ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Mapping the mind of worms
• Study provides new evidence on role of person-to person transmission in drug-resistant TB
• Could better eye training help reduce concussion in women's soccer?
• Too much sitting, too little exercise may accelerate biological aging
• Small intestine GIST associated with better prognosis in younger patients
• Study identifies molecular signal for maintaining adult neuron
• Soft robot helps the heart beat
• Novel mechanism identified that protects pancreas from digestive enzymes
• 'Collateral' lethality may offer new therapeutic approach for cancers of the pancreas, stomach and colon
• Toxic brain cells may drive many neurodegenerative disorders, study finds
• Super-resolution imaging offers fast way to discern fate of stem cells
• Severe side effects of approved multiple sclerosis medication
• Heartbeat could be used as password to access electronic health records
• Gestational diabetes increases risk for postpartum depression
• Researcher examines effect of exercise on breast cancer survivors
• New data show heightened risk of birth defects with antidepressants prescribed during pregnancy
• New broad-spectrum antiviral protein can inhibit HIV, other pathogens in some primates
• Toward a 'smart' patch that automatically delivers insulin when needed
• Cancer treatment for transplant patients discovered
• Protein involved in blood clotting stimulates liver repair
• Northern Quebec lichen yields two unique molecules and several antibacterial compounds
• Delirium could accelerate dementia-related mental decline
• Five-minute chats in the waiting room may prompt families to eat more fruits, vegetables
• In Rett syndrome model, team shows how adult learning is impaired in females
• Nanofibers developed for healing bone fractures
• New avenue for anti-depressant therapy discovered
• Heavy alcohol use in adolescence alters brain electrical activity
• New insights in genetic defect allow prevention of fatal illnesses in children
• Preclinical research sheds light on tumor-progression in lung cancer
• Compound found that could improve drug development against deadly brain cancer
• Researchers find cancer-fighting drugs help morbidly obese mice lose weight
• Viral escape hatch could be treatment target for hepatitis E
• New guidelines could help improve research into vascular cognitive impairment
• See how immune cells break through blood vessel walls
• Patients face 'surprise' medical bills from out-of-network specialists
• Study shines light on how to build better bacteriophage therapies
• New genomic tool for salamander biology could spur deeper understanding of tissue regeneration
• Childbirth: Delayed clamping prevents anemia, study suggests
• Delhi's health system: Inadequate progress for a global city
• First study to measure effectiveness of NFL PLAY 60 program shows positive results on youth fitness
• Retinopathy of prematurity: New developments are cause for hope
• Report highlights national trends in heart disease treatments
• Scientists identify early impact of Ebola virus on immune system
• Immune responses against a virus-related skin cancer suggest ways to improve immunotherapy
• Likely cause -- and potential prevention -- of vision deterioration in space
• Potential pancreatic cancer target challenged
• Millions of people with metabolic syndrome may need more vitamin E

Mapping the mind of worms Posted: 18 Jan 2017 03:17 PM PST Biologists have identified signals that drive distinct behavior in microscopic nematode worms, and which may hold lessons for human brains.

Study provides new evidence on role of person-to person transmission in drug-resistant TB Posted: 18 Jan 2017 03:17 PM PST A study of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR TB)in KwaZulu province, South Africa, builds on a growing body of evidence showing person-to-person transmission, not just inadequate treatment, is driving the spread of XDR TB.

Could better eye training help reduce concussion in women's soccer? Posted: 18 Jan 2017 01:37 PM PST With the ever-growing popularity of women's soccer, attention to sports-related concussions is also a growing concern. High school female soccer players incur a higher concussion rate than males, and researchers noticed in photographs of female soccer players, the players often had their eyes closed. They wanted to quantify whether female athletes closed their eyes more frequently than male counterparts, as a first step toward determining if less visual awareness might expose players to a higher risk of injury.

Too much sitting, too little exercise may accelerate biological aging Posted: 18 Jan 2017 12:15 PM PST Elderly women who sit for more than 10 hours a day with low physical activity have cells that are biologically older than their chronological age by eight years compared to women who are less sedentary, research shows.

Small intestine GIST associated with better prognosis in younger patients Posted: 18 Jan 2017 12:13 PM PST Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are tumors that arise is the wall of the digestive tract, and most often occur in the stomach or small intestine. Though more common in later in life, GISTs can occur in adolescents and young adults (AYA) under 40 years old as well. Researchers report findings from the first population-based analysis of AYA patients with GIST.

Study identifies molecular signal for maintaining adult neuron Posted: 18 Jan 2017 11:50 AM PST Research in mice points to better understanding of how the structure of nerve cells in the adult hippocampus may deteriorate, which can lead to Alzheimer's disease and other neurological disorders, report researchers.

Soft robot helps the heart beat Posted: 18 Jan 2017 11:37 AM PST A customizable soft robot that fits around a heart and helps it beat has now been developed by researchers, potentially opening new treatment options for people suffering from heart failure.

Novel mechanism identified that protects pancreas from digestive enzymes Posted: 18 Jan 2017 10:25 AM PST Researchers have uncovered the mechanism by which the stress hormone FGF21 keeps digestive enzymes from damaging the pancreas.

'Collateral' lethality may offer new therapeutic approach for cancers of the pancreas, stomach and colon Posted: 18 Jan 2017 10:22 AM PST Cancer cells often delete genes that normally suppress tumor formation. These deletions also may extend to neighboring genes, an event known as 'collateral lethality,' which may create new options for development of therapies for several cancers.

Toxic brain cells may drive many neurodegenerative disorders, study finds Posted: 18 Jan 2017 10:22 AM PST While most of us haven't heard of astrocytes, these cells are four times as plentiful in the human brain as nerve cells. Now, a team led by researchers has found that astrocytes, which perform many indispensable functions in the brain, can take on a villainous character, destroying nerve cells and likely driving many neurodegenerative diseases.

Super-resolution imaging offers fast way to discern fate of stem cells Posted: 18 Jan 2017 09:58 AM PST A new way to identify the state and fate of individual stem cells earlier than previously possible has now been developed by a team of scientists.

Severe side effects of approved multiple sclerosis medication Posted: 18 Jan 2017 09:52 AM PST The multiple sclerosis (MS) therapy alemtuzumab can trigger severe, unpredictable side effects. Scientists report on two patients for whom the infusion of alemtuzumab significantly worsened symptoms. The team also describes a treatment that successfully curbed the harmful side effects.

Heartbeat could be used as password to access electronic health records Posted: 18 Jan 2017 09:52 AM PST Researchers have devised a new way to protect personal electronic health records using a patient's own heartbeat.

Gestational diabetes increases risk for postpartum depression Posted: 18 Jan 2017 09:52 AM PST Gestational diabetes raises the risk of postpartum depression in first-time mothers, researcher have concluded.

Researcher examines effect of exercise on breast cancer survivors Posted: 18 Jan 2017 09:52 AM PST A new study has focused on the effects of exercise and physical activity on postmenopausal breast cancer survivors taking AIs -- hormone-therapy drugs that stop the production of estrogen. The work concludes that a combination of resistance and aerobic exercise helps mitigate the side effects of AIs and improves health outcomes in breast cancer survivors, particularly their body composition.

New data show heightened risk of birth defects with antidepressants prescribed during pregnancy Posted: 18 Jan 2017 07:39 AM PST Antidepressants prescribed to pregnant women could increase the chance of having a baby with birth defects, new research indicates.

New broad-spectrum antiviral protein can inhibit HIV, other pathogens in some primates Posted: 18 Jan 2017 07:39 AM PST A protein-coding gene called Schlafen11 (SLFN11) may induce a broad-spectrum cellular response against infection by viruses including HIV-1, researchers have discovered.

Toward a 'smart' patch that automatically delivers insulin when needed Posted: 18 Jan 2017 07:38 AM PST Treatment for certain diabetes cases involves constant monitoring of blood-glucose levels and daily insulin shots. But scientists are now developing a painless 'smart' patch that monitors blood glucose and releases insulin when levels climb too high. The device has been tested on mice.

Cancer treatment for transplant patients discovered Posted: 18 Jan 2017 07:38 AM PST Nephrologists have published a letter that profiles a novel drug combination with the potential to help prevent rejection of a donor kidney in transplant patients undergoing cancer treatment.

Protein involved in blood clotting stimulates liver repair Posted: 18 Jan 2017 07:38 AM PST A new pathway in the body that stimulates liver repair has been uncovered by researchers. Using an experimental model of high-dosage acetaminophen, the team found that liver injury activated blood clotting, which then stimulated liver repair.

Northern Quebec lichen yields two unique molecules and several antibacterial compounds Posted: 18 Jan 2017 07:38 AM PST Two unique molecules have been discovered by researchers in a species of lichen growing in northern Quebec. A number of compounds with interesting antibacterial properties have also been isolated from the lichen, according to an article.

Delirium could accelerate dementia-related mental decline Posted: 18 Jan 2017 07:34 AM PST When hospitalized, people can become acutely confused and disorientated. This condition, known as delirium, affects a quarter of older patients and new research shows it may have long-lasting consequences, including accelerating the dementia process.

Five-minute chats in the waiting room may prompt families to eat more fruits, vegetables Posted: 18 Jan 2017 05:34 AM PST Low-income families were more likely to use their federal food assistance on nutritious food after learning that their dollars can be doubled for more fruits and vegetables, a new study finds.

In Rett syndrome model, team shows how adult learning is impaired in females Posted: 18 Jan 2017 05:33 AM PST In mouse models of Rett syndrome -- which in humans is seen overwhelmingly in females -- researchers have demonstrated how failure of Mecp2, the mouse equivalent of the human gene of the same name, has biological consequences that prevent adult females from learning how to gather newborn pups in the days immediately following the pups' birth. They reversed the defect.

Nanofibers developed for healing bone fractures Posted: 18 Jan 2017 05:28 AM PST In future, it may be possible to use nanofibres to improve the attachment of bone implants, or the fibers may be used directly to scaffold bone regeneration. This would aid the healing of fractures and may enable the care of osteoporosis. This is detailed in a new dissertation.

New avenue for anti-depressant therapy discovered Posted: 18 Jan 2017 05:26 AM PST Researchers have made a ground-breaking discovery revealing new molecular information on how the brain regulates depression and anxiety. In so doing, they identified a new molecule that alleviates anxiety and depressive behavior in rodents.

Heavy alcohol use in adolescence alters brain electrical activity Posted: 18 Jan 2017 05:24 AM PST Long-term heavy use of alcohol in adolescence alters cortical excitability and functional connectivity in the brain, according to a new study. These alterations were observed in physically and mentally healthy but heavy-drinking adolescents, who nevertheless did not fulfil the diagnostic criteria for a substance abuse disorder.

New insights in genetic defect allow prevention of fatal illnesses in children Posted: 18 Jan 2017 05:24 AM PST A team of scientists was able to characterize a new genetic immunodeficiency resulting from a mutation in a gene named STAT2. This mutation causes patients to be extremely vulnerable to normally mild childhood illnesses such as rotavirus and enterovirus. The comprehensive analysis of the genetic defect allows clinicians to provide children with the proper therapies before illnesses prove fatal.

Preclinical research sheds light on tumor-progression in lung cancer Posted: 17 Jan 2017 01:30 PM PST Preclinical research shows that the tumor-promoting properties of neuropilin-2 reside predominantly on isoform NRP2b, while NRP2a has the opposite effects in non-small cell lung cancer. In mouse models, NRP2a inhibited tumor cell proliferation, while NRP2b promoted metastasis and progression. This new understanding may lead to improved therapies that specifically target NRP2b, while sparing the tumor-inhibiting functions of NRP2a.

Compound found that could improve drug development against deadly brain cancer Posted: 17 Jan 2017 01:30 PM PST A 'potent inhibitory compound' has been found in the elusive hunt for an improved treatment against glioblastoma, the most common and deadly type of adult brain cancer. Aurintricarboxylic Acid (ATA) is a chemical compound that in laboratory tests was shown to block the chemical cascade that otherwise allows glioblastoma cells to invade normal brain tissue and resist both chemo and radiation therapy, according to a report.

Researchers find cancer-fighting drugs help morbidly obese mice lose weight Posted: 17 Jan 2017 11:03 AM PST Scientific investigations sometimes result in serendipitous discoveries which shift the investigations from one focus to another. In the case of researchers recent research, studies addressing obesity's impact on cancer treatment resulted in an unexpected discovery that shifted the focus from cancer to obesity. The investigators observed that two common cancer-fighting drugs sparked significant weight loss in the obese mice, even though the mice continued their excessive consumption of a high-fat diet.

Viral escape hatch could be treatment target for hepatitis E Posted: 17 Jan 2017 11:03 AM PST The technique that the hepatitis E virus -- an emerging liver virus historically found in developing countries but now on the rise in Europe -- uses to spread could present a weak spot scientists can exploit to treat the disease, according to a new study.

New guidelines could help improve research into vascular cognitive impairment Posted: 17 Jan 2017 11:02 AM PST New guidelines have been developed that it is hoped will help to progress research into vascular cognitive impairment following a study that brought together the views of over 150 researchers in 27 countries.

See how immune cells break through blood vessel walls Posted: 17 Jan 2017 11:01 AM PST In any given second, thousands of immune cells are poking holes in your blood vessels as they travel out of the blood stream to survey your organs for problems or join the fight against a pathogen. Despite the constant assault, the damage is negligible.

Patients face 'surprise' medical bills from out-of-network specialists Posted: 17 Jan 2017 11:01 AM PST The average anesthesiologist, emergency physician, pathologist and radiologist charge more than four times what Medicare pays for similar services, often leaving privately insured consumers stuck with surprise medical bills that are much higher than they anticipated, new research suggests.

Study shines light on how to build better bacteriophage therapies Posted: 17 Jan 2017 11:01 AM PST Researchers have discovered that a subset of bacteriophages, dubbed 'superspreaders,' potentially play a major role in transmitting antimicrobial resistance. The research provides an answer to a long-standing biological question and may help scientists better select specific bacteriophages for therapeutic use.

New genomic tool for salamander biology could spur deeper understanding of tissue regeneration Posted: 17 Jan 2017 11:01 AM PST A research team has assembled a catalogue of every active gene in a variety of tissues in the axolotl, a type of salamander known for its striking ability to fully regenerate limbs following amputation.

Childbirth: Delayed clamping prevents anemia, study suggests Posted: 17 Jan 2017 10:59 AM PST When clamping of the umbilical cord is delayed, iron deficiency up to six months of age can be prevented, according to a new study.

Delhi's health system: Inadequate progress for a global city Posted: 17 Jan 2017 10:59 AM PST Access to effective care remains insufficient to overcome the crushing poverty and inequalities within Delhi, suggest a new report.

First study to measure effectiveness of NFL PLAY 60 program shows positive results on youth fitness Posted: 17 Jan 2017 10:59 AM PST The National Football League (NFL) Foundation has invested heavily in its NFL PLAY 60 initiative to promote fitness and health among youth over the past decade. Its impact on childhood fitness and obesity levels, however, has lacked scientific evaluation -- until now.

Retinopathy of prematurity: New developments are cause for hope Posted: 17 Jan 2017 10:59 AM PST A mini-symposium provides important insights into new techniques and treatments that show promise for eliminating retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) throughout the world.

Report highlights national trends in heart disease treatments Posted: 17 Jan 2017 10:59 AM PST Over 93 percent of heart attack patients are receiving stents within the guideline-recommended threshold of 90 minutes after arriving at the hospital, with the median time to stenting only 59 minutes, according to a broad report on trends in heart disease care.

Scientists identify early impact of Ebola virus on immune system Posted: 17 Jan 2017 10:57 AM PST A new mouse model of early Ebola virus (EBOV) infection has shown scientists how early responses of the immune system can affect development of EBOV disease. The model could help identify protective immune responses as targets for developing human EBOV therapeutics.

Immune responses against a virus-related skin cancer suggest ways to improve immunotherapy Posted: 17 Jan 2017 10:57 AM PST A new study suggests ways to improve immune therapy for certain cancers including a virus-associated form of Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare, aggressive skin cancer.

Likely cause -- and potential prevention -- of vision deterioration in space Posted: 17 Jan 2017 10:57 AM PST Vision deterioration in astronauts who spend a long time in space is likely due to the lack of a day-night cycle in intracranial pressure. But using a vacuum device to lower pressure for part of each day might prevent the problem, researchers said.

Potential pancreatic cancer target challenged Posted: 17 Jan 2017 10:57 AM PST A protein thought to fuel pancreatic cancer development plays a much more complicated role, a new study finds. PDX1 is critical for cancer growth, but blocking it may lead to more aggressive tumors.

Millions of people with metabolic syndrome may need more vitamin E Posted: 17 Jan 2017 10:57 AM PST New research has shown that people with metabolic syndrome need significantly more vitamin E -- which could be a serious public health concern, in light of the millions of people who have this condition that's often related to obesity.

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