ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Fasting makes brain tumors more vulnerable to radiation therapy
• Gene linking cataracts and Alzheimer's disease identified
• Renal transplantation is best treatment option for improving quality of life in people with late-stage chronic kidney disease
• Protein linked to therapy resistance in breast cancer; possible new oncogene and future therapy target
• Millions of mild asthma patients may not need daily inhaled steroid therapy, benefiting instead from taking only when symptoms occur
• Technique using computed tomography associated with improved detection of lymph node metastasis in patients with melanoma
• Little difference in outcomes among strategies to adjust asthma therapy, research finds
• Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation not associated with lower risk of major cardiovascular disease events
• Powerful new method for finding therapeutic antibodies devised: Technique hones and expands the power of large numbers
• Hearing impaired ears hear differently in noisy environments
• Body heat, fermentation drive new drug-delivery 'micropump'
• Improved nanoparticles deliver drugs into brain
• Scientists develop technique to decipher the dormant AIDS virus concealed in cells
• Molecular beacons light up stem cell transformation
• How genetics shape our addictions: Genes predict the brain's reaction to smoking
• Eat dessert first? It might help you control your diet
• Gene therapy technique for children with immune disorder improved
• Reconstructed 1918 influenza virus has yielded key insights, scientists say
• 'Facebook effect': Thousands registered as organ donors via Facebook, dwarfing other donation initiatives
• Why severely obese women have difficulty getting pregnant from IVF
• Inhaled pain relief in early labor is safe and effective, study suggests
• Active follow-up with telephone help can reduce deaths in chronic heart failure patients
• Interventions can reduce falls in people over 65 who live at home
• Parents of babies with sickle cell trait are less likely to receive genetic counseling
• Puberty turned on by brain during deep sleep
• Ginkgo biloba doesn’t improve cognitive function in multiple sclerosis, research finds
• Pregnancy exposures determine risk of breast cancer in multiple generations of offspring
• Stem cell researchers use gene therapy to restore immune systems in 'Bubble Boy' disease
• Chain reaction in the human immune system trapped in crystals
• Vitamin C and beta-carotene might protect against dementia
• Latinos more vulnerable to fatty pancreas, type 2 diabetes, study shows
• Oxygen-sensing bacterial regulatory protein: Chemistry discovery could have major medical implications
• Hayfever vaccine study raises hopes for new allergy treatment as clinical trial is launched
• Toothpicks and surgical swabs can wreak havoc in the gut when inadvertently swallowed or left behind after surgery
• Reining in red meat consumption cuts chronic disease risk and carbon footprint
• Scientist discovers mechanism to reduce inflammation and subsequent bone loss related to gum disease
• Race, ethnicity affect likelihood of finding a suitable unrelated stem cell donor for cancer patients
• Children's health, access to care differ by parents' immigrant status
• Substantial road traffic noise in urban areas contributes to sleep disturbance and annoyance
• Diet could combat adverse side-effects of anti-parasitic drug quinine
• Second-hand smoking damages memory
• More traffic deaths in wake of 9/11
• 'Doctor' or 'darling' -- Subtle differences of speech: Brain signals tell who someone is talking to
• Real-time observation of single DNA molecule repair
• Serious games could be integrated into surgical training subject to validation
• Severe pain in sexual assault survivors often not treated
• Chronic pain costs U.S. up to $635 billion, study shows
• Risk-glorifying video games may lead teens to drive recklessly
• Results of dengue vaccine trial in over 4000 Thai children: Experts respond
• LifeSkills training helps teens manage anger, lower blood pressure

Fasting makes brain tumors more vulnerable to radiation therapy Posted: 11 Sep 2012 02:23 PM PDT A new study is the first to show that controlled fasting improves the effectiveness of radiation therapy in cancer treatments, extending life expectancy in mice with aggressive brain tumors.

Gene linking cataracts and Alzheimer's disease identified Posted: 11 Sep 2012 02:23 PM PDT In a recent study, researchers identified a gene linking age-related cataracts and Alzheimer's disease. The findings contribute to the growing body of evidence showing that these two diseases, both associated with increasing age, may share common etiologic factors.

Renal transplantation is best treatment option for improving quality of life in people with late-stage chronic kidney disease Posted: 11 Sep 2012 02:23 PM PDT In people with late-stage chronic kidney disease, renal transplantation is the best treatment option to improve quality of life, but for those receiving dialysis, home-based automated peritoneal dialysis (in which fluids are infused into the abdominal cavity and can be done nightly at home) provides a better quality of life than continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (a type of dialysis performed continuously throughout the day), according to a study by Australian researchers.

Protein linked to therapy resistance in breast cancer; possible new oncogene and future therapy target Posted: 11 Sep 2012 01:20 PM PDT Researchers have identified the FAM83A protein as a possible new oncogene and linked it to therapy resistance in breast cancer. This discovery helps explain the clinical correlation between a high expression of FAM83A and a poor prognosis for breast cancer patients, and may also provide a new target for future therapies.

Millions of mild asthma patients may not need daily inhaled steroid therapy, benefiting instead from taking only when symptoms occur Posted: 11 Sep 2012 01:20 PM PDT New research has shown that the millions of people who use corticosteroids prescribed daily to control mild asthma do no better than those who use them only when symptoms occur. The findings suggest a potential new treatment option that could change international standards of care, reduce patients' pharmacy costs, limit long-term exposure to corticosteroids and enable flexibility in managing the condition.

Technique using computed tomography associated with improved detection of lymph node metastasis in patients with melanoma Posted: 11 Sep 2012 01:14 PM PDT Preoperative 3-dimensional visualization of sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) with a technique known as single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography was associated with a higher rate of detection of positive SLNs and a higher rate of disease-free survival among patients with melanoma, according to a new study.

Little difference in outcomes among strategies to adjust asthma therapy, research finds Posted: 11 Sep 2012 01:14 PM PDT Among adults with asthma controlled with low-dose inhaled corticosteroid therapy, the time to treatment failure was not significantly different among patients who received corticosteroid dose adjustment based on physician assessment, a biomarker, or symptom occurrence, according to a new study.

Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation not associated with lower risk of major cardiovascular disease events Posted: 11 Sep 2012 01:14 PM PDT In a study that included nearly 70,000 patients, supplementation with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids was not associated with a lower risk of all-cause death, cardiac death, sudden death, heart attack, or stroke, according to an analysis of previous studies.

Powerful new method for finding therapeutic antibodies devised: Technique hones and expands the power of large numbers Posted: 11 Sep 2012 12:19 PM PDT Scientists have found a new technique that should greatly speed the discovery of medically and scientifically useful antibodies, immune system proteins that detect and destroy invaders such as bacteria and viruses.

Hearing impaired ears hear differently in noisy environments Posted: 11 Sep 2012 12:19 PM PDT The world continues to be a noisy place, and researchers have found that all that background chatter causes the ears of those with hearing impairments to work differently.

Body heat, fermentation drive new drug-delivery 'micropump' Posted: 11 Sep 2012 12:19 PM PDT Researchers have created a new type of miniature pump activated by body heat that could be used in drug-delivery patches powered by fermentation.

Improved nanoparticles deliver drugs into brain Posted: 11 Sep 2012 12:18 PM PDT The brain is a notoriously difficult organ to treat, but researchers report they are one step closer to having a drug-delivery system flexible enough to overcome some key challenges posed by brain cancer and perhaps other maladies affecting that organ.

Scientists develop technique to decipher the dormant AIDS virus concealed in cells Posted: 11 Sep 2012 09:53 AM PDT Scientists have gotten us one step closer to understanding and overcoming one of the least-understood mechanisms of HIV infection -- by devising a method to precisely track the life cycle of individual cells infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Molecular beacons light up stem cell transformation Posted: 11 Sep 2012 09:53 AM PDT In a new study, researchers demonstrate a new tool for visually tracking in real-time the transformation of a living population of stem cells into cells of a specific tissue. The "molecular beacons," which could advance tissue engineering research, light up when certain genes are expressed and don't interfere with the development or operation of the stem cells.

How genetics shape our addictions: Genes predict the brain's reaction to smoking Posted: 11 Sep 2012 09:53 AM PDT Have you ever wondered why some people find it so much easier to stop smoking than others? New research shows that vulnerability to smoking addiction is shaped by our genes. A new study shows that people with genetically fast nicotine metabolism have a significantly greater brain response to smoking cues than those with slow nicotine metabolism.

Eat dessert first? It might help you control your diet Posted: 11 Sep 2012 09:53 AM PDT Consumers watching their diet should pay close attention to the amount of unhealthy foods they eat, but can relax when it comes to healthier options, according to a new study.

Gene therapy technique for children with immune disorder improved Posted: 11 Sep 2012 09:53 AM PDT Researchers have enhanced agene therapy approach for children with adenosine deaminase-deficient severe combined immunodeficiency using chemotherapy as conditioning regimen. For the first time, investigators test two different viral vectors to transport normal genes into the young patients' bone marrow stem cells and two different treatment plans in preparation for receiving gene therapy and compare outcomes.

Reconstructed 1918 influenza virus has yielded key insights, scientists say Posted: 11 Sep 2012 09:53 AM PDT The genetic sequencing and reconstruction of the 1918 influenza virus that killed 50 million people worldwide have advanced scientists' understanding of influenza biology and yielded important information on how to prevent and control future pandemics, according to a new commentary.

'Facebook effect': Thousands registered as organ donors via Facebook, dwarfing other donation initiatives Posted: 11 Sep 2012 09:53 AM PDT When Facebook introduced a feature that enables people to register to become organ and tissue donors, thousands did so, dwarfing any previous donation initiative according to researchers.

Why severely obese women have difficulty getting pregnant from IVF Posted: 11 Sep 2012 09:53 AM PDT One third of American women of childbearing age are battling obesity, a condition that affects their health and their chances of getting pregnant. Obese women often have poor reproductive outcomes, but the reasons why have not been clearly identified. Now, a novel study is the first to shed light on how body mass index might adversely affect egg quality in women.

Inhaled pain relief in early labor is safe and effective, study suggests Posted: 11 Sep 2012 09:51 AM PDT Inhaled pain relief appears to be effective in reducing pain intensity and in giving pain relief in the first stage of labour, say researchers. These conclusions came from a systematic review that drew data from twenty-six separate studies that involved a total of 2,959 women.

Active follow-up with telephone help can reduce deaths in chronic heart failure patients Posted: 11 Sep 2012 09:51 AM PDT Chronic heart failure (CHF) patients are less likely to have died a year after discharge if they are involved in a programme of active follow-up once they have returned home than patients given standard care, according to a new Cochrane systematic review. These patients were also less likely to need to go back into hospital in the six months that follow discharge.

Interventions can reduce falls in people over 65 who live at home Posted: 11 Sep 2012 09:51 AM PDT There is now strong evidence that some interventions can prevent falls in people over the age of 65 who are living in their own homes. However, the researchers who reached this conclusion say that care is needed when choosing interventions, as some have no effect.

Parents of babies with sickle cell trait are less likely to receive genetic counseling Posted: 11 Sep 2012 09:49 AM PDT Parents of newborns with the sickle cell anemia trait were less likely to receive genetic counseling than parents whose babies are cystic fibrosis carriers, a new study shows.

Puberty turned on by brain during deep sleep Posted: 11 Sep 2012 09:48 AM PDT Slow-wave sleep, or 'deep sleep', is intimately involved in the complex control of the onset of puberty, according to a recent study.

Ginkgo biloba doesn’t improve cognitive function in multiple sclerosis, research finds Posted: 11 Sep 2012 08:30 AM PDT A new study has found that the herbal supplement Ginkgo biloba does not improve cognitive function in patients with multiple sclerosis. Cognitive impairment affects 40-60% of people with MS, most commonly affecting their processing speed, memory, and executive skills.

Pregnancy exposures determine risk of breast cancer in multiple generations of offspring Posted: 11 Sep 2012 08:28 AM PDT Researchers have demonstrated, in animals, that maternal exposure to a high-fat diet or excess estrogen during pregnancy can increase breast cancer risk in multiple generations of female offspring -- daughters, granddaughters and even great-granddaughters.

Stem cell researchers use gene therapy to restore immune systems in 'Bubble Boy' disease Posted: 11 Sep 2012 08:16 AM PDT Stem cell researchers have found that a gene therapy regimen can safely restore immune systems to children with so-called "Bubble Boy" disease, a life threatening condition that if left untreated can be fatal within one to two years.

Chain reaction in the human immune system trapped in crystals Posted: 11 Sep 2012 07:34 AM PDT Medical researchers have revealed details of how a chain reaction in the human immune system starts. With these results, the researchers hope to promote the development of strategies aimed at alleviating suffering caused by unintentional activation of the immune system.

Vitamin C and beta-carotene might protect against dementia Posted: 11 Sep 2012 07:30 AM PDT Researchers in Germany have discovered that the serum-concentration of the antioxidants vitamin C and beta-carotene are significantly lower in patients with mild dementia than in control persons. It might thus be possible to influence the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease by a person's diet or dietary antioxidants.

Latinos more vulnerable to fatty pancreas, type 2 diabetes, study shows Posted: 11 Sep 2012 07:29 AM PDT Latinos are more likely to store fat in the pancreas and are less able to compensate by excreting additional insulin, a new study shows.

Oxygen-sensing bacterial regulatory protein: Chemistry discovery could have major medical implications Posted: 11 Sep 2012 06:17 AM PDT The study of an oxygen-sensing bacterial regulatory protein by chemistry researchers has provided molecular insight into the oxygen sensing mechanism, which could ultimately lead to a better understanding of the aging process and new treatments for human diseases such cancer, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

Hayfever vaccine study raises hopes for new allergy treatment as clinical trial is launched Posted: 11 Sep 2012 06:17 AM PDT Researchers are developing a new vaccine for hayfever which could be more effective, less invasive for patients and less expensive than some vaccines already available to patients.

Toothpicks and surgical swabs can wreak havoc in the gut when inadvertently swallowed or left behind after surgery Posted: 11 Sep 2012 06:17 AM PDT A woman developed severe blood poisoning (sepsis) and a liver abscess, after inadvertently swallowing a toothpick, which perforated her gullet and lodged in a lobe of her liver, reveals a case study.

Reining in red meat consumption cuts chronic disease risk and carbon footprint Posted: 11 Sep 2012 06:16 AM PDT Reducing red and processed meat consumption would not only prompt a fall in chronic disease incidence of between three and 12 per cent in the UK, but our carbon footprint would shrink by 28 million tons a year, suggests new research.

Scientist discovers mechanism to reduce inflammation and subsequent bone loss related to gum disease Posted: 11 Sep 2012 06:15 AM PDT A scientist has found a way to prevent inflammation and bone loss surrounding the teeth by blocking a natural signaling pathway of the enzyme GSK3b, which plays an important role in directing the immune response.

Race, ethnicity affect likelihood of finding a suitable unrelated stem cell donor for cancer patients Posted: 11 Sep 2012 06:15 AM PDT Researchers have published a study describing the greater difficulty in finding matched, unrelated donors for non-Caucasian patients who are candidates for hematopoietic cell transplantation.

Children's health, access to care differ by parents' immigrant status Posted: 11 Sep 2012 06:15 AM PDT Research has found that children's health and access to health care services differ according to the immigrant status of their parents. A new study examined the health status of more than 46,000 low-income children from the 1996, 2001, 2004, and 2008 Census Bureau survey. The results show that low-income children of immigrants have significantly less good health and see doctors and dentists less often than low-income native-born children.

Substantial road traffic noise in urban areas contributes to sleep disturbance and annoyance Posted: 11 Sep 2012 06:13 AM PDT The World Health Organization recently recognized environmental noise as harmful pollution, with adverse psychosocial and physiological effects on public health. A new study of noise pollution in Fulton County, Georgia, suggests that many residents are exposed to high noise levels that put them at risk of annoyance or sleep disturbance, which can have serious health consequences.

Diet could combat adverse side-effects of anti-parasitic drug quinine Posted: 11 Sep 2012 06:13 AM PDT Scientists say adverse side-effects caused by the anti-parasitic drug quinine in the treatment of malaria could be controlled by what we eat.

Second-hand smoking damages memory Posted: 11 Sep 2012 06:13 AM PDT Non-smokers who live with or spend time with smokers are damaging their memory, according to new research.

More traffic deaths in wake of 9/11 Posted: 11 Sep 2012 06:13 AM PDT The fear of terrorist attacks can alter our everyday behaviour and result in more fatal traffic accidents, according to new research.

'Doctor' or 'darling' -- Subtle differences of speech: Brain signals tell who someone is talking to Posted: 11 Sep 2012 06:12 AM PDT Human speech comes in countless varieties: When people talk to close friends or partners, they talk differently than when they address a physician. These differences in speech are quite subtle and hard to pinpoint. In a new study, researchers report that they were able to tell from brain signals who a person was talking to. This discovery could contribute to the further development of speech synthesizers for patients with severe paralysis.

Real-time observation of single DNA molecule repair Posted: 11 Sep 2012 06:12 AM PDT DNA is constantly being damaged by environmental agents such as ultraviolet light or certain compounds present in cigarette smoke. Cells unceasingly implement repair mechanisms for this DNA, which are of redoubtable efficacy. Scientists have for the first time managed to follow real-time the initial steps in one of these hitherto little known DNA repair systems.

Serious games could be integrated into surgical training subject to validation Posted: 11 Sep 2012 06:12 AM PDT Serious gaming can be used to enhance surgical skills, but games developed or used to train medical professionals need to be validated before they are integrated into teaching methods, according to a new paper.

Severe pain in sexual assault survivors often not treated Posted: 11 Sep 2012 06:11 AM PDT A majority of sexual assault victims experience severe pain in the early aftermath of the crime but less than a third of these victims receive pain medications, according to research.

Chronic pain costs U.S. up to $635 billion, study shows Posted: 11 Sep 2012 06:11 AM PDT Health economists have reported the annual cost of chronic pain in the United States is as high as $635 billion a year, which is more than the yearly costs for cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

Risk-glorifying video games may lead teens to drive recklessly Posted: 11 Sep 2012 06:10 AM PDT Teens who play mature-rated, risk-glorifying video games may be more likely than those who don't to become reckless drivers who experience increases in automobile accidents, police stops and willingness to drink and drive, according to new research.

Results of dengue vaccine trial in over 4000 Thai children: Experts respond Posted: 11 Sep 2012 06:05 AM PDT Researchers from France and Thailand have trialled a dengue vaccine in over 4000 Thai children. While overall there was no difference between the number of dengue cases recorded following vaccination, secondary tests showed that the vaccine was effective against three of the four dengue viruses.

LifeSkills training helps teens manage anger, lower blood pressure Posted: 10 Sep 2012 01:20 PM PDT A 10-week program that fits easily into the high school curriculum could give students a lifetime of less anger and lower blood pressure, according to new research.

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