ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Big advance against cystic fibrosis: Stem cell researchers create lung surface tissue in a dish
• Scientists redraw the blueprint of the body's biological clock
• Detecting breast cancer's fingerprint in a droplet of blood
• Potential for a 'moderate' New England 'red tide' in 2012
• Breakthrough in IOP regulation in fight against glaucoma
• Banned antibiotics found in poultry products
• Manipulating the immune system to develop 'next-gen' vaccines
• New stem cell line provides safe, prolific source for disease modeling and transplant studies
• Heightened sensitivity to cheap, high-calorie food is linked with obesity
• Tackling dyslexia before kids learn to read
• To prevent leukemia's dreaded return, go for the stem cells
• Nature and nurture: World‐first discovery sheds new light on congenital birth defects
• Disarming disease-causing bacteria
• Handheld plasma flashlight rids skin of notorious pathogens
• Asthma: A vaccination that works using intramuscular injection
• Researchers develop a new cell and animal model of inflammatory breast cancer
• Why some pain drugs become less effective over time

Big advance against cystic fibrosis: Stem cell researchers create lung surface tissue in a dish Posted: 05 Apr 2012 07:48 PM PDT Stem cell researchers have taken a critical step in making possible the discovery in the relatively near future of a drug to control cystic fibrosis, a fatal lung disease that claims about 500 lives each year, with 1,000 new cases diagnosed annually.

Scientists redraw the blueprint of the body's biological clock Posted: 05 Apr 2012 07:44 PM PDT The discovery of a major gear in the biological clock that tells the body when to sleep and metabolize food may lead to new drugs to treat sleep problems and metabolic disorders, including diabetes.

Detecting breast cancer's fingerprint in a droplet of blood Posted: 05 Apr 2012 10:16 AM PDT The earlier breast cancer is detected, the better the chance of successful treatment and long-term survival. However, early cancer diagnosis is still challenging as testing by mammography remains cumbersome, costly, and in many cases, cancer can only be detected at an advanced stage. Scientists have now developed a new microfluidics-based microarray that could one day radically change how and when cancer is diagnosed.

Potential for a 'moderate' New England 'red tide' in 2012 Posted: 05 Apr 2012 10:16 AM PDT New England is expected to experience a "moderate" regional "red tide" this spring and summer, report scientists working in the Gulf of Maine to study the toxic algae that causes the bloom. The algae in the water pose no direct threat to human beings, however the toxins they produce can accumulate in filter-feeding organisms such as mussels and clams -- which can cause paralytic shellfish poisoning in humans who consume them.

Breakthrough in IOP regulation in fight against glaucoma Posted: 05 Apr 2012 10:15 AM PDT Medical researchers have gained new insight regarding the regulation of intraocular pressure (IOP) in glaucoma -- an irreversible blinding disease that causes progressive visual impairment due to optic nerve damage and is the leading cause of blindness worldwide.

Banned antibiotics found in poultry products Posted: 05 Apr 2012 10:14 AM PDT Researchers have found evidence suggesting that a class of antibiotics previously banned by the US government for poultry production is still in use.

Manipulating the immune system to develop 'next-gen' vaccines Posted: 05 Apr 2012 10:14 AM PDT The discovery of how a vital immune cell recognizes dead and damaged body cells could modernize vaccine technology by "tricking" cells into launching an immune response, leading to next-generation vaccines that are more specific, more effective and have fewer side-effects.

New stem cell line provides safe, prolific source for disease modeling and transplant studies Posted: 05 Apr 2012 10:14 AM PDT Researchers have generated a new type of human stem cell that can develop into numerous types of specialized cells, including functioning pancreatic beta cells that produce insulin. Called endodermal progenitor cells, the new cells show two important advantages over embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells: they do not form tumors when transplanted into animals, and they can form functional pancreatic beta cells in the laboratory.

Heightened sensitivity to cheap, high-calorie food is linked with obesity Posted: 05 Apr 2012 10:14 AM PDT A major reason for the dramatic increase in obesity may be a heightened sensitivity to heavily advertised and easily accessible high-calorie foods.

Tackling dyslexia before kids learn to read Posted: 05 Apr 2012 10:14 AM PDT For children with dyslexia, the trouble begins even before they start reading and for reasons that don't necessarily reflect other language skills. This study for the first time reveals a causal connection between early problems with visual attention and a later diagnosis of dyslexia.

To prevent leukemia's dreaded return, go for the stem cells Posted: 05 Apr 2012 10:14 AM PDT Researchers have found a way to stop leukemia stem cells in their tracks. The advance in mice suggests that a combination approach to therapy might stamp out chronic myeloid leukemia for good.

Nature and nurture: World‐first discovery sheds new light on congenital birth defects Posted: 05 Apr 2012 10:12 AM PDT Scientists have made a landmark discovery that could help women minimize or even avoid the risk of having a baby born with congenital birth defects.

Disarming disease-causing bacteria Posted: 05 Apr 2012 06:29 AM PDT Scientists could produce new antibacterial treatments by disarming the molecular pumps bacteria use to bring disease-causing molecules in contact with animals and humans.

Handheld plasma flashlight rids skin of notorious pathogens Posted: 04 Apr 2012 06:00 PM PDT Scientists have developed a handheld, battery-powered plasma-producing device that can rid skin of bacteria in an instant.

Asthma: A vaccination that works using intramuscular injection Posted: 04 Apr 2012 07:29 AM PDT Asthma is a chronic inflammatory and respiratory disease caused by an abnormal reactivity to allergens in the environment. Of the several avenues of exploration that are currently being developed, vaccination appears to be the most promising approach. Scientists have now revealed an innovative vaccine against one of the allergens most frequently encountered in asthma patients.

Researchers develop a new cell and animal model of inflammatory breast cancer Posted: 04 Apr 2012 07:26 AM PDT Inflammatory breast cancer is a very aggressive, often misunderstood type of cancer. The five-year survival rate is between 25 and 50 percent. The reason for the poor prognosis is that IBC usually grows rapidly and often spreads quickly to other parts of the body. Researchers have developed a new cell and animal model that holds promise for providing a detailed understanding the disease and for developing effective interventions.

Why some pain drugs become less effective over time Posted: 03 Apr 2012 02:19 PM PDT Researchers have identified how neural cells are able to build up resistance to opioid pain drugs within hours.

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