ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• New gene edited, fluorescently tagged human stem cell lines released
• New strategy may drop cancer's guard
• Thinning of Brain Tissue Remains in College Football Players, Five Years After Play
• After concussion, rest may not always be the best medicine, experts say
• Key insight about mitochondrial replacement therapy
• Virus-inspired delivery system transfers microscopic cargo between human cells
• Study reveals key role of mRNA's 'fifth nucleotide' in determining sex in fruit flies
• Zika and glaucoma linked for first time in new study
• Flu forecasts successful on neighborhood level
• Drug delivery modification sidesteps allergic responses
• Better understanding phagocytes
• Aerobic exercise preserves brain volume and improves cognitive function
• Brain training video games help low-vision kids see better
• Lack of sleep costing US economy up to $411 billion per year
• Method for storing vaccines at room temperature
• How did web-based cognitive therapy work for insomnia?
• CRISPR used for first time to correct clotting in newborn and adult mice
• Genomics technique could accelerate detection of foodborne bacterial outbreaks
• Gram-negative bacteria may influence Alzheimer's disease pathology
• Vapors from some flavored e-liquids contain high levels of aldehydes
• Benefits of daily aspirin outweigh risk to stomach, study suggests
• At long last, stroke patients can be monitored at home, using a sensor suit
• Sedentary lifestyle may impair academic performance in boys
• Eye surgery of the future: Gentle, efficient, out-patient surgery
• Study suggests prescribing of baclofen for alcohol dependence 'should be reconsidered'
• New possibility in treating aggressive ovarian cancer, study shows
• Young cancer survivors have twice the risk of suicide
• Online epidemic tracking tool embraces open data and collective intelligence to understand outbreaks
• Expertise contributes to new guidelines for the investigation of sudden unexpected death in infancy
• Stop smoking! Quitting at any age reduces the risk of death after 70
• In one-two punch, researchers load 'nanocarriers' to deliver cancer-fighting drugs and imaging molecules to tumors
• Alcohol consumption shows no effect on coronary arteries
• Digital microbes for munching yourself healthy
• Gene discovered to cause rare, severe neurological disease
• Lack of supporting evidence for claims about fertility treatments
• Preventative antibiotics could prevent Clostridium difficile infection among stem cell transplant patients

New gene edited, fluorescently tagged human stem cell lines released Posted: 30 Nov 2016 12:54 PM PST The Allen Institute for Cell Science has released the Allen Cell Collection: the first publicly available collection of gene edited, fluorescently tagged human induced pluripotent stem cells that target key cellular structures with unprecedented clarity. Distributed through the Coriell Institute for Medical Research, these powerful tools are a crucial first step toward visualizing the dynamic organization of cells to better understand what makes human cells healthy and what goes wrong in disease.

New strategy may drop cancer's guard Posted: 30 Nov 2016 12:45 PM PST A drug used now to treat Type 2 diabetes may someday help beat breast and ovarian cancers, but not until researchers decode the complex interactions that in some cases help promote tumors, according to scientists.

Thinning of Brain Tissue Remains in College Football Players, Five Years After Play Posted: 30 Nov 2016 11:40 AM PST Even college-level athletes may be vulnerable to the effects of head trauma, new research has found. Even several years after graduation, college football players continue to show evidence of neuropathic brain changes, say the researchers.

After concussion, rest may not always be the best medicine, experts say Posted: 30 Nov 2016 11:10 AM PST Prescribed rest—both physical and mental—is the standard treatment for concussion. But a growing body of evidence suggests that a more active, targeted approach might provide better outcomes for some patients, reports a new article.

Key insight about mitochondrial replacement therapy Posted: 30 Nov 2016 10:41 AM PST Mitochondrial donors should be carefully selected to avoid transmission of harmful mutations, outlines a new report. Mitochondrial replacement therapy offers hope for women genetically predisposed to pass on mutant mitochondria, the tiny powerhouses inside nearly every cell of the body. Mitochondrial DNA is passed only from mothers to their children. Mutations can cause a range of potentially fatal disorders affecting organs with high-energy demands such as the heart, muscle and brain.

Virus-inspired delivery system transfers microscopic cargo between human cells Posted: 30 Nov 2016 10:40 AM PST Scientists have developed blueprints that instruct human cells to assemble a virus-like delivery system that can transport custom cargo from one cell to another. The research is a step toward a nature-inspired means for delivering therapeutics directly to specific cell types within the body.

Study reveals key role of mRNA's 'fifth nucleotide' in determining sex in fruit flies Posted: 30 Nov 2016 10:40 AM PST A team of scientists has shown how a common mRNA modification, N6-methyladenosine (m6A), regulates gene expression to determine the sex of fruit flies. The function of m6A, an mRNA modification known as the 'fifth nucleotide', has long been a mystery. But a new study has revealed that m6A plays a key role in the regulation of the Sex-lethal (Sxl) gene, which controls sex determination of the fruit fly Drosophila.

Zika and glaucoma linked for first time in new study Posted: 30 Nov 2016 10:28 AM PST The Zika virus can cause glaucoma in infants who were exposed to the virus during gestation, a team of researchers has explained in the first report outlining the evidence.

Flu forecasts successful on neighborhood level Posted: 30 Nov 2016 10:22 AM PST A computer model has been developed to predict the onset, duration, and magnitude of influenza outbreaks for New York City boroughs and neighborhoods. They found the model effective in a test using data from 2008-2013.

Drug delivery modification sidesteps allergic responses Posted: 30 Nov 2016 10:19 AM PST Biomedical engineers have reconfigured a popular drug-delivery technology to evade immune responses that have halted some clinical trials. Polyethylene glycol, commonly known as PEG, is a polymer commonly found in commercial products from toothpaste to cosmetics, and also in pharmaceuticals. PEG is used as a thickener, solvent, softener and moisture-carrier, but it can also be attached to active drugs in the bloodstream to slow the body's clearing of them, greatly lengthening the duration of their effects.

Better understanding phagocytes Posted: 30 Nov 2016 10:13 AM PST The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) plays an important role in regulating the body's fluid levels and blood pressure. However, a new signal path in the RAS may also have a substantial influence on immune cells, as a recent study has found.

Aerobic exercise preserves brain volume and improves cognitive function Posted: 30 Nov 2016 10:09 AM PST Using a new MRI technique, researchers found that adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) who exercised four times a week over a six-month period experienced an increase in brain volume in specific, or local, areas of the brain, but adults who participated in aerobic exercise experienced greater gains than those who just stretched.

Brain training video games help low-vision kids see better Posted: 30 Nov 2016 10:08 AM PST Studies going back several years have shown that playing action video games (AVG) can help improve visual acuity. A new study by vision scientists has found that children with poor vision see vast improvement in their peripheral vision after only eight hours of training via kid-friendly video games. Most surprising to the scientists was the range of visual gains the children made, and that the gains were quickly acquired and stable when tested a year later.

Lack of sleep costing US economy up to $411 billion per year Posted: 30 Nov 2016 10:08 AM PST Lower productivity levels and the higher risk of mortality resulting from sleep deprivation have a significant effect on a nation's economy. Sleep deprivation increases the risk of mortality by 13 per cent and leads to the U.S. losing around 1.2 million working days a year. Increasing nightly sleep from under six hours to between six and seven hours could add $226.4 billion to the U.S. economy.

Method for storing vaccines at room temperature Posted: 30 Nov 2016 10:08 AM PST Several simple and inexpensive techniques make it possible to store antiviral-vaccines at room temperature for several months. This discovery could make a difference in inaccessible areas and developing countries where maintaining cold-chain transportation of vaccines is complicated and expensive.

How did web-based cognitive therapy work for insomnia? Posted: 30 Nov 2016 10:07 AM PST How well did a web-based cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia intervention work in a randomized clinical trial? A new article reports that adults assigned to receive the fully automated and interactive web-based Sleep Healthy Using the Internet (SHUTi) intervention had improved sleep compared with those adults just given access to a patient education website with information about insomnia.

CRISPR used for first time to correct clotting in newborn and adult mice Posted: 30 Nov 2016 09:56 AM PST CRISPR/Cas9, a powerful genome editing tool, is showing promise for efficient correction of disease-causing mutations. For the first time, researchers have developed a dual gene therapy approach to deliver key components of a CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene targeting system to mice to treat hemophilia B. This disorder is also called factor IX deficiency and is caused by a missing or defective clotting protein.

Genomics technique could accelerate detection of foodborne bacterial outbreaks Posted: 30 Nov 2016 08:42 AM PST A new testing methodology based on metagenomics could accelerate the diagnosis of foodborne bacterial outbreaks, allowing public health officials to identify the microbial culprits in less than a day.

Gram-negative bacteria may influence Alzheimer's disease pathology Posted: 30 Nov 2016 08:42 AM PST For the first time, researchers have found higher levels of Gram-negative bacteria antigens in brain samples from late-onset Alzheimer's disease patients. Compared to controls, patients with Alzheimer's had much higher levels of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and E coli K99 pili protein. In addition, the research team also found LPS molecules congregated with amyloid plaques, which have been linked to Alzheimer's pathology and progression.

Vapors from some flavored e-liquids contain high levels of aldehydes Posted: 30 Nov 2016 07:41 AM PST Traditional cigarettes pose a well-established risk to smokers' health, but the effects of electronic cigarettes are still being determined. Helping to flesh out this picture, researchers are reporting what happens to e-liquid flavorings when they're heated inside e-cigarettes or electronic nicotine-delivery systems. The study found that when converted into a vapor, some flavorings break down into toxic compounds at levels that exceed occupational safety standards.

Benefits of daily aspirin outweigh risk to stomach, study suggests Posted: 30 Nov 2016 07:40 AM PST Stomach bleeds caused by aspirin are considerably less serious than the spontaneous bleeds that can occur in people not taking the drug, concludes a new study.

At long last, stroke patients can be monitored at home, using a sensor suit Posted: 30 Nov 2016 05:50 AM PST It may soon be possible to accurately monitor and analyze how stroke patients move during everyday life. This involves the use of a new suit fitted with 41 sensors, plus the infrastructure needed to transmit, store and process all of the data collected. This technology and information will make it possible to improve the rehabilitation process and cut healthcare costs.

Sedentary lifestyle may impair academic performance in boys Posted: 30 Nov 2016 05:30 AM PST A sedentary lifestyle is linked to poorer reading skills in the first three school years in 6-8 year old boys, according to a new study. The study investigated the longitudinal associations of physical activity and sedentary time with reading and arithmetic skills in 153 children aged 6-8 years old in Grades 1-3 of the primary school.

Eye surgery of the future: Gentle, efficient, out-patient surgery Posted: 30 Nov 2016 05:30 AM PST The eye surgery of the future will be performed on an out-patient basis, and will be gentle and efficient, say experts.

Study suggests prescribing of baclofen for alcohol dependence 'should be reconsidered' Posted: 30 Nov 2016 05:28 AM PST The drug baclofen has received high visibility as a possible breakthrough treatment for alcohol dependence. Now a new randomized controlled trial found no evidence for the usefulness of high-dose baclofen in treating alcoholism when added to psychosocial treatments.

New possibility in treating aggressive ovarian cancer, study shows Posted: 30 Nov 2016 05:28 AM PST A recent discovery may lead to a new treatment strategy for an aggressive ovarian cancer subtype. Ovarian cancer is the most deadly gynecological cancer and it is the seventh most common cancer in women worldwide. Most women with ovarian cancer are diagnosed at the advanced stage, which is more difficult to treat.

Young cancer survivors have twice the risk of suicide Posted: 30 Nov 2016 05:28 AM PST Survivors of cancer diagnosed before the age of 25 had a more than two-fold increased risk of suicide compared to their non-cancer peers, a new report suggests.

Online epidemic tracking tool embraces open data and collective intelligence to understand outbreaks Posted: 30 Nov 2016 05:28 AM PST Researchers have developed Microreact, a free, real-time epidemic visualisation and tracking platform that has been used to monitor outbreaks of Ebola, Zika and antibiotic-resistant microbes. The team has collaborated with the Microbiology Society to allow any researcher around the world to share their latest information about disease outbreaks.

Expertise contributes to new guidelines for the investigation of sudden unexpected death in infancy Posted: 30 Nov 2016 05:28 AM PST National guidance for professionals handling cases of sudden unexpected child death have been published by experts. The guidelines aim to be sensitive to the needs of grief-stricken parents while also enabling an explanation to be found and make recommendations to each profession and outline best practice for each part of the investigation process.

Stop smoking! Quitting at any age reduces the risk of death after 70 Posted: 30 Nov 2016 05:28 AM PST Lifetime smoking history is a key determinant of mortality for people 70 and over, and quitting, even after 60, benefits individuals into their 70s, reports a team of investigators.

In one-two punch, researchers load 'nanocarriers' to deliver cancer-fighting drugs and imaging molecules to tumors Posted: 29 Nov 2016 01:15 PM PST Scientists describe a new system to encase chemotherapy drugs within tiny, synthetic "nanocarrier" packages, which could be injected into patients and disassembled at the tumor site to release their toxic cargo.

Alcohol consumption shows no effect on coronary arteries Posted: 29 Nov 2016 12:25 PM PST Researchers using coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) have found no association between light to moderate alcohol consumption and coronary artery disease (CAD).

Digital microbes for munching yourself healthy Posted: 29 Nov 2016 05:42 AM PST Hundreds of different bacterial species live in the human gut, helping us to digest our food. The metabolic processes of these bacteria are not only tremendously important to our health – they are also tremendously complex. A research team has taken an important step in modelling the complexity of the human gut's bacterial communities – the microbiome – on the computer. The researchers gathered all known data on the metabolism of 773 bacterial strains – more than ever before. Working from this data, they developed a computer model for each bacterial strain. This collection, known as AGORA, can now be used on the computer to simulate metabolic processes taking place in the microbes and to investigate how they affect the metabolism of other microbes and that of the human host.

Gene discovered to cause rare, severe neurological disease Posted: 28 Nov 2016 12:31 PM PST Researchers have linked a debilitating neurological disease in children to mutations in a gene that regulates neuronal development through control of protein movement within neuronal cells.

Lack of supporting evidence for claims about fertility treatments Posted: 28 Nov 2016 12:31 PM PST Many claims made by UK fertility clinics about the benefits of treatments beyond standard IVF procedures are not backed up by evidence, finds a study.

Preventative antibiotics could prevent Clostridium difficile infection among stem cell transplant patients Posted: 28 Nov 2016 12:12 PM PST It may be possible to safely prevent one of the most common – and costly to treat – infections contracted by hospitalized patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation for the treatment of blood cancers, according to a new study.

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