ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Chimpanzees in research: Statement on Institute of Medicine report by NIH Director Francis Collins
• Shared flavor compounds show up on US menus, rare in Asian cuisines
• How B cells may generate antibodies after vaccination
• Majority of B.C. women take prescription drugs during pregnancy, Canadian study shows
• Cancer from fetal exposure to carcinogens depends on dose, timing
• New study shows promise for preventing preterm births
• Scientists discover second-oldest gene mutation
• Blood test might predict how well a depressed patient responds to antidepressants
• 'Fantastic voyage' through the body, with precision control
• Report recommends stringent limits on use of chimpanzees in biomedical and behavioral research
• Lead levels in drinking water spike when copper and lead pipes joined: Levels linked to galvanic corrosion, disinfectants, pH
• Oral bacteria enables breaking bond on blood vessels to allow invaders in
• Key genetic error found in family of blood cancers
• A simple clip could increase quality of life for thousands of patients with a common heart problem
• Pregnant women advised to stay cool for baby's sake
• Low iron levels in blood raises blood clot risk, new research suggests
• Hide and seek signals for white blood cells
• Report on human subjects protection
• New light on medicinal benefits of plants
• From heterogeneous patient measurements towards earlier diagnosis in Alzheimer's disease
• How cells limit inflammation in lung injury
• Walking skills program improves physical function following hip replacement surgery
• Ultraviolet rays believed to prevent chickenpox spreading
• Less blood clot damage with extra treatment, research suggests
• New research could lead to enhanced MRI scans
• New genetic program converts static cells into mobile invasive cells
• Fungus-induced neurological disease: An underestimated risk for animals and humans?
• What determines the capacity of short-term memory?
• Scientists examine toxicity of medicinal plants in Peru
• New test to indicate likely spread or recurrence of breast cancer
• Immunity against the cold

Chimpanzees in research: Statement on Institute of Medicine report by NIH Director Francis Collins Posted: 15 Dec 2011 11:57 AM PST The following is a statement by NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins on the Institute of Medicine report addressing the scientific need for the use of chimpanzees in research.

Shared flavor compounds show up on US menus, rare in Asian cuisines Posted: 15 Dec 2011 11:16 AM PST North Americans and Western Europeans love a good mix of alpha-terpineol, 4-methylpentanoic acid and ethyl propionate for dinner, flavor compounds shared in popular ingredients like tomatoes, Parmesan cheese and white wine. Authentic East Asian recipes, on the other hand, tend to avoid mixing ingredients with many shared flavor compounds, according to new research.

How B cells may generate antibodies after vaccination Posted: 15 Dec 2011 11:16 AM PST Scientists have shown how immune cells, called B lymphocytes, are able to produce daughter cells that are not equal, a finding that might explain how lifelong antibodies are made after vaccination.

Majority of B.C. women take prescription drugs during pregnancy, Canadian study shows Posted: 15 Dec 2011 10:59 AM PST Almost two-thirds of women in British Columbia filled at least one prescription at some point in their pregnancy, including drugs with potential risks, according to a new study.

Cancer from fetal exposure to carcinogens depends on dose, timing Posted: 15 Dec 2011 10:59 AM PST The cancer-causing potential of fetal exposure to carcinogens can vary substantially, causing different types of problems much later in life depending on the stage of pregnancy when the fetus is exposed. The research sheds further light on the way in which toxic damage early in life can later manifest itself as cancer, due to "epigenetic" changes in cells.

New study shows promise for preventing preterm births Posted: 15 Dec 2011 10:59 AM PST A new study has found that applying vaginal progesterone to women who are at a high risk of preterm birth significantly decreased the odds of a premature delivery.

Scientists discover second-oldest gene mutation Posted: 15 Dec 2011 10:58 AM PST A new study has identified a gene mutation that researchers estimate dates back to 11,600 B.C., making it the second oldest human disease mutation known. The mutation was described in people of Arabic, Turkish and Jewish ancestry. It causes a rare, inherited vitamin B12 deficiency. The mutation originated in a single, prehistoric individual and was passed down to that individual's descendants. The discovery should permit reliable genetic diagnosis of suspected cases of Imerslund-Gräsbeck Syndrome.

Blood test might predict how well a depressed patient responds to antidepressants Posted: 15 Dec 2011 10:58 AM PST Researchers are reporting what could become the first reliable method to predict whether an antidepressant will work on a depressed patient.

'Fantastic voyage' through the body, with precision control Posted: 15 Dec 2011 10:58 AM PST Scientists have devised a method to guide endoscopic "capsules" on a more precise course through the small intestine to detect difficult-to-diagnose tumors or wounds, or allow for biopsies or drug delivery. The ability to manipulate the capsule, he says, will not only lead to better diagnosis capabilities, but a less invasive and quicker procedure as well.

Report recommends stringent limits on use of chimpanzees in biomedical and behavioral research Posted: 15 Dec 2011 10:58 AM PST Given that chimpanzees are so closely related to humans and share similar behavioral traits, the U.S. National Institutes of Health should allow their use as subjects in biomedical research only under stringent conditions, including the absence of any other suitable model and inability to ethically perform the research on people, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine.

Lead levels in drinking water spike when copper and lead pipes joined: Levels linked to galvanic corrosion, disinfectants, pH Posted: 15 Dec 2011 08:35 AM PST Lead pipes once used routinely in municipal water distribution systems are a well-recognized source of dangerous lead contamination, but new research suggests that the partial replacement of these pipes can make the problem worse. The research shows that joining old lead pipes with new copper lines using brass fittings spurs galvanic corrosion that can dramatically increase the amount of lead released into drinking water supplies.

Oral bacteria enables breaking bond on blood vessels to allow invaders in Posted: 15 Dec 2011 08:35 AM PST A common oral bacteria, Fusobacterium nucleatum, acts like a key to open a door in human blood vessels and leads the way for it and other bacteria like Escherichia coli to invade the body through the blood and make people sick, according to dental researchers.

Key genetic error found in family of blood cancers Posted: 15 Dec 2011 08:35 AM PST Scientists have uncovered a critical genetic mutation in some patients with myelodysplastic syndromes -- a group of blood cancers that can progress to a fatal form of leukemia.

A simple clip could increase quality of life for thousands of patients with a common heart problem Posted: 15 Dec 2011 08:35 AM PST The interventional cardiology team recently conducted the first clinical procedure in Canada using the MitraClip system, which is designed to treat patients suffering from mitral valve failure, a very common heart defect that affects an estimated one out five people to various extents starting at the age of 55.

Pregnant women advised to stay cool for baby's sake Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:56 AM PST Medical researchers have found a link between increases in temperature and the incidence of stillbirth and shorter pregnancies.

Low iron levels in blood raises blood clot risk, new research suggests Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:54 AM PST People with low levels of iron in the blood have a higher risk of dangerous blood clots, according to new research.

Hide and seek signals for white blood cells Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:54 AM PST Scientists reveal how certain white blood cells find hidden chemical signals that allow them to exit the bloodstream.

Report on human subjects protection Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:54 AM PST The Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues has issued its report concerning U.S. federally sponsored research involving human volunteers, concluding that current rules and regulations provide adequate safeguards to mitigate risk.

New light on medicinal benefits of plants Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:52 AM PST Scientists are about to make publicly available all the data they have so far on the genetic blueprint of medicinal plants and what beneficial properties are encoded.

From heterogeneous patient measurements towards earlier diagnosis in Alzheimer's disease Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:52 AM PST Medical researchers have developed a decision support tool for objective diagnostics of Alzheimer's disease. The tool compares measurements of a patient to measurements of other persons available in large databases and provides a simple index about the severity of the disease. The project has shown that the tool improves the accuracy of diagnosis and clinicians' confidence about their decision, making earlier diagnosis possible.

How cells limit inflammation in lung injury Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:52 AM PST Researchers have found in an animal model of acute lung injury a molecular mechanism that allows cells of the immune system to reduce tissue damage from inflammation.

Walking skills program improves physical function following hip replacement surgery Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:52 AM PST Researchers in Norway report that patients who receive walking skills training following total hip arthroplasty for osteoarthritis show improved physical function. The physical therapy program displayed a positive effect on walking distance and stair climbing which continued 12 months following hip replacement surgery.

Ultraviolet rays believed to prevent chickenpox spreading Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:49 AM PST Ultraviolet rays help prevent the spread of chickenpox, meaning people in milder climates are more at risk of catching the disease, according to new research. The discovery could lead to new ways of preventing chickenpox and its more severe relative, shingles.

Less blood clot damage with extra treatment, research suggests Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:49 AM PST Pain, swelling, itching, eczema and venous ulcers are characteristic signs of post-thrombotic syndrome, a condition developed by roughly half the patients who have experienced serious deep vein thrombosis, or blood clots in the leg. It has been demonstrated for the first time that a treatment to dissolve blood clots prevented such complications in a substantial number of patients. The treatment is called catheter-directed thrombolytic therapy.

New research could lead to enhanced MRI scans Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:49 AM PST New research could lead to enhanced MRI scans, producing brighter and more precise images, and potentially allowing the detection of cancerous cells before they cause health problems.

New genetic program converts static cells into mobile invasive cells Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:48 AM PST Researchers have identified the gene GATA 6 as responsible for epithelial cells -which group together and are static- losing adhesion and moving towards a new site. This process, which is common to developing organisms, is very similar to one that occurs in metastasis, when tumor cells escape from the original tumor and invade new tissue.

Fungus-induced neurological disease: An underestimated risk for animals and humans? Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:48 AM PST The mold fungus Penicillium crustosum occurs relatively frequently in food and animal fodder stored in temperate conditions. This mold produces powerful neurotoxins, for example penitrem A, which causes symptoms that are difficult to distinguish from those of other neurological diseases. Penitrem A is capable of penetrating the blood-brain barrier and new research has unveiled the mechanisms behind the neurological effects of the toxin.

What determines the capacity of short-term memory? Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:48 AM PST Short-term memory plays a crucial role in how our consciousness operates. Several years ago a hypothesis has been formulated, according to which capacity of short-term memory depends in a special way on two cycles of brain electric activity. Scientists have now demonstrated this experimentally for the first time.

Scientists examine toxicity of medicinal plants in Peru Posted: 14 Dec 2011 02:15 PM PST Many developing countries rely on traditional medicine as an accessible and affordable treatment option for human maladies. However, until now, scientific data has not existed to evaluate the potential toxicity of medicinal plant species in Peru. Scientists are now using brine shrimp to determine the toxicity of 341 Northern Peruvian plant species commonly ingested in traditional medicine.

New test to indicate likely spread or recurrence of breast cancer Posted: 14 Dec 2011 06:49 AM PST A student has developed a potential breakthrough test for predicting the likelihood of the spread or return of breast cancer.

Immunity against the cold Posted: 13 Dec 2011 06:21 AM PST Throughout the interior spaces of humans and other warm-blooded creatures is a special type of tissue known as brown fat, which may hold the secret to diets and weight-loss programs of the future.

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