Brain News and Research

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The human brain is the center of the human nervous system and is a highly complex organ. Enclosed in the cranium, it has the same general structure as the brains of other mammals, but is over three times as large as the brain of a typical mammal with an equivalent body size.

Functional brain mapping and high speed physiology multiphoton system from Olympus

The Olympus FluoView® FVMPE-RS, a dedicated multiphoton microscope system, enables high-precision, ultra-fast scanning and stimulation, allowing researchers to see deep within specimens, take measurements at the highest speeds, and capture images even when working under the most demanding conditions.

From Evident Corporation - Life Sciences 17 Sep 2013

NIEHS grant renewal opens next chapter in 18-year research effort into brain injury biomarker

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) has awarded a five-year, $1.5 million grant extension to Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health to fund research into the function of a biomarker for brain injury called Translocator Protein 18 kDa, better known as TSPO, in order to better understand its function in brain injury and inflammation and discover targets for therapy.

17 Sep 2013

Kessler Foundation researcher honored for excellence in physical medicine and rehabilitation

Mooyeon Oh-Park, M.D., of Kessler Foundation was named 2013 "Teacher of the Year" in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. This award is given each year to a faculty member who demonstrated outstanding knowledge in physical medicine and rehabilitation as well as dedication and skills in teaching.

17 Sep 2013

Repeated exposure to low level blasts causes harmful effects in brain

Repeated exposure to low level blasts (LLB) can cause symptoms similar to sports concussion. Soldiers or law enforcement officers called "breachers" receive training in using low level blasts for forced entry.

17 Sep 2013

Researchers identify potentially treatable subtype of pancreatic cancer

Australian researchers have identified a potentially treatable subtype of pancreatic cancer, which accounts for about 2% of new cases. This subtype expresses high levels of the HER2 gene. HER2-amplified breast and gastric cancers are currently treated with Herceptin.

17 Sep 2013

Researchers identify new link between meal times and daily changes in immune system

A new link between meal times and daily changes in the immune system has been identified by UC San Francisco researchers, and has led them to question assumptions about the roles of specific immune cells in infection and allergy.

17 Sep 2013

Oxytocin shows evidence of therapeutic value for autism, schizophrenia

The hormone oxytocin could play a role in treating psychiatric disorders such as autism and schizophrenia, according to a review article in the September Harvard Review of Psychiatry. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.

17 Sep 2013

Study reveals olive leaf extract can inhibit lead-induced brain injury

In recent years, neurotoxicity from exposure to low levels of lead in the environment has become increasingly prevalent. Therefore, the discovery of herbs that have lead-eliminating properties without harmful side effects is essential for the management of lead poisoning.

17 Sep 2013

New "app" from Henry Ford for cancer surgery patients

With a single tap on a smartphone, cancer patients now can access detailed information about treatment options by cancer type, GPS mapping to appointment locations, as well as schedule appointments and connect to their electronic medical record.

17 Sep 2013

‘Risk circuits’ for schizophrenia refined

A study sheds further light on the brain circuits that may underlie risk for schizophrenia.

16 Sep 2013

Study evaluates effectiveness of new meningitis serogroup A vaccine in sub-Saharan Africa

Evaluation of the effectiveness of a mass vaccination campaign with a new meningitis serogroup A vaccine, PsA-TT, in sub-Saharan Africa found that it had a dramatic impact on cases of serogroup meningitis and on carriage of the disease-causing bacteria in the throat, according to new research published in The Lancet.

13 Sep 2013

Systematic review reveals exercise may help alleviate depression

Exercise may benefit people suffering from depression, according to an updated systematic review published in The Cochrane Library. The authors of the review found evidence to suggest that exercise reduces symptoms of depression, although they say more high quality trials are needed.

13 Sep 2013

Prairie Technologies acquired by Bruker

Bruker Corporation today announced that it has acquired Prairie Technologies, Inc. (Prairie), a provider of life science fluorescence microscopy products. The acquisition strengthens Bruker’s position in life science markets, adding to the Bruker Nano Surfaces Division’s existing life science atomic force microscopy (Bio-AFM) systems.

From Bruker Nano Surfaces and Metrology 13 Sep 2013

Genetic deficiency in autism linked to specific molecular and cellular consequences

Brown University researchers have traced a genetic deficiency implicated in autism in humans to specific molecular and cellular consequences that cause clear deficits in mice in how well neurons can grow the intricate branches that allow them to connect to brain circuits. The researchers also show in their study (online Sep. 12, 2013, in Neuron) that they could restore proper neuronal growth by compensating for the errant molecular mechanisms they identified.

13 Sep 2013

Microbes living in unexpected environments can generate highly toxic methylmercury

Microbes that live in rice paddies, northern peat bogs and other previously unexpected environments are among the bacteria that can generate highly toxic methylmercury, researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center have learned.

13 Sep 2013

Longer looks: Understanding the mind; facebook depression; planning for a successful end of life

Every week reporter Ankita Rao selects interesting reading from around the Web.

13 Sep 2013

Study: 4% of head-trauma scans in children have unexpected results that may need follow up

The largest study of computed tomographic scans taken in emergency departments across the country for children with head injuries describes the prevalence of "incidental findings" - results that were not expected from the injury - and categorizes them by urgency.

13 Sep 2013

Pre-birth and early life nutrition affects children's cognitive, emotional and behavioural development

The statement "you are what you eat" is significant for the development of optimum mental performance in children as evidence is accumulating to show that nutrition pre-birth and in early life "programmes" long term health, well being, brain development and mental performance and that certain nutrients are important to this process.

13 Sep 2013

New behavioral therapy improves antidepressant treatment of OCD

NIMH grantees have demonstrated that a form of behavioral therapy can augment antidepressant treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) better than an antipsychotic.

13 Sep 2013

Nanodiamonds deliver chemotherapy directly into brain tumors

Researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have developed an innovative drug-delivery system in which tiny particles called nanodiamonds are used to carry chemotherapy drugs directly into brain tumors.

13 Sep 2013

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Functional brain mapping and high speed physiology multiphoton system from Olympus

NIEHS grant renewal opens next chapter in 18-year research effort into brain injury biomarker

Kessler Foundation researcher honored for excellence in physical medicine and rehabilitation

Repeated exposure to low level blasts causes harmful effects in brain

Researchers identify potentially treatable subtype of pancreatic cancer

Researchers identify new link between meal times and daily changes in immune system

Oxytocin shows evidence of therapeutic value for autism, schizophrenia

Study reveals olive leaf extract can inhibit lead-induced brain injury

New "app" from Henry Ford for cancer surgery patients

‘Risk circuits’ for schizophrenia refined

Study evaluates effectiveness of new meningitis serogroup A vaccine in sub-Saharan Africa

Systematic review reveals exercise may help alleviate depression

Prairie Technologies acquired by Bruker

Genetic deficiency in autism linked to specific molecular and cellular consequences

Microbes living in unexpected environments can generate highly toxic methylmercury

Longer looks: Understanding the mind; facebook depression; planning for a successful end of life

Study: 4% of head-trauma scans in children have unexpected results that may need follow up

Pre-birth and early life nutrition affects children's cognitive, emotional and behavioural development

New behavioral therapy improves antidepressant treatment of OCD

Nanodiamonds deliver chemotherapy directly into brain tumors

Industry Focus eBook - Cell & Gene Therapy (1st Edition) eBook

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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