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Structure of important neurotransmitter regulator solved

Researchers from Virginia Tech and the Brookhaven National Laboratory have solved the structure of an enzyme that is critical in the regulation of the neurotransmitter system in the human brain.

4 Feb 2008

Study suggests Risperidone long-acting injection combined with standard treatment helped delay time to relapse in patients with bipolar disorder

Patients with frequently relapsing bipolar disorder had a significant delay in the time to an initial relapse when risperidone long-acting injection (RLAI) was combined with standard treatment, according to a new study. The study compared patients who received RLAI and standard treatment to those who received standard treatment combined with placebo.

4 Feb 2008

Lithium slows ALS progression

Daily doses of lithium, a drug used to treat bipolar disorder, have been found to delay progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in an Italian study of 44 people with the disease.

4 Feb 2008

Participants recruited for VCU study on premenstrual dysphoric disorder

The Virginia Commonwealth University Mood Disorders Institute is recruiting participants for a national study of a new treatment method for premenstrual dysphoric disorder, a severe and debilitating form of premenstrual syndrome, or PMS.

4 Feb 2008

Risk factors for severe RSV infection in immunocompromised children

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital investigators and collaborators have shown how to predict if a child who is infected with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) while being treated for cancer or another catastrophic disease is at high risk for developing severe infection. The finding will help clinicians improve guidelines for managing these infected children.

4 Feb 2008

Breaking down Huntington's disease one protein at a time

Hoping to piece together the intricate series of interactions that lead to Huntington's disease, Indiana University Bloomington scientists have determined the shape and structure of a binding site that may prove useful in combating the neurodegenerative disease

4 Feb 2008

Researchers identify cells that cause nervous system disease

Two teams of University of Michigan researchers have tracked down the cells responsible for neurofibromatosis type1, a disfiguring, incurable condition and one of the most common hereditary disorders.

4 Feb 2008

Nano scaffold to rebuild nerve damage

A Monash University PhD student has developed a new technique that could revolutionise stem cell treatment for Parkinson's disease and spinal cord injury.

4 Feb 2008

Resisting lung cancer recurrence - Vaccine booster gives persistent immune response

What if we could prevent cancer recurrence for years after surgery by giving simple recall injections every two or three years? This concept may no longer be a fantasy.

4 Feb 2008

New discoveries on what does and doesn't affect immune system

Scientists know that a number of factors can affect the body's immune system: poor diet, certain steroids, chronic stress. Now researchers at Michigan State University have discovered that an appetite-controlling hormone also affects the immune system, while natural versions of certain steroids do not.

4 Feb 2008

Who gave us chocolate, a traditional treat on Valentine's Day?

They were the ancient Maya of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, who will be honored for this tasty contribution on Feb. 14 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

4 Feb 2008

Massive brain imaging project awarded Keck Foundation grant

Tantalizing treasures of neural knowledge that lie deep in the brain of the common fruit fly are one step closer to being laid bare, now that a team of six Stanford researchers has been awarded a $1.3 million medical research grant by the W. M. Keck Foundation.

4 Feb 2008

Attitudes on price have big impact of the purchase of organic food

Independent attitudes such as cost have the biggest impact on why consumers opt for organic fruit and vegetables, according to a new University of Melbourne report.

4 Feb 2008

NACDS launches campaign to expand role in healthcare debate

Pharmacy is vital to healthcare quality, affordability and accessibility, and should be valued and utilized more completely. That is the message of a major advertising campaign launched today by the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) as part of its increasingly proactive outreach to policymakers to tell the story of its members.

4 Feb 2008

Researchers uncover key interaction in cholesterol regulation

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have determined the specific way in which a destructive protein binds to and interferes with a molecule that removes low-density lipoproteins (LDL), the so-called "bad" cholesterol, from the blood.

4 Feb 2008

New York State Health Department begins $1.75 million campaign to promote long-term care insurance

New York State Health Commissioner Richard F. Daines, M.D., today announced a $1.75 million statewide media campaign to promote the purchase of long-term care insurance, including the state's Partnership for Long-Term Care, by New York residents ages 40 to 65.

4 Feb 2008

Targeting astrocytes slows progression of Lou Gehrig's disease

In what the researchers say could be promising news in the quest to find a therapy to slow the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig’s disease, scientists at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine have shown that targeting neuronal support cells called astrocytes sharply slows disease progression in mice.

4 Feb 2008