ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Gargling sugar water boosts self-control, study finds
• New aspect of platelet behavior in heart attacks revealed: Clots can sense blood flow
• More plus-size models could change women’s obsession with thin bodies
• Anti-fat bias may be equally prevalent in general public and medical community
• What's your ideal weight? Answer depends on what you see
• Cell damage caused by use of certain personal lubricants does not increase HIV risk, lab study finds
• New portable device enables RNA detection from ultra-small sample in only 20 minutes
• When parasites catch viruses: Viral symbiont of a protozoan parasite increases virulence to human host
• Setting national goals to bolster patient safety with electronic health records
• Financial incentives may improve hospital mortality rates, says study
• Non-invasive technique for predicting patients' response to chemotherapy
• Patients with aberrations in two genes respond better to drugs blocking a well-known cancer pathway
• New targeted therapy for advanced prostate cancer shows anti-tumour activity in phase I clinical trials
• Aspirin effective in preventing clots following joint replacement surgery
• Starchy, high carbohydrate diet associated with recurrence of colon cancer
• MRI and EEG could identify children at risk for epilepsy after febrile seizures
• Steroid pills effective for treating facial paralysis in Bell's palsy, research suggests
• New assessment reveals value of second embryo biopsy for women of advanced maternal age
• No link found between calcium intake and coronary artery calcification
• Acute care model improves surgical care quality, lowers costs for two procedures
• Measuring metabolism can predict Alzheimer's progress with 90 percent accuracy
• Self-imagination can enhance memory in healthy and memory-impaired individuals
• Researchers coax cells to grow and myelinate along thin fibers; Potential use in testing treatments for neurological diseases
• Spread of human melanoma cells in mice correlates with clinical outcomes in patients
• Scientific progress could be casualty in public health vs. Privacy debate over newborn blood samples, experts warn
• Human disease modeled in an organ-on-a-chip; 'Lung-on-a-chip' sets stage for next wave of research to replace animal testing
• Whole genome sequencing of de novo balanced rearrangements in prenatal diagnosis
• New drug target found for cystic fibrosis lung disease
• Popular pain relievers may reduce risk of bladder cancer
• New cell type developed for possible treatment of Alzheimer's and other brain diseases
• Firm molecular handshake needed for hearing and balance
• Loss of essential blood cell gene leads to anemia
• Stay in bed or feel the burn? What to do when you are sick
• Simpler way to predict heart failure
• Synthetic biofilter removes estrogens from drinking water
• Teaching the blind to read and recognize objects with sounds
• Longer use of hormonal contraception during midlife predicts better cognitive function later
• Activating the 'mind's eye': Alternative vision using sounds
• Reducing inappropriate shocks from implanted defibrillators
• Metformin offers cardio benefits over Sulfonylureas in diabetes, study suggests
• Preventing headaches and other health problems due to biogenic amines in wine
• Young 'cultured mini brain' develops activity peaks while it is still growing
• Looking for the anti-Alzheimer's molecule: New approach to treating a devastating disease
• Majority of pregnant women require an average of two months sick leave from work, studies suggest
• Lack of vitamin D contributes to pain in black Americans with knee osteoarthritis
• Protein reveals diabetes risk many years in advance
• Declining influence of high impact factor journals documented
• New insight into why haste makes waste

Gargling sugar water boosts self-control, study finds Posted: 07 Nov 2012 05:02 PM PST To boost self-control, gargle sugar water. According to a new study, a mouth rinse with glucose improves self-control.

New aspect of platelet behavior in heart attacks revealed: Clots can sense blood flow Posted: 07 Nov 2012 05:01 PM PST Atherosclerosis involves the build up of fatty tissue within arterial walls, creating unstable structures known as plaques. These plaques grow until they burst, rupturing the wall and causing the formation of a blood clot within the artery. These clots also grow until they block blood flow; this can cause a heart attack. New Penn research shows that clots forming under arterial-flow conditions have an unexpected ability to sense the surrounding blood moving over it.

More plus-size models could change women’s obsession with thin bodies Posted: 07 Nov 2012 05:01 PM PST Women's obsession for thin bodies could potentially be changed if advertising showed more plus size models, suggests a preliminary study.

Anti-fat bias may be equally prevalent in general public and medical community Posted: 07 Nov 2012 05:00 PM PST Medical doctors are as biased against obesity as the general public is, according to a new study.

What's your ideal weight? Answer depends on what you see Posted: 07 Nov 2012 05:00 PM PST "Visual diet," or the images that women see, may be just as critical to their weight preferences as associating certain body types with success, according to new research.

Cell damage caused by use of certain personal lubricants does not increase HIV risk, lab study finds Posted: 07 Nov 2012 05:00 PM PST The use of certain water-based, over-the-counter personal lubricants can dry out and irritate vaginal and rectal tissue, but does not appear to increase susceptibility to HIV, according to a laboratory study. Even so, say study authors, more research is needed to fully understand the safety of personal lubricants and their effect on epithelial tissue.

New portable device enables RNA detection from ultra-small sample in only 20 minutes Posted: 07 Nov 2012 05:00 PM PST A new power-free microfluidic chip enables detection of microRNA from extremely small sample volume in only 20 minutes. By drastically reducing the time and quantity of sample required for detection, the chip lays the groundwork for early-stage point-of-care diagnosis of diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's.

When parasites catch viruses: Viral symbiont of a protozoan parasite increases virulence to human host Posted: 07 Nov 2012 05:00 PM PST A protozoan parasite causing an STD that affects a quarter of a billion people yearly is fueled in part by its own viral symbiont. Antibiotics that simply kill the parasite are not the solution.

Setting national goals to bolster patient safety with electronic health records Posted: 07 Nov 2012 05:00 PM PST Electronic health records are expected to improve patient safety, but they themselves can present challenges for which health care providers must be prepared. Experts have proposed a framework to help develop new national patient safety goals unique to electronic health record-enabled clinical settings.

Financial incentives may improve hospital mortality rates, says study Posted: 07 Nov 2012 04:59 PM PST New research into controversial pay-for-performance schemes has suggested they may help to save the lives of patients.

Non-invasive technique for predicting patients' response to chemotherapy Posted: 07 Nov 2012 04:59 PM PST A non-invasive way of predicting how much of a cancer-killing drug is absorbed by a tumor has been developed. The preliminary study was conducted in lung cancer patients and it also revealed that less than one per cent of the drug, docetaxel, is absorbed by the tumors.

Patients with aberrations in two genes respond better to drugs blocking a well-known cancer pathway Posted: 07 Nov 2012 04:59 PM PST Cancer patients with mutations or variations in two genes – PIK3CA and PTEN – who have failed to respond to several, standard treatments, respond significantly better to anti-cancer drugs that inhibit these genes' pathways of action, according to new research.

New targeted therapy for advanced prostate cancer shows anti-tumour activity in phase I clinical trials Posted: 07 Nov 2012 04:59 PM PST Few available treatment options exist once prostate cancer has spread to other parts of the body and has failed to respond to therapies that involve blocking the male hormone androgen. Patients with advanced, hormone-refractory prostate cancer usually die from the disease after 12 to 18 months, so new therapies are desperately needed. Researchers are reporting that a new drug that specifically targets a protein found on the surface of prostate cancer cells has performed well in a phase I clinical trial, and a phase II trial has started.

Aspirin effective in preventing clots following joint replacement surgery Posted: 07 Nov 2012 04:58 PM PST Researchers have shown aspirin to be just as effective as warfarin in preventing clots, specifically pulmonary emboli, life-threatening blood clots that can develop in the arteries of the lungs following joint replacement surgery.

Starchy, high carbohydrate diet associated with recurrence of colon cancer Posted: 07 Nov 2012 01:15 PM PST Colon cancer survivors whose diet is heavy in complex sugars and carbohydrate-rich foods are far more likely to have a recurrence of the disease than are patients who eat a better balance of foods, a new study by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute researchers indicates.

MRI and EEG could identify children at risk for epilepsy after febrile seizures Posted: 07 Nov 2012 01:15 PM PST Seizures during childhood fever are usually benign, but when prolonged, they can foreshadow an increased risk of epilepsy later in life. Now a new study suggests that brain imaging and recordings of brain activity could help identify the children at highest risk. The study reveals that within days of a prolonged fever-related seizure, some children have signs of acute brain injury, abnormal brain anatomy, altered brain activity, or a combination.

Steroid pills effective for treating facial paralysis in Bell's palsy, research suggests Posted: 07 Nov 2012 01:15 PM PST For people experiencing first-time symptoms of Bell's palsy, steroid pills very likely are the most effective known treatment for recovering full strength in the facial muscles, according to a new guideline. Bell's palsy is a nerve disorder that affects muscle movement in the face and usually leaves half of the face temporarily paralyzed.

New assessment reveals value of second embryo biopsy for women of advanced maternal age Posted: 07 Nov 2012 12:57 PM PST An elegant new study confirms that the most commonly used method of screening for embryo abnormalities following in vitro fertilization does accurately predict the success of embryo transplantation for younger women, but not necessarily for those of advanced maternal age.

No link found between calcium intake and coronary artery calcification Posted: 07 Nov 2012 11:59 AM PST Researchers have published a study that shows no evidence of a link between calcium intake and coronary artery calcification, reassuring adults who take calcium supplements for bone health that the supplements do not appear to result in the development of calcification of blood vessels.

Acute care model improves surgical care quality, lowers costs for two procedures Posted: 07 Nov 2012 11:59 AM PST An acute care surgery model led to improvement in the quality of surgical patient care and reduced the cost of emergency surgical care at a California medical center.

Measuring metabolism can predict Alzheimer's progress with 90 percent accuracy Posted: 07 Nov 2012 11:59 AM PST A new study suggests that early clues about the progression of Alzheimer's disease can be found in the metabolism of the brain, making it possible to detect and diagnose Alzheimer's at an early stage with a simple blood test.

Self-imagination can enhance memory in healthy and memory-impaired individuals Posted: 07 Nov 2012 11:59 AM PST There's no question that our ability to remember informs our sense of self. Now research provides new evidence that the relationship may also work the other way around: Invoking our sense of self can influence what we are able to remember.

Researchers coax cells to grow and myelinate along thin fibers; Potential use in testing treatments for neurological diseases Posted: 07 Nov 2012 11:59 AM PST Using polymer nanofibers thinner than human hairs as scaffolds, researchers have coaxed a particular type of brain cell to wrap around nanofibers that mimic the shape and size of nerves found in the body.

Spread of human melanoma cells in mice correlates with clinical outcomes in patients Posted: 07 Nov 2012 11:11 AM PST Scientists have developed an innovative model for predicting the progression of skin cancer in patients.

Scientific progress could be casualty in public health vs. Privacy debate over newborn blood samples, experts warn Posted: 07 Nov 2012 11:11 AM PST The tremendous potential public health benefits of research with blood samples left over after routine newborn screening must not be lost amidst controversy and litigation, say medical and bioethics experts.

Human disease modeled in an organ-on-a-chip; 'Lung-on-a-chip' sets stage for next wave of research to replace animal testing Posted: 07 Nov 2012 11:10 AM PST Researchers have mimicked pulmonary edema in a microchip lined by living human cells. They used this "lung-on-a-chip" to study drug toxicity and identify potential new therapies to prevent this life-threatening condition. The study offers further proof-of-concept that human "organs-on-chips" hold tremendous potential to replace traditional approaches to drug discovery and development.

Whole genome sequencing of de novo balanced rearrangements in prenatal diagnosis Posted: 07 Nov 2012 11:10 AM PST Whole genome sequencing of the DNA code of three prenatal samples provided a detailed map of the locations of their chromosomal abnormalities in 14 days, a relatively brief timeframe that should enable physicians to predict diagnosis of serious congenital disorders prenatally to counsel the parents and plan perinatal care of infants with chromosomal rearrangements.

New drug target found for cystic fibrosis lung disease Posted: 07 Nov 2012 10:29 AM PST Researchers have discovered the cellular pathway that causes the lung-damaging inflammation in cystic fibrosis. The study also showed that reducing the pathway's activity decreases inflammation. The finding offers a potential new drug target for treating CF lung disease, which is a major cause of illness and death for people with CF.

Popular pain relievers may reduce risk of bladder cancer Posted: 07 Nov 2012 10:29 AM PST Researchers have found that duration of ibuprofen use was associated with a reduced risk of bladder cancer in patients in northern New England, which has a high mortality rate of this disease.

New cell type developed for possible treatment of Alzheimer's and other brain diseases Posted: 07 Nov 2012 10:29 AM PST Researchers have created a new stem cell-derived cell type with unique promise for treating neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.

Firm molecular handshake needed for hearing and balance Posted: 07 Nov 2012 10:29 AM PST Researchers have mapped the precise 3-D atomic structure of a thin protein filament critical for cells in the inner ear and calculated the force necessary to pull it apart. These findings show the characteristics of the most vulnerable area of a structure called the tip link, and open avenues for research in fields related to noise-induced hearing loss and certain genetic diseases.

Loss of essential blood cell gene leads to anemia Posted: 07 Nov 2012 10:29 AM PST Researchers have discovered a new gene that regulates hemoglobin synthesis during red blood cell formation.

Stay in bed or feel the burn? What to do when you are sick Posted: 07 Nov 2012 10:21 AM PST Stuffy noses, hacking coughs and aches all over -- cold and flu season has arrived. Though your body may be aching and your nose running like a faucet, it can be difficult to decide if you should continue your exercise routine or take a temporary break.

Simpler way to predict heart failure Posted: 07 Nov 2012 10:20 AM PST Researchers have presented new data that show two biomarkers can improve heart failure risk prediction as part of a simpler model.

Synthetic biofilter removes estrogens from drinking water Posted: 07 Nov 2012 09:27 AM PST Conventional methods of filtering waste water in sewage treatment plants are unable to completely remove medicine residues such as the estrogens in birth control pills. These residues then find their way into rivers and lakes and also accumulate in our drinking water. For fish and other aquatic life, estrogens can lead to reproductive and developmental disorders and even to the formation of female characteristics in males. The potential long-term consequences for human beings -- declining sperm counts, infertility, various cancers, and osteoporosis -- are still largely unknown. Students have now identified enzymes from fungi growing on trees that can filter out medicine residues from sewage and drinking water.

Teaching the blind to read and recognize objects with sounds Posted: 07 Nov 2012 09:27 AM PST Areas of the brain in blind people can learn to process visual input through the use of sound, even after years or perhaps even lifelong blindness, according to new research. The findings challenge the common belief that if the visual cortex of the brain is deprived of information in early life, it may never develop functional specialization.

Longer use of hormonal contraception during midlife predicts better cognitive function later Posted: 07 Nov 2012 09:26 AM PST Premenopausal use of hormonal contraceptives may improve the cognitive abilities of women in midlife and for years afterward. This finding may have implications for prevention of declining cognitive function that occurs with advancing age and in diseases such as Alzheimer's. The beneficial effects of hormones increase the longer a woman uses them.

Activating the 'mind's eye': Alternative vision using sounds Posted: 07 Nov 2012 09:25 AM PST Common wisdom has it that if the visual cortex in the brain is deprived of visual information in early infanthood, it may never develop properly its functional specialization, making sight restoration later in life almost impossible. Scientists have now shown that blind people -- using specialized photographic and sound equipment -- can actually "see" and describe objects and even identify letters and words.

Reducing inappropriate shocks from implanted defibrillators Posted: 07 Nov 2012 09:24 AM PST A landmark study could lead to fewer inappropriate shocks from implanted defibrillators.

Metformin offers cardio benefits over Sulfonylureas in diabetes, study suggests Posted: 07 Nov 2012 09:24 AM PST A new study examining the impact of the two most commonly prescribed oral diabetes medications on the risk for heart attack, stroke and death has found the drug metformin has benefits over sulfonylurea drugs.

Preventing headaches and other health problems due to biogenic amines in wine Posted: 07 Nov 2012 07:17 AM PST Scientists have developed measures to prevent health problems associated with biogenic amines in wine.

Young 'cultured mini brain' develops activity peaks while it is still growing Posted: 07 Nov 2012 07:17 AM PST After a short period of growth, cultured networks of neurons regularly exhibit major activity in the absence of external stimulation. These "bursts" are entirely related to growth. At this stage, they have little to do with learning behavior, as the network is still too young to sustain a process of memory formation. This has now for the first time been simulated for networks ranging in size from 10,000 to 50,000 neurons. The simulations provide insight into the role of the growth process in initial activity.

Looking for the anti-Alzheimer's molecule: New approach to treating a devastating disease Posted: 07 Nov 2012 05:56 AM PST Researchers have discovered a new technique using "computer-aided" drug design that may lead to an entirely new approach in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Majority of pregnant women require an average of two months sick leave from work, studies suggest Posted: 07 Nov 2012 05:56 AM PST Three quarters of pregnant women take sick leave from work but employers can help reduce this through flexible work adjustments, suggests a new study.

Lack of vitamin D contributes to pain in black Americans with knee osteoarthritis Posted: 07 Nov 2012 05:56 AM PST A new study reveals that black Americans display lower levels of vitamin D and greater pain sensitivity compared to white Americans. Findings indicate that vitamin D deficiency may be one of many factors that account for increased pain in older black Americans with knee osteoarthritis (OA).

Protein reveals diabetes risk many years in advance Posted: 07 Nov 2012 04:30 AM PST When a patient is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, the disease has usually already progressed over several years and damage to areas such as blood vessels and eyes has already taken place. To find a test that indicates who is at risk at an early stage would be valuable, as it would enable preventive treatment to be put in place.

Declining influence of high impact factor journals documented Posted: 07 Nov 2012 04:30 AM PST The most prestigious peer-reviewed journals in the world, such as Cell, Nature, Science, and the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), have less and less influence amongst scientists, according to a new article. New research questions the relationship between journal "impact factor" and number of citations subsequently received by papers.

New insight into why haste makes waste Posted: 07 Nov 2012 04:29 AM PST Neural study provides new insights into how neuron activity changes when the brain is forced to make hasty decisions.

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