Medical Research News

RSS

Mutation in alpha-synuclein gene causes increased vulnerability to pesticides, leading to Parkinson's

A team of researchers has brought new clarity to the picture of how gene-environmental interactions can kill nerve cells that make dopamine. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that sends messages to the part of the brain that controls movement and coordination.

27 Nov 2013

UCLA researchers identify cells involved in placenta development

Dr. Hanna Mikkola and researchers at UCLA's Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research have identified a specific type of cell and a related cell communication pathway that are key to the successful growth of a healthy placenta. The findings could greatly bolster our knowledge about the potential causes of complications during pregnancy.

27 Nov 2013

Brain research provides new clues to Pavlovian conditioning

Do fruit flies hold the key to treating dementia? Researchers at the University of Houston have taken a significant step forward in unraveling the mechanisms of Pavlovian conditioning. Their work will help them understand how memories form and, ultimately, provide better treatments to improve memory in all ages.

27 Nov 2013

Findings highlight possible new approach to combat malaria

An international team of scientists, including researchers at Columbia University Medical Center, has identified a key metabolic enzyme that common malaria parasites require for survival at each stage of infection in humans. The findings raise the possibility of a new approach to combating malaria, one of the world's deadliest diseases. The study was published today in the online edition of the journal Nature.

27 Nov 2013

Call for greater beta blocker use in COPD

Researchers say that stubbornly low rates of beta-blocker prescribing in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease could be contributing toward increased mortality in these patients following myocardial infarction.

27 Nov 2013

Support for personal recovery concept in bipolar disorder

Researchers have found that “respect, hope, and self-empowerment” is a key psychosocial factor in the personal recovery of adults with bipolar disorder.

27 Nov 2013

Neuroimaging could predict psychosis treatment response

Assessing white matter integrity in patients with first-episode psychosis may predict who will respond to antipsychotic treatment, research suggests.

27 Nov 2013

US may be losing ground as the leader in biomedical research

The United States may be losing ground as the leader in biomedical research and within the next five years will be second to China in the funds it spends for R&D, according to Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D, director of the National Institutes of Health.

27 Nov 2013

CPCs not powerful enough to be used as a single tool in diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction

Using chest pain characteristics (CPCs) specific to women in the early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI, heart attack) in the emergency department does not seem to be supported by the findings of a study published by JAMA Internal Medicine, a JAMA Network publication.

27 Nov 2013

Health benefits of eating almonds

As Americans sit down to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner, they often wish their family and friends good health and a long life. Good news! With nuts like almonds on the table, these sentiments are more than just a traditional toast.

27 Nov 2013

Probiotic drink changes reaction of cells lining nasal passages of hay fever sufferers

A study has shown that a daily probiotic drink changed how cells lining the nasal passages of hay fever sufferers reacted to a single out-of-season challenge. However, it did not lead to significant changes in hay fever symptoms, although this challenge test may not have accurately represented natural allergen exposure.

27 Nov 2013

More nuts, more health benefits

In a large new study, observational researchers at Harvard University looked at how eating nuts may help reduce the risk of mortality, finding that those who ate nuts daily, such as pistachios, saw health benefits nearly double.

27 Nov 2013

Preterm infants at high risk for significant long-term problems

Premature birth appears to trigger developmental processes in the white matter of the brain that could put children at higher risk of problems later in life, according to a study being presented next week at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

27 Nov 2013

More than three-quarters of parents are willing to have their children participate in research

To improve healthcare for children, medical research that involves kids is a must. Yet, only five percent of parents say their children have ever participated in any type of medical research, according to a new University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health.

27 Nov 2013

Graphic warnings would lead to decrease in smoking rates

A research paper published in the scientific journal Tobacco Control, "Cigarette graphic warning labels and smoking prevalence in Canada: a critical examination and reformulation of the FDA regulatory impact analysis", shows that graphic warning labels on cigarette packs led to a decrease in smoking rates in Canada of between 12% and 20% from 2000 to 2009. The authors estimate that if the same model was applied to the United States, the introduction of graphic warnings would potentially lead to a decrease of between 5.3 and 8.6 million smokers.

27 Nov 2013

Multivitamin supplements can reduce incidence of pre-eclampsia

Pre-eclampsia is a serious complication of pregnancy that currently affects 6-8% of all pregnancies in Australia. Griffith Health Institute researchers have recently found that multivitamin supplements, including those that contain selenium, can reduce the incidence of PE, especially for overweight mothers.

27 Nov 2013

Mass urbanisation brings great health risks in China’s major cities

At the third plenum held earlier this month, the Chinese government announced reforms to further drive urbanisation in China. After already experiencing the largest human migration in history, what are the public health consequences of this mass movement from rural towns to cities?

27 Nov 2013

Research: Motor proteins transport mRNA to get where it is needed, prevent diseases

Scientists have found that mRNA may travel one way down a cell, then board another, aptly named motor protein, and head in the opposite direction to get where it ultimately needs to be.

27 Nov 2013

Study reveals how brain and olfactory system operate to process scent, odor signals

Our sense of smell is often the first response to environmental stimuli. Odors trigger neurons in the brain that alert us to take action.

27 Nov 2013

New $3.7M project to help people with disabilities take full advantage of online resources

The U.S. Department of Education is sponsoring a five-year, $3.7 million project led by Carnegie Mellon University to develop methods that enable people with disabilities to take full advantage of the resources available on the Internet. The Disability Rehabilitation Research Project on Inclusive Cloud and Web Computing includes researchers at Syracuse University and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

27 Nov 2013