ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Fighting malaria drug resistance: Scientists find new way
• Some immune cells defend only one organ
• Radiation therapy for cervical cancer increases risk for colorectal cancer
• More effective kidney stone treatment, from macroscopic to nanoscale
• New technique detects microscopic diabetes-related eye damage
• Study finds adverse respiratory outcomes for older people with COPD taking benzodiazepines
• Key milestone for brown fat research with ground-breaking MRI scan
• Suicide epidemic among India's 'marginalized' farmers
• HIV and schistosomiasis coinfection in African children: More research needed
• 'Brain training' overcomes tics in Tourette syndrome, study finds
• New MRSA superbug emerges in Brazil
• Changing where a baby is held immediately after birth could lead to improved uptake of procedure that reduces infant iron deficiency
• At least one in 20 adult outpatients misdiagnosed in U.S. every year
• Bacteria survive longer in contact lens cleaning solution than previously thought, study shows
• Atypical brain connectivity associated with autism spectrum disorder
• Surprising consequences of banning chocolate milk
• World's first successful visualization of key coenzyme
• Beating the clock for ischemic stroke sufferers
• Hospitalization records an additional tool to monitor disease outbreaks
• Immune system research may help predict who gets long-term complications from Lyme Disease
• Tracking down cause of eye mobility disorder
• Mutant protein in muscle linked to neuromuscular disorder
• Expect changes in appetite, taste of food after weight loss surgery
• Pathogenic E. coli binds to fresh vegetables
• Preterm delivery, low birth weight, neonatal risk in pregnant women with high blood pressure
• New tool advances investigations of disease outbreaks
• Teenagers who have had a concussion also have higher rates of suicide attempts

Fighting malaria drug resistance: Scientists find new way Posted: 17 Apr 2014 07:15 AM PDT An anti-malarial treatment that lost its status as the leading weapon against the deadly disease could be given a new lease of life, with new research indicating it simply needs to be administered differently. The findings could revive the use of the cheap anti-malarial drug chloroquine in treating and preventing the mosquito-bourne disease, which claims the lives of more than half a million people each year around the world.

Some immune cells defend only one organ Posted: 17 Apr 2014 07:14 AM PDT Some organs have the immunological equivalent of 'neighborhood police' -- specialized squads of defenders that patrol only one area, a single organ, instead of an entire city, the body, scientists have discovered. The liver, skin and uterus each has dedicated immune cells, which the researchers call tissue-resident natural killer cells. Other organs may have similar arrangements.

Radiation therapy for cervical cancer increases risk for colorectal cancer Posted: 17 Apr 2014 07:14 AM PDT Young women treated with radiation for cervical cancer should begin colorectal cancer screening earlier than traditionally recommended, researchers are recommending for the first time. After finding a high incidence of secondary colorectal cancers among cervical cancer survivors treated with radiation, these researchers off new recommendations that the younger women in this group begin colorectal cancer screening about eight years after their initial cervical cancer diagnosis.

More effective kidney stone treatment, from macroscopic to nanoscale Posted: 17 Apr 2014 07:11 AM PDT Researchers have hit on a novel method to help kidney stone sufferers ensure they receive the correct and most effective treatment possible. Kidney stones represent a major medical problem in the western and developing world. If left untreated, apart from being particularly painful, they can lead to renal failure and other complications. In many patients treated successfully, stone recurrence is also a major problem. Clearly a more effective pathological approach to diagnosis and treatment needs to be identified to ensure successful eradication of stones.

New technique detects microscopic diabetes-related eye damage Posted: 17 Apr 2014 06:08 AM PDT New early-warning signs of the potential loss of sight associated with diabetes have been detected by researchers. This discovery could have far-reaching implications for the diagnosis and treatment of diabetic retinopathy, potentially impacting the care of over 25 million Americans. These important early-warning signs were invisible to existing diagnostic techniques, requiring new technology based on adaptive optics.

Study finds adverse respiratory outcomes for older people with COPD taking benzodiazepines Posted: 17 Apr 2014 06:08 AM PDT A group of drugs commonly prescribed for insomnia, anxiety and breathing issues 'significantly increase the risk' that older people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, need to visit a doctor or emergency department for respiratory reasons, new research has found. Benzodiazepines, such as Ativan or Xanax, may actually contribute to respiratory problems, such as depressing breathing ability and pneumonia, in these patients.

Key milestone for brown fat research with ground-breaking MRI scan Posted: 17 Apr 2014 06:08 AM PDT The first MRI scan to show 'brown fat' in a living adult could prove to be an essential step towards a new wave of therapies to aid the fight against diabetes and obesity. Brown fat has become a hot topic for scientists due its ability to use energy and burn calories, helping to keep weight in check. Understanding the brown fat tissue and how it can be used to such ends is of growing interest in the search to help people suffering from obesity or at a high risk of developing diabetes.

Suicide epidemic among India's 'marginalized' farmers Posted: 17 Apr 2014 06:07 AM PDT A new study has found that India's shocking rates of suicide are highest in areas with the most debt-ridden farmers who are clinging to tiny smallholdings – less than one hectare – and trying to grow 'cash crops', such as cotton and coffee, that are highly susceptible to global price fluctuations.

HIV and schistosomiasis coinfection in African children: More research needed Posted: 17 Apr 2014 06:07 AM PDT More research is needed on HIV and schistosomiasis coinfection in children in sub-Saharan Africa, experts say. They looked at previous research into the joint burden of HIV/AIDS and schistosomiasis of children, and found that while disease-specific control interventions are continuing, potential synergies in the control efforts for the two diseases have not been investigated. The team focused on children with schistosomiasis and assessed the risk of increased HIV transmission and progression and impaired response to drugs when given alongside HIV interventions.

'Brain training' overcomes tics in Tourette syndrome, study finds Posted: 17 Apr 2014 06:05 AM PDT Children with Tourette Syndrome (TS) may unconsciously train their brain to more effectively control their tics. Teenagers diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome (TS) were slower than their typically developing peers when asked to perform a task that involved them simply moving their eyes to look at targets. However, they significantly outperformed their peers when the task was more demanding and required them to choose between looking at or away from targets. In this task they were as fast as their peers but made fewer eye movements in the wrong direction.

New MRSA superbug emerges in Brazil Posted: 17 Apr 2014 05:55 AM PDT A new superbug that caused a bloodstream infection in a Brazilian patient has been identified by an international research team. The new superbug is part of a class of highly-resistant bacteria known as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA, which is a major cause of hospital and community-associated infections. The superbug has also acquired high levels of resistance to vancomycin, the most common and least expensive antibiotic used to treat severe MRSA infections worldwide.

Changing where a baby is held immediately after birth could lead to improved uptake of procedure that reduces infant iron deficiency Posted: 16 Apr 2014 04:09 PM PDT Changing where a newborn baby is held before its umbilical cord is clamped could lead to improved uptake in hospitals of delayed cord clamping, leading to a decreased risk of iron deficiency in infancy, according to new results from a study. Delaying clamping of the umbilical cord until around two minutes after birth allows for blood to pass from the mother's placenta to the baby, and has previously been shown to reduce the risk of iron deficiency in infancy.

At least one in 20 adult outpatients misdiagnosed in U.S. every year Posted: 16 Apr 2014 04:09 PM PDT At least one in 20 adults is misdiagnosed in outpatient clinics in the U.S. every year, amounting to 12 million people nationwide, and posing a 'substantial patient safety risk,' finds research. Half of these errors could be potentially harmful, say the authors, who add that their findings should prompt renewed efforts to monitor and curb the numbers of misdiagnoses.

Bacteria survive longer in contact lens cleaning solution than previously thought, study shows Posted: 16 Apr 2014 04:09 PM PDT Each year in the UK, bacterial infections cause around 6,000 cases of a severe eye condition known as microbial keratitis – an inflammation and ulceration of the cornea that can lead to loss of vision. The use of contact lenses has been identified as a particular risk factor for microbial keratitis. New research shows that a bacterial strain associated with more severe infections shows enhanced resistance to a common contact lens disinfectant solution.

Atypical brain connectivity associated with autism spectrum disorder Posted: 16 Apr 2014 02:23 PM PDT Autism spectrum disorder in adolescents appears to be associated with atypical connectivity in the brain involving the systems that help people infer what others are thinking and understand the meaning of others' actions and emotions. The ability to navigate and thrive in complex social systems is commonly impaired in ASD, a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting as many as 1 in 88 children.

Surprising consequences of banning chocolate milk Posted: 16 Apr 2014 02:22 PM PDT Eliminating chocolate milk from elementary schools decreased total milk sales by 10 percent, and increased milk waste by 29 percent, a study has shown. Additionally, the ban may have been a factor in a 7 percent decrease in Lunch Program participation. Nutritionally, after the milk substitution, students on average consumed less sugar and fewer calories, but also consumed less protein and calcium.

World's first successful visualization of key coenzyme Posted: 16 Apr 2014 02:20 PM PDT Japanese researchers have successfully developed the world's first imaging method for visualizing the behavior of nicotine-adenine dinucleotide derivative (NAD(P)H), a key coenzyme, inside cells. This feat could ultimately facilitate the diagnosis of cancer and liver dysfunction and help to elucidate the mechanisms of neurological disorders.

Beating the clock for ischemic stroke sufferers Posted: 16 Apr 2014 02:20 PM PDT Researchers have developed a new computer tool to ensure faster care and treatment for stroke patients. The CAD stroke technology is capable of detecting signs of stroke from computed tomography (CT) scans. A CT scan uses X-rays to take pictures of the brain in slices. When blood flow to the brain is blocked, an area of the brain turns softer or decreases in density due to insufficient blood flow, pointing to an ischemic stroke.

Hospitalization records an additional tool to monitor disease outbreaks Posted: 16 Apr 2014 02:19 PM PDT By comparing hospitalization records from Massachusetts hospitals with data reported to local boards of health, researchers found a more accurate way to monitor how well communities track disease outbreaks. For this study, the team examined healthcare statistics for Massachusetts residents 65 and older who were diagnosed with three different foodborne and waterborne illnesses -- salmonella, campylobacteriosis, and giardiasis -- from January 1991 to December 2004.

Immune system research may help predict who gets long-term complications from Lyme Disease Posted: 16 Apr 2014 02:19 PM PDT The groundwork has been laid for understanding how variations in immune responses to Lyme disease can contribute to the many different outcomes of this bacterial infection seen in individual patients. "Physicians have recognized for many years that Lyme disease is not a uniform disease process and can vary in outcomes," says the senior author of the report. "Our experiments have linked such differences to specific immune pathways controlled by elements of the immune system, which in turn might help us understand both the good immune processes that clear up the infection and the bad ones that cause injury and prolong symptoms. This could be a big step forward in managing this disease."

Tracking down cause of eye mobility disorder Posted: 16 Apr 2014 01:26 PM PDT Imagine you cannot move your eyes up, and you cannot lift your upper eyelid. You walk through life with your head tilted upward so that your eyes look straight when they are rolled down in the eye socket. Obviously, such a condition should be corrected to allow people a normal position of their head. In order to correct this condition, one would need to understand why this happens. In a new paper, researchers describe how their studies on mutated mice mimic human mutations.

Mutant protein in muscle linked to neuromuscular disorder Posted: 16 Apr 2014 01:25 PM PDT Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) is a rare inherited neuromuscular disorder characterized by slowly progressive muscle weakness and atrophy. In a new study, a team of scientists say novel mouse studies indicate that mutant protein levels in muscle cells are fundamentally involved in SBMA, suggesting an alternative and promising new avenue of treatment.

Expect changes in appetite, taste of food after weight loss surgery Posted: 16 Apr 2014 08:28 AM PDT Changes in appetite, taste and smell are par for the course for people who have undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery during which one's stomach is made smaller and small intestines shortened. These sensory changes are not all negative, and could lead to more weight loss among patients. Their findings showed that after gastric bypass surgery, patients frequently report sensory changes.

Pathogenic E. coli binds to fresh vegetables Posted: 15 Apr 2014 05:38 PM PDT Between 20-30 percent of food-poisoning outbreaks linked to disease-causing strains of the bacterium Escherichia coli are caused by people eating contaminated vegetables. Research shows that the disease-causing E. coli O157:H7 interacts directly with plant cells allowing it to anchor to the surface of a plant, where it can multiply.

Preterm delivery, low birth weight, neonatal risk in pregnant women with high blood pressure Posted: 15 Apr 2014 05:38 PM PDT Pregnant women with chronic hypertension (high blood pressure) are highly likely to suffer from adverse pregnancy outcomes such as preterm delivery, low birth weight and neonatal death, which highlights a need for heightened surveillance, suggests research. Chronic hypertension complicates between 1-5% of pregnancies, and the problem may be increasing because of changes in the population.

New tool advances investigations of disease outbreaks Posted: 15 Apr 2014 03:13 PM PDT A new field called genomic epidemiology is taking advantage of the rapidly reduced costs of next-generation DNA sequencing to better inform public health officials faced with ongoing outbreaks. While the authors caution that genomics alone cannot truly replace traditional epidemiology, they show the value and potential of using their sequence data analysis tool as a companion method for public health officials to shed light on outbreaks.

Teenagers who have had a concussion also have higher rates of suicide attempts Posted: 15 Apr 2014 03:13 PM PDT Teenagers who have suffered a traumatic brain injury such as a concussion are at 'significantly greater odds' of attempting suicide, being bullied and engaging in a variety of high-risk behaviors, a new study has found. They are also more likely to become bullies themselves, to have sought counseling through a crisis help-line or to have been prescribed medication for anxiety, depression or both.

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