ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

---

• Improving protein intake in older adults
• Quick test to detect inflammation in diabetic patients
• Poverty and perceived hardship affect cognitive function and may contribute to premature aging, say investigators
• Old fashioned roller coasters can help patients pass kidney stones
• Fecal bacteria linked to body fat
• New theory on how insulin resistance, metabolic disease begin
• Regulatory RNA essential to DNA damage response
• Iron nanoparticles make immune cells attack cancer
• Vaccine vs many common cold viruses achievable
• Tapping evolution to improve biotech products
• Broadly neutralizing HIV antibodies pave the way for vaccine
• Why belly fat is dangerous for the heart
• Yeast knockouts peel back secrets of cell protein function
• Excess dietary zinc worsens C. diff infection
• New genetic links for heart disease risk factors identified
• Morning sickness linked to lower risk of pregnancy loss
• Scientists track down possible new treatment for epilepsy
• 'Teashirt' gene links autism and kidney problems, new study finds
• How cancer’s 'invisibility cloak' works
• Consuming fewer calories reduces the risk of abdominal aortic aneurysm, study suggests
• How the anthrax toxin forms a deadly 'conveyer belt'
• Unknown exposure to second-hand smoke associated with increased mortality
• Enzyme hyaluronidase shows promise as treatment for muscle stiffness caused by brain injury
• Healthcare leaders recommend restructuring health care system to better serve needs of U.S. throughout 21st century
• Medulloblastoma patients should receive both chemotherapy and radiation post-surgery
• Widespread adoption of SBRT has improved survival rates for elderly patients with early stage lung cancer
• Young cancer survivors in economic struggle
• Rapid adaptation of Aspergillus fungus presents doctors with a dilemma
• Exercise can increase levels of hunger-promoting endocannabinoids even if you are sleep-deprived
• Closing the gender gap: Young women with premature acute coronary syndrome now do as well as men
• What happens when the brain is artificially stimulated?
• UTI testing technology cuts screening time to four hours
• Custom-tailored strategy against glioblastomas
• A world first: Cardiovascular team carries out a new type of procedure on a heart valve
• Women with hearing loss more likely to have preterm or low birth weight babies

Improving protein intake in older adults Posted: 27 Sep 2016 05:27 AM PDT Researchers have been exploring the reasons why many older people aren't eating as much protein as they should be. Findings from the study could go on to inform strategies to improve protein consumption.

Quick test to detect inflammation in diabetic patients Posted: 27 Sep 2016 05:27 AM PDT A new kit that will allow doctors to find out within minutes if diabetic patients are suffering from inflammation has now been developed by scientists.

Poverty and perceived hardship affect cognitive function and may contribute to premature aging, say investigators Posted: 27 Sep 2016 05:27 AM PDT A new study finds strong associations between sustained exposure to economic hardship and worse cognitive function in relatively young individuals.

Old fashioned roller coasters can help patients pass kidney stones Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:35 PM PDT A urologist has discovered that riding a roller coaster helps patients pass kidney stones with nearly a 70 percent success rate.

Fecal bacteria linked to body fat Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:16 PM PDT A new link between the diversity of bacteria in human poo -- known as the human fecal microbiome -- and levels of abdominal body fat, has been identified by scientists. The research provides further evidence of possible genetic influences on obesity, through heritable bacteria found in the fecal microbiome.

New theory on how insulin resistance, metabolic disease begin Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:14 PM PDT Does eating too much sugar cause type 2 diabetes? The answer may not be simple, but a study adds to growing research linking excessive sugar consumption -- specifically the sugar fructose -- to a rise in metabolic disease worldwide. The study, conducted in mice and corroborated in human liver samples, unveils a metabolic process that could upend previous ideas about how the body becomes resistant to insulin and eventually develops diabetes.

Regulatory RNA essential to DNA damage response Posted: 26 Sep 2016 12:28 PM PDT It iss essential for cells to quickly ascertain whether it's possible to repair mistakes or to self-destruct for the good of the organism. That's because cells with a damaged genome often begin to flout the standard rules of growth and become cancerous. Now, researchers have discovered a new player in this high-stakes molecular game in the form of a novel regulatory RNA they've named DINO. This RNA molecule binds to and stabilizes a well-known tumor suppressor protein called p53 that mobilizes a cell's response to DNA damage. When mutated, p53 is one of the most infamous bad guys in the cancer world.

Iron nanoparticles make immune cells attack cancer Posted: 26 Sep 2016 12:27 PM PDT Iron nanoparticles can activate the immune system to attack cancer cells, according to a study. The nanoparticles, which are commercially available as the injectable iron supplement ferumoxytol, are approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat iron deficiency anemia.

Vaccine vs many common cold viruses achievable Posted: 26 Sep 2016 12:13 PM PDT Scientists are making the case that a vaccine against rhinoviruses, the predominant cause of the common cold, is achievable, saying that the immune system can handle the challenge.

Tapping evolution to improve biotech products Posted: 26 Sep 2016 12:13 PM PDT Scientists can improve protein-based drugs by reaching into the evolutionary past, a new paper proposes. As a proof of concept for this approach, the research team showed how "ancestral sequence reconstruction" or ASR can guide engineering of the blood clotting protein known as factor VIII, which is deficient in the inherited disorder hemophilia A.

Broadly neutralizing HIV antibodies pave the way for vaccine Posted: 26 Sep 2016 11:28 AM PDT A small number of people infected with HIV produce antibodies with an amazing effect: Not only are the antibodies directed against the own virus strain, but also against different sub-types of HIV that circulate worldwide. Researchers now reveal which factors are responsible for the human body forming such broadly neutralizing HIV antibodies, thereby opening new avenues for the development of an HIV vaccine.

Why belly fat is dangerous for the heart Posted: 26 Sep 2016 11:28 AM PDT Increasing stomach fat – especially the "hidden fat" in your abdomen – is associated with newly identified and worsening heart disease risk factors, according to a study. These adverse changes in cardiovascular risk were evident over a relatively short period of time and persisted even after accounting for changes in body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference, two commonly used methods to estimate whether someone is a healthy weight or not.

Yeast knockouts peel back secrets of cell protein function Posted: 26 Sep 2016 08:53 AM PDT To fill in the blanks on mitochondria, researchers deleted 174 genes, one by one, in yeast. They then subjected the yeast to high-intensity mass spectrometry to measure unprecedented detail on thousands of metabolic products, including proteins, intermediate chemicals called metabolites, and lipids.

Excess dietary zinc worsens C. diff infection Posted: 26 Sep 2016 08:53 AM PDT The consumption of dietary supplements and cold therapies containing high concentrations of zinc is now being called into question, following research that suggests it may worsen Clostridium difficile infection.

New genetic links for heart disease risk factors identified Posted: 26 Sep 2016 08:51 AM PDT 17 rare human genetic variations associated with risk factors for diseases such as heart disease and diabetes have now been uncovered by scientists.

Morning sickness linked to lower risk of pregnancy loss Posted: 26 Sep 2016 08:51 AM PDT Nausea and vomiting that occurs in pregnancy is often called "morning sickness," as these symptoms typically begin in the morning and usually resolve as the day progresses. For most women, nausea and vomiting subside by the 4th month of pregnancy. Others may have these symptoms for the duration of their pregnancies. The cause of morning sickness is not known, but researchers have proposed that it protects the fetus against toxins and disease-causing organisms in foods and beverages.

Scientists track down possible new treatment for epilepsy Posted: 26 Sep 2016 08:51 AM PDT Increasing the concentration of specific fats in the brain could suppress epileptic seizures, ground-breaking new research shows. On the basis of this discovery, scientists were able to completely suppress epileptic seizures in fruit flies.

'Teashirt' gene links autism and kidney problems, new study finds Posted: 26 Sep 2016 08:51 AM PDT A gene dubbed the 'Teashirt' by its discoverers has been identified as a link between children with kidney problems and autism, in a new study which has implications for how doctors working on both conditions administer tests to their patients.

How cancer’s 'invisibility cloak' works Posted: 26 Sep 2016 08:13 AM PDT Researchers have discovered how cancer cells become invisible to the body's immune system, a crucial step that allows tumors to metastasize and spread throughout the body.

Consuming fewer calories reduces the risk of abdominal aortic aneurysm, study suggests Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:58 AM PDT Mice placed on a low-calorie diet are less likely to develop abdominal aortic aneurysms, according to a new stud. The paper suggests new ways to prevent the often fatal condition from occurring in humans.

How the anthrax toxin forms a deadly 'conveyer belt' Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:58 AM PDT Researchers have built a three-dimensional map of the anthrax toxin that may explain how it efficiently transfers its lethal components into the cytoplasm of infected cells. The study suggests that the bacterial protein acts as a "conveyer belt" that allows toxic enzymes to continuously stream across cell membranes.

Unknown exposure to second-hand smoke associated with increased mortality Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:57 AM PDT A new biomarker has identified known and unknown exposure to second-hand smoke and confirmed a strong association to increased mortality in non-smokers, according to a new study. The results provide a more accurate way to gauge second-hand smoke exposure than questionnaires, and present a strong case for more stringent limits on smoking and increased preventive screenings for those more likely to have been exposed to second-hand smoke.

Enzyme hyaluronidase shows promise as treatment for muscle stiffness caused by brain injury Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:57 AM PDT A naturally occurring enzyme called hyaluronidase may be an effective alternative treatment for spasticity, or muscle stiffness, a disabling condition in people who have had a stroke or other brain injury, researchers report.

Healthcare leaders recommend restructuring health care system to better serve needs of U.S. throughout 21st century Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:57 AM PDT To keep up with the evolving needs of our nation's health and health care system, a series of papers recommends restructuring the U.S. health care system in ways that will support more efficient, targeted health care delivery.

Medulloblastoma patients should receive both chemotherapy and radiation post-surgery Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:57 AM PDT The addition of chemotherapy to postoperative treatment for adults with medulloblastoma improves survival, new research demonstrates. Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common brain tumor in children, but is relatively rare in adults. Chemotherapy use in adult MB is largely based on pediatric outcomes, and its effectiveness has been unclear.

Widespread adoption of SBRT has improved survival rates for elderly patients with early stage lung cancer Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:57 AM PDT Survival rates for elderly patients who received stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) rose from roughly 40 to 60 percent over the past decade, concurrent with the increasing adoption of SBRT, according to research.

Young cancer survivors in economic struggle Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:55 AM PDT Young cancer survivors have a 40 per cent higher risk of becoming unemployed, than others, say researchers, noting that they also have a 40 per cent higher risk of receiving governmental financial assistance.

Rapid adaptation of Aspergillus fungus presents doctors with a dilemma Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:55 AM PDT The fungus Aspergillus fumigatus is capable of rapid genetic adaptation in both natural environments and in humans according to a study. This presents doctors with a dilemma: prescribe medication that may increase drug resistance or not providing treatment and increase the likelihood of the fungus settling in the lungs?

Exercise can increase levels of hunger-promoting endocannabinoids even if you are sleep-deprived Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:55 AM PDT A research group has investigated how levels of endocannabinoids -- which target the same receptors as cannabis -- are affected by short sleep duration, and whether acute exercise can modulate this effect.

Closing the gender gap: Young women with premature acute coronary syndrome now do as well as men Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:06 AM PDT It has become commonly accepted that women do worse than men following a heart attack or other coronary event. Earlier studies have documented that young women are more likely to die from cardiac-related events compared to men in the twelve months after hospital discharge. A new study, drawing on contemporary data from 26 hospitals, reports that young patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) have good one-year prognosis and that both men and women now do equally well.

What happens when the brain is artificially stimulated? Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:04 AM PDT Stimulating the brain via electricity or other means may help ease symptoms of various neurological and psychiatric disorders, with the method already used to treat conditions from epilepsy to depression. But what really happens when doctors zap the brain?

UTI testing technology cuts screening time to four hours Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:01 AM PDT Researchers using DNA sequencing to profile antibiotic resistance in infection have achieved a turnaround time from 'sample to answer' of less than four hours for urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Custom-tailored strategy against glioblastomas Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:00 AM PDT Glioblastomas are incurable malignant brain tumors. Usually the patients affected survive for only a few months. In addition, every tumor is quite different, which makes treatment very difficult. Researchers have now developed a completely new method as the basis for creating custom-tailored, two-stage therapies. Using tumor samples from a patient, they do lab tests to determine which substances can first make the different types of cancer cells uniform and then effectively kill them.

A world first: Cardiovascular team carries out a new type of procedure on a heart valve Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:00 AM PDT A team of heart surgeons and cardiologists used new catheter technology to repair a leaky tricuspid valve for the very first time. The Cardioband serves as an innovative and low-impact method of repairing leaky mitral valves in the left atrium of the heart. It offers a minimally invasive alternative to open heart surgery.

Women with hearing loss more likely to have preterm or low birth weight babies Posted: 26 Sep 2016 06:58 AM PDT The first study of birth outcomes in women with hearing loss finds significant differences when compared to women without hearing loss, scientists report.

You are subscribed to email updates from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States