الاثنين، 12 سبتمبر 2016

ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News


Postpartum psychosis big risk for mothers with bipolar disorder

Posted: 09 Sep 2016 07:35 PM PDT

Pregnant women with bipolar disorder and their families and physicians should be aware of a significantly higher risk for developing postpartum psychosis, according to a new review of literature on the disorder.

Researchers identify new therapeutic target for cancer

Posted: 09 Sep 2016 11:12 AM PDT

A protein that may be an unexplored target to develop new cancer therapies has been identified by researchers. The protein, known as kinase suppressor of Ras, or KSR, is a pseudoenzyme that plays a critical role in the transmission of signals in the cell determining whether cells grow, divide, or die.

Case for liquid biopsies builds in advanced lung cancer

Posted: 09 Sep 2016 08:25 AM PDT

For patients with advanced lung cancer, a non-invasive liquid biopsy may be a more effective and suitable alternative to the gold standard tissue biopsy to detect clinically relevant mutations and help guide their course of treatment, say investigators.

Study reveals potential improvements for effectiveness of meningococcal vaccines

Posted: 09 Sep 2016 08:17 AM PDT

Scientists show greatly improved protective antibody responses to a new mutant vaccine antigen for prevention of disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis -- also known as meningococcus -- that has the potential to improve the current vaccines for meningitis.

Are fitness trackers fit for security?

Posted: 09 Sep 2016 06:51 AM PDT

The popularity of fitness trackers is constantly growing. Worldwide, nearly 20 million of these devices have been sold in the first quarter of 2016. Many of them track via GPS the kilometers the user run, measure heart rate and pulse or check if the user is asleep. Now researchers reveal some serious security flaws in these devices.

Employees of medical centers report high stress, negative health behaviors

Posted: 08 Sep 2016 01:50 PM PDT

Approximately 15 to 20 percent of adults in the U.S. will report high levels of stress, several American surveys have found. A new study has identified stress and burnout as a major problem employees face within the medical industry, leading to negative health behaviors. With rising stress levels in the workplace for employees, many companies are looking to integrate, engage and enroll employees into wellness programs.

New electrical stimulation therapy may improve hand function after stroke

Posted: 08 Sep 2016 01:49 PM PDT

A new technique uses a glove on the unaffected hand to send electrical stimulation to nerves in the stroke-affected hand. Researchers report that the best improvement was noted in patients who had moderate hand impairment from their stroke less than two years earlier. The study also demonstrated that stroke survivors can effectively use technology for self-administered therapy at home.

Mouse model points to potential drug target for increasing social interaction in autism

Posted: 08 Sep 2016 12:12 PM PDT

A study of a new mouse model identifies a drug target that has the potential to increase social interaction in individuals with some forms of autism spectrum disorder.

Experts urge a defensive stance in efforts against antimicrobial resistance

Posted: 08 Sep 2016 12:12 PM PDT

The United Nations should reframe global efforts against antimicrobial resistance by adopting a defensive stance, say experts who have suggested that focus should be in building the resilience of society and maintaining diversity in the 'global microbiome'-- only a fraction of which causes human or animal disease.

New epilepsy drugs work by jamming brain receptor

Posted: 08 Sep 2016 10:12 AM PDT

Researchers have discovered how a new epilepsy drug works, which may lead the way to even more effective and safer medications. Currently, the most commonly used anti-epilepsy drugs are ineffective for about 30 percent of people with seizure disorders.

Tamoxifen resistance linked to high estrogen levels in utero

Posted: 08 Sep 2016 10:12 AM PDT

Resistance to tamoxifen therapy in some estrogen receptor positive breast cancers may originate from in utero exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals, research in animal studies suggests. This study provides a new path forward in human research as about half of the breast cancers treated with this common cancer therapy do not respond well, say researchers.

Can some types of fat protect us from brain disease?

Posted: 08 Sep 2016 10:08 AM PDT

Having a little bit of extra fat may help reduce the risk of developing diseases caused by toxic protein aggregation, such as Huntington's, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Scientists have discovered a new communication process between organelles inside the cell, including mitochondria, and shown how fat metabolism plays a central role in linking mitochondrial health to cytosolic protein homeostasis. Another study uncovers a new signaling pathway that may explain the peripheral wasting seen in Huntington's.

Esketamine produces rapid effects in treatment-resistant depression

Posted: 08 Sep 2016 09:06 AM PDT

Esketamine, a component of the general anesthetic ketamine, shows rapid and significant improvement in depressive symptoms in patients who do not respond to currently available therapies, new research shows. The study aimed to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of esketamine in hopes to fulfill a long-awaited clinical need for therapies that can crack treatment-resistant depression.

The pleasures and perils of protein: Fruit fly study reveals new clues to appetite and aging

Posted: 08 Sep 2016 09:02 AM PDT

Why do we -- and the fruit flies that sometimes inhabit our kitchens -- seek out protein-full foods when we're running on empty? And what does that preference mean for the odds of living a longer life, whether it's measured in decades for a human, or days for a fly? New research suggests that a brain chemical may have a lot to do with both questions.

ScienceDaily: Top News

ScienceDaily: Top News


Six-day clinical trial finds integrative medicine program alters blood serum

Posted: 09 Sep 2016 07:34 PM PDT

In a novel controlled clinical trial, participants in a six-day Ayurvedic-based well-being program that featured a vegetarian diet, meditation, yoga and massages experienced measurable decreases in a set of blood-based metabolites associated with inflammation, cardiovascular disease risk and cholesterol regulation.

Scientists expect to calculate amount of fuel inside Earth by 2025

Posted: 09 Sep 2016 06:48 AM PDT

Scientists have developed numerous models to predict how much fuel remains inside Earth to drive its engines -- and estimates vary widely -- but the true amount remains unknown. In a new article, a team of geologists and neutrino physicists boldly claims it will be able to determine by 2025 how much nuclear fuel and radioactive power remain in the Earth's tank.

Physicists discover 'smoke rings' made of laser light

Posted: 09 Sep 2016 06:48 AM PDT

Physicists have discovered that self-focused laser pulses generate violent swirls of optical energy that resemble smoke rings. In these light structures, known as 'spatiotemporal optical vortices,' light energy flows through the inside of the ring and loops back around the outside. The vortices travel with the laser pulse and control energy flow around it.

Dances with waves: Breakthrough in moving small objects using acoustics

Posted: 09 Sep 2016 06:48 AM PDT

Researchers have made a breakthrough in controlling the motion of multiple objects on a vibrating plate with a single acoustic source. By playing carefully constructed melodies, the scientists can simultaneously and independently move multiple objects on the plate towards desired targets. This has enabled scientists, for instance, writing words consisting of separate letters with loose metal pieces on the plate by playing a melody.

Genome of the world's largest bony fish may explain fast growth rate and large size

Posted: 08 Sep 2016 05:39 PM PDT

The genome of the ocean sunfish, the world's largest bony fish, has been sequenced for the first time. The ocean sunfish genome revealed several altered genes that may explain the fast growth rate and large size of the fish as well as its unusual endoskeleton.

New immunotherapy treatment could lead to better, cheaper results for pancreatic cancer

Posted: 08 Sep 2016 10:10 AM PDT

A new immunotherapy treatment has shown dramatic results in treating advanced pancreatic cancer, a deadly cancer that has seen little progress in treatment over the last 20 years.

A more accurate sensor for lead paint

Posted: 08 Sep 2016 10:10 AM PDT

A new molecular gel recipe is at the core of a prototype for a more accurate lead paint test. The new test is more clear and accurate than its counterparts. It consists of a vial that holds paint thinner and a sprinkling of certain salts that, when combined with the right concentration of lead, form a gel.

Can some types of fat protect us from brain disease?

Posted: 08 Sep 2016 10:08 AM PDT

Having a little bit of extra fat may help reduce the risk of developing diseases caused by toxic protein aggregation, such as Huntington's, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Scientists have discovered a new communication process between organelles inside the cell, including mitochondria, and shown how fat metabolism plays a central role in linking mitochondrial health to cytosolic protein homeostasis. Another study uncovers a new signaling pathway that may explain the peripheral wasting seen in Huntington's.

Training human antibodies to protect against HIV

Posted: 08 Sep 2016 10:06 AM PDT

During HIV infection, the virus mutates too rapidly for the immune system to combat, but some people produce antibodies that can recognize the virus even two years after infection. With an eye towards developing a vaccine, in four related papers describe a multi-step method for 'training' the immune system to produce these antibodies in genetically engineered mice.

Male chemistry primes females for reproduction -- but at a cost

Posted: 08 Sep 2016 10:06 AM PDT

Scientist have discovered that male animals, through their invisible chemical 'essence,' prime female animals for reproduction but with the unfortunate side effect of also hastening females' aging process. The females sense the two signals and respond by altering their physiology. These findings in roundworms, which echo those made in mammalian studies, could lead to therapies that delay puberty and prolong fertility in humans as well as combat aging.

Tracing the path of pygmies' shared knowledge of medicinal plants

Posted: 08 Sep 2016 10:05 AM PDT

When members of the BaYaka Pygmies living in the northern Republic of Congo get sick, they don't just go to the doctor for a prescription. Instead, they rely on their shared knowledge of medicinal plants to help them get well. Now, researchers have examined shared uses of those plants to understand how Pygmies have passed their extensive plant knowledge along from one person to the next.

Feed a virus, starve a bacterial infection?

Posted: 08 Sep 2016 10:05 AM PDT

A new study puts some old folk wisdom to 'feed a cold and starve a fever' to the test. In mouse models of disease, Researchers looked at the effects of providing nutrients during infection and found opposing effects depending on whether the infections were bacterial or viral. Mice with bacterial infections that were fed died, while those with viral infections who were fed lived.

Study explores youths' motivations for painting graffiti

Posted: 08 Sep 2016 09:09 AM PDT

Youth who paint graffiti on businesses and public property, also called street taggers, say they don't view their actions as criminal because they are not injuring anyone and the graffiti can be easily erased, according to a new study.

Taking the momentum out of vibrations

Posted: 08 Sep 2016 09:06 AM PDT

Diesel engines vibrate. This produces tremendous stress on the components of ships. Adaptronic systems effectively reduce these vibrations. At the maritime trade fair researchers are presenting a simulation tool that allows these systems to be developed efficiently: The "Mechanical Simulation Toolbox" is now available on the market and easy to use.