ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

---

• Ethical debate on face transplantation has evolved over time
• Pills of the future: Nanoparticles; Researchers design drug-carrying nanoparticles that can be taken orally
• Tongue-controlled wheelchair outperforms popular wheelchair navigation system
• What's the sound of a hundred thousand soccer fans?
• Study connects dots between genes, human behavior
• Historic first procedure performed using technique of retrograde gene therapy on human heart
• Buildup of amyloid in brain blood vessels promotes early cognitive impairment
• Surviving survival
• Cancer increasing as babyboomers age
• Geriatric care may help older patients find independence after trauma
• Promising new treatment helps people with spine injuries walk better
• Burnout equal among inpatient & outpatient doctors
• Scientists identify potential target for malaria drugs
• Researchers identify rescuer for vital tumor-suppressor
• Researchers show how modified pacemaker strengthens failing hearts
• Lasers deemed highly effective treatment for excessive scars
• New clues to memory formation may help better treat dementia
• Key protein responsible for controlling communication between brain cells identified
• Polymer foam expands potential to treat aneurysms
• Molecular glue controls chromosome segregation in oocytes
• Genetic mutation increases risk of Parkinson's disease from pesticides
• Modafinil reduces depression's severity when taken with antidepressants
• Children significantly more likely to develop PTSD if mother afflicted
• Ocean rip currents claim more lives than other natural hazards
• The deadly news about all osteoporotic fractures
• Hysterectomized women may benefit from testosterone
• Speech recovery after stroke
• A brooding marine worm found in Antarctica
• Mental health conditions cause greater stigma in families than physical problems
• International collaboration crucial in preparing mental health nurses to provide high quality care
• In some U.S. regions closest rheumatologists may be 200 miles away
• Scientists design, test new approach for corneal stem cell treatments
• Negative BRCA testing may not always imply lowered breast cancer risk
• Automated prediction alert helps identify patients at risk for 30-day readmission
• Scientists work to engineer injectable therapy for rotator cuff injuries
• Drug reduces brain changes, motor deficits of Huntington's disease
• Disputed asthma drugs have safe record in British Columbia
• High salt levels in medicines increase risk of cardiovascular events
• Delivery rates unaffected by transferring fewer embryos, reimbursing six cycles of fertility treatment
• 2009 pandemic flu death toll much higher than official worldwide estimates
• Treating C. difficile with transplant of healthy fecal matter
• Health insurance increases preventive care, not risky behaviors
• Prostate cancer stem cells found to be moving target
• For many older adults, vision prescription differs between eyes
• Treatment target identified for public health risk parasite
• Measuring value, impact of orthopedic care
• Implantable slimming aid
• HIV vaccine preventing healthy cells' infection
• Brain bypass surgery gives young man his life back
• Medical research needs kids, two-thirds of parents unaware of opportunities
• Study finds limited resources for injured surgeons
• Researchers have a nose for how probiotics could affect hay fever

Ethical debate on face transplantation has evolved over time Posted: 27 Nov 2013 02:04 PM PST Once viewed as an "outlandish, morally objectionable" concept with science-fiction overtones, face transplantation is now accepted as a "feasible and necessary treatment" for severely disfigured patients. The evolving ethical debate over face transplantation is analyzed in a newly published article.

Pills of the future: Nanoparticles; Researchers design drug-carrying nanoparticles that can be taken orally Posted: 27 Nov 2013 02:04 PM PST Drugs delivered by nanoparticles hold promise for targeted treatment of many diseases, including cancer. However, the particles have to be injected into patients, which has limited their usefulness so far. Now, researchers have developed a new type of nanoparticle that can be delivered orally and absorbed through the digestive tract, allowing patients to simply take a pill instead of receiving injections.

Tongue-controlled wheelchair outperforms popular wheelchair navigation system Posted: 27 Nov 2013 02:04 PM PST Individuals with paralysis in a new clinical trial were able to use a tongue-controlled technology to access computers and execute commands for their wheelchairs at speeds that were significantly faster than those recorded in sip-and-puff wheelchairs, but with equal accuracy. The new study is the first to show that the wireless and wearable Tongue Drive System outperforms sip-and-puff in controlling wheelchairs. Sip-and-puff is the most popular assistive technology for controlling a wheelchair.

What's the sound of a hundred thousand soccer fans? Posted: 27 Nov 2013 02:01 PM PST Brazilian researchers study acoustics of the caxirola, official World Cup instrument.

Study connects dots between genes, human behavior Posted: 27 Nov 2013 02:01 PM PST Establishing links between genes, the brain and human behavior is a central issue in cognitive neuroscience research, but studying how genes influence cognitive abilities and behavior as the brain develops from childhood to adulthood has proven difficult. Now, an international team of scientists has made inroads to understanding how genes influence brain structure and cognitive abilities and how neural circuits produce language.

Historic first procedure performed using technique of retrograde gene therapy on human heart Posted: 27 Nov 2013 02:01 PM PST A new technique uses a minimally invasive method for a physician to go backwards through a patient's main cardiac vein, or coronary sinus, and inserts a catheter. A balloon is then inflated to block blood flow out of the heart so that a very high dose of gene therapy can be infused directly into the heart. The unique gene therapy doesn't involve viruses and is pure human DNA infused into patients, a naturally occurring substance in the body that becomes a homing signal for a patient's body to use its own stem cells to go to the site of an injury.

Buildup of amyloid in brain blood vessels promotes early cognitive impairment Posted: 27 Nov 2013 02:01 PM PST A team of researchers has discovered in a model of Alzheimer's disease that early accumulation of a small protein, known as amyloid β, in the blood vessels of the brain can drive early cognitive impairment.

Surviving survival Posted: 27 Nov 2013 02:00 PM PST In the largest study of its kind, researchers have investigated the caregivers of 186 mothers to childhood brain tumor survivors aged 14-40 whose care needs last long into adulthood. They discovered that a complex interaction among the health of the caregivers, the demands experienced by the caregiver, the caregiver's perceptions about the health of the survivor, and the family's support interact to explain how the caregiver assesses herself in her role.

Cancer increasing as babyboomers age Posted: 27 Nov 2013 02:00 PM PST As 10,000 baby boomers reach 65 each day, the incidence of cancer is increasing, estimated to increase by 67% between 2010 and 2030, bringing attention to the nation's response to cancer care. Cancer is diagnosed at a higher rate, accounts for more survivors, and results in more deaths than in younger patients.

Geriatric care may help older patients find independence after trauma Posted: 27 Nov 2013 02:00 PM PST A year after a trauma injury, seniors had difficulty with daily tasks such as simple shopping trips.

Promising new treatment helps people with spine injuries walk better Posted: 27 Nov 2013 02:00 PM PST Scientists may have found a new treatment that can help people with spinal cord injuries walk better.

Burnout equal among inpatient & outpatient doctors Posted: 27 Nov 2013 02:00 PM PST The perception that doctors who are based in hospitals burn out quicker than doctors in outpatient settings is just wrong – doctor burnout happens equally, according to a new study.

Scientists identify potential target for malaria drugs Posted: 27 Nov 2013 10:29 AM PST Researchers have identified the protein in malaria-causing Plasmodium parasites that is inhibited by a newly discovered class of anti-malarial compounds known as imidazopyrazines. The protein, phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase, is the first potential malaria drug target shown to be essential to all stages of the Plasmodium life cycle; imidazopyrazines impede its activity throughout this process.

Researchers identify rescuer for vital tumor-suppressor Posted: 27 Nov 2013 10:09 AM PST The tumor-suppessing protein PTEN is absent in many cancers, yet defects in the PTEN gene do not account for this disappearance. Researchers identified an enzyme that keep PTEN from being fed to the cell's protein-recycling mechanism.

Researchers show how modified pacemaker strengthens failing hearts Posted: 27 Nov 2013 10:09 AM PST Heart researchers are unraveling the mystery of how a modified pacemaker used to treat many patients with heart failure, known as cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), is able to strengthen the heart muscle while making it beat in a coordinated fashion. In a new study conducted on animal heart cells, the scientists show that CRT changes these cells so they can contract more forcefully. The researchers also identified an enzyme that mimics this effect of CRT without use of the device.

Lasers deemed highly effective treatment for excessive scars Posted: 27 Nov 2013 10:08 AM PST Current laser therapy approaches are effective for treating excessive scars resulting from abnormal wound healing, concludes a study.

New clues to memory formation may help better treat dementia Posted: 27 Nov 2013 09:24 AM PST Do fruit flies hold the key to treating dementia? Biologists have taken a significant step forward in unraveling the mechanisms of Pavlovian conditioning. Their work will help them understand how memories form and, ultimately, provide better treatments to improve memory in all ages.

Key protein responsible for controlling communication between brain cells identified Posted: 27 Nov 2013 09:24 AM PST Scientists are a step closer to understanding how some of the brain's 100 billion nerve cells co-ordinate their communication.

Polymer foam expands potential to treat aneurysms Posted: 27 Nov 2013 09:23 AM PST Researchers are using the unique contraction and expansion properties of shape memory polymer foam to design a much improved treatment for brain aneurysms, which cause severe neurological damage or death for 30,000 Americans each year.

Molecular glue controls chromosome segregation in oocytes Posted: 27 Nov 2013 09:23 AM PST Most trisomic pregnancies arise as a consequence of chromosome missegregation in egg precursor cells called oocytes. Austrian researchers aim to understand the molecular causes of female age-dependent chromosome missegregation in oocytes. They have now discovered that a "molecular glue" called cohesin plays an important role in proper functioning of checkpoint control, ensuring correct chromosome segregation and production of euploid eggs.

Genetic mutation increases risk of Parkinson's disease from pesticides Posted: 27 Nov 2013 09:23 AM PST Study uses patient-derived stem cells to show that a mutation in the α-synuclein gene causes increased vulnerability to pesticides, leading to Parkinson's disease.

Modafinil reduces depression's severity when taken with antidepressants Posted: 27 Nov 2013 08:53 AM PST A new study has concluded that taking the drug modafinil, typically used to treat sleep disorders, in combination with antidepressants reduces the severity of depression more effectively than taking antidepressants alone.

Children significantly more likely to develop PTSD if mother afflicted Posted: 27 Nov 2013 08:06 AM PST While fewer than 10 percent (8.4 percent) of the mothers were suffering from PTSD, more than a fifth (21 percent) of their children presented PTSD symptoms in a recent study on the topic. Children who developed PTSD symptoms also had more psychosomatic complaints such as constipation, diarrhea and headaches.

Ocean rip currents claim more lives than other natural hazards Posted: 27 Nov 2013 08:05 AM PST Rip currents claim more lives in Australia on average each year than bushfires, floods, cyclones and sharks combined, research shows. Yet rips do not get as much attention as the other natural hazards. The study could be applied in other countries to more appropriately put this global problem into perspective.

The deadly news about all osteoporotic fractures Posted: 27 Nov 2013 08:05 AM PST It is well known that hip and vertebral fractures increase the risk of premature death. Until now, little has been known about the clinical impact of non-hip, non-vertebral fractures -- so new Australian research showing that they may also increase the risk of death will better inform treatment.

Hysterectomized women may benefit from testosterone Posted: 27 Nov 2013 08:05 AM PST New research has found that testosterone administration in women with low testosterone levels, whom previously had undergone hysterectomy with or without oophorectomy, was associated with improvements in sexual function, muscle mass and physical function.

Speech recovery after stroke Posted: 27 Nov 2013 08:03 AM PST Scientists investigate how speech is anchored in the brain, focusing their research on the difference between left- and right-handed people.

A brooding marine worm found in Antarctica Posted: 27 Nov 2013 08:03 AM PST Brooding is a usual behavior in animals. However, to observe it in a marine worm is exceptional and, more surprisingly, it guards eggs from external threats.

Mental health conditions cause greater stigma in families than physical problems Posted: 27 Nov 2013 08:03 AM PST Mental and physical illnesses necessarily impact upon the lives of the relatives of those afflicted by them, all the more so in families where a member has a mental illness, because they suffer more discrimination. The results are based on a study carried out in 28 countries.

International collaboration crucial in preparing mental health nurses to provide high quality care Posted: 27 Nov 2013 08:01 AM PST A leading mental health expert has called for greater international research collaboration to underpin the care offered to support severely disturbed people.

In some U.S. regions closest rheumatologists may be 200 miles away Posted: 27 Nov 2013 08:01 AM PST A novel study shows that smaller micropolitan areas of the U.S. —- those with less than 50,000 people -— have very few or no practicing adult rheumatologist. In some of these areas, individuals have to travel more than 200 miles to reach the closest rheumatologist.

Scientists design, test new approach for corneal stem cell treatments Posted: 27 Nov 2013 07:59 AM PST Researchers have designed and tested a novel, minute-long procedure to prepare human amniotic membrane for use as a scaffold for specialized stem cells that may be used to treat some corneal diseases. This membrane serves as a foundation that supports the growth of stem cells in order to graft them onto the cornea. This new method may accelerate research and clinical applications for stem cell corneal transplantation.

Negative BRCA testing may not always imply lowered breast cancer risk Posted: 27 Nov 2013 07:59 AM PST Women who are members of families with BRCA2 mutations but who test negative for the family-specific BRCA2 mutations are still at greater risk for developing breast cancer compared with women in the general population, according to a study.

Automated prediction alert helps identify patients at risk for 30-day readmission Posted: 27 Nov 2013 07:59 AM PST An automated prediction tool which identifies newly admitted patients who are at risk for readmission within 30 days of discharge has been successfully incorporated into the electronic health record of an American hospital.

Scientists work to engineer injectable therapy for rotator cuff injuries Posted: 27 Nov 2013 07:59 AM PST A research team is attempting to engineer an injectable therapy for the shoulder's supraspinatus tendon, a rotator cuff tendon that is commonly torn in sports. When the tendon is damaged, the body makes things worse by activating enzymes that further break down the tendon. The scientists hope to develop an injectable compound that would deliver an inhibitor capable of blocking these enzymes, thereby reducing the severity of the injury or even healing the tissue.

Drug reduces brain changes, motor deficits of Huntington's disease Posted: 26 Nov 2013 04:16 PM PST A drug that acts like a growth-promoting protein in the brain reduces degeneration and motor deficits associated with Huntington's disease in two mouse models of the disorder, according to a study. The findings add to a growing body of evidence that protecting or boosting neurotrophins -- the molecules that support the survival and function of nerve cells -- may slow the progression of Huntington's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.

Disputed asthma drugs have safe record in British Columbia Posted: 26 Nov 2013 04:16 PM PST A popular combination asthma therapy dogged by safety concerns has not harmed British Columbians and should remain in use, according to researchers. The study found no significant difference in hospitalization rates for patients who took inhaled corticosteroids alone and those who used the combination therapy.

High salt levels in medicines increase risk of cardiovascular events Posted: 26 Nov 2013 04:15 PM PST Millions of patients taking effervescent, dispersible and soluble medicines containing sodium are at greater risk of cardiovascular events compared with patients taking non-effervescent, dispersible and soluble versions of the same drugs, finds a study published.

Delivery rates unaffected by transferring fewer embryos, reimbursing six cycles of fertility treatment Posted: 26 Nov 2013 04:14 PM PST Research from Belgium has shown that if governments legislate to restrict the numbers of embryos transferred during fertility treatment, but combine it with a policy of reimbursing six cycles of assisted reproduction technology (ART), there is no detrimental impact on pregnancy and delivery rates. However, there is a greatly reduced risk of multiple births, which have associated health risks for mother and babies and are an increased cost to the state.

2009 pandemic flu death toll much higher than official worldwide estimates Posted: 26 Nov 2013 04:14 PM PST A research team consisting of more than 60 collaborators in 26 countries has estimated the global death toll from the 2009 outbreak of the H1N1 virus to be 10 times higher than the World Health Organization's count, which was based on laboratory-confirmed cases of this flu. The study suggests that the pandemic virus caused up to 203,000 respiratory deaths around the world.

Treating C. difficile with transplant of healthy fecal matter Posted: 26 Nov 2013 04:14 PM PST Scientists have found that restoring the normal, helpful bacteria of the gut and intestines may treat patients suffering from recurrent Clostridium difficile infections.

Health insurance increases preventive care, not risky behaviors Posted: 26 Nov 2013 12:59 PM PST People with health insurance are more likely to use preventive services such as flu shots and health screenings to reduce their risk of serious illness, but they are no more likely than people without health insurance to engage in risky health behaviors such as smoking or gaining weight, researchers have found.

Prostate cancer stem cells found to be moving target Posted: 26 Nov 2013 12:58 PM PST Prostate cancer stem cells evolve into different cells as prostate cancer progresses becoming a moving target for therapy. Scientists must be prepared for the continual evolution of the stem cell as tumors adapt and become resistant to new and more potent therapies. With this knowledge, researchers can now design therapies that target the elements of the cancer stem cells that remain unchanged.

For many older adults, vision prescription differs between eyes Posted: 26 Nov 2013 12:58 PM PST Follow-up in older adults shows a high rate of anisometropia, or differing levels of visual abnormalities between eyes, reports a study.

Treatment target identified for public health risk parasite Posted: 26 Nov 2013 10:47 AM PST In the developing world, Cryptosporidium parvum has long been the scourge of freshwater. Its rapid ability to spread, combined with an incredible resilience to water decontamination techniques, such as chlorination, led the National Institutes of Health in the United Sates to add C. parvum to its list of public bioterrorism agents. Currently, there are no reliable treatments for cryptosporidiosis, but that may be about to change with the identification of a target molecule.

Measuring value, impact of orthopedic care Posted: 26 Nov 2013 09:39 AM PST A recent article demonstrates that "value" in healthcare is not a nebulous concept within orthopaedics and can be defined as a simple economic ratio: healthcare outcomes achieved per dollar spent.

Implantable slimming aid Posted: 26 Nov 2013 09:39 AM PST Biotechnologists have constructed a genetic regulatory circuit from human components that monitors blood-fat levels. In response to excessive levels, it produces a messenger substance that signalizes satiety to the body. Tests on obese mice reveal that this helps them to lose weight.

HIV vaccine preventing healthy cells' infection Posted: 26 Nov 2013 09:38 AM PST AIDS research has attempted many strategies to tackle the HIV virus infection. Now, a new type of vaccine is based on one of the envelope proteins of the HIV virus, called the gp41 protein. What makes it interesting is that it is directly responsible for the fusion of the HIV virus into human cells. By integrating the gp41 protein into the vaccine, researchers try to trigger the production of antibodies that would block the entrance of HIV into human cells.

Brain bypass surgery gives young man his life back Posted: 26 Nov 2013 09:37 AM PST A neuroradiologist inserts a micro-catheter into an aneurysm and injects a flourescent dye, a complex, rare and new procedure which provides a neurosurgeon a clear view of the blood vessel that feeds the aneurysm. The surgeon then knows where to sew in a tranplanted blood vessel to bypass the aneursym.

Medical research needs kids, two-thirds of parents unaware of opportunities Posted: 26 Nov 2013 09:37 AM PST To improve healthcare for children, medical research that involves kids is a must. Yet, only five percent of parents say their children have ever participated in any type of medical research.

Study finds limited resources for injured surgeons Posted: 26 Nov 2013 09:36 AM PST Nearly half of orthopaedic surgeons sustain at least one injury during their career and, in many cases, the resources available to them are inadequate. This is according to a new study, the first to demonstrate that many surgeons are injured on the job during their careers.

Researchers have a nose for how probiotics could affect hay fever Posted: 26 Nov 2013 07:23 AM PST A study has shown that a daily probiotic drink changed how cells lining the nasal passages of hay fever sufferers reacted to a single out-of-season challenge. However, it did not lead to significant changes in hay fever symptoms, although this challenge test may not have accurately represented natural allergen exposure.

You are subscribed to email updates from ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610