ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

Newly discovered hormone mimics the effects of exercise Posted: 03 Mar 2015 03:34 PM PST Scientists have discovered a new hormone that fights the weight gain caused by a high-fat Western diet and normalizes the metabolism -- effects commonly associated with exercising. When tested in mice, the hormone blocked the negative health effects of eating a high-fat diet.

Bird flu: New compound protects 100 percent of ferrets, mice, from H5N1 Posted: 03 Mar 2015 03:34 PM PST Medical researchers have developed an antibody which has proven 100 percent protective against the H5N1 virus in two species of animal models.

Neuroscientists identify new way several brain areas communicate Posted: 03 Mar 2015 03:34 PM PST Neuroscientists have identified a new pathway by which several brain areas communicate within the brain's striatum. The findings illustrate structural and functional connections that allow the brain to use reinforcement learning to make spatial decisions. Knowing how these specific pathways work together provides crucial insight into how learning occurs. It also could lead to improved treatments for Parkinson's disease.

Highly sensitive detection of malaria parasites Posted: 03 Mar 2015 12:32 PM PST New assays can detect malaria parasites in human blood at very low levels and might be helpful in the campaign to eradicate malaria, reports a new study. An international team led by Ingrid Felger, took advantage of genes that have multiple copies in the parasite genome to reveal parasites present at concentrations that are 10 times lower than the detection limit of current standard assays.

ADHD plus childhood trauma heightens risk for self-harm, suicide Posted: 03 Mar 2015 11:17 AM PST Young women with ADHD who have been exposed to abuse, neglect or other traumas in childhood and adolescence are at greater risk for self-injury, eating disorders and suicide than those with ADHD who were not mistreated in early youth, according to new research.

Adults only really catch flu about twice a decade, suggests study Posted: 03 Mar 2015 11:15 AM PST Adults over the age of 30 only catch flu about twice a decade, a new study suggests. So, while it may feel like more, flu-like illness can be caused by many pathogens, making it difficult to assess how often people are infected by influenza.

Bans don't help smokers quit, researchers say Posted: 03 Mar 2015 10:11 AM PST No significant change in home habits of smokers have been observed in the aftermath of a ban on smoking in public spaces, researchers report. Greater inspiration to kick the habit likely comes from having friends or family who set an example by giving up cigarettes themselves, the authors write.

Poor heart function could be major risk for Alzheimer's disease Posted: 03 Mar 2015 09:40 AM PST Heart function has been associated with the development of dementia and Alzheimer's disease through a new study. Participants with decreased heart function, measured by cardiac index, were two to three times more likely to develop significant memory loss over the follow-up period.

Divorce fuels kids' sugary beverage consumption, study finds Posted: 03 Mar 2015 09:39 AM PST Children of recently separated or divorced families are likelier to drink sugar-sweetened beverages than children in families where the parents are married, putting them at higher risk for obesity later in life, according to a new study. Maintaining family routines such as eating a regular dinner or carving out time to talk each day, however, can protect children during divorce against developing unhealthy eating habits.

Tools can identify nations vulnerable to Ebola and aid response, analysis finds Posted: 03 Mar 2015 09:39 AM PST Ebola remains a serious problem in parts of West Africa and the experiences in affected areas may provide lessons for future public health emergencies. A set of tools newly created may help identify nations that are vulnerable to future outbreaks of Ebola or other emergencies. The tools evaluate a nation's strengths across a wide range of measures such as political strength and health care capabilities, and can help assess remedies.

Researchers investigate possible colon cancer risk for new generation of weight-loss drugs Posted: 03 Mar 2015 09:38 AM PST Gastric bypass and similar stomach-shrinking surgeries are a popular option for obese patients looking to lose weight or treat type 2 diabetes. While the surgeries have been linked to a decreased risk in many cancers, the single outlier is colon cancer. Scientists now present work in mice that could explain this association and raise safety concerns for a new generation of weight-loss drugs that mimic the biological after effects of these procedures.

High-salt diet could protect against invading microbes Posted: 03 Mar 2015 09:38 AM PST Most people consume more salt than they need and therefore have a higher risk of heart disease and stroke, which are the two leading causes of death worldwide. But a new study reveals that dietary salt could have a biological advantage: Defending the body against invading microbes. A high-salt diet increased sodium accumulation in the skin of mice, thereby boosting their immune response to a skin-infecting parasite.

Marijuana: The allergen you never knew existed Posted: 03 Mar 2015 09:37 AM PST As marijuana’s legal status throughout the country continues to change, people should know it can cause allergic reactions.

Pregnant women with asthma need to curb urge to ask for antibiotics Posted: 03 Mar 2015 09:37 AM PST Twice as many children born to mothers who took antibiotics during pregnancy were diagnosed with asthma by age 3 than children born to mothers who didn’t take prenatal antibiotics, a new study has shown.

Outcomes of lung transplantations since implementation of need-based allocation system Posted: 03 Mar 2015 09:37 AM PST Since implementation of a medical need-based allocation system of donor lungs in 2005, double-lung transplantation has been associated with better graft survival than single-lung transplantation in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF); at 5 years, there has been no survival difference between single- and double-lung transplant recipients in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a study.

Examination of prior authorization policies for antipsychotic prescribing to children Posted: 03 Mar 2015 09:37 AM PST With a concern about inappropriate prescribing of antipsychotic medications to children, 31 states in the U.S. have implemented prior authorization policies for atypical antipsychotic prescribing, mostly within the past 5 years, and with most states applying their policies to children younger than 7 years of age, according to a study.

Long-term follow-up of benign thyroid nodules shows favorable prognosis Posted: 03 Mar 2015 09:37 AM PST After five years of follow-up, a majority of asymptomatic, benign thyroid nodules exhibited no significant change in size, or actually decreased in size, and diagnoses of thyroid cancer were rare, according to a study.

Administering sedatives for patients receiving general anesthesia questioned Posted: 03 Mar 2015 09:37 AM PST Although sedatives are often administered before surgery, a randomized trial finds that among patients undergoing elective surgery under general anesthesia, receiving the sedative lorazepam before surgery, compared with placebo or no premedication, did not improve the self-reported patient experience the day after surgery, but was associated with longer time till removal off a breathing tube (extubation) and a lower rate of early cognitive recovery, according to a study.

Intervention results in more stable housing for homeless adults Posted: 03 Mar 2015 09:37 AM PST A program that included scattered-site supportive housing using rent supplements and case management services led to more stable housing for homeless adults with mental illness in four cities in Canada, compared with usual access to existing housing and community services -- but the intervention did not result in significant improvements in health-related quality of life, according to the study.

Flower-like magnetic nanoparticles target difficult tumors Posted: 03 Mar 2015 09:36 AM PST Next-generation magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) may soon be treating deep-seated and difficult-to-reach tumors within the human body.

Advisory about not feeding peanuts to infants and young children at risk for peanut allergy Posted: 03 Mar 2015 09:36 AM PST Pediatric otolaryngologists and surgeons are concerned with parents getting the wrong message regarding the safety/desirability of letting babies and young children eat peanuts to prevent them from developing peanut allergies.

Pressure is on to find the cause for vision changes in space Posted: 03 Mar 2015 09:21 AM PST The human body is approximately 60 percent fluids. During spaceflight, these fluids shift to the upper body and move across blood vessel and cell membranes differently than they normally do on Earth. One of the goals of the Fluid Shifts investigation, launching to the International Space Station this spring, is to test the relationship between those fluid shifts and a pattern NASA calls visual impairment and intracranial pressure syndrome, or VIIP. It involves changes in vision and the structure of the eyes and indirect signs of increased pressure in the brain, and investigators say more than half of American astronauts have experienced it during long spaceflights.

In a heartbeat: new model shows that filaments in heart muscle cells don't automatically keep the beat Posted: 03 Mar 2015 07:59 AM PST Each heart muscle cell consists of numerous parallel filaments comprising repeated subunits. When the heart beats, each individual filament contracts to produce muscle cell contractions. However, new research shows that the filaments in heart muscle cells don't automatically keep the beat.

Nice to sniff you: Handshakes may engage our sense of smell Posted: 03 Mar 2015 07:59 AM PST Why do people shake hands? A new study suggests one of the reasons for this ancient custom may be to check out each other's odors. Even if we are not consciously aware of this, handshaking may provide people with a socially acceptable way of communicating via the sense of smell. People sniff their hands twice as much after a handshake.

Stress markers in unemployed linked to poor health Posted: 03 Mar 2015 07:57 AM PST It appears that stress markers in unemployed people can be found, independent of smoking, alcohol consumption and overweight/obesity. Results from a study suggest that long-term unemployment may be especially damaging to health. Authors also note that older jobseekers appear more affected than younger counterparts.

Researchers monitor for next novel influenza strain Posted: 03 Mar 2015 07:55 AM PST While flu season starts to die down, researchers are diligently monitoring for the next novel influenza virus by monitoring swine influenza viruses. The work is starting with swine in the field. Researchers are surveying for swine influenza viruses as part of a $1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health.

Vaccine skeptics aren't swayed by emotional scare tactics Posted: 03 Mar 2015 06:58 AM PST On the heels of an American nationwide measles outbreak comes a report that campaigns aimed at scaring people about the consequences of non-vaccination might not be as effective as many think. Authors challenge the popular assumption that emotional appeals have a wide, sweeping effect on people's health beliefs.

Computer simulator will improve radiation therapy for cancer patients, experts say Posted: 03 Mar 2015 06:57 AM PST A project to develop a computer simulator of dual foil scattering systems used in radiation therapy is underway. "The user user-friendly interface and real-time nature of the simulator also make it an effective educational tool for gaining a better understanding of the effects that various system parameters have on dose profiles," an author said. "In other words, it will help medical physicists and linear accelerator designers to better understand the physics behind the equipment with which they will be working."

Time to 'just say no' to behavior-calming drugs for Alzheimer patients? Experts say yes Posted: 03 Mar 2015 06:57 AM PST Doctors write millions of prescriptions a year for drugs to calm the behavior of people with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. But non-drug approaches actually work better, and carry far fewer risks, experts conclude in a new report.

Educating college students on drinking risks can help lessen drinking behaviors, but only temporarily, study finds Posted: 03 Mar 2015 06:57 AM PST Briefly counseling college students on the dangers of binge drinking is effective in lowering heavy drinking levels among many students, but only temporarily. Three out of four will be right back where they started a year later, according to new research.

The more friends you drink with ... the more you drink Posted: 03 Mar 2015 04:54 AM PST Alcohol consumption of individuals appears to increase with the number of friends in their drinking group. A new study used internet-based questionnaires that study participants completed on their own smartphones to survey almost 200 young adult drinkers in Switzerland every hour while they were drinking in real-life situations, asking them to report the number of friends present and number of drinks they had consumed.

Strong link between adolescent obesity, high blood pressure Posted: 03 Mar 2015 04:54 AM PST Body mass index in healthy adolescents has a statistically significant association with both systolic blood pressures and diastolic blood pressures, research shows, and it highlights the significance of the global trend of rapidly increasing adolescent obesity, experts say.

One million patients could lose primary care if residency training in underserved regions is eliminated Posted: 03 Mar 2015 04:54 AM PST The shortage of primary care doctors could worsen if funding for the Teaching Health Centers, a program to train medical residents in underserved areas, is eliminated in the United States, says a new report.

MR spectroscopy shows precancerous breast changes in women with BRCA gene Posted: 03 Mar 2015 04:54 AM PST A magnetic resonance spectroscopy technique that monitors biochemical changes in tissue could improve the management of women at risk of breast cancer, according to a new study.

Losing a spouse often too hastily linked to depression Posted: 03 Mar 2015 04:54 AM PST Loneliness brought about by the death of a spouse can trigger a wider network of depression-like symptoms, a study has found, but authors suggest that doctors are often too quick to attribute these symptoms to depression.

Family based interpersonal psychotherapy for depressed preadolescents is more effective than child-centered therapy Posted: 03 Mar 2015 04:51 AM PST Family Based Interpersonal Psychotherapy (FB-IPT) is more effective in treating preadolescent children with depression compared to child-centered therapy (CCT), a recent study has found. Preadolescents with depressive disorders may be under-diagnosed and go untreated because those presenting for outpatient treatment with clinically significant depressive symptoms often do not meet full diagnostic criteria for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). However, preadolescents with depressive symptoms are at increased risk of experiencing MDD in adolescence.

Neuropsychological, neuropsychiatric, functional assessments help follow course of Alzheimer's disease Posted: 03 Mar 2015 04:51 AM PST The cognitive performance of persons with Alzheimer's disease and behavioral and psychological problems are linked to their performance of activities of daily living, according to a recent study. However, difficulties in cognitive performance were not linked to behavioral and psychological problems, although both deteriorated as the disease progressed. Some persons may have significant problems in memory and other cognitive performance without the presence of behavioral and psychological problems, while others experience behavioral and psychological problems already at the early phase of the disease.

'Cardiovascular revolution' has increased life expectancy in Spain Posted: 03 Mar 2015 04:51 AM PST Over the last century, life expectancy for Spaniards has increased by 40 years. A study highlights the main cause, since 1980, as being the reduced incidence of cardiovascular diseases while other pathologies, such as mental illnesses and certain types of cancer, have been seen to rise. The authors predict that the effects of the economic recession on mortality will show up in the long-term.

Gorilla origins of the last two AIDS virus lineages confirmed Posted: 03 Mar 2015 04:49 AM PST Two of the four known groups of human AIDS viruses (HIV-1 groups O and P) have originated in western lowland gorillas, according to new research. The scientists conducted a comprehensive survey of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection in African gorillas.

Scientists move closer to creating cartilage from stem cells Posted: 03 Mar 2015 04:49 AM PST Scientists have succeeded in producing cartilage formed from embryonic stem cells that could in future be used to treat the painful joint condition osteoarthritis. With their huge capacity to proliferate, embryonic stem cells, which can be manipulated to form almost any type of mature cell, offer the possibility of high-volume production of cartilage cells. Their use would also be cheaper and applicable to greater number of arthritis patients, the researchers claim.

Defect responsible for memory impairment in aging found Posted: 03 Mar 2015 04:49 AM PST Everyone worries about losing their memory as they grow older—memory loss remains one of the most common complaints of the elderly. But the molecular reasons behind the processes remain unclear, particularly those associated with advancing age. Now, a mechanism that causes long-term memory loss due to age in Drosophila, the common fruit fly, has been discovered by scientists.

Clues to early detection of bipolar disorders in high-risk children Posted: 03 Mar 2015 04:47 AM PST A strong link has been made between subthreshold manic episodes and likelihood of developing bipolar disorder in children of parents with bipolar disorder. The study’s findings could improve clinical assessment and care for these high-risk children by potentially enabling earlier identification, treatment or possible preventive measures.

US spends more on cancer care, saves fewer lives than Western Europe Posted: 02 Mar 2015 03:24 PM PST Despite sharp increases in spending on cancer treatment, cancer mortality rates in the United States have decreased only modestly since 1970, a study has found. "Our results suggest that cancer care in the U.S. did not always avert deaths compared to Western Europe and, when it did avert deaths, it often did so at substantial cost," explained an author. "The greatest number of deaths averted occurred in cancers for which decreasing mortality rates were more likely to be the result of successful prevention and screening rather than advancements in treatment."

Myelin-maker: How an FDA-approved drug boosts myelin synthesis Posted: 02 Mar 2015 12:08 PM PST A researcher has discovered a way to keep remyelination going, using a drug that's already on the market. Damage to myelin, the fatty insulator that enables communication between nerve cells, characterizes multiple sclerosis (MS) and other devastating neurological diseases.

Anxious people more apt to make bad decisions amid uncertainty Posted: 02 Mar 2015 10:07 AM PST Highly anxious people have more trouble deciding how best to handle life's uncertainties. They may even catastrophize, interpreting, say, a lover's tiff as a doomed relationship or a workplace change as a career threat. Investigating this dynamic, scientists have found evidence of a glitch in the brain's higher-order decision-making circuitry that could eventually be targeted in the treatment of anxiety disorders.

Alcohol screening, intervention for risky drinking: A guide for physicians Posted: 02 Mar 2015 10:07 AM PST Tips for physicians to help patients cut down on excessive alcohol use have been published in a new article that is aimed at health care providers who are not addiction specialists. The article is based on current evidence, including recent Canadian guidelines.

You can't take your genes with you: Strategies to share genetic information after death Posted: 02 Mar 2015 10:07 AM PST Does the child of a person with a heritable form of cancer have the right to access their parent's genetic information after death? What if no consent was ever established? Biomedical ethicists review current arguments about how to disclose genetic information of the deceased and offer suggestions that may help clinicians and officials develop their own policies.

When I'm 64 -- I'll still have hot flashes? Posted: 02 Mar 2015 09:33 AM PST Some 40 percent of women 60 to 65 years old still have hot flashes. For many, the hot flashes are occasional and mild, but for some, they remain really troublesome. Sexual symptoms also remain a problem for more than half these older women. Furthermore, women bothered by these symptoms are often not getting treatment, even though treatments are available, experts say.

Unlocking key to immunological memory in bacteria Posted: 02 Mar 2015 09:33 AM PST A powerful genome editing tool may soon become even more powerful. Researchers have unlocked the key to how bacteria are able to 'steal' genetic information from viruses and other foreign invaders for use in their own immunological memory system.

Republicans trust science -- except when it comes to health insurance and gay adoption Posted: 02 Mar 2015 09:33 AM PST A new study finds that while Democrats are generally more 'pro-science' than other political groups, Republicans are also inclined to defer to science across a range of policy issues. In fact, there are only four issues where Republicans exhibit less trust than independents: global warming, evolution, gay adoption, and mandatory health insurance.

Restoring ability to halt cell division may protect lung cells from cancer Posted: 02 Mar 2015 09:33 AM PST A novel role for a signaling mechanism in lung cells that permanently places them into a state of suspended animation called senescence has been identified by a team of researchers. Alive but unable to do much of anything, including divide, senescent cells cannot become cancerous. Drugs that can induce senescence through this signaling pathway would represent a new class of chemotherapy.

Neuron groups, not single cells, maintain brain stability Posted: 02 Mar 2015 09:33 AM PST Disruptions in brain stability cause disorders such as epilepsy, but precious little is known about homeostasis, the brain's regulatory system. Now a new study finds that homeostatic regulation occurs mainly in groups of neurons rather than in the individual neurons themselves. Understanding the principles and mechanisms involved in neuronal homeostasis may lead to new approaches in the treatment of brain disorders like Alzheimer's disease.

Researchers propose novel new treatment of stroke, other neurological diseases Posted: 02 Mar 2015 09:33 AM PST Medicine should reconsider how it treats stroke and other neurological disorders, focusing on the intrinsic abilities of the brain and nervous system to heal themselves rather than the 'modest' benefits of clot-busting drugs and other neuroprotective treatments, experts suggest.

Google Glass shows promising uses in plastic surgery Posted: 02 Mar 2015 09:32 AM PST The 'wearable technology' Google Glass has a wide range of possible applications in plastic surgery -- with the potential to enhance surgical training, medical documentation, and patient safety, according to a new paper.

Sequencing the hookworm Posted: 02 Mar 2015 09:32 AM PST The genome of the hookworm, Ancylostoma ceylanicum has been sequenced by researchers. The genome of the nematode that, according to some estimates, infects as many as 400 million people worldwide will help researchers find genes active during infection and devise new drugs or vaccines that target these genes.