ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• 100s of deaths in 2 cities in 2003 heatwave due to human-made climate change
• Two groundbreaking studies reflect new paradigm in breast cancer research
• HIV study confirms clinically viable vaccine paving the way for future treatments
• Some major scoliosis surgeries can be avoided, look-back study suggests
• New neurons reveal clues about an individual's autism
• Mystery solved? Biologists find a unique version of a filament-forming protein in human cells that insects lack
• Mitochondria are exploited in cancer for tumor cell motility, metastatic competence
• Missing link in epigenetics could explain conundrum of disease inheritance
• Rapid TB test accuracy in West Africa compromised by mycobacterium diversity
• Results of first study assessing clinical impact of ESMO-MCBS
• More frequent exercise therapy benefits bone strength in very low weight pre-term infants
• Critical care health care professionals have high rates of burnout syndrome
• Cancer cell lines predict drug response and accelerate personalized medicine
• How the 'graying biomedical workforce' affects scientific funding in the US
• Why architects should let the microbes in
• High blood pressure by itself is not necessarily an emergency
• Effect of cholesterol medicine on inflammatory diseases mapped
• Study looks at factors that influence retention of newly licensed nurses within hospitals
• How the bacterial protective shell is adapted to challenging environments
• Researchers identify bacterial infection as a possible cause of bladder condition
• New rapid gene test for mitochondrial disease
• Acupressure reduced fatigue in breast cancer survivors
• Combination chemo-radiation therapy may help preserve larynx for patients with laryngeal cancer
• Vision-threatening stages of diabetic retinopathy associated with higher risk of depression
• The benefits of exercise during pregnancy
• Breast cancer cells: The importance of keeping silent
• Obscure virus found in women with unexplained infertility
• Nicotine exposure during pregnancy nearly twice as high as reported
• Children who watch lots of TV may have poor bone health later in life
• Running barefoot helps optimize technique, reduces risk of injury, study shows
• Brain inflammation linked to depression in multiple sclerosis
• Good indicator of cancer prognosis turned on its head by new research
• Butylparaben can have several endocrine disrupting effects
• Mitochondrial stress induces cancer-related metabolic shifts
• Viral hepatitis kills as many as malaria, TB or HIV/AIDS, finds study
• Genetic testing can help deliver precision medicine to men with advanced prostate cancer
• Trauma research funding needed now more than ever, say experts
• Metals from cigarette butts may pose potential threat to marine environment
• Blurring of national security interests, global health agendas are an unavoidable reality
• Researchers harness DNA as the engine of super-efficient nanomachine
• Sub-sensory vibratory noise augments postural control in older adults
• New technique could revolutionize surgical treatment of epilepsy
• Females under 25 at greater risk for ACL re-tear, say researchers
• Location of UCL tears in MLB pitchers can help determine if surgery is necessary
• Treating first time shoulder dislocations with surgery can benefit young athletes
• Research brings new understanding of chronic inflammatory disease
• Quick, early test for ebola could prevent epidemics
• New study on state Medicaid provision, federal subsidization
• Researchers pinpoint neurons that tell the brain when to stop drinking
• Women trust their own instincts when choosing breast cancer surgery
• High prevalence of preclinical heart failure in the population
• Cheap blood test can discriminate between bacterial, viral infections, study finds
• High rate of drug overdose deaths among adults recently released from incarceration

100s of deaths in 2 cities in 2003 heatwave due to human-made climate change Posted: 07 Jul 2016 06:50 PM PDT Scientists have specified how many deaths can be attributed to human-made climate change during an extreme heatwave. Researchers calculate that in Paris, the hottest city in Europe during the heatwave in summer 2003, 506 out of 735 summer deaths recorded in the French capital were due to a heatwave made worse by human-made climate change. The impact was less severe in London, with an additional 64 deaths out of a total of 315 heat-related deaths.

Two groundbreaking studies reflect new paradigm in breast cancer research Posted: 07 Jul 2016 02:20 PM PDT In a new paradigm of breast cancer research, physicians are fast-tracking promising new experimental drugs for further study, while immediately dropping drugs that don't work.

HIV study confirms clinically viable vaccine paving the way for future treatments Posted: 07 Jul 2016 02:19 PM PDT In the study, researchers worked with a species of Old World monkeys, rhesus macaques to reproduce the trial results of RV144, the only HIV vaccine that has been tested and shown to reduce the rate of HIV acquisition in a phase III clinical trial.

Some major scoliosis surgeries can be avoided, look-back study suggests Posted: 07 Jul 2016 12:11 PM PDT In a look-back study of medical records, researchers concluded that a major operation to fuse the spines of children with a rare form of severe, early-onset scoliosis can be eliminated in many cases.

New neurons reveal clues about an individual's autism Posted: 07 Jul 2016 12:11 PM PDT Hallmarks of early brain overgrowth have been discovered in cells of people with autism. These findings suggest that it is possible to use stem cell reprogramming technologies developed in the past decade to model the earliest stages of complex disorders and to evaluate potential therapeutic drugs.

Mystery solved? Biologists find a unique version of a filament-forming protein in human cells that insects lack Posted: 07 Jul 2016 12:11 PM PDT Biologists have found a unique version of a filament-forming protein in human cells that insects lack. Providing structural support and protection against such conditions as blistering, cataracts and dementia, intermediate filament proteins (IFs) reside in every cell in the human body.

Mitochondria are exploited in cancer for tumor cell motility, metastatic competence Posted: 07 Jul 2016 12:11 PM PDT Scientists have identified a specific network of proteins present in mitochondria of tumor cells that is essential for maintaining a clean function of mitochondria, enabling not only the proliferation of tumor cells but also their ability to move and invade distant organs. By understanding the players involved, the scientists were able to turn off individual subunits within the network, which greatly reduced the ability of cancer cells to grow and spread, suggesting an attractive new therapeutic target.

Missing link in epigenetics could explain conundrum of disease inheritance Posted: 07 Jul 2016 12:10 PM PDT The process by which a mother's diet during pregnancy can permanently affect her offspring's attributes, such as weight, could be strongly influenced by genetic variation in an unexpected part of the genome, according to research. The discovery could shed light on why many human genetic studies have previously not been able to fully explain how certain diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and obesity, are inherited.

Rapid TB test accuracy in West Africa compromised by mycobacterium diversity Posted: 07 Jul 2016 12:09 PM PDT A study now suggests that in West Africa tests to identify Mtbc in culture miss a substantial fraction of cases, with dire consequences for the patients and for TB control efforts.

Results of first study assessing clinical impact of ESMO-MCBS Posted: 07 Jul 2016 11:24 AM PDT Details of the first study by one of Europe's largest cancer centers assessing the clinical impact and feasibility of the ESMO Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale in a real-life context are now available to the public.

More frequent exercise therapy benefits bone strength in very low weight pre-term infants Posted: 07 Jul 2016 10:18 AM PDT A new study investigated whether increasing the frequency of physical activity intervention to twice daily has a greater effect on bone strength compared to a once daily intervention or no intervention at all. The findings demonstrate that the bone mass response to exercise in very low birth weight pre-term infants is dose-related.

Critical care health care professionals have high rates of burnout syndrome Posted: 07 Jul 2016 10:17 AM PDT A new report on burnout syndrome in critical care health care professionals gives key stakeholders guidance on mitigating the development of burnout syndrome and calls for initiating research to examine ways to prevent as well as treat burnout syndrome.

Cancer cell lines predict drug response and accelerate personalized medicine Posted: 07 Jul 2016 10:11 AM PDT Research has shown that patient-derived cancer cell lines harbor most of the same genetic changes found in patients' tumors, and could be used to learn how tumors are likely to respond to new drugs, increasing the success rate for developing new personalized cancer treatments.

How the 'graying biomedical workforce' affects scientific funding in the US Posted: 07 Jul 2016 10:11 AM PDT As a result of the 'graying of the biomedical workforce' in the United States, many suspect that a preference for older, more experienced researchers in the competitive government grant application process is driving younger scientists away from academia. But a new government study into how the National Institutes of Health awards R01 grants questions this explanation.

Why architects should let the microbes in Posted: 07 Jul 2016 10:11 AM PDT Architectural design is often concerned with energy efficiency or aesthetics, not microbial exposure. But, in a new article environmental engineers make a case for assessing the benefits of having these unseen organisms in our homes. Maybe, they say, instead of pushing all of them out, we should let the right ones in.

High blood pressure by itself is not necessarily an emergency Posted: 07 Jul 2016 08:56 AM PDT Visits to emergency departments for patients with hypertension increased by 64 percent between 2002 and 2012 while hospitalizations for those visits declined by 28 percent. A new study suggests that aggressive home monitoring of blood pressure may be driving patients to emergency departments despite the lack of other emergency conditions, such as stroke.

Effect of cholesterol medicine on inflammatory diseases mapped Posted: 07 Jul 2016 08:56 AM PDT The cholesterol medicine simvastatin, which is one of the most commonly used pharmaceuticals in the world, also has a beneficial effect on the immune defense system with regard to diseases such as type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers have now explored why this is so, and their findings may result in improved treatment.

Study looks at factors that influence retention of newly licensed nurses within hospitals Posted: 07 Jul 2016 08:56 AM PDT An American sample of new nurses working in hospitals sought to better inform unit-level retention strategies by pinpointing factors associated with job retention among newly licensed nurses.

How the bacterial protective shell is adapted to challenging environments Posted: 07 Jul 2016 08:54 AM PDT New findings on the adaptation of the bacterial cell wall have been released by scientists. The study reveals novel bacterial defense mechanisms against the immune system and how they can become resistant to antibiotics.

Researchers identify bacterial infection as a possible cause of bladder condition Posted: 07 Jul 2016 08:54 AM PDT A research team has identified bacterial infection as a possible cause of Overactive Bladder Syndrome (OAB). OAB is a condition where the bladder muscle spontaneously contracts before the bladder is full. In the USA, it is ranked in the top 10 of common chronic conditions, competing with both diabetes and depression, with a reported prevalence of up to 31-42% in the adult population.

New rapid gene test for mitochondrial disease Posted: 07 Jul 2016 08:54 AM PDT A genetic test has been developed, providing a rapid diagnosis of mitochondrial disorders to identify the first patients with inherited mutations in a new disease gene. The team of medics and scientists working on the study have identified mutations in a gene, known as TMEM126B, involved in energy production in patient's muscles.

Acupressure reduced fatigue in breast cancer survivors Posted: 07 Jul 2016 08:52 AM PDT Acupressure helped reduce persistent fatigue in women who had been treated for breast cancer, a new study finds. Fatigue is one of the most common long-term effects of breast cancer treatment. About a third of women experience moderate to severe fatigue up to 10 years after their treatment ends.

Combination chemo-radiation therapy may help preserve larynx for patients with laryngeal cancer Posted: 07 Jul 2016 08:52 AM PDT Researchers assessed the rates of laryngeal (having to do with the larynx [voice box]) preservation and laryngectomy-free survival in patients receiving the monoclonal antibody cetuximab and radiation therapy (CRT) or radiation therapy alone.

Vision-threatening stages of diabetic retinopathy associated with higher risk of depression Posted: 07 Jul 2016 08:52 AM PDT Researchers examined the association between severity of diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema with symptoms of depression and anxiety in adults with diabetes.

The benefits of exercise during pregnancy Posted: 07 Jul 2016 07:26 AM PDT Women who exercise during pregnancy are more likely to deliver vaginally than those who do not, and show no greater risk of preterm birth, research shows.

Breast cancer cells: The importance of keeping silent Posted: 07 Jul 2016 07:10 AM PDT Researchers describe a repression mechanism active in hormone-dependent breast cancer cells for the first time. The repression complex of these cells silences genes related with cell proliferation and death, two key processes in cancer. The discovery contributes new knowledge on gene-silencing mechanisms and will help identify new targets for possible future treatments.

Obscure virus found in women with unexplained infertility Posted: 07 Jul 2016 07:07 AM PDT The little-known member of the human herpesvirus family called HHV-6A infects the lining of the uterus in 43 percent of women with unexplained infertility but cannot be found in that of fertile women, researchers have discovered. The study also reported that the infection is exacerbated by hormone estradiol. Estradiol fluctuates with the menstrual cycle. High levels may trigger an active infection localized in the uterus.

Nicotine exposure during pregnancy nearly twice as high as reported Posted: 07 Jul 2016 07:07 AM PDT More women may be smoking and exposed to nicotine during pregnancy than previously thought, according to research. The study reveals a significant gap between the number of local, pregnant mothers who report smoking during pregnancy and the number who test positive for nicotine exposure.

Children who watch lots of TV may have poor bone health later in life Posted: 07 Jul 2016 05:34 AM PDT Consistently watching high levels of television during childhood and adolescence were linked with lower peak bone mass at age 20 years in a recent study. Hours of television watching per week were recorded by parental or self-report at 5, 8, 10, 14, 17 and 20 years of age in 1181 participants. Those who consistently watched ?14 hours/week of television had lower bone mineral content than those who watched less television, even after adjusting for height, body mass, physical activity, calcium intake, vitamin D levels, alcohol, and smoking (all at age 20).

Running barefoot helps optimize technique, reduces risk of injury, study shows Posted: 07 Jul 2016 05:33 AM PDT Scientists have demonstrated how barefoot running, when done properly, can considerably decrease the risk of injury as it produces significant changes to foot strike patterns, regardless of the speed of the runner.

Brain inflammation linked to depression in multiple sclerosis Posted: 07 Jul 2016 05:33 AM PDT Patients with multiple sclerosis have higher rates of depression than the general population, including people with other life-long disabling diseases. Symptoms of multiple sclerosis arise from an abnormal response of the body's immune system. Immune response has also been linked to depression, leading researchers to think it could be a shared pathological mechanism that leads to the increased rates of depressive symptoms in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Good indicator of cancer prognosis turned on its head by new research Posted: 07 Jul 2016 05:32 AM PDT A molecule which, for the last 20 years has been believed to be an indicator of good prognosis in tumors, has been shown to have a dark side, scientists report.

Butylparaben can have several endocrine disrupting effects Posted: 07 Jul 2016 05:32 AM PDT Research suggests that butylparaben – which is used in cosmetics and skin care products such as sunscreen – have more endocrine disrupting effects than previously thought. Researchers have observed endocrine disrupting effects on the development of the reproductive system in rats that are exposed to the compound prenatally. The researchers have found reduced sperm quality as well as changes in the prostate, testicles, ovaries and breast development.

Mitochondrial stress induces cancer-related metabolic shifts Posted: 07 Jul 2016 05:31 AM PDT New findings suggest that mitochondrial stress alone can trigger the metabolic shifts that accompany tumor growth, working through a pathway that involves p53, a protein widely known to play multiple important roles in cancer.

Viral hepatitis kills as many as malaria, TB or HIV/AIDS, finds study Posted: 07 Jul 2016 05:31 AM PDT Viral hepatitis has become one of the leading causes of death and disability across the globe -- killing at least as many people annually as TB, malaria or HIV/AIDS. This is the finding of new research from scientists, who analyzed data from 183 countries collected between 1990 and 2013.

Genetic testing can help deliver precision medicine to men with advanced prostate cancer Posted: 07 Jul 2016 05:31 AM PDT Genetic testing in men with advanced prostate cancer could pick up a significant proportion whose disease may be caused by inherited mutations in genes involved in repairing DNA damage, a major new study reveals. Testing prostate cancer patients for mutations in key DNA repair genes could identify those who may benefit from precision treatments that specifically target DNA repair weaknesses in cancer cells, say researchers.

Trauma research funding needed now more than ever, say experts Posted: 07 Jul 2016 05:30 AM PDT Funding for trauma research is needed now more than ever, and should become a priority in the wake of so many lives lost at mass casualty events -- including most recently at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, say experts in a new report.

Metals from cigarette butts may pose potential threat to marine environment Posted: 07 Jul 2016 05:30 AM PDT Littered cigarette butts may be an important source of metal contaminants leaching into the marine environment and potentially entering the food chain, suggests new research.

Blurring of national security interests, global health agendas are an unavoidable reality Posted: 07 Jul 2016 05:30 AM PDT Society must align the overlapping priorities and often clashing interests of medical intelligence, national security agendas and the global health community, according to global health advocates.

Researchers harness DNA as the engine of super-efficient nanomachine Posted: 07 Jul 2016 05:30 AM PDT Researchers have established a way to harness DNA as the engine of a microscopic 'machine' they can turn on to detect trace amounts of substances that range from viruses and bacteria to cocaine and metals.

Sub-sensory vibratory noise augments postural control in older adults Posted: 07 Jul 2016 05:30 AM PDT Researchers have found evidence that sub-sensory vibrations delivered to the foot sole of older adults significantly augmented the physiologic complexity of postural control and led to improvement in a given mobility assessment.

New technique could revolutionize surgical treatment of epilepsy Posted: 07 Jul 2016 05:30 AM PDT A pioneering new technique has been developed that could revolutionize the surgical treatment of epilepsy. The new technique is designed to help surgeons and neurologists measure the relative contribution to the occurrence of seizures made by different brain regions, and so determine the brain regions to remove that will have most benefit to the individual.

Females under 25 at greater risk for ACL re-tear, say researchers Posted: 07 Jul 2016 05:30 AM PDT Graft size, sex and age have a significant effect on the odds of an ACL re-tear post reconstruction with a hamstring graft, say researchers at conclusion of a recent study.

Location of UCL tears in MLB pitchers can help determine if surgery is necessary Posted: 07 Jul 2016 05:29 AM PDT Ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injuries in Major League Baseball pitchers are high-impact due to player time lost, making treatment decisions an even greater challenge for physicians. New research shows that the location of ligament tears within a pitcher's elbow can be key to predicting the success of non-operative treatment for these injuries, and deciding whether surgery should be recommended.

Treating first time shoulder dislocations with surgery can benefit young athletes Posted: 07 Jul 2016 05:29 AM PDT Shoulder instability is most common in the young, athletic population, bringing a focus to how these injuries are best treated. New research has demonstrated that surgery after a first-time shoulder dislocation lowered the re-injury risks and need for follow-up surgery when compared to those who were initially treated non-operatively and experienced a repeat dislocation prior to surgery.

Research brings new understanding of chronic inflammatory disease Posted: 06 Jul 2016 03:43 PM PDT New light has been shed on the way cells tune in to different inflammatory signals to understand what is happening in the body, report life scientists.

Quick, early test for ebola could prevent epidemics Posted: 06 Jul 2016 03:42 PM PDT Researchers are working hard in an effort to dramatically improve the test for the Ebola virus. The goal is to offer a quick, accurate and inexpensive method to help contain future epidemics.

New study on state Medicaid provision, federal subsidization Posted: 06 Jul 2016 02:53 PM PDT The U.S. federal government matches every state at least $1 for each $1 that the state spends on Medicaid. A new study measured the effect of the subsidy by constructing a multi-regional, heterogeneous-agent, dynamic general equilibrium model with incomplete insurance markets and calibrating it to the U.S. economy.

Researchers pinpoint neurons that tell the brain when to stop drinking Posted: 06 Jul 2016 02:53 PM PDT By activating particular neurons, we may be able to influence alcohol drinking behavior, according to new research findings. These findings provide insight into another mechanism underlying the complicated disease we call alcoholism, say the investigators.

Women trust their own instincts when choosing breast cancer surgery Posted: 06 Jul 2016 02:42 PM PDT When faced with a decision on the type of surgery to have to remove breast cancer, more women trust their own judgment over the input of their surgeon and even their partner, new research indicates.

High prevalence of preclinical heart failure in the population Posted: 06 Jul 2016 02:20 PM PDT According to a recent study of Framingham Study participants, nearly 60 percent of people have prevalent preclinical heart failure (HF) stages A and B. Heart failure occurs when the heart muscle is weakened and cannot pump enough blood to meet the body's needs for blood and oxygen. In addition, individuals with stage B HF had greater circulating concentrations of cardiac stress biomarkers levels, putting them at increased risk for death.

Cheap blood test can discriminate between bacterial, viral infections, study finds Posted: 06 Jul 2016 02:20 PM PDT Researchers have made an important breakthrough in their ongoing efforts to develop a diagnostic test that can tell health-care providers whether a patient has a bacterial infection and will benefit from antibiotics.

High rate of drug overdose deaths among adults recently released from incarceration Posted: 06 Jul 2016 02:20 PM PDT One in 10 adults who died of a drug overdose in Ontario between April 2006 and March 2013 had been released from a provincial correctional facility within one year, researchers have found.

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