ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• New model uses public health statistics to signal when disease elimination is imminent
• Novel RNA delivery system may treat incurable blood cancers
• Female urologists still earn less money than their male counterparts
• Racial disparities in kidney transplantation rates eased by new allocation system
• DNA repair enzyme identified as a potential brain cancer drug target
• Why white, older men are more likely to die of suicide
• Antidepressant drug linked with increased risk of birth defects when taken in early pregnancy
• Changes in brain connectivity protect against developing bipolar disorder
• Beyond dance: Ballet training improves muscle coordination in everyday activities
• Radiation an important addition to treatment for pancreatic cancer surgery candidates
• Broken bone may lead to widespread body pain, not just at the site of the fracture
• Overweight young people can avoid diabetes risk if they lose weight early enough, says new research
• High blood sugar levels could lead to heart attack complications
• Tools for protecting drinking water
• Reliably detecting dengue fever
• Use of anticholinergic drugs does not increase risk for dementia in Parkinson's disease patients
• Schizophrenia gene traced in chicken study
• Optical coherence tomography may speed detection of pneumonia-related bacteria in ICU patients
• Community food bank study dispels belief healthy diets are costly
• New findings on embryonic heart valves may prevent congenital heart defects in newborns
• High frequency of spontaneous mutation in Ebola virus, study shows
• Penetrating head gunshot wounds in children and adolescents: Factors predicting outcomes
• Improving vaginal discomfort after menopause
• Medical research influenced by training 'genealogy'
• Experts question automatic osteoporosis drug holidays
• Cardiovascular disease in adult survivors of childhood cancer
• Map shows hotspots for bat-human virus transmission risk
• Gene thought to suppress cancer may actually promote spread of colorectal cancer
• Pediatric sickle cell study stopped early due to positive results
• Critical clues on cartilage
• Improving access to clinical trials when biopsies are required
• Medical specialties receiving highest payments from manufacturers identified
• Solving the mystery of defective embryos
• Social networks as important as exercise, diet across the span of our lives
• Discovery of a new drug target could lead to novel treatment for severe autism
• Prions made in the lab
• Saffron-based crocin prevents liver cancer: Preclinical studies and beyond

New model uses public health statistics to signal when disease elimination is imminent Posted: 05 Jan 2016 10:42 AM PST Ecologists have developed a model showing that public health surveillance data can be used to signal when a disease is approaching eradication. Their research lays the groundwork for a potential new tool in the fight against infectious diseases.

Novel RNA delivery system may treat incurable blood cancers Posted: 05 Jan 2016 10:31 AM PST Mantle Cell Lymphoma is considered the most aggressive known blood cancer, and available therapies are scarce. A new study offers tangible hope of curing the currently incurable cancer -- and others like it.

Female urologists still earn less money than their male counterparts Posted: 05 Jan 2016 10:27 AM PST Although the field of urology remains largely male dominated, the proportion of female physicians specializing in urology has increased from less than 0.5 percent in 1981 to 10 percent today, and 33 percent of students entering urology internships and residency programs are now female. Researchers report that gender inequality between male and female urologists persists with women currently earning approximately $76,000 less than men annually.

Racial disparities in kidney transplantation rates eased by new allocation system Posted: 05 Jan 2016 08:23 AM PST Year-old changes to the system that distributes deceased donor kidneys nationwide have significantly boosted transplantation rates for black and Hispanic patients on waiting lists, reducing racial disparities inherent in the previous allocation formula used for decades, according to results of new research.

DNA repair enzyme identified as a potential brain cancer drug target Posted: 05 Jan 2016 08:23 AM PST When they removed Dicer from preclinical models of medulloblastoma, a common type of brain cancer in children, researchers found high levels of DNA damage in the cancer cells, leading to the cells' death. The tumor cells were smaller, and also more sensitive to chemotherapy, they report.

Why white, older men are more likely to die of suicide Posted: 05 Jan 2016 08:23 AM PST An important factor in white men's psychological brittleness and vulnerability to suicide once they reach late life may be dominant scripts of masculinity, aging and suicide, a psychology researcher says.

Antidepressant drug linked with increased risk of birth defects when taken in early pregnancy Posted: 05 Jan 2016 08:21 AM PST Using paroxetine -- a medication prescribed to treat conditions including depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder -- during the first trimester of pregnancy may increase newborns' risk of congenital malformations and cardiac malformations. Up to one-fifth of women of childbearing age experience depressive symptoms that often lead to mild to moderate depression, and prescriptions for antidepressants during pregnancy have increased in recent years. The most common drugs for treating depression in pregnant women are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and up until 2005, one drug in that class -- paroxetine -- was considered to be safe for use during pregnancy.

Changes in brain connectivity protect against developing bipolar disorder Posted: 05 Jan 2016 08:21 AM PST Naturally occurring changes in brain wiring can help patients at high genetic risk of developing bipolar disorder avert the onset of the illness, according to a new study.

Beyond dance: Ballet training improves muscle coordination in everyday activities Posted: 05 Jan 2016 07:23 AM PST Professional ballet dancers have more control over their muscles than individuals with no dance training, new research shows.

Radiation an important addition to treatment for pancreatic cancer surgery candidates Posted: 05 Jan 2016 07:19 AM PST Radiation therapy was associated with a lower risk of cancer recurrence in pancreatic cancer surgery patients, making it, like chemotherapy, an important addition to treatment, new research found. Whether radiotherapy helps patients after pancreatic cancer surgery has been a long-standing question, and the findings suggest that it does, says the study's senior author.

Broken bone may lead to widespread body pain, not just at the site of the fracture Posted: 05 Jan 2016 07:19 AM PST Breaking a major bone may increase risk of widespread chronic body pain in later life, a new study has found. Researchers found that men and women who had a spine fracture and women who had a hip fracture were more than twice as likely to experience long term widespread pain as those who had not had a fracture.

Overweight young people can avoid diabetes risk if they lose weight early enough, says new research Posted: 05 Jan 2016 07:19 AM PST Obese young people can still turn their chances of developing life threatening illness around if they change before middle age, says new research. The study looked at the body mass index (BMI) of people when they were young and compared it to when they were middle aged to see whether it affected their risk of heart attack, stroke or diabetes.

High blood sugar levels could lead to heart attack complications Posted: 05 Jan 2016 07:19 AM PST Direct evidence of blood vessel contraction due to glucose (sugar) has now been demonstrated for the first time, researchers report. These effects were observed even at glucose levels that could be reached after a large meal. This research provides a potential therapeutic target for improving outcomes following a heart attack or stroke

Tools for protecting drinking water Posted: 05 Jan 2016 07:19 AM PST We place high demands on the quality of our drinking water. If pathogens or toxic substances found their way into the piping system, many people could become infected or injured very quickly. That's why this risk must be kept low. To do this, experts have developed technologies for a comprehensive monitoring, early warning and emergency management system.

Reliably detecting dengue fever Posted: 05 Jan 2016 07:18 AM PST Tiger mosquitoes are indigenous to Africa and Asia. However, they are increasingly being found around the Mediterranean and are bringing the dengue virus with them. Up to now, there's been no sure-fire antibody test for detecting this virus. Researchers have now developed such a test, creating a cost-effective and fail-safe way to diagnose dengue.

Use of anticholinergic drugs does not increase risk for dementia in Parkinson's disease patients Posted: 05 Jan 2016 07:18 AM PST Recent evidence has shown a greater risk of dementia, in particular Alzheimer's disease (AD), in individuals using anticholinergic medications regularly. These drugs are widely used by older adults to treat bladder dysfunction, mood, and pain, and many of them are available without prescription. Since these drugs are often used to treat both motor symptoms and non-motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson's Disease (PD), there is concern for increased risk of dementia. Contrary to expectations, a study has determined that the cognitive performance of PD patients taking anticholinergic medications did not differ from those who did not.

Schizophrenia gene traced in chicken study Posted: 05 Jan 2016 07:18 AM PST Mood-based disorders are one of the top-ten causes of disability worldwide. However the genes underpinning these disorders have proven to be remarkably elusive, say investigators.

Optical coherence tomography may speed detection of pneumonia-related bacteria in ICU patients Posted: 05 Jan 2016 07:17 AM PST Hospital medical staff may soon be able to more quickly visualize the presence of biofilm in endotracheal tubes, lessening the risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia, reports a new article. Researchers have demonstrated that demonstrated that optical coherence tomography (OCT) can be used to determine the presence of biofilm, providing an alternative to methods requiring arduous sample preparation.

Community food bank study dispels belief healthy diets are costly Posted: 05 Jan 2016 07:17 AM PST Contrary to popular belief, healthy diets rich in fruits and vegetables are affordable, say researchers whose study focused on community food bank programs.

New findings on embryonic heart valves may prevent congenital heart defects in newborns Posted: 05 Jan 2016 07:17 AM PST Natural triggers that could reduce the chance of life-threatening, congenital heart defects among newborn infants have been identified by biomedical engineers. Those triggers can override developmental, biological miscues, leading to proper embryonic heart and valve formation.

High frequency of spontaneous mutation in Ebola virus, study shows Posted: 05 Jan 2016 07:17 AM PST Ebola virus has the potential to evolve rapidly, but the genetic changes result in viruses that are weakened or not viable, which could be exploited as a therapeutic, report scientists.

Penetrating head gunshot wounds in children and adolescents: Factors predicting outcomes Posted: 05 Jan 2016 07:16 AM PST Intracranial gunshot wounds (GSWs) in children and adolescents have been studied by researchers who identified nine clinical, laboratory, and radiological factors that were predictive of these patients' outcomes.

Improving vaginal discomfort after menopause Posted: 05 Jan 2016 07:16 AM PST A new phase III trial with positive results is taking intravaginal DHEA a step closer to governmental approval. The formulation could provide women who cannot or do not wish to use intravaginal estrogen with an effective vaginal alternative for easing vaginal symptoms and pain with sex after menopause.

Medical research influenced by training 'genealogy' Posted: 04 Jan 2016 06:22 PM PST By analyzing peer-reviewed scientific papers that examined the effectiveness of a surgical procedure, researchers provide evidence suggesting that the conclusions of these studies appear to be influenced by the authors' mentors and medical training.

Experts question automatic osteoporosis drug holidays Posted: 04 Jan 2016 06:22 PM PST A new editorial urges physicians to individualize treatment decisions based on their patients' fracture risk, rather than automatically interrupting or stopping bisphosphonate therapy after five or three years.

Cardiovascular disease in adult survivors of childhood cancer Posted: 04 Jan 2016 06:22 PM PST For adult survivors of childhood cancer, cardiovascular disease presents at an earlier age, is associated with substantial morbidity, and is often asymptomatic. According to researchers, the type and frequency of screening that should be used in this group is not clear.

Map shows hotspots for bat-human virus transmission risk Posted: 04 Jan 2016 06:22 PM PST West Africa, sub-Saharan Africa and South East Asia are most at risk from bat viruses 'spilling over' into humans resulting in new emerging diseases, according to a new global map. The map shows risk levels due to a variety of factors including large numbers of different bat viruses found locally, increasing population pressure, and hunting bats for bushmeat.

Gene thought to suppress cancer may actually promote spread of colorectal cancer Posted: 04 Jan 2016 01:42 PM PST A gene that is known to suppress the growth and spread of many types of cancer has the opposite effect in some forms of colorectal cancer, researchers have found. It is a finding that may lay the foundation for new colorectal cancer treatments.

Pediatric sickle cell study stopped early due to positive results Posted: 04 Jan 2016 01:42 PM PST For some children with sickle cell disease, the drug hydroxyurea is as effective as blood transfusions to reduce blood flow speeds in the brain, a national sickle cell disease study has found. Increased blood flows are a major risk factor for stroke in these children, report investigators.

Critical clues on cartilage Posted: 04 Jan 2016 01:37 PM PST 'Microdomains' -- non-fibrous areas within cartilage -- play a key role in the function of cartilage, researchers have discovered. They have also found that information paves the way for better treatment of injuries such as knee meniscus tears and new therapies for osteoarthritis and age-related degeneration.

Improving access to clinical trials when biopsies are required Posted: 04 Jan 2016 01:37 PM PST The requirement for tumor tissue specimens and associated analyses in order to participate in clinical trials appears to be a significant barrier to clinical trial enrollment and may delay treatment. Potential solutions to reducing or eliminating these barriers include routine tissue banking at diagnosis, easing use of available diagnostic samples, development of less invasive tests, faster turnaround time at central laboratories or allowing for local testing and more resources for timely tissue collection.

Medical specialties receiving highest payments from manufacturers identified Posted: 04 Jan 2016 01:37 PM PST The Physician Payments Sunshine Act, passed under the Affordable Care Act, requires all pharmaceutical and medical device companies to report payments to physicians, including consulting fees, gifts, speaking fees, meals, travel and research grants. A recent study analyzed this database and compared payments among different specialties and identified which ones topped the list.

Solving the mystery of defective embryos Posted: 04 Jan 2016 01:32 PM PST A new mechanism that may explain why some embryos are not useful for fertility treatment has been discovered by scientists. Embryos obtained when a sperm fertilizes an egg in a test tube often have defects, say the researchers.

Social networks as important as exercise, diet across the span of our lives Posted: 04 Jan 2016 01:32 PM PST The more social ties people have at an early age, the better their health is at the beginnings and ends of their lives, according to a new study. The study is the first to definitively link social relationships with concrete measures of physical well-being such as abdominal obesity, inflammation, and high blood pressure, all of which can lead to long-term health problems, including heart disease, stroke and cancer.

Discovery of a new drug target could lead to novel treatment for severe autism Posted: 04 Jan 2016 01:31 PM PST A novel drug target has been used to rescue functional deficits in human nerve cells derived from patients with Rett syndrome, a severe form of autism-spectrum disorder. The research could lead to a new treatment for Rett syndrome and other forms of autism-spectrum disorders, say investigators.

Prions made in the lab Posted: 04 Jan 2016 05:12 AM PST At times, to understand something well, it is useful to rebuild  it from scratch. It happens with prions as well, say researchers who assembled artificial prions, devising a method for synthesizing them in a series. Lab tests showed that synthetic prions act like their biological counterparts.

Saffron-based crocin prevents liver cancer: Preclinical studies and beyond Posted: 04 Jan 2016 05:05 AM PST Liver cancer remains among the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. Now new research unravels mechanisms by which saffron-based 'crocin' protects against liver cancer.

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