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Variants of ASIC1a gene appear to be associated with panic disorder

Panic disorder is a severe form of anxiety in which the affected individual feels an abrupt onset of fear, often accompanied by profound physical symptoms of discomfort. Scientists have known from studying twins that genes contribute to the risk of panic disorder, but very little is known about which specific genes are involved.

2 Dec 2014

Researchers warn that Vitamin A deficiency can cause eye problems

Obese patients who have undergone bariatric surgery to shed weight should take the supplements prescribed to them to protect their eyes. Taking in too little Vitamin A, in particular, could in some cases actually cause night blindness, dry eyes, corneal ulcers, and in extreme cases total blindness. This advice comes from Rui Azevedo Guerreiro and Rui Ribeiro of the Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Central in Portugal, who reviewed what little research there currently is on the occurrence of eye conditions following bariatric surgery.

2 Dec 2014

Epigem challenges students to come up with solutions to improve quality, safety of milk

Epigem, a high-tech British micro-engineering company, has challenged 15 students from the Durham University-led SOFI CDT (Centre for Doctoral Training in Soft Matter and Functional Interfaces), to come up with solutions to prevent a dangerous carcinogen from contaminating milk.

2 Dec 2014

Fenofibrate benefits in diabetic retinopathy mediated through PPARα

Peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor α exerts protective effects on retinal pericytes, shows research that explains why fenofibrate is protective against diabetic retinopathy.

1 Dec 2014

Success for nurse practitioner-delivered intravitreal injection service for wAMD

Well-trained nurse practitioners can successfully provide an injection service for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration with ranibizumab, an audit shows.

1 Dec 2014

DEX implant improves visual acuity in patients with diabetic macular oedema

Patients with diabetic macular oedema benefit from intravitreal dexamethasone implants, a study shows, with the treatment improving best-corrected visual acuity with an acceptable safety profile.

1 Dec 2014

Second treated eyes with nAMD functionally more important than first eyes

A real-world study of the characteristics of second treated eyes in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration given ranibizumab in the UK National Health Service has shown that these eyes start off with better baseline visual acuity than first treated eyes and, despite a poor response to therapy, maintain this advantage.

1 Dec 2014

VE-PTP potential treatment target for retinal and choroidal vascular diseases

Targeting vascular endothelial-protein tyrosine phosphatase, which negatively regulates TIE2 activation, could help to stabilise retinal and choroidal blood vessels, researchers report.

1 Dec 2014

Exome sequencing refines 46,XY DSD diagnosis

Exome sequencing can identify a likely genetic cause of 46,XY disorders of sex development in about a third of cases, report researchers.

1 Dec 2014

Closed-loop artificial pancreas system improves diabetes management in adolescents

Research shows that the use of an artificial pancreas system helps to compensate for omission and underestimation of insulin boluses in adolescents with Type 1 diabetes.

1 Dec 2014

Congenital hypothyroidism of central origin often requires treatment

Congenital hypothyroidism of central origin should not be dismissed as a mild condition and is worth screening for, say researchers.

1 Dec 2014

Inhibin B plus baseline LH levels aids hypogonadotropic hypogonadism diagnosis in boys

Researchers recommend measuring inhibin B concentration in combination with basal luteinising hormone as a first-line test to discover the underlying cause of delayed puberty in boys.

1 Dec 2014

‘Optimal degree’ of catch-up growth defined for SGA babies

A growth trajectory in which small for gestational age babies achieve catch-up growth to a defined degree within the first few months of life appears to be best for their subsequent health, say researchers.

1 Dec 2014

Findings could help researchers understand mechanisms involved in ageing

A study from the University of Exeter has found that male flies die earlier than their female counterparts when forced to evolve with the pressures of mate competition and juvenile survival. The results could help researchers understand the mechanisms involved in ageing.

1 Dec 2014

Promising new therapeutic strategy for chronic kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects at least one in four Americans who are older than 60 and can significantly shorten lifespan. Yet the few available drugs for CKD can only modestly delay the disease's progress towards kidney failure. Now, however, a team led by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, has found an aspect of CKD's development that points to a promising new therapeutic strategy.

1 Dec 2014

Obstructive sleep apnea associated with impaired exercise capacity

A new study shows that obstructive sleep apnea is associated with impaired exercise capacity, which is an indicator of increased cardiovascular risk.

1 Dec 2014

Predictive model provides information for treating 20% of human diseases

The analysis of drugs, natural products, and chemical substances found in the environment allows the identification of the chemical fragments responsible for a therapeutic or deleterious effect on human health.

1 Dec 2014

IMRIS successfully completes human factors study for SYMBIS Surgical System

IMRIS Inc. today announced that the Company has successfully completed the human factors study for the SYMBIS Surgical System – the comprehensive validation used to support the product's 510(k) submission to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on November 26.

1 Dec 2014

Different forms of ASIC1a gene associated with panic disorder

Panic disorder is a severe form of anxiety in which the affected individual feels an abrupt onset of fear, often accompanied by profound physical symptoms of discomfort.

1 Dec 2014

Griffith University student explores impact of computer games on older adults

Griffith University PhD student, Milton Nyawata, is looking for people over the age of 60 to take part in a study into the effects of computer games on older Australians.

1 Dec 2014