ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Prognostic factors identified for peripheral squamous cell carcinomas of the lung
• Clues to genetics of congenital heart defects emerge from Down syndrome study
• New hope for drug discovery in African sleeping sickness
• Benchmark proposed to better replicate natural stem cell development in the laboratory environment
• New hope for potential prostate cancer patients
• New findings will improve the sex lives of women with back problems
• New compounds reduce debilitating inflammation
• US hospitals lack infection prevention personnel and resources to confront Ebola, survey shows
• New dent in HIV-1's armor: promising target for HIV/AIDS treatment
• Toxin-secreting stem cells treat brain tumors, in mice
• Price displays for physicians – which price is right?
• Endurance athletes at risk of swimming-induced pulmonary oedema
• Shutting off blood supply to extremity to protect heart
• High-dose vitamin D not effective for helping women with repeat reproductive tract infections
• Roman-Britons had less gum disease than modern Britons
• New drug could help in battle against cervical cancer
• People who develop kidney stones may face increased bone fracture risk
• Over-the-scope clipping device for endoscopic management of gastrointestinal defects is safe, effective
• Mother's gestational diabetes linked to daughters being overweight later
• Sunshine may slow weight gain, diabetes onset, study suggests
• How protein ensures reproductive success
• Gene identified for immune system reset after infection
• New clues reveal how weight loss is regulated
• 62% of colorectal cancer patients report financial burden from treatment, study finds
• Changes at the grocery store could turn the burden of shopping with children on its head
• Why people with Down syndrome invariably develop Alzheimer's disease
• Time for change: additional daylight saving could improve public health
• Molecule could suppress immune system's 'friendly fire'

Prognostic factors identified for peripheral squamous cell carcinomas of the lung Posted: 25 Oct 2014 12:27 PM PDT A better survival outcome is associated with low blood levels of squamous cell carcinoma antigen, or absence of tumor invasion either into the space between the lungs and chest wall or into blood vessels of individuals with a peripheral squamous cell carcinoma, a type of non-small cell lung cancer.

Clues to genetics of congenital heart defects emerge from Down syndrome study Posted: 25 Oct 2014 12:27 PM PDT The largest genetic study of congenital heart defects in individuals with Down syndrome found a connection to rare, large genetic deletions affecting cilia, scientists report. The high risk for congenital heart defects in this group provides a tool to identify changes in genes, both on and off chromosome 21, which are involved in abnormal heart development.

New hope for drug discovery in African sleeping sickness Posted: 25 Oct 2014 12:27 PM PDT African sleeping sickness, the neglected trop­ical dis­ease, affects tens of thou­sands of people and is mostly fatal. Now, new research has iden­ti­fied hun­dreds of chem­ical com­pounds that could lead to a cure.

Benchmark proposed to better replicate natural stem cell development in the laboratory environment Posted: 25 Oct 2014 12:25 PM PDT A benchmark to assess how well stem cell culture conditions in the lab resemble counterparts in the developing embryo has been developed by researchers. Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) are cells that can transform into almost any cell in the human body. Scientists have long cultured PSCs in the laboratory (in vitro) using many different methods and under a variety of conditions.

New hope for potential prostate cancer patients Posted: 25 Oct 2014 12:25 PM PDT It has been more than 30 years since the last major advancement in prostate cancer screening technology, and the latest advancement is now available in the United States. It is estimated that 2014 will see more than 240,000 new cases of prostate cancer, and more than 29,000 deaths from the disease.

New findings will improve the sex lives of women with back problems Posted: 24 Oct 2014 11:20 AM PDT Newly published findings are giving women with bad backs renewed hope for better sex lives. The findings -- part of the first-ever study to document how the spine moves during sex -- outline which sex positions are best for women suffering from different types of low-back pain. The new recommendations follow on the heels of comparable guidelines for men released last month.

New compounds reduce debilitating inflammation Posted: 24 Oct 2014 11:20 AM PDT Two compounds that show promise in decreasing inflammation associated with diseases such as ulcerative colitis, arthritis and multiple sclerosis have been discovered by researchers. The compounds, dubbed OD36 and OD38, appear to curtail inflammation-triggering signals from RIPK2. RIPK2 is an enzyme that activates high-energy molecules to prompt the immune system to respond with inflammation.

US hospitals lack infection prevention personnel and resources to confront Ebola, survey shows Posted: 24 Oct 2014 11:20 AM PDT Only 6 percent of US hospitals are well-prepared to receive a patient with the Ebola virus, according to a survey of infection prevention experts at US hospitals conducted Oct. 10-15.

New dent in HIV-1's armor: promising target for HIV/AIDS treatment Posted: 24 Oct 2014 11:19 AM PDT A promising target for HIV/AIDS treatment has been found by researchers who have have uncovered a new protein that participates in active HIV replication. The new protein, called Ssu72, is part of a switch used to awaken HIV-1 (the most common type of HIV) from its slumber. More than 35 million people worldwide are living with HIV and about a million people die a year due to the disease.

Toxin-secreting stem cells treat brain tumors, in mice Posted: 24 Oct 2014 09:46 AM PDT A new way to use stem cells in the fight against brain cancer has been devised by researchers. A team led by a neuroscientist who recently demonstrated the value of stem cells loaded with cancer-killing herpes viruses now has a way to genetically engineer stem cells so that they can produce and secrete tumor-killing toxins.

Price displays for physicians – which price is right? Posted: 24 Oct 2014 09:07 AM PDT In response to research indicating that healthcare costs go down when physicians are shown the cost of tests at the time of ordering, a pair of medical ethicists have outlined the ethical issues that need consideration when designing and displaying prices for physicians.

Endurance athletes at risk of swimming-induced pulmonary oedema Posted: 24 Oct 2014 08:19 AM PDT Endurance athletes taking part in triathlons are at risk of the potentially life-threatening condition of swimming-induced pulmonary oedema, which causes an excess collection of watery fluid in the lungs, is likely to become more common with the increase in participation in endurance sports.

Shutting off blood supply to extremity to protect heart Posted: 24 Oct 2014 07:12 AM PDT Shutting off the blood supply to an arm or leg before cardiac surgery protects the heart during the operation, a study shows. "The heart muscle of the patients who had restricted blood flow to their arm before surgery were able to maintain the same level of energy production during the whole operation, while heart muscle from the other patients' hearts was not. This may be important because heart tissue is dependent on energy to survive, as well as to repair injuries the cells may have endured during surgery," an investigator says.

High-dose vitamin D not effective for helping women with repeat reproductive tract infections Posted: 24 Oct 2014 07:12 AM PDT Vitamin D appears not to be effective for treating repeat occurrences of bacterial vaginosis (BV), the most common reproductive infection among women worldwide. While earlier studies have shown a correlation between low vitamin D levels and BV, new research shows the difficult-to-treat and frequently symptom-free reproductive infection isn't altered by high dose vitamin D supplements.

Roman-Britons had less gum disease than modern Britons Posted: 23 Oct 2014 04:35 PM PDT The Roman-British population from c. 200-400 AD appears to have had far less gum disease than we have today, according to a study of skulls by a periodontist. The surprise findings provide further evidence that modern habits like smoking can be damaging to oral health.

New drug could help in battle against cervical cancer Posted: 23 Oct 2014 04:34 PM PDT Few patients with recurrent or secondary cervical cancer have tumour shrinkage after conventional chemotherapy, and life expectancy is usually less than one year. An academic study into effects of cediranib drug in chemotherapy treatment of cervical cancer shows the drug to standard chemotherapy might be beneficial for patients with metastatic or recurrent cervical cancer.

People who develop kidney stones may face increased bone fracture risk Posted: 23 Oct 2014 04:33 PM PDT People who developed kidney or urinary tract stones were more likely to later experience bone fractures, a study has shown. The median time between diagnosis and bone fracture was 10 years.

Over-the-scope clipping device for endoscopic management of gastrointestinal defects is safe, effective Posted: 23 Oct 2014 12:50 PM PDT Over-the-scope clip placement is a safe and effective therapy for the closure of gastrointestinal defects such as anastomotic leaks, fistulae and perforations, a new study shows. Clinical success was best achieved in patients undergoing closure of perforations or leaks when over-the-scope clip placement was used for primary or rescue therapy. Overall clinical success for closure of perforations and leaks ranged between 90 percent and 73 percent; successful closure of fistulae was achieved in less than half of patients.

Mother's gestational diabetes linked to daughters being overweight later Posted: 23 Oct 2014 12:50 PM PDT Women who developed gestational diabetes and were overweight before pregnancy were at a higher risk of having daughters who were obese later in childhood, according to new research. Based on long-term research that included a multi-ethnic cohort of 421 girls and their mothers, the study is among the first to directly link maternal hyperglycemia (high blood glucose) to offspring being overweight later.

Sunshine may slow weight gain, diabetes onset, study suggests Posted: 23 Oct 2014 12:50 PM PDT Exposure to moderate amounts of sunshine may slow the development of obesity and diabetes, a study in mice suggests. The researchers showed that shining UV light at overfed mice slowed their weight gain. The mice displayed fewer of the warning signs linked to diabetes, such as abnormal glucose levels and resistance to insulin.

How protein ensures reproductive success Posted: 23 Oct 2014 11:22 AM PDT An international team of researchers has discovered how a single protein, called PP4, oversees the processing of DNA during sperm and egg generation for successful fertilization. This protein's activity becomes even more paramount during aging. The study may one day help scientists to understand the mechanisms underlying age-related fertility declines in humans.

Gene identified for immune system reset after infection Posted: 23 Oct 2014 11:22 AM PDT Researchers have uncovered the genes that are normally activated during recovery from bacterial infection. The finding, from C. elegans worms, could lead to ways to jumpstart this recovery process and possibly fend off autoimmune diseases and chronic inflammatory disorders that can result from the body staying in attack mode for too long.

New clues reveal how weight loss is regulated Posted: 23 Oct 2014 11:20 AM PDT A hormone seen as a popular target to develop weight-loss drugs works by directly targeting the brain and triggering previously unknown activity in the nervous system, obesity researchers have found.

62% of colorectal cancer patients report financial burden from treatment, study finds Posted: 23 Oct 2014 10:14 AM PDT Nearly two-thirds of patients treated for colorectal cancer reported some measure of financial burden due to their treatment, according to a new study. The burden was greatest among patients who received chemotherapy.

Changes at the grocery store could turn the burden of shopping with children on its head Posted: 23 Oct 2014 10:13 AM PDT Avoiding power struggles in the grocery store with children begging for sweets, chips and other junk foods – and parents often giving in – could be helped by placing the healthier options at the eye level of children and moving the unhealthy ones out of the way. A new study found that this dynamic is particularly frustrating for caregivers on limited budgets who are trying to save money and make healthy meals.

Why people with Down syndrome invariably develop Alzheimer's disease Posted: 23 Oct 2014 10:08 AM PDT Researchers discover the cell events in the brains of individuals with Down syndrome that lead to the amyloid pathology observed in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease. The findings support a novel approach to treating and preventing both diseases.

Time for change: additional daylight saving could improve public health Posted: 23 Oct 2014 08:10 AM PDT Proposals to permanently increase the hours of waking daylight could have real impacts on public health, new research published just before the end of UK daylight saving suggests. The study shows that having later sunsets leads to an increase in children's physical activity. Over 23,000 children were studied in nine countries, with researchers examining associations between time of sunset and activity levels, measured via accelerometers.

Molecule could suppress immune system's 'friendly fire' Posted: 23 Oct 2014 07:10 AM PDT A molecule that could potentially accelerate clinical trials to combat autoimmune diseases has been identified by researchers. Autoimmune diseases occur when a group of immune cells called pro-inflammatory T-effector cells become sensitized to specific cells in the body, identifying them as foreign and attacking them as if they were invading bacteria. This 'friendly fire' goes unchecked due to the failing of another type of immune cell: called the T-reg, which controls T- effector cells, shutting them down when they are not needed.

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