الخميس، 10 سبتمبر 2015

ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

External brain stimulation temporarily improves motor symptoms in people with Parkinson's

Posted: 09 Sep 2015 06:35 PM PDT

People with Parkinson's disease (PD) tend to slow down and decrease the intensity of their movements even though many retain the ability to move quickly and forcefully. Now, scientists report evidence that the slowdown likely arises from the brain's 'cost/benefit analysis,' which gets skewed by the loss of dopamine in people with PD. In addition, their small study demonstrated that noninvasive electrical stimulation of the brain corrected temporarily improved some patients' motor symptoms.

Discrimination during adolescence has lasting effect on body

Posted: 09 Sep 2015 06:35 PM PDT

In both blacks and whites, everyday feelings of discrimination can mess with the body's levels of the primary stress hormone, cortisol, new research suggests. In African-Americans, however, the negative effects of perceived discrimination on cortisol are stronger than in whites, according to the study, one of the first to look at the biological response to the cumulative impact of prejudicial treatment.

Sustained remission of multiple myeloma after personalized cellular therapy

Posted: 09 Sep 2015 06:34 PM PDT

A multiple myeloma patient whose cancer had stopped responding after nine different treatment regimens experienced a complete remission after receiving an investigational personalized cellular therapy known as CTL019. The investigational treatment was combined with chemotherapy and an autologous stem cell transplant -- a new strategy designed to target and kill the cells that give rise to myeloma cells.

Stress main cause of smoking after childbirth

Posted: 09 Sep 2015 06:34 PM PDT

Mothers who quit smoking in pregnancy are more likely to light up again after their baby is born if they feel stressed. Researchers studied more than 1,000 new mothers and found that the stress of caring for a newborn, sleepless nights, social pressure, and the idea that they no longer need to protect the baby -- all contribute to relapse.They also found that women who felt they were being supported by a partner were less likely to start smoking again.

High rate of Texas bugs carrying Chagas disease

Posted: 09 Sep 2015 10:27 AM PDT

A deadly parasite that causes Chagas disease is widespread in a common Texas insect, according to a new study. The finding suggests that the risk of Texans contracting the disease may be higher than previously thought.

Routinely screen those older than 70 for brain health, world expert panel advises

Posted: 09 Sep 2015 10:27 AM PDT

In a consensus paper, a global panel of leading aging experts suggests physicians routinely screen everyone older than 70 annually for cognitive problems.

Ebola virus disease in Liberia

Posted: 09 Sep 2015 10:04 AM PDT

The social vulnerability indices used in climate change and natural hazards research can also be used in other contexts such as disease outbreaks, new research suggests. The study illustrates how census and household survey data, when mapped at the district level, can help highlight the locations of households and populations most vulnerable to disease outbreaks such as the Ebola virus disease.

New directions in mental health care for older adults

Posted: 09 Sep 2015 10:04 AM PDT

The aging of the population, shifting diagnostic criteria, and new health care policy initiatives are some of the factors driving changes in mental health treatment for older Americans, according to new research.

Physician-patient decision making may differ in care of racial/ethnic minorities

Posted: 09 Sep 2015 09:51 AM PDT

Racial and ethnic inequalities in medical care are widely documented in literature. However, variations in Americans' experiences with healthcare, specifically regarding physician-patient communication and shared decision-making about treatment plans, are not well understood. A new study suggests that a patient's race/ethnicity may influence the amount and type of information they receive from physicians regarding treatment recommendations.

Rise in disability benefits for children with mental disorders consistent with population trends

Posted: 09 Sep 2015 09:50 AM PDT

The percentage of poor children who received federal disability benefits for at least one of 10 major mental disorders increased from 1.88 percent in 2004 to 2.09 percent in 2013, and such growth is consistent with and proportionate to trends in the prevalence of diagnosed mental disorders among children in the general US population, says a new report.

Smoking doesn't always mean a shortened life span or cancer

Posted: 09 Sep 2015 09:50 AM PDT

Not all smokers experience early mortality, and a small proportion manage to survive to extreme ages, research shows. Using long-lived smokers as their phenotype, the authors of a study identified a network of SNPs (a DNA sequence variation occurring commonly within a population) that allow certain individuals to better withstand environmental damage (like smoking) and mitigate damage. Collectively, these SNPs were strongly associated with high survival rates.

Brain plasticity in leprosy

Posted: 09 Sep 2015 09:41 AM PDT

A new study shows that nerve damage caused by leprosy is associated to changes in the brain of patients.

Low rate secondary surgeries for removal, revision of vaginal mesh slings for stress urinary incontinence

Posted: 09 Sep 2015 09:40 AM PDT

A follow-up of nearly 60,000 women who received a synthetic vaginal mesh sling for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence finds the risk is low for needing a second surgery for mesh removal or revision (about one in 30 women 10 years after surgery), according to a study.

Researchers use 'nanopore' scanners to find early signs of cancer

Posted: 09 Sep 2015 07:41 AM PDT

The tiniest of scanners could be a huge step forward in the fight against cancer. "Nanopore" scanners could save lives by detecting individual DNA molecules, making it possible to diagnose colorectal and lung cancers at their earliest stages.

Immunity study signals new ways to treat liver failure

Posted: 09 Sep 2015 07:40 AM PDT

Patients with liver failure could benefit from a treatment that helps the immune system to combat infections linked to the condition, research suggests. A study in mice has revealed that treatment with an immune-boosting molecule called CSF-1 helps to trigger the body's natural defense mechanisms in the liver.

Preventing chromosomal chaos: Protein-based genome-stabilizing mechanism discovered

Posted: 09 Sep 2015 07:40 AM PDT

An international team has determined that the protein lamin A plays a central role in maintaining genomic structural stability. Their findings present a comprehensive model for explaining the biophysical underpinnings of chromosome dynamics and organization. The study also provides insight into the pathology of a number devastating human diseases associated with a mutated form of the lamin A protein.

Human-like nose can sniff out contamination in drinking water

Posted: 09 Sep 2015 07:06 AM PDT

A bioelectronic nose that mimics the human nose can detect traces of bacteria in water by smelling it, without the need for complex equipment and testing. According to a study, the technology works by using the smell receptors in the human nose. The sensor is simple to use and it can detect tiny amounts of contamination in water, making it more sensitive than existing detection methods. The authors of the study say this could make the technology even more useful in the field.

New Ebola test could help curb disease spread

Posted: 09 Sep 2015 07:06 AM PDT

A new Ebola test that uses magnetic nanoparticles could help curb the spread of the disease in western Africa. Research shows that the new test is 100 times more sensitive than the current test, and easier to use. Because of this, the new test makes it easier and cheaper to diagnose cases, enabling healthcare workers to isolate patients and prevent the spread of Ebola.

New giant virus discovered in Siberia's permafrost

Posted: 09 Sep 2015 07:06 AM PDT

A new type of giant virus has been discovered in the same sample of 30,000-year old Siberian permafrost from which Pithovirus had already been isolated. Microscopic, genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic and metagenomic technologies have allowed the scientists to draw a detailed portrait of this new virus, dubbed Mollivirus sibericum.

Mothers use variety of strategies to mitigate risks to daughters' body image

Posted: 09 Sep 2015 07:05 AM PDT

Mothers bear some responsibility for their daughters' weight, socialization to accepted gender roles and general well being, researchers conclude at the end of a recent study. The analysis revealed common ways in which mothers and daughters rejected, negated or resisted oppressive messages and stereotypes related to general or personal body images.

Dental research effort aims to stem India's oral cancer problem

Posted: 09 Sep 2015 06:12 AM PDT

New work has resulted in innovative techniques that utilize some of the world's most sophisticated lasers to noninvasively probe into mouth lesions to determine the growth of cancerous cells and eradicate them. Now, this focus is on stemming India's oral cancer problem with a portable diagnostic device.

Older kids less likely to have car seats checked for safety than infants

Posted: 09 Sep 2015 06:09 AM PDT

Booster seat-aged children are twice as likely to suffer serious injury or death in a car crash than younger children but a new study shows they may be less likely to have car seats inspected for proper use. Less than a quarter of car seat and booster checks analyzed in a recent study were conducted in children ages four and older.

Spheroid stem cell production sows hope for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis treatment

Posted: 09 Sep 2015 06:09 AM PDT

In a small pilot study, researchers have demonstrated a rapid, simple way to generate large numbers of lung stem cells for use in disease treatment.

Paving the way to ever-safer anaesthesia

Posted: 09 Sep 2015 06:08 AM PDT

Researchers have made a breakthrough that could help prevent patients suffering stress to the body and from feeling pain or becoming aware during anesthesia.

Poor motor skills in two-year-olds could indicate slow development in mathematical proficiency

Posted: 09 Sep 2015 06:08 AM PDT

Two-year-olds with poor motor function also exhibit poor mathematical skills, a new study shows. This knowledge will make it easier for teachers to identify children who may need extra help.

New UK Type 2 diabetes prevention programme shows 'promising' early results

Posted: 09 Sep 2015 06:07 AM PDT

A program aimed at preventing the development of Type 2 diabetes in people at high risk of the disease has achieved "promising" early results, a study has found.

Effects of MVA85A vaccine on tuberculosis challenge in animals

Posted: 09 Sep 2015 06:07 AM PDT

A new systematic review of animal studies testing a vaccine for tuberculosis raises questions about whether the studies provided sufficient evidence to move into trials of children.

Does our mental health as teenagers determine our entry into parenthood? Yes, and no.

Posted: 09 Sep 2015 06:07 AM PDT

The effects of parenthood on mental health are complex, but a new study reveals a different angle to the relationship: how a person's mental health at 16 influences whether or not he or she becomes a parent, as well as whether or not parenthood has an effect on that mental health going forward.

Study points to a possible new pathway toward a vaccine against MRSA

Posted: 09 Sep 2015 06:06 AM PDT

New research has uncovered why a particular strain of Staphylococcus aureus -- known as HA-MRSA -- becomes more deadly than other variations. These new findings open up possible new pathways to vaccine development against this bacterium, which the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions says accounts for over 10,000 deaths annually, mostly among hospital patients in the United States.

Nearly half of testicular cancer risk comes from inherited genetic faults

Posted: 09 Sep 2015 06:06 AM PDT

Almost half of the risk of developing testicular cancer comes from the DNA passed down from our parents, a new study reports. The research suggests genetic inheritance is much more important in testicular cancer than in most other cancer types, where genetics typically accounts for less than 20 percent of risk.

Designer molecule shines a spotlight on mysterious 4-stranded DNA

Posted: 09 Sep 2015 06:06 AM PDT

A small fluorescent molecule has shed new light on knots of DNA thought to play a role in regulating how genes are switched on and off. DNA is typically arranged in a double helix, where two strands are intertwined like a coiled ladder, but previous research has shown the existence of unusual DNA structures called quadruplexes, where four strands are arranged in the form of little knots.

Simplified HIV Test and Treat program associated with better coverage and lower mortality

Posted: 08 Sep 2015 11:41 AM PDT

A 'Test and Treat' protocol for HIV/AIDS diagnosis and treatment, implemented in two Guangxi, China counties in 2012, was associated with increased engagement in HIV/AIDS care and a 62 percent reduction in mortality among participants, according to a new study. This before-and-after analysis suggests that broader implementation of the program may inexpensively improve outcomes for HIV-positive individuals in China.

HIV self-testing (HIVST) safe, acceptable, and accurate, study suggests

Posted: 08 Sep 2015 11:41 AM PDT

HIV self-testing (HIVST) delivered by trained volunteers may prove to be widely used, safe, accurate, and acceptable in urban settings of sub-Saharan Africa, according to a new study. This community-based prospective study also showed that HIVST may lead to acceptable linkage into HIV care services and have a very low incidence of major social harms such as partner violence.

Light shed on the underside of the 'cocktail effect' of endocrine disruptors

Posted: 08 Sep 2015 10:51 AM PDT

Chemical substances that are safe for humans when taken in isolation can become harmful when they are combined. Now research has elucidated in vitro a molecular mechanism that could contribute to the phenomenon known as the 'cocktail effect.'

Stem cell-derived 'mini-brains' reveal potential drug treatment for rare disorder

Posted: 08 Sep 2015 10:33 AM PDT

Using 'mini-brains' built with induced pluripotent stem cells derived from patients with a rare, but devastating, neurological disorder, researchers say they have identified a drug candidate that appears to 'rescue' dysfunctional cells by suppressing a critical genetic alteration.

Tree resin may provide medicine against epilepsy

Posted: 08 Sep 2015 10:28 AM PDT

Sticky resin from conifers contains substances that could relieve or cure epilepsy. Researchers have synthesized and tested 71 substances known as resin acids, of which twelve are prime candidates for new drugs.

Reference payment initiative for colonoscopy associated with lower prices, savings

Posted: 08 Sep 2015 10:12 AM PDT

The California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) saved $7 million on spending for colonoscopy two years after it implemented a reference payment initiative that offered full insurance coverage at low-priced facilities but required substantial cost sharing if patients picked a high-priced alternative, according to an article.

Survivors of child trafficking exhibit symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD

Posted: 08 Sep 2015 10:12 AM PDT

About one-third of girls and boys who survived child trafficking experienced physical and/or sexual violence during their ordeal in a study of children receiving posttrafficking services in Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam, according to an article.

New statement on tobacco control and smoking cessation

Posted: 08 Sep 2015 08:23 AM PDT

A new statement calls for higher taxes on tobacco products, comprehensive advertising and promotion bans of all tobacco products and product regulation including pack warnings.
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