ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

---

• New drug could help prevent artery disease in high-risk patients
• Inside the world of cell signaling: A G-protein breakthrough
• Researchers confirm molecule's role in kidney formation
• Tattoos mark the spot for surgery, then disappear
• HIV patients have nearly twice the heart attack risk
• Vitamin D improves gut flora and metabolic syndrome
• Huntington's disease linked to dysfunction of brain structure
• Epigenetic change ties mitochondrial dysfunction to tumor progression
• Study finds 'striking' use of double mastectomy
• Understanding randomization of clinical trials crucial to success
• Cellular process behind premature aging discovered
• Secret code language of bacteria revealed
• Fewer children per man than per woman
• New ultrasound technique is first to image inside live cells
• Artificial leaf as mini-factory for drugs
• Food withdrawal results in stabilization of important tumor suppressor
• Routine drug screening should be part of primary care settings, study recommends
• One more piece in the puzzle of liver cancer identified
• Optical control of a neuroreceptor alleviates chronic pain
• For older adults, poor vision can lead to physical decline and cognitive problems
• Nanoarray sniffs out and distinguishes multiple diseases
• Flame retardant exposure linked to income, BMI and household smoking
• RNA pathway plays key role in health, lifespan, fly study shows
• Threading the RSV vaccine needle
• Novel technique helps identify elusive molecules
• For geriatric falls, 'brain speed' may matter more than lower limb strength
• Hope for metastatic prostate cancer patients: Targeted alpha therapy shows impressive results
• A cure for social anxiety disorders
• Addictive cravings still detectable after death
• Sex evolved to help future generations fight infection, scientists show
• Mechanism of successful horizontal gene transfer between divergent organisms explained
• Heart valves strive to get oxygen one way or another
• Arctic Inuit, Native American cold adaptations may originate from extinct hominids
• Study identifies a way to prevent burn injury infection, without antibiotics
• The evolutionary secret of H. pylori to survive in the stomach
• Violence spreads like a disease among adolescents, study finds
• Learning by listening: Physicians say online reviews can improve health care
• Brain generates replacement cells after stroke
• New test could detect ovarian cancer patients who are strongly responding to treatment
• Preventing medical communication errors
• Commercial brand of mouthwash can help kill off gonorrhea in the mouth
• Depressed patients are less responsive to chemotherapy
• Repairing a broken system: The role of technology
• Researcher pursues synthetic 'scaffolds' for muscle regeneration
• What you should know about mumps
• Spicy molecule inhibits growth of breast cancer cells

New drug could help prevent artery disease in high-risk patients Posted: 21 Dec 2016 11:13 AM PST Approximately 2,200 Americans die each day from heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular diseases. The most common cause is blocked blood vessels that can no longer supply oxygen and nutrients to the heart and brain. A recent study has shown that a protein inhibitor drug prevents these blockages, and could be a new therapeutic approach to prevent heart attack, stroke and other diseases caused by blocked blood vessels.

Inside the world of cell signaling: A G-protein breakthrough Posted: 21 Dec 2016 10:28 AM PST Scientists have few good methods for manipulating and investigating G-protein signaling. Now, scientists have developed small proteins to selectively block a certain type of G-protein signaling, creating a unique and powerful tool for studying cell processes that depend on this signaling.

Researchers confirm molecule's role in kidney formation Posted: 21 Dec 2016 10:28 AM PST A new discovery could help advance understanding to address issues such as birth defects and repair of the kidney after illness or injury, report scientists.

Tattoos mark the spot for surgery, then disappear Posted: 21 Dec 2016 09:54 AM PST Tattoos aren't just for body art. They can have medical applications, too. Doctors are using them on patients to mark an area for future treatment -- particularly for non-melanoma skin cancer such as basal cell carcinoma -- but the inks can cause problems. Now scientists have developed a better solution. In a new article, they report a new ink that glows only under certain light conditions and can disappear altogether after a period of time.

HIV patients have nearly twice the heart attack risk Posted: 21 Dec 2016 09:54 AM PST Current methods to predict the risk of heart attack and stroke vastly underestimate the risk in individuals with HIV, which is nearly double that of the general population, reports a new study. The higher risk exists even when virus is undetectable in blood because of antiretroviral drugs. Accurately predicting risk is vital for preventive treatment, say clinicians.

Vitamin D improves gut flora and metabolic syndrome Posted: 21 Dec 2016 09:54 AM PST A high fat diet alone is not enough to cause metabolic syndrome, a group of symptoms that pose as risk factors for diabetes and heart disease. This recent study shows it is needed in combination with vitamin D deficiency. Accordingly, vitamin D supplementation improves metabolic syndrome in mice. The next step would be to validate the results in humans.

Huntington's disease linked to dysfunction of brain structure Posted: 21 Dec 2016 09:54 AM PST Scientists have identified a link between Huntington's disease and dysfunction of the subthalamic nucleus, a component of the basal ganglia, a group of brain structures critical for movement and impulse control.

Epigenetic change ties mitochondrial dysfunction to tumor progression Posted: 21 Dec 2016 09:54 AM PST Scientists have identified a mechanism by which mitochondria can drive changes in nuclear gene expression that are associated with tumor progression.

Study finds 'striking' use of double mastectomy Posted: 21 Dec 2016 09:45 AM PST Nearly half of early stage breast cancer patients considered having double mastectomy and one in six received it – including many who were at low risk of developing a second breast cancer, a new study finds.

Understanding randomization of clinical trials crucial to success Posted: 21 Dec 2016 09:45 AM PST A research team analyzed linguistic approaches to help cancer patients better comprehend the concept of randomization, being assigned by chance to treatment or control groups, in clinical trials.

Cellular process behind premature aging discovered Posted: 21 Dec 2016 09:34 AM PST In a new study, scientists have shown how two genes "balance" each other to maintain normal cell function. A disruption in one of the genes, called spns1, can induce degradation and premature "senescence"--or aging--while the other gene, called atp6v0ca, can jump in to suppress that degradation.

Secret code language of bacteria revealed Posted: 21 Dec 2016 08:13 AM PST Antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria is a growing global challenge. Researchers have now discovered that bacteria use a code language to avoid being controlled. Understanding this code language will be paramount to developing new antibiotics in the future.

Fewer children per man than per woman Posted: 21 Dec 2016 08:13 AM PST Men on average have fewer children than women and have them later in life. Differences are especially strong in eastern Germany, where men set a new world record for low fertility.

New ultrasound technique is first to image inside live cells Posted: 21 Dec 2016 08:13 AM PST Researchers have developed a breakthrough technique that uses sound rather than light to see inside live cells, with potential application in stem-cell transplants and cancer diagnosis.

Artificial leaf as mini-factory for drugs Posted: 21 Dec 2016 08:12 AM PST To produce drugs sustainably and cheaply, anywhere you want. Whether in the middle of the jungle or even on Mars. A 'mini-factory' whereby sunlight can be captured to make chemical products. Inspired by the art of nature where leaves are able to collect enough sunlight to produce food, chemical engineers have presented such a scenario. Their prototype reactor is consciously shaped as a leaf

Food withdrawal results in stabilization of important tumor suppressor Posted: 21 Dec 2016 08:12 AM PST Tumor suppressors stop healthy cells from becoming cancerous. Researchers have found that p53, one of the most important tumor suppressors, accumulates in liver after food withdrawal.

Routine drug screening should be part of primary care settings, study recommends Posted: 21 Dec 2016 08:06 AM PST Drug misuse is so prevalent in Tijuana and East Los Angeles that community clinics in those areas should routinely screen for it, suggest experts.

One more piece in the puzzle of liver cancer identified Posted: 21 Dec 2016 07:24 AM PST Scientists are one step closer to unraveling the mechanisms behind liver cancer. The researchers discovered that RAF1, a protein known as an oncogene in other systems, unexpectedly acts as a tumour suppressor in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Optical control of a neuroreceptor alleviates chronic pain Posted: 21 Dec 2016 07:21 AM PST Pain serves as a valuable warning signal, but when it becomes chronic, pain should be considered as a real disease. An international team has identified and controlled one of the centers associated with chronic pain. This work made it possible to relieve the symptoms in mice and demonstrated the ability of the brain to remedy this problem.

For older adults, poor vision can lead to physical decline and cognitive problems Posted: 21 Dec 2016 06:14 AM PST When older adult's vision declines sharply, their participation in physical and mental activities also declines. A team of researchers has suggested that, since most vision loss is preventable, strategies to postpone vision loss might also help delay physical and mental decline among older adults.

Nanoarray sniffs out and distinguishes multiple diseases Posted: 21 Dec 2016 06:14 AM PST Before modern medical lab techniques became available, doctors diagnosed some diseases by smelling a patient's breath. Scientists have been working for years to develop analytical instruments that can mimic this sniff-and-diagnose ability. Now, researchers report that they have identified a unique 'breathprint' for each disease. Using this information, they have designed a device that screens breath samples to classify and diagnose several types of diseases.

Flame retardant exposure linked to income, BMI and household smoking Posted: 21 Dec 2016 06:14 AM PST A class of flame retardants known as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been phased out of production in the US out of concern for their potential neurotoxic effects, particularly in young children. But the compounds persist in older furniture, plastics and textiles, and in dust. Now a new report examines the factors that help predict which children could be at a higher risk for exposure to these compounds.

RNA pathway plays key role in health, lifespan, fly study shows Posted: 21 Dec 2016 06:14 AM PST The piRNA pathway was thought to be most active in the reproductive organs of animals, but researchers have discovered in the common fruit fly that the pathway also operates in a non-reproductive body tissue, playing a vital role in maintaining health and lifespan.

Threading the RSV vaccine needle Posted: 21 Dec 2016 06:14 AM PST Crafting a vaccine against RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), a common cause of lung infections in infants, has been a minefield for 50 years. Researchers have now engineered a version of RSV that is highly attenuated, yet potent in its ability to induce protective antibodies.

Novel technique helps identify elusive molecules Posted: 21 Dec 2016 06:13 AM PST A clever means of identifying carbohydrate molecules quickly and accurately has been developed by researchers. The results of his research pave the way for a new generation of analytic tools capable of ferreting out carbohydrates for diagnosis and eventual treatment of many diseases.

For geriatric falls, 'brain speed' may matter more than lower limb strength Posted: 21 Dec 2016 06:03 AM PST It's not only risk factors like lower limb strength and precise perception of the limb's position that determine if a geriatric patient will recover from a perturbation, but also complex and simple reaction times, say researchers.

Hope for metastatic prostate cancer patients: Targeted alpha therapy shows impressive results Posted: 21 Dec 2016 06:02 AM PST Nearly three years of research have brought about remarkable results for the majority of 80 patients subjected to targeted alpha therapy of metastatic prostate cancer. The first assessments describes a full response in two patients in critical clinical condition with extensive metastases.

A cure for social anxiety disorders Posted: 21 Dec 2016 06:01 AM PST Social phobia is the most common anxiety disorder of our time. But the current treatment regimen for patients with this diagnosis has not proven very effective. Now a team of researchers believes they have found a cure for social anxiety disorders.

Addictive cravings still detectable after death Posted: 21 Dec 2016 06:01 AM PST A protein known as FosB in the reward centre of the brain alters in chronically ill people suffering from an addictive disorder (e.g. heroin addiction): it is genetically modified, split off and shortened. This modification under the stimulus of the drug results in the protein being more stable and therefore remaining longer in this part of the brain than in its original form – even as much as several weeks after withdrawal of the drug.  This means that a craving for this stimulus persists. This addictive craving is stored in a sort of "memory" function and, surprisingly, can still be detected after death.

Sex evolved to help future generations fight infection, scientists show Posted: 20 Dec 2016 07:01 PM PST Why does sex exist when organisms that clone themselves use less time and energy, and do not need a mate to produce offspring? Researchers aiming to answer this age-old question have discovered that sex can help the next generation resist infection.

Mechanism of successful horizontal gene transfer between divergent organisms explained Posted: 20 Dec 2016 07:01 PM PST Researchers have shown how a host's gene regulatory environment can facilitate the establishment of a gene newly arrived via horizontal transfer. Studying the cellulose synthase gene in ascidians, originally derived from actinobacteria, the team showed that a GC-rich AP-2 binding site upstream of this gene must have been key to it becoming established. This enabled its epidermis-specific expression and now-essential involvement in forming a protective coating.

Heart valves strive to get oxygen one way or another Posted: 20 Dec 2016 07:00 PM PST Scientists have investigated the ways oxygen permeates heart valves and the role hypoxia plays in valve diseases.

Arctic Inuit, Native American cold adaptations may originate from extinct hominids Posted: 20 Dec 2016 02:55 PM PST In the Arctic, the Inuits have adapted to severe cold and a predominantly seafood diet. Now, a team of scientists has followed up on the first natural selection study in Inuits to trace back the origins of these adaptations. The results provide convincing evidence that the Inuit variant of the TBX15/WARS2 region first came into modern humans from an archaic hominid population, likely related to the Denisovans.

Study identifies a way to prevent burn injury infection, without antibiotics Posted: 20 Dec 2016 02:55 PM PST A new way to fight multidrug-resistant bacteria by blinding them rather than killing them proved highly effective in a model of burn injuries, research shows.

The evolutionary secret of H. pylori to survive in the stomach Posted: 20 Dec 2016 02:52 PM PST Medical researchers have shed light on key genes essential to the pathogenesis of Helicobacter pylori bacterium, which causes gastric infections. Like other microorganisms, this pathogen underwent genetic modifications through the course of evolution that enabled it to adapt to its environment.

Violence spreads like a disease among adolescents, study finds Posted: 20 Dec 2016 02:51 PM PST A new study of U.S. adolescents provides some of the best evidence to date of how violence spreads like a contagious disease. Researchers found that adolescents were up to 183 percent more likely to carry out some acts of violence if one of their friends had also committed the same act.

Learning by listening: Physicians say online reviews can improve health care Posted: 20 Dec 2016 11:12 AM PST Online platforms that allow users to read and write reviews of businesses and services afford health care providers an opportunity to learn by listening, physicians report. The authors point to a growing body of literature supporting the value of unstructured reviews in supplementing ratings from formal sources such as the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Heathcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS). They call on hospital leaders to pay attention to online reviews to show current and prospective patients that they are being heard.

Brain generates replacement cells after stroke Posted: 20 Dec 2016 11:11 AM PST Researchers report that they have initiated brain repair following white matter stroke in animals, identifying a possible therapeutic target to combat this common cause of dementia

New test could detect ovarian cancer patients who are strongly responding to treatment Posted: 20 Dec 2016 11:10 AM PST Scientists might be able to quickly predict how ovarian cancer patients are likely to respond to chemotherapy treatment using a simple blood test, according to a new research.

Preventing medical communication errors Posted: 20 Dec 2016 06:52 AM PST Structured tools can reduce 'end-of-round time compression' during multidisciplinary morning rounds in the hospital, according to a new study.

Commercial brand of mouthwash can help kill off gonorrhea in the mouth Posted: 20 Dec 2016 06:51 AM PST A commercial brand of mouthwash that is readily available from supermarkets and pharmacies can help curb the growth of the bacteria responsible for gonorrhea, reveals preliminary research.

Depressed patients are less responsive to chemotherapy Posted: 20 Dec 2016 06:51 AM PST A brain-boosting protein plays an important role in how well people respond to chemotherapy, researchers report, suggesting that depression may have an impact on a patient's response to chemotherapy.

Repairing a broken system: The role of technology Posted: 20 Dec 2016 06:47 AM PST Technology has promised to transform health care for years now. Multiple apps, devices, and other e-health approaches are being created to help the patient increase their awareness, education and accountability in their own health. In the not-so-distant future, technology will be able to continuously monitor, track and even diagnose a patient remotely.

Researcher pursues synthetic 'scaffolds' for muscle regeneration Posted: 20 Dec 2016 06:47 AM PST A researcher is looking for ways to help the body heal itself when injury, disease or surgery cause large-scale damage to one type of tissue in particular: skeletal muscle.

What you should know about mumps Posted: 20 Dec 2016 06:47 AM PST Mumps may seem like a contagion relegated to history books, but like many other diseases of the past now preventable with a vaccine, mumps has been making a resurgence. Cases are at 10-year high and are especially common on college campuses across the country.

Spicy molecule inhibits growth of breast cancer cells Posted: 20 Dec 2016 06:44 AM PST Capsaicin, an active ingredient of pungent substances such as chilli or pepper, inhibits the growth of breast cancer cells, report investigators.

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