ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Breakthrough experimental therapy to treat colon cancer, chronic inflammatory bowel disease
• New method to halt the advance of liver cancer found
• Two classes of inexpensive generic drugs can reduce breast cancer deaths, new research shows
• Changing the Color of Light
• Tiny mechanical wrist gives new dexterity to needlescopic surgery
• Biomarkers higher in binge drinkers
• Preventing knee pain in at-risk adults with diabetes
• Researchers discover new role for protein in cell division
• Innovative algorithm is helping scientists decipher how drugs work inside the body
• Researchers pinpoint where the brain unites our eyes' double vision
• Scientists set sights on glaucoma medication to treat TB
• Scientists identify schizophrenia's 'Rosetta Stone' gene
• Promising treatment for devastating genetic disorder found
• Potential new targets for treating kidney disease
• Why West Nile virus is more dangerous in the elderly
• Despite court ruling, survey finds child welfare professionals oppose corporal punishment
• Teens with medical marijuana cards much likelier to say they're addicted, but few teens have them
• Building confidence helps people with MS have fuller lives, reports researcher
• U.S. breast milk is glyphosate free
• Mystery of the instant noodle chromosomes
• Are fish getting high on cocaine?
• Improved outcomes associated with stem cell transplantation for children with serious chronic leukemia
• U.S. South Asians more reluctant to seek medication for pain
• Gene-sequence swap using CRISPR to cure hemophilia
• College social life can predict well-being at midlife
• Fighting mosquito resistance to insecticides
• Simple technology makes CRISPR gene editing cheaper
• Access denied: Leukemia thwarted by cutting off link to environmental support
• New antibody portal bolsters biomedical research reliability
• Overeating caused by a hormone deficiency in brain?
• Simple flip of genetic switch determines aging or longevity in animals
• Genetically distinct cells reveal nature's strategy for avoiding pregnancy complications
• Opening the door to the cause of myeloid leukemia: Finding the targets of common mutation
• Genetic roots of adolescent scoliosis
• Multisource feedback process helps surgeons assess, improve teamwork skills
• Link between physician training, brand name prescribing found
• Chemotherapy and quality of life at the end of life
• Body fat can send signals to brain, affecting stress response
• Study identifies challenges of delirium detection in older adults in emergency department
• Expert panel sets nutrition guidelines to manage GI symptoms in autism
• Endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm is safe, study shows
• Researchers decode molecular action of combination therapy for a deadly thyroid cancer
• Novel algorithm identifies DNA copy-number landscapes in African American colon cancers
• Can migraine increase your risk of stroke?
• Aggressive vaccination prevented Amish measles contagion from spreading broadly
• First genetic test developed to predict tumor sensitivity to radiation therapy
• Continued domestic abuse facilitated by post-separation contact, study shows
• New insights into the circuitry of PTSD, mild traumatic brain injury
• It takes a village… to protect us from dangerous infections? New microbiome research suggests so
• Faster, better, cheaper: New method to generate extended data for genome assemblies
• Protein-Rich Nutrition Key to Helping Patients Recover from Severe Burns
• Adding fuel helps fighting the fire: Cortisone affects acute lung injury via pro-inflammatory signalling pathways
• Cannabis psychosis: gender matters
• Tool developed for more accurate interpretation of biomedical research
• Educational benefits of deworming children questioned by re-analysis of flagship study
• Retail meat is a potential vehicle for disease-causing Klebsiella
• Leading experts prescribe how to make cancer drugs more affordable
• Molecular study points to possible therapy for autoimmune disease TTP
• Additional radiation reduces breast-cancer recurrence for some patients
• Researchers urge transplantation of hepatitis c-infected kidneys in some non-infected patients

Breakthrough experimental therapy to treat colon cancer, chronic inflammatory bowel disease Posted: 23 Jul 2015 06:11 PM PDT A groundbreaking experimental therapy has been discovered that has the ability to suppress the development of ulcerative colitis (UC), a disease which causes inflammation in the digestive tract and colon cancer. The treatment utilizes a chemical inhibitor able to block an RNA molecule (microRNA-214) involved in the transmission of genetic information.

New method to halt the advance of liver cancer found Posted: 23 Jul 2015 06:11 PM PDT Drugs targeting the lymphotoxin-beta receptor may improve liver cancer treatment, a new study suggests. The findings could provide new treatment strategies for the disease, which is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide.

Two classes of inexpensive generic drugs can reduce breast cancer deaths, new research shows Posted: 23 Jul 2015 04:05 PM PDT Two different classes of drugs, aromatase inhibitors and bisphosphonates, can each improve survival prospects for postmenopausal women with early breast cancer, two recent studies indicate. Moreover, the researchers suggest that the two types of drug can be used together, increasing the benefits while also decreasing some side-effects.

Changing the Color of Light Posted: 23 Jul 2015 03:15 PM PDT Researchers have developed a method that could improve medical imaging and cancer treatments and increase the efficiency of commercial solar cells by 25 to 30 percent.

Tiny mechanical wrist gives new dexterity to needlescopic surgery Posted: 23 Jul 2015 03:13 PM PDT A mechanical wrist less than 1/16th of an inch thick -- small enough to use in needlescopic surgery, the least invasive form of minimally invasive surgery -- has been created by scientists. Needlescopic surgery, which uses surgical instruments shrunk to the diameter of a sewing needle, is the ultimate form of minimally invasive surgery. The needle-sized incisions it requires are so small that they can be sealed with surgical tape and usually heal without leaving a scar.

Biomarkers higher in binge drinkers Posted: 23 Jul 2015 03:13 PM PDT A biomarker found in the blood of alcohol users is significantly higher in binge drinkers than in those who consume alcohol moderately, according to a study. The biomarker, called phosphatidylethanol, could be used to screen young adults for harmful or heavy drinking such as binge drinking.

Preventing knee pain in at-risk adults with diabetes Posted: 23 Jul 2015 03:12 PM PDT An intensive program of diet and exercise had a small but statistically significant protective effect against the development of knee pain in the short term among overweight adults with diabetes, a new study has found.

Researchers discover new role for protein in cell division Posted: 23 Jul 2015 03:12 PM PDT Pharmaceutical sciences researchers have discovered a protein's previously unknown role in cell division. The well known protein ATF5 controls how often specific genes are copied from DNA. But the research team has found it is also acting as a structural protein.

Innovative algorithm is helping scientists decipher how drugs work inside the body Posted: 23 Jul 2015 03:12 PM PDT Researchers have developed a computer algorithm that is helping scientists see how drugs produce pharmacological effects inside the body. The study could help researchers create drugs that are more efficient and less prone to side effects, suggest ways to regulate a drug's activity, and identify novel therapeutic uses for new and existing compounds.

Researchers pinpoint where the brain unites our eyes' double vision Posted: 23 Jul 2015 03:12 PM PDT Using prisms and an advanced brain scanner, researchers have found the point in the human brain -- very early in image processing in the visual cortex -- in which the transformation to a cyclopean view of the world takes place.

Scientists set sights on glaucoma medication to treat TB Posted: 23 Jul 2015 03:12 PM PDT A common medication used to treat glaucoma could also be used to treat tuberculosis, even the drug-resistant kind, a new study suggests. It's estimated that 2 billion people, globally, carry the infection, but in most cases it lies dormant and the immune system is able to prevent it from spreading in the body.

Scientists identify schizophrenia's 'Rosetta Stone' gene Posted: 23 Jul 2015 03:12 PM PDT A breakthrough reveals gene's influence in a vulnerable period of the brain's development. Researchers hope it could offer a therapeutic target for reversing the disease. There is 'strong evidence' that subtle changes early on in life can lead to 'much bigger' effects in adulthood.

Promising treatment for devastating genetic disorder found Posted: 23 Jul 2015 03:11 PM PDT A multi-institutional team of researchers has identified an apparently successful treatment for a genetic immune disorder that causes a multitude of health problems -- ranging from infections, diabetes, lung disease and the body's immune system attacking and damaging healthy tissues.

Potential new targets for treating kidney disease Posted: 23 Jul 2015 03:11 PM PDT Proteins in the Wnt signaling pathway help drive kidney scarring that can lead to chronic kidney disease, researchers report. When investigators examined the complex process of scarring, or fibrosis, in failing kidneys, they discovered that proteins in the Wnt signaling pathway play a critical role in the crosstalk between cells as scarring occurs.

Why West Nile virus is more dangerous in the elderly Posted: 23 Jul 2015 03:11 PM PDT West Nile virus (WNV) is particularly dangerous in older people, who account for a large number of severe cases and deaths caused by the virus. WNV infection turns serious when the virus crosses the blood-brain-barrier and wreaks havoc among nerve cells in the brain. A new study suggests that several critical components of the early immune response to the virus are impaired in elderly individuals, and that this can explain their vulnerability.

Despite court ruling, survey finds child welfare professionals oppose corporal punishment Posted: 23 Jul 2015 11:02 AM PDT Nearly a month after the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that parents have the right to use corporal punishment to discipline their children, a new survey finds that most leading child welfare professionals think spanking is harmful for children and leads to more aggressive behavior.

Teens with medical marijuana cards much likelier to say they're addicted, but few teens have them Posted: 23 Jul 2015 11:02 AM PDT Teens using marijuana for medical reasons are 10 times more likely to say they are hooked on marijuana than youth who get marijuana illegally, a new study shows. The study is the first to report on a nationally representative sample of 4,394 high school seniors and their legal or illegal medical marijuana use as it relates to other drug use. In the study, 48 teens had medical marijuana cards, but 266 teens used medical marijuana without a card.

Building confidence helps people with MS have fuller lives, reports researcher Posted: 23 Jul 2015 10:48 AM PDT To help people with MS maintain autonomy and independence, a team of researchers set out to determine what factors prevented individuals from undertaking and enjoying the activities they believe are most important to live fulfilling lives.

U.S. breast milk is glyphosate free Posted: 23 Jul 2015 10:31 AM PDT Glyphosate, the main ingredient in the herbicide Roundup, does not accumulate in mother's breast milk, researchers have found. The study is the first to have its results independently verified by an accredited, outside organization.

Mystery of the instant noodle chromosomes Posted: 23 Jul 2015 10:11 AM PDT Researchers have evaluated the benefits of placing the DNA on the principle of spaghetti. Scientists concluded that packing of the genome in a special state called 'fractal globule,' apart from other known advantages of this state, allows the genetic machinery of the cell to operate with maximum speed due to comparatively rapid thermal diffusion.

Are fish getting high on cocaine? Posted: 23 Jul 2015 09:56 AM PDT Both prescription and illegal drugs such as morphine, cocaine and oxycodone have been found in surface waters in Canadian rivers. New research shows that wastewater discharged from wastewater treatment plants in the Grand River watershed of southern Ontario has the potential to contaminate sources of drinking water with these drugs.

Improved outcomes associated with stem cell transplantation for children with serious chronic leukemia Posted: 23 Jul 2015 09:56 AM PDT Researchers have shown greatly improved outcomes in using stem cell transplantation to treat patients with a serious but very rare form of chronic blood cancer called juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML).

U.S. South Asians more reluctant to seek medication for pain Posted: 23 Jul 2015 09:56 AM PDT When compared with other ethnicities, Asians are the most unsatisfied with the health care they received in the United States, previous research has shown. This dissatisfaction with health care partly is caused by health practices in the U.S. clashing with the practices Asian patients and families may be more used to experiencing overseas. Now, researchers have found that health care providers perceive South Asians living in the U.S. to be more reluctant than other ethnicities to report pain as well as seek medications to treat the pain they experience near the end of their lives. Researchers say this finding provides an opportunity for health care professionals to deliver better culturally responsive care to South Asian patients and their families.

Gene-sequence swap using CRISPR to cure hemophilia Posted: 23 Jul 2015 09:55 AM PDT For the first time, chromosomal defects responsible for hemophilia have been corrected in patient-specific iPSCs using CRISPR-Cas9 nucleases. Hemophilia A occurs in about 1 in 5,000 male births and almost half of severe cases are caused by identified "chromosomal inversions." In a chromosomal inversion, the order of the base pairs on the chromosome are reversed so the gene doesn't express properly and the sufferer lacks the blood coagulation factor VIII (F8) gene, which causes blood to clot in healthy people.

College social life can predict well-being at midlife Posted: 23 Jul 2015 09:53 AM PDT It's well known that being socially connected promotes a person's overall and psychological health. A new study now shows that the quantity of social interactions a person has at 20 -- and the quality of social relationships that person has at age 30 -- can benefit her well-being later in life.

Fighting mosquito resistance to insecticides Posted: 23 Jul 2015 09:53 AM PDT Controlling mosquitoes that carry human diseases is a global health challenge as their ability to resist insecticides now threatens efforts to prevent epidemics. Scientists have identified new genetic markers for mosquito resistance to insecticides, which could improve its detection in the field.

Simple technology makes CRISPR gene editing cheaper Posted: 23 Jul 2015 09:52 AM PDT The CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing tool requires an RNA guide to precisely target a segment of DNA, where the Cas9 enzyme can either cut or latch on with a fluorescent probe. Creating guide RNAs is time consuming and expensive, however. Researchers have found a simple, cheap way to produce these guides, making it easy to produce thousands simultaneously, even turning an entire genome into a library of tens of thousands of guide RNAs.

Access denied: Leukemia thwarted by cutting off link to environmental support Posted: 23 Jul 2015 09:52 AM PDT A protein's critical -- and previously unknown -- role in the development and progression of acute myeloid leukemia, a fast-growing and extremely difficult-to-treat blood cancer, has been revealed by researchers.

New antibody portal bolsters biomedical research reliability Posted: 23 Jul 2015 09:52 AM PDT The Histone Antibody Specificity Database is a newly launched online portal that lets scientists find the right antibodies for their research with a much higher degree of confidence than ever before.

Overeating caused by a hormone deficiency in brain? Posted: 23 Jul 2015 09:52 AM PDT When hormone glucagon like peptide-1 was reduced in the central nervous system of laboratory mice, they overate and consumed more high fat food, scientists have found. Although this is not the only reason why people overeat, the study provides new evidence that targeting neurons in the mesolimbic dopamine system -- a reward circuit in the brain -- rather than targeting the whole body might be a better way to control overeating and obesity with fewer side effects.

Simple flip of genetic switch determines aging or longevity in animals Posted: 23 Jul 2015 09:52 AM PDT When does aging really begin? Scientists now have a molecular clue. In a study of the roundworm C. elegans, they found that adult cells abruptly begin their downhill slide when an animal reaches reproductive maturity. A genetic switch starts the aging process by turning off cell stress responses that protect the cell by keeping important proteins folded and functional. Germline stem cells throw the switch in early adulthood, after the animal starts to reproduce, ensuring its line will live on.

Genetically distinct cells reveal nature's strategy for avoiding pregnancy complications Posted: 23 Jul 2015 09:52 AM PDT Researchers add a new twist to the more than century old biological principles of Mendelian inheritance -- describing a small group of cells in pregnant mothers that promote genetic fitness and multi-generational reproductive health.

Opening the door to the cause of myeloid leukemia: Finding the targets of common mutation Posted: 23 Jul 2015 09:52 AM PDT A breakthrough in understanding how mutated genes in leukemia reprogram blood stem cells and send them spiraling out of control has been made by a team of scientists.

Genetic roots of adolescent scoliosis Posted: 23 Jul 2015 09:52 AM PDT Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis -- a condition featuring curvature of the spine -- affects tens of millions of children worldwide, but does not have a known cause. Now, scientists have discovered a gene that is linked to susceptibility to the condition.

Multisource feedback process helps surgeons assess, improve teamwork skills Posted: 23 Jul 2015 08:55 AM PDT A performance evaluation process used widely by Fortune 500 companies accurately and effectively assesses surgeons' adherence to core standards of excellence and spurs changes in behavior to improve surgical practice and teamwork, a new study confirms.

Link between physician training, brand name prescribing found Posted: 23 Jul 2015 08:55 AM PDT Physicians in training are twice as likely to order a costly brand-name statin (used to lower blood cholesterol levels) when supervised by senior physicians who prefer those medications in their own practice, according to a new study.

Chemotherapy and quality of life at the end of life Posted: 23 Jul 2015 08:54 AM PDT Chemotherapy for patients with end-stage cancer was associated with worse quality of life near death for patients with a good ability to still perform many life functions, according to an article.

Body fat can send signals to brain, affecting stress response Posted: 23 Jul 2015 08:13 AM PDT The brain's effect on other parts of the body has been well established. Now, a group of researchers has found that it's a two-way street: Body fat can send a signal that affects the way the brain deals with stress and metabolism.

Study identifies challenges of delirium detection in older adults in emergency department Posted: 23 Jul 2015 08:13 AM PDT Researchers have conducted what is believed to be the first study to interview providers to identify the barriers and possible catalysts to delirium detection in emergency care situations. An estimated one to two million older adults with delirium visit hospital emergency departments in the United States annually. Two-third of cases are unrecognized.

Expert panel sets nutrition guidelines to manage GI symptoms in autism Posted: 23 Jul 2015 08:13 AM PDT A new guideline for the nutrition of management gastrointestinal symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorders provides a framework for clinicians to navigate frequently seen issues such as food selectivity, alternative diets and nutritional deficits.

Endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm is safe, study shows Posted: 23 Jul 2015 08:13 AM PDT A new study compared open surgical repair with a catheter-based procedure and found that the less invasive endovascular aortic repair has clear benefits for most patients.

Researchers decode molecular action of combination therapy for a deadly thyroid cancer Posted: 23 Jul 2015 07:11 AM PDT In their bid to find the best combination of therapies to treat anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC), researchers have demonstrated that all histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors are not created equal.

Novel algorithm identifies DNA copy-number landscapes in African American colon cancers Posted: 23 Jul 2015 07:11 AM PDT The algorithm ENVE could be the Google for genetic aberrations. The findings about the algorithm distinguishes "noise" from real evidence, as well as some genetic characteristics of colon cancer in African Americans.

Can migraine increase your risk of stroke? Posted: 23 Jul 2015 07:11 AM PDT Older people who experience migraines may have an increased risk of stroke, but only if they are smokers, new research suggests. The study did not find an association between migraine with or without aura and the risk of either stroke or heart attacks. However, among smokers, migraine was associated with a 3-fold increased risk of stroke, whereas among smokers, migraine was not associated with a stroke risk.

Aggressive vaccination prevented Amish measles contagion from spreading broadly Posted: 23 Jul 2015 07:11 AM PDT Under-vaccinated communities face heightened risk of measles outbreaks that can spread nationally within a year unless squelched quickly, but a vigorous vaccination response during a 2014 outbreak in North American Amish communities in Ohio prevented widespread transmission, according to a recent study.

First genetic test developed to predict tumor sensitivity to radiation therapy Posted: 23 Jul 2015 07:10 AM PDT Advances have been made in cancer care with the development of the first test that analyzes the sensitivity of tumors to radiation therapy. Researchers discovered that colon cancer metastases have varying sensitivity to radiation therapy based on their anatomic location.

Continued domestic abuse facilitated by post-separation contact, study shows Posted: 23 Jul 2015 07:10 AM PDT Contact between children and fathers following parental separation facilitates the continued abuse of women and children, according to new research focusing on the experiences of families with a prior history of domestic abuse.

New insights into the circuitry of PTSD, mild traumatic brain injury Posted: 23 Jul 2015 07:10 AM PDT Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) can have devastating consequences. Both are associated with high rates of disability and suicide, and although they are separate conditions, they commonly co-occur. For example, a soldier who has developed PTSD as a result of a traumatic experience may have also sustained a brain injury during that experience.

It takes a village… to protect us from dangerous infections? New microbiome research suggests so Posted: 23 Jul 2015 06:21 AM PDT Like a collection of ragtag villagers fighting off an invading army, the mix of bacteria that live in our guts may band together to keep dangerous infections from taking hold, new research suggests. But some "villages" may succeed better than others at holding off the invasion, because of key differences in the kinds of bacteria that make up their feisty population.

Faster, better, cheaper: New method to generate extended data for genome assemblies Posted: 23 Jul 2015 06:19 AM PDT A new library construction method for genome sequencing has been developed that can simultaneously construct up to 12 size-selected long mate pair or 'jump' libraries ranging in sizes from 1.7kb to 18kb with reduced DNA input, time and cost.

Protein-Rich Nutrition Key to Helping Patients Recover from Severe Burns Posted: 23 Jul 2015 05:39 AM PDT For someone recovering from severe burns, eating is often the last thing they want to do. However, burn specialists say nutrition is so vital to their patients' recovery that they make it a quality indicator for patient care, and they've won an international award for their protocols.

Adding fuel helps fighting the fire: Cortisone affects acute lung injury via pro-inflammatory signalling pathways Posted: 23 Jul 2015 05:39 AM PDT There's no time to lose when an emergency doctor diagnoses "Shock lung!" at the accident scene. What physicians know as "acute lung injury" (ALI) otherwise leads to death by suffocation without immediate treatment. This is due to water retentions in the lung tissues (oedemas) and to a massive inflammatory response that, at the end, destroys lung tissues and hinders gas exchange. This acute lung injury (ALI) is treated through artificial respiration and anti-inflammatory cortisone.

Cannabis psychosis: gender matters Posted: 23 Jul 2015 05:39 AM PDT A greater proportion of men than women suffer from cannabis psychoses, a new research study shows. There has been much research exploring the nature of the relationship between cannabis and psychosis, however the role of gender in relation to cannabis psychosis is less well explored and understood.

Tool developed for more accurate interpretation of biomedical research Posted: 23 Jul 2015 05:38 AM PDT Investigators have recently achieved great success with a study involving biomedical research on mouse models. The research group recently used tangible examples to demonstrate how the side effects of genetic modification of mice can complicate the interpretation of biomedical research. The team developed a web tool that allows scientists to estimate the impact of this phenomenon more accurately.

Educational benefits of deworming children questioned by re-analysis of flagship study Posted: 23 Jul 2015 05:37 AM PDT Deworming children may not improve school attendance and the evidence that informs international policy needs to be re-appraised following a major re-analysis of data from an influential trial.

Retail meat is a potential vehicle for disease-causing Klebsiella Posted: 23 Jul 2015 05:37 AM PDT Chicken, turkey and pork sold in grocery stores harbors disease-causing bacteria known as Klebsiella pneumoniae, according to a new study. The research shows that contaminated meat may be an important source of human exposure to Klebsiella.

Leading experts prescribe how to make cancer drugs more affordable Posted: 23 Jul 2015 05:37 AM PDT A group of 118 of the nation's leading cancer experts have drafted a prescription for reducing the high cost of cancer drugs and voiced support for a patient-based grassroots movement demanding action on the issue.

Molecular study points to possible therapy for autoimmune disease TTP Posted: 22 Jul 2015 04:50 PM PDT Molecular details of ADAMTS13 binding by autoantibodies reveal, for the first time, the mechanism of inhibition of ADAMTS13 by those autoantibodies and suggest an avenue for therapeutic intervention.

Additional radiation reduces breast-cancer recurrence for some patients Posted: 22 Jul 2015 04:50 PM PDT A reduction in breast cancer recurrence has been observed by researchers when additional radiation is given to the lymph nodes as well as the standard treatment of whole-breast irradiation after breast-conserving surgery, a study shows.

Researchers urge transplantation of hepatitis c-infected kidneys in some non-infected patients Posted: 22 Jul 2015 04:50 PM PDT The average wait time for a kidney transplant is five years and there are more than 100,000 people on the waiting list. However, there are thousands of viable hepatitis C-positive kidneys that are discarded each year solely because they're infected. A new perspective paper suggests that "new antiviral therapies with cure rates exceeding 95 percent should prompt transplant-community leaders to view HCV (hepatitis C virus)-positive organs as a valuable opportunity for transplant candidates with or without pre-existing HCV infection."

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