ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• In search of a treatment for osteoporosis from the tequila agave
• Promising new blood test is first of its kind to detect liver scarring
• Application of novel alignment-free sequence descriptors in Zika virus characterization
• Crystal structure of PKG I suggests a new activation mechanism
• Newly discovered way for cells to die
• US doctors report reconstructing new esophagus tissue in a critically ill patient
• Health costs for motivated, disadvantaged youth
• Discovery of CTLA-4 in dendritic cells opens new possibilities to fight cancer
• Dressed to kill: Tailoring a suit for tumor-penetrating cancer medications
• Pivotal inflammatory players revealed in diabetic kidney disease
• Scientists discover how Chinese medicinal plant makes anti-cancer compound
• Controlling 'bad cholesterol' production could prevent growth of tumors, study finds
• New assay offers improved detection of deadly prion diseases
• Perk yourself up with some exercise
• Chemists develop new strategy to synthesize molecule that could help mitigate cancer tumor development
• Brain insulin resistance identified as possible new link between Alzheimer's disease, diabetes
• Test run finds no cancer risk from stem cell therapy
• Predicting a person's distinct brain connectivity
• Typhoid toxin increases host survival and promotes asymptomatic infection
• Hiv agencies yield insights on improving services

In search of a treatment for osteoporosis from the tequila agave Posted: 09 Apr 2016 06:18 AM PDT Apart from being the raw material for making a very traditional drink in Mexico, the blue variety of the Agave tequilana has substances capable of improving the absorption of calcium and magnesium, essential minerals to maintain bone health, reports a Mexican scientist.

Promising new blood test is first of its kind to detect liver scarring Posted: 09 Apr 2016 06:17 AM PDT Scientists and medics have developed a new type of genetic blood test that diagnoses scarring in the liver -- even before someone may feel ill. It is the first time an epigenetic signature in blood has been discovered which is diagnostic of the severity of fibrosis for people with Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD).

Application of novel alignment-free sequence descriptors in Zika virus characterization Posted: 09 Apr 2016 06:17 AM PDT In a new article, researchers explain their work on computer-assisted approaches towards surveillance and consequent design of drugs and vaccines to combat the growth and spread of the Zika virus.

Crystal structure of PKG I suggests a new activation mechanism Posted: 09 Apr 2016 06:17 AM PDT Protein kinases, most scientists would agree, regulate nearly every aspect of cell life. It is no surprise, then, that having faulty protein kinases may lead to a number of human conditions, including cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes. Kinases form a large family. Some of its members have similar structures, which has led some researchers to propose that the activity of these kinases is probably regulated in a similar manner and, therefore, may be targeted with similar medications.

Newly discovered way for cells to die Posted: 09 Apr 2016 06:17 AM PDT In studying how worms develop from larvae into adults, scientists have discovered a previously unknown process in which cells are programmed to die. The findings might have implications for understanding some diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders.

US doctors report reconstructing new esophagus tissue in a critically ill patient Posted: 09 Apr 2016 06:17 AM PDT American doctors report the first case of a human patient whose severely damaged esophagus was reconstructed using commercially available FDA approved stents and skin tissue. Seven years after the reconstruction and four years after the stents were removed, the patient continues to eat a normal diet and maintain his weight with no swallowing problems.

Health costs for motivated, disadvantaged youth Posted: 08 Apr 2016 03:36 PM PDT There may be a hidden cost to the old adage of pulling oneself up by the bootstraps. Research suggests the unintended stress spurred by upward mobility can pose an unintended health risk later down the road.

Discovery of CTLA-4 in dendritic cells opens new possibilities to fight cancer Posted: 08 Apr 2016 01:38 PM PDT T cells are the 'foot soldiers' that fight cancer inside the body. Cancer cells can fight the foot soldiers back by pushing a brake on the T cells that will turn them off. This 'brake' is a molecule on the surface of T cells called CTLA-4. Until now, most scientists agreed that CTLA-4 was only present on T cells and other cells of the same lineage. But new research suggests that CTLA-4 is also produced and secreted by dendritic cells, which are the 'generals' of the T cells in the battle against cancer.

Dressed to kill: Tailoring a suit for tumor-penetrating cancer medications Posted: 08 Apr 2016 01:38 PM PDT Tiny capsules, called nanoparticles, are now being used to transport chemotherapy medicine to cancerous tumors. Researchers believe that the trick to gaining access to the pernicious cellular masses is to give these nanoparticles a new look.

Pivotal inflammatory players revealed in diabetic kidney disease Posted: 08 Apr 2016 01:37 PM PDT Key inflammatory mechanisms underlying type 1 diabetes and obesity-related kidney dysfunction have been identified by a team of researchers. In the study, the researchers analyzed the kidneys of experimental mice with type 1 diabetes and mice fed a high-fat diet. They found increased amounts of sphingomyelin, a type of fatty acid commonly found in cell membranes and nervous tissue, in both experimental groups.

Scientists discover how Chinese medicinal plant makes anti-cancer compound Posted: 08 Apr 2016 01:37 PM PDT New research reveals how a plant used in traditional Chinese medicine produces compounds which may help to treat cancer and liver diseases.

Controlling 'bad cholesterol' production could prevent growth of tumors, study finds Posted: 08 Apr 2016 10:24 AM PDT Several studies have recognized a link between obesity and cancer. Now new research further helps to understand how tumor cells grow through scavenging very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) and low-density lipoproteins (LDL), commonly known as the 'bad cholesterol', and what mechanisms can be used to reduce the malignant cells' growth.

New assay offers improved detection of deadly prion diseases Posted: 08 Apr 2016 08:23 AM PDT Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), or prion diseases, are a family of rare progressive, neurodegenerative illnesses that affect both humans and animals. TSE surveillance is important for public health and food safety because TSEs have the potential of crossing from animals to humans, as seen with the spread of mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). A new study describes an advanced assay that offers better sensitivity than currently available tests for detecting a prion disease affecting elk.

Perk yourself up with some exercise Posted: 08 Apr 2016 08:23 AM PDT We're all aware of the physical advantages of exercising and the emotional advantages have also been well-documented. But how much do we know about the psychological impact of engaging in physical activity? This study demonstrates the positive impact of acute aerobic exercise on individuals experiencing emotion regulation difficulties.

Chemists develop new strategy to synthesize molecule that could help mitigate cancer tumor development Posted: 08 Apr 2016 08:22 AM PDT Researchers have successfully achieved a formal total synthesis of cortistatin A, a molecule which could help mitigate the growth of cancer tumors.

Brain insulin resistance identified as possible new link between Alzheimer's disease, diabetes Posted: 07 Apr 2016 07:17 PM PDT Alzheimer's disease (AD) impairs insulin signaling in the portion of the brain responsible for regulating metabolism, making a person with AD more likely to develop diabetes, new research suggests.

Test run finds no cancer risk from stem cell therapy Posted: 07 Apr 2016 12:03 PM PDT The research followed the whole journey iPS cells would take when used in clinical therapy and found that iPs cells acquire 10 times fewer mutations than cells in the body and that no mutations occurred in genes known to cause cancer. The findings suggest that iPS cells do not pose a risk if used in regenerative treatment.

Predicting a person's distinct brain connectivity Posted: 07 Apr 2016 12:03 PM PDT Based on functional magnetic resonance imaging of a person's brain when that individual is resting, a new model reported in this study is able to predict how that individual's brain will look during a range of active tasks.

Typhoid toxin increases host survival and promotes asymptomatic infection Posted: 07 Apr 2016 12:02 PM PDT Genotoxins damage the genetic material in cells and can cause mutations and cancer. Some bacteria code for and produce genotoxins. A new study reports the surprising finding that one of them, typhoid toxin, actually increases survival of the infected host and promotes long-term colonization without causing disease in the host. The work, the authors say 'poses the semantic and biological question of whether 'toxin' is the appropriate designation'.

Hiv agencies yield insights on improving services Posted: 07 Apr 2016 10:29 AM PDT Agencies that serve people with HIV in the U.S. are at the forefront of delivering medical care, shelter, psycho-social counseling and other services to their vulnerable clients. These services are offered through a mix of different types of agencies, including local health departments, state government agencies, non-profits and faith-based organizations. Collaboration among these various entities is essential for holistically serving the needs of their clients. Now, a researcher has published two studies after studying collaboration among these types of agencies in Baltimore, a severely HIV-affected city. Her research offers suggestions for improving HIV prevention, treatment and care and provides an innovation in measuring collaboration among agencies.

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