ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• New class of DNA repair enzyme discovered
• Nuclear membrane repairs the 'dark matter' of DNA
• Low-fat diet not most effective in long-term weight loss
• 'Ensemble' modeling could lead to better flu forecasts
• Single gene variation linked to obesity
• Who mothers mommy?
• Researchers find universality in protein locality
• Molecular switch generates calorie-burning brown fat
• People with MS may be more physically fit than tests indicate, study finds
• No need to stop antidepressants before plastic surgery, evidence suggests
• Are embryonic stem cells and artificial stem cells equivalent?
• Key findings to develop a vaccine against Toxoplasma
• Using superlatives in the media for cancer drugs
• What blocks pro-vaccine beliefs?
• Predicting the human genome using evolution
• Detection of proteins: We know how to build better locks for chemical keys
• Study showcases potential new oral treatment for inflammatory bowel disease
• Single-agent phototherapy system offers significant new tool to fight cancer
• Count your bites, count down the pounds
• Breast cancer becoming as common among African-American women as among white women
• Jet lag-like sleep disruptions spur Alzheimer's memory, learning loss
• Memory complaints in older women may signal thinking problems decades later
• New finding will help target multiple sclerosis immune response
• Targeted therapy for gastric cancer possible
• Often decried, polygyny may sometimes have advantages
• Microbiomes could hold keys to improving life as we know it
• Bacterial hole puncher could be new broad-spectrum antibiotic
• New study sheds light on racial differences in trust of physicians
• Marital status linked to better functional outcomes following surgery, study finds
• Researchers compare 'natural' mosquito repellents to DEET
• Increasing cigarette taxes shifts consumers to more dangerous products
• Greater support needed for pregnant transgender men
• Bipolar patients' brain cells predict response to lithium
• On the rise: Painkiller abusers who also use heroin
• Factors in breast milk may play a role in transmission of obesity
• Retroviral RNA may play a part in liver cancer
• Autophagy works in cell nucleus to guard against start of cancer
• Do hospitals tell patients about charity care options? Study finds room for improvement
• Taking cholesterol medication before aneurysm repair improves outcomes
• Place could impact health disparities more than race
• Guidelines on sharing individual genomic research findings with family
• New technology can mine data from Instagram to monitor teenage drinking patterns
• Scientists identify main component of brain repair after stroke
• Some commercial coffees contain high levels of mycotoxins
• Increasing soldiers' physical performance: Researchers share updates
• Three deadly bacteria families responsible for nearly 60 percent of meningococcal cases
• Race starts could give some athletes an unfair advantage

New class of DNA repair enzyme discovered Posted: 29 Oct 2015 04:08 PM PDT A new class of DNA repair enzyme has been discovered which demonstrates that a much broader range of damage can be removed from the double helix in ways that biologists did not think were possible.

Nuclear membrane repairs the 'dark matter' of DNA Posted: 29 Oct 2015 03:56 PM PDT The nuclear membrane isn't just a protective case around the nucleus -- it actually repairs catastrophically broken DNA strands.

Low-fat diet not most effective in long-term weight loss Posted: 29 Oct 2015 03:55 PM PDT The effectiveness of low-fat diet on weight-loss has been debated for decades, and hundreds of randomized clinical trials aimed at evaluating this issue have been conducted with mixed results. New research finds that low-fat interventions were no more successful than higher-fat interventions in achieving and maintaining weight loss for periods longer than one year.

'Ensemble' modeling could lead to better flu forecasts Posted: 29 Oct 2015 12:26 PM PDT By combining data from a variety of non-traditional sources, a research team led by computational epidemiologists has developed predictive models of flu-like activity that provide robust real-time estimates (aka 'now-casts') of flu activity and accurate forecasts of flu-like illness levels up to three weeks into the future.

Single gene variation linked to obesity Posted: 29 Oct 2015 11:11 AM PDT A single variation in the gene for brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) may influence obesity in children and adults, according to a new study. The study suggests that a less common version of the BDNF gene may predispose people to obesity by producing lower levels of BDNF protein, a regulator of appetite, in the brain.

Who mothers mommy? Posted: 29 Oct 2015 11:11 AM PDT Tending to their children's needs is a tireless task that knows no schedules or time limits, but mothers dutifully do it for their family and society. But where does mom draw her strength during her decades long involvement with her children? Two researchers say unconditional acceptance by friends and authenticity in relationships play essential roles in keeping mom happy herself, and thus grounded in her tasks with child rearing and development.

Researchers find universality in protein locality Posted: 29 Oct 2015 10:45 AM PDT A team of researchers has mapped out a universal dynamic that explains the production and distribution of proteins in a cell, a process that varies in detail from protein to protein and cell to cell, but that always results in the same statistical pattern.

Molecular switch generates calorie-burning brown fat Posted: 29 Oct 2015 10:45 AM PDT A molecular switch capable of converting unhealthy white fat into healthy, energy-burning brown fat has been discovered in mice, scientists report.

People with MS may be more physically fit than tests indicate, study finds Posted: 29 Oct 2015 10:45 AM PDT Conventional methods of assessing cardiorespiratory fitness and muscular strength among people with multiple sclerosis may underestimate participants' capabilities, prompting clinicians to prescribe exercise therapies that are less effective than they could be, according to new research.

No need to stop antidepressants before plastic surgery, evidence suggests Posted: 29 Oct 2015 10:44 AM PDT For patients undergoing plastic surgery procedures, there's no consistent evidence that taking antidepressants increases the risk of bleeding, breast cancer, or other adverse outcomes, concludes a research review.

Are embryonic stem cells and artificial stem cells equivalent? Posted: 29 Oct 2015 10:44 AM PDT New evidence has been found suggesting some human induced pluripotent stem cells are the 'functional equivalent' of human embryonic stem cells, a finding that may begin to settle a long running argument.

Key findings to develop a vaccine against Toxoplasma Posted: 29 Oct 2015 10:42 AM PDT A group of researchers has found that p62, a host molecule, played an important role in exerting immune effects of an experimental pathogenic parasite toxoplasma-inactivated vaccine. This group's achievement is expected to offer strategies for developing a toxoplasma-inactivated vaccine targeting p62 for treating toxoplasmosis.

Using superlatives in the media for cancer drugs Posted: 29 Oct 2015 10:41 AM PDT The use of superlatives to describe cancer drugs in news articles as 'breakthrough,' 'revolutionary,' 'miracle' or in other grandiose terms was common even when drugs were not yet approved, had no clinical data or not yet shown overall survival benefits, according to an article.

What blocks pro-vaccine beliefs? Posted: 29 Oct 2015 10:41 AM PDT Despite rhetoric that pits 'anti-vaxxers' versus 'pro-vaxxers,' most new parents probably qualify as vaccine-neutral--that is, they passively accept rather than actively demand vaccination. Even in these cases, some unease is natural, argue two psychologists. The act itself is counter-intuitive, and it requires trust in medicine and government. The authors consider what compels someone to vaccinate and the cognitive obstacles that cause pro-vaccine messaging to be rejected.

Predicting the human genome using evolution Posted: 29 Oct 2015 09:45 AM PDT By observing evolution's 'greatest hits' (and misses) and the history of the major themes and patterns of genome conservation (and divergence) across many species, one scientist's approach predicts probable mutations that will be found among people and the fate of human variation.

Detection of proteins: We know how to build better locks for chemical keys Posted: 29 Oct 2015 08:22 AM PDT It will be increasingly difficult for protein molecules to remain anonymous, and increasingly easy for doctors and patients to detect the early stages of latent diseases, say investigators who have perfected a method of producing thin detecting films that are able to recognize specific proteins. This is an important step towards the construction of low-cost chemical sensors, identifying even small concentrations of protein disease markers in body fluids.

Study showcases potential new oral treatment for inflammatory bowel disease Posted: 29 Oct 2015 08:19 AM PDT For patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the possibility of taking one pill to bring long-lasting relief might seem too good to be true. Scientists are on the brink of making that happen, thanks to a recent proof-of-concept study, in which the severity of a form of IBD in mice was dramatically reduced with one oral dose of a protein isolated from a bacterial biofilm.

Single-agent phototherapy system offers significant new tool to fight cancer Posted: 29 Oct 2015 08:19 AM PDT Researchers have announced an important advance in the field of cancer imaging and phototherapy, using a single-agent system that may ultimately change the efficacy of cancer surgery and treatment around the world.

Count your bites, count down the pounds Posted: 29 Oct 2015 08:19 AM PDT People who counted bites over a month's time lost roughly four pounds -- just about what the CDC recommends for 'healthy' weight loss -- reports new research. Those in the pilot test counted the number of bites they took each day and then committed to taking 20 to 30 percent less bites over the next four weeks. Participants who stuck with the task saw results despite changing nothing else about their routine.

Breast cancer becoming as common among African-American women as among white women Posted: 29 Oct 2015 08:19 AM PDT New data finds that rates among African-American women in the United States have continued to increase, converging with rates among white women and closing a gap that had existed for decades.

Jet lag-like sleep disruptions spur Alzheimer's memory, learning loss Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:34 AM PDT Chemical changes in brain cells caused by disturbances in the body's day-night cycle may be a key underlying cause of the learning and memory loss associated with Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study.

Memory complaints in older women may signal thinking problems decades later Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:33 AM PDT Older women who complain of memory problems may be at higher risk for experiencing diagnosed memory and thinking impairment decades later, new research suggests.

New finding will help target multiple sclerosis immune response Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:29 AM PDT Researchers have made another important step in the progress towards being able to block the development of multiple sclerosis (MS) and other autoimmune diseases.

Targeted therapy for gastric cancer possible Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:25 AM PDT Gastric cancer, otherwise known as stomach cancer, does not respond well to existing treatments and it is currently the third leading cause of cancer death in the world (after lung and liver cancer). Researchers have discovered that certain drugs, currently used to treat breast, ovarian and pancreatic cancers, could also be used to treat certain gastric cancers with a particular pattern of mutations (genomic molecular fingerprint).

Often decried, polygyny may sometimes have advantages Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:22 AM PDT The practice of sharing a husband may, in some circumstances, lead to greater health and wealth for women and their children, new research suggests. And polygyny--where one husband has more than one wife--is decried by the United Nations Human Rights Committee and women's rights organizations as discriminatory to women.

Microbiomes could hold keys to improving life as we know it Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:22 AM PDT A consortium of 48 scientists from 50 institutions in the United States are calling for a Unified Microbiome Initiative that would span national cross-institutional and cross-governmental agency support. The group, called the Unified Microbiome Initiative Consortium (UMIC), envisions that a coordinated effort would drive forward cutting edge microbiome research.

Bacterial hole puncher could be new broad-spectrum antibiotic Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:22 AM PDT Bacteria have many methods of adapting to resist antibiotics, but a new class of spiral polypeptides targets one thing no bacterium can live without: an outer membrane. The polypeptides act as bacterial hole-punchers, perforating the bacterial membrane until the cell falls apart. The antimicrobial agents are dressed for their mission in positively charged shells that let them travel in body fluids, protected from interacting with other proteins, and also attract them to bacterial membranes.

New study sheds light on racial differences in trust of physicians Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:15 AM PDT A new study could help provide a clearer understanding of why black and Latino patients are less likely to trust their physicians than white patients. The report used a new method to examine social survey data and found that race differentiates beliefs in physician trust even after adjusting for income, education and marital status.

Marital status linked to better functional outcomes following surgery, study finds Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:14 AM PDT Patients who are divorced, separated or widowed had an approximately 40 percent greater chance of dying or developing a new functional disability in the first two years following cardiac surgery than their married peers, according to a new study.

Researchers compare 'natural' mosquito repellents to DEET Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:14 AM PDT Researchers have tested 10 commercially available products for their effectiveness at repelling mosquitoes. Through their work, they found that mosquitoes were strongly repelled by all products containing DEET. For the other products, they found mixed results.

Increasing cigarette taxes shifts consumers to more dangerous products Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:13 AM PDT Increasing cigarette exercise taxes may have the unintended consequence of encouraging consumers to seek higher nicotine content and more dangerous cigarette products, according to a study.

Greater support needed for pregnant transgender men Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:13 AM PDT Many transgender men who have the capacity to bear children are faced with barriers in the health-care system as a result of a lack of training, argue two experts in a new report.

Bipolar patients' brain cells predict response to lithium Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:11 AM PDT A new study is among the first to show how bipolar disorder affects neurons in the brain, noting fundamental differences in patient cells. Moreover, this study reveals why some patients respond to treatment with lithium while others don't.

On the rise: Painkiller abusers who also use heroin Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:11 AM PDT Drug abusers are not completely abandoning prescription opioids for heroin, according to researchers. Instead, many use the two concurrently based on their availability. The findings also reveal regional variations in the use of heroin and prescription painkillers.

Factors in breast milk may play a role in transmission of obesity Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:11 AM PDT The road to obesity may be paved with non-nutritious carbohydrates in breast milk, shifting popular notions about how and why children grow to become overweight adults, researchers report.

Retroviral RNA may play a part in liver cancer Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:11 AM PDT Researchers have found that retroviral long-terminal-repeat (LTR) promoters -- a type of repetitive element that are widely distributed in the human genome -- are highly activated in hepatocellular carcinomas, the most common type of liver cancer. Intriguingly, these areas -- which are particularly activated in HCCs associated with viral hepatitis, are not normally activated in the liver but are in reproductive tissues such as testis and placenta.

Autophagy works in cell nucleus to guard against start of cancer Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:11 AM PDT Autophagy, the degradation of unwanted cellular bits and pieces by the cell itself, has been shown for the first time to also work in the cell nucleus. In addition, in this setting autophagy plays a role in guarding against the start of cancer and is related to the aging process.

Do hospitals tell patients about charity care options? Study finds room for improvement Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:11 AM PDT If you don't have health insurance, or your insurance coverage still leaves you with big bills, hospitals are supposed to let you know if you qualify for free or reduced-price care, and to charge you fairly even if you don't. (That is, if they want to keep their tax-free nonprofit status.) But a new study finds many nonprofit hospitals have room to improve.

Taking cholesterol medication before aneurysm repair improves outcomes Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:11 AM PDT Rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm is one of the most dramatic medical emergencies a person can face. It usually strikes without warning, killing approximately 50 percent of those who experience it before they reach a hospital. Of those who do get to a health facility alive, only about 50 percent survive. Now, researchers have found that patients who took cholesterol-lowering medications before endovascular surgery experienced fewer complications and better outcomes.

Place could impact health disparities more than race Posted: 28 Oct 2015 10:09 AM PDT African American and white men who live in racially integrated communities and who have comparable incomes have far fewer differences when it comes to behaviors that contribute to poor health -- such as physical inactivity, smoking and drinking -- compared to African American and white men overall in the US, according to a new study.

Guidelines on sharing individual genomic research findings with family Posted: 28 Oct 2015 10:08 AM PDT The first consensus guidelines on how researchers should share genomic findings in research on adults and children with other family members has now been published. The recommendations offer direction on sharing information before and after the death of an individual research participant.

New technology can mine data from Instagram to monitor teenage drinking patterns Posted: 28 Oct 2015 10:08 AM PDT Instagram could offer a novel way of monitoring the drinking habits of teenagers. Using photos and text from Instagram, a team of researchers has shown that this data can not only expose patterns of underage drinking more cheaply and faster than conventional surveys, but also find new patterns, such as what alcohol brands or types are favored by different demographic groups. The researchers say they hope exposing these patterns could help develop effective intervention.

Scientists identify main component of brain repair after stroke Posted: 28 Oct 2015 10:08 AM PDT Looking at brain tissue from mice, monkeys and humans, scientists have found that a molecule known as growth and differentiation factor 10 is a key player in repair mechanisms following stroke. The findings suggest that GDF10 may be a potential therapy for recovery after stroke.

Some commercial coffees contain high levels of mycotoxins Posted: 28 Oct 2015 09:40 AM PDT An analysis of 100 coffees sold in Spain has confirmed the presence of mycotoxins -- toxic metabolites produced by fungi. In addition, five of the samples that were tested were found to contain ochratoxin A, the only legislated mycotoxin, in amounts that exceeded maximum permitted levels. While the authors point out that these results are not alarming, they do recommend assessing the risk that exposure to mycotoxins from coffee poses to the general public.

Increasing soldiers' physical performance: Researchers share updates Posted: 28 Oct 2015 09:40 AM PDT Researchers from around the world are working to improve soldiers' health and physical performance and health -- with the goal of increasing military readiness and effectiveness, according to a new article.

Three deadly bacteria families responsible for nearly 60 percent of meningococcal cases Posted: 28 Oct 2015 09:37 AM PDT Scientists have identified the key groups of bacteria responsible for the majority of meningococcal disease cases in England and Wales over the past 20 years.

Race starts could give some athletes an unfair advantage Posted: 28 Oct 2015 09:36 AM PDT The alerting effect means competitors who have longer start processes finish slower, affecting standings aggregated across more than one heat. Effect is enough to deny a medal.

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