ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• What we know and don't know about fungal meningitis outbreak
• Tissue-engineered kidneys: Researchers make important strides
• Damage to blood vessel lining may account for kidney failure patients' heart risks
• New way to save blood from ravages of chemo treatment
• First-of-its-kind self-assembled nanoparticle for targeted and triggered thermo-chemotherapy
• Living in ethnically homogenous area boosts health of minority seniors, study finds
• Child's home address helps predict risk of readmission to hospital
• Study succeeds in cutting inappropriate antibiotic prescribing by pediatricians
• Hospital uses ‘lean’ manufacturing techniques to speed stroke care
• Stroke patients benefit from carmaker’s efficiency
• Mechanisms of action for green tea extract in breast cancer prevention identified
• Blood hormone levels predicted long-term breast cancer risk for postmenopausal women
• Team support for cessation in the workplace helped motivate cigarette smokers to quit
• High levels of estradiol, progesterone during pregnancy associated with increased risk for HR-negative breast cancer
• Depression, shortened telomeres increase mortality in bladder cancer patients
• Elevated risk of blood clots in women taking birth control containing drospirenone, study shows
• No antibodies, no problem: Researchers identify how mosquito immune system attacks specific infections
• Germs in space: Preventing infection on long flights
• Norovirus outbreaks in nursing homes associated with increase in hospitalizations, risk of death
• Ultraviolet light effective in hospital infection control, study suggests
• Reprogrammed amniotic fluid cells could treat vascular diseases
• Developed a technology that predicts metastasis in breast cancer
• Mutation that causes skin hyperproliferation identified
• Cancer diagnosis does not make young people religious, research suggests
• Genes and immune system shaped by childhood poverty, stress
• Scientists harness immune system to prevent lymphoma relapse
• Researchers elucidate transport pathway of immune system substances
• Rethinking toxic proteins on the cellular level: Lipid droplets play an unexpected role in embryo development
• Treating vascular disorders with a cell-based strategy
• From the twitching whiskers of babes: Naptime behavior shapes the brain
• Value of combined approach to quitting smoking confirmed
• Breast-feeding reduced risk for ER/PR-negative breast cancer, results find
• Green tea reduced inflammation, may inhibit prostate cancer tumor growth, research finds
• Compound's dual action inhibited oral cancer, rat study finds
• Hay fever, asthma combination linked to lower risk for death from colorectal cancer, study finds
• Aggressive nature of meningitis cases calls for heightened awareness among clinicians
• Viruses act like 'self-packing suitcases'
• Ongoing disparities in breastfeeding highlighted at fourth annual summit on breastfeeding
• Helmet-to-helmet collisions: Scientists model how vibrations from football hits wobble the brain
• Decreased gene activity is likely involved in childhood risk for anxiety and depression
• New drug to target and destroy tumor cells developed: Minnelide gives new hope for treating pancreatic cancer
• Weight loss does not improve fertility, but does improve sexual function, research finds
• Referring cancer patients to more experienced and successful hospitals for surgery could save lives
• Gastric band surgery has big impact on heart disease and stroke risk factors
• Men bearing brunt of worsening mental health in England since start of 2008 recession
• Antibiotic shows promise in treating extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis
• American Academy of Pediatrics renews commitment to preventing gun injuries in children
• Women whose first pregnancy was ectopic have fewer children and high risk of another ectopic pregnancy
• Fear really resides in a different area of the brain than its inhibitory mechanisms
• Non-infected babies born to HIV mothers have reduced immunity to measles
• Research targets Native American organ donation
• Device to help stutterers: Interdisciplinary team developing prosthetic as part of a complete treatment program
• New target for treating diabetic kidney disease, the leading cause of kidney failure
• Physical activity shown to help young and elderly alike with lower-leg coordination

What we know and don't know about fungal meningitis outbreak Posted: 18 Oct 2012 03:59 PM PDT In a new perspective piece, a physician recalls lessons learned from treating patients affected by the 2002 outbreak of Exophiala (Wangiella) dermatitidis meningitis or arthritis related to contaminated, injectable coticosteroids prepared from a compounding pharmacy.

Tissue-engineered kidneys: Researchers make important strides Posted: 18 Oct 2012 03:48 PM PDT With a worldwide shortage of kidneys for patients who need kidney transplants, researchers are diligently working to find ways to engineer new kidney tissue from a patient's own cells or another source. They've come a step closer to realizing that goal with a breakthrough described in a new study. The advance could lead to more options for individuals with kidney failure, as well as better tools for understanding kidney diseases and how to treat them.

Damage to blood vessel lining may account for kidney failure patients' heart risks Posted: 18 Oct 2012 03:48 PM PDT Individuals with kidney failure often develop heart problems, but it's not clear why. A new study provides evidence that their kidneys' inability to excrete waste products in the urine, which leads to build-up of these products in the blood, may damage the sugary lining of blood vessels and lead to heart troubles.

New way to save blood from ravages of chemo treatment Posted: 18 Oct 2012 01:26 PM PDT Chemotherapy kills blood cells as well as cancer cells, often with fatal results. Now stem cell researchers have identified a method they hope one day will help cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy maintain a healthy blood supply, they report.

First-of-its-kind self-assembled nanoparticle for targeted and triggered thermo-chemotherapy Posted: 18 Oct 2012 01:22 PM PDT Researchers describe the design and effectiveness of a first-of-its-kind, self assembled, multi-functional, NIR responsive gold nanorods that delivers a chemotherapy drug specifically targeted to cancer cells and selectively release the drug in response to an external beam of light while creating heat for synergistic thermo-chemo mediated anti-tumor efficacy.

Living in ethnically homogenous area boosts health of minority seniors, study finds Posted: 18 Oct 2012 01:22 PM PDT An African-American or Mexican-American senior living in a community where many neighbors share their background is less likely to have cancer or heart disease than their counterpart in a more mixed neighborhood, according to a new study.

Child's home address helps predict risk of readmission to hospital Posted: 18 Oct 2012 01:22 PM PDT Simply knowing a child's home address and some socioeconomic data can serve as a vital sign -- helping hospitals predict which children admitted for asthma treatment are at greater risk for re-hospitalization or additional emergency room visits, according to new research.

Study succeeds in cutting inappropriate antibiotic prescribing by pediatricians Posted: 18 Oct 2012 01:22 PM PDT A study involving one of the nation's largest networks of pediatric practices was able to nearly halve the inappropriate use of antibiotics through quarterly monitoring and feedback of the physicians' prescribing patterns. The research is one of the first to look at an antimicrobial stewardship intervention in the outpatient setting.

Hospital uses ‘lean’ manufacturing techniques to speed stroke care Posted: 18 Oct 2012 01:20 PM PDT A hospital stroke team used auto industry "lean" manufacturing principles to accelerate treatment times, according to new research.

Stroke patients benefit from carmaker’s efficiency Posted: 18 Oct 2012 01:20 PM PDT A process developed to increase efficiency and productivity in Japanese car factories has helped improve stroke treatment at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri.

Mechanisms of action for green tea extract in breast cancer prevention identified Posted: 18 Oct 2012 12:19 PM PDT An oral green tea extract, Polyphenon E, appears to inhibit vascular endothelial growth factor and hepatocyte growth factor, both of which promote tumor cell growth, migration and invasion.

Blood hormone levels predicted long-term breast cancer risk for postmenopausal women Posted: 18 Oct 2012 12:19 PM PDT Blood hormone tests predicted a woman's risk for developing postmenopausal breast cancer for up to 20 years, according to new research.

Team support for cessation in the workplace helped motivate cigarette smokers to quit Posted: 18 Oct 2012 12:19 PM PDT When smoking co-workers in the same team are placed on a cessation program, providing financial incentives to the team collectively in return for success of the smokers in the cessation program helped the smokers to quit smoking and remain abstinent for 12 months, according to new research.

High levels of estradiol, progesterone during pregnancy associated with increased risk for HR-negative breast cancer Posted: 18 Oct 2012 12:19 PM PDT Increased concentrations of the pregnancy hormones estradiol and progesterone were associated with an increased risk for hormone receptor-negative breast cancer diagnosed before age 50, according to the results of a nested case-control study.

Depression, shortened telomeres increase mortality in bladder cancer patients Posted: 18 Oct 2012 11:18 AM PDT Low depressive symptoms and a longer telomere length are compelling factors that contribute to a prolonged life for bladder cancer patients, according to researchers.

Elevated risk of blood clots in women taking birth control containing drospirenone, study shows Posted: 18 Oct 2012 11:18 AM PDT New research has found an increased risk of arterial thrombotic events and venous thromboembolic events -- commonly referred to as blockage of arteries and blood clots, respectively -- associated with drospirenone-containing birth control pills compared to four low-dose estrogen combined hormonal contraceptives.

No antibodies, no problem: Researchers identify how mosquito immune system attacks specific infections Posted: 18 Oct 2012 10:40 AM PDT Researchers have determined a new mechanism by which the mosquitoes' immune system can respond with specificity to infections with various pathogens, including the parasite that causes malaria in humans, using one single gene. Unlike humans and other animals, insects do not make antibodies to target specific infections.

Germs in space: Preventing infection on long flights Posted: 18 Oct 2012 10:09 AM PDT On a long spaceflight unique conditions including microgravity could give microbes the upper hand, but not if astronauts and their spacecrafts are properly prepared. Infectious disease experts have come up with specific recommendations for keeping astronauts safe in deeper space.

Norovirus outbreaks in nursing homes associated with increase in hospitalizations, risk of death Posted: 18 Oct 2012 10:09 AM PDT In a study that included more than 300 Medicare-certified nursing homes, rates of hospitalization and death were substantially increased during outbreaks of norovirus gastroenteritis vs. non-outbreak periods.

Ultraviolet light effective in hospital infection control, study suggests Posted: 18 Oct 2012 10:09 AM PDT A specific spectrum of ultraviolet light killed certain drug-resistant bacteria on the door handles, bedside tables and other surfaces of hospital rooms, suggesting a possible future weapon in the battle to reduce hospital-associated infections.

Reprogrammed amniotic fluid cells could treat vascular diseases Posted: 18 Oct 2012 09:33 AM PDT Scientists have discovered a way to utilize diagnostic prenatal amniocentesis cells, reprogramming them into abundant and stable endothelial cells capable of regenerating damaged blood vessels and repairing injured organs.

Developed a technology that predicts metastasis in breast cancer Posted: 18 Oct 2012 09:33 AM PDT Researchers have developed a diagnostic tool that identifies the metastatic ability of breast cancer cells. The analysis is based on the characterization of the lipid component of the cells, which is indicative of malignancy.

Mutation that causes skin hyperproliferation identified Posted: 18 Oct 2012 09:33 AM PDT Scientists have identified a mutation in a gene that causes patches of very thick skin to appear on the palms and soles of affected people. This skin disorder is related, albeit in a much milder form, to that of the Indonesian "Tree Man", Dede Koswara.

Cancer diagnosis does not make young people religious, research suggests Posted: 18 Oct 2012 09:30 AM PDT A sociologist of religion has interviewed 21 young patients diagnosed with a life-threatening cancer about their religious beliefs. She concludes that a cancer diagnosis will not make young people, who are not religious already, turn to religion. But it can confirm already existing beliefs.

Genes and immune system shaped by childhood poverty, stress Posted: 18 Oct 2012 09:30 AM PDT New research has revealed that childhood poverty, stress as an adult, and demographics such as age, sex and ethnicity, all leave an imprint on a person's genes. And, that this imprint could play a role in our immune response.

Scientists harness immune system to prevent lymphoma relapse Posted: 18 Oct 2012 09:30 AM PDT Scientists hope that lymphoma patients could benefit from a new drug that triggers the cancer-fighting properties of the body's own immune system, after highly promising early laboratory results.

Researchers elucidate transport pathway of immune system substances Posted: 18 Oct 2012 09:30 AM PDT To transport substances from the site of their production to their destination, the body needs a sophisticated transport and sorting system. Various receptors in and on the cells recognize certain molecules, pack them and ensure that they are transported to the right place. One of these receptors is Sortilin. It is present in the cells of the nervous system, the liver, and the immune system. Studies have now shown that the receptor Sortilin plays an important role in the function of the immune system.

Rethinking toxic proteins on the cellular level: Lipid droplets play an unexpected role in embryo development Posted: 18 Oct 2012 09:30 AM PDT Histones are proteins needed to assemble DNA molecules into chromosomes. They have long represented a classic balancing act in biology; too few histone molecules result in DNA damage, while too many histones are toxic to the cell. New research is causing a fundamental shift in the concept of histone balance and the mechanism behind it.

Treating vascular disorders with a cell-based strategy Posted: 18 Oct 2012 09:30 AM PDT A new approach for generating large numbers of circulatory system cells, known as vascular endothelial cells (VECs), from human amniotic-fluid-derived cells is reported in a new study. The strategy, which shows promise in mice, opens the door to establishing a vast inventory of VECs for promoting organ regeneration and treating diverse vascular disorders.

From the twitching whiskers of babes: Naptime behavior shapes the brain Posted: 18 Oct 2012 09:30 AM PDT The whiskers of newborn rats twitch as they sleep, in a whisker equivalent of rapid-eye-movements, and that could open the door to new understandings about the intimate connections between brain and body. The discovery reinforces the notion that such involuntary movements are a vital contributor to the development of sensorimotor systems, say researchers.

Value of combined approach to quitting smoking confirmed Posted: 18 Oct 2012 09:20 AM PDT Smokers who try to quit would be more successful if they combined medication or nicotine-replacement therapy with behavioral counseling, finds a new review.

Breast-feeding reduced risk for ER/PR-negative breast cancer, results find Posted: 18 Oct 2012 09:19 AM PDT Breast-feeding reduced the risk for estrogen receptor-negative and progesterone receptor-negative breast cancer, according to new results.

Green tea reduced inflammation, may inhibit prostate cancer tumor growth, research finds Posted: 18 Oct 2012 09:19 AM PDT Men with prostate cancer who consumed green tea prior to undergoing prostatectomy had reductions in markers of inflammation, according to new data

Compound's dual action inhibited oral cancer, rat study finds Posted: 18 Oct 2012 09:19 AM PDT The compound licofelone inhibited oral cancer growth by inhibiting the cyclooxygenase and 5-lipoxygenase pathways, with no observable side effects, according to a recent rat study.

Hay fever, asthma combination linked to lower risk for death from colorectal cancer, study finds Posted: 18 Oct 2012 09:19 AM PDT People with both hay fever and asthma -- but not people with only one of these two conditions -- experienced an approximately 17 percent lower risk for dying from colorectal cancer, according to new research.

Aggressive nature of meningitis cases calls for heightened awareness among clinicians Posted: 18 Oct 2012 07:32 AM PDT More than 200 patients have been diagnosed with fungal meningitis following spinal epidural injections with contaminated methylprednisolone from a compounding pharmacy. In a new article, researchers provide details about the clinical care, deterioration, and ultimately the death of one of the index cases in this outbreak.

Viruses act like 'self-packing suitcases' Posted: 18 Oct 2012 07:32 AM PDT Researchers have identified a crucial stage in the lifecycle of simple viruses like polio and the common cold that could open a new front in the war on viral disease.

Ongoing disparities in breastfeeding highlighted at fourth annual summit on breastfeeding Posted: 18 Oct 2012 07:30 AM PDT Despite efforts to reduce disparities in breastfeeding, only 44% of African-American women report that they breastfeed compared with 66 and 68% of Hispanic and white women, respectively. According to UNICEF, there is a 14-fold difference in survival rates in the first 6 months, in developing countries, between children who have been breastfed exclusively and non-breastfed children. These disparities in breastfeeding and other key challenges and opportunities in the ongoing mission to encourage and support breastfeeding are discussed in a special issue of the peer-reviewed journal Breastfeeding Medicine, published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

Helmet-to-helmet collisions: Scientists model how vibrations from football hits wobble the brain Posted: 18 Oct 2012 07:29 AM PDT Hard collisions can lead to player concussions, but the physics of how the impact of a helmet hit transfers to the brain are not well understood. A research team has created a simplified experimental model of the brain and skull inside a helmet during a helmet-to-helmet collision.

Decreased gene activity is likely involved in childhood risk for anxiety and depression Posted: 18 Oct 2012 07:27 AM PDT Decreased activity of a group of genes may explain why in young children the "fear center" of the anxious brain can't learn to distinguish real threats from the imaginary, according to a new study.

New drug to target and destroy tumor cells developed: Minnelide gives new hope for treating pancreatic cancer Posted: 18 Oct 2012 07:27 AM PDT Researchers have developed new drug to target tumor cells in pancreatic cancer. The study is based on successful outcomes in a mouse model -- results researchers expect to carry over to human patients when the drug potentially begins human trials in 2013. The drug, Minnelide, is a type of injectable chemotherapy designed to target tumor cells. The drug works by inhibiting a heat shock protein, HSP 70, which has been proven to aid the growth of tumor cells. By stopping HSP 70 from working, Minnelide disperses the cells integral to the tumor's growth and the cancer disintegrates.

Weight loss does not improve fertility, but does improve sexual function, research finds Posted: 18 Oct 2012 07:27 AM PDT Losing weight does not necessarily lead to improved fertility in women, but it can improve sexual function, according to a recent study that followed morbidly obese women of reproductive age for up to two years after Roux en Y gastric bariatric bypass surgery

Referring cancer patients to more experienced and successful hospitals for surgery could save lives Posted: 18 Oct 2012 07:27 AM PDT Researchers report that referring cancer patients to hospitals with better track records for surgery could save lives and not raise the cost to patients.

Gastric band surgery has big impact on heart disease and stroke risk factors Posted: 18 Oct 2012 07:27 AM PDT Bariatric surgery -- restrictive gastric banding and other types of gastric bypass -- can radically reduce risk factors for heart disease and stroke, and within a short period of time, indicates an analysis of the available evidence.

Men bearing brunt of worsening mental health in England since start of 2008 recession Posted: 18 Oct 2012 07:27 AM PDT Men have borne the brunt of worsening mental health across the population of England since the start of the economic downturn in 2008, new research reveals.

Antibiotic shows promise in treating extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis Posted: 18 Oct 2012 07:27 AM PDT When tested in patients hospitalized with extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) unresponsive to previous treatment, linezolid, an antibiotic used to treat severe bacterial infections, proved largely effective when added to the patients' ongoing TB treatment regimen.

American Academy of Pediatrics renews commitment to preventing gun injuries in children Posted: 18 Oct 2012 07:27 AM PDT The American Academy of Pediatrics is renewing its call to reduce the destructive effects of guns in the lives of children and adolescents, including counseling parents about safe gun storage as well as supporting legislation to prevent firearm injuries and deaths.

Women whose first pregnancy was ectopic have fewer children and high risk of another ectopic pregnancy Posted: 18 Oct 2012 07:01 AM PDT Women whose first pregnancy is ectopic are likely to have fewer children in the following 20-30 years than women whose first pregnancy ends in a delivery, miscarriage or abortion, according to results from a study of nearly 3,000 women in Denmark. In addition, these women have a five-fold increased risk of a subsequent ectopic pregnancy.

Fear really resides in a different area of the brain than its inhibitory mechanisms Posted: 18 Oct 2012 07:01 AM PDT Do you suffer from a phobia? Maybe arachnophobia? Then you know very well that even if you do not feel uneasy when imagining a huge and hairy tarantula in the therapist's office, you still jump out of the shower screaming upon seeing a tiny spider. Why is it so hard to get rid of a phobia?

Non-infected babies born to HIV mothers have reduced immunity to measles Posted: 18 Oct 2012 07:01 AM PDT Non-infected babies born to HIV positive mothers should be vaccinated early against measles, to avoid them acquiring the virus or passing it on to others, according to researchers. A new study finds that even if babies are born without HIV, their maternally derived protection against measles may be impaired by their mother's positive HIV status.

Research targets Native American organ donation Posted: 18 Oct 2012 06:48 AM PDT Americans have a 1 in 10 chance of suffering from kidney disease, according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For Native Americans, the risk doubles. More than 112,000 people are on the organ transplant list, and a disproportionate number of those are Native Americans. With a grant from the National Institute on Minority Health and Disparities, researchers hope to improve the outlook for native people and their families facing kidney disease.

Device to help stutterers: Interdisciplinary team developing prosthetic as part of a complete treatment program Posted: 18 Oct 2012 06:48 AM PDT Researchers have created a patent-pending device that could change the lives of people who stutter.

New target for treating diabetic kidney disease, the leading cause of kidney failure Posted: 18 Oct 2012 06:48 AM PDT Researchers have discovered a new therapeutic target for diabetic nephropathy, the leading cause of kidney failure. The findings could help protect the kidney health of individuals with diabetes.

Physical activity shown to help young and elderly alike with lower-leg coordination Posted: 17 Oct 2012 03:12 PM PDT A new study that examined the effect of age and physical activity on lower leg muscle reflexes and coordination concluded that participation in physical activity was beneficial for lower leg muscle coordination across both sides of the body in both young and older study participants. Lower limb muscle communication is essential for everyday tasks, such as walking, balancing, and climbing stairs.

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