ScienceDaily: Top Health News

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• Closer to vaccine against C. difficile
• Reduce unnecessary lab tests, decrease costs by modifying software
• Foreign-educated health workers play vital role in US health system
• Eating disorders more common in males than realized
• Researchers offer solutions to looming healthcare provider shortage
• Physician shortage could be cut by new primary care models
• Solving pediatric obesity problem in rural communities
• 'Smarter' blood pressure guidelines could prevent heart attacks, strokes
• Electronic, internet health tools may decrease in-person physician visits
• Women, African-Americans at higher risk of heart attack from atrial fibrillation
• New insights into brain neuronal networks
• Gabapentin is safe, effective for treating alcohol dependence, study shows
• New test may predict severe high blood pressure during pregnancy
• Brain aging is conclusively linked to genes
• Computer-aided image analysis for breast tumor diagnosis
• Is clinicians' decision making affected by 'precious baby' phenomenon?
• Ibuprofen no good in treating colds or sore throats
• Mutations linked to breast cancer treatment resistance
• New computing model could lead to quicker advancements in medical research
• Stem cells linked to cognitive gain after brain injury
• Researchers discover new path to address genetic muscular diseases
• Scientists map structure of key complex in the immune system
• Transmitting stress response patterns across generations
• Why tumor cells go on dangerous tours
• Natural solution to rid plumbing of pathogens
• Kids who sleep more, may eat less
• Teens in child welfare system show higher drug abuse rate
• Earlier onset of puberty in girls linked to obesity
• Exposure to secondhand smoke at work on the decline, but gaps remain
• One dose of HPV vaccine may be enough to prevent cervical cancer

Closer to vaccine against C. difficile Posted: 04 Nov 2013 04:22 PM PST A group of leading scientists from across Europe have launched a three-year project aimed at developing an oral vaccine against Clostridium difficile, an infection that kills 4,000 people a year (almost four-times more than MRSA) and for which there is currently no effective treatments.

Reduce unnecessary lab tests, decrease costs by modifying software Posted: 04 Nov 2013 01:27 PM PST When patients undergo diagnostic lab tests as part of the inpatient admission process, they may wonder why or how physicians choose particular tests. Increasingly, medical professionals are using electronic medical systems that provide lists of lab tests from to choose. Now, researchers have studied how to modify these lists to ensure health professionals order relevant tests and omit unnecessary lab tests, which could result in better care and reduced costs.

Foreign-educated health workers play vital role in US health system Posted: 04 Nov 2013 01:27 PM PST Foreign-educated and foreign-born health professionals play a vital role in the US health care workforce, particularly in addressing needs in primary care and other areas with worker shortages, according to a new study. However, there is no cohesive national strategy on the issue, which may contribute to a less-stable US health care workforce.

Eating disorders more common in males than realized Posted: 04 Nov 2013 01:25 PM PST Parents and doctors assume eating disorders very rarely affect males. However, a study of 5,527 teenage males from across the US challenges this belief. Researchers found 17.9 percent of adolescent boys were extremely concerned about their weight and physique. These boys were more likely to start engaging in risky behaviors, including drug use and frequent binge drinking.

Researchers offer solutions to looming healthcare provider shortage Posted: 04 Nov 2013 01:25 PM PST Thanks to a wave of aging baby boomers, epidemics of diabetes and obesity, and the Affordable Care Act, which aims to bring health care coverage to millions more Americans, the United States faces a severe shortage of primary health care providers. In a series of papers published in the November 2013 issue of Health Affairs, researchers at UC San Francisco advocated a number of potential solutions to the problem.

Physician shortage could be cut by new primary care models Posted: 04 Nov 2013 01:25 PM PST The US expects a substantial shortages of primary care physicians in the future. A new study finds that much of that gap could be eliminated if the nation increases use of new models of care that expand the role of nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Under plausible expansion scenarios, patient-centered medical homes and nurse-managed health centers could eliminate 50 percent or more of the primary care physician shortage by 2025.

Solving pediatric obesity problem in rural communities Posted: 04 Nov 2013 01:25 PM PST Using telemedicine to unite clinicians and provide health education for them -- and by extension, their patients -- is an effective way to manage childhood obesity in remote areas. For these communities, which often have limited access to pediatric subspecialists, having a HEALTH-COP can make all the difference.

'Smarter' blood pressure guidelines could prevent heart attacks, strokes Posted: 04 Nov 2013 01:23 PM PST Current medical guidelines use a one-size-fits-all treatment approach that leads to some heart and stroke patients being on too many medications and others being on too little.

Electronic, internet health tools may decrease in-person physician visits Posted: 04 Nov 2013 01:23 PM PST An analysis of recent trends in digital health care and a review of the scientific literature suggests patients' future use of physician services will change dramatically as electronic health records and consumer e-health "apps" proliferate.

Women, African-Americans at higher risk of heart attack from atrial fibrillation Posted: 04 Nov 2013 01:23 PM PST Doctors have known for years that atrial fibrillation (AF), or irregular heartbeat, increases the risk for stroke, but now researchers have shown that it also increases the risk for heart attack. In fact, for women and African Americans, it more than doubles the risk.

New insights into brain neuronal networks Posted: 04 Nov 2013 12:27 PM PST A paper published proposes a novel understanding of brain architecture using a network representation of connections within the primate cortex.

Gabapentin is safe, effective for treating alcohol dependence, study shows Posted: 04 Nov 2013 12:26 PM PST The generic drug gabapentin, which is already widely prescribed for epilepsy and some kinds of pain, appears to be safe and effective in the treatment of alcohol dependence. The finding comes from a 150-patient randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind clinical trial.

New test may predict severe high blood pressure during pregnancy Posted: 04 Nov 2013 12:26 PM PST A new test that checks the level of a placental protein could help doctors determine if a woman will develop a severe form of high blood pressure during pregnancy.

Brain aging is conclusively linked to genes Posted: 04 Nov 2013 12:26 PM PST For the first time in a large study sample, the decline in brain function in normal aging is conclusively shown to be influenced by genes, say American researchers.

Computer-aided image analysis for breast tumor diagnosis Posted: 04 Nov 2013 11:24 AM PST Researchers hope radiologists will be able to routinely incorporate computer-aided image analysis and diagnosis in identifying tumor characteristics and forming patient-specific breast cancer treatment plans. Their approach uses data to identify how tumor characteristics apply to disease states, which could lead to the comparison of a tumor's characteristics with thousands of similar cases.

Is clinicians' decision making affected by 'precious baby' phenomenon? Posted: 04 Nov 2013 07:12 AM PST Parents who conceive through assisted reproductive technologies are likely to receive different medical advice in relation to prenatal testing than those who conceive naturally, academics have suggested.

Ibuprofen no good in treating colds or sore throats Posted: 04 Nov 2013 07:11 AM PST Questions have been raised about the advice given to patients with a cold and sore throat. A study carried out showed that compared with paracetamol, ibuprofen or a combination of both ibuprofen and paracetamol provide no advantage for patients overall with respiratory tract infections (otherwise known as colds or sore throats).

Mutations linked to breast cancer treatment resistance Posted: 04 Nov 2013 07:10 AM PST Researchers have identified a type of mutation that develops after breast cancer patients take anti-estrogen therapies. The mutations explain one reason why patients often become resistant to this therapy.

New computing model could lead to quicker advancements in medical research Posted: 04 Nov 2013 07:10 AM PST A research team has now created a new generation of efficient data management and analysis software for large-scale, data-intensive scientific applications in the cloud. The goal was to keep up with the data deluge in the DNA sequencing space. The result has been a faster, more "intelligent" analysis of data.

Stem cells linked to cognitive gain after brain injury Posted: 04 Nov 2013 07:10 AM PST A stem cell therapy previously shown to reduce inflammation in the critical time window after traumatic brain injury also promotes lasting cognitive improvement, according to preclinical research.

Researchers discover new path to address genetic muscular diseases Posted: 04 Nov 2013 06:55 AM PST For decades, scientists have searched for treatments for myopathies -- genetic muscular diseases such as muscular dystrophy and ALS, also called Lou Gehrig's disease. Now, an interdisciplinary team of researchers has discovered a new avenue to search for treatment possibilities.

Scientists map structure of key complex in the immune system Posted: 04 Nov 2013 06:27 AM PST Scientists have mapped the "bouquet-like" structure of a key part of the body's immune system responsible for neutralizing bacteria and viruses.

Transmitting stress response patterns across generations Posted: 04 Nov 2013 06:26 AM PST Children of survivors of extremely stressful life events face adjustment challenges of their own, as has been most carefully studied among the children of Nazi Death Camp survivors. This "intergenerational" transmission of stress response has been studied predominately from the psychological perspective. However, recent research points to biological contributions as well.

Why tumor cells go on dangerous tours Posted: 04 Nov 2013 06:26 AM PST Tumors become highly malignant when they acquire the ability to colonize other tissues and form metastases. Researchers have identified a factor that promotes metastasis of colon tumors – and presents a possible target for therapy.

Natural solution to rid plumbing of pathogens Posted: 04 Nov 2013 06:17 AM PST Microbes in tap water are mostly harmless, with a few exceptions. A research team is investigating four harmful pathogens that have been documented in tap water and suggest a natural, probiotic way to deal with dangerous germs.

Kids who sleep more, may eat less Posted: 04 Nov 2013 12:54 AM PST Fighting childhood obesity may be as simple as turning out the lights, according to the results of a new American study.

Teens in child welfare system show higher drug abuse rate Posted: 04 Nov 2013 12:54 AM PST Teenagers in the child welfare system are at higher-than-average risk of abusing marijuana, inhalants and other drugs. However, the study also shows that parental involvement matters.

Earlier onset of puberty in girls linked to obesity Posted: 04 Nov 2013 12:54 AM PST New research shows obesity is the largest predictor of earlier onset puberty in girls, which is affecting white girls much sooner than previously reported. The multi-institutional study strengthens a growing body of research documenting the earlier onset of puberty in girls of all races.

Exposure to secondhand smoke at work on the decline, but gaps remain Posted: 04 Nov 2013 12:52 AM PST New policy changes have led to decreased exposure to environmental tobacco smoke at work, yet workers in some occupations still experience a high prevalence of secondhand smoke.

One dose of HPV vaccine may be enough to prevent cervical cancer Posted: 04 Nov 2013 12:51 AM PST Women vaccinated with one dose of a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine had antibodies against the viruses that remained stable in their blood for four years, suggesting that a single dose of vaccine may be sufficient to generate long-term immune responses and protection against new HPV infections, and ultimately cervical cancer.

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