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Multiple genes strongly contribute to risk for schizophrenia

Multiple genes contribute to risk for schizophrenia and appear to function in pathways related to transmission of signals in the brain and immunity, according to an international study led by Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy researchers.

10 Apr 2013

More research needed to measure impact of co-infections on hospital admission

A study at Rhode Island Hospital has found that despite complications, patients co-infected with the pandemic 2009-2010 influenza A H1N1 (pH1N1) and a second respiratory virus were not associated with worse outcomes or admission to the hospital's intensive care unit.

10 Apr 2013

Research sheds light on malaria-related parasite's transition from acute to chronic stage

A new discovery about the malaria-related parasite Toxoplasma gondii -- which can threaten babies, AIDS patients, the elderly and others with weakened immune function -- may help solve the mystery of how this single-celled parasite establishes life-long infections in people.

10 Apr 2013

New study suggests that Ranibizumab can be potential prophylaxis for PVR

Proliferative vitreoretinopathy, or the formation of scar tissue in the eye, is a serious, sight-threatening complication in people recovering from surgical repair of retinal detachment. PVR is difficult to predict, lacks effective treatment options, and substantially reduces an individual's quality of life.

10 Apr 2013

BRCA2 gene mutation carriers at greater risk for more advanced prostate cancer

Patients with prostate cancer and hereditary mutations in the BRCA2 gene have a worse prognosis and lower survival rates than do the rest of the patients with the disease.

10 Apr 2013

Hydrogen peroxide vapor eradicates multidrug-resistant organisms from unopened supplies

In rooms of patients with multidrug-resistant organisms, the outside of the packages containing sterile items can become contaminated.

10 Apr 2013

Exposure to traffic-related air pollution associated with increases in rare childhood cancers

Scientists from UCLA's Fielding School of Public Health led by Julia Heck, an assistant researcher in the school's epidemiology department and a member of UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, have found a possible link between exposure to traffic-related air pollution and several childhood cancers.

10 Apr 2013

fMRI: A non-invasive tool to map critical areas of brain before surgery

A new functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technique may provide neurosurgeons with a non-invasive tool to help in mapping critical areas of the brain before surgery, reports a study in the April issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

9 Apr 2013

UCSB researchers examine role played by Rhs proteins in bacterial intercellular competition

There's an epic battle taking place that's not on the national radar: intercellular competition. While it's not an Olympic event, new research from UC Santa Barbara demonstrates that this microscopic rivalry can be just as fierce as humans going for the gold.

9 Apr 2013

Research: ACOT7 enzyme keeps neurons' fat levels under control

We're all fatheads. That is, our brain cells are packed with fat molecules, more of them than almost any other cell type. Still, if the brain cells' fat content gets too high, they'll be in trouble. In a recent study in mice, researchers at Johns Hopkins pinpointed an enzyme that keeps neurons' fat levels under control, and may be implicated in human neurological diseases.

9 Apr 2013

Study: Transcendental meditation reduces posttraumatic stress in African refugees

A significant percentage of veterans returning from wars exhibit symptoms of posttraumatic stress (PTS). This is now recognized as a serious health problem, but what about the victims of such violence? Refugees live with the constant reminder of what war has done to their lives and those of their families.

9 Apr 2013

Genes for blood vessel growth in retina are "switched on" by SRF protein

Normal functioning of the eye depends on a proper supply of blood to the retina. Light entering the eye passes through the cornea, the lens, and the vitreous body before reaching the retina, where it stimulates the nerves.

9 Apr 2013

Study shows genetics could play a role in exercise motivation

Studies show 97 percent of American adults get less than 30 minutes of exercise a day, which is the minimum recommended amount based on federal guidelines. New research from the University of Missouri suggests certain genetic traits may predispose people to being more or less motivated to exercise and remain active.

9 Apr 2013

Study finds alcohol consumption has no impact on mortality of breast cancer survivors

Although previous research has linked alcohol consumption to an increased risk of developing breast cancer, a new study has found that drinking before and after diagnosis does not impact survival from the disease.

9 Apr 2013

Transient electronics relieve pain, fight infection and dissolve harmlessly

Scientists today described key advances toward practical uses of a new genre of tiny, biocompatible electronic devices that could be implanted into the body to relieve pain or battle infection for a specific period of time, and then dissolve harmlessly.

9 Apr 2013

Research: Reduced duty hours do not affect quality of care

Restructuring work hours for first-year medical residents to accommodate a 2011 duty hour limit of no more than 16 shift hours substantially increases patient handovers, but doesn't significantly affect efficiency and quality of care among medical inpatients, a Vanderbilt University Medical Center study has found.

9 Apr 2013

Patients exposed to chest radiation are more likely to die after heart surgery

Patients who have open heart surgery for heart disease caused by radiation cancer treatment are nearly twice as likely to die in the years following their surgery compared to similar patients who did not undergo radiation treatment, according to new research from Cleveland Clinic published today in the American Heart Association journal Circulation.

9 Apr 2013

TBI can increase depression, personality impulsivity, PTSD in PNES patients

A new study by a Rhode Island Hospital researcher has found that traumatic brain injury (TBI) can significantly increase the odds of having major depression, personality impulsivity and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES).

9 Apr 2013

University of Leicester to launch new research centre to explore complex traits and disease

This week, the University of Leicester launches a new Centre for Genetic Architecture of Complex Traits to explore the building blocks of complex traits and disease.

9 Apr 2013

Researchers explore how blocking EGFR changes signaling in glioblastoma cells

Proteins that control cell growth are often mutated in cancer, and their aberrant signaling drives the wild proliferation of cells that gives rise to tumors. One such protein, the epidermal growth factor receptor, fuels a wide variety of cancers-including a highly malignant brain cancer known as glioblastoma.

9 Apr 2013