ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Skin tumor vaccine shows promise in wild mice, rising hope for transplant patients
• Could PTSD involve immune cell response to stress? Study in mice raises question
• Premature infants benefit from adult talk, study shows
• Eleven new genes affecting blood pressure discovered
• Clinical opinion published on use of maternal oxygen during labor
• Zebrafish discovery may shed light on human kidney function
• Dismantling pancreas cancer's armor: Removing specialized immune suppressor cells from pancreas
• Study in fruitflies strengthens connection among protein misfolding, sleep loss, and age
• Enhancement of chemotherapy by prevention of tumor cell repair
• Compound improves cardiac function in mice with genetic heart defect, study finds
• Molecular 'cocktail' transforms skin cells into beating heart cells
• Sound-sensing cells regenerated in ears of mice with hearing damage
• Evidence mixed on the usefulness of echinacea for colds
• Cavities are contagious, research shows
• High cost of fruits, vegetables linked to higher body fat in young children
• High potency statins linked to better outcome following heart attack
• Cell behavior mapped in low oxygen conditions, may lead to cancer treatment
• Dermatologists prescribe steroids for psoriasis management, despite guidelines that discourage use
• Unilateral radiation therapy for advanced stage tonsil cancer results in favorable outcomes
• Oropharyngeal cancer patients report benefit in salivary function with reduction of radiation dose to bilateral IB lymph nodes
• Patients with oropharyngeal cancer report quality of voice, speech affected post-treatment
• Limiting Radiation to Major Salivary Glands in Head, Neck Cancer Patients Is Feasible, Safe
• HPV-positive squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx patients' recurrence differs from HPV-negative patients
• Mutant-Allele Tumor Heterogeneity (MATH) in head, neck squamous cell carcinoma patients is effective marker, along with HPV status, of improved patient outcome
• HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer patients nearly twice as likely to survive as HPV-negative patients
• Daily Humidification of Mouth, Throat Region During Radiation Therapy for Head, Neck Cancer Reduces Mucositis, Hospitalization
• Aging men: More uplifts, fewer hassles until the age of 65-70
• Fast emergency department identification of sepsis speeds treatment
• Using computers to speed up drug discovery
• Schizophrenia: Gathering clues to rare gene variants contributing to disease
• Seasonal flu vaccine may cut stroke risk
• Mechanism behind activation of dormant memory cells discovered
• Involved parents raise slimmer adults
• Two-thirds of women in the U.K. not taking folic acid before pregnancy to prevent spina bifida
• Iron deficiency may increase stroke risk through sticky blood
• Vitamin D, calcium disparities found among American subpopulations
• Blood pressure medications given right after stroke not beneficial

Skin tumor vaccine shows promise in wild mice, rising hope for transplant patients Posted: 20 Feb 2014 04:35 PM PST Papillomaviruses (linked to cervical cancer when they infect the mucosal tissue in the female reproductive tract) can also infect normal skin, where they cause warts and possibly non-melanoma skin cancer, mostly in immune-suppressed organ transplant patients. A new article suggests that vaccination might prevent virus-associated benign and malignant skin tumors.

Could PTSD involve immune cell response to stress? Study in mice raises question Posted: 20 Feb 2014 04:33 PM PST Chronic stress that produces inflammation and anxiety in mice appears to prime their immune systems for a prolonged fight, causing the animals to have an excessive reaction to a single acute stressor weeks later, new research suggests. After the mice recovered from the effects of chronic stress, a single stressful event 24 days later quickly returned them to a chronically stressed state in biological and behavioral terms. Mice that had not experienced the chronic stress were unaffected by the single acute stressor.

Premature infants benefit from adult talk, study shows Posted: 20 Feb 2014 01:13 PM PST Premature babies benefit from being exposed to adult talk as early as possible, new research concludes. The goal of the study was to test the association of the amount of talking that a baby was exposed to at what would have been 32 and 36 weeks gestation if a baby had been born full term. It was hypothesized that preterm infants exposed to higher word counts would have higher cognitive and language scores at seven and 18 months corrected age. The results showed the hypothesis to be true.

Eleven new genes affecting blood pressure discovered Posted: 20 Feb 2014 11:18 AM PST 11 new DNA sequence variants in genes influencing high blood pressure and heart disease have been discovered. Identifying the new genes contributes to our growing understanding of the biology of blood pressure and, researchers believe, will eventually influence the development of new treatments. More immediately the study highlights opportunities to investigate the use of existing drugs for cardiovascular diseases.

Clinical opinion published on use of maternal oxygen during labor Posted: 20 Feb 2014 11:17 AM PST When a fetal heartbeat pattern becomes irregular during labor, many practitioners give oxygen to the mother. But questions remain whether this oxygen supplementation benefits the fetus or may actually be potentially harmful. A new article aims to make recommendations about the safety of the use of maternal oxygen supplementation in laboring women.

Zebrafish discovery may shed light on human kidney function Posted: 20 Feb 2014 11:17 AM PST Researchers say the discovery of how sodium ions pass through the gill of a zebrafish may be a clue to understanding a key function in the human kidney. In this research, the protein allows the sodium ions to be absorbed from the forming urine while at the same time discarding waste from normally functioning cells, thus keeping the body in balance and serving as an energy saving system. The researchers say the same NHE3 protein performs a similar function in the intestine, pancreas, liver, lungs and reproductive system.

Dismantling pancreas cancer's armor: Removing specialized immune suppressor cells from pancreas Posted: 20 Feb 2014 11:16 AM PST Pancreas cancer is notoriously impervious to treatment and resists both chemotherapy and radiotherapy. It has also been thought to provide few targets for immune cells, allowing tumors to grow unchecked. But new research shows that pancreas cancer "veils" itself from the immune system by recruiting specialized immune suppressor cells. The research team also found that removing these cells quickly triggers a spontaneous anti-tumor immune response.

Study in fruitflies strengthens connection among protein misfolding, sleep loss, and age Posted: 20 Feb 2014 10:25 AM PST Pulling an "all-nighter" before a big test is practically a rite of passage in college. Usually, it's no problem: You stay up all night, take the test, and then crash, rapidly catching up on lost sleep. But as we age, sleep patterns change, and our ability to recoup lost sleep diminishes. New research demonstrates that pathways of aging and sleep intersect at the circuitry of a cellular stress response pathway, and by tinkering with those connections, it may be possible to alter sleep patterns in the aged for the better -- at least in fruit flies.

Enhancement of chemotherapy by prevention of tumor cell repair Posted: 20 Feb 2014 10:25 AM PST The body naturally tries to repair lesions in the DNA of tumor cells, and thus reduces the efficacy of chemotherapy. Blocking the mechanisms for DNA repair would help to potentiate chemotherapy by reducing the resistance of cells to treatment. A team of scientists has discovered a new drug that inhibits repair: spironolactone, which seems likely to be used in the very short term as an adjuvant to chemotherapy.

Compound improves cardiac function in mice with genetic heart defect, study finds Posted: 20 Feb 2014 10:25 AM PST Congenital heart disease is the most common form of birth defect. Researchers recently found success using a drug to treat laboratory mice with one form of congenital heart disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy -- a weakening of the heart caused by abnormally thick muscle. By suppressing a faulty protein, the researchers reduced the thickness of the mice's heart muscles and improved their cardiac functioning. Because of the role the protein plays in signaling heart growth, the authors believe the research could be translated in the future into improved treatments for other types of heart disease, such as damage caused by heart attack.

Molecular 'cocktail' transforms skin cells into beating heart cells Posted: 20 Feb 2014 10:22 AM PST A new method has been devised that allows for the more efficient -- and, importantly, more complete -- reprogramming of skin cells into cells that are virtually indistinguishable from heart muscle cells. These findings, based on animal models, offer new-found optimism in the hunt for a way to regenerate muscle lost in a heart attack. Heart disease is the world's leading cause of death, but recent advances in science and medicine have improved the chances of surviving a heart attack. In the United States alone, nearly 1 million people have survived an attack, but are living with heart failure—a chronic condition in which the heart, having lost muscle during the attack, does not beat at full capacity. So, scientists have begun to look toward cellular reprogramming as a way to regenerate this damaged heart muscle.

Sound-sensing cells regenerated in ears of mice with hearing damage Posted: 20 Feb 2014 10:21 AM PST For years, scientists have thought that sound-sensing hair cells in the inner ear are not replaced once they're lost, but new research reveals that supporting cells in the ear can turn into hair cells in newborn mice. If the findings can be applied to older animals, they may lead to ways to help stimulate cell replacement in adults and to the design of treatment strategies for people suffering from deafness due to hair cell loss.

Evidence mixed on the usefulness of echinacea for colds Posted: 20 Feb 2014 10:13 AM PST For people seeking a natural treatment for the common cold, some preparations containing the plant Echinacea work better than nothing, yet "evidence is weak," finds a new report.

Cavities are contagious, research shows Posted: 20 Feb 2014 08:24 AM PST Dental caries, commonly known as tooth decay, is the single most common chronic childhood disease. In fact, it is an infectious disease, new research demonstrates. Mothers with cavities can transmit caries-producing oral bacteria to their babies when they clean pacifiers by sticking them in their own mouths or by sharing spoons. Parents should make their own oral health care a priority in order to help their children stay healthy.

High cost of fruits, vegetables linked to higher body fat in young children Posted: 20 Feb 2014 07:29 AM PST High prices for fresh fruits and vegetables are associated with higher Body Mass Index in young children in low- and middle-income households, according new research. Research showed that when the prices of fruits and vegetables go up, families may buy less of them and substitute cheaper foods that may not be as healthy and have more calories. The study also identified a small association between higher-priced soft drinks and a lower likelihood of obesity among young children.

High potency statins linked to better outcome following heart attack Posted: 20 Feb 2014 07:29 AM PST Treatment with high-potency statins offers a significantly improved chance of survival compared to those taking normal statins, a study concludes after analyzing the data of thousands of patients who suffered heart attacks. The study also found a combination of statins and the drug ezetimibe showed no improved survival rate, although researchers caution this finding needs further testing.

Cell behavior mapped in low oxygen conditions, may lead to cancer treatment Posted: 20 Feb 2014 07:29 AM PST Research has explained how cells behave when placed in a low oxygen environment, a development that could have implications for cancer patients and other serious illnesses. The findings open up the possibility of controlling the signals that keep cells alive, preventing the damages caused by ischemia -- a restriction of blood supply to tissues. It could also work to help destroy cancer cells.

Dermatologists prescribe steroids for psoriasis management, despite guidelines that discourage use Posted: 20 Feb 2014 07:27 AM PST A new study indicates that systemic corticosteroids are prescribed by dermatologists even though expert guidelines discourage their use for psoriasis treatment. Researchers found that systemic corticosteroids were prescribed at 650,000 of 21 million psoriasis visits. Of these prescriptions, 93 percent were from dermatologists. Corticosteroids were the second most commonly prescribed systemic medication for psoriasis, according to the study.

Unilateral radiation therapy for advanced stage tonsil cancer results in favorable outcomes Posted: 20 Feb 2014 07:26 AM PST Limiting radiation therapy to lymph nodes on one side of the neck for advanced tonsil cancer resulted in good local regional control and no cancer recurrence on the untreated side, according to research. Additionally, the study results indicate that primary tumor location, rather than the amount of lymph node involvement on the tumor side of the neck, dictates the risk for disease in the opposite side of the neck.

Oropharyngeal cancer patients report benefit in salivary function with reduction of radiation dose to bilateral IB lymph nodes Posted: 20 Feb 2014 07:26 AM PST For head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy, a reduction in the amount of radiation treatment volume to the submandibular (level IB) lymph nodes resulted in better patient-reported salivary function, according to research. The study results also found significant reductions in radiation dose to the salivary organs, and good local regional control.

Patients with oropharyngeal cancer report quality of voice, speech affected post-treatment Posted: 20 Feb 2014 07:26 AM PST Oropharyngeal cancer patients treated with combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy reported a decrease in their voice and speech quality (VSQ) for up to one year after the completion of treatment, according to research. The study further shows that limiting the dose of radiation to the glottic larynx (GL) to less than 20 Gy resulted in a decrease in post-treatment VSQ problems, and that patient-reported VSQ indicated more adverse effects from treatment compared to independent physician assessment.

Limiting Radiation to Major Salivary Glands in Head, Neck Cancer Patients Is Feasible, Safe Posted: 20 Feb 2014 07:26 AM PST Avoiding the contralateral submandibular gland during radiation therapy is feasible and safe with advanced stage, node positive head and neck cancers and base of tongue lesions, according to research. While this seems worrisome because head and neck cancer spreads through the lymph nodes, it is well established that the risk of cancer involvement in the lymph nodes near the submandibular gland is exceedingly low, yet the benefit of sparing the gland for a patient's quality of life is high.

HPV-positive squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx patients' recurrence differs from HPV-negative patients Posted: 20 Feb 2014 07:26 AM PST Patients with HPV-positive squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx (SCCOP) had a longer time to development of distant metastasis (DM) after initial treatment, and had more metastatic sites in more atypical locations compared to HPV-negative patients.

Mutant-Allele Tumor Heterogeneity (MATH) in head, neck squamous cell carcinoma patients is effective marker, along with HPV status, of improved patient outcome Posted: 20 Feb 2014 07:26 AM PST Evaluating next-generation sequencing (NGS) data and associated clinical records of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients from several institutions, made available through The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), showed that combining Mutant-Allele Tumor Heterogeneity (MATH) as a biomarker with the patient's HPV status provides an effective indicator of improved patient outcome, according to research.

HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer patients nearly twice as likely to survive as HPV-negative patients Posted: 20 Feb 2014 07:25 AM PST A retrospective analysis of oropharyngeal patients with recurrence of disease after primary therapy found that HPV-positive patients had a higher overall survival rate than HPV-negative patients (at two years post-treatment, 54.6 percent vs. 27.6 percent, respectively), according to research.

Daily Humidification of Mouth, Throat Region During Radiation Therapy for Head, Neck Cancer Reduces Mucositis, Hospitalization Posted: 20 Feb 2014 07:25 AM PST Patients who received daily humidification of the mouth and throat region beginning from day one of radiation therapy treatment spent nearly 50 percent fewer days in the hospital to manage their side effects, according to research.

Aging men: More uplifts, fewer hassles until the age of 65-70 Posted: 20 Feb 2014 06:50 AM PST How men approach their golden years, and how happy individuals are remains relatively stable for some 80 percent of the population, but perceptions of unhappiness -- or dealing with "hassles" -- tends to get worse once you are about 65-70 years old, shows a new study. Possible causes are health issues, cognitive decline or the loss of a spouse or friends. Aging is neither exclusively rosy nor depressing, researchers said, and how you react to hassles and uplifts as a 55- to 60-year-old may change as you enter what researchers call "the fourth age," from 75 to 100, based on your perceptions and/or your life experiences.

Fast emergency department identification of sepsis speeds treatment Posted: 20 Feb 2014 06:40 AM PST Early identification of sepsis cases in the emergency department using a symptoms-based screening tool significantly decreased the time interval for administering life-saving antibiotic treatment, according to research. Early recognition and treatment of sepsis has proven to reduce mortality, and there is a need to more rapidly identify sepsis and septic shock patients in the emergency department. Elapsed time from triage to administration of antimicrobials is a major cause of mortality for patients with severe sepsis or septic shock.

Using computers to speed up drug discovery Posted: 20 Feb 2014 05:32 AM PST One of the major problems in today's society is the efficiency and cost of developing medicines to treat disease. The advancements in pharmaceutical science have been phenomenal, but the price of these advances remains prohibitively high for many pharmaceutical companies to venture into rare diseases. A large number of "neglected" diseases exist in which each disease has only a small number of patients in the world, yet the number is still significant. Researchers have now used a computational approach to identify proteins that will interact with potential drugs to speed up the process of drug discovery.

Schizophrenia: Gathering clues to rare gene variants contributing to disease Posted: 20 Feb 2014 05:31 AM PST Schizophrenia has long been known to be highly heritable and is present in approximately 1% of the population. Researchers have been following two paths in their pursuit of identifying schizophrenia risk genes. Initially, they studied common gene variants that, individually, only increase the risk for schizophrenia by a few percent, perhaps increasing the likelihood of developing schizophrenia from a 10 out of a 1000 chance to an 11 or 12 out of a 1000 chance. More recently, research has identified gene variants that are rare in the population but, when present, more substantially increase the risk for developing schizophrenia. Results have been recently published in two new articles.

Seasonal flu vaccine may cut stroke risk Posted: 20 Feb 2014 05:31 AM PST Having the seasonal flu jab could reduce the risk of suffering a stroke by almost a quarter, researchers have found. Academics discovered that patients who had been vaccinated against influenza were 24% less likely to suffer a stroke in the same flu season. In 2010, the same research team showed a similar link between flu vaccination and reduced risk of heart attack. "Further experimental studies would be needed to better understand the relationship between flu vaccination and stroke risk. However, these findings reinforce the value of the U.K.'s national flu vaccination program with reduced risk of stroke appearing to be an added health benefit," the authors noted.

Mechanism behind activation of dormant memory cells discovered Posted: 20 Feb 2014 05:31 AM PST The electrical stimulation of the hippocampus in in-vivo experiments activates precisely the same receptor complexes as learning or memory recall. This has been discovered for the first time. The latest findings very much form part of the highly controversial subject of "cognitive enhancement." Scientists are currently discussing the possibility of improving mental capacity through the use of drugs -- including in healthy subjects of all age groups, but especially in patients with age-related impairments of cognitive processes.

Involved parents raise slimmer adults Posted: 20 Feb 2014 05:30 AM PST Remember that slim kid in school -- the one with the cook-from-scratch mom? He's likely one of the fittest dudes at your high school reunion, according to new research. "One of the best safeguards against your children becoming overweight as adults is how involved you are with their lives," one of the researchers said.

Two-thirds of women in the U.K. not taking folic acid before pregnancy to prevent spina bifida Posted: 19 Feb 2014 02:48 PM PST Less than one in three women have taken folic acid supplements before pregnancy to prevent spina bifida and other birth defects of the brain, spine, or spinal cord (neural tube defects). This is despite research from 1991 showing that such conditions could be prevented in most cases by increasing the intake of the B-vitamin folic acid before pregnancy. Each year in Britain there are about 1,000 pregnancies affected by spina bifida or other birth defects of the brain, spine, or spinal cord. Most of these lead to a termination of pregnancy which is an agonizing decision for couples who want a child.

Iron deficiency may increase stroke risk through sticky blood Posted: 19 Feb 2014 02:32 PM PST Iron deficiency may increase stroke risk by making the blood more sticky, scientists have discovered. Every year, 15 million people worldwide suffer a stroke. Nearly six million die and another five million are left permanently disabled. The most common type, ischaemic stroke, occurs because the blood supply to the brain is interrupted by small clots. In the last few years, several studies have shown that iron deficiency, which affects around two billion people worldwide, may be a risk factor for ischaemic stroke in adults and in children.

Vitamin D, calcium disparities found among American subpopulations Posted: 19 Feb 2014 01:27 PM PST Many Americans do not meet recommended intakes of calcium and vitamin D, despite the important role these vital nutrients play in bone health during all stages of the lifecycle. Researchers set out to determine calcium and vitamin D intakes among specific subpopulations of Americans in order to identify those most in need of fortification/enrichment and supplementation. Their findings showed for the first time that low-income, overweight, and/or obese minority populations may be at a greater risk of calcium and vitamin D insufficiency, and that calcium and vitamin D intakes from food and dietary supplements were not related to vegetarian status.

Blood pressure medications given right after stroke not beneficial Posted: 19 Feb 2014 11:24 AM PST Giving stroke patients medications to lower their blood pressure right after a stroke does not reduce death or major disability, a study has found. At least 25 percent of the population has high blood pressure, which greatly increases the risk of stroke. Lowering blood pressure has been shown to reduce the risk of stroke. The study investigated whether there also would be a benefit to lowering blood pressure immediately after a stroke. The study included more than 4,000 stroke patients in 26 hospitals, randomly assigned to receive or discontinue blood pressure medications. At 14 days or upon hospital discharge, there were no statistically significant differences between the groups in mortality or disability.

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