ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Humanitarian aid workers in Uganda show signs of stress, depression, and burnout
• Automated breast density test identifies women at high cancer risk
• New study sheds light on link between dairy intake and bone health: Not all dairy products are equal
• Needless abdominal CT scans can be avoided in children, study says
• Taking a bite at the shark bite
• Novel radiation therapy method shortens prostate cancer treatment time
• Physical activity and modernization: Heart disease indicators almost non-existent among Tsimane, indigenous population
• Genetically modified tobacco plants produce antibodies to treat rabies
• Outcomes of cartilage tympanoplasty in the pediatric population
• If you are impulsive, take modafinil and count to ten, research suggests
• Infection preventionists know safe care
• Excess sugar linked to cancer
• Treatment to prevent Alzheimer's disease moves a step closer
• Quantum dots deliver vitamin D to tumors for possible inflammatory breast cancer treatment
• Propping open the door to the blood brain barrier
• Tracking the evolution of antibiotic resistance
• Type II diabetes and Alzheimer's connection
• Nanomechanical signature of breast cancer
• Listening to Cells: Scientists probe human cells with high-frequency sound
• Imaging unveils temperature distribution inside living cells
• Group therapy: New approach to psychosis treatment
• Autism speaks through gene expression
• New stroke gene discovery could lead to tailored treatments
• Medical school gift restriction policies linked to subsequent prescribing behavior
• Training bystanders to spot drug overdoses can reduce deaths
• Target 'super-spreaders' to stop hepatitis C
• Engineered oncolytic herpes virus inhibits ovarian and breast cancer metastases
• Disparities exist in kidney transplant timing
• Fight against river blindness is successful and inexpensive
• Bioelectric signals can be used to detect early cancer
• U.S. Healthcare: State action on Affordable Care Act's 2014 health insurance market reforms
• Placental blood flow can influence malaria during pregnancy
• Getting fit fast: Inactive people can achieve major health and fitness gains in a fraction of the time
• Internal bone structure reveals loading and walking behavior
• Cats and humans suffer from similar forms of epilepsy
• Blood vessel cells coax colorectal cancer cells into more dangerous state
• Examining the so-called Basque mutation of Parkinson's
• Transition in cell type parallels treatment response, disease progression in breast cancer
• Understanding 'master regulator' genes could lead to better cancer treatments
• Family history plays a major role in heart health
• More links found between schizophrenia and cardiovascular disease
• New target for treating wide range of cancers: Promising binding site on mutant p53 protein

Humanitarian aid workers in Uganda show signs of stress, depression, and burnout Posted: 01 Feb 2013 04:24 PM PST The high risk for mental health problems among staff working in humanitarian organizations in northern Uganda is due in large part to their work environment. Scientists examined the mental health of 376 Ugandan workers at 21 humanitarian aid agencies and found that a significant number of the staff at these organizations experienced high levels of symptoms for depression (68 percent), anxiety disorders (53 percent), and posttraumatic stress disorder (26 percent), respectively.

Automated breast density test identifies women at high cancer risk Posted: 01 Feb 2013 04:22 PM PST Researchers have developed a novel computer algorithm to easily quantify a major risk factor for breast cancer based on analysis of a screening mammogram. Increased levels of mammographic breast density have been shown in multiple studies to be correlated with elevated risk of breast cancer, but the approach to quantifying it has been limited to the laboratory setting where measurement requires highly skilled technicians. This new discovery opens the door for translation to the clinic where it can be used to identify high-risk women for tailored treatment.

New study sheds light on link between dairy intake and bone health: Not all dairy products are equal Posted: 01 Feb 2013 10:23 AM PST A new study has found that dairy intake -- specifically milk and yogurt -- is associated with higher bone mineral density in the hip, but not the spine.

Needless abdominal CT scans can be avoided in children, study says Posted: 01 Feb 2013 10:23 AM PST A study of more than 12,000 children from emergency departments throughout the U.S. has identified seven factors that can help physicians determine the need for a computed tomography scan following blunt trauma to the abdomen.

Taking a bite at the shark bite Posted: 01 Feb 2013 10:22 AM PST Researchers are studying the bacteria of a shark's mouth in order to improve medical treatment for shark bite victims.

Novel radiation therapy method shortens prostate cancer treatment time Posted: 01 Feb 2013 08:44 AM PST The use of volume-modulated arc therapy to deliver intensity-modulated radiation therapy to prostate cancer patients results in an overall reduction in treatment time of approximately 14 percent, a new study suggests.

Physical activity and modernization: Heart disease indicators almost non-existent among Tsimane, indigenous population Posted: 01 Feb 2013 07:02 AM PST Heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death in the United States, and a sedentary lifestyle is often cited as a major contributing factor. Among the Tsimane, an indigenous population in the lowlands of Bolivia's Amazon basin, however, indicators of heart disease are practically non-existent –– cholesterol is low, obesity is rare, and smoking is uncommon.

Genetically modified tobacco plants produce antibodies to treat rabies Posted: 01 Feb 2013 07:02 AM PST Smoking tobacco is bad for your health, but a genetically altered version of the plant might provide an inexpensive cure for the deadly rabies virus. Scientists have produced a monoclonal antibody in transgenic tobacco plants shown to neutralize the rabies virus. This antibody works by preventing the virus from attaching to nerve endings around the bite site and keeping the virus from traveling to the brain.

Outcomes of cartilage tympanoplasty in the pediatric population Posted: 01 Feb 2013 07:02 AM PST Cartilage tympanoplasty can be performed successfully in 95 percent of young children when appropriate conditions exist, according to a new study.

If you are impulsive, take modafinil and count to ten, research suggests Posted: 01 Feb 2013 07:01 AM PST Poor impulse control contributes to one's inability to control the consumption of rewarding substances, like food, alcohol, and other drugs. This can lead to the development of addiction. FDA-approved medications for alcoholism, like naltrexone (Revia) and disulfiram (Antabuse), are thought to reduce alcohol consumption by curbing cravings and creating unpleasant reactions to alcohol, effects which reduce the desire to drink alcohol.

Infection preventionists know safe care Posted: 01 Feb 2013 07:01 AM PST There is general agreement among hospital infection preventionists (IPs) with respect to which practices have weak or strong evidence supporting their use to prevent healthcare-associated infection, according to a new study.

Excess sugar linked to cancer Posted: 01 Feb 2013 07:01 AM PST Sugars are needed to provide us with energy and in moderate amounts contribute to our well-being. Sustained high levels of sugars, as is found in diabetics, damages our cells and now is shown that can also increase our chance to get cancer: The dose makes the poison as Paracelsus said.

Treatment to prevent Alzheimer's disease moves a step closer Posted: 01 Feb 2013 07:01 AM PST A new drug to prevent the early stages of Alzheimer's disease could enter clinical trials in a few years' time, according to scientists.

Quantum dots deliver vitamin D to tumors for possible inflammatory breast cancer treatment Posted: 01 Feb 2013 06:59 AM PST Quantum dots can be used to rapidly move high concentrations of the active form of Vitamin D to targeted tumor sites where cancer cells accumulate.

Propping open the door to the blood brain barrier Posted: 01 Feb 2013 06:59 AM PST A new approach to delivering therapeutics could lead to better treatment of central nervous system disorders.

Tracking the evolution of antibiotic resistance Posted: 01 Feb 2013 06:59 AM PST An automated device is yielding a new understanding of how antibiotic resistance evolves at the genetic level.

Type II diabetes and Alzheimer's connection Posted: 01 Feb 2013 06:59 AM PST A research team has devised a novel approach to identifying the molecular basis for designing a drug that might one day decrease the risk diabetes patients face of developing Alzheimer's disease.

Nanomechanical signature of breast cancer Posted: 01 Feb 2013 06:59 AM PST Differences in the stiffness of cancerous versus healthy tissue may aid in diagnosis and therapy, researchers say.

Listening to Cells: Scientists probe human cells with high-frequency sound Posted: 01 Feb 2013 06:59 AM PST Researchers have developed a new non-contact, non-invasive tool to measure the mechanical properties of cells at the sub-cell scale.

Imaging unveils temperature distribution inside living cells Posted: 01 Feb 2013 06:59 AM PST A new breakthrough marks the first time anyone has been able to show the actual temperature distribution inside living cells.

Group therapy: New approach to psychosis treatment Posted: 01 Feb 2013 06:59 AM PST A new understanding of how the brain's G-protein receptors work may soon enable a way to better customize and target antipsychotic drugs to treat specific symptoms.

Autism speaks through gene expression Posted: 01 Feb 2013 06:59 AM PST Autism spectrum disorders affect nearly 1 in 88 children, with symptoms ranging from mild personality traits to severe intellectual disability and seizures. New work examines which genes are responsible for autism disorders.

New stroke gene discovery could lead to tailored treatments Posted: 01 Feb 2013 06:08 AM PST Scientists have identified a new genetic variant associated with stroke. By exploring the genetic variants linked with blood clotting -- a process that can lead to a stroke -- scientists have discovered a gene which is associated with large vessel and cardioembolic stroke but has no connection to small vessel stroke.

Medical school gift restriction policies linked to subsequent prescribing behavior Posted: 01 Feb 2013 06:08 AM PST Doctors who graduate from medical schools with an active policy on restricting gifts from the pharmaceutical industry are less likely to prescribe new drugs over existing alternatives, suggests a new study.

Training bystanders to spot drug overdoses can reduce deaths Posted: 01 Feb 2013 06:08 AM PST Training bystanders to recognize and respond to drug overdoses can significantly reduce the number of fatalities, finds a new study.

Target 'super-spreaders' to stop hepatitis C Posted: 01 Feb 2013 06:08 AM PST Each intravenous drug user contracting hepatitis C is likely to infect around 20 other people with the virus, half of these transmissions occurring in the first two years after the user is first infected, a new study estimates.

Engineered oncolytic herpes virus inhibits ovarian and breast cancer metastases Posted: 01 Feb 2013 06:08 AM PST A genetically reprogrammed Herpes simplex virus (HSV) can cure metastatic diffusion of human cancer cells in the abdomen of laboratory mice, according to a new study.

Disparities exist in kidney transplant timing Posted: 01 Feb 2013 06:08 AM PST African Americans and individuals without private health insurance are less likely to receive a kidney transplant before needing dialysis. Geographic region is not a major factor in determining whether a patient receives a kidney transplant before starting dialysis. Nearly 90,000 people in the US are waiting for a kidney transplant, and many will die before a suitable organ becomes available.

Fight against river blindness is successful and inexpensive Posted: 01 Feb 2013 06:08 AM PST A relatively inexpensive program set up to combat river blindness has resulted in major health improvements in Africa, shows a new study. The study shows that US $250 million helped cure or prevent the major symptoms of onchocerciasis in millions of people.

Bioelectric signals can be used to detect early cancer Posted: 01 Feb 2013 06:08 AM PST Biologists have discovered a bioelectric signal that can identify cells that are likely to develop into tumors. The researchers also found that they could lower the incidence of cancerous cells by manipulating the electrical charge across cells' membranes.

U.S. Healthcare: State action on Affordable Care Act's 2014 health insurance market reforms Posted: 01 Feb 2013 06:08 AM PST Only 11 states and DC have passed laws or issued regulations to implement the Affordable Care Act's major reforms that go into effect in 2014 -- including bans on denying health insurance due to preexisting conditions, minimum benefit standards, and limits on out-of-pocket costs. Thirty-nine states have not yet taken action to implement these requirements, potentially limiting their ability to fully enforce the new reforms and ensure that consumers receive the full protections of the law.

Placental blood flow can influence malaria during pregnancy Posted: 01 Feb 2013 06:06 AM PST Malaria in pregnancy causes a range of adverse effects, including abortions and stillbirths. Researchers have observed, for the first time, the mouse placental circulation and showed how it can influence the malaria parasite behavior and infection. Their results indicate a higher accumulation of parasites in placental regions with low blood flow, being these areas more prone to an inflammatory response.

Getting fit fast: Inactive people can achieve major health and fitness gains in a fraction of the time Posted: 01 Feb 2013 06:04 AM PST With many of us struggling to get enough exercise, sport and exercise scientists have been working on a time-saving solution.

Internal bone structure reveals loading and walking behavior Posted: 01 Feb 2013 06:03 AM PST The form and structure of bones change as a result of the forces to which they are subjected. Researchers have used this fact to determine the load using the bone structure. This knowledge can be important in predicting the progress and treatment of bone diseases, as well as for understanding the walking behavior of extinct species.

Cats and humans suffer from similar forms of epilepsy Posted: 01 Feb 2013 06:03 AM PST Epilepsy affects the very core of our being, our brain.  Epileptic attacks can lead to seizures throughout the body or in parts of it. Clouding of consciousness or memory lapses are also possible.  The causes are still only partially understood but in some cases brain tumors, infections, inflammations of the brain or metabolic diseases have been implicated.

Blood vessel cells coax colorectal cancer cells into more dangerous state Posted: 01 Feb 2013 05:22 AM PST Blood vessels that supply oxygen and nutrients to tumors can also deliver something else - a signal that strengthens nearby cancer cells, making them more resistant to chemotherapy, more likely to spread to other organs and more lethal, scientists report.

Examining the so-called Basque mutation of Parkinson's Posted: 31 Jan 2013 11:43 AM PST A team from the Basque Country came across a mutation of the LRRK2 gene, which is particularly prevalent among the population of Gipuzkoa. It is the R1441G mutation and is known as the Basque mutation. Now a doctor on the same team has submitted a thesis in which he has studied this mutation.

Transition in cell type parallels treatment response, disease progression in breast cancer Posted: 31 Jan 2013 11:43 AM PST A process that normally occurs in developing embryos -- the changing of one basic cell type into another -- has also been suspected of playing a role in cancer metastasis. Now a study has associated this process, called epithelial-mesenchymal transition or EMT, with disease progression and treatment response in breast cancer patients. The report also identifies underlying mechanisms that someday may become therapeutic targets.

Understanding 'master regulator' genes could lead to better cancer treatments Posted: 31 Jan 2013 11:43 AM PST A pair of genes work together as "master regulators" in cell division to keep the correct number of chromosomes in each daughter cell. Ipl1 and Mps1 work to hook and unhook chromosomes for proper DNA separation. The discovery could lead to better anti-cancer therapies.

Family history plays a major role in heart health Posted: 31 Jan 2013 11:41 AM PST If you exercise, eat right and don't smoke, a history of heart disease in your family can still put you at risk -- even if you are a female.

More links found between schizophrenia and cardiovascular disease Posted: 31 Jan 2013 11:41 AM PST A new study expands and deepens the biological and genetic links between cardiovascular disease and schizophrenia. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of premature death among schizophrenia patients, who die from heart and blood vessel disorders at a rate double that of persons without the mental disorder.

New target for treating wide range of cancers: Promising binding site on mutant p53 protein Posted: 31 Jan 2013 09:13 AM PST Biologists, chemists and computer scientists have identified an elusive pocket on the surface of the p53 protein that can be targeted by cancer-fighting drugs. The finding heralds a new treatment approach, as mutant forms of this protein are implicated in nearly 40 percent of diagnosed cases of cancer, which kills more than half a million Americans each year.

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