الجمعة، 28 أغسطس 2015

ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News


Cervical pessary does not reduce the rate of preterm births or neonatal complications in twin gestations

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 11:20 AM PDT

Having twins accounts for only 1.5% of all births but 25% of preterm births, the leading cause of infant mortality worldwide. Successful strategies for reducing singleton preterm births include prophylactic use of progesterone and cervical cerclage in patients with a prior history of preterm birth. To investigate whether the use of a cervical pessary might reduce premature births of twins, an international team of researchers conducted a large, multicenter, international randomized clinical trial (RCT) of approximately 1200 twin pregnancies. They report that placement of a cervical pessary did not reduce spontaneous preterm births or reduce neonatal complications.

A new technique to make drugs more soluble

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 11:20 AM PDT

Before Ibuprofen can relieve your headache, it has to dissolve in your bloodstream. The problem is Ibuprofen, in its native form, isn't particularly soluble.  Its rigid, crystalline structures -- the molecules are lined up like soldiers at roll call -- make it hard to dissolve in the bloodstream. To overcome this, manufacturers use chemical additives to increase the solubility of Ibuprofen and many other drugs, but those additives also increase cost and complexity.

HIV particles do not cause AIDS, our own immune cells do

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 11:19 AM PDT

Scientists have discovered that HIV does not cause AIDS by the virus's direct effect on the host's immune cells, but rather through the cells' lethal influence on one another. In a new study, the researchers revealed that the HIV 'death pathway' -- how 95 percent of cells die from the virus -- is only initiated if the virus is passed from cell-to-cell, not if cells are infected by free-floating viral particles.

Growth hormone reduces risk of osteoporosis fractures in older women

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 11:19 AM PDT

For years after it was administered, growth hormone continued to reduce the risk of fractures and helped maintain bone density in postmenopausal women who had osteoporosis.

Interrupting sitting with walking breaks improves children's blood sugar

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 11:19 AM PDT

Taking 3-minute breaks to walk in the middle of a TV marathon or other sedentary activity can improve children's blood sugar compared to continuously sitting, according to a new study.

Antibiotic use linked to type 2 diabetes diagnosis

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 11:18 AM PDT

People who developed type 2 diabetes tended to take more antibiotics in the years leading up to the diagnosis than people who did not have the condition, according to a new study.

Research identifies a protein that helps determine the fate of RNA

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 10:02 AM PDT

RNA can be translated into protein or transformed into gene-regulating molecules. A newly discovered 'reader' protein recognizes a chemical instruction tag affixed to RNA, an important step in determining the RNA's destiny. Because of the fundamental processes involved, this research has implications for cells' normal function and disease.

Circadian genes go to sleep every day at the periphery of the nucleus

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 10:01 AM PDT

Mobility between different physical environments in the cell nucleus regulates the daily oscillations in the activity of genes that are controlled by the internal biological clock, according to a new study. Eventually, these findings may lead to novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of diseases linked with disrupted circadian rhythm.

Fish oil-diet benefits may be mediated by gut microbes

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 10:01 AM PDT

Diets rich in fish oil versus diets rich in lard (e.g., bacon) produce very different bacteria in the guts of mice, reports a new study. The researchers transferred these microbes into other mice to see how they affected health. The results suggest that gut bacteria share some of the responsibility for the beneficial effects of fish oil and the harmful effects of lard.

Scientists reveal cellular clockwork underlying inflammation

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 10:01 AM PDT

Researchers have uncovered key cellular functions that help regulate inflammation -- a discovery that could have important implications for the treatment of allergies, heart disease, and certain forms of cancer. The discovery explains how two particular proteins, Tollip and Tom1, work together to contribute to the turnover of cell-surface receptor proteins that trigger inflammation.

Creative and neurotic: Is neuroticism fueled by overthinking?

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 10:01 AM PDT

Psychologists have presented a new theory for why neurotic unhappiness and creativity go hand-in-hand. The authors argue that the part of the brain responsible for self-generated thought is highly active in neuroticism, which yields both of the trait's positives (e.g., creativity) and negatives (e.g., misery).

Viral infection in colon cancer stem cells mimicked; druggable target identified

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 09:20 AM PDT

Researchers targeting colorectal cancer stem cells – the root cause of disease, resistance to treatment and relapse – have discovered a mechanism to mimic a virus and potentially trigger an immune response to fight the cancer like an infection.

Mammary gland is shaped by adaptive immune system during development

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 09:20 AM PDT

In experiments with mouse tissue, researchers have discovered that the adaptive immune system, generally associated with fighting infections, plays an active role in guiding the normal development of mammary glands, the only organs -- in female humans as well as mice -- that develop predominately after birth, beginning at puberty.

The DNA damage response goes viral: A way in for new cancer treatments

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 09:20 AM PDT

Researchers show how DNA repair proteins sound the alarm to threats, pointing to a novel cancer therapy.

Parkinson’s disease brain cells at risk of burnout, like an overheating motor

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 09:20 AM PDT

The death of brain cells in Parkinson's disease may be caused by a form of cellular energy crisis in neurons that require unusually high quantities of energy to carry out their job of regulating movement, researchers have reported.

Alzheimer’s disease thought to be accelerated by an abnormal build-up of fat in the brain

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 09:20 AM PDT

People with Alzheimer's disease have fat deposits in the brain. For the first time since the disease was described 109 years ago, researchers have discovered accumulations of fat droplets in the brain of patients who died from the disease and have identified the nature of the fat.

Chemistry professor discovers color sensor compound for anions

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 09:19 AM PDT

A chemistry professor has uncovered a major development in the study of anions, negatively-charged molecules such as chloride, bromide and nitrate, which have strategic roles within the human body. These molecules can also act as pollutants, some of which are vital to our health whilst others might actually harm us. The chemistry behind the detection of anions is still in its infancy and an easy, reliable and robust method of detection has eluded chemists... until now.

About 10 percent of mothers experienced depression two years after Hurricane Katrina

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 09:19 AM PDT

About 10 percent of mothers experienced chronic, persistent depressive symptoms two years after Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast, killing more than 1,800 people, displacing hundreds of thousands and causing widespread damage estimated at more than $100 billion, according to a new study.

Generating potentially safer stem cells in the laboratory

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 09:19 AM PDT

A finding reveals why the transformation process of differentiated cells into stem cells results in significant damage to the DNA. Researchers have managed to rectify this damage using a simple modification to the culture medium, which produces potentially safer stem cells for use in regenerative medicine.

Cause of resilience to tinnitus and potential drug therapy identified

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 09:19 AM PDT

Researchers have identified in an animal model the molecular mechanisms behind resilience to noise-induced tinnitus and a possible drug therapy that could reduce susceptibility to this chronic and sometimes debilitating condition.

Safety of microfocused ultrasound with visualization in darker skin types

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 09:19 AM PDT

Microfocused ultrasound treatment to tighten and lift skin on the face and neck appeared to be safe for patients with darker skin types in a small study that resulted in only a few temporary adverse effects, according to a new report.

21-gene recurrence score and receipt of chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 09:19 AM PDT

Use of the 21-gene recurrence test score was associated with lower chemotherapy use in high-risk patients and greater use of chemotherapy in low-risk patients compared with not using the test among a large group of Medicare beneficiaries, according to a new article.

Framework for value-based pricing of cancer drugs

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 09:19 AM PDT

At a time when cancer drug prices are rising rapidly, an innovative new study provides the framework for establishing value-based pricing for all new oncology drugs entering the marketplace.

Is lack of guidance on The Sunshine Act hampering publication of clinical trial results?

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 08:17 AM PDT

A research article has concluded that a lack of professional guidance on how to interpret elements of The Physician Payments Sunshine Act (2010) may be having a "chilling effect" on physicians' desire to participate in clinical trials and publish results.

Many physicians overestimate their ability to assess patients' risk of Ebola

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 08:16 AM PDT

While most primary care physicians responding to a survey expressed confidence in their ability to identify potential cases of Ebola and communicate Ebola risks to their patients, when asked how they would care for hypothetical patients who might have been exposed to Ebola, less than 70 percent gave answers fitting CDC guidelines. Those least likely to encounter an Ebola patient were most likely to choose overly intense management of patients actually at low risk.

Dry eyes: Progress in diagnosis and treatment

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 08:16 AM PDT

Do you have problems with dry eyes? If so, you're not alone -- it's one of the most common reasons for patient visits to eye care professionals. Recent years have seen significant progress in management of patients with dry eyes, according to new research.

Probiotics show no impact preventing gastrointestinal colonization with drug-resistant bugs in ICU

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 08:16 AM PDT

Probiotics show no benefit for preventing or eliminating gastrointestinal colonization with drug-resistant organisms in patients in the intensive care unit compared to standard care, according to new research.

A new virus in liver cancer

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 08:16 AM PDT

More than a cause of a simple infection, viruses are often involved in the development of serious diseases. Such is the case with liver cancer, which often develops in an organ that has been weakened by hepatitis B or C virus. Researchers have just identified the role of a new virus, hitherto unsuspected, in the occurrence of a rare type of liver cancer.

Mating with the wrong insect may cut yellow fever mosquito populations

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 07:18 AM PDT

Asian tiger mosquitoes can drive down yellow fever mosquito populations when the female chooses the wrong male with which to mate, UF/IFAS scientists say. Both insects transmit chikungunya and dengue, dangerous diseases affecting millions of people worldwide.

Nasal spray device for mental illness

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 07:17 AM PDT

Researchers have tested a new device for delivering hormone treatments for mental illness through the nose. This method was found to deliver medicine to the brain with few side effects.

Taking a cue from nature: Turning alcohols into alkylating agents

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 07:17 AM PDT

Researchers have developed a dual catalyst system that directly installs alkyl groups -- fragments containing singly bonded carbon and hydrogen atoms that have extremely useful properties for drug discovery -- onto compounds called heteroarenes. The reported transformation is the first to successfully use alcohols as reagents in the so-called alkylation reaction.

Health workers wasting expensive malaria drugs in Nigeria

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 07:17 AM PDT

Health providers trained to perform malaria rapid diagnostic tests are still prescribing valuable malaria medicines to patients who do not have malaria, according to new research.

Exploding the drug deadlock: Repurposing nitroglycerin for anti-cancer treatments

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 05:37 AM PDT

For over a century, nitroglycerin has been used medically – particularly in the treatment of angina, or chest pain. It is a safe, cheap and effective treatment. Now, researchers have found that nitroglycerin could be repurposed to treat cancer.

Suicide: Difficulty making good choices is one of the factors that make certain people vulnerable to suicide

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 05:36 AM PDT

Few people who face challenges or live with severe depression commit suicide. Some people are clearly more vulnerable than others. A series of studies has shown that the way in which a person makes decisions is among the main factors that determines whether that person is protected from or vulnerable to suicide. High-risk decision-making was prevalent among many parents of individuals who committed suicide, which may serve to explain its apparent "inheritability".

Differences in brain structure and memory suggest adolescents may not ‘grow out of’ ADHD

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 05:36 AM PDT

Young adults diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adolescence show differences in brain structure and perform poorly in memory tests compared to their peers, according to new research.

High protein foods boost cardiovascular health, as much as quitting smoking or getting exercise

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 05:36 AM PDT

Eating foods rich in amino acids could be as good for your heart as stopping smoking or getting more exercise -- according to new research.

Trypanosomes and renal insufficiency: APOL1 induces a double permeabilization

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 05:35 AM PDT

Scientists shed further light on the way human APOL1 kills the trypanosmoe.

New strategy improves detection of genetic mutations in hereditary colorectal cancer

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 05:35 AM PDT

Enhanced accuracy and reduced turnaround time of testing can provide vital information for patients suspected of having lynch syndrome and their family members, according to a new report.

Head-neck troubles with modular hip implants

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 05:34 AM PDT

An online case report journal has issued a 'Watch' regarding relatively rare but potentially catastrophic complications from failure of modular head-neck prostheses commonly used in hip-replacement surgery.

CanDL database shines light on clinically important cancer gene mutations

Posted: 27 Aug 2015 05:34 AM PDT

To help molecular pathologists, laboratory directors, bioinformaticians and oncologists identify key mutations that drive tumor growth in tissues obtained during cancer clinical studies, researchers have designed an online database called the Cancer Driver Log, or CanDL.

Awareness of memory loss may decline two-three years before dementia onset

Posted: 26 Aug 2015 01:15 PM PDT

People who will develop dementia may begin to lose awareness of their memory problems two to three years before the actual onset of the disease, according to a new study. The study also found that several dementia-related brain changes, or pathologies, are associated with the decline in memory awareness.

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