ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Fleas collected from Norway rats in downtown Los Angeles carry human pathogen
• Probiotics appear to mitigate pancreatitis: Surprising hypothetical mechanism warrants further investigation
• External capsule protects gum disease-causing bacteria from immune response
• Annual childhood flu vaccines may interfere with development of crossresistance
• Today's teens will die younger of heart disease, study finds
• Mycophenolate is superior to azathioprine as treatment for lupus nephritis, study finds
• Illegal drug use is associated with abnormal weight in teens
• Preliminary report on radiation levels in Fukushima reveals relative safety of residents
• New drug combo targets multiple cancers: Sugar molecule primes cancer cells for early death from second compound
• Researchers uncover steps in synapse building, pruning
• Form and function: New MRI technique to diagnose or rule out Alzheimer's disease
• Probiotic protects intestine from radiation injury
• New clinical practice guideline for treating common elbow fractures in children
• A realistic look at the promises and perils of nanomedicine
• New 'smart' material could help tap medical potential of tissue-penetrating light
• Drug clears chronic urinary infections in mice
• Cancer's sweet tooth may be its weak link
• U.S. population on track to getting even fatter
• lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender seniors face harder old age, U.S. study finds
• Response time to open arteries for most critical patients still too slow
• Discovery may help fight late-stage ovarian cancer
• Increasing dosage of clopidogrel for patients with genetic variation improves response to medication
• Finnish researchers discover regulator of human cell activity
• Alcoholics' 'injured brains' work harder to complete simple tasks: Finger tapping study shows alcoholics may recruit other brain regions
• Having fewer coronary heart disease risk factors associated with higher risk of in-hospital death following first heart attack
• Compared to stress testing, patients who undergo CT angiography more likely to undergo subsequent invasive, more costly cardiac procedures
• Severe sepsis, new-onset atrial fibrillation associated with increased risk of hospital stroke, death
• Delayed stem cell therapy following heart attack is safe but not effective
• Infusion of bone marrow cells several weeks after heart attack does not appear to improve ventricular function
• Patients with severe sepsis and new-onset atrial fibrillation at increased risk of in-hospital stroke, death
• Panel of melanoma mutations opens door to new treatment possibilities
• Hope for more options in couples where one partner is HIV positive
• Healthcare of transsexual persons causes unnecessary suffering, Swedish study finds
• Gene impedes recovery from alcoholism, Swedish research finds
• Should we prepare for the end? New report calls for decriminalization of assisted dying in Canada
• Prenatal quality initiative improves patient safety
• New medication increases HDL cholesterol and decreases LDL cholesterol levels

Fleas collected from Norway rats in downtown Los Angeles carry human pathogen Posted: 16 Nov 2011 04:31 PM PST Most fleas collected from rats trapped in downtown Los Angeles, California carried microbes from the genus Bartonella, many of which are human pathogens, according to a new study.

Probiotics appear to mitigate pancreatitis: Surprising hypothetical mechanism warrants further investigation Posted: 16 Nov 2011 04:29 PM PST A probiotic treatment appears to mitigate pancreatitis in an animal model, leading to a new hypothesis of how probiotics may act, according to a new study. The bacterial species most closely associated with improvement in health was discovered for the first time in the course of this research.

External capsule protects gum disease-causing bacteria from immune response Posted: 16 Nov 2011 04:29 PM PST The capsule of Porphyromonas gingivalis, the bacterium that causes gum disease, provides stealth, boosting the bacterium's virulence, according to new study. Call it a sugar coating, if you will, for in fact, the capsule is made from sugar molecules, which do not ordinarily elicit immunity. Thus it hides the bacterium's proteins within, preventing immune response.

Annual childhood flu vaccines may interfere with development of crossresistance Posted: 16 Nov 2011 04:28 PM PST Vaccinating children annually against influenza virus interferes with their development of cross-reactive killer T cells to flu viruses generally, according to a new study. The research points up potentially conflicting policy outcomes. Annual flu vaccines are effective against seasonal flu, but could leave people more vulnerable to novel pandemics.

Today's teens will die younger of heart disease, study finds Posted: 16 Nov 2011 02:47 PM PST A new study of adolescent cardiovascular health in the US reveals a bleak picture of teens likely to die of heart disease at a younger age than adults do today. The alarming health profiles of 5,547 children and adolescents, ages 12 to 19, reveal high blood sugar, obesity, lousy diets, little physical activity and smoking.

Mycophenolate is superior to azathioprine as treatment for lupus nephritis, study finds Posted: 16 Nov 2011 02:47 PM PST A new large, international study finds that the immunosuppressant drug mycophenolate mofetil is superior to azathioprine, an older immunosuppressant, as a maintenance therapy for lupus nephritis.

Illegal drug use is associated with abnormal weight in teens Posted: 16 Nov 2011 02:47 PM PST A survey of more than 33,000 Italian high school students reveals that both underweight and overweight teens consume 20 to 40 percent more illegal drugs than their normal-weight peers.

Preliminary report on radiation levels in Fukushima reveals relative safety of residents Posted: 16 Nov 2011 02:47 PM PST Researchers have released a preliminary report on the effects of the Fukushima nuclear disaster on the surrounding areas, following radiation levels for approximately three months following the event and surveying more than 5,000 people in the region.

New drug combo targets multiple cancers: Sugar molecule primes cancer cells for early death from second compound Posted: 16 Nov 2011 01:22 PM PST Researchers say a novel combination of a specific sugar molecule with a pair of cell-killing drugs prompts a wide variety of cancer cell types to kill themselves, a process called apoptosis or programmed cell death.

Researchers uncover steps in synapse building, pruning Posted: 16 Nov 2011 01:22 PM PST The brain is constantly building networks of synapses, while pruning out redundant or unneeded synapses. Researchers have discovered a factor in synapse-building, also showing that the building and pruning processes occur independent of each other.

Form and function: New MRI technique to diagnose or rule out Alzheimer's disease Posted: 16 Nov 2011 01:22 PM PST Researchers have found a new way of diagnosing and tracking Alzheimer's disease, using an innovative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique called Arterial spin labeling (ASL) to measure changes in brain function.

Probiotic protects intestine from radiation injury Posted: 16 Nov 2011 11:30 AM PST Scientists have shown that taking a probiotic before radiation therapy can protect the intestine from damage -- at least in mice. Their study suggests that taking a probiotic also may help cancer patients avoid intestinal injury, a common problem in those receiving radiation therapy for abdominal cancers.

New clinical practice guideline for treating common elbow fractures in children Posted: 16 Nov 2011 11:30 AM PST The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Board of Directors has recently approved and released an evidence-based clinical practice guideline (CPG) on the treatment of supracondylar humerus fractures.

A realistic look at the promises and perils of nanomedicine Posted: 16 Nov 2011 11:30 AM PST Is the emerging field of nanomedicine a breathtaking technological revolution that promises remarkable new ways of diagnosing and treating diseases? Or does it portend the release of dangerous nanoparticles, nanorobots or nanoelectronic devices that will wreak havoc in the body? A new review of more than 500 studies on the topic concludes that neither scenario is likely.

New 'smart' material could help tap medical potential of tissue-penetrating light Posted: 16 Nov 2011 11:30 AM PST Scientists are reporting development and successful initial testing of the first practical "smart" material that may supply the missing link in efforts to use in medicine a form of light that can penetrate four inches into the human body. The new polymer or plastic-like material has potential for use in diagnosing diseases and engineer new human tissues in the lab.

Drug clears chronic urinary infections in mice Posted: 16 Nov 2011 11:30 AM PST An experimental treatment for urinary tract infections has easily passed its first test in animals, alleviating weeks-long infections in mice in as little as six hours.

Cancer's sweet tooth may be its weak link Posted: 16 Nov 2011 11:30 AM PST Researchers have discovered that cancer cells tap into a natural recycling system to obtain the energy they need to keep dividing. In a study with potential implications for cancer treatments, researchers used genetic manipulation to turn off this recycling system within the walls of cells and stop both tumor growth and metastasis (cancer spread).

U.S. population on track to getting even fatter Posted: 16 Nov 2011 10:29 AM PST In 2020, the vast majority of adults in America will be overweight or obese and more than half will suffer from diabetes or pre-diabetic conditions, according to new projections.

lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender seniors face harder old age, U.S. study finds Posted: 16 Nov 2011 09:47 AM PST Aging and health issues facing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender baby boomers have been largely ignored by services, policies and research. These seniors face higher rates of disability, physical and mental distress and a lack of access to services, according to the first study on aging and health in these communities.

Response time to open arteries for most critical patients still too slow Posted: 16 Nov 2011 07:46 AM PST Cardiologists are quick to point to statistics showing that the "door-to-balloon" treatment time for heart attack patients has dropped significantly in the past few years. But a retrospective study reveals that those who call 911 are most likely to have suffered a severe heart attack and despite receiving treatment quickly, they are still dying at unacceptable rates, say researchers.

Discovery may help fight late-stage ovarian cancer Posted: 16 Nov 2011 07:45 AM PST A potential breakthrough in treating late-stage ovarian cancer has come from researchers who have discovered a peptide that shrinks advanced tumors and improves survival rates for this deadly but often undetected disease.

Increasing dosage of clopidogrel for patients with genetic variation improves response to medication Posted: 16 Nov 2011 05:21 AM PST Among patients with stable cardiovascular disease who have a genetic variation that diminishes the response to the antiplatelet drug clopidogrel, tripling the standard daily dosage of this medication resulted in improved platelet reactivity, according to a new study.

Finnish researchers discover regulator of human cell activity Posted: 16 Nov 2011 05:17 AM PST Researchers in Finland have discovered that the SHARPIN protein regulates human cell activity.

Alcoholics' 'injured brains' work harder to complete simple tasks: Finger tapping study shows alcoholics may recruit other brain regions Posted: 16 Nov 2011 03:31 AM PST Alcoholic brains can perform a simple finger-tapping exercise as well as their sober counterparts but their brain must work a lot harder to do it, according to a new study.

Having fewer coronary heart disease risk factors associated with higher risk of in-hospital death following first heart attack Posted: 16 Nov 2011 02:58 AM PST Patients without prior cardiovascular disease who were hospitalized following a first heart attack and who had a lower number of coronary heart disease risk factors such as smoking and high blood pressure had an associated greater risk of dying in the hospital, according to a new study.

Compared to stress testing, patients who undergo CT angiography more likely to undergo subsequent invasive, more costly cardiac procedures Posted: 16 Nov 2011 02:54 AM PST In an analysis of Medicare data of nearly 300,000 patients who underwent outpatient evaluation for coronary artery disease by either computed tomography (CT) angiography or stress testing, those who underwent CT angiography were more likely to have subsequent cardiac testing procedures that were more costly and invasive, such as cardiac catheterization, according to a new study.

Severe sepsis, new-onset atrial fibrillation associated with increased risk of hospital stroke, death Posted: 16 Nov 2011 02:21 AM PST A recent study shows an increased risk of stroke and mortality among patients diagnosed with severe sepsis and new-onset atrial fibrillation during hospitalization.

Delayed stem cell therapy following heart attack is safe but not effective Posted: 16 Nov 2011 02:21 AM PST Stem cells obtained from bone marrow, known as BMCs, can be safely injected into people two to three weeks following a heart attack, reports a new clinical trial. However, while safe, the BMCs did not improve heart function six months after their administration.

Infusion of bone marrow cells several weeks after heart attack does not appear to improve ventricular function Posted: 16 Nov 2011 02:17 AM PST Intracoronary infusion of bone marrow mononuclear cells 2-3 weeks following a heart attack among patients with left ventricular dysfunction and who had a procedure such as balloon angioplasty or stent placement performed did not result in overall improvement in ventricular function after 6 months, according to a new study.

Patients with severe sepsis and new-onset atrial fibrillation at increased risk of in-hospital stroke, death Posted: 16 Nov 2011 02:12 AM PST Patients hospitalized with severe sepsis who experience new-onset atrial fibrillation have an associated increased risk of in-hospital stroke and death, according to a new study.

Panel of melanoma mutations opens door to new treatment possibilities Posted: 15 Nov 2011 02:56 PM PST Researchers have developed a new genetic screening tool that will aid in the investigation of possible treatments for patients with melanoma and the unique genetic mutations that may accompany the disease, according to new research.

Hope for more options in couples where one partner is HIV positive Posted: 15 Nov 2011 02:56 PM PST In sub-Saharan Africa, couples in long-term relationships where one partner is HIV-positive and the other is HIV-negative could benefit from anti-AIDS drugs given either as treatment or as a prevention measure to reduce the risk of HIV transmission.

Healthcare of transsexual persons causes unnecessary suffering, Swedish study finds Posted: 15 Nov 2011 02:53 PM PST In 1972, Sweden became the first country in the world to legislate healthcare for transsexualism within the state-financed healthcare system. In an international perspective, this was considered to be radical. It was expected that the life situation of people in the transsexual group would improve, now that state-financed healthcare was available for this group. New research from Sweden, however, describes this care as an oppressive gender-conservative system that causes suffering for transsexual persons.

Gene impedes recovery from alcoholism, Swedish research finds Posted: 15 Nov 2011 02:53 PM PST People who are alcohol-dependent and who also carry a particular variant of a gene run an increased risk of premature death, according to research from Sweden.

Should we prepare for the end? New report calls for decriminalization of assisted dying in Canada Posted: 15 Nov 2011 10:28 AM PST A report commissioned by the Royal Society of Canada claims that assisted suicide should be legally permitted for competent individuals who make a free and informed decision, while on both a personal and a national level insufficient plans and policies are made for the end of life.

Prenatal quality initiative improves patient safety Posted: 15 Nov 2011 07:35 AM PST A new study reveals that a multifaceted quality initiative can significantly reduce adverse obstetric outcomes, thereby improving patient safety and enhancing staff and patient experiences.

New medication increases HDL cholesterol and decreases LDL cholesterol levels Posted: 15 Nov 2011 06:46 AM PST Among patients with sub-optimal low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels, use of the drug evacetrapib alone or in combination with statin medications was associated with significant increases in HDL-C levels and decreases in LDL-C levels, according to a new study.

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