ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Legal and ethical factors that affect NFL players’ health
• Cameroon's cholera outbreaks vary by climate region
• Dengue strains differ in rates of viral replication
• Neurons in the human eye are organized for error correction
• Missing links that connect human DNA variation with disease discovered
• Scientists develop new mouse model to aid Zika virus research
• Can facial plastic surgeons correctly estimate age from a photograph?
• Discovery opens door to new Alzheimer's treatments
• Nutty stimulant revealed as anticancer tool
• Why wounds heal more slowly with age
• Beyond the DNA: Comprehensive map of the human epigenome completed
• Solving the riddle of putrid camel urine could aid millions affected by sleeping sickness
• Women who have their last baby after 35 are mentally sharper in old age
• Low blood glucose levels in hospitalized patients linked to increased mortality risk
• Menopausal hormone therapy improves bone health
• Insurers use high drug costs to deter some Obamacare patients, economist says
• Tasting light: New type of photoreceptor is 50 times more efficient than the human eye
• High-fiber diet keeps gut microbes from eating the colon's lining, protects against infection, animal study shows
• New information on how brain cancer spreads
• Scientists advance a novel urine test to predict high-risk cervical cancer
• Supercomputer simulations help develop new approach to fight antibiotic resistance
• Large-scale cancer gene profiling is feasible but faces barriers
• Compromised immune system can be re-activated
• Malaria parasite evades rapid test detection in children
• Cell of origin in childhood brain tumors affects susceptibility to therapy
• Chemical origami yields new plant compounds with therapeutic and economic potential
• Studies point to gene-based brain glitches in ill Gulf War vets
• Unraveling how a brain works, block by high-tech block
• How a Mediterranean-style diet may reduce heart failure in the aged
• Arthritis drug significantly effective in treating Crohn's disease, study finds
• Walking uses more than just feet
• Good news for kids recovering from complex pneumonia
• Targeting brain chemistry to beat disease
• Uncombable hair gene discovered
• New antibiotics discovered by sifting through the human microbiome
• Vitamin D reduces respiratory infections

Legal and ethical factors that affect NFL players’ health Posted: 17 Nov 2016 12:55 PM PST A newly released on analysis performed over two years outlines key recommendations to improve structural, ethical and legal factors that affect the health of NFL players.

Cameroon's cholera outbreaks vary by climate region Posted: 17 Nov 2016 12:28 PM PST For more than four decades, cholera has recurred in Cameroon, affecting tens of thousands of people a year. Most recently, the West African country was one of four that had a death rate of more than five percent from the bacterial disease, exceeding the World Health Organization's target of less than one percent. Now, researchers have discovered one reason Cameroon has struggled to control the disease. Cholera follows different, distinct outbreak patterns in different climate subzones of the large country, researchers report.

Dengue strains differ in rates of viral replication Posted: 17 Nov 2016 12:26 PM PST Researchers test mechanisms explaining differences in dengue serotype and disease severity by statistically fitting mathematical models to viral load data from dengue-infected individuals. They find a role for viral replication in explaining serotype-specific differences in viral load -- according to a new study.

Neurons in the human eye are organized for error correction Posted: 17 Nov 2016 12:25 PM PST

Missing links that connect human DNA variation with disease discovered Posted: 17 Nov 2016 12:23 PM PST Scientists have discovered the hidden connections in our genomes that contribute to common diseases. Using a pioneering technique, the results are beginning to make biological sense of the mountains of genetic data linking very small changes in our DNA sequence to our risk of disease. Discovering these missing links will inform the design of new drugs and future treatments for a range of diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis and other types of autoimmune disease.

Scientists develop new mouse model to aid Zika virus research Posted: 17 Nov 2016 12:17 PM PST

Can facial plastic surgeons correctly estimate age from a photograph? Posted: 17 Nov 2016 12:12 PM PST The lack of scientific tools to translate perceptions - such as more beautiful or rejuvenated - into numbers that can be analyzed is a challenge in the field of facial plastic surgery and it can get in the way of producing high-quality scientific publications, say experts.

Discovery opens door to new Alzheimer's treatments Posted: 17 Nov 2016 12:12 PM PST Researchers have discovered the role of a key protein in the development of Alzheimer's disease, outlines a new report.

Nutty stimulant revealed as anticancer tool Posted: 17 Nov 2016 12:11 PM PST Arecoline, a component in areca nuts, is analogous to nicotine, say scientists. Areca nuts are chewed for their stimulant effects in many Asian countries, and evidence links the practice to the development of oral and esophageal cancer. Analogous to nicotine, arecoline was identified as an inhibitor of the enzyme ACAT1, which contributes to the metabolism-distorting Warburg effect in cancer cells.

Why wounds heal more slowly with age Posted: 17 Nov 2016 12:10 PM PST Older bodies need longer to mend. This reality of aging has been documented since World War I, with the observation that wounds heal slower in older soldiers. Yet until now, researchers have not been able to tease out what age-related changes hinder the body's ability to repair itself.

Beyond the DNA: Comprehensive map of the human epigenome completed Posted: 17 Nov 2016 12:07 PM PST Scientists have established comprehensive maps of the human epigenome, shedding light on how the body regulates which genes are active in which cells. Over the last five years, a worldwide consortium of scientists has established epigenetic maps of 2,100 cell types.

Solving the riddle of putrid camel urine could aid millions affected by sleeping sickness Posted: 17 Nov 2016 12:06 PM PST Biochemists have solved an old mystery as to the cause of especially smelly camel urine, with implications for the millions of people affected by African parasites called trypanosomes. These parasites frequently cause fatalities via sleeping sickness.

Women who have their last baby after 35 are mentally sharper in old age Posted: 17 Nov 2016 12:00 PM PST A new study has found that women have better brainpower after menopause if they had their last baby after age 35, used hormonal contraceptives for more than 10 years or began their menstrual cycle before turning 13.

Low blood glucose levels in hospitalized patients linked to increased mortality risk Posted: 17 Nov 2016 11:12 AM PST In hospitalized patients, low blood sugar—also known as hypoglycemia—is associated with increased short- and long-term mortality risk, according to a new study.

Menopausal hormone therapy improves bone health Posted: 17 Nov 2016 11:12 AM PST Women who undergo hormone therapy for menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes can not only increase bone mass, but also can improve bone structure, according to a new study.

Insurers use high drug costs to deter some Obamacare patients, economist says Posted: 17 Nov 2016 10:46 AM PST An economist will brief members of Congress on how insurers are using high out-of-pocket prescription drug costs to deter certain chronically ill patients from joining their plans in the individual markets.

Tasting light: New type of photoreceptor is 50 times more efficient than the human eye Posted: 17 Nov 2016 10:46 AM PST A new type of photoreceptor has now been discovered -- only the third to be found in animals -- that is about 50 times more efficient at capturing light than the rhodopsin in the human eye.

High-fiber diet keeps gut microbes from eating the colon's lining, protects against infection, animal study shows Posted: 17 Nov 2016 10:46 AM PST When microbes inside the digestive system don't get the natural fiber that they rely on for food, they begin to munch on the natural layer of mucus that lines the gut, eroding it to the point where dangerous invading bacteria can infect the colon wall, new research in mice shows.

New information on how brain cancer spreads Posted: 17 Nov 2016 10:43 AM PST Glioblastoma multiforme remains the most common and highly lethal brain cancer and is known for its ability to relapse. Researchers have identified a pathway by which cancer cells aggressively spread and grow in the brain, opening up new possibilities for treatment.

Scientists advance a novel urine test to predict high-risk cervical cancer Posted: 17 Nov 2016 10:43 AM PST Specialists report they have developed a urine test for the likely emergence of cervical cancer that is highly accurate compared to other tests based on genetic markers derived directly from cervical tissue.

Supercomputer simulations help develop new approach to fight antibiotic resistance Posted: 17 Nov 2016 10:43 AM PST Supercomputer simulations have played a key role in discovering a new class of drug candidates that hold promise to combat antibiotic resistance. In a new study, lab experiments were combined with supercomputer modeling to identify molecules that boost antibiotics' effect on disease-causing bacteria.

Large-scale cancer gene profiling is feasible but faces barriers Posted: 17 Nov 2016 10:43 AM PST Researchers leading the largest genomic tumor profiling effort of its kind say such studies are technically feasible in a broad population of adult and pediatric patients with many different types of cancer.

Compromised immune system can be re-activated Posted: 17 Nov 2016 10:40 AM PST Failure of the immune system during blood poisoning (sepsis) can be reversed by a specific sugar. This restores the ability of immune cells to respond effectively to infections, report researchers.

Malaria parasite evades rapid test detection in children Posted: 17 Nov 2016 08:53 AM PST A malaria parasite in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is able to avoid rapid test detection through a gene deletion. In the first nationwide study, researchers showed how the deletion prevents a positive test result in asymptomatic children.

Cell of origin in childhood brain tumors affects susceptibility to therapy Posted: 17 Nov 2016 08:51 AM PST Children that are diagnosed with the severe the brain tumor malignant glioma often have a very poor prognosis. Knowledge about how pediatric malignant glioma arises and develops is still limited. New findings show that in mice glioma development and glioma cell properties are affected by both age and the cell type from which the tumor has arisen. The tumor cell of origin was also important for the susceptibility of the tumor cells towards cancer drugs.

Chemical origami yields new plant compounds with therapeutic and economic potential Posted: 17 Nov 2016 07:38 AM PST Plants produce countless kinds of compounds, also known as natural products, that the plants manufacture using the enzymes predetermined by their genetic code. Many of these natural products are very useful as antibiotics, anti-cancer drugs or vitamins, among myriad other applications. Many of these compounds are far too complex to synthesize in the laboratory, but they can be purified from the plants in which they are found.

Studies point to gene-based brain glitches in ill Gulf War vets Posted: 17 Nov 2016 07:37 AM PST Certain forms, or alleles, of a gene known to play a key role in the immune system appear to offer protection from Gulf War illness (GWI), Veterans Affairs researchers have found. Further, they discovered how such protection is manifested in the brain.

Unraveling how a brain works, block by high-tech block Posted: 17 Nov 2016 07:37 AM PST Psychologists have long used building blocks to assess cognitive skills. But researchers are imbedding the blocks with technology that may provide a clearer view of problems a child or adult may suffer due to developmental disabilities, brain trauma or dementia.

How a Mediterranean-style diet may reduce heart failure in the aged Posted: 17 Nov 2016 05:27 AM PST In mouse experiments, researchers have shown how aging and excess dietary fat create signals that lead to heart failure after a heart attack. Clarifying the mechanism of this harmful pathway is important because nearly 5 million people in the United States suffer heart failure as an age-related disease following heart attacks.

Arthritis drug significantly effective in treating Crohn's disease, study finds Posted: 17 Nov 2016 05:27 AM PST Ustekinumab, a human antibody used to treat arthritis, significantly induces response and remission in patients with moderate to severe Crohn's disease, researchers have shown that.

Walking uses more than just feet Posted: 17 Nov 2016 05:27 AM PST We humans walk with our feet. This is true, but not entirely. Walking, as part of locomotion, is a coordinated whole-body movement that involves both the arms and legs. Researchers have identified different subpopulations of neurons in the spinal cord with long projections. These results show that these neurons coordinate movement of arms and legs and ensure a stable body posture during locomotion.

Good news for kids recovering from complex pneumonia Posted: 17 Nov 2016 05:26 AM PST In some good news for families of children recovering from complex pneumonia, doctors recommend that it's better to send kids home from the hospital with oral instead of intravenous antibiotics. The retrospective study of 2,123 children at 36 hospitals found oral antibiotics are as effective as intravenous in managing residual disease.

Targeting brain chemistry to beat disease Posted: 17 Nov 2016 05:25 AM PST Thanks to advances in big data and medicinal chemistry, scientists can screen thousands of molecules in the search for protein structures leading to new drugs for brain diseases.

Uncombable hair gene discovered Posted: 17 Nov 2016 05:25 AM PST Some children suffer from completely tangled hair, which cannot be combed at all. In German, the phenomenon bears the apt name "uncombable hair syndrome" or even "Struwwelpeter syndrome". Researchers have identified mutations in three genes that are responsible for this.

New antibiotics discovered by sifting through the human microbiome Posted: 16 Nov 2016 07:36 AM PST Most antibiotics in use today are based on natural molecules produced by bacteria—and given the rise of antibiotic resistance, there's an urgent need to find more of them. Yet coaxing bacteria to produce new antibiotics is a tricky proposition. Researchers have now found a way around these problems. By using computational methods to identify which genes in a microbe's genome ought to produce antibiotic compounds and then synthesizing those compounds themselves, they were able to discover two promising new antibiotics without having to culture a single bacterium.

Vitamin D reduces respiratory infections Posted: 16 Nov 2016 07:30 AM PST Vitamin D, scientists have discovered, reduces respiratory infections, a potentially life-saving discovery in older patients at high risk for these illnesses.

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