ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Without swift influx of substantial aid, Ebola epidemic in Africa poised to explode
• Novel software application can stratify early-stage non-small cell lung cancer patients
• Anaplastic lymphoma kinase immunohistochemistry testing comparable to, if not better than, fluorescence in situ hybridization testing
• Designer 'barrel' proteins created
• A gut bacterium that attacks dengue and malaria pathogens and their mosquito vectors
• Significant increase in type 1 diabetes rates among non-Hispanic white youth
• Sleep difficulties common among toddlers with psychiatric disorders
• Cancer exosome 'micro factories' aid in cancer progression
• YEATS protein potential therapeutic target for cancer
• Paper-based synthetic gene networks could enable rapid detection of ebola and other viruses
• Gene that once aided survival in Arctic found to have negative impact on health today
• Experimental breast cancer drug holds promise in combination therapy for Ewing sarcoma
• California's tobacco control efforts losing steam, finds report
• Thyroid cancer genome analysis finds markers of aggressive tumors
• First protein microfiber engineered: New material advances tissue engineering and drug delivery
• Shorter tuberculosis treatment not a successful alternative, clinical drug trial shows
• Birds roosting in large groups less likely to contract west nile virus
• ALS is a protein aggregation disease, research shows
• New window of opportunity to prevent cardiovascular, diseases
• Beetroot beneficial for athletes, heart failure patients, research finds
• Dispositional mindfulness associated with better cardiovascular health
• 'Watch' cites concern about flexible reamer breakage during anatomic ACL reconstruction
• Added benefit of vedolizumab is not proven
• Rare diseases: No reason for lower demands for studies
• Precise, programmable biological circuits
• RF heating of magnetic nanoparticles improves thawing of cryopreserved biomaterials
• Cancer patients should not hesitate to speak with their doctors about dietary supplements
• Powerful new class of weapons found in the war on cancer
• If you're over 60, drink up: Alcohol associated with better memory
• 'Breath test' shows promise for diagnosing fungal pneumonia
• Music therapy reduces depression in children, adolescents
• Omega 3 can help children with ADD, experts say
• Chamber of secrets: Cell organization influences ability to communicate
• Herbal medicines could contain dangerous levels of toxic mold
• Rapid test to diagnose severe sepsis
• New test could identify infants with rare insulin disease
• Two-color barcodes: Dynamic duo to fight crime, cancer
• Should the Japanese give nuclear power another chance?
• 100 days in Michigan: New analysis of state's medicaid expansion
• Readmission after colorectal cancer surgery as quality measure
• Online dermatologic follow-up for atopic dermatitis earns equivalent results
• Enterovirus D68 expected to fade away into winter
• New treatment resolves hazardous airway complication in child with heart disease
• Steadily rising increases in mitochondrial DNA mutations cause abrupt shifts in disease

Without swift influx of substantial aid, Ebola epidemic in Africa poised to explode Posted: 23 Oct 2014 04:35 PM PDT The Ebola virus disease epidemic already devastating swaths of West Africa will likely get far worse in the coming weeks and months unless international commitments are significantly and immediately increased, new research predicts.

Novel software application can stratify early-stage non-small cell lung cancer patients Posted: 23 Oct 2014 11:23 AM PDT Computer-Aided Nodule Assessment and Risk Yield, is a novel software tool that can automatically quantitate adenocarcinoma pulmonary nodule characteristics from non-invasive high resolution computed tomography images and stratify non-small cell lung cancer patients into risk groups that have significantly different disease-free survival outcome.

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase immunohistochemistry testing comparable to, if not better than, fluorescence in situ hybridization testing Posted: 23 Oct 2014 11:23 AM PDT Sixteen institutions across Europe collaborated together to show for the first time that a semi-quantitative anaplastic lymphoma kinase protein expression test, immunohistochemistry, is reliable amongst several laboratories and reviewers when test methodology and result interpretation are strictly standardized and the scoring pathologists are appropriately trained on the test.

Designer 'barrel' proteins created Posted: 23 Oct 2014 11:23 AM PDT Designer proteins that expand on nature's own repertoire, created by a team of chemists and biochemists, are described in a new paper. Proteins are long linear molecules that fold up to form well-defined 3D shapes. These 3D molecular architectures are essential for biological functions such as the elasticity of skin, the digestion of food, and the transport of oxygen in blood.

A gut bacterium that attacks dengue and malaria pathogens and their mosquito vectors Posted: 23 Oct 2014 11:22 AM PDT Just like those of humans, insect guts are full of microbes, and the microbiota can influence the insect's ability to transmit diseases. A new study reports that a bacterium isolated from the gut of an Aedes mosquito can reduce infection of mosquitoes by malaria parasites and dengue virus. The bacterium can also directly inhibit these pathogens in the test tube, and shorten the life span of the mosquitoes that transmit both diseases.

Significant increase in type 1 diabetes rates among non-Hispanic white youth Posted: 23 Oct 2014 10:22 AM PDT The rate of non-Hispanic white youth diagnosed with type 1 diabetes increased significantly from 2002 to 2009 in all but the youngest age group of children, according to a new study.

Sleep difficulties common among toddlers with psychiatric disorders Posted: 23 Oct 2014 10:22 AM PDT Sleep difficulties -- particularly problems with falling asleep -- were very common among toddlers and preschool-aged children who were receiving clinical treatment for a wide range of psychiatric disorders, a study has found. "This study is a great reminder that it's critical for mental health providers working with young children and their families to ask about children's sleep," said one expert.

Cancer exosome 'micro factories' aid in cancer progression Posted: 23 Oct 2014 10:17 AM PDT Exosomes, tiny, virus-sized particles released by cancer cells, can bioengineer micro-RNA molecules resulting in tumor growth. They do so with the help of proteins, such as one named Dicer, scientists have discovered.

YEATS protein potential therapeutic target for cancer Posted: 23 Oct 2014 10:17 AM PDT Federal Express and UPS are no match for the human body when it comes to distribution. There exists in cancer biology an impressive packaging and delivery system that influences whether your body will develop cancer or not, scientists say. Researchers have announced findings indicating a possible new way of manipulating chromatin and its histones through a protein reader known as the YEATS domain protein, providing new hope for cancer treatment.

Paper-based synthetic gene networks could enable rapid detection of ebola and other viruses Posted: 23 Oct 2014 10:16 AM PDT Synthetic gene networks hold great potential for broad biotechnology and medical applications, but so far they have been limited to the lab. A study reveals a new method for using engineered gene circuits beyond the lab, allowing researchers to safely activate the cell-free, paper-based system by simply adding water. The low-cost, easy-to-use platform could enable the rapid detection of different strains of deadly viruses such as Ebola.

Gene that once aided survival in Arctic found to have negative impact on health today Posted: 23 Oct 2014 10:16 AM PDT In individuals living in the Arctic, researchers have discovered a genetic variant that arose thousands of years ago and likely provided an evolutionary advantage for processing high-fat diets or for surviving in a cold environment; however, the variant also seems to increase the risk of hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, and infant mortality in today's northern populations. The findings provide an example of how an initially beneficial genetic change could be detrimental to future generations.

Experimental breast cancer drug holds promise in combination therapy for Ewing sarcoma Posted: 23 Oct 2014 10:13 AM PDT Ewing sarcoma tumors disappeared and did not return in more than 70 percent of mice treated with combination therapy that included drugs from a family of experimental agents developed to fight breast cancer, report researchers.

California's tobacco control efforts losing steam, finds report Posted: 23 Oct 2014 10:08 AM PDT California's position as a leader in tobacco control is under threat, according to a new report. Once a highly successful program and international model, the state's anti-tobacco efforts now appear to be waning due to the decreased spending power of the California Tobacco Control Program, a resurgence of the tobacco industry in state politics, and the emergence of new unregulated tobacco products.

Thyroid cancer genome analysis finds markers of aggressive tumors Posted: 23 Oct 2014 10:08 AM PDT A new comprehensive analysis of thyroid cancer from The Cancer Genome Atlas Research Network has identified markers of aggressive tumors, which could allow for better targeting of appropriate treatments to individual patients.

First protein microfiber engineered: New material advances tissue engineering and drug delivery Posted: 23 Oct 2014 08:10 AM PDT Researchers have broken new ground in the development of proteins that form specialized fibers used in medicine and nanotechnology. For as long as scientists have been able to create new proteins that are capable of self-assembling into fibers, their work has taken place on the nanoscale. For the first time, this achievement has been realized on the microscale -- a leap of magnitude in size that presents significant new opportunities for using engineered protein fibers.

Shorter tuberculosis treatment not a successful alternative, clinical drug trial shows Posted: 23 Oct 2014 08:10 AM PDT A shortened (four month) treatment for tuberculosis is well tolerated and may work well in subsets of tuberculosis patients, but overall could not be considered as an alternative to the current six month standard treatment, a clinical drug trial conducted in five Sub-Sahara African countries shows.

Birds roosting in large groups less likely to contract west nile virus Posted: 23 Oct 2014 08:09 AM PDT Although it would seem logical that large numbers of roosting birds would attract more mosquitoes that carry West Nile virus and contract the disease when bitten, recent research has found the opposite to be true. That is, when large groups of birds roost together the chances that an individual bird will get bitten by mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus and subsequently contract the disease actually go down.

ALS is a protein aggregation disease, research shows Posted: 23 Oct 2014 08:08 AM PDT Using a technique that illuminates subtle changes in individual proteins, chemistry researchers have uncovered new insight into the underlying causes of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

New window of opportunity to prevent cardiovascular, diseases Posted: 23 Oct 2014 07:09 AM PDT Future prevention and treatment strategies for vascular diseases may lie in the evaluation of early brain imaging tests long before heart attacks or strokes occur, according to a systematic review conducted by a team of cardiologists, neuroscientists, and psychiatrists.

Beetroot beneficial for athletes, heart failure patients, research finds Posted: 23 Oct 2014 07:09 AM PDT The nitrate in beetroot targets fast-twitch muscles, increasing the blood flow to muscles that receive less oxygen, researchers report. This can increase high-intensity athletic performance and improve quality of life of heart failure patients.

Dispositional mindfulness associated with better cardiovascular health Posted: 23 Oct 2014 07:09 AM PDT A new study that measured 'dispositional mindfulness' along with seven indicators of cardiovascular health found that persons reporting higher degrees of awareness of their present feelings and experiences had better health. The research suggests that interventions to improve mindfulness could benefit cardiovascular health, an idea researchers can test.

'Watch' cites concern about flexible reamer breakage during anatomic ACL reconstruction Posted: 23 Oct 2014 07:09 AM PDT Experts have issued a 'Watch' regarding concerns over flexible reamer breakage during anatomic single-bundle ACL reconstruction. Flexible reamers help surgeons achieve optimal femoral-tunnel parameters, but they are prone to breakage in certain situations, as the 'Watch' article explains.

Added benefit of vedolizumab is not proven Posted: 23 Oct 2014 07:09 AM PDT In its dossier, the drug manufacturer of vedolizumab presented no suitable data for the therapeutic indication Crohn's disease or for ulcerative colitis, investigators conclude.

Rare diseases: No reason for lower demands for studies Posted: 23 Oct 2014 07:07 AM PDT High-quality randomized controlled trials are also meaningful and feasible in rare diseases, experts say. For a different approach than in more common diseases, there are neither scientific reasons nor specific designs and methods that would not also be relevant for more common diseases. This is the case for both drug and non-drug treatments, they note.

Precise, programmable biological circuits Posted: 23 Oct 2014 07:07 AM PDT Several new components for biological circuits have been developed by researchers. These components are key building blocks for constructing precisely functioning and programmable bio-computers. "The ability to combine biological components at will in a modular, plug-and-play fashion means that we now approach the stage when the concept of programming as we know it from software engineering can be applied to biological computers. Bio-engineers will literally be able to program in future."

RF heating of magnetic nanoparticles improves thawing of cryopreserved biomaterials Posted: 23 Oct 2014 07:07 AM PDT Successful techniques for cryopreserving bulk biomaterials and organ systems would transform current approaches to transplantation and regenerative medicine. However, while vitrified cryopreservation holds great promise, practical application has been limited to smaller systems (cells and thin tissues) due to diffusive heat and mass transfer limitations, which are typically manifested as devitrification and cracking failures during thaw. Reserachers leverage a clinically proven technology platform, in magnetically heated nanoparticles, to overcome this major hurdle limiting further advancement in the field of cryopreservation.

Cancer patients should not hesitate to speak with their doctors about dietary supplements Posted: 23 Oct 2014 06:20 AM PDT Many cancer patients use dietary supplements such as vitamins, minerals and herbs or other botanicals but often don't tell their doctor. This gap in communication can happen when patients believe that their doctors are indifferent or negative toward their use of these supplements. As a result, patients may find information about dietary supplements from unreliable sources, exposing themselves to unneeded risks, experts say.

Powerful new class of weapons found in the war on cancer Posted: 23 Oct 2014 06:20 AM PDT Small molecules that can represent a new class of anticancer drugs with a novel target for the treatment of lung cancer have been identified by an interdisciplinary team of researchers. "These compounds hold potential as an entirely new class of anticancer drugs with a unique therapeutic target for the treatment of cancers," one expert noted.

If you're over 60, drink up: Alcohol associated with better memory Posted: 23 Oct 2014 06:20 AM PDT For people 60 and older who do not have dementia, light alcohol consumption during late life is associated with higher episodic memory -- the ability to recall memories of events -- researchers report.

'Breath test' shows promise for diagnosing fungal pneumonia Posted: 23 Oct 2014 06:19 AM PDT Many different microbes can cause pneumonia, and treatment may be delayed or off target if doctors cannot tell which bug is the culprit. A novel approach -- analyzing a patient's breath for key chemical compounds made by the infecting microbe -- may help detect invasive aspergillosis, a fungal infection that is a leading cause of mortality in patients with compromised immune systems, according to a proof-of-concept study.

Music therapy reduces depression in children, adolescents Posted: 23 Oct 2014 06:18 AM PDT Music therapy reduces depression in children and adolescents with behavioral and emotional problems, a study has found.

Omega 3 can help children with ADD, experts say Posted: 23 Oct 2014 06:18 AM PDT Supplements of the fatty acids omega 3 and 6 can help children and adolescents who have a certain kind of ADHD. New research also indicates that a special cognitive training program can improve problem behavior in children with ADHD.

Chamber of secrets: Cell organization influences ability to communicate Posted: 23 Oct 2014 06:18 AM PDT Cells can huddle to communicate within a restricted group, scientists have found. The study is the first demonstration that the way cells organize themselves influences their ability to communicate. The researchers propose that this strategy, which they discovered in developing zebrafish, could be much more widespread, influencing processes like wound repair, organ formation and even cancer.

Herbal medicines could contain dangerous levels of toxic mold Posted: 23 Oct 2014 06:10 AM PDT Herbal medicines such as licorice, Indian rennet and opium poppy, are at risk of contamination with toxic mold, according to a new study. The authors of the study say it's time for regulators to control mold contamination. An estimated 64% of people use medicinal plants to treat illnesses and relieve pain. The herbal medicine market is worth $60 billion globally, and growing fast. Despite the increasing popularity of herbal medicine, the sale of medicinal plants is mostly unregulated.

Rapid test to diagnose severe sepsis Posted: 23 Oct 2014 06:09 AM PDT A new test could help physicians predict within an hour if a patient will develop severe sepsis so they can begin treatment immediately. The discovery could cut back on the lengthy diagnostic time usually required to confirm if a patient is suffering from sepsis and increase the odds that they will respond to treatment.

New test could identify infants with rare insulin disease Posted: 23 Oct 2014 06:08 AM PDT A rare form of a devastating disease that causes low blood sugar levels in babies and infants may now be recognized earlier thanks to a new test. Congenital hyperinsulinism starves a baby's brain of blood sugar and can lead to lifelong brain damage or permanent disability. The condition occurs when specialised cells in the pancreas release too much insulin which causes frequent low sugar episodes -- the clinical opposite of diabetes. Treatment includes drugs to reduce insulin release but in the most serious cases the pancreas is removed.

Two-color barcodes: Dynamic duo to fight crime, cancer Posted: 23 Oct 2014 06:07 AM PDT Miniature two-color barcodes have the potential to combat forgery and track cancerous cells, investigators say. Tiny rod-like single crystals that act as miniature dual-color barcodes have been synthesized by researchers. The researchers have demonstrated the potential of these barcodes for two very different applications: anti-counterfeiting measures and cell tracking.

Should the Japanese give nuclear power another chance? Posted: 23 Oct 2014 06:07 AM PDT On September 9, 2014, the Japan Times reported an increasing number of suicides coming from the survivors of the March 2011 disaster. In Minami Soma Hospital, which is located 23 km away from the power plant, the number of patients experiencing stress has also increased since the disaster. What's more, many of the survivors are now jobless and therefore facing an uncertain future.

100 days in Michigan: New analysis of state's medicaid expansion Posted: 23 Oct 2014 06:07 AM PDT Right out of the starting gate, Michigan's expansion of health coverage for the poor and near-poor holds lessons for other states that are still on the fence about expanding their own Medicaid programs under the Affordable Care Act, a new analysis shows.

Readmission after colorectal cancer surgery as quality measure Posted: 22 Oct 2014 01:39 PM PDT No significant variation was found in hospital readmission rates after colorectal cancer surgery when the data was adjusted to account for patient characteristics, coexisting illnesses and operation types, which may prompt questions about the use of readmission rates as a measure of hospital quality.

Online dermatologic follow-up for atopic dermatitis earns equivalent results Posted: 22 Oct 2014 01:39 PM PDT An online model for follow-up care of atopic dermatitis, better known as eczema, that gave patients direct access to dermatologists resulted in equivalent clinical improvement compared to patients who received traditional in-person care, a study finds.

Enterovirus D68 expected to fade away into winter Posted: 22 Oct 2014 01:38 PM PDT Late every summer and into every fall, enteroviruses bring a host of unpleasant ailments. This year, Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) has been making headlines for its potentially severe symptoms in children, causing some alarm among parents.

New treatment resolves hazardous airway complication in child with heart disease Posted: 22 Oct 2014 09:32 AM PDT In children with a heart condition, lymph can ooze into airways and dry into a rubbery, potentially life-threatening cast. A new, noninvasive treatment cleared this blockage in a 6-year-old boy, clinicians report.

Steadily rising increases in mitochondrial DNA mutations cause abrupt shifts in disease Posted: 22 Oct 2014 09:31 AM PDT Subtle changes in mitochondrial function may cause a broad range of common metabolic and degenerative diseases, new research demonstrates. The research shows that small changes in the ratio of mutant to normal mitochondrial DNA within the thousands of mitochondrial DNAs inside each cell can cause abrupt changes in the expression of numerous genes within the nuclear DNA.

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