ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Chemicals released during natural gas extraction may harm reproduction, development
• Promising compound rapidly eliminates malaria parasite
• Mindfulness intervention boosts brain activation for healthy pleasures
• Malnutrition a predictor of long-term survival in patients undergoing Whipple procedure
• New signaling role for key protein may contribute to wound healing, tumor growth
• Text messages prevent one in six patients from failing to take medicine
• Agent prevents prostate cancer growth, spread in animal studies
• Spinal circuitry responsible for chronic pain charted
• Even perceived risk of disease prompts intention to act
• Significant increase in concussions among Ontario children, youth, study finds
• Evidence for 'bilingual advantage' may be less conclusive than previously thought
• Propranolol in infantile hemangioma: Indication of major added benefit in some patients
• Penicillin tactics revealed by scientists
• Protein that controls the 'guardian of the genome' identified
• Salience network linked to brain disorders
• Apixaban in DVT, pulmonary embolism: Patients with high BMI benefit considerably
• Drugs in the environment affect plant growth
• Stick out your tongue: Tongue appearance and illness
• Loss of a chemical tag on RNA keeps embryonic stem cells in suspended animation
• Give flawed payments database time to improve
• More patients with Lou Gehrig's disease have genetic origin than previously thought
• New single-cell analysis reveals complex variations in stem cells
• Obesity may shorten life expectancy up to eight years
• Basic medical care of Ebola patients neglected and must improve
• Coordinated care beneficial to kids with complex respiratory, gastrointestinal disorders
• Teleophthalmology for screening, recurrence of age-related macular degeneration
• Boosting length of breastfeeding could save NHS more than £40 million every year
• Images of brain after mild stroke predict future risk
• 3-D printed heart could reduce heart surgeries in children
• Older cancer patients missing out on surgery
• Cerebral oxygenation in elite kenyan athletes
• How stroke survivors could benefit from computer games
• Type 2 diabetes risk starts in pregnancy
• Self-management support: Male healthcare attitudes studied
• Antioxidant capacity of orange juice is multiplied tenfold
• Spine patient gets fast relief after years of severe neck pain
• Closer look at measuring cancer survival
• Simple model predicts progression of kidney disease among socially disadvantaged patients
• Low levels of circulating protein linked with heart problems in mice with kidney disease
• Imaging techniques reliably predict treatment outcomes for TB patients
• Distrust of police is top reason Latinos don't call 911 for cardiac arrest
• ER docs can treat pediatric pain without a needle
• Response to viral infections depends on entry route of virus
• Can marital quality mitigate stress of caring for ailing family member?
• Quiet as a mouse, but so much to hear
• How are CTE and behavior linked? The answer requires more in-depth research, scientists say
• Rice could make cholera treatment more effective
• NFL athletes seeking unproven stem cell treatments, research shows
• Friendly bacteria are protective against malaria

Chemicals released during natural gas extraction may harm reproduction, development Posted: 05 Dec 2014 02:50 PM PST Unconventional oil and gas operations combine directional drilling and hydraulic fracturing to release natural gas from rock. Discussions have centered on potential air and water pollution from chemicals and how they affect the more than 15 million Americans living within one mile of UOG operations. Now, a researcher has conducted the largest review of research centered on fracking byproducts and their effects on human reproductive and developmental health.

Promising compound rapidly eliminates malaria parasite Posted: 05 Dec 2014 02:50 PM PST A promising anti-malarial compound tricks the immune system to rapidly destroy red blood cells infected with the malaria parasite but leave healthy cells unharmed, an international group of researchers has found. Planning has begun for safety trials of the compound in healthy adults.

Mindfulness intervention boosts brain activation for healthy pleasures Posted: 05 Dec 2014 11:24 AM PST How can people who are dependent on prescription opioids reduce their cravings? Learn to enjoy other aspects of their lives. Researchers report that after a sample of chronic pain patients misusing opioids went through MORE, they exhibited increased brain activation on an EEG to natural healthy pleasures. The MORE intervention concentrates on helping people to recover a sense of meaning and fulfillment in everyday life, embracing its pleasures and pain without turning to substance use as a coping mechanism.

Malnutrition a predictor of long-term survival in patients undergoing Whipple procedure Posted: 05 Dec 2014 11:24 AM PST Malnutrition is an important factor predicting long-term survival in older patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) -- commonly called the Whipple procedure -- to treat benign tumors and cysts of the pancreas as well as pancreatitis, according to new study results.

New signaling role for key protein may contribute to wound healing, tumor growth Posted: 05 Dec 2014 11:24 AM PST A key protein may represent a new way to use the immune system to speed healing and counter inflammatory, infectious and autoimmune diseases, according to study. The current study results revolve around proteinases, enzymes that break down proteins as part of cellular life. Matrix metalloproteinases or MMPs specifically target the extracellular matrix, the non-cell, structural framework within tissues. Beyond that role, the new study found that one member of this family, MMP-2, has another signaling role related to the human immune system.

Text messages prevent one in six patients from failing to take medicine Posted: 05 Dec 2014 11:24 AM PST Text messaging prevents one in six patients from forgetting to take, or stopping, their prescribed medicines, researchers have found. Around a third of people do not take their treatment as prescribed, greatly reducing potential benefits and increasing costs in wasted medicines and treating avoidable illness. Some patients forget to take their tablets and others stop because of uncertainty over the benefits or harms of treatment.

Agent prevents prostate cancer growth, spread in animal studies Posted: 05 Dec 2014 11:24 AM PST Researchers have completed a critical step in the journey from a basic science discovery in the lab to a potential clinical application by showing an experimental agent prevents tumor growth and spread in mice with prostate cancer harboring a common chromosomal abnormality. The agent, YK-4-279, is the first drug targeted at the chromosomal translocations found in about half of prostate cancer cells.

Spinal circuitry responsible for chronic pain charted Posted: 05 Dec 2014 11:23 AM PST Pain typically has a clear cause–but not always. When a person touches something hot or bumps into a sharp object, it's no surprise that it hurts. But for people with certain chronic pain disorders, including fibromyalgia and phantom limb pain, a gentle caress can result in agony. Findings of new research could lead to new therapeutics for disorders such as fibromyalgia and phantom limb pain.

Even perceived risk of disease prompts intention to act Posted: 05 Dec 2014 09:44 AM PST With so much focus on risk factors for disease, we are living in an era of surveillance medicine, in which the emphasis on risk blurs the lines between health and illness, argue researchers. A nationwide survey of American adults was conducted to determine if healthy people react to hypothetical genetic risk information by wanting to take action.

Significant increase in concussions among Ontario children, youth, study finds Posted: 05 Dec 2014 09:44 AM PST The number of children and youth treated for concussions in both emergency departments and physician's offices in Ontario increased significantly between 2003 and 2010, with falls, hockey and skating injuries identified as the leading causes of pediatric concussion, according to a new study.

Evidence for 'bilingual advantage' may be less conclusive than previously thought Posted: 05 Dec 2014 09:43 AM PST Study results that challenge the idea that bilingual speakers have a cognitive advantage are less likely to be published than those that support the bilingual-advantage theory, according to new research. This research suggests that a publication bias in favor of positive results may skew the overall literature on bilingualism and cognitive function.

Propranolol in infantile hemangioma: Indication of major added benefit in some patients Posted: 05 Dec 2014 09:43 AM PST Data were only available for children at risk of permanent scars or disfigurement, however, based on this information, scientists report that added benefit of propranolol in infantile hemangioma is proven in other children with proliferating hemangioma.

Penicillin tactics revealed by scientists Posted: 05 Dec 2014 08:40 AM PST One of the oldest and most widely used antibiotics, penicillin, attacks enzymes that build the bacterial cell wall. Researchers have now shown that penicillin and its variants also set in motion a toxic malfunctioning of the cell's wall-building machinery, dooming the cell to a futile cycle of building and then immediately destroying that wall.

Protein that controls the 'guardian of the genome' identified Posted: 05 Dec 2014 08:40 AM PST A well-known mechanism required for the immune response is now better understood, thanks to new research. Researchers have identified a protein that controls the activity of the p53 tumor suppressor protein known as the 'guardian of the genome.'

Salience network linked to brain disorders Posted: 05 Dec 2014 08:40 AM PST A brain structure called the insula is essential for selecting things out of the environment that are 'salient' for an individual, and dysfunction of this system is linked to brain disorders such as autism, psychosis and dementia.

Apixaban in DVT, pulmonary embolism: Patients with high BMI benefit considerably Posted: 05 Dec 2014 08:40 AM PST There is proof of an added benefit of initial treatment with the new drug in a BMI over 28 kg/m2, but not in lower BMI and for long-term prevention, research indicates.

Drugs in the environment affect plant growth Posted: 05 Dec 2014 08:39 AM PST By assessing the impacts of a range of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, research has shown that the growth of edible crops can be affected by these chemicals -- even at the very low concentrations found in the environment. The research focused its analysis on lettuce and radish plants and tested the effects of several commonly prescribed drugs, including diclofenac and ibuprofen. These drugs are among the most common and widely used group of pharmaceuticals, with more than 30 million prescribed across the world every day.

Stick out your tongue: Tongue appearance and illness Posted: 05 Dec 2014 08:39 AM PST The tongue can betray signs of illness, which combined with other symptoms such as a cough, fever, presence of jaundice, headache or bowel habits, can help a physician offer a diagnosis. For people in remote areas who do not have ready access to a physician, a new diagnostic system works to combine the soft inputs of described symptoms with a digital analysis of an image of the patient's tongue.

Loss of a chemical tag on RNA keeps embryonic stem cells in suspended animation Posted: 05 Dec 2014 07:03 AM PST A novel mechanism of RNA regulation in embryonic stem cells has been discovered by scientists. They present strong evidence that a specific chemical modification or 'tag' on RNA plays a key role in determining the ability of embryonic stem cells to adopt different cellular identities.

Give flawed payments database time to improve Posted: 05 Dec 2014 07:03 AM PST A federal database meant to report the financial ties between doctors and drug and device makers debuted Sept. 30, 2014, with major gaps in the data. Despite those flaws, the public should give the site the chance to improve because its value, even if mostly unrealized, is great, argue experts.

More patients with Lou Gehrig's disease have genetic origin than previously thought Posted: 05 Dec 2014 07:00 AM PST Genetics may play a larger role in causing Lou Gehrig's disease than previously believed, potentially accounting for more than one-third of all cases, according to one of the most comprehensive genetic studies to date of patients who suffer from the condition also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS.

New single-cell analysis reveals complex variations in stem cells Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:49 AM PST Using powerful new single-cell genetic profiling techniques, scientists have uncovered far more variation in pluripotent stem cells than was previously appreciated. The findings bring researchers closer to a day when many different kinds of stem cells could be leveraged for disease therapy and regenerative treatments.

Obesity may shorten life expectancy up to eight years Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:48 AM PST 'Tis the season to indulge. However, restraint may be best, according to a new study. The researchers examined the relationship between body weight and life expectancy. Their findings show that overweight and obese individuals have the potential to decrease life expectancy by up to eight years.

Basic medical care of Ebola patients neglected and must improve Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:48 AM PST The widespread misconception that there are no proven treatments for Ebola virus disease has meant that simple treatments -- especially intravenous fluids and electrolytes, which could reduce the number of deaths caused by the virus -- have been neglected, according to an expert.

Coordinated care beneficial to kids with complex respiratory, gastrointestinal disorders Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:48 AM PST Coordinated care by specialists for children with complex respiratory and gastrointestinal disorders helped lower hospital charges by reducing clinic visits and anesthesia-related procedures in a small single-center study, according to a report.

Teleophthalmology for screening, recurrence of age-related macular degeneration Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:40 AM PST No relevant delay between referral and treatment was found when teleophthalmology was used to screen for suspected age-related macular degeneration and, while teleophthalmology monitoring for recurrence of AMD did result in an average longer wait time for treatment reinitiation, it did not result in worse visual outcomes, according to a study.

Boosting length of breastfeeding could save NHS more than £40 million every year Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:40 AM PST Doubling the number of mothers who breastfeed for 7-18 months in their lifetime and helping others to continue for at least four months could save the National Health Service more than £40 million every year, suggests new research.

Images of brain after mild stroke predict future risk Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:40 AM PST A CT scan of the brain within 24 hours of a mild, non-disabling stroke can predict when patients will be at the highest risk of another stroke or when symptoms may worsen, according to new research. Like stroke, a transient ischemic attack (TIA) is caused by restricted blood supply to the brain. Symptoms may last only a few minutes.

3-D printed heart could reduce heart surgeries in children Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:40 AM PST Being able to practice on a model heart allows doctors to optimize the interventional procedure pre-operatively. 3-D models can also be used to discuss the intervention with the medical team, patients and, in the case of congenital heart defects, with parents. It helps everyone affected to better understand what the procedure will involve.

Older cancer patients missing out on surgery Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:38 AM PST Older people are less likely to have cancer surgery compared to younger people, according to new data. A report reveals the difference in rates of surgery across 21 different cancer types. While many factors might be at play -- frailty, suffering more than one illness, being diagnosed at a late stage, patients choosing not to undergo surgery -- these statistics paint a worrying picture.

Cerebral oxygenation in elite kenyan athletes Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:38 AM PST A pioneering study in the world of the physiology of exercise describes for the first time that elite Kenyan athletes have greater brain oxygenation during periods of maximum physical effort, which contributes to their success in long-distance races.

How stroke survivors could benefit from computer games Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:38 AM PST Stroke survivors can have "significant" improvement in arm movements after using the Nintendo Wii as physiotherapy, according to researchers. The popular computer remote could be customized to offer bespoke physiotherapy for stroke survivors in their own home, they say.

Type 2 diabetes risk starts in pregnancy Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:37 AM PST The risk of developing type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease is affected by exposures in the uterus, research shows. Experts are now calling for updated guidelines in light of research evidence from the past decades.  The fetal programming hypothesis hinges around the idea that the intrauterine environment, the milieu in which the fetus is exposed as it grows, impacts the trajectory for disease risk later in life.

Self-management support: Male healthcare attitudes studied Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:37 AM PST A researcher studying male attitudes towards self-managing long-term healthcare issues has discovered that self-management support is better received by men if it does not threaten aspects of masculine identity.

Antioxidant capacity of orange juice is multiplied tenfold Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:37 AM PST The antioxidant activity of citrus juices and other foods is undervalued, experts say. A new technique for measuring this property generates values that are ten times higher than those indicated by current analysis methods. The results suggest that tables on the antioxidant capacities of food products that dieticians and health authorities use must be revised. Orange juice and juices from other citrus fruits are considered healthy due to their high content of antioxidants, which help to reduce harmful free radicals in our body, but a new investigation shows that their benefits are greater than previously thought.

Spine patient gets fast relief after years of severe neck pain Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:36 AM PST A new article outlines how a spine patient obtained almost instant relief after years of severe neck pain. The patient injured her neck after falling from her roof while clearing snow. She tried various therapies over the years, but the treatments provided, at best, only temporary relief.

Closer look at measuring cancer survival Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:36 AM PST When looking at cancer, measures of survival are a valuable tool to clinicians, researchers and public health officials. New research further examines this topic comparing relative survival rates that use state life tables to traditional methods that use U.S.-based life tables.

Simple model predicts progression of kidney disease among socially disadvantaged patients Posted: 05 Dec 2014 05:31 AM PST A simple model using 5 commonly available variables from electronic health records adequately discriminates between socially disadvantaged individuals with chronic kidney disease who will and will not progress to kidney failure.

Low levels of circulating protein linked with heart problems in mice with kidney disease Posted: 05 Dec 2014 05:31 AM PST Decreased blood levels of a protein called Klotho increases the risk of heart disease in mice with chronic kidney disease, researchers report. If confirmed in humans, increasing Klotho levels may help protect the hearts of patients with chronic kidney disease.

Imaging techniques reliably predict treatment outcomes for TB patients Posted: 04 Dec 2014 01:06 PM PST Two medical imaging techniques, called positron emission tomography and computed tomography, could be used in combination as a biomarker to predict the effectiveness of antibiotic drug regimens being tested to treat tuberculosis patients, according to researchers. With multidrug-resistant tuberculosis and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis on the rise worldwide, new biomarkers are needed to determine whether a particular TB drug regimen is effective.

Distrust of police is top reason Latinos don't call 911 for cardiac arrest Posted: 04 Dec 2014 01:06 PM PST Fear of police, language barriers, lack of knowledge of cardiac arrest symptoms and financial concerns prevent Latinos -- particularly those of lower socioeconomic status -- from seeking emergency medical help and performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation, according to a study.

ER docs can treat pediatric pain without a needle Posted: 04 Dec 2014 12:27 PM PST Children in emergency departments can safely be treated for pain from limb injuries using intranasal ketamine, a drug more typically used for sedation, according to the results of the first randomized, controlled trial comparing intranasal analgesics in children in the emergency department.

Response to viral infections depends on entry route of virus Posted: 04 Dec 2014 12:27 PM PST Insects can transmit viral diseases to humans. Therefore, understanding how insects cope with viral infection, and what immune mechanisms are triggered, can be important to stop diseases transmission. In a new study, researchers now show that the entry route of the virus changes how the insect host responds to it.

Can marital quality mitigate stress of caring for ailing family member? Posted: 04 Dec 2014 12:27 PM PST Caring for a chronically ill family member can impact the caregiver's physical, biological and mental health, according to research. "Higher levels of marital strain among family caregivers exacerbate the negative health impact," she said. "In contrast, less strain from the spouse buffered this effect."

Quiet as a mouse, but so much to hear Posted: 04 Dec 2014 12:27 PM PST One researcher listens to what is inaudible to others. And what she's hearing might one day help us better understand human hearing loss.

How are CTE and behavior linked? The answer requires more in-depth research, scientists say Posted: 04 Dec 2014 12:27 PM PST Media reports routinely link chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the neurodegenerative brain disease, with behavioral symptoms in former football players. But just how CTE and behavioral changes are related is poorly understood, researchers write.

Rice could make cholera treatment more effective Posted: 04 Dec 2014 11:26 AM PST Though undeniably effective, the current rehydration therapy for cholera could increase the toxicity of the cholera bacterium, researchers have discovered. Backed with new data, the scientists propose a change in the treatment, replacing glucose with starch from rice powder.

NFL athletes seeking unproven stem cell treatments, research shows Posted: 04 Dec 2014 11:10 AM PST Some National Football League players have been seeking out unproven stem cell therapies to help accelerate recoveries from injuries, according to a new paper. Each year, more than 700 stem cell clinics around the world open their doors to "stem cell tourists," according to the paper's authors. Patients travel abroad to seek treatment for ailments -- ranging from autism to multiple sclerosis and paralysis -- for which no cure exists and treatment options are limited. The use of stem cells as orthopedic therapies in the U.S. is becoming more commonplace and has drawn the attention of elite athletes, most notably NFL players, who have been vocal about receiving stem cell treatments and their successful recoveries. The paper notes that 12 NFL players have been identified publicly as having received an unapproved stem cell treatment since 2009.

Friendly bacteria are protective against malaria Posted: 04 Dec 2014 11:07 AM PST In a breakthrough study, a research team discovered that specific bacterial components in the human gut microbiota can trigger a natural defense mechanism that is highly protective against malaria transmission. It is estimated that 3.4 billion people are at risk of contracting malaria and WHO data from 2012 reveal that about 460,000 African children died from malaria before reaching their fifth birthday. The present study argues that if one can induce the production of antibodies against alpha-gal in those children one may be able to revert these grim numbers.

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