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New study investigates Ebola protein

A new study by Robert Stahelin, an adjunct associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Notre Dame and an associate professor at the Indiana University School of Medicine-South Bend, as well as a member of Notre Dame's Eck Institute for Global Health, investigates how the most abundant protein that composes the Ebola virus, VP 40, mediates replication of a new viral particle.

11 Dec 2014

New technique allows rapid, large-scale studies of gene function

Using a gene-editing system originally developed to delete specific genes, MIT researchers have now shown that they can reliably turn on any gene of their choosing in living cells.

11 Dec 2014

Stem cells from healthy eye could one day be used to repair scarred cornea

Treating the potentially blinding haze of a scar on the cornea might be as straightforward as growing stem cells from a tiny biopsy of the patient's undamaged eye and then placing them on the injury site, according to mouse model experiments conducted by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

11 Dec 2014

$Children who sustain open bone fractures can heal safely without surgery$

Children who sustain open bone fractures can heal safely without surgery

Many children who sustain so-called open bone fractures in the forearm or lower leg can, and do, heal safely without surgery, according to the results of a small study led by investigators at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center.

11 Dec 2014

CUMC researchers devise way to replace torn knee meniscus

Columbia University Medical Center researchers have devised a way to replace the knee's protective lining, called the meniscus, using a personalized 3D-printed implant, or scaffold, infused with human growth factors that prompt the body to regenerate the lining on its own.

11 Dec 2014

Inadequate weight gain during pregnancy puts male fetuses at risk

The amount of weight a woman gains during pregnancy can be vitally important--especially if she's carrying a boy--according to a study by researchers at the University of Georgia released today in PLOS ONE, an open access peer-reviewed journal published by the Public Library of Science.

11 Dec 2014

New research could revolutionise global diagnostic procedures for epilepsy

Pioneering new research by the University of Exeter could revolutionise global diagnostic procedures for one of the most common forms of epilepsy.

11 Dec 2014

NYSCF, CMTA partner to advance research on genetic neuropathies

The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to accelerating cures through stem cell research, announced a collaboration today with the Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association, a patient-led disease foundation with the mission to advance research on genetic neuropathies that leads to the development of new therapies.

11 Dec 2014

STSI researchers launch study to examine root cause of sudden unexpected death

Researchers at the Scripps Translational Science Institute have launched a clinical trial aimed at cracking one of the toughest mysteries in forensic science -- sudden unexplained death.

11 Dec 2014

Potential new active substances for treating dengue virus

Researchers from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and the Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg are proposing potential new active substances for treating the dengue virus. Just like Ebola, dengue fever is also caused by a virus for which there is currently no cure and no vaccine and can be fatal.

11 Dec 2014

Added benefit of daclatasvir drug not proven for chronic hepatitis C infection

The drug daclatasvir (trade name Daklinza) has been available since August 2014 for the treatment of adults with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection. The German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care examined in a dossier assessment whether this new drug offers an added benefit over the appropriate comparator therapy.

11 Dec 2014

Johns Hopkins study shows gene expression in autism brains

While many different combinations of genetic traits can cause autism, brains affected by autism share a pattern of ramped-up immune responses, an analysis of data from autopsied human brains reveals. The study, a collaborative effort between Johns Hopkins and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, included data from 72 autism and control brains.

11 Dec 2014

Alcohol consumption interferes with sleep homeostasis

Researchers from the University of Missouri School of Medicine have found that drinking alcohol to fall asleep interferes with sleep homeostasis, the body's sleep-regulating mechanism.

11 Dec 2014

Silvia Jurisson recognized as AAAS Fellow for contributions to cancer research

Nuclear medicine is the branch of medicine that uses radioactive materials to provide diagnostics and treatments for cancer. Often, standard protocols involve using radioactive isotopes developed to image as well as weaken cancer cells in the body. With more than 30 years of research in radiopharmaceutical chemistry, Silvia Jurisson, a researcher at the University of Missouri, is a world-renowned scientist who continues to develop breakthrough materials used in the detection and treatment of cancer.

11 Dec 2014

Carboplatin and paclitaxel show promise for advanced thymic carcinoma

A multicentre, phase II study of carboplatin and paclitaxel in chemotherapy-naïve patients with advanced thymic carcinoma has shown that the treatment has promising efficacy compared with standard anthracycline-based chemotherapy.

10 Dec 2014

PD-L1 expression tied to favourable prognosis in SCLC

Programmed death-ligand 1 is expressed by around 70% of small-cell lung cancers and is associated with favourable patient outcomes, Japanese researchers report.

10 Dec 2014

ECT improves general neurocognitive function in bipolar patients

A randomised trial shows that electroconvulsive therapy improves overall neurocognition in patients with treatment-resistant bipolar depression.

10 Dec 2014

Cerebellar cortical volume reduction specific to schizophrenia

Reduced cerebellar cortical volume occurs only in patients with schizophrenia, rather than all those with psychosis, say researchers.

10 Dec 2014

Enzymatic activity essential for vision may provide target for drug transport

Researchers at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine have uncovered the mechanism that enables the enzyme Lecithin: retinol acyltransferase (LRAT) to store vitamin A--a process that is indispensable for vision.

10 Dec 2014

Simple supplement could reduce heart disease in individuals born with low birth weight

A simple supplement could be a safe and cost-effective way of reducing heart disease in individuals born with a low birth weight, suggests research from the University of Cambridge. The study, carried out in rats, also raises the possibility of developing a blood test to indicate how much damage there is in the aortas of these individuals.

10 Dec 2014