ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Impact of antibiotic treatment on infant gut microbiome revealed
• Depressed, Out of Work? Study Suggests Skills to Help Land a Job
• Postpartum depression least severe form of depression in mothers
• Bioactive film improves how implants bond with bone in animal study
• On the path toward bionic enzymes
• At any skill level, making art reduces stress hormones
• Personalized medicine will employ computer algorithms
• Shorter radiation course recommended for early-stage breast cancer patients
• Defining the consequences of genetic variation on a proteome-wide scale
• Antibiotics increase availability of nutrients in the gut, enabling growth of pathogens
• One-third of patients with low flow aortic stenosis do not improve with transcatheter aortic valve replacement, research finds
• Broken calorie sensing pathway: How overeating may lead to more eating
• New method opens door to development of many new medicines
• Study resolves long-disputed theory about stem cell populations
• Piping hot drinks may lead to cancer of the esophagus
• Arthritis linked to suicide attempts
• Intervention helps newborns get screened for hearing loss, study finds
• The Muffin Study: Mono- vs. polyunsaturated fats in patients with metabolic syndrome
• Scientists provide proof of concept for potential new class of cancer drugs
• Antidepressive treatment during pregnancy can affect newborn brain activity
• Use of Camelid antibodies for structural biology
• Age, obesity, dopamine appear to influence preference for sweet foods
• New genetic research can significantly improve drug development
• Hepatitis C: Once the viral infection has healed, high-risk portal vein hypertension also diminishes
• Painless, quick and reliable method for diagnosing helicobacter from exhaled air
• Americans are getting heart-healthier: Coronary heart disease decreasing in the US
• Scientists discover protective strategy against pesticide-linked Parkinson's disease
• New imaging technique could identify additional ovarian tumors not visible to surgeons' eyes
• Presurgery chemotherapy may make advanced ovarian cancers responsive to immunotherapy
• Diarrheal pathogen measures human body temperature
• Chemical structure paves the way for new broad spectrum antifungals
• Eukaryote process of programmed fork arrest determined
• The social life of health information
• Direct-to-consumer marketing to people with hemophilia
• Healthy plant-based diet linked with substantially lower type 2 diabetes risk
• Researchers discover why stress leads to increased seizures in epilepsy patients
• Taking PDE5 inhibitors for erectile dysfunction unlikely to increase risk of skin cancer
• A call for consensus standards to ensure the quality of cell lines
• Researchers improve biosensors to detect E. coli
• New, accurate way to measure growth factor linked to aging
• Specific enzyme linked to process of metabolic dysfunction in aging
• Why do women live longer than men?
• Even when help is just a click away, stigma is still a roadblock

Impact of antibiotic treatment on infant gut microbiome revealed Posted: 15 Jun 2016 12:17 PM PDT A comprehensive analysis of changes in the intestinal microbial population during the first three years of life has revealed some of the impacts of factors such as mode of birth -- vaginal versus cesarean section -- and antibiotic exposure, including the effects of multiple antibiotic treatments.

Depressed, Out of Work? Study Suggests Skills to Help Land a Job Posted: 15 Jun 2016 11:28 AM PDT Unemployed people were more likely to land a job if they used skills commonly taught as part of cognitive therapy for depression, a new study found.

Postpartum depression least severe form of depression in mothers Posted: 15 Jun 2016 11:26 AM PDT Postpartum depression -- a household term since actress Brooke Shields went public in 2005 about her struggle with it -- is indeed serious. But depression that begins before or during pregnancy is often more severe because it lasts longer and usually goes undetected until the doctor screens for it after the birth of the baby, according to a new study.

Bioactive film improves how implants bond with bone in animal study Posted: 15 Jun 2016 10:52 AM PDT Researchers have developed a technique for coating polymer implants with a bioactive film that significantly increases bonding between the implant and surrounding bone in an animal model. The advance could significantly improve the success rate of such implants, which are often used in spinal surgeries.

On the path toward bionic enzymes Posted: 15 Jun 2016 10:51 AM PDT Chemists have successfully married chemistry and biology to create reactions never before possible. They did this by replacing the iron normally found in the muscle protein myoglobin with iridium, a noble metal not known to be used by living systems.

At any skill level, making art reduces stress hormones Posted: 15 Jun 2016 10:49 AM PDT No matter a person's skill level, taking time to make art is likely to reduce their stress hormone levels, a new study found.

Personalized medicine will employ computer algorithms Posted: 15 Jun 2016 10:49 AM PDT Scientists have developed a software program enabling them to quickly compare sets of DNA of microorganisms living in different environments. The researchers have already suggested exactly how the new program could be applied in practice. Using the algorithm to compare the microflora of a healthy person with the microflora of a patient, specialists would be able to detect previously unknown pathogens and their strains, which can aid the development of personalized medicine.

Shorter radiation course recommended for early-stage breast cancer patients Posted: 15 Jun 2016 10:47 AM PDT Early-stage breast cancer patients receiving a shorter course of whole breast radiation with higher radiation doses per fraction reported equivalent cosmetic, functional and pain outcomes over time as those receiving a longer, lower-dose per fraction course of treatment, according to researchers.

Defining the consequences of genetic variation on a proteome-wide scale Posted: 15 Jun 2016 10:47 AM PDT Combining two emerging large-scale technologies for the first time -- multiplexed mass spectrometry and a mouse population with a high level of natural genetic diversity -- researchers can crack an outstanding question in biology and medicine: how genetic variants affect protein levels.

Antibiotics increase availability of nutrients in the gut, enabling growth of pathogens Posted: 15 Jun 2016 10:47 AM PDT A newly discovered mechanism helps explain how antibiotics change the gut microbiota, increasing nutrients that benefit the growth of pathogens, like Salmonella.

One-third of patients with low flow aortic stenosis do not improve with transcatheter aortic valve replacement, research finds Posted: 15 Jun 2016 10:47 AM PDT For patients with low flow aortic stenosis, TAVR -- a minimally invasive procedure which corrects the damaged aortic valve -- is often the best option for restoring the heart's normal pumping function. However, approximately one-third of these patients treated with TAVR continue to suffer persistent low flow AS. Researchers have examined this high-risk patient population to determine the cause and evaluate risk of mortality.

Broken calorie sensing pathway: How overeating may lead to more eating Posted: 15 Jun 2016 10:44 AM PDT Overeating reduces levels of a hormone that signals the feeling of fullness in the brain, potentially promoting more eating, new research indicates.

New method opens door to development of many new medicines Posted: 15 Jun 2016 10:43 AM PDT Scientists have developed a powerful new method for finding drug candidates that bind to specific proteins, an advance that can be applied to a large set of proteins at once, even to the thousands of distinct proteins directly in their native cellular environment.

Study resolves long-disputed theory about stem cell populations Posted: 15 Jun 2016 08:17 AM PDT A team of researchers has helped identify key characteristics that distinguish reserve stem cells from other stem cell populations that had been purported to have similar properties. The work, which employed single-cell gene expression analyses as well as other cutting-edge techniques, demonstrated that, in the intestines, reserve stem cells are a distinct population from so-called 'label-retaining cells.' The two populations were long believed to be one and the same.

Piping hot drinks may lead to cancer of the esophagus Posted: 15 Jun 2016 08:17 AM PDT Drinking piping hot coffee, tea and the caffeine-infused beverage yerba mate probably causes cancer, the World Health Organization has announced.

Arthritis linked to suicide attempts Posted: 15 Jun 2016 08:17 AM PDT One in every 26 men with arthritis have attempted suicide compared to one in 50 men without arthritis. Women with arthritis also had a higher prevalence of lifetime suicide attempts than women without arthritis (5.3 percent vs. 3.2 percent), according to a recent study.

Intervention helps newborns get screened for hearing loss, study finds Posted: 15 Jun 2016 08:16 AM PDT Targeted intervention helps improve follow-up rates by more than 70 percent for newborns who fail initial hearing screenings at birth hospitals, scientists have found.

The Muffin Study: Mono- vs. polyunsaturated fats in patients with metabolic syndrome Posted: 15 Jun 2016 08:13 AM PDT A batch of muffins, made with a special recipe formulated by the US Department of Agriculture, yielded unexpected health benefits in patients with metabolic syndrome during a first-of-its-kind clinical study. The study compared polyunsaturated fats with monounsaturated fats as a substitute for saturated fats. Muffins made with polyunsaturated fats were more effective for dietary management in the metabolic syndrome.

Scientists provide proof of concept for potential new class of cancer drugs Posted: 15 Jun 2016 08:13 AM PDT A small-molecule inhibitor of the Notch pathway has been discovered by scientists, paving the way for a potential new class of personalized cancer medicines. Aberrant activity in the Notch pathway contributes to the initiation and maintenance of cancer stem cells.

Antidepressive treatment during pregnancy can affect newborn brain activity Posted: 15 Jun 2016 08:13 AM PDT Fetal exposure to commonly used SRI drugs may affect brain activity in newborns, new research shows. The researchers suggest that the effects of drugs on fetal brain function should be assessed more carefully. Furthermore, indications for preventive medication should be critically evaluated, and non-pharmacological interventions should be the first-line treatment for depression and anxiety during pregnancy.

Use of Camelid antibodies for structural biology Posted: 15 Jun 2016 08:13 AM PDT The use of Camelid antibodies has important implications for future development of reagents for diagnosis and therapeutics in diseases involving a group of enzymes called serine proteases, report scientists.

Age, obesity, dopamine appear to influence preference for sweet foods Posted: 15 Jun 2016 08:09 AM PDT As young people reach adulthood, their preferences for sweet foods typically decline. But a research team has found that for people with obesity, the drop-off may not be as steep, and the brain's reward system may be operating differently.

New genetic research can significantly improve drug development Posted: 15 Jun 2016 07:24 AM PDT With drug development costs topping $1.2bn to get a single treatment to the point it can be sold and used in the clinic, could genetic analysis save hundreds of millions of dollars?

Hepatitis C: Once the viral infection has healed, high-risk portal vein hypertension also diminishes Posted: 15 Jun 2016 07:22 AM PDT This inflammatory viral infection of the liver causes inflexible scar tissue to form. This in turn impedes blood flow through the organ, with resulting hypertension in the portal vein. Portal hypertension is responsible for most of the lethal complications of liver cirrhosis. A research group has now demonstrated that portal vein hypertension also diminishes once the viral infection is healed. This is a relief for patients, because it means they can stop taking drugs with unpleasant side-effects and they do not need to undergo stressful check-ups quite as frequently.

Painless, quick and reliable method for diagnosing helicobacter from exhaled air Posted: 15 Jun 2016 07:22 AM PDT In the future, several illnesses can be quickly and painlessly diagnosed by the optical analysis of isotopes contained in exhaled air. With a new prototype device, researchers say that it is possible to determine painlessly and with absolute certainty during the appointment whether the patient's stomach troubles are caused by Helicobacter.

Americans are getting heart-healthier: Coronary heart disease decreasing in the US Posted: 15 Jun 2016 07:03 AM PDT Coronary heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. A new study evaluating recent trends in the prevalence of CHD in the US population aged 40 years and older showed that CHD rates have decreased significantly, from 10.3 percent in 2001-2002 to 8.0 percent in 2011-2012.

Scientists discover protective strategy against pesticide-linked Parkinson's disease Posted: 15 Jun 2016 07:03 AM PDT A new study sheds light on the toxicity of the pesticides related to Parkinson's while also suggesting a strategy that may help protect against the disease.

New imaging technique could identify additional ovarian tumors not visible to surgeons' eyes Posted: 15 Jun 2016 06:51 AM PDT A newly devised tumor-specific fluorescent agent and imaging system guided surgeons in real time to remove additional tumors in ovarian cancer patients that were not visible without fluorescence or could not be felt during surgery, say researchers.

Presurgery chemotherapy may make advanced ovarian cancers responsive to immunotherapy Posted: 15 Jun 2016 06:51 AM PDT Metastatic ovarian cancer patients treated with chemotherapy prior to surgery had altered immune cells in their tumors, and specific alterations identified suggest that immunotherapy given after chemotherapy may help in preventing the cancer from coming back.

Diarrheal pathogen measures human body temperature Posted: 15 Jun 2016 06:51 AM PDT Using cutting-edge high-throughput sequencing methods, researchers have mapped all RNA structures of a diarrheal pathogen at once. In the process, they identified a number of temperature-responsive structures, so-called RNA thermometers. Up to now, the search for them had been a time-consuming endeavor.

Chemical structure paves the way for new broad spectrum antifungals Posted: 14 Jun 2016 12:59 PM PDT A promising new target for antifungals has emerged: stopping the production of trehalose, a chemical cousin to table sugar that the deadly pathogenic fungi Cryptococcus, Candida, and Aspergillus need to survive in human hosts. Researchers have solved the structure of an enzyme called Tps2 that is required to synthesize the double sugar trehalose, paving the way for the development of new antifungal drugs targeting this enzyme that is critical for pathogenic fungi.

Eukaryote process of programmed fork arrest determined Posted: 14 Jun 2016 12:59 PM PDT New research has revealed the means by which cells accomplish programmed DNA replication arrest. The work describes the conditions that require a replication fork to stop, and in doing so explain why terminator sites on DNA don't always successfully stop a replication fork.

The social life of health information Posted: 14 Jun 2016 12:59 PM PDT Most Americans go online for information and support about health-related issues. But what exactly are they looking for? Researchers shed light on this in a new study that examines how different people in different places use the internet to discuss their health.

Direct-to-consumer marketing to people with hemophilia Posted: 14 Jun 2016 12:59 PM PDT The manner in which pharmaceutical companies market their products to people who have hemophilia appears unprecedented and direct-to-consumer marketing should be examined by regulators, say researchers who reviewed documents, including consumer-oriented materials, produced by the makers of hemophilia treatment products.

Healthy plant-based diet linked with substantially lower type 2 diabetes risk Posted: 14 Jun 2016 12:59 PM PDT Consuming a plant-based diet -- especially one rich in high-quality plant foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes -- is linked with substantially lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a new study.

Researchers discover why stress leads to increased seizures in epilepsy patients Posted: 14 Jun 2016 12:59 PM PDT For epilepsy patients, stress and anxiety can exacerbate their condition; increasing the frequency and severity of seizures. Until now, it was unclear why this happened and what could be done to prevent it. In a new study, researchers have shown that epilepsy actually changes the way the brain reacts to stress, and have used these findings to point to new drugs that may prevent stress-induced seizures.

Taking PDE5 inhibitors for erectile dysfunction unlikely to increase risk of skin cancer Posted: 14 Jun 2016 12:57 PM PDT Three drugs widely prescribed for erectile dysfunction are unlikely to increase risk of malignant melanoma, according to a new study.

A call for consensus standards to ensure the quality of cell lines Posted: 14 Jun 2016 12:57 PM PDT Permanent lines of cloned cells are mainstays of biomedical research. Yet, all too often, they are misidentified or cross-contaminated. Scientists now call for 'community action' to assemble a 'comprehensive toolkit for assuring the quality of cell lines' employed at the start of every study.

Researchers improve biosensors to detect E. coli Posted: 14 Jun 2016 12:57 PM PDT Researchers have developed a portable biosensor that makes it easier to detect harmful bacteria. The simple sensor is able to detect and amplify the signal of the food pathogen Escherichia coli (E. coli) 0157:H7, which can cause severe diarrhea and kidney damage in people.

New, accurate way to measure growth factor linked to aging Posted: 14 Jun 2016 12:57 PM PDT Researchers have developed an accurate way to measure a circulating factor, called GDF11, to better understand its potential impact on the aging process. They found that GDF11 levels do not decline with chronological age, but are associated with signs of advanced biological age, including chronic disease, frailty and greater operative risk in older adults with cardiovascular disease.

Specific enzyme linked to process of metabolic dysfunction in aging Posted: 14 Jun 2016 12:57 PM PDT An enzyme called CD38 has been discovered by researchers that is responsible for the decrease in nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) during aging, a process that is associated with age-related metabolic decline. Results demonstrated an increase in the presence of CD38 with aging in both mice and humans.

Why do women live longer than men? Posted: 14 Jun 2016 12:57 PM PDT Women live longer than men. This simple statement holds a tantalizing riddle that researchers explore in a perspective piece now published. A survival advantage for female humans stands out in the review of sex differences in longevity across many species. The authors say that understanding why this is could inform treatments to extend healthy lifespans

Even when help is just a click away, stigma is still a roadblock Posted: 14 Jun 2016 11:21 AM PDT Stigma is a major barrier preventing people with mental health issues from getting the help they need. Even in a private and anonymous setting online, someone with greater self-stigma is less likely to take that first step to get information about mental health concerns and counseling, according to a new study.

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