ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Progress on detecting glucose levels in saliva: New biochip sensor
• 'Cool' factor separates e-cigarettes from nicotine inhalers, study finds
• More than 10 percent of heart attack patients may have undiagnosed diabetes
• Preservation of wine without sulphite addition
• Process to help personalize treatment for lung cancer patients developed
• Prototype electrolyte sensor to provide immediate read-outs: Painless wearable microneedle device may reduce trips to doctors' offices
• Brain signals link physical fitness to better language skills in kids
• Chinese stroke patients fare better when hospitals follow guidelines
• Lasers, night-vision technology help improve imaging of hidden lymphatic system
• Quest for the bionic arm: Advancements and challenges
• In utero exposure to antidepressants may influence autism risk
• Children with autism have elevated levels of steroid hormones in the womb
• Drug resistance in metastatic melanoma: New insight
• Immunotherapy may be an option in challenging breast cancer
• Increased mucins pinned to worsening cystic fibrosis symptoms
• First survey of ACOs reveals surprising level of physician leadership
• Nearly one in eight American children are maltreated before age 18
• Study examines political contributions made by physicians
• Simple change to Medicare Part D would yield $5 billion in savings
• Hispanics cut medication adherence gap after Medicare Part D launch
• Young women fare worse than young men after heart attack
• Seniors who exercise regularly experience less physical decline as they age
• Anti-diabetic drug slows aging and lengthens lifespan, animal study suggests
• Gene therapy combined with IMRT reduces rate of positive prostate biopsy after treatment for intermediate-risk prostate cancer patients
• Is the food industry really concerned with obesity? If people eat less, profits will decline
• No apparent link between chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency, multiple sclerosis
• MRI-guided laser procedure provides alternative to epilepsy surgery
• Neuron tells stem cells to grow new neurons: First piece of new brain-repair circuit identified
• Why colon cancer metastasis always follows the same invasive pattern
• Clinical phenotype similarity in megalencephalic leukoencephalopathy patients explained by zebrafish model study

Progress on detecting glucose levels in saliva: New biochip sensor Posted: 03 Jun 2014 12:10 PM PDT A new biochip sensor that uses dye chemistry and plasmonic interferometry to selectively measure concentrations of glucose in a complex solution similar to human saliva. The advance is an important step toward a device that would enable people with diabetes to test their glucose levels without drawing blood.

'Cool' factor separates e-cigarettes from nicotine inhalers, study finds Posted: 03 Jun 2014 10:58 AM PDT Why are e-cigarettes so popular among Americans who want to quit smoking, even though so little is known about their safety or effectiveness? The answer lies in their marketing -- they are simply 'cooler' than nicotine inhalers. "E-cigarettes have the potential to be important nicotine delivery products because of their high acceptance and perceived benefit, but more data are needed to evaluate their actual efficacy and safety," emphasized the lead researcher.

More than 10 percent of heart attack patients may have undiagnosed diabetes Posted: 03 Jun 2014 10:57 AM PDT At least ten percent of people who have a heart attack may also have undiagnosed diabetes. Less than a third of those diagnosed with diabetes during their hospitalization received diabetes education or medications at discharge. Diabetes, which causes blood sugar to reach dangerous levels, significantly raises the risk for heart attack. Two out of three people with diabetes die from cardiovascular disease.

Preservation of wine without sulphite addition Posted: 03 Jun 2014 10:57 AM PDT A good glass of wine is a byword for quality of life -- and not just for connoisseurs. In order to avoid wine spoilage, wineries mostly add sulphur dioxide during the winemaking process. However, the sulphites that dissolve in wine can cause allergic reactions – including asthma. Within the EU they must therefore be declared as an ingredient on the label and the limits for sulphites in wine have been reduced. Sulphites unfold their preservative action in two ways.

Process to help personalize treatment for lung cancer patients developed Posted: 03 Jun 2014 10:56 AM PDT A process to analyze mutated genes in lung adenocarcinoma to help better select personalized treatment options for patients has been developed by researchers. Adenocarcinoma is the most common type of lung cancer in the United States with approximately 130,000 people diagnosed each year. The study investigated 10 highly mutated and altered genes that contribute to cancer progression, termed oncogenic driver genes, in more than 1,000 lung cancer patients.

Prototype electrolyte sensor to provide immediate read-outs: Painless wearable microneedle device may reduce trips to doctors' offices Posted: 03 Jun 2014 08:43 AM PDT A prototype handheld sensor expected to detect and replenish elecrolytes may aid athletes (runners), soldiers on long missions, and ordinary citizens trying to minimize doctor visits and resultant lab charges. Runners, athletes in other strenuous sports and soldiers on long missions also might prefer immediate knowledge of their electrolytic states as an aid to improved performance. Electrolytes such as potassium, calcium, magnesium and other salts are key in carrying nerve impulses that tell the heart and other muscles when to contract or relax.

Brain signals link physical fitness to better language skills in kids Posted: 03 Jun 2014 08:43 AM PDT Children who are physically fit have faster and more robust neuro-electrical brain responses during reading than their less-fit peers, researchers report. These differences correspond with better language skills in the children who are more fit, and occur whether they're reading straightforward sentences or sentences that contain errors of grammar or syntax.

Chinese stroke patients fare better when hospitals follow guidelines Posted: 03 Jun 2014 08:43 AM PDT Patients who suffered a stroke in China were more likely to survive and avoid catching pneumonia when hospitals followed recommended researched-based guidelines. Only slightly more than half of patients received all guideline-recommended treatments.

Lasers, night-vision technology help improve imaging of hidden lymphatic system Posted: 03 Jun 2014 07:35 AM PDT Detecting lymphedema early, before swelling occurs, would lead to better outcomes for patients, but the major barrier preventing early diagnosis is the lack of high-resolution imaging techniques that can resolve these tiny vessels. Recently, a team of researchers has developed a new technology that can non-invasively image the human lymphatic system. A fluorescent dye and commercially-available laser diode and military-grade night vision devices are used to visualize the lymphatic capillaries.

Quest for the bionic arm: Advancements and challenges Posted: 03 Jun 2014 06:26 AM PDT Nearly 2,000 veterans have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan with injuries requiring amputations; 14 percent of those injured veterans required upper extremity amputations. The recent advancements in upper extremity bionics and the challenges that remain in creating a prosthesis that meets or exceeds the abilities of a human arm and hand are the focus of new research.

In utero exposure to antidepressants may influence autism risk Posted: 03 Jun 2014 06:25 AM PDT A new study adds evidence that using common antidepressant medications during pregnancy may contribute to a higher risk of autism spectrum disorders in children, although this risk is still very small.

Children with autism have elevated levels of steroid hormones in the womb Posted: 03 Jun 2014 06:24 AM PDT Scientists have discovered that children who later develop autism are exposed to elevated levels of steroid hormones (for example testosterone, progesterone and cortisol) in the womb. The finding may help explain why autism is more common in males than females, but should not be used to screen for the condition.

Drug resistance in metastatic melanoma: New insight Posted: 03 Jun 2014 06:23 AM PDT A study has shown how melanoma drugs can cause cancer to progress once a patient has stopped responding to treatment. The findings suggest that using a combination of targeted therapies may be a more effective approach in the clinic.

Immunotherapy may be an option in challenging breast cancer Posted: 03 Jun 2014 06:20 AM PDT Immunotherapy has been identified as a possible treatment option for patients with the difficult-to-treat triple negative breast cancer mutation. Triple negative breast cancer is an aggressive form of breast cancer that evades the immune system because it lacks expression of genes for estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and HER2. This limits treatment options.

Increased mucins pinned to worsening cystic fibrosis symptoms Posted: 02 Jun 2014 05:44 PM PDT The first quantitative evidence that mucins – the protein framework of mucus – are significantly increased in cystic fibrosis patients, and play a major role in failing lung function, has been presented by researchers. The research shows that a three-fold increase of mucins dramatically increases the water-draining power of the mucus layer. This hinders mucus clearance in the CF lung, resulting in infection, inflammation, and ultimately lung failure.

First survey of ACOs reveals surprising level of physician leadership Posted: 02 Jun 2014 01:27 PM PDT In spite of early concerns that hospitals' economic strengths would lead them to dominate the formation of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), a new study reveals the central role of physician leadership in the first wave of ACOs. ACOs are groups of providers that are held responsible for the care of defined populations of patients.The key notion is that the providers within the ACO receive financial rewards for both improving the quality of care and reducing the growth of costs. Over 600 Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) are now operating in the U.S.

Nearly one in eight American children are maltreated before age 18 Posted: 02 Jun 2014 01:26 PM PDT By the time they reach age 18, about 12 percent of American children experience a confirmed case of maltreatment in the form of neglect, physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, according to a new study. "Maltreatment is on the scale of other major public health concerns that affect child health and well-being," one researcher said. "Because child maltreatment is also a risk factor for poor mental and physical health outcomes throughout life, the results of this study provide valuable epidemiologic information."

Study examines political contributions made by physicians Posted: 02 Jun 2014 01:26 PM PDT The percentage of physicians making campaign contributions in federal elections increased to 9.4 percent in 2012 from 2.6 percent in 1991, and during that time physician contributors shifted away from Republicans toward Democrats, especially in specialties dominated by women or those that are traditionally lower paying such as pediatrics, according to a new study.

Simple change to Medicare Part D would yield $5 billion in savings Posted: 02 Jun 2014 01:26 PM PDT The federal government could save over $5 billion in the first year by changing the way it assigns Part D plans for Medicare beneficiaries eligible for low-income subsidies, according to experts. Medicare Part D provides assistance to beneficiaries below 150 percent of the federal poverty level. In 2013, an estimated 10 million beneficiaries received subsidies, and 75 percent of the total Part D federal spending of $60 billion is for low-income enrollees.

Hispanics cut medication adherence gap after Medicare Part D launch Posted: 02 Jun 2014 01:26 PM PDT After the 2006 launch of Medicare's prescription drug benefit, Hispanics reduced the gap for taking prescribed heart medicines by more than 15 percentage points. Hispanics, African-Americans and white Medicare participants all improved medication adherence after Part D, with whites continuing to have the highest adherence rate. African-Americans in Medicare appear to have fallen further behind in medication adherence.

Young women fare worse than young men after heart attack Posted: 02 Jun 2014 01:26 PM PDT Women age 55 and younger may fare worse than their male counterparts after having a heart attack. Women's poorer health outcomes may be due to a range of socio-demographic, clinical and biological causes, such as undetected chest pain, problems with access to care and increase in work/life responsibilities impacting their health.

Seniors who exercise regularly experience less physical decline as they age Posted: 02 Jun 2014 01:00 PM PDT Older adults in retirement communities who reported more exercise experienced less physical decline than their peers who reported less exercise, although many adults -- even those who exercised -- did not complete muscle-strengthening exercises, which are another defense against physical decline.

Anti-diabetic drug slows aging and lengthens lifespan, animal study suggests Posted: 02 Jun 2014 12:07 PM PDT Researchers have provided new evidence that metformin, the world's most widely used anti-diabetic drug, slows aging and increases lifespan. Scientists teased out the mechanism behind metformin's age-slowing effects: the drug causes an increase in the number of toxic oxygen molecules released in the cell and this, surprisingly, increases cell robustness and longevity in the long term.

Gene therapy combined with IMRT reduces rate of positive prostate biopsy after treatment for intermediate-risk prostate cancer patients Posted: 02 Jun 2014 12:07 PM PDT Combining oncolytic adenovirus-mediated cytotoxic gene therapy (OAMCGT) with intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) reduces the risk of having a positive prostate biopsy two years after treatment in intermediate-risk prostate cancer without affecting patients' quality of life, research has determined.

Is the food industry really concerned with obesity? If people eat less, profits will decline Posted: 02 Jun 2014 12:07 PM PDT Efforts to combat obesity can be a threat to businesses that produce and sell food: If people eat less, profits will decline. But the food industry can't appear to be nonresponsive to what some have called a public health crisis, and it employs several tactics to maintain legitimacy and position itself as "part of the solution" while also protecting profits, shows a new study. Food companies frame obesity as an issue of the choices people are making rather than the choices they are being offered.

No apparent link between chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency, multiple sclerosis Posted: 02 Jun 2014 10:22 AM PDT There appears to be no link between chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency and multiple sclerosis, according to new research. Researchers undertook a study to explore the validity of the theory that chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency and MS are linked. They enrolled 120 patients with MS and 60 healthy controls. A high percentage of patients (58%) and controls (63%) met one or more proposed ultrasound criteria that would help diagnose chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency although there were no differences seen between groups.

MRI-guided laser procedure provides alternative to epilepsy surgery Posted: 02 Jun 2014 10:21 AM PDT For patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) that can't be controlled by medications, a minimally invasive laser procedure performed under MRI guidance provides a safe and effective alternative to surgery, suggests a study. The researchers report their experience with MRI-guided SLAH in 13 adult patients with epilepsy mapped to a part of the brain called the mesial temporal lobe. The patients, median age 24 years, had "intractable" seizures despite treatment with antiepileptic drugs.

Neuron tells stem cells to grow new neurons: First piece of new brain-repair circuit identified Posted: 02 Jun 2014 07:20 AM PDT Researchers have found a new type of neuron in the adult brain that is capable of telling stem cells to make more new neurons. Though the experiments are in their early stages, the finding opens the tantalizing possibility that the brain may be able to repair itself from within.

Why colon cancer metastasis always follows the same invasive pattern Posted: 02 Jun 2014 07:14 AM PDT The genes that favor staggered colon cancer metastasis have been discovered by researchers. Of the colon cancer patients that develop metastases, 40% present metastasis first to the liver and later to the lung, always in this clinical order of appearance. The study reveals that the metastatic lesion in the liver is necessary for later metastasis to lung to occur, the former thus becoming a platform from which the cells prepare the subsequent lung metastatic niche to be colonized.

Clinical phenotype similarity in megalencephalic leukoencephalopathy patients explained by zebrafish model study Posted: 02 Jun 2014 07:14 AM PDT Megalencephalic leukoencephalopathy (MLC) is a genetic neurodegenerative disorder affecting the myelin. Despite research, finer details of the disorder remain quite unknown. To date, there is not any treatment for patients. This rare disease is caused by mutations in MLC1 and GlialCAM and produces megalencephaly, spasticity and ataxia in humans. A new study describes a phenotype of this human disease through the study of genetically-modified zebrafish models.

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