ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Frankfurter fraud: Finding out what's in your hot dog
• Improved knowledge of shelf life of food
• US maternal mortality rates higher than reported, study finds
• Tighter air pollution standards may save thousands of lives, greatly improve public health
• Distraction in action
• Warmer climate could lower dengue risk
• Plenty of light during daytime reduces the effect of blue light screens on night sleep
• Nivolumab in renal cell cancer: Indication of added benefit
• Oral immunotherapy is safe, effective for peanut-allergic preschoolers, study suggests
• The healthiest eaters are the most culturally 'fit'
• Study provides details of possible link between Zika, severe joint condition at birth
• Stress bites! Researchers study mosquito/bird interactions
• Reduced activity of an important enzyme identified among suicidal patients
• Algorithm to find precise cancer treatments
• Study pushes back the origin of HIV-related retroviruses to 60 million years ago
• Some black teens may feel pulled between health and hair, study shows
• Plastic manufacturing chemical BPS harms egg cells, study suggests
• Killer T cells recognize cancer in pre-clinical tumors, but are silenced as tumor develops
• To stop the bleeding, the platelet have to 'die'
• Heredity explains African-American paradox, researcher says
• Want a better memory? Try eating a Mediterranean diet
• Getting it 'just right' in the immune system
• Report: People buy most of their junk food at the supermarket
• Medicaid expansion did not increase emergency department use
• System helps protect privacy in genomic databases
• Research reveals patient can have more than one breast cancer, points at treatments
• Research evaluates 18-month neurobehavioral outcomes in single-family room NICU
• 'Fixing' blood vessel cells to diagnose blood clotting disorders
• African American surgical patients benefit in universally insured health system
• Researchers ID key drivers of heart complications in sickle cell anemia
• New class of artificial proteins created
• Studies in humans, animals show link between GALNT2 gene and levels of HDL cholesterol
• US diabetic kidney disease rate unchanged
• Helper molecule reverses degeneration of muscle in mouse model of tissue aging, wasting
• Sex hormones skew outcomes in clinical trials -- here's how
• Why is breast cancer common but heart cancer rare?
• Obesity on the rise in adults with a history of cancer
• One in 5 are discharged from hospital with unstable vital signs
• Outdated assessment of treatment response makes good cancer drugs look bad
• LISA best strategy to prevent chronic lung disease in preterm infants
• Diet designed to lower blood pressure also reduces risk of kidney disease
• How to engineer a stronger immune system
• Promising new treatment for lupus on the horizon
• Illuminating sulfides' roles in the body
• New method opens up the possibility of customizing breast milk for premature children
• New findings and research methods leading to elucidation of fertilization mechanism
• Better breast cancer drugs?
• New study shows breast tumors evolve in response to hormone therapy

Frankfurter fraud: Finding out what's in your hot dog Posted: 10 Aug 2016 08:38 AM PDT Hot dogs are a common summer fare. But knowing for sure what you're getting inside a bun can be difficult. Now scientists have devised a method that could help prevent frankfurter fraud, which is especially important for those who can't eat certain types of meats.

Improved knowledge of shelf life of food Posted: 10 Aug 2016 08:38 AM PDT We should avoid food waste but, on the other hand, not risk food poisoning from eating food that is way past its sell-by date. Scientists have examined how well the Danes know the different types of shelf life labels.

US maternal mortality rates higher than reported, study finds Posted: 10 Aug 2016 08:37 AM PDT Despite the United Nations Millennium Development Goal of a 75 percent reduction in maternal deaths by 2015, the estimated maternal mortality rate for 48 US states and the District of Columbia actually increased by 26.6 percent from 2000 to 2014, according to a new study.

Tighter air pollution standards may save thousands of lives, greatly improve public health Posted: 10 Aug 2016 08:36 AM PDT Reducing outdoor concentrations of two air pollutants, ozone and fine particulate matter to levels below those set by the US Environmental Protection Agency would likely save thousands of lives each year, result in far fewer serious illnesses and dramatically reduce missed days of school and work, according to a new analysis.

Distraction in action Posted: 10 Aug 2016 07:45 AM PDT Researchers have developed an application that can be accessed from parents' smart phones, tablets, or computers and used to distract children during painful procedures.

Warmer climate could lower dengue risk Posted: 10 Aug 2016 07:44 AM PDT Health researchers predict that the transmission of dengue could decrease in a future warmer climate, countering previous projections that climate change would cause the potentially lethal virus to spread more easily.

Plenty of light during daytime reduces the effect of blue light screens on night sleep Posted: 10 Aug 2016 07:42 AM PDT The use of smartphones and tablet computers during evening hours has previously been associated with sleep disturbances in humans. A new study now shows that daytime light exposure may be a promising means to combat sleep disturbances associated with evening use of electronic devices.

Nivolumab in renal cell cancer: Indication of added benefit Posted: 10 Aug 2016 07:42 AM PDT Patients with advanced renal cell cancer have weaker symptoms and side effects and patients with an unfavorable prognosis survive longer using Nivolumab than those receiving the comparator therapy.

Oral immunotherapy is safe, effective for peanut-allergic preschoolers, study suggests Posted: 10 Aug 2016 07:40 AM PDT Nearly 80 percent of peanut-allergic preschool children successfully incorporated peanut-containing foods into their diets after receiving peanut oral immunotherapy (OIT), a clinical trial has found. Peanut OIT involves eating small, gradually increasing amounts of peanut protein daily. Low-dose and high-dose OIT were safe and equally effective at suppressing allergic immune responses to peanut, investigators found.

The healthiest eaters are the most culturally 'fit' Posted: 10 Aug 2016 07:40 AM PDT How to be a healthy eater depends on culture. A recent study shows that in the US and Japan, people who fit better with their culture have healthier eating habits.

Study provides details of possible link between Zika, severe joint condition at birth Posted: 10 Aug 2016 05:46 AM PDT More details have been uncovered of an association between Zika virus infection in the womb and a condition known as arthrogryposis, which causes joint deformities at birth, particularly in the arms and legs.

Stress bites! Researchers study mosquito/bird interactions Posted: 10 Aug 2016 05:46 AM PDT When researchers investigated how the stress hormone, corticosterone, affects how birds cope with West Nile virus, they found that birds with higher levels of stress hormone were twice as likely to be bitten by mosquitoes that transmit the virus. Their studies have implications for the transmission of other viruses such Eastern Equine Encephalitis, and perhaps even Zika, both known to be carried by the kind of mosquitoes used in this study.

Reduced activity of an important enzyme identified among suicidal patients Posted: 09 Aug 2016 03:58 PM PDT It is known that people who have attempted suicide have ongoing inflammation in their blood and spinal fluid. Now, a collaborative study shows that suicidal patients have a reduced activity of an enzyme that regulates inflammation and its byproducts.

Algorithm to find precise cancer treatments Posted: 09 Aug 2016 03:58 PM PDT Researchers developed a computational algorithm to analyze 'Big Data' obtained from tumor samples to better understand and treat cancer.

Study pushes back the origin of HIV-related retroviruses to 60 million years ago Posted: 09 Aug 2016 03:58 PM PDT A research group has used genomic data from the exotic Malayan flying lemur (colugo) to uncover the oldest lentivirus ever identified, whose first emergence may date to as early as 60 million years ago.

Some black teens may feel pulled between health and hair, study shows Posted: 09 Aug 2016 02:05 PM PDT Are lower levels of physical activity among African-American teens related to hair care? A new study has centralized itself around this very question.

Plastic manufacturing chemical BPS harms egg cells, study suggests Posted: 09 Aug 2016 02:05 PM PDT Previous research has found that bisphenol S (BPS), a chemical used in the manufacture of plastic bottles and other products, is as harmful to the reproductive system as bisphenol A (BPA), which BPS replaced. Research suggests that BPS can damage a woman's eggs - and at lower doses than BPA.

Killer T cells recognize cancer in pre-clinical tumors, but are silenced as tumor develops Posted: 09 Aug 2016 02:04 PM PDT In a tumor's pre-clinical stages, certain immune cells can recognize changes that make these cells behave as cancerous cells and attempt to launch an immune attack. However, the T cells that are recognizing these 'driver' mutations in the tumor are rapidly turned off and then permanently silenced, making the cells non-functional. If researchers can find a way to reverse that silencing, the tumor-recognizing T cells could be rescued and could potentially improve the performance of certain immunotherapies.

To stop the bleeding, the platelet have to 'die' Posted: 09 Aug 2016 11:53 AM PDT Scientists have discovered the mechanism of the platelet programmed cell death, resulting in acceleration of the blood coagulation process by a factor of 1,000 to 10,000.

Heredity explains African-American paradox, researcher says Posted: 09 Aug 2016 11:53 AM PDT An evolutionary historian has determined that the region of origin of ancestors contributes to descendants' risk of developing certain medical conditions.

Want a better memory? Try eating a Mediterranean diet Posted: 09 Aug 2016 11:52 AM PDT The Mediterranean diet can improve your mind, as well your heart, shows a new study.

Getting it 'just right' in the immune system Posted: 09 Aug 2016 11:52 AM PDT Scientists have proposed a solution to the puzzle of how our immune system scales its response to any threat to our health to make it 'just right.' Their ideas could support a range of medical research. While T-cells usually move around the body, when an infection occurs, they slow down and accumulate around the dendritic cells that help the T cells read the severity of the infection.

Report: People buy most of their junk food at the supermarket Posted: 09 Aug 2016 11:52 AM PDT An analysis of a nationally representative sample of US adults reveals that access to healthy foods in a supermarket does not hinder Americans' consumption of empty calories. In fact, the study found, US adults buy the bulk of their sugar-sweetened beverages and nutrient-poor discretionary foods at supermarkets and grocery stores. The new findings challenge the 'food desert' hypothesis.

Medicaid expansion did not increase emergency department use Posted: 09 Aug 2016 11:52 AM PDT Researchers have found that the expansion of Medicaid insurance coverage in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act did not increase hospital emergency department visits, as was widely predicted by policymakers and researchers.

System helps protect privacy in genomic databases Posted: 09 Aug 2016 11:51 AM PDT In a new study, researchers describe a new system that permits database queries for genome-wide association studies but reduces the chances of privacy compromises to almost zero.

Research reveals patient can have more than one breast cancer, points at treatments Posted: 09 Aug 2016 11:51 AM PDT Breast cancer tumors are complex and dynamic. They comprise a population of continuously dividing cells that carry different genetic mutations. New research reveals that treating human estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer tumors with estrogen-deprivation therapy results in changes in the spectrum of mutations in the tumor population.

Research evaluates 18-month neurobehavioral outcomes in single-family room NICU Posted: 09 Aug 2016 11:51 AM PDT The single-family room NICU increases maternal involvement, which results in better short and long-term neurobehavioral outcomes in preterm babies, new research suggests.

'Fixing' blood vessel cells to diagnose blood clotting disorders Posted: 09 Aug 2016 11:44 AM PDT A new device could monitor blood clot formation and diagnose effectiveness of anti-platelet therapy by microengineering tiny hollow channels lined by chemically 'fixed' human endothelial cells that more closely mimic cellular and vascular flow conditions inside a patient's body than a bare surface.

African American surgical patients benefit in universally insured health system Posted: 09 Aug 2016 11:44 AM PDT A new study utilized claims data from more than 630,000 patients living in the state of California and found no significant differences in post-operative complications or mortality between African American patients and white patients who were treated in a universally insured military health system.

Researchers ID key drivers of heart complications in sickle cell anemia Posted: 09 Aug 2016 11:36 AM PDT Patients with sickle cell anemia (SCA) develop heart complications and nearly a quarter die a sudden death. Now, researchers have linked malfunctioning molecular pathways to specific heart anomalies in SCA that result from progressive fibrosis and result in sudden death. The study opens a path to earlier noninvasive diagnosis and development of new targeted therapies to help SCA patients live longer with better quality of life.

New class of artificial proteins created Posted: 09 Aug 2016 11:36 AM PDT Researchers report that they have developed a new class of artificial proteins. In the long term, the results could lead to better treatment of cancer and diabetes.

Studies in humans, animals show link between GALNT2 gene and levels of HDL cholesterol Posted: 09 Aug 2016 11:36 AM PDT Researchers have uncovered how genes identified from genome-wide association studies affect high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, a biomarker of cardiovascular disease, after comparing several animal models with human patient data. A large team of researchers detail their findings in a new paper.

US diabetic kidney disease rate unchanged Posted: 09 Aug 2016 11:36 AM PDT The overall prevalence of diabetic kidney disease has not changed significantly in the United States for 30 years, but the characteristics of kidney disease have changed markedly, according to a study.

Helper molecule reverses degeneration of muscle in mouse model of tissue aging, wasting Posted: 09 Aug 2016 11:33 AM PDT Maintaining proper levels of an essential helper molecule is crucial for optimal muscle function. Some athletes are already taking supplements to increase synthesis of this compound, called NAD, with the hopes of reversing the natural decay associated with aging of the mitochondria, the cell's powerhouses. However, this is the first study to directly investigate the consequences of NAD deficiency on muscle function.

Sex hormones skew outcomes in clinical trials -- here's how Posted: 09 Aug 2016 11:33 AM PDT Clinical research often excludes females from their trials under the assumption that 'one size fits all,' that a painkiller or antidepressant will be equally effective in subjects of either sex, but a growing number of scientists are criticizing this approach. One group argues that hormones make a difference in how potential therapeutics behave, and both males and females must be accounted for to move medical advances forward.

Why is breast cancer common but heart cancer rare? Posted: 09 Aug 2016 11:33 AM PDT Malignant cancers strike certain organs, such as the colon or breast, more often than others. Researchers propose that this vulnerability in some organs may be due to natural selection. Humans can tolerate tumors in large or paired organs more easily than in small, critical organs, such as the heart, and so the larger organs may have evolved fewer mechanisms to defend against cancerous cells.

Obesity on the rise in adults with a history of cancer Posted: 09 Aug 2016 11:32 AM PDT Obesity was found to be more prevalent in patients with a history of cancer than in the general population, and survivors of colorectal and breast cancers were particularly affected. This study is among the first to compare rates of obesity among US cancer survivors and adults without a history of cancer.

One in 5 are discharged from hospital with unstable vital signs Posted: 09 Aug 2016 11:32 AM PDT Twenty percent of people hospitalized are released before all vital signs are stable, a pattern that is associated with an increased risk of death and hospital readmission, a new study shows.

Outdated assessment of treatment response makes good cancer drugs look bad Posted: 09 Aug 2016 11:32 AM PDT Patients are missing out on successful treatments because current measures make them seem unsuccessful.

LISA best strategy to prevent chronic lung disease in preterm infants Posted: 09 Aug 2016 11:32 AM PDT A new study compared seven different ventilation strategies. Based on data collected from 30 different trials and over 5,500 infants younger than 33 weeks' gestational age. LISA, or Less Invasive Surfactant Administration (on Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) was the best in preventing the primary outcome of death and/or chronic lung disease as well as other secondary outcomes including severe intraventricular hemorrhage and air leak.

Diet designed to lower blood pressure also reduces risk of kidney disease Posted: 09 Aug 2016 09:29 AM PDT People who ate a diet high in nuts and legumes, low-fat dairy, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables and low in red and processed meat, sugar-sweetened beverages and sodium were at a significantly lower risk of developing chronic kidney disease over the course of more than two decades, new research suggests.

How to engineer a stronger immune system Posted: 09 Aug 2016 09:27 AM PDT With a trick of engineering, scientists have improved a potential weapon against inflammation and autoimmune disorders. Their work could one day benefit patients who suffer from inflammatory bowel disease or organ transplant rejection.

Promising new treatment for lupus on the horizon Posted: 09 Aug 2016 09:27 AM PDT A drug originally used to boost the immune system is showing promise as a potential new treatment for lupus. Lupus is an autoimmune disease, where the immune system attacks the body's own organs and tissues.

Illuminating sulfides' roles in the body Posted: 09 Aug 2016 09:27 AM PDT For the first time, researchers have created an injectable compound or 'probe' that illuminates hydrogen sulfide and hydrogen polysulfides in different colors when they are present in cells.

New method opens up the possibility of customizing breast milk for premature children Posted: 09 Aug 2016 09:21 AM PDT There is a difference between breast milk from women who give birth prematurely and from women who give birth to full-term babies. However, a new research method has demonstrated that this difference evens out after a few weeks. This may be of importance to premature infants who have other and more specific nutritional needs compared to full-term infants.

New findings and research methods leading to elucidation of fertilization mechanism Posted: 09 Aug 2016 09:21 AM PDT A Japanese research group has determined the crystal structure of the JUNO protein, an egg surface protein essential for fertilization. These structure-based mutational analyses elucidated a mechanism of the interaction between egg (JUNO protein) and sperm (IZUMO1) on a molecular level. These studies will provide a framework toward an understanding of the fertilization mechanism.

Better breast cancer drugs? Posted: 09 Aug 2016 09:18 AM PDT Biomedical scientists have revealed the inner workings of a group of proteins that help to switch critical genes on and off during blood-cell production, in a finding that could lead to the development of new and improved cancer drugs.

New study shows breast tumors evolve in response to hormone therapy Posted: 09 Aug 2016 06:58 AM PDT A new analysis of breast tumors, before and after hormone-reduction therapy, reveals the extreme genetic complexity of these tumors and the variety of responses that are possible to estrogen-deprivation treatments. The findings also suggest that analyzing a single sample of the breast tumor is insufficient for understanding how a patient should best be treated.

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