ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Neural stem cell transplant may tackle diabetes
• Study first to link mitochondrial dysfunction and alpha-Synuclein multiplication in human fibroblasts
• Ability to ride a bike can aid differential diagnosis of Parkinson's disease in any setting
• Race disparity found in post-hospital arrival homicide deaths at trauma centers
• Marijuana use may double the risk of accidents for drivers, study finds
• Study finds liver cancer increasing in low risk countries, decreasing in high risk countries
• HIV: Ancient gene found to control potent antibody response to retroviruses
• Distinct AIDS viruses found in cerebrospinal fluid of people with HIV dementia
• Incompatible assumptions common in biomedical research
• Diabetes susceptibility gene identified: Tomosyn-2 regulates insulin secretion
• Genetic makeup affects testosterone concentrations in men
• Decade of effort yields diabetes susceptibility gene
• New method to diagnose sinusitis could reduce use of antibiotics, Swedish research suggests
• Mine-hunting software helping doctors to identify rare cells in human cancer
• Scientists identify cause of severe hypoglycemia
• Earlier male circumcision may help to slow rates of HIV, HPV transmission in South Africa
• New software models immune responses
• Changes in brain function in early HIV infection: A reliable indicator of disease prognosis?
• Marijuana component could ease pain from chemotherapy drugs, study suggests
• Expression of pluripotency-associated gene marks many types of adult stem cells
• Length of flanking repeat region and timing affect genetic material
• Scientists find stem cell reprogramming technique is safer than previously thought
• Biochemists identify how tissue cells detect and perfect
• How cells sense nutrients and fuel cancer cell growth
• Hold the phone for vital signs: Researchers turn a smart phone into a medical monitor
• Place, not race, may be a larger determinant of health disparities
• New findings concerning function of the hippocampus
• 'Genetic biopsy' of human eggs might help pick the best for IVF
• Chagas disease may be a threat in South Texas, says researcher
• Dioxin-like chemical messenger makes brain tumors more aggressive
• New oral drug found to reduce relapses in multiple sclerosis patients
• Detecting glaucoma before it blinds
• Extending the effective lifetime of stents: Peptide promotes healing of blood vessels
• Patient-specific stem cells: Major step toward cell-based therapies for life-threatening diseases
• How fair sanctions are orchestrated in the brain
• Everest expedition suggests nitric oxide benefits for intensive care patients
• Older cancer survivor population to increase substantially
• Children's food choices are affected by direct advertising and parental influence, study suggests
• Residual damage after heart attack no longer inevitable
• New potential therapeutic target for breast cancer

Neural stem cell transplant may tackle diabetes Posted: 06 Oct 2011 04:38 PM PDT Researchers in Japan have discovered how a patient's neural stem cells could be used as an alternative source of the beta cells needed for a regenerative treatment for diabetes. The research reveals how harvesting stem cells could overcome a lack of beta cell transplants from donors.

Study first to link mitochondrial dysfunction and alpha-Synuclein multiplication in human fibroblasts Posted: 06 Oct 2011 03:42 PM PDT A new study shows for the first time the effects of alpha-Synuclein gene multiplication on mitochondrial function and susceptibility to oxidative stress in human tissue. Mitochondrial dysfunction has been frequently implicated in the neurodegenerative process that underlies Parkinson's disease, but the basis for this has not been fully understood.

Ability to ride a bike can aid differential diagnosis of Parkinson's disease in any setting Posted: 06 Oct 2011 03:42 PM PDT Researchers report that the ability to ride a bike can differentiate between atypical parkinsonism and Parkinson's disease, regardless of the environment or situations for bicycling.

Race disparity found in post-hospital arrival homicide deaths at trauma centers Posted: 06 Oct 2011 02:36 PM PDT New research based on post-hospital arrival data from U.S. trauma centers finds that even after adjusting for differences in injury severity, gun use, and other likely causes of race difference in death from assault, African-Americans have a significantly higher overall post-scene of injury mortality rate than whites.

Marijuana use may double the risk of accidents for drivers, study finds Posted: 06 Oct 2011 02:34 PM PDT Researchers have found that drivers who test positive for marijuana or report driving within three hours of marijuana use are more than twice as likely as other drivers to be involved in motor vehicle crashes. The researchers also found evidence that crash risk increases with the concentration of marijuana-produced compounds in the urine and the frequency of self-reported marijuana use.

Study finds liver cancer increasing in low risk countries, decreasing in high risk countries Posted: 06 Oct 2011 02:34 PM PDT A new study finds liver cancer incidence rates continue to increase in some low-risk parts of the world such as North America, and are decreasing in some of the highest risk countries of Asia.

HIV: Ancient gene found to control potent antibody response to retroviruses Posted: 06 Oct 2011 02:34 PM PDT A researcher has identified a gene that controls the process by which antibodies gain their ability to combat retroviruses. He has shown that the gene TLR7 allows the antibody generating B cells to detect the presence of a retrovirus and promotes a process by which antibodies gain strength and potency, called a germinal center reaction.

Distinct AIDS viruses found in cerebrospinal fluid of people with HIV dementia Posted: 06 Oct 2011 02:34 PM PDT Scientists have discovered that some people diagnosed with HIV-associated dementia have two genetically distinct HIV types in their cerebrospinal fluid, the clear fluid found in the spaces around and inside the brain and spinal cord.

Incompatible assumptions common in biomedical research Posted: 06 Oct 2011 02:34 PM PDT Strong, incompatible views are common in biomedicine but are largely invisible to biomedical experts themselves, creating artificial barriers to effective modeling of complex biological phenomena. Researchers have explored the diversity in views among scientists researching the process of cancer metastasis and found ubiquitous disagreement around assumptions in any model of the progression of cancer cells from their original location to other parts of the body.

Diabetes susceptibility gene identified: Tomosyn-2 regulates insulin secretion Posted: 06 Oct 2011 02:34 PM PDT A group of researchers has pinpointed a gene that confers diabetes susceptibility in obese mice. This study also shows that its protein tomosyn-2 acts as a brake on insulin secretion from the pancreas.

Genetic makeup affects testosterone concentrations in men Posted: 06 Oct 2011 02:34 PM PDT Genetics play an important role in the variation in, and risk of, low testosterone concentrations in men. Scientists have just completed the first genome-wide association study to examine the effects of common genetic variants on serum testosterone concentrations in men.

Decade of effort yields diabetes susceptibility gene Posted: 06 Oct 2011 02:34 PM PDT Ten years of meticulous mouse breeding, screening, and record-keeping have finally paid off for researchers who have identified a diabetes susceptibility gene.

New method to diagnose sinusitis could reduce use of antibiotics, Swedish research suggests Posted: 06 Oct 2011 12:49 PM PDT Research from Sweden suggests a new method of diagnosing sinusitis. The results offer the potential to reduce the use of antibiotics and the costs of the disease to society.

Mine-hunting software helping doctors to identify rare cells in human cancer Posted: 06 Oct 2011 12:33 PM PDT Medical researchers are demonstrating new software developed for finding and recognizing undersea mines can help doctors identify cancer-related cells. The problem that physicians encounter in analyzing human cell images is similar to the Navy's challenge of finding undersea mines. Doctors must sift through hundreds of microscopic images containing millions of cells. To pinpoint specific cells, they use automated image analysis software called FARSIGHT, or Fluorescence Association Rules for Quantitative Insight.

Scientists identify cause of severe hypoglycemia Posted: 06 Oct 2011 11:14 AM PDT Scientists have identified the cause of a rare, life-threatening form of hypoglycemia. Their findings have the potential to lead to pharmaceutical treatments for the disorder.

Earlier male circumcision may help to slow rates of HIV, HPV transmission in South Africa Posted: 06 Oct 2011 10:30 AM PDT Earlier circumcision of males in South Africa may be a positive step in slowing the spread of both HIV and the human papillomavirus.

New software models immune responses Posted: 06 Oct 2011 10:29 AM PDT New software lets researchers see how the immune system responds to pathogens that invade the bacteria-rich environment of the gut.

Changes in brain function in early HIV infection: A reliable indicator of disease prognosis? Posted: 06 Oct 2011 10:29 AM PDT Measurable changes in brain function and communication between brain regions may be a consequence of virus-induced injury during the early stages of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. These abnormalities and their implications in disease prognosis are detailed in a new article.

Marijuana component could ease pain from chemotherapy drugs, study suggests Posted: 06 Oct 2011 09:54 AM PDT A chemical component of the marijuana plant could prevent the onset of pain associated with drugs used in chemotherapy, particularly in breast cancer patients.

Expression of pluripotency-associated gene marks many types of adult stem cells Posted: 06 Oct 2011 09:54 AM PDT Investigators have found that Sox2 -- one of the transcription factors used in the conversion of adult stem cells into induced pluripotent stem cells -- is expressed in many adult tissues where it had not been previously observed and that Sox2-expressing cells in those tissues are true adult stem cells that can give rise to all mature cell types in those tissues.

Length of flanking repeat region and timing affect genetic material Posted: 06 Oct 2011 09:54 AM PDT Scientists studied the deletions of genetic material in 131 patients with a genomic disorder called Smith-Magenis syndrome and the duplication of genetic material in 79 patients with Potocki-Lupski syndrome.

Scientists find stem cell reprogramming technique is safer than previously thought Posted: 06 Oct 2011 09:54 AM PDT Stem cells made by reprogramming patients' own cells might one day be used as therapies for a host of diseases, but scientists have feared that dangerous mutations within these cells might be caused by current reprogramming techniques. A sophisticated new analysis of stem cells' DNA finds that such fears may be unwarranted.

Biochemists identify how tissue cells detect and perfect Posted: 06 Oct 2011 09:54 AM PDT Scientists have discovered how cells detect tissue damage and modify their repair properties accordingly. The findings could open up new opportunities for improving tissue repair in patients following illness or surgery.

How cells sense nutrients and fuel cancer cell growth Posted: 06 Oct 2011 09:54 AM PDT mTORC1 is a master control center coordinates many cellular functions by sensing external signals such as nutrients and growth factors and telling cells how to respond. Scientists have now identified a new member of the mTORC1 team -- a protein called p62 -- that is crucial to the cell's response to dietary amino acids, providing a new therapeutic target for cancers in which mTORC1 malfunctions.

Hold the phone for vital signs: Researchers turn a smart phone into a medical monitor Posted: 06 Oct 2011 08:36 AM PDT Researchers are turning smartphones into sophisticated medical monitors able to capture and transmit vital physiological data. The team has already developed an app that measures heart rate, heart rhythm, respiration rate, and blood oxygen saturation using the phone's built-in video camera.

Place, not race, may be a larger determinant of health disparities Posted: 06 Oct 2011 08:36 AM PDT Where you live could play a larger role in health disparities than originally thought, according to a new study. Researchers examined a racially integrated, low-income neighborhood in Baltimore, Maryland and found that, with the exception of smoking, nationally reported disparities in hypertension, diabetes, obesity among women and use of health services disappeared or narrowed.

New findings concerning function of the hippocampus Posted: 06 Oct 2011 08:34 AM PDT Scientists have presented new findings concerning the function of the hippocampus, a region of the brain that is important for memory formation. The researchers investigated cellular mechanisms of high-frequency rhythms, which play a key role in memory processes, and possibly also in various brain disorders, albeit in a different manner.

'Genetic biopsy' of human eggs might help pick the best for IVF Posted: 06 Oct 2011 07:26 AM PDT Researchers have developed a way to extract information about gene expression from fertile human egg cells without hurting them. Expendable "polar bodies" in the cells reflect much the same information as the eggs themselves, researchers have determined.

Chagas disease may be a threat in South Texas, says researcher Posted: 06 Oct 2011 07:26 AM PDT Chagas disease, a tropical parasitic disease that can lead to life-threatening heart and digestive disorders, may be more widespread in Texas than previously thought, according to new research.

Dioxin-like chemical messenger makes brain tumors more aggressive Posted: 06 Oct 2011 07:26 AM PDT Researchers have discovered a new metabolic pathway which makes malignant brain tumors more aggressive and weakens patients' immune systems. Using drugs to inhibit this metabolic pathway is a new approach in cancer treatment.

New oral drug found to reduce relapses in multiple sclerosis patients Posted: 06 Oct 2011 06:48 AM PDT A new oral drug has been shown in a large international clinical trial to significantly reduce the relapse rate of people with multiple sclerosis and to slow the progression of the disease.

Detecting glaucoma before it blinds Posted: 06 Oct 2011 06:48 AM PDT Early detection and diagnosis of open angle glaucoma important so that treatment can be used in the early stages of the disease developing to prevent or avoid further vision loss. Researchers in the US have analyzed and ranked the various risk factors for open angle glaucoma so that patients can be screened at an earlier stage if they are more likely to develop the condition.

Extending the effective lifetime of stents: Peptide promotes healing of blood vessels Posted: 06 Oct 2011 06:34 AM PDT Implanted stents can reopen obstructed arteries, but regrowth of cells into the vessel wall can entail restenosis. Research at LMU now shows that an antimicrobial peptide inhibits restenosis and promotes vascular healing. Thus, coating stents with this peptide could increase their clinical efficacy.

Patient-specific stem cells: Major step toward cell-based therapies for life-threatening diseases Posted: 06 Oct 2011 06:00 AM PDT A team of scientists has made an important advance in the development of patient-specific stem cells that could impact the study and treatment of diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's. For the first time, the scientists have derived embryonic stem cells from individual patients by adding the nuclei of adult skin cells from patients with type 1 diabetes to unfertilized donor oocytes.

How fair sanctions are orchestrated in the brain Posted: 06 Oct 2011 05:53 AM PDT Scientists reveal that two frontal regions of the brain need to interact with one another when people punish unfair partners at their own expense. Neuroscientists and economists combined a brain stimulation method with a method for measuring brain activity in order to explore this neuronal network. The new findings could also be significant for therapeutic use in psychiatric and forensic patients.

Everest expedition suggests nitric oxide benefits for intensive care patients Posted: 06 Oct 2011 05:43 AM PDT New shows how research from an Everest expedition looking at the affect of altitude on the body could herald a change in emergency treatment for patients suffering from hypoxia.

Older cancer survivor population to increase substantially Posted: 06 Oct 2011 05:43 AM PDT Over the next decade, the population of cancer survivors over 65 years of age will increase by approximately 42 percent.

Children's food choices are affected by direct advertising and parental influence, study suggests Posted: 06 Oct 2011 05:43 AM PDT Directly advertising food items to children worries many parents and health care providers, and the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychological Association have expressed concern about the negative impact of advertising on children's healthy food choices. A new study explores the relationship between fast food advertisements, parental influence, and the food choices made by children.

Residual damage after heart attack no longer inevitable Posted: 06 Oct 2011 05:40 AM PDT A new treatment could revolutionize the treatment of patients after a heart attack. Medical researchers have developed a protein solution which can be used to reduce the scarring of tissue caused by inflammation after a heart attack.

New potential therapeutic target for breast cancer Posted: 06 Oct 2011 05:40 AM PDT

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