ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Dynamic DNA polymers can be reversed using biocompatible techniques
• Surprising mechanism of acid reflux damage identified by researchers
• Study advances understanding of colon cancer, colitis
• Many physicians make lack a firm understanding of the costs of medical tests, procedures
• Higher potato consumption associated with increased risk of high blood pressure
• Hormone shown to be important in liver disease
• Holidays in the sun hold key to boosting vitamin D, study finds
• Researchers combat developmental delays with 'super suits'
• First clinical use of bioabsorbable vascular grafts in children shows promise
• Study shows how neurons reach their final destinations
• Infertility risk posed by endometriosis may be half of previous estimation
• Genetic switch turned on during fasting helps stop inflammation
• Simple, rapid TB diagnosis feasible in low-resource, high-burden settings
• High-power prismatic devices may further expand visual fields for patients with hemianopia
• New mechanism for wound healing identified by biological laboratory scientist
• Peering into tissue stiffness with VIPA-based Brillouin spectroscopy
• More than ten risk factors identified in readmission of pediatric neurosurgery patients
• Blocking known cancer driver unexpectedly reveals a new tumor-promoting pathway
• Blocking apoptotic response could preserve fertility in women receiving cancer treatments
• Cancer-fighting properties of horseradish revealed
• Invention promises rapid detection of E. coli in water
• EPO in very preterm infants does not improve neurodevelopmental outcomes at 2 years
• Critical shortage of cardiothoracic surgeons anticipated by 2035
• VA hospitals favor mitral valve repair vs. replacement
• Decision-makers hold overly optimistic expectations for critically ill patient outcomes
• Surgery surprise: Small rural hospitals may be safer, less expensive for common operations
• Mom's exposure to BPA during pregnancy can put her baby on course to obesity
• HIV-infected patients more likely to lack cancer treatment
• 30 percent of female physicians report sexual harassment
• Chronic fatigue patients more likely to suppress emotions
• Evolution of cellular power stations
• How shift work affect cognitive functions
• Skull condition thought extinct is actually widespread, research finds
• Fine-tuning for intestinal immune cells
• Cell division, inflammatory disease link revealed
• Experimental drug against hepatitis C slows down Zika virus infection in mice
• Novel nicotine inhaler doubles smoking quit rates
• Potential 'fountain of youth' gene found
• Dietary intake differs in infants who follow baby-led weaning
• External stenting can relieve chronic airway obstruction in children
• Infants whose mothers have taken SSRI antidepressants are more likely to have decreased birth weight, gestational length
• Endogenous retroviruses: Lethal reawakening
• New ultrasound method increases awareness about cancer cells
• Children with and without multiple sclerosis have differences in gut bacteria
• Altered purine metabolism linked to depression
• Drug against breast cancer is also highly potent against a frequent form of leukemia
• Bubble volcano: Shaking, popping by earthquakes may cause eruptions
• Heating chemotherapy drugs may improve bladder cancer treatment
• No link between eating dinner after 8pm, obesity in children
• Nudging health in food pantries
• Doctors don't die differently than anyone else, researchers say
• Magic mushroom compound psilocybin could provide new avenue for antidepressant research
• A narrow band of green light could improve migraines
• Using exercise to reduce glutamate build-up in the brain
• Electronic medical record automated alerts notify physicians when patients at risk of death
• Middle-school kids see several alcohol ads a day
• As sleep apnea severity increases so do the learning challenges in kids
• Being fit may slow lung function decline as we age
• A shaggy dog story: The contagious cancer that conquered the world
• Exacerbations of COPD accelerate lung-function loss

Dynamic DNA polymers can be reversed using biocompatible techniques Posted: 17 May 2016 04:18 PM PDT DNA-based straight and branched polymers or nanomaterials that can be created and dissolved using biocompatible methods are now possible thanks to the work of biomedical engineers.

Surprising mechanism of acid reflux damage identified by researchers Posted: 17 May 2016 04:18 PM PDT The 'acid' in 'acid reflux' may not be the direct cause of damage to the esophagus as previously suspected, according to researchers following conclusion of their study.

Study advances understanding of colon cancer, colitis Posted: 17 May 2016 04:18 PM PDT The transcription factor hepatocyte nuclear factor 4-alpha (HNF4-alpha) plays a key role in colon cancer and colitis. HNF4-alpha comes in two major isoforms, P1 and P2, but how these are distributed in the gut is not understood. Now researchers have determined the distribution of the P1 and P2 isoforms in the colon. They report that maintaining a balance of P1 and P2 is crucial for reducing risk of contracting colon cancer and colitis.

Many physicians make lack a firm understanding of the costs of medical tests, procedures Posted: 17 May 2016 04:18 PM PDT Physicians are increasingly being asked to help contain costs and reduce the use of low-value health care services. However, a recent study found that while the overwhelming majority of physicians surveyed felt that doctors had a responsibility to control costs, less than half reported having a firm understanding of the costs of tests and procedures to the health care system.

Higher potato consumption associated with increased risk of high blood pressure Posted: 17 May 2016 04:18 PM PDT Higher intakes of boiled, baked, or mashed potatoes, and French fries is associated with an increased risk of developing high blood pressure (hypertension) in adult women and men.

Hormone shown to be important in liver disease Posted: 17 May 2016 12:17 PM PDT High levels of a digestive hormone called secretin may play an important role in the management of certain chronic liver diseases, according to new research.

Holidays in the sun hold key to boosting vitamin D, study finds Posted: 17 May 2016 12:14 PM PDT Holidays abroad may hold the key to tackling Scotland's vitamin D deficiency, research suggests. Vitamin D is known to be associated with good bone health. It has also been linked to wide-ranging health benefits including lower blood pressure, reduced heart disease risk and better chances of surviving cancer.

Researchers combat developmental delays with 'super suits' Posted: 17 May 2016 11:13 AM PDT "Super Suits" have been created by experts to assist children who have developmental delays. The suits are exoskeletons and other devices that are light, comfortable and effective.

First clinical use of bioabsorbable vascular grafts in children shows promise Posted: 17 May 2016 11:12 AM PDT Current cardiovascular valve or blood vessel implants are generally associated with a number of complications, have limited efficacy over time, and may necessitate repeated interventions over a patient's lifetime, especially when implanted in a young child. Researchers report success with implantation of bioabsorbable vascular grafts used to correct a congenital cardiac malformation. Over time, the grafts are designed to biodegrade as a patient's own cells and proteins reconstitute natural functioning tissue, thus reducing permanent implant-related complications.

Study shows how neurons reach their final destinations Posted: 17 May 2016 11:11 AM PDT The discovery that unattached, sliding microtubules aid in neuronal migration, could ultimately help researchers better understand how neurons gone astray contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism, say investigators.

Infertility risk posed by endometriosis may be half of previous estimation Posted: 17 May 2016 11:11 AM PDT The infertility risk posed by endometriosis is about half previous estimates and indicates a possible detection bias in earlier studies, according to a new report.

Genetic switch turned on during fasting helps stop inflammation Posted: 17 May 2016 11:11 AM PDT A key molecule that keeps gut bacteria in check has been discovered by a team of scientists. The study shows a molecular pathway by which the brain communicates with the gastrointestinal (GI) tract to prevent unnecessary activation of the immune system during fasting by strengthening the barrier against gut microbes.

Simple, rapid TB diagnosis feasible in low-resource, high-burden settings Posted: 17 May 2016 11:11 AM PDT A streamlined approach to tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis requiring a single sputum sample and providing rapid, accurate results to patients proved feasible in rural Uganda, according to new research.

High-power prismatic devices may further expand visual fields for patients with hemianopia Posted: 17 May 2016 10:16 AM PDT Three new eyeglasses have now been designedusing high-power prisms to optimally expand the visual fields of patients with hemianopia, a condition in which the visual fields of both eyes are cut by half. The new designs address some limitations of existing prism correction available to this population.

New mechanism for wound healing identified by biological laboratory scientist Posted: 17 May 2016 10:16 AM PDT A researcher has identified a new mechanism for wound healing that has wide-ranging therapeutic potential for the treatment of injury, disease and even aging. Instead of replacing lost cells through cell division, the newly identified mechanism, which she has called wound-induced polyploidy, or WIP, maintains the size and function of injured or disease tissue by enlarging existing cells.

Peering into tissue stiffness with VIPA-based Brillouin spectroscopy Posted: 17 May 2016 10:16 AM PDT To bring Brillouin spectroscopy to biological samples -- such as a chicken breast, or a patient's potentially cancerous tumor -- researchers have recently developed a new virtually imaged phased array-based Brillouin spectrometer.

More than ten risk factors identified in readmission of pediatric neurosurgery patients Posted: 17 May 2016 10:08 AM PDT Big data provides insight into patient readmission after pediatric neurosurgery in a new study. The study looks at specific surgical procedures performed, such as cerebral spinal fluid shunt replacement or CSF shunt revision, as well as patient demographics and postoperative complications like surgical site infection.

Blocking known cancer driver unexpectedly reveals a new tumor-promoting pathway Posted: 17 May 2016 10:08 AM PDT While investigating a potential therapeutic target for the ERK1 and 2 pathway, a widely expressed signaling molecule known to drive cancer growth in one third of patients with colorectal cancer, researchers found that an alternative pathway immediately emerges when ERK1/2 is halted, thus allowing tumor cell proliferation to continue.

Blocking apoptotic response could preserve fertility in women receiving cancer treatments Posted: 17 May 2016 10:08 AM PDT Female cancer patients of reproductive age could preserve their fertility during radiation and chemotherapy through treatments that target the DNA damage response in oocytes (the cells that develop into eggs), an approach that works in animal models, say researchers.

Cancer-fighting properties of horseradish revealed Posted: 17 May 2016 09:20 AM PDT Horseradish contains cancer-fighting compounds known as glucosinolates. Glucosinolate type and quantity vary depending on size and quality of the horseradish root. For the first time, the activation of cancer-fighting enzymes by glucosinolate products in horseradish has been documented.

Invention promises rapid detection of E. coli in water Posted: 17 May 2016 09:20 AM PDT The new technology has cut down the time taken to detect E. coli from a few days to just a couple of hours. It is also an inexpensive way to test drinking water (C$3 per test estimated), which is a boon for many developing countries, as much as it is for remote areas of Canada's North.

EPO in very preterm infants does not improve neurodevelopmental outcomes at 2 years Posted: 17 May 2016 09:18 AM PDT A new study randomly assigned 448 preterm infants born between 26 weeks 0 days' and 31 weeks 6 days' gestation to receive either high-dose recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) or placebo (saline) intravenously within 3 hours, at 12 to 18 hours, and at 36 to 42 hours after birth.

Critical shortage of cardiothoracic surgeons anticipated by 2035 Posted: 17 May 2016 09:05 AM PDT Looking ahead to 2035, a growing disparity is projected between the number of cardiothoracic surgeons needed and the number available. Researchers cite such trends as fewer trainees in surgery residency programs, more exam failures, and fewer American Board of Thoracic Surgery certifications at a time when an aging population will require more cardiothoracic surgical services. They estimate that cardiothoracic surgeons would have to increase their caseload by 121 percent to meet demand, something that is not feasible.

VA hospitals favor mitral valve repair vs. replacement Posted: 17 May 2016 09:05 AM PDT Little is known about mitral valve surgical outcomes within the largest US federal health system -- the Veterans Administration Health System. New data presented from 40 VA cardiac surgery centers reveal that although MV repair rates increased from 48 percent in 2001 to 63 percent in 2013, a wide variability exists in repair rates among medical centers. This is especially important because MV repair mortality rates were significantly lower in patients with primary degenerative disease.

Decision-makers hold overly optimistic expectations for critically ill patient outcomes Posted: 17 May 2016 09:05 AM PDT More than half of the family and friends making decisions for critically ill patients have significantly different estimates for the patient's survival than their doctor -- but that's not only because of a misunderstanding, researchers report.

Surgery surprise: Small rural hospitals may be safer, less expensive for common operations Posted: 17 May 2016 09:05 AM PDT They may be in small towns. They may only have a couple of surgeons. But for common operations, they may be safer and less expensive than their larger cousins, a new study finds.

Mom's exposure to BPA during pregnancy can put her baby on course to obesity Posted: 17 May 2016 09:05 AM PDT Prenatal exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA), a common chemical used in plastic water bottles and canned food, is associated with measures of obesity in children at age 7, according to researchers. 94 percent of pregnant women studied had detectable levels of BPA. The researchers are the first to show associations between prenatal exposure to BPA and measures of body fat in their school-aged children.

HIV-infected patients more likely to lack cancer treatment Posted: 17 May 2016 09:05 AM PDT HIV-infected patients with cancer in the United States appear to be less likely to receive cancer treatment, regardless of insurance and other existing health conditions, a new report suggests.

30 percent of female physicians report sexual harassment Posted: 17 May 2016 09:04 AM PDT In a survey of high-achieving physician-scientists, nearly a third of women reported experiencing sexual harassment. As women now make up about half of medical school students, the researchers emphasize the importance of recognizing unconscious bias as well as overtly inappropriate behaviors.

Chronic fatigue patients more likely to suppress emotions Posted: 17 May 2016 07:15 AM PDT Chronic fatigue syndrome patients report they are more anxious and distressed than people who don't have the condition, and they are also more likely to suppress those emotions. In addition, when under stress, they show greater activation of the biological "fight or flight" mechanism, which may add to their fatigue, according to new research.

Evolution of cellular power stations Posted: 17 May 2016 07:14 AM PDT Mitochondria are the power stations of human cells. They provide the energy needed for the cellular metabolism. But how did these power stations evolve, and how are they constructed? Researchers studied the role of so-called oxidase assembly machinery, or OXA, in the development of the inner membrane of mitochondria and the energy supply of cells.

How shift work affect cognitive functions Posted: 17 May 2016 07:13 AM PDT A new study shows that compared to non-shift workers, shift workers needed more time to complete a test that is frequently used by physicians to screen for cognitive impairment. However, those who had quit shift work more than five years ago completed the test just as quick as the non-shift workers.

Skull condition thought extinct is actually widespread, research finds Posted: 17 May 2016 07:13 AM PDT Some forensic anthropologists thought the skull condition called cribra orbitalia was a thing of the past -- but new research finds that it not only still exists, but is fairly common in both North America and South Africa.

Fine-tuning for intestinal immune cells Posted: 17 May 2016 06:43 AM PDT An international team of researchers has unraveled a new regulatory mechanism how food components and environmental factors influence the immune system. Various substances present in the intestines can bind to an important controller, the Ah receptor. This system is in turn regulated by the Ah receptor repressor and as a result, it influences the degree of the immune response. If the controller is not properly adjusted during bacterial infections, there can be life-threatening septic shock, for example.

Cell division, inflammatory disease link revealed Posted: 17 May 2016 06:42 AM PDT A ground-breaking study has identified a new link between inflammation and cell division. Two of the most important processes in the human body, their accurate control is a holy grail for scientists researching the prevention of infection, inflammatory disease and cancer.

Experimental drug against hepatitis C slows down Zika virus infection in mice Posted: 17 May 2016 06:42 AM PDT Virologists have shown that an experimental antiviral drug against hepatitis C slows down the development of Zika in mice.

Novel nicotine inhaler doubles smoking quit rates Posted: 17 May 2016 06:42 AM PDT Smokers who used a nicotine inhaler were twice as likely to quit smoking as smokers using a placebo inhaler, new research indicates. The investigators developed and tested a novel nicotine inhaler to see whether it helps smokers to quit smoking. Participants in the study were randomly assigned to receive either a nicotine inhaler plus a nicotine patch, or a placebo inhaler plus a nicotine patch.

Potential 'fountain of youth' gene found Posted: 17 May 2016 06:42 AM PDT A gene that scientific dogma insists is inactive in adults actually plays a vital role in preventing the underlying cause of most heart attacks and strokes, researchers have determined. The discovery opens a new avenue for battling those deadly conditions, and it raises the tantalizing prospect that doctors could use the gene to prevent or delay at least some of the effects of aging.

Dietary intake differs in infants who follow baby-led weaning Posted: 17 May 2016 06:42 AM PDT Researchers have undertaken the first-ever study looking at what infants eat when they follow baby-led weaning and found that they have a lot of healthy eating habits, but also some less healthy ones.

External stenting can relieve chronic airway obstruction in children Posted: 17 May 2016 06:42 AM PDT Surgeons in Japan have developed a technique to relieve airway obstruction in children. The technique, known as external stenting (ES), expands and stabilizes the airway by suspending its wall to a rigid prosthesis placed around the bronchus or trachea. ES avoids the problem of granulation formation resulting from endolumenal corrective approaches, such as endoscopic stent placement. The researchers describe the ES technique in detail as well as report on indications, complications, and long-term outcomes.

Infants whose mothers have taken SSRI antidepressants are more likely to have decreased birth weight, gestational length Posted: 17 May 2016 05:37 AM PDT Prenatal exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) has a significant association with lower birth weight and gestational length, research concludes. This was found to be in cases where mothers had taken the drug for two or more trimesters.

Endogenous retroviruses: Lethal reawakening Posted: 17 May 2016 05:37 AM PDT Retroviral DNAs integrate into host genomes, but their expression is normally repressed by cellular defense mechanisms. As a research team now shows, when these measures fail, accumulation of viral proteins may trigger programmed cell death.

New ultrasound method increases awareness about cancer cells Posted: 17 May 2016 05:35 AM PDT A method to analyze and separate cells from the blood has been created by researchers. Ultimately, the method, which goes under the name iso-acoustic focusing, can become significant to measure the efficiency of cancer treatments for individuals.

Children with and without multiple sclerosis have differences in gut bacteria Posted: 17 May 2016 05:34 AM PDT In a recent study, children with multiple sclerosis had differences in the abundance of specific gut bacteria than children without the disease. Certain types of bacteria were either more or less abundant in children with multiple sclerosis. In particular, there was an association between multiple sclerosis and an increase in gut bacteria that have been linked to inflammation and a decrease in gut bacteria that are considered anti-inflammatory.

Altered purine metabolism linked to depression Posted: 17 May 2016 05:34 AM PDT People suffering from major depressive disorder may have altered purine metabolism, according to a new study. Purines are nitrogenous compounds that serve as building blocks for DNA and they also play a role in cellular signalling, among other things.

Drug against breast cancer is also highly potent against a frequent form of leukemia Posted: 17 May 2016 05:34 AM PDT Cancer cells have an abnormal cell division and survival machinery - they grow faster than they die. For their permanent development, they produce an excess of growth factors and nutrients and block the body's own safety mechanisms. To do so, cancer cells harbour mutations, which enable a continuous cellular growth. In acute myeloid leukemia (AML), an activating mutation in the FLT3 tyrosine kinase is the most frequent mutation found in patients. These cancer cells depend on FLT3 – if FLT3 is blocked, cancer cells die.

Bubble volcano: Shaking, popping by earthquakes may cause eruptions Posted: 17 May 2016 05:34 AM PDT A new study on the connection between earthquakes and volcanoes took its inspiration from old engineering basics. Future applications of these results may enable better predictions of the likelihood of a volcanic eruption for communities affected by an earthquake.

Heating chemotherapy drugs may improve bladder cancer treatment Posted: 17 May 2016 05:33 AM PDT Scientists have found that heating the chemotherapy drug mitomycin-C prior to using it for treating bladder cancer may radically improve its efficacy.

No link between eating dinner after 8pm, obesity in children Posted: 17 May 2016 05:32 AM PDT Researchers have found no significant link between eating the evening meal after 8pm and excess weight in children, according to a new paper.

Nudging health in food pantries Posted: 17 May 2016 05:32 AM PDT Grocery stores and cafeterias successfully nudge selection of target foods, but can this same strategy be used to encourage food pantry clients to select target healthful foods? In a new study, researchers found that product placement and packaging had a significant impact on what clients selected in a New York State food pantry.

Doctors don't die differently than anyone else, researchers say Posted: 17 May 2016 05:31 AM PDT A new study appears to disprove the increasingly popular notion that doctors die differently than everyone else, using fewer interventions that often have little value.

Magic mushroom compound psilocybin could provide new avenue for antidepressant research Posted: 17 May 2016 05:30 AM PDT Psilocybin -- a hallucinogenic compound derived from magic mushrooms -- may offer a possible new avenue for antidepressant research, according to a new study.

A narrow band of green light could improve migraines Posted: 17 May 2016 05:30 AM PDT Most migraine and post-traumatic headache sufferers find their headaches get worse in light, leading them to quit their most fundamental daily tasks and seek the comfort of darkness. A new study reveals that exposing these headache sufferers to pure-wavelength green light significantly reduces their photophobia, or sensitivity to light, and can even reduce the severity of their headaches.

Using exercise to reduce glutamate build-up in the brain Posted: 17 May 2016 05:30 AM PDT Exercise has the potential to decrease toxic build-up in the brain, reducing the severity of brain disorders such as Huntington's disease, report scientists.

Electronic medical record automated alerts notify physicians when patients at risk of death Posted: 17 May 2016 05:30 AM PDT Hospitalized patients can deteriorate quickly, requiring prompt identification and treatment, especially since each hour of treatment delay can increase the risk of mortality. In a new study, researchers have implemented an automated process that continuously samples electronic medical record (EMR) data in real time and triggers an alert to the physician at the patient's bedside to warn of potential clinical decline.

Middle-school kids see several alcohol ads a day Posted: 17 May 2016 05:30 AM PDT Children as young as middle-schoolers are exposed to multiple alcohol advertisements every day -- both indoors and out -- a new study finds.

As sleep apnea severity increases so do the learning challenges in kids Posted: 16 May 2016 06:38 PM PDT Sleep assessments in young children showed that, in the context of habitual snoring and enlarged tonsils and adenoids, moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea increased the likelihood and magnitude of cognitive deficits. These deficits include, but are not limited to, problems with attention, memory and language.

Being fit may slow lung function decline as we age Posted: 16 May 2016 06:38 PM PDT Being fit may reduce the decline in lung function that occurs as we grow older, according to new research.

A shaggy dog story: The contagious cancer that conquered the world Posted: 16 May 2016 06:30 PM PDT A contagious form of cancer that can spread between dogs during mating has highlighted the extent to which dogs accompanied human travelers throughout our seafaring history. But the tumors also provide surprising insights into how cancers evolve by 'stealing' DNA from their host.

Exacerbations of COPD accelerate lung-function loss Posted: 16 May 2016 06:27 PM PDT Exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) accelerate the loss of lung function especially among patients with mild disease, according to new research.

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