ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

---

• New approach to prioritizing research on the environmental impacts of pharmaceuticals
• New imaging technique could reduce need for amputation
• Scientists root out the 'bad seeds' of liver cancer
• Losing fat while gaining muscle: Scientists close in on 'holy grail' of diet and exercise
• Four factors predict neurodevelopmental outcomes for children with low birth weight
• Better way to image metastatic prostate cancer
• Neuroticism predicts anxiety, depression disorders
• Depressive symptoms prevalent among Division I college athletes
• Recommendation to omit radiation therapy after lumpectomy is not frequently implemented
• Prenatal exposure to flame retardants linked to poorer behavioral function in children
• Honeybees, ants may provide clues to suicide in humans
• New findings point to central nervous system role in painful diabetic peripheral nerve disease
• Diabetes, heart disease, smoking increase risk of death for older adults with dementia
• Asthma, allergies: Protective factor found in farm milk
• Treating major depression in older adults with diabetes may lower risk of death
• New way to detect human-animal diseases tested in lemurs
• More than one in 20 US children have dizziness, balance problems
• Test rapidly, accurately profiles genetics and treatment of brain tumors
• Spending more on food is associated with a healthier diet, weight
• Neural network built using plastic memristors
• New tool to determine the risk of prostate cancer death
• Child abuse exposure, suicidal ideation in Canadian military, general population
• High drug price trend has 'infected' generics, experts say
• Study identifies new class of anticancer compounds for possible targeted therapy in blood cancers
• To help diabetics, intelligent socks are paired with smartphones
• Tuberculosis: Discovery of a critical stage in the evolution of the bacillus towards pathogenicity
• HIV protein manipulates hundreds of human genes to advance progression into AIDS, study shows
• Life expectancy three years longer for children born into smaller families in developing world
• Uncorrected farsightedness linked to literacy deficits in preschoolers
• Inflammatory changes in the brain twenty years before Alzheimer onset
• Important falls in death rates from leukemia in Europe predicted for 2016
• One in 10 suicide attempt risk among friends, relatives of people who die by suicide
• How obesity makes memory go bad
• Study details source of mental problems associated with MS
• Master switch that plays a key role in energy metabolism, human brain evolution
• The developmental origins of osteoporosis
• For Breast Cancer Patients, Never Too Late to Quit Smoking
• E-cigarette vapor boosts superbugs and dampens immune system
• Heavy smokers who quit more than 15 years ago still at high risk for lung cancer and should be screened
• New model: How asthma develops from exposure to house dust mites
• Many Latino kids struggle to reach a healthy weight by kindergarten
• On Twitter, e-cigarette ads spread like secondhand smoke
• Toxic exposures caused illness in Gulf War veterans, new report says
• State gun ownership rates linked to murders of women
• Antibiotic use in early life disrupt normal gut microbiota development
• Vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy may not reduce risk of asthma, wheezing in offspring
• Serious adverse drug reactions rare from certain treatment for vascular tumor in infants
• Screening for depression recommended for adults, including pregnant and postpartum women

New approach to prioritizing research on the environmental impacts of pharmaceuticals Posted: 27 Jan 2016 12:49 PM PST Researchers have developed a new way to prioritize investigations on the environmental impacts of the estimated 1500 active pharmaceutical ingredients currently in use.

New imaging technique could reduce need for amputation Posted: 27 Jan 2016 10:30 AM PST A new MRI imaging technique could reduce the need for amputation in patients with critical limb ischemia, according to a new study. The technique uses a new way of mapping blood delivered to the leg muscle immediately after operations on people with severely reduced blood flow to their limbs. Currently surgeons may need to wait days or weeks to see how successful the surgery has been.

Scientists root out the 'bad seeds' of liver cancer Posted: 27 Jan 2016 10:30 AM PST The Achilles heel of hepatocellular carcinoma, a leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, has been discovered by researchers. The key to disrupting chemo-resistant stem cells that become liver tumors from multiplying is to target the stem cell marker NANOG, they report.

Losing fat while gaining muscle: Scientists close in on 'holy grail' of diet and exercise Posted: 27 Jan 2016 10:27 AM PST Researchers have uncovered significant new evidence in the quest for the elusive goal of gaining muscle and losing fat, an oft-debated problem for those trying to manage their weight, control their calories and balance their protein consumption.

Four factors predict neurodevelopmental outcomes for children with low birth weight Posted: 27 Jan 2016 10:26 AM PST Four factors -- medical complications at birth, maternal education, early motor assessments, and early cognitive assessments -- help predict later cognitive function and motor performance for children born early and at a very low birth weight, finds a new study.

Better way to image metastatic prostate cancer Posted: 27 Jan 2016 10:26 AM PST A recent study shows in a prospective, systematic manner that a PET/CT scan, using the radiotracer F-18-DCFBC to target prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), is significantly more effective at detecting metastatic prostate cancer than conventional imaging methods.

Neuroticism predicts anxiety, depression disorders Posted: 27 Jan 2016 10:26 AM PST For the first time, research has found that young people who are high on the personality trait of neuroticism are highly likely to develop both anxiety and depression disorders.

Depressive symptoms prevalent among Division I college athletes Posted: 27 Jan 2016 10:26 AM PST Nearly a quarter of Division I college athletes reported depressive symptoms while enrolled at a liberal arts university on the East Coast, says a new study. Women were almost two times more likely to experience symptoms than their male peers.

Recommendation to omit radiation therapy after lumpectomy is not frequently implemented Posted: 27 Jan 2016 10:26 AM PST Nearly two-thirds of US women age 70 or older with stage I breast cancer who undergo lumpectomy and are eligible to safely omit subsequent radiation therapy according to national cancer guidelines still receive this treatment, according to new study results.

Prenatal exposure to flame retardants linked to poorer behavioral function in children Posted: 27 Jan 2016 10:26 AM PST New research suggests that prenatal exposure to flame retardants and perfluoroalkyl substances commonly found in the environment may have a lasting effect on a child's cognitive and behavioral development, known as executive function.

Honeybees, ants may provide clues to suicide in humans Posted: 27 Jan 2016 09:16 AM PST Researchers have been examining scientific knowledge and drawing parallels between suicide in humans and the self-sacrificial behaviors of colony-like -- or eusocial -- species such as shrimp, mole rats and insects.

New findings point to central nervous system role in painful diabetic peripheral nerve disease Posted: 27 Jan 2016 09:16 AM PST The central nervous system is a key contributor to the problem of painful peripheral nerve disease in people with diabetes, emerging evidence suggests. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) occurs in about one-half of all patients with diabetes. In addition to progressive and severe pain, patients with DNP have insensitivity to trauma, placing them at risk of foot ulcerations, infections, and amputations.

Diabetes, heart disease, smoking increase risk of death for older adults with dementia Posted: 27 Jan 2016 09:15 AM PST Older adults with dementia and diabetes have a significantly higher risk for death than do people with just dementia, research shows. People with dementia who smoked tobacco were also at a much higher risk for death, and those with dementia who had coronary heart disease had a somewhat higher risk for death.

Asthma, allergies: Protective factor found in farm milk Posted: 27 Jan 2016 09:15 AM PST Fresh, unprocessed cow's milk has a higher content of omega-3 fatty acids than does pasteurized, homogenized or low-fat milk. This factor partly explains why children who consume the unprocessed product are less likely to develop asthma, say scientists.

Treating major depression in older adults with diabetes may lower risk of death Posted: 27 Jan 2016 09:15 AM PST Effective treatment for depression could go a long way toward improving health status and even preventing death among older adults who also have diabetes, according to a new report.

New way to detect human-animal diseases tested in lemurs Posted: 27 Jan 2016 09:12 AM PST RNA sequencing is uncovering emerging diseases in wildlife that other diagnostic tests cannot detect. Researchers used a technique called transcriptome sequencing to screen for blood-borne diseases in Madagascar's lemurs, distant primate cousins to humans. The animals were found to be carrying several previously unknown parasites similar to those that cause Lyme disease in humans. The approach could pave the way for earlier, more accurate detection of disease outbreaks that move between animals and people.

More than one in 20 US children have dizziness, balance problems Posted: 27 Jan 2016 09:12 AM PST More than 1 in 20 (nearly 3.3 million) children between the ages of 3 and 17 have a dizziness or balance problem, according to an analysis of the first large-scale, nationally representative survey of these problems in US children. Researchers found that prevalence increases with age, and girls have a higher prevalence of dizziness and balance problems compared to boys.

Test rapidly, accurately profiles genetics and treatment of brain tumors Posted: 27 Jan 2016 08:56 AM PST Brain tumors can be rapidly and accurately profiled with a next-generation, gene-sequencing test recently developed. The test, called GlioSeq, is now being used by oncologists to help guide treatment planning of brain cancers.

Spending more on food is associated with a healthier diet, weight Posted: 27 Jan 2016 08:56 AM PST According to an epidemiological study, increasing the money you spend on food is linked to a better quality diet, particularly increased consumption of fruit and vegetables, leading to a healthier weight and decreased risk of cardiometabolic diseases like obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular problems.

Neural network built using plastic memristors Posted: 27 Jan 2016 08:56 AM PST A group of scientists has created a neural network based on polymeric memristors -- devices that can potentially be used to build fundamentally new computers. These developments will primarily help in creating technologies for machine vision, hearing, and other machine sensory systems, and also for intelligent control systems in various fields of applications, including autonomous robots.

New tool to determine the risk of prostate cancer death Posted: 27 Jan 2016 08:55 AM PST A new prognostic biomarker has been identified by researchers: the neuropeptide pro-NPY, which may help determine the risk of dying from prostate cancer. This particular type of protein is very specific to prostate cancer cells and could help identify whether newly diagnosed patients require radical prostatectomy surgery or if it is safe to delay surgery.

Child abuse exposure, suicidal ideation in Canadian military, general population Posted: 27 Jan 2016 08:54 AM PST Military personnel in Canada were more likely to have had exposure to child abuse than individuals in the general population and that exposure was associated with an increased risk of suicidal behavior that had a stronger effect on the general population than military personnel, according to an article. Suicide is an important public health problem among both military and civilian populations. The ability to accurately anticipate who will think about, plan, and attempt suicide is a difficult task.

High drug price trend has 'infected' generics, experts say Posted: 27 Jan 2016 08:54 AM PST Pharmaceutical companies use several strategies to keep affordable generic drugs from the market, illustrating an emerging trend that authors say is becoming as harmful to consumers as high-cost brand-name drugs, authors report in a new article.

Study identifies new class of anticancer compounds for possible targeted therapy in blood cancers Posted: 27 Jan 2016 07:17 AM PST A new class of small-molecule compounds has been discovered that researchers say are good candidates for development of novel targeted therapies in the treatment of leukemia and lymphoma. This new class of compounds drives cancer cells to suicide, the researchers report.

To help diabetics, intelligent socks are paired with smartphones Posted: 27 Jan 2016 05:38 AM PST Diabetic neuropathy is the leading cause of amputation due to foot ulcers, costing the U.S. alone more than $10 billion annually. Now, students have developed SenseGO, a machine-washable sock containing dozens of micro-fabricated pressure sensors. Changes in pressure are registered as electrical signals and relayed to a smartphone app, which informs the patient of developing risk. By giving patients the tools to prevent the development of foot ulcers, this can dramatically reduce health care costs related to diabetes.

Tuberculosis: Discovery of a critical stage in the evolution of the bacillus towards pathogenicity Posted: 27 Jan 2016 05:38 AM PST It is the disappearance of a glycolipid from the bacterial cell envelope during evolution that may have considerably increased the virulence of tuberculosis bacilli in humans. Scientists have shown that this disappearance modified the surface properties of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, favoring its aggregation in "cords" and increasing its pathogenicity.

HIV protein manipulates hundreds of human genes to advance progression into AIDS, study shows Posted: 27 Jan 2016 02:44 AM PST Researchers have deciphered how a small protein made by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes AIDS manipulates human genes to further its deadly agenda. It has long been known that HIV causes AIDS by hijacking the body's immune cells, transforming them into HIV factories and killing other immune cells that normally fight disease. HIV also hides in cells and continues to undermine the host's immune system despite antiretroviral therapy that has improved the outlook of those with AIDS.

Life expectancy three years longer for children born into smaller families in developing world Posted: 27 Jan 2016 02:44 AM PST Children born into smaller families in the world's poorest nations will live an expected three years longer than those born into larger families, new research suggests.

Uncorrected farsightedness linked to literacy deficits in preschoolers Posted: 27 Jan 2016 02:44 AM PST A study funded by the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health, has shown that uncorrected farsightedness (hyperopia) in preschool children is associated with significantly worse performance on a test of early literacy.

Inflammatory changes in the brain twenty years before Alzheimer onset Posted: 27 Jan 2016 02:34 AM PST Roughly twenty years before the first symptoms of Alzheimer's disease appear, inflammatory changes in the brain can be seen, according to a new study. The findings of the researchers, who monitored several pathological changes in the brain, suggest that activation of astrocytes at an early stage can greatly influence the development of the disease.

Important falls in death rates from leukemia in Europe predicted for 2016 Posted: 27 Jan 2016 02:26 AM PST Death rates from leukemia among people of all ages in Europe are falling, according to the latest predictions for European cancer deaths in 2016. The study by researchers in Italy, Switzerland and the USA looked at cancer death rates in the EU 28 member states as a whole and also in the six largest countries -- France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the UK -- for all cancers, and some individual cancers in men and women.

One in 10 suicide attempt risk among friends, relatives of people who die by suicide Posted: 27 Jan 2016 02:26 AM PST People bereaved by the sudden death of a friend or family member are 65 percent more likely to attempt suicide if the deceased died by suicide than if they died by natural causes. This brings the absolute risk up to 1 in 10, reveals new research.

How obesity makes memory go bad Posted: 26 Jan 2016 02:55 PM PST Obesity is associated with epigenetic changes that dysregulate memory-associated genes, and a particular enzyme in brain neurons of the hippocampus appears to be a link between chronic obesity and cognitive decline.

Study details source of mental problems associated with MS Posted: 26 Jan 2016 02:50 PM PST A study sheds new light on multiple sclerosis, specifically damage in the brain caused by the disease that may explain the slow and continuous cognitive decline that many patients experience. The findings show that the brain's immune system is responsible for disrupting communication between nerve cells, even in parts of the brain that are not normally considered to be primary targets of the disease.

Master switch that plays a key role in energy metabolism, human brain evolution Posted: 26 Jan 2016 02:50 PM PST The global gene regulator GABPa has been explored in recent study to better understand its influence as a master switch. This work honed in on human specific DNA regions potentially contributing to human evolution in key functions including cell energy, division and death, and diseases ranging from brain disorders to diabetes.

The developmental origins of osteoporosis Posted: 26 Jan 2016 01:23 PM PST Osteoporosis may have its origins in early life, but the consequences are not apparent until late adult life, report researchers. Osteoporosis is primarily characterized by a depletion of bone mineral mass, but when combined with alterations in bone architecture results in greater bone fragility and increased fracture risks.

For Breast Cancer Patients, Never Too Late to Quit Smoking Posted: 26 Jan 2016 11:41 AM PST Documenting that it's never too late to quit smoking, a large study of breast cancer survivors has found that those who quit smoking after their diagnosis had a 33 percent lower risk of death as a result of breast cancer than those who continued to smoke.

E-cigarette vapor boosts superbugs and dampens immune system Posted: 26 Jan 2016 11:37 AM PST E-cigarettes are toxic to human airway cells, suppress immune defenses and alter inflammation, while at the same time boosting bacterial virulence, new data suggest. In lab and mouse experiments, exposure promotes bacterial virulence and inflammation, while blocking the body's ability to fight infection, the investigators report.

Heavy smokers who quit more than 15 years ago still at high risk for lung cancer and should be screened Posted: 26 Jan 2016 11:37 AM PST Expanding lung cancer screening to include people who quit smoking more than 15 years ago could detect more cases and further reduce associated mortality, according to a study.

New model: How asthma develops from exposure to house dust mites Posted: 26 Jan 2016 10:11 AM PST A previously unknown step in the pathway that leads to asthma has been found by researchers, a discovery that may offer new therapeutic approaches to this incurable disease. Asthma affects more than 25 million people in the United States, including about 7 million children.

Many Latino kids struggle to reach a healthy weight by kindergarten Posted: 26 Jan 2016 10:08 AM PST More Latino kids are obese by ages 2-5 than white kids, due to maternal obesity, less exclusive breastfeeding, and workplace and childcare issues that affect nutrition and physical activity levels, according to a new package of research.

On Twitter, e-cigarette ads spread like secondhand smoke Posted: 26 Jan 2016 10:01 AM PST Are 500 retweets the modern equivalent of 'everyone's doing it' when it comes to e-cigarette marketing? While the Food and Drug Administration has proposed a ban on the sales of e-cigarettes to people under 18, as we are beginning to understand the health effects of the substitute to smoking, a recent study suggests that e-cigarette marketing on social media is about as containable as secondhand smoke.

Toxic exposures caused illness in Gulf War veterans, new report says Posted: 26 Jan 2016 10:01 AM PST Twenty-five years after 700,000 U.S. troops fought and won the first Gulf War with remarkably low casualties, research "clearly and consistently" shows that exposure to pesticides and other toxins caused Gulf War Illness, a complex and debilitating disorder that affects as many as 250,000 of those deployed, according to a new report.

State gun ownership rates linked to murders of women Posted: 26 Jan 2016 10:01 AM PST Women in states with higher rates of gun ownership are at greater risk of being killed by people they know than those in states where a smaller percentage of people own guns. And ownership rates alone explain 40 percent of the variation in women's homicide victimization rates, compared to only 1.5 percent of the variation in men's victimization rates, according to a new study.

Antibiotic use in early life disrupt normal gut microbiota development Posted: 26 Jan 2016 09:52 AM PST The use of antibiotics in early childhood interferes with normal development of the intestinal microbiota, shows research. Particularly the broad-spectrum macrolide antibiotics have adverse effects.

Vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy may not reduce risk of asthma, wheezing in offspring Posted: 26 Jan 2016 09:52 AM PST Two randomized trials examine if vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy would reduce the risk of asthma or persistent wheezing in offspring. Asthma often begins in early childhood and is the most common chronic childhood disorder. The incidence has increased during the last half-century in westernized societies.

Serious adverse drug reactions rare from certain treatment for vascular tumor in infants Posted: 26 Jan 2016 09:52 AM PST The safety of propranolol therapy in treating infantile hemangioma, a vascular tumor characterized by rapid growth during the first weeks of life, has been the focus of recent study. Severe forms require systemic therapy. Propranolol, a beta blocker, induces regression, but safety data have been lacking for children.

Screening for depression recommended for adults, including pregnant and postpartum women Posted: 26 Jan 2016 09:52 AM PST The US Preventive Services Task Force is recommending screening for depression in the general adult population, including pregnant and postpartum women, and that screening should be implemented with adequate systems in place to ensure accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and appropriate follow-up.

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