ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• A walk around the office can reverse vascular dysfunction caused by hours at a computer
• How sign language users learn intonation
• Cut through the confusion: Asking questions can demystify research
• Which dermal fillers 'stick together' best? New method helps plastic surgeons choose the best product
• New single-molecule tool to observe enzymes at work
• New drug improves outcome in treatment resistant kidney cancer
• Weight loss surgery offers new hope to children, adolescents with Prader-Willi Syndrome
• Chemical exposure linked to rising diabetes, obesity risk
• New tech automatically 'tunes' powered prosthetics while walking
• Ancestral background can be determined by fingerprints
• Attacking acute myeloid leukemia
• Researcher advocates ending Medicare coverage of controversial mammography tool
• Flu infection reveals many paths to immune response
• Self-assembling material that grows, changes shape could lead to artificial arteries
• Particular brain connections linked to positive human traits
• Maintaining healthy DNA delays menopause
• Connecting Alzheimer's disease, immune system
• Do mothers react to more info about chemical risks? The answer may surprise you
• Early exposure to tobacco can cause behavioral problems in children
• First UK Biobank genetic study reveals new links between lung disease and smoking behavior
• Immunotherapy superior to chemotherapy for lung cancer in international trial
• Early maturing girls at great risk of alcohol abuse without close parental supervision
• Predicting arrhythmias so as to prevent them
• Researchers discover a new mechanism of proteins to block HIV
• Multi-gene test enables some breast cancer patients to safely avoid chemotherapy
• Scientists use microchip approach to visualize human breast cancer proteins
• Prototype lab in a needle could make real-time, mobile laboratory testing a reality
• Over three-quarters of people with cancer worldwide have no access to safe surgery
• Early life infections may be a risk factor for Celiac disease in childhood
• Fewer, larger radiotherapy doses prove effective for prostate cancer patients
• Biotechnology: Tweaking proteins with 'Tub-tag'
• Number of cancer gene tests increases five-fold thanks to improved availability: making prevention easier
• Blocking light improves preemies' survival rates
• Children with ADHD and their mothers may live less than average population
• Health hazards of occupational exposure to talc
• Workplace exposure to metalworking fluid may cause irreversible lung disease
• Coverage of celebrity's mastectomy has improved awareness of reconstructive breast surgery options
• Legal drinking age of 18 tied to high school dropout rate
• Biomimetic dental prosthesis
• Two-drug combo helps older adults with hard-to-treat depression

A walk around the office can reverse vascular dysfunction caused by hours at a computer Posted: 28 Sep 2015 12:59 PM PDT Across the country, many employees are seated at desks for the majority of an eight-hour workday. As technology creates an increase in sedentary lifestyles, the impact of sitting on vascular health is a rising concern. Now, researchers have found that when a person sits for six straight hours, vascular function is impaired -- but by walking for just 10 minutes after a prolonged period of sitting, vascular health can be restored.

How sign language users learn intonation Posted: 28 Sep 2015 12:23 PM PDT A spoken language is more than just words and sounds. Speakers use changes in pitch and rhythm, known as prosody, to provide emphasis, show emotion, and otherwise add meaning to what they say. In a new study, three linguists look at intonation (a key part of prosody) in ASL and find that native ASL signers learn intonation in much the same way that users of spoken languages do.

Cut through the confusion: Asking questions can demystify research Posted: 28 Sep 2015 09:52 AM PDT An expert encourages everyone to learn more about interpreting scientific and medical research.

Which dermal fillers 'stick together' best? New method helps plastic surgeons choose the best product Posted: 28 Sep 2015 09:51 AM PDT With booming interest in dermal fillers for minimally invasive treatment of facial lines and wrinkles, plastic surgeons are looking for evidence to help them choose the product that will give the best results for their patients. A new, validated method provides standard ratings of cohesivity for currently available hyaluronic acid (HA) gel fillers.

New single-molecule tool to observe enzymes at work Posted: 28 Sep 2015 09:51 AM PDT A team of scientists has created an innovative tool to directly detect the delicate, single-molecule interactions between DNA and enzymatic proteins. This tool should provide fast and reliable characterization of the different mechanisms cellular proteins use to bind to DNA strands -- information that could shed new light on the atomic-scale interactions within our cells and help design new drug therapies against pathogens by targeting enzymes that interact with DNA.

New drug improves outcome in treatment resistant kidney cancer Posted: 28 Sep 2015 09:51 AM PDT A new drug for renal cell carcinoma slowed the growth of advanced kidney cancer in patients who became resistant to the first-line therapies that had previously kept it in check, according to results from a clinical trial.

Weight loss surgery offers new hope to children, adolescents with Prader-Willi Syndrome Posted: 28 Sep 2015 09:47 AM PDT Obesity is a leading cause of complications and death in children suffering from Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), yet there are few effective treatment options for these patients. In a new study, researchers found that bariatric surgery, specifically laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG), resulted in substantial weight loss with no apparent adverse effect on growth in a small group of severely overweight patients with PWS. PWS is a rare genetic condition that causes a wide range of problems including a constant desire to consume food, which is driven by a permanent feeling of hunger.

Chemical exposure linked to rising diabetes, obesity risk Posted: 28 Sep 2015 09:44 AM PDT Emerging evidence ties endocrine-disrupting chemical exposure to two of the biggest public health threats facing society -- diabetes and obesity. EDCs contribute to health problems by mimicking, blocking or otherwise interfering with the body's natural hormones. By hijacking the body's chemical messengers, EDCs can alter the way cells develop and grow. Known EDCs include bisphenol A (BPA) found in food can linings and cash register receipts, phthalates found in plastics and cosmetics, flame retardants and pesticides. The chemicals are so common that nearly every person on Earth has been exposed to one or more.

New tech automatically 'tunes' powered prosthetics while walking Posted: 28 Sep 2015 09:43 AM PDT When amputees receive powered prosthetic legs, the power of the prosthetic limbs needs to be tuned by a prosthetics expert so that a patient can move normally -- but the prosthetic often needs repeated re-tuning. Biomedical engineering researchers have developed software that allows powered prosthetics to tune themselves automatically, making the devices more functionally useful and lowering the costs associated with powered prosthetic use.

Ancestral background can be determined by fingerprints Posted: 28 Sep 2015 09:34 AM PDT It is possible to identify an individual's ancestral background based on his or her fingerprint characteristics, new research shows -- a discovery with significant applications for law enforcement and anthropological research.

Attacking acute myeloid leukemia Posted: 28 Sep 2015 09:33 AM PDT A team of researchers has demonstrated that a molecule isolated from sea sponges and later synthesized in the lab, can halt the growth of acute myeloid leukemia cells and could open the door to a new treatment for leukemia.

Researcher advocates ending Medicare coverage of controversial mammography tool Posted: 28 Sep 2015 09:33 AM PDT A costly tool used on nearly all mammograms does not increase cancer detection rates and should no longer be covered by Medicare, argues a family physician and comparative effectiveness researcher.

Flu infection reveals many paths to immune response Posted: 28 Sep 2015 09:33 AM PDT A new study of influenza infection in an animal model broadens understanding of how the immune system responds to flu virus, showing that the process is more dynamic than usually described, engaging a broader array of biological pathways. The researchers say their findings may offer key insights for designing more effective vaccines in general.

Self-assembling material that grows, changes shape could lead to artificial arteries Posted: 28 Sep 2015 09:25 AM PDT Researchers have developed a way of assembling organic molecules into complex tubular tissue-like structures without the use of moulds or techniques like 3-D printing.

Particular brain connections linked to positive human traits Posted: 28 Sep 2015 09:25 AM PDT There is a strong correspondence between a particular set of connections in the brain and positive lifestyle and behavior traits, according to a new study. The researchers point out that their results resemble what psychologists refer to as the 'general intelligence g-factor': a variable first proposed in 1904 that's sometimes used to summarize a person's abilities at different cognitive tasks. While the new results include many real-life measures not included in the g-factor -- such as income and life satisfaction, for instance -- those such as memory, pattern recognition and reading ability are strongly mirrored.

Maintaining healthy DNA delays menopause Posted: 28 Sep 2015 09:25 AM PDT An international study of nearly 70,000 women has identified more than 40 regions of the human genome involved in governing at what age a woman goes through menopause. The study found that two-thirds of those regions contain genes that act to keep DNA healthy. It also found the first genetic evidence of a link between the timing of menopause and breast cancer, corroborating previous conclusions from observational evidence.

Connecting Alzheimer's disease, immune system Posted: 28 Sep 2015 09:25 AM PDT Researchers investigate how genetic risk factors for Alzheimer's disease may influence a key type of immune cell. Their results lay the groundwork for designing better therapeutic strategies and better prediction tools for risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

Do mothers react to more info about chemical risks? The answer may surprise you Posted: 28 Sep 2015 07:32 AM PDT Mothers who are pregnant or have young children would be expected to be more concerned about protecting their offspring from environmental risks that are reported most in the news, but a new study raises doubts about that conventional wisdom.

Early exposure to tobacco can cause behavioral problems in children Posted: 28 Sep 2015 07:30 AM PDT Researchers have analyzed data on pre- and postnatal exposure to tobacco in the homes of 5,200 primary school children, and have found that early exposure to tobacco can lead to behavioral problems in children.

First UK Biobank genetic study reveals new links between lung disease and smoking behavior Posted: 28 Sep 2015 07:30 AM PDT Smokers who survive their habit into old age may hold the key to better lung health for all, according to a study. The new discoveries may one day help scientists develop better treatments for diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a life-threatening condition that affects millions of people.

Immunotherapy superior to chemotherapy for lung cancer in international trial Posted: 28 Sep 2015 06:35 AM PDT "Game-changing results" have been announced by a team of scientists using the immunotherapy drug nivolumab to treat certain lung cancers that failed to respond to first-line therapies.

Early maturing girls at great risk of alcohol abuse without close parental supervision Posted: 28 Sep 2015 06:35 AM PDT Inadequate parental supervision during early adolescence forecasts a host of behavior problems, including problem drinking. A new study reveals that early maturing girls given the most autonomy had the highest rates of alcohol abuse, with intoxication frequency increasing an average of 234 percent.

Predicting arrhythmias so as to prevent them Posted: 28 Sep 2015 06:34 AM PDT Researchers have discovered how to predict some cardiac arrhythmias several steps before they even occur. It's a finding that could lead to an improved cardiac device, with equipment designed to detect when arrhythmias are about to occur and then act to prevent them, investigators say.

Researchers discover a new mechanism of proteins to block HIV Posted: 28 Sep 2015 06:25 AM PDT There is little doubt that the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, or HIV, is devastating. More than 1.2 million people in the United States are living with HIV and more than 47,000 people are diagnosed annually. Now, researchers have made a discovery in how specialized proteins can inhibit the virus, opening the door for progress in the fight against HIV and for the production of advanced therapeutics to combat the disease.

Multi-gene test enables some breast cancer patients to safely avoid chemotherapy Posted: 28 Sep 2015 06:25 AM PDT The best evidence to date has been provided that suggests that a 21-gene test done on the tumor can identify breast cancer patients who can safely avoid chemotherapy.

Scientists use microchip approach to visualize human breast cancer proteins Posted: 28 Sep 2015 06:25 AM PDT Scientists present a new molecular toolkit to investigate protein assemblies natively formed in the context of human disease. BRCA1 gene regulatory complexes from cancer cells were visualized for the first time.

Prototype lab in a needle could make real-time, mobile laboratory testing a reality Posted: 28 Sep 2015 06:25 AM PDT A lab in a needle device has been created by researchers that could provide instant results to routine lab tests, accelerating treatment and diagnosis by days.

Over three-quarters of people with cancer worldwide have no access to safe surgery Posted: 28 Sep 2015 06:25 AM PDT Over 80 percent of the 15 million people diagnosed with cancer worldwide in 2015 will need surgery, but less than a quarter will have access to proper, safe, affordable surgical care when they need it, according to a major new Commission examining the state of global cancer surgery.

Early life infections may be a risk factor for Celiac disease in childhood Posted: 28 Sep 2015 05:25 AM PDT Children with frequent infections in the first 18 months of life have a slightly increased risk of later developing celiac disease compared with children who have few infections, conclude researchers. Celiac disease is an immune-mediated disease triggered by gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. In recent decades there has been a marked increase in the prevalence of celiac disease and it is believed that one per cent of the population in Western countries.

Fewer, larger radiotherapy doses prove effective for prostate cancer patients Posted: 28 Sep 2015 05:24 AM PDT Giving fewer but higher doses of radiotherapy, is as effective at treating prostate cancer as giving lower doses for a longer period, according to new research. The results could mean men need fewer trips to hospital – over four weeks rather than seven and a half – without reducing the quality and impact of their prostate cancer treatment.

Biotechnology: Tweaking proteins with 'Tub-tag' Posted: 28 Sep 2015 05:24 AM PDT A rapid and efficient technique for targeted chemoenzymatic functionalization of proteins has been identified by scientists. The new method has a wide range of potential therapeutic applications, they say.

Number of cancer gene tests increases five-fold thanks to improved availability: making prevention easier Posted: 28 Sep 2015 05:24 AM PDT Mutations in the BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genes are very likely to lead to a form of cancer in people who have them. These mutations can be detected using a genetic test. The introduction of a new drug has improved treatment options and this, coupled with increased awareness and improved access, increased the number of genetic tests carried out at one hospital last year by a factor of five. As a result, more at-risk patients are picked up and early prevention measures can be commenced.

Blocking light improves preemies' survival rates Posted: 28 Sep 2015 05:22 AM PDT The survival rate of preemies born between 26 to 31 weeks of gestation is improved by blocking light from reaching the intravenously-fed infused nutritious mixture they depend on for survival, researchers have revealed in a new study.

Children with ADHD and their mothers may live less than average population Posted: 28 Sep 2015 05:21 AM PDT Brazilian scientists found that ADHD children and their mothers are more likely to have shorter telomeres, a hallmark of cellular aging, which is associated with increased risk for chronic diseases and conditions like diabetes, obesity and cancer.

Health hazards of occupational exposure to talc Posted: 28 Sep 2015 05:21 AM PDT Talc, a substance commonly used in a number of manufacturing processes, including many in the food processing industry, is a health hazard and exposure to it should be closely monitored, say researchers from the Netherlands.

Workplace exposure to metalworking fluid may cause irreversible lung disease Posted: 28 Sep 2015 05:21 AM PDT Occupational exposure to fluid commonly used in metal machining operations may be related to a rare, irreversible lung disease, according to new research.

Coverage of celebrity's mastectomy has improved awareness of reconstructive breast surgery options Posted: 28 Sep 2015 05:21 AM PDT A new study found improved public awareness about reconstructive breast surgery options following Angelina Jolie's decision to undergo a double mastectomy and subsequent reconstruction.

Legal drinking age of 18 tied to high school dropout rate Posted: 28 Sep 2015 05:21 AM PDT Although there have been calls to lower the legal drinking age from 21, a new study raises the possibility that it could have the unintended effect of boosting the high school dropout rate.

Biomimetic dental prosthesis Posted: 27 Sep 2015 06:42 PM PDT Material researchers are developing a procedure that allows them to mimic the complex fine structure of biological composite materials, such as teeth or seashells. They can thus create synthetic materials that are as hard and tough as their natural counterparts.

Two-drug combo helps older adults with hard-to-treat depression Posted: 27 Sep 2015 06:42 PM PDT More than half of older adults with clinical depression don't get better when treated with an antidepressant. But results from a multicenter clinical trial indicates that adding a second drug -- an antipsychotic medication -- to the treatment regimen helps many of those patients.

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