ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Gender differences could mean more risk for cardiovascular death
• Prior drug use is greatest predictor of ecstasy use among U.S. high school seniors
• BMI measurement may be missing 25 percent of children who could be considered obese
• Role of cohesin in cancer revised by researcher
• Virus kills triple negative breast cancer cells, tumor cells in mice
• Cell division discovery could optimize timing of chemotherapy, explain some cancers
• UK's National Health Service: Committed to failure?
• New possibilities for leukemia therapy with novel mode of leukemia cell recognition
• Young women with polycystic ovary syndrome are 5 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes
• Sweet, sweet straw: Scientists learn to produce sweetener from straw and fungi
• Gene in brain linked to kidney cancer, researchers say
• The truth behind the '5-second rule': When in doubt, throw it out, expert says
• Aging accelerates genomic changes, signaling challenges for personalized medicine
• Potential new treatment approach for lung cancer
• Fat of the bone: Exercise, diabetes affect amount of fat inside bones
• Challenges of visual accessibility for people with low vision
• Kids' risks from toxic metals in dirt downplayed when measured with standard tools
• Cure for HIV is a 'major scientific priority'
• More bicyclists on road means fewer collisions, study shows
• Exploring the brain: New findings explain how eyes link to prefrontal cortex
• Computer-aided diagnosis of rare genetic disorders from family snaps
• Schizophrenia and cannabis use may share common genes
• Sleeping sickness: the tsetse fly genome decoded
• Chagas' disease: A return announced
• Howzat eyesight? New study analyses how cricketers' visual skills change with age
• Cancer 'as old as multi-cellular life on Earth': Researchers discover a primordial cancer in a primitive animal
• Effect of anxiety, adrenaline, fatigue for a soccer player: Mexican study of UK players
• Pushing cells towards a higher pluripotency state
• Many ER patients test positive for HIV while in most infectious stage
• Rate of hospitalization for severe heart attacks in China quadruples in 10 years
• Calcium, vitamin D supplementation improves metabolic profile of pregnant women with gestational diabetes
• It is time to abandon obesity myths, experts say
• Cocoa extract may counter specific mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease
• Fatal cellular malfunction identified in Huntington's disease
• Picture books for visually impaired kids go 3-D
• Young indoor tanning increases early risk of skin cancer
• Air apparent: Using bubbles to reveal fertility problems
• Antibiotic developed 50 years ago may be the key to fighting 'superbugs'
• Sharpening a test for tracing food-borne illness to source
• People who are obese or former smokers more likely to follow recommended statin therapy
• Working parents resort to emergency or urgent care visits to get kids back into child care
• Cautionary tales: Mustaches, home oxygen therapy, sparks do not mix

Gender differences could mean more risk for cardiovascular death Posted: 24 Jun 2014 11:22 AM PDT One expert is advocating the use of gender-based treatment for mitigating the cardiovascular risk factors related to diabetes. Research has shown women with Type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol are less likely than their male peers to reach treatment goals to lower their bad cholesterol, or low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.

Prior drug use is greatest predictor of ecstasy use among U.S. high school seniors Posted: 24 Jun 2014 10:58 AM PDT A national sample of high school seniors was examined to determine who is currently at high risk for ecstasy use. Although ecstasy use in the U.S. is not as prevalent as in the late 1990s and early 2000s, its use remains popular among adolescents and young adults. The authors feel the popularity of ecstasy use may be related to increasing popularity of electronic dance festivals.

BMI measurement may be missing 25 percent of children who could be considered obese Posted: 24 Jun 2014 10:57 AM PDT Physicians using body mass index (BMI) to diagnose children as obese may be missing 25 percent of kids who have excess body fat despite a normal BMI, which can be a serious concern for long-term health, according to a study. The researchers found that BMI has high specificity in identifying pediatric obesity, meaning BMI accurately identifies children who are obese, but has a moderate sensitivity, meaning the BMI tool misses children who actually should be considered obese, according to the percent of fat in their bodies.

Role of cohesin in cancer revised by researcher Posted: 24 Jun 2014 08:07 AM PDT The role of cohesin, its regulation, as well as its recently identified function as a potential driver or facilitator for tumors has been explained and revised by an international expert in cohesin. The challenge now is to understand the link between cohesin and the development and evolution of cancer, an area where there is currently little data.

Virus kills triple negative breast cancer cells, tumor cells in mice Posted: 24 Jun 2014 08:07 AM PDT A virus not known to cause disease kills triple-negative breast cancer cells and killed tumors grown from these cells in mice, according to researchers. Understanding how the virus kills cancer may lead to new treatments for breast cancer. "These results are significant, since tumor necrosis -- or death -- in response to therapy is also used as the measure of an effective chemotherapeutic," one researcher said.

Cell division discovery could optimize timing of chemotherapy, explain some cancers Posted: 24 Jun 2014 08:07 AM PDT A new study has been able to demonstrate how the cycle of cell division in mammalian cells synchronizes with the body's own daily rhythm, its circadian clock. The study not only helps to explain why people with sustained disrupted circadian rhythms can be more susceptible to cancer, it may also help establish the optimal time of day to administer chemotherapy.

UK's National Health Service: Committed to failure? Posted: 24 Jun 2014 08:06 AM PDT A project has failed. So why continue to invest in it? This is a pertinent question for large organizations, like the UK National Health Service, which has a history of investing vast amounts of taxpayer's money into unrealistic and ultimately unsuccessful projects. According to business experts, organizations develop blind spots due to a perfect storm of unworkable policies and defensive behavior.

New possibilities for leukemia therapy with novel mode of leukemia cell recognition Posted: 24 Jun 2014 08:05 AM PDT A new class of lipids in the leukemia cells that are detected by a unique group of immune cells has been discovered by researchers. By recognizing the lipids, the immune cells stimulate an immune response to destroy the leukemia cells and suppress their growth. The newly identified mode of cancer cell recognition by the immune system opens up new possibilities for leukemia immunotherapy.

Young women with polycystic ovary syndrome are 5 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes Posted: 24 Jun 2014 08:05 AM PDT Young women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) have a startlingly higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, even if young and not overweight, a leading expert on reproductive health says. "With the dramatic rise in diabetes, this research highlights the need for greater awareness and screening, especially in high risk groups including young women with PCOS."

Sweet, sweet straw: Scientists learn to produce sweetener from straw and fungi Posted: 24 Jun 2014 07:58 AM PDT The calorie free sweetener erythritol is widely used in Asia; it is also gaining popularity in Europe and America. Now, a new cheap method has been developed to produce erythritol from straw with the help of mould fungi. Erythritol has many great advantages: it does not make you fat, it does not cause tooth decay, it has no effect on the blood sugar and, unlike other sweeteners, it does not have a laxative effect.

Gene in brain linked to kidney cancer, researchers say Posted: 24 Jun 2014 07:58 AM PDT A gene known to control brain growth and development is heavily involved in promoting clear cell renal cell carcinoma, the most common form of kidney cancer, researchers are reporting. The research reveals that the gene NPTX2, plays an essential role in this cancer type, which is resistant to common chemotherapy and has a five-year overall survival rate of less than 10 percent in patients with metastatic disease.

The truth behind the '5-second rule': When in doubt, throw it out, expert says Posted: 24 Jun 2014 07:57 AM PDT The burger patty that slides off the plate, the ice cream treat that plops on the picnic table, the hot dog that rolls off the grill -- conventional wisdom has it that you have five seconds to pick it up before it is contaminated. Fact or folklore? "A dropped item is immediately contaminated and can't really be sanitized," explains one researcher. "When it comes to folklore, the 'five-second rule' should be replaced with 'When in doubt, throw it out.' "

Aging accelerates genomic changes, signaling challenges for personalized medicine Posted: 24 Jun 2014 07:52 AM PDT Aging can occur at different rates within an individual's genome, with some portions aging 100 times faster than others, research shows. This makes personalized medicine even more challenging, which makes use of genomic information to predict future diseases and treatments. With genomes continually shifting over time, the monitoring of genomic health will require more frequent measurement of patients' genomes.

Potential new treatment approach for lung cancer Posted: 24 Jun 2014 07:52 AM PDT More than a third of all human cancers are driven by mutations in a family of genes known as Ras. Ras has long been considered to be a target that does not respond to cancer treating drugs, but recent research suggests new possibilities. Investigators have demonstrated that targeting a metabolic dependency downstream of Ras could provide therapeutic benefit to patients with Ras-driven lung cancers.

Fat of the bone: Exercise, diabetes affect amount of fat inside bones Posted: 24 Jun 2014 07:50 AM PDT A new kind of imaging technique shows how exercise and diabetes drugs affect the amount of fat inside our bones, which could play roles in the health of our bones. Our bones are not stagnant, rock-like things. They change. Marrow -- the tissue inside bones -- is full of various kinds of cells. And marrow is also full of fat. The amounts of these cells and fats can decrease or increase over time. And the production of these marrow cells and fat depend on a specific type of progenitor cell called a mesenchymal stem cell.

Challenges of visual accessibility for people with low vision Posted: 24 Jun 2014 07:50 AM PDT New approaches and tools are needed to improve visual accessibility for people with low vision in the "real world," according to experts. Low vision is defined as chronically impaired vision that is not correctable by glasses or contact lenses and adversely affects everyday functioning. It is estimated that there are between 3.5 million and 5 million Americans with low vision, and this number is expected to increase as the population ages.

Kids' risks from toxic metals in dirt downplayed when measured with standard tools Posted: 24 Jun 2014 07:50 AM PDT A new laboratory method may improve risk estimates of children's soil exposures. As the study explains, soil ingestion is one of the most important pathways through which children are exposed to toxic substances. Children have higher exposure rates from soil than adults because of their hand-to-mouth behavior. As they play outside in dirt mounds and playgrounds, there is a risk that children will ingest soil particles and heavy metals which may have been underestimated by researchers to date.

Cure for HIV is a 'major scientific priority' Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:33 AM PDT Huge advancements have taken place in HIV treatment and prevention over the past 10 years, but there is still no cure or vaccine. A new review shows that because of advancements in treatment, people with the virus are living longer. Overall, new infections have decreased from 3.3 million in 2002 to 2.3 million in 2012. Global AIDS-related deaths peaked at 2.3 million in 2005, decreasing to 1.6 million by 2012.

More bicyclists on road means fewer collisions, study shows Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:33 AM PDT Bicyclist safety significantly increases when there are more bikes on the road, according to a study examining collisions between bicycles and motorists. This finding could be attributed to a 'safety in numbers effect.' As bicycling increases in cities across the U.S. each year, the results could have national implications. "In fact, we are beginning to find that cities with a high level of bicycling are not just safer for cyclists but for all road users," one author said. "Improving the streets to better accommodate bicycles may enhance safety for everyone."

Exploring the brain: New findings explain how eyes link to prefrontal cortex Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:33 AM PDT A research team has linked how our eyes actually see the world to neurons in the prefrontal cortex of the brain. The team studied saccadic eye movements -- those movements where the eye jumps from one point of focus to another -- in an effort to determine exactly how this happens without us being overcome by our brains processing too much visual information.

Computer-aided diagnosis of rare genetic disorders from family snaps Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:33 AM PDT Computer analysis of photographs could help doctors diagnose which condition a child with a rare genetic disorder has, say researchers. The researchers have come up with a computer program that recognizes facial features in photographs; looks for similarities with facial structures for various conditions, such as Down's syndrome, Angelman syndrome, or Progeria; and returns possible matches ranked by likelihood.

Schizophrenia and cannabis use may share common genes Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:33 AM PDT Genes that increase the risk of developing schizophrenia may also increase the likelihood of using cannabis, according to a new study. Previous studies have identified a link between cannabis use and schizophrenia, but it has remained unclear whether this association is due to cannabis directly increasing the risk of the disorder. The new results suggest that part of this association is due to common genes.

Sleeping sickness: the tsetse fly genome decoded Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:32 AM PDT The genome of the tsetse fly has been decoded at last. Ten years of work made it possible for a consortium of 145 scientists to publish the DNA sequence for the vector for sleeping sickness. This result is highly significant as the biology of the tsetse is unique. The information contained in its genome is fundamental for better understanding and controlling the fly. Vector control is still essential for controlling the disease without a vaccine and due to difficult treatments.

Chagas' disease: A return announced Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:32 AM PDT Despite deinsectization campaigns conducted in many Latin American countries, bugs called Triatoma infestans, the main vector species for Chagas' disease, are now reappearing in villages in several regions. Wild populations of Triatoma infestans are recolonizing dwellings. The latter seem very close genetically to their domestic congeners and therefore, like their domestic counterparts, are able to adapt to humans. These wild bugs thus represent a significant risk for the re-emergence of Chagas' disease, as one out of two has been shown to carry the parasite responsible for the infection.

Howzat eyesight? New study analyses how cricketers' visual skills change with age Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:25 AM PDT Scientists will investigate how cricket players' ability to play shots changes over the course of a lifetime in a new study into eye movements and skill learning. Using sophisticated camera technology to monitor where participants look, researchers will use a computer task to assess how long it takes for cricketers of different ages to learn to look in the right place at the right time.

Cancer 'as old as multi-cellular life on Earth': Researchers discover a primordial cancer in a primitive animal Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:25 AM PDT Can cancer ever be completely defeated? Researchers have now reached a sobering conclusion: "cancer is as old as multi-cellular life on Earth and will probably never be completely eradicated," says one expert, following his latest research results. The researchers have now achieved an impressive understanding of the roots of cancer, providing proof that tumors indeed exist in primitive and evolutionary old animals.

Effect of anxiety, adrenaline, fatigue for a soccer player: Mexican study of UK players Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:25 AM PDT Some of the most common injuries in soccer players are violent joint sprains and muscle strains in the legs, which are sometimes caused by anxiety and fatigue accumulated after several games in a few weeks. To verify that these are the most common injuries, a was launched study in Britain, where 91 professional soccer teams were evaluated during a tournament and recorded 6,030 lesions, of which 23 percent were in the thighs and 17 were performed in knees or ankles.

Pushing cells towards a higher pluripotency state Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:25 AM PDT Stem cells have the unique ability to become any type of cell. The possibility that they can be cultured and engineered in the lab makes them an attractive option for regenerative medicine. However, some conditions that are commonly used for culturing human stem cells may render the cells unusable for clinical use. These conditions cannot be avoided, however, as they help maintain the pluripotency of the stem cells. A group of researchers has gained new insight into the role of CCL2, a chemokine known to be involved in the immune response, in the enhancement of stem cell pluripotency.

Many ER patients test positive for HIV while in most infectious stage Posted: 23 Jun 2014 07:50 PM PDT Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening for emergency patients at an institution with a large number of ethnic minority, underinsured and uninsured people reveals few are HIV positive, but of those who are, nearly one-quarter are in the acute phase and more than one-quarter have infections that have already advanced to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).

Rate of hospitalization for severe heart attacks in China quadruples in 10 years Posted: 23 Jun 2014 07:50 PM PDT The rate of hospitalization for the most serious type of heart attack, ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, more than quadrupled in China between 2001 and 2011, according to new research. The analysis shows that despite improving quality of care in the past decade, substantial gaps still persist. Although the use of some highly effective treatments for heart attack increased over the decade, other therapies known to reduce mortality in STEMI patients remain very underused.

Calcium, vitamin D supplementation improves metabolic profile of pregnant women with gestational diabetes Posted: 23 Jun 2014 07:50 PM PDT Calcium and vitamin D supplementation improves the metabolic profile of pregnant women with gestational diabetes, new research shows. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), a pregnancy complication, is characterized by carbohydrate intolerance and metabolic disorders. Approximately 7% of all pregnancies in the United States are affected by GDM, but the prevalence ranges from 1 to 14% of all pregnancies in the world depending on the population studied and the diagnostic criteria used.

It is time to abandon obesity myths, experts say Posted: 23 Jun 2014 07:49 PM PDT Researchers say it is time to abandon some popular but erroneous obesity myths. In a new article, the team presents nine obesity myths and 10 commonly held but unproven presumptions that the authors suggest lead to poor policy decisions, inaccurate public health recommendations and wasted resources.

Cocoa extract may counter specific mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease Posted: 23 Jun 2014 07:49 PM PDT Insights into mechanisms behind cocoa's benefit may lead to new treatments or dietary regimens for those suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Lavado cocoa is primarily composed of polyphenols, antioxidants also found in fruits and vegetables, with past studies suggesting that they prevent degenerative diseases of the brain.

Fatal cellular malfunction identified in Huntington's disease Posted: 23 Jun 2014 07:49 PM PDT Researchers believe they have learned how mutations in the gene that causes Huntington's disease kill brain cells, a finding that could open new opportunities for treating the fatal disorder. Huntington's disease is caused by a defect in the huntingtin gene, which makes the huntingtin protein. Life expectancy after initial onset is about 20 years.

Picture books for visually impaired kids go 3-D Posted: 23 Jun 2014 12:51 PM PDT A children's classic that already is a candidate for the all-time best feel-good book, 'Goodnight Moon,' has gotten a boost: Researchers printed the first 3D version of it, allowing visually impaired children and their families to touch objects in the story -- like the cow jumping over the moon -- as it is read aloud.

Young indoor tanning increases early risk of skin cancer Posted: 23 Jun 2014 11:18 AM PDT Early exposure to the ultraviolet radiation lamps used for indoor tanning is related to an increased risk of developing basal cell carcinomas (BCC) at a young age, researchers confirm. Since indoor tanning has become increasingly popular among adolescents and young adults, this research calls attention to the importance of counseling young people about the risk of indoor tanning. The study notes that indoor tanning products can produce 10 to 15 times as much UV radiation as the midday sun.

Air apparent: Using bubbles to reveal fertility problems Posted: 23 Jun 2014 11:17 AM PDT Doctors in California are the first fertility specialists in the county to use a new ultrasound technique to assess fallopian tubes by employing a mixture of saline and air bubbles that is less painful, avoids X-ray exposure and is more convenient to patients during an already vulnerable time. Using the technique, the physician delivers the mixture of saline and air bubbles into the uterus through a small catheter, which then flows into the fallopian tubes. Under ultrasound, the air bubbles are highly visible as they travel through the tubes, allowing the physician to determine if a blockage exists.

Antibiotic developed 50 years ago may be the key to fighting 'superbugs' Posted: 23 Jun 2014 11:17 AM PDT Novel dosing regimens for polymyxin combinations to maximize antibacterial activity and to minimize the emergence of resistance and toxicity -- this has been the focus of a recent research study. Developed more than 50 years ago, polymyxins were not subject to modern antibiotic drug development standards. And they have proved to be toxic to both the kidneys and nervous system.

Sharpening a test for tracing food-borne illness to source Posted: 23 Jun 2014 10:11 AM PDT Research could make it easier for public health investigators to determine if a case of food poisoning is an isolated incident or part of a larger outbreak. The study focuses on a test called multi-locus variable number tandem repeats variable analysis (MLVA). The test, which is increasingly used in the detection and investigation of foodborne outbreaks, analyzes specific sequences of DNA (called loci) that change rapidly enough over time to distinguish outbreak strains from other circulating strains of the bacteria but not so rapidly that connections could be masked by changes arising during the course of an outbreak.

People who are obese or former smokers more likely to follow recommended statin therapy Posted: 23 Jun 2014 10:11 AM PDT Lifestyle factors can help predict whether people will adhere to statin therapy for high cholesterol, a new study suggests. Among people without heart disease and diabetes, those who are overweight, obese or former smokers are more likely to adhere to statin therapy. People with cardiovascular comorbidities, heavy drinkers and extreme drinkers (people who passed out from alcohol consumption) were substantially more likely to be nonadherent than nondrinkers.

Working parents resort to emergency or urgent care visits to get kids back into child care Posted: 23 Jun 2014 10:08 AM PDT Child care rules about illness create socioeconomic emergency for many working parents, especially African Americans, single/divorced parents, and many resort to urgent care or emergency department visits when their sick children were excluded from attending child care, according to a new study.

Cautionary tales: Mustaches, home oxygen therapy, sparks do not mix Posted: 23 Jun 2014 10:08 AM PDT Facial hair and home oxygen therapy can prove a dangerously combustible combination, report finds. To reach that conclusion, researchers reviewed home oxygen therapy-related burn cases and experimented with a mustachioed mannequin, a facial hair-free mannequin, nasal oxygen tubes and sparks. They found that facial hair raises the risk of home oxygen therapy-related burns, and encourage health care providers to counsel patients about the risk.

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