Alzheimer's beginnings prove to be a sticky situation Posted: 12 Sep 2016 10:25 AM PDT Laser technology has revealed a common trait of Alzheimer's disease -- a sticky situation that could lead to new targets for medicinal treatments. The neurodegenerative disease affects an estimated 5 million Americans, one in three seniors dies with Alzheimer's or a form of dementia, it claims more lives than breast and prostate cancers combined, and its incidence is rising.

Study of euthanasia trends in Belgium has lessons for other countries Posted: 12 Sep 2016 10:25 AM PDT A new study on euthanasia trends in Belgium, which shows an increase in reported cases since legislation was introduced, provides lessons for countries that have legalized assisted dying.

Weight loss drug's effect on the brain revealed in study Posted: 12 Sep 2016 09:28 AM PDT A weight-loss drug dampened the response to food cues in regions of the brain associated with attention and emotion, leading to decreases in caloric intake, weight and body mass index (BMI), a team has reported. In the first study of the drug lorcaserin in the human brain, the research revealed the mechanism underlying the drug's efficacy and provides insight into which individuals may benefit most from the medication.

First accurate simulation of a virus invading a cell Posted: 12 Sep 2016 09:28 AM PDT For the first time, scientists know what happens to a virus' shape when it invades a host cell, thanks to a new experiment. Understanding how the virus shape specifically changes could lead to more effective anti-viral therapies.

Pac-Man like protein which eats dead cells could help in the fight against cancer Posted: 12 Sep 2016 09:27 AM PDT A protein that causes cells to eat their dying neighbous, helping to prevent inflammation -- something that is vital in the fight to stop cancer spreading -- has been identified by researchers.

Scientists identify novel approach for bacteriophage treatment of CDI Posted: 12 Sep 2016 09:26 AM PDT New insights into the therapeutic potential of bacteriophages to treat and prevent global health threat have been uncovered by research. The data demonstrated that C. difficile phages are particularly effective when used to prevent infection, but they are also good at targeting harmful bacterial infections once biofilms have formed.

Learning to turn down your amygdala can modify your emotions Posted: 12 Sep 2016 09:26 AM PDT Training the brain to treat itself is a promising therapy for traumatic stress. The training uses an auditory or visual signal that corresponds to the activity of a particular brain region, called neurofeedback, which can guide people to regulate their own brain activity, say scientists.

Snail venom holds key to better diabetes treatments Posted: 12 Sep 2016 09:26 AM PDT Researchers have successfully determined the three-dimensional structure of a cone snail venom insulin, revealing how these highly efficient natural proteins called Con-Ins G1 can operate faster than human insulin. The teams also discovered that Con-Ins G1 was able bind to human insulin receptors, signifying the potential for its translation into a human therapeutic.

Journey to the centre of the cell: Nano-rods and worms wriggle best Posted: 12 Sep 2016 09:26 AM PDT A new microscopy technique has been applied in research that allows scientists to monitor the movements of nanoparticles through the inside of a cell. They found that drug delivery is more effective when nanoparticles can breach barriers inside the cell, and enter the nuclear envelope. Their work has identified for the first time how shape affects nanoparticles' ability to move through these intracellular barriers.

Brain's stunning genomic diversity revealed Posted: 12 Sep 2016 09:26 AM PDT Half of our healthy neurons contain huge insertions or deletions in DNA, new research indicates. The findings may help explain what makes us each unique -- why even identical twins can be so different from one other, for example -- and how jumping genes can go awry and cause disease.

Study details Zika virus disrupting fetal brain development during pregnancy Posted: 12 Sep 2016 09:25 AM PDT For the first time, abnormal brain development following a Zika infection during pregnancy has been documented experimentally in the offspring of a non-human primate. The researchers' observations of how Zika virus arrested fetal brain formation could provide a model for testing therapeutic interventions. The study also provided direct evidence that the Zika virus can cross the placenta in late pregnancy and affect the brain by shutting down certain aspects of brain development.

Quadruple helix form of DNA may aid in development of targeted cancer therapies Posted: 12 Sep 2016 09:24 AM PDT Researchers have identified the role that a four-stranded version of DNA may play in the role of cancer progression, and suggest that it may be used to develop new targeted cancer therapies.

Historical analysis examines sugar industry role in heart disease research Posted: 12 Sep 2016 09:23 AM PDT Using archival documents, a new report examines the sugar industry's role in coronary heart disease research and suggests the industry sponsored research to influence the scientific debate to cast doubt on the hazards of sugar and to promote dietary fat as the culprit in heart disease.

Study explains mechanisms behind glioblastoma influence on the immune system Posted: 12 Sep 2016 09:23 AM PDT Glioblastomas exert an influence on the microglia, immune cells of the brain, which causes them to stimulate cancer growth rather than attacking it. In a study, an international research team now explains the molecular mechanisms behind this action.

Major global study reveals new hypertension and blood pressure genes Posted: 12 Sep 2016 09:23 AM PDT Thirty-one new gene regions linked with blood pressure have been identified in one of the largest genetic studies of blood pressure to date, involving over 347,000 people.

Newborn gut microbiome predicts later allergy and asthma, study finds Posted: 12 Sep 2016 09:23 AM PDT The microbes living in a baby's gut during its first month of life may directly impact the developing immune system, leading to a higher risk of allergies and asthma later in childhood, according to a new study. The findings highlight the importance of developing early interventions to improve microbial health in young infants.

Eating your greens could enhance sport performance Posted: 12 Sep 2016 08:19 AM PDT Nitrate supplementation in conjunction with Sprint Interval Training in low oxygen conditions could enhance sport performance a study has found. Nitrate is commonly found in diets rich in leafy green foods, like spinach and is important for the functioning of the human body, especially during exercising.

Gaining scientific proof of adverse effects of cannabis, a world first Posted: 12 Sep 2016 08:19 AM PDT Important mechanisms involved in the formation of neural circuits in the brain have now been revealed by a research team. This group also discovered that delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a psychoactive substance also found in cannabis, causes disruption of neural circuits within the cortex. These results explain why cannabis may be harmful and have potential to find application in the functional recovery of brain injury and in cases of dementia.

Outcomes for girls without HPV vaccination in Japan Posted: 12 Sep 2016 08:19 AM PDT A risk calculation has been conducted on the influence of the temporary suspension of cervical cancer vaccination based on vaccination rates for female Japanese born between 1993 and 2008. They clarified that the risk of HPV infection varies considerably depending on the birth year. The findings suggest that infection risk may be reduced if vaccination encouragement is resumed and target groups are extended to include those females that were at target vaccination age during the suspension period.

Many parents lack the confidence to get their kids to exercise Posted: 12 Sep 2016 08:19 AM PDT If Canadian parents are going to get their kids to exercise more, they need more than just public awareness campaigns. Parents exposed to one such national campaign were actually less confident they could increase their children's activity levels, according to a recent study.

Combined FISH, IHC identifies patients with rare ALK Fusions that respond to crizotinib Posted: 12 Sep 2016 06:34 AM PDT The combined use of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) identified non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with rare or novel anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene rearrangements, not otherwise identified by FISH alone, that showed response to crizotinib treatment.

Human kidney progenitors isolated, offering new clues to cell renewal Posted: 12 Sep 2016 06:33 AM PDT In a first-of-its-kind look at human kidney development, researchers have isolated human nephron progenitor (NP) cells. Their results will help scientists understand how these progenitor cells become renal cells in the developing fetus, and possibly offer a future way to foster renal regeneration after chronic kidney failure or acute injury.

Focus on the mental health of young obesity surgery patients Posted: 12 Sep 2016 05:51 AM PDT One in five adolescents who have undergone obesity surgery experience poor mental health, research shows. Some have even had suicidal thoughts. This study is based on follow-up studies of 88 adolescents who have undergone obesity surgery.

Many adolescent girls with leukemia are not being screened for pregnancy before beginning chemotherapy Posted: 12 Sep 2016 05:49 AM PDT A new study indicates that adolescent females with acute leukemia have low rates of pregnancy screening prior to receiving chemotherapy that can cause birth defects. Although many chemotherapy drugs can cause birth defects, there are no standardized guidelines for pregnancy screening in adolescent female cancer patients and little is known about how often they are screened prior to treatment. To investigate, researchers examined pregnancy screening patterns among adolescents with acute leukemia compared with adolescents with an emergency room (ER) visit who received computed tomography scans of the abdomen or pelvis.

Healthcare costs for infections linked to bacteria in water supply systems are rising Posted: 12 Sep 2016 05:46 AM PDT A new analysis of 100 million Medicare records from US adults aged 65 and older reveals rising healthcare costs for infections associated with some disease-causing bacteria, such as Legionella, which can live inside drinking water distribution systems and household plumbing.

How ionizing radiation damages DNA and causes cancer Posted: 12 Sep 2016 05:46 AM PDT For the first time, researchers have been able to identify in human cancers two characteristic patterns of DNA damage caused by ionizing radiation. These fingerprint patterns may now enable doctors to identify which tumors have been caused by radiation, and investigate if they should be treated differently. The results will also help to explain how radiation can cause cancer.

Rate of injuries among youth soccer players doubled, new study finds Posted: 12 Sep 2016 05:46 AM PDT From 1990 through 2014, the number of soccer-related injuries treated in hospital emergency departments in the US each year increased by 78 percent and the yearly rate of injuries increased by 111 percent among youth 7-17 years of age, a new article reports.

WWI babies whose fathers were killed in action have shortened adult life expectancies Posted: 11 Sep 2016 07:08 PM PDT French children born between 1914 and 1916 whose fathers were killed or severely injured during the war lost approximately one year of adult life expectancy, according to new research. The findings further our understanding of the long-term effects of maternal psychological stress on children.

Measuring new hormone may reduce teenagers wrongly diagnosed with PCOS Posted: 11 Sep 2016 07:08 PM PDT Measuring blood levels of the recently discovered hormone irisin may improve diagnosis rates of teenagers with polycystic ovary syndrome. The findings may reduce the number of unnecessary treatments prescribed to otherwise healthy girls.

Two protein studies discover molecular secrets to recycling carbon, healing cells Posted: 10 Sep 2016 07:40 AM PDT Two very different types of protein have been mapped by researchers. One helps soil bacteria digest carbon compounds; the other protects cells from the effects of harmful molecules.

New software helps to identify course of cancer metastasis, tumor 'evolution' Posted: 09 Sep 2016 07:35 PM PDT Tumors also differ among patients with the same type of cancer, so how is a physician able to prescribe a tailored regimen for the patient? Researchers approach to infer the evolutionary track of tumor cells by surveying two types of mutations -- somatic copy number alterations and single-nucleotide alterations -- derived from multiple samples taken from a single patient.

Heat shock protein appears to turn on Schistosoma invasion Posted: 09 Sep 2016 07:35 PM PDT The heat shock protein Hsp70, known for helping cells withstand stress, may also act as a switch that triggers free-swimming Schistosoma larvae to begin penetrating the skin and transforming into the parasitic flatworms that infect more than 240 million people worldwide with schistosomiasis. The finding could lead to targets for disease-preventing medicines and opens the possibility other disease-causing parasites use the protein to invade hosts.

New research sheds light 'gender gap' in cystic fibrosis Posted: 09 Sep 2016 07:34 PM PDT Medical researchers have examined the underpinnings of cystic fibrosis, including its disproportionate effect on women -- due in part to the influence of estrogen on the flow of important chemical ions.

Maternal gastric bypass may be associated with low birth weight babies Posted: 09 Sep 2016 07:34 PM PDT Women who undergo gastric bypass surgery for weight loss risk giving birth to babies that are small or have lower average birth weights.

Social connectedness can increase suicide risk Posted: 09 Sep 2016 11:12 AM PDT Community characteristics play an important role in perpetuating teen suicide clusters and thwarting prevention efforts, according to a new study.

Investigators characterize world of resistance gene exchange among bacteria Posted: 09 Sep 2016 11:12 AM PDT Certain antibiotic resistance genes are easily transferred from one bacterial species to another, and can move between farm animals and the human gut. A team has characterized this 'mobile resistome,' which they say is largely to blame for the spread of antibiotic resistance. They found that many antibiotic resistance genes that are shared between the human and animal gut microbiome are also present in multiple human pathogens.

Study could herald new treatment for muscular dystrophy Posted: 09 Sep 2016 10:05 AM PDT New research has shown that the corticosteroid deflazacort is a safe and effective treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The findings could pave the way for first US-approved treatment for the disease.

Double negative leads to big positive against bladder cancer metastasis Posted: 09 Sep 2016 10:05 AM PDT New understanding may allow doctors and researchers to stop bladder cancer's ability to stop the tumor-suppressing gene RhoDGI2, thus allowing its initial action to proceed.

A microRNA plays role in major depression Posted: 09 Sep 2016 10:05 AM PDT A tiny RNA appears to play a role in producing major depression, the mental disorder that affects as many as 250 million people a year worldwide. Researchers have found that amounts of this microRNA are significantly elevated in the brains of experimental rats with induced depression from corticosterone treatment, in the post-death brains of humans diagnosed with MDD and in peripheral blood serum from living patients with MDD.

X-rays: The first and best screening tool in diagnosing knee pain among middle-aged patients Posted: 09 Sep 2016 08:24 AM PDT Knee pain is common among Americans age 40 and up. Nearly one in 17 people visit doctors' offices each year for knee pain or injuries from osteoarthritis -- a progressive 'wear and tear' disease of the joints. Now a new study shows that a simple X-ray is frequently the best diagnostic tool, reducing both time and cost.

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