ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

---

• Can science predict gang killings?
• Stomach is the way to a woman's heart, too
• Better way to personalize bladder cancer treatments
• Advance in photodynamic therapy offers new approach to ovarian cancer
• Scientists discover what controls waking up and going to sleep
• Sex development disorders affect mind as well as body
• Genetically engineered yeast produces opioids
• Study establishes genomic data set on Lassa virus
• New research helps explain why a deadly blood cancer often affects children with malaria
• Better way to engineer therapeutic proteins into antibodies
• How beneficial bacteria protect intestinal cells
• Epstein-Barr virus vaccine elicits potent neutralizing antibodies in animals
• Corrected protein structure reveals drug targets for cancer, neurodegenerative diseases
• Newly discovered cells regenerate liver tissue without forming tumors
• Exercise-induced hormone irisin is not a 'myth'
• What gets said should be what's heard; what gets heard should be what's meant
• Heavy smokers, smokers who are obese gain more weight after quitting
• Surgeons refine procedure for life-threatening congenital heart defect
• Gestational diabetes: A diabetes predictor in fathers
• COPD patients with psychological conditions have higher rate of early hospital readmission
• Tetris can block cravings, new study reveals
• Smoking ban linked to drop in stillbirths, newborn deaths
• As days warm, emergency visits, deaths could rise
• Statistical advances help unlock mysteries of the human microbiome
• Big data and the social character of genes
• Large percentage of youth with HIV may lack immunity to measles, mumps, rubella
• One in two dies in hospital in Germany
• Cesarean section on request: Risks outweigh the benefits
• Role of B cells in enhancement of pollen allergy: Reaction to non-allergenic compounds
• Collective intelligence helps to improve breast cancer diagnosis
• Researchers identify the cells at the origin of breast cancers
• Microbial companions of humans, animals are highly specialized
• Depression, stress, anxiety and anger compound risk of cardiovascular disease in rheumatoid arthritis patients
• Overreliance on imagination may be a sign of obsessive-compulsive disorder
• Chickenpox continues to decline in U.S. thanks to vaccination
• Male doctors are more likely to have legal action taken against them
• Hematologist identifies different limb loss syndromes
• Concern over claims about how technology affects young brains
• Combination vaccine could reduce number of shots for infants
• Children who are leaner report eating more polyunsaturated fatty acids
• Developing a targeted hydrogel to treat inflammatory bowel disease
• Moderate physical activity associated with lower risk of heart failure in men
• Scientists uncover a difference between the sexes
• DNA/RNA heteroduplex oligonucleotide: The third class oligonucleotides
• Bioengineers advance computing technique for health care, more

Can science predict gang killings? Posted: 13 Aug 2015 02:12 PM PDT Gang slayings move in a systematic pattern over time, spreading from one vulnerable area to the next like a disease, finds a groundbreaking study by criminologists and public health researchers.

Stomach is the way to a woman's heart, too Posted: 13 Aug 2015 01:23 PM PDT Women's brains respond more to romantic cues on a full stomach than an empty one, new research demonstrates. The study explored brain circuitry in hungry versus satiated states among women who were past-dieters and those who had never dieted.

Better way to personalize bladder cancer treatments Posted: 13 Aug 2015 12:06 PM PDT A new way to personalize treatments for aggressive bladder cancer has been developed by researchers. In early proof-of-concept research, the team took bladder tumors from individual patients, identified actionable mutations and grafted the tumors into mice. From there, the researchers simultaneously tested multiple therapies in the tumor models. Treatments that were effective in the models could then be given to patients.

Advance in photodynamic therapy offers new approach to ovarian cancer Posted: 13 Aug 2015 11:27 AM PDT Researchers have made a significant advance in the use of photodynamic therapy to combat ovarian cancer in laboratory animals, using a combination of techniques that achieved complete cancer cell elimination with no regrowth of tumors.

Scientists discover what controls waking up and going to sleep Posted: 13 Aug 2015 11:27 AM PDT Neuroscientists have discovered how an animal's biological clock wakes it up in the morning and puts it to sleep at night. In studies of fruit flies and mice and the brain circadian neurons governing the daily sleep-wake cycle's timing, the researchers found that high sodium channel activity in these neurons during the day turn the cells on and ultimately awaken an animal, and high potassium channel activity at night turn them off, allowing the animal to sleep.

Sex development disorders affect mind as well as body Posted: 13 Aug 2015 11:27 AM PDT While it may not shock you to learn that children born with disorders of sex development face challenges, researchers have confirmed that these go far beyond the physical. Researchers examine the potential effects that these disorders can have on children's and adolescents' peer relationships.

Genetically engineered yeast produces opioids Posted: 13 Aug 2015 11:25 AM PDT It typically takes a year to produce hydrocodone from plants, but scientistst have now genetically modified yeast to make it in just a few days. The technique could improve access to medicines in impoverished nations, and later be used to develop treatments for other diseases.

Study establishes genomic data set on Lassa virus Posted: 13 Aug 2015 10:02 AM PDT An international team of researchers has developed the largest genomic data set in the world on Lassa virus (LASV). The genomic catalog contains nearly 200 viral genomes collected from patient and field samples from the major host of Lassa virus--the multimammate rat. The study suggests that these four LASV strains originated from a common ancestral virus more than 1,000 years ago and spread across West Africa within the last several hundred years.

New research helps explain why a deadly blood cancer often affects children with malaria Posted: 13 Aug 2015 10:02 AM PDT Children in equatorial Africa who suffer from malaria are at high risk of developing Burkitt's lymphoma, a highly aggressive blood cancer. A new study sheds light on the long-standing mystery of how the two diseases are connected.

Better way to engineer therapeutic proteins into antibodies Posted: 13 Aug 2015 10:02 AM PDT Some proteins exist so fleetingly in the bloodstream they can't be given effectively as therapies. However, building them into larger proteins, such as antibodies, can make them persist long enough to be useful. Now a team of scientists has devised an improved method for accomplishing this protein-engineering feat.

How beneficial bacteria protect intestinal cells Posted: 13 Aug 2015 10:02 AM PDT A helpful subset of the intestinal microbiome, lactobacilli, stimulates the cytoprotective Nrf2 pathway in both flies and mice. The findings could potentially lead to advances in the use of bacteria to treat intestinal diseases or mitigate the effects of radiation therapy for cancer.

Epstein-Barr virus vaccine elicits potent neutralizing antibodies in animals Posted: 13 Aug 2015 10:02 AM PDT Researchers have developed an experimental, nanoparticle-based vaccine against Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) that can induce potent neutralizing antibodies in vaccinated mice and nonhuman primates. Microscopic particles, known as nanoparticles, are being investigated as potential delivery vehicles for vaccines. The scientists' findings suggest that using a structure-based vaccine design and self-assembling nanoparticles to deliver a viral protein that prompts an immune response could be a promising approach for developing an EBV vaccine for humans.

Corrected protein structure reveals drug targets for cancer, neurodegenerative diseases Posted: 13 Aug 2015 10:00 AM PDT Protein Kinase C is a family of enzymes that controls the activity of other proteins in a cell by attaching chemical tags. That simple act helps determine cell survival or death. When it goes awry, a number of diseases may result. In a study, researchers reveal a more accurate structure of PKC, providing new targets for fine-tuning the enzyme's activity as needed to improve human health.

Newly discovered cells regenerate liver tissue without forming tumors Posted: 13 Aug 2015 10:00 AM PDT The mechanisms that allow the liver to repair and regenerate itself have long been a matter of debate. Now researchers have discovered a population of liver cells that are better at regenerating liver tissue than ordinary liver cells, or hepatocytes. The study is the first to identify these so-called 'hybrid hepatocytes,' and show that they are able to regenerate liver tissue without giving rise to cancer.

Exercise-induced hormone irisin is not a 'myth' Posted: 13 Aug 2015 10:00 AM PDT Irisin, a hormone linked to the positive benefits of exercise, was recently questioned to exist in humans. Two recent studies pointed to possible flaws in the methods used to identify irisin, with commercially available antibodies. The scientists who discovered irisin address this contentious issue by showing that human irisin circulates in the blood at nanogram levels and increases during exercise.

What gets said should be what's heard; what gets heard should be what's meant Posted: 13 Aug 2015 09:34 AM PDT Unique insights into end-of-shift handoffs have been provided in two new studies. Authors conclude that in spite of a trend toward computerized checklists, face to face communication, including the opportunity to spontaneously ask and answer questions, plays an important role in improving the safety of patient handoffs.

Heavy smokers, smokers who are obese gain more weight after quitting Posted: 13 Aug 2015 09:34 AM PDT For smokers, the number of cigarettes smoked per day and current body mass index are predictive of changes in weight after quitting smoking, according to researchers.

Surgeons refine procedure for life-threatening congenital heart defect Posted: 13 Aug 2015 09:34 AM PDT For children born with life-threating hypoplastic left heart syndrome, reconstructive surgeries can restore blood circulation. While the most common corrective approach is the three-stage Norwood procedure, an alternative strategy, hybrid palliation, allows deferral of more complex reconstructions to when the child is somewhat older and better able to successfully recover from major surgery. A report evaluates whether an arterial shunt in the hybrid palliation may be a better source for the pulmonary blood supply than the more frequently used venous shunt.

Gestational diabetes: A diabetes predictor in fathers Posted: 13 Aug 2015 09:34 AM PDT Gestational diabetes, a type of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy, affects between three and 20 percent of pregnant women. Those who develop gestational diabetes are seven times as likely to eventually develop type 2 diabetes in the years following pregnancy. Now, in a large study analyzing 20 years of data from Quebec, a team of scientists has demonstrated that gestational diabetes signals future diabetes risk not only in mothers, but also in fathers.

COPD patients with psychological conditions have higher rate of early hospital readmission Posted: 13 Aug 2015 09:30 AM PDT People with a psychological condition such as depression, anxiety, psychosis, or alcohol/drug abuse are more likely to be readmitted early into a hospital for complications of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, research shows.

Tetris can block cravings, new study reveals Posted: 13 Aug 2015 07:15 AM PDT Playing Tetris on a smarthphone for as little as three minutes can weaken cravings for drugs, food and activities by as much as one-fifth, new research shows. In the first test of its kind to study people in natural settings outside of a laboratory, participants were monitored for levels of craving and prompted to play the block-shifting puzzle game at random intervals during the day.

Smoking ban linked to drop in stillbirths, newborn deaths Posted: 13 Aug 2015 07:15 AM PDT Stillbirths have dropped by almost 8 percent in England since the smoking ban was introduced, research shows. The number of babies dying shortly after birth has also dropped by almost eight per cent, the study estimates.

As days warm, emergency visits, deaths could rise Posted: 13 Aug 2015 06:28 AM PDT In Rhode Island heat-related emergency department visits and deaths increase notably among people of all ages as temperatures rise above 75 degrees. The study projects that if the population were living with the warmer temperatures forecast for the end of the century, emergency department visits and deaths would be measurably higher.

Statistical advances help unlock mysteries of the human microbiome Posted: 13 Aug 2015 06:28 AM PDT Advances in the field of statistics are helping to unlock the mysteries of the human microbiome -- the vast collection of microorganisms living in and on the bodies of humans.

Big data and the social character of genes Posted: 13 Aug 2015 05:40 AM PDT Researchers have managed to narrow down 900 million possibilities requiring examination of the connection between genetic markers and genetic expression to just 340,000, in the process identifying "social" genes that play a cooperative role

Large percentage of youth with HIV may lack immunity to measles, mumps, rubella Posted: 13 Aug 2015 05:38 AM PDT Between one-third and one-half of individuals in the United States who were infected with HIV around the time of birth may not have sufficient immunity to ward off measles, mumps, and rubella -- even though they may have been vaccinated against these diseases. This estimate is based on a study of more than 600 children and youth exposed to HIV in the womb.

One in two dies in hospital in Germany Posted: 13 Aug 2015 04:47 AM PDT At home on the sofa, in a hospital bed, or in a care home: where a death takes place is always recorded on the death certificate. Until now, however, this information has never been collated and evaluated in Germany. For the first time, the place of death records for Germany have now been analyzed; findings suggest that every second person died in a hospital; only one in four died at home.

Cesarean section on request: Risks outweigh the benefits Posted: 13 Aug 2015 04:47 AM PDT More and more mothers facing childbirth are asking for a cesarean. There are many reasons for this, ranging from the social and cultural to the personal, such as fear about the birth. A review article by two gynecologists considers the risks and benefits of cesarean delivery on maternal request.

Role of B cells in enhancement of pollen allergy: Reaction to non-allergenic compounds Posted: 13 Aug 2015 04:47 AM PDT A new mechanism has been discovered that explains how non-allergenic pollen mediators can enhance allergic reactions. They note that the so-called B cells play a critical role in this process. The results might lead to new approaches for therapies, they say.

Collective intelligence helps to improve breast cancer diagnosis Posted: 13 Aug 2015 04:45 AM PDT Breast cancer is the most frequent type of cancer in women and currently accounts for 29% of all new cancer cases in the U.S. Wide-ranging mammography screening programs have been set up for early diagnosis. However, even if two physicians assess the x-rays, which is the usual procedure in Europe, this often leads to wrong decisions: about 20% of patients with cancer are diagnosed as being cancer-free, whereas about 20% of cancer-free patients are diagnosed with cancer. A new study shows that swarm intelligence can help to considerably improve cancer diagnosis.

Researchers identify the cells at the origin of breast cancers Posted: 13 Aug 2015 04:45 AM PDT One of the key questions in cancer biology is to understand the mechanisms that control tumor heterogeneity and to determine to which extend tumor heterogeneity influences clinical outcome. Now researchers report that they have identified the cells at the origin of breast cancers.

Microbial companions of humans, animals are highly specialized Posted: 13 Aug 2015 04:45 AM PDT Humans and animals are never alone. Everyone is host to over two thousand different species of microbes, of which most colonize our bodies only after we are born. One would assume that the generalists among them have an advantage. Zoologists have now shown that the opposite is the case. Microbial communities living on humans and animals are mostly dominated by specialists.

Depression, stress, anxiety and anger compound risk of cardiovascular disease in rheumatoid arthritis patients Posted: 13 Aug 2015 04:45 AM PDT Depressive symptoms, stress, anxiety, and anger and lack of social support in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were linked to atherosclerosis—a build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries that contributes to cardiovascular disease. The study suggests that screening and treatment of psychosocial symptoms may curb the cardiovascular disease burden in RA patients.

Overreliance on imagination may be a sign of obsessive-compulsive disorder Posted: 13 Aug 2015 04:42 AM PDT Confusing reality with imagination and losing contact with reality are two key characteristics that could play a role in the development of obsessive-compulsive disorder, clinical researchers report.

Chickenpox continues to decline in U.S. thanks to vaccination Posted: 13 Aug 2015 04:42 AM PDT According to national health care claims data from 1994-2012, CDC researchers found that there were 93 percent fewer hospitalizations for chickenpox in 2012 compared to before the vaccine was introduced. During the two-dose varicella vaccination period (2006-2012), hospitalizations declined 38 percent. Outpatient visits also dropped significantly. There were 84 percent fewer outpatient visits in 2012 versus the pre-vaccination period. During the two-dose varicella vaccination period (2006-2012), outpatient visits declined 60 percent.

Male doctors are more likely to have legal action taken against them Posted: 12 Aug 2015 07:31 PM PDT Male doctors have nearly two and half times increased odds of having medico-legal action taken against them than their female counterparts, according to research. A better understanding of why this is the case will lead to improved support for doctors and make patient safety better.

Hematologist identifies different limb loss syndromes Posted: 12 Aug 2015 05:04 PM PDT How people can develop limb gangrene and lose fingers and feet has baffled doctors for centuries. Now a hematologist has identified different limb loss syndromes along with explanations for what is happening and what can be done about it.

Concern over claims about how technology affects young brains Posted: 12 Aug 2015 05:04 PM PDT Claims that intense use of the internet and computer games can harm the adolescent brain are not backed by current scientific evidence, warn experts in a new article.

Combination vaccine could reduce number of shots for infants Posted: 12 Aug 2015 12:17 PM PDT In a phase III trial, a new combination vaccine was determined to be effective, safe and well-tolerated. The new vaccine is currently under review by the Food and Drug Administration. After approval, the vaccine will be available for incorporation into the routine childhood schedule.

Children who are leaner report eating more polyunsaturated fatty acids Posted: 12 Aug 2015 12:12 PM PDT Children who report eating more polyunsaturated fatty acids, found in tree nuts, seeds and fatty fish, and consume a higher ratio of PUFA: saturated fatty acids, were found to be leaner, have less body fat and less abdominal adiposity.

Developing a targeted hydrogel to treat inflammatory bowel disease Posted: 12 Aug 2015 12:12 PM PDT Investigators set out to find a better way to deliver medicine using a gel-like material created in the lab. The team reports that their hydrogel material was able to stick to sites of inflammation and slowly deliver medicine over time, a breakthrough that has the potential to offer a more targeted enema-based therapy for patients in the future.

Moderate physical activity associated with lower risk of heart failure in men Posted: 12 Aug 2015 11:16 AM PDT Men who participated in moderate amounts of physical activity, particularly walking and bicycling, were associated with a lower risk of future heart failure compared to those with lower and higher levels of activity. However, recent active behavior may play a more important role than past physical activity, according to a study.

Scientists uncover a difference between the sexes Posted: 12 Aug 2015 10:56 AM PDT Many brain disorders vary between the sexes, but how biology and culture contribute to these differences has been unclear. Now neuroscientists have found an intrinsic biological difference between males and females in the molecular regulation of synapses in the hippocampus, a brain region involved in learning and memory, responses to stress and epilepsy. This finding provides a scientific reason to believe that female and male brains may respond differently to drugs targeting certain synaptic pathways.

DNA/RNA heteroduplex oligonucleotide: The third class oligonucleotides Posted: 12 Aug 2015 10:19 AM PDT Heteroduplex oligonucleotide is a brand new oligonucleotide drug. It is found to be significantly potent at reducing expression of the target RNA, and also improves the phenotype in disease models effectively.

Bioengineers advance computing technique for health care, more Posted: 12 Aug 2015 10:16 AM PDT Scientists have developed a big data technique that could have an impact on health care and more. They designed an algorithm called "progeny clustering" that is being used in a hospital study to identify which treatments should be given to children with leukemia.

You are subscribed to email updates from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States