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UC Berkeley biologists discover potential target for unisex contraceptives

UC Berkeley biologists have discovered the switch that triggers the power kick sperm use to penetrate and fertilize a human egg, uncovering a possible source of male infertility but also a potential target for contraceptives that work in both men and women.

26 Mar 2016

Long-term exercise may benefit Spinal Muscular Atrophy patients

Long-term exercise appears to be beneficial for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) like mice, suggesting a potential of active physiotherapy for patient care; according to a study published today in the Journal of Physiology.

6 Mar 2016

Small, tablet-sized ultrasound devices may help midwives figure out C-section candidates

Midwives need more than fingers to figure out who the C-section candidates are. Small, tablet-sized ultrasound devices may be the key.

27 Feb 2016

UTHealth researchers demonstrate new way to reduce preterm birth

Using nanoparticles to engineer a special drug, a team of researchers from McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston has demonstrated in pre-clinical trials a new way to both reduce preterm birth and avoid the risks of medication in pregnancy to unborn babies.

5 Feb 2016

Study: Prior surgical abortion appears to increase risk of later preterm birth

Surgical methods used in a common form of abortion or to clear the womb after a spontaneous miscarriage appears to significantly increase the risk of a later preterm birth, say researchers at Thomas Jefferson University who analyzed 36 studies that enrolled more than 1 million women.

4 Feb 2016

Researchers demonstrate new way to reduce preterm birth using nanoparticles

Using nanoparticles to engineer a special drug, a team of researchers has demonstrated in mice a new way to both reduce preterm birth and avoid the risks of medication in pregnancy to unborn babies.

2 Feb 2016

Study shows regular caffeine consumption does not lead to extra heartbeats

Contrary to current clinical belief, regular caffeine consumption does not lead to extra heartbeats, which, while common, can lead in rare cases to heart- or stroke-related morbidity and mortality, according to UC San Francisco researchers.

27 Jan 2016

Findings offer potential new therapeutic target to boost strength of heart muscle contractions

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have identified a previously unrecognized small protein in cells of the human heart that plays a key role in heart muscle contraction. The protein is made from an RNA that was previously believed to be a blank or non-coding RNA, suggesting there may be many other small 'non-coding' segments that play important biological roles.

18 Jan 2016

Pacemaker Induced Transient Asynchrony could help slow down progression of heart failure

Johns Hopkins has demonstrated in animals that applying a pacemaker's mild electrical shocks to push the heart in and out of normal synchronized contraction for part of each day may be an effective way to slow down the progression of heart failure, a disorder that afflicts millions of Americans.

24 Dec 2015

Women who experience delay in labour willing to let go birth plans when unanticipated complications occur

A new study of women's experiences of delay in labour has revealed that many mums-to-be are prepared to abandon their antenatal plans for how they wanted their labours and births to be.

23 Dec 2015

Study on myosins may lead to therapies for muscle diseases, cancers

Understanding how tiny molecular motors called myosins use energy to fuel biological tasks like contracting muscles could lead to therapies for muscle diseases and cancers, says a team of researchers led by Penn State College of Medicine scientists.

22 Dec 2015

Diseases that cause skin-related problems can also trigger serious neurological conditions

Diseases such as lupus that cause rashes and other skin problems also can trigger migraine headaches, strokes and other serious neurological conditions, according to an article by Loyola University Medical Center physicians.

16 Dec 2015

Cancer drug can neutralize toxic RNA that causes myotonic dystrophy

A group of researchers has shown for the first time in cells and in a mouse model that a drug used to treat cancer can neutralize the toxic RNA that causes the prolonged muscle contractions and other symptoms of myotonic dystrophy type 1, the most common form of adult-onset muscular dystrophy.

11 Dec 2015

New artificial muscle imitates macroscopic movement of human muscles

The macroscopic movement of our muscles is caused by the collective movement of “biomolecular motors”. Scientists and engineers have long been trying to imitate this process.

10 Dec 2015

Could statins treat muscular dystrophy? An interview with Dr. Nick Whitehead and Dr Stan Froehner

In addition to their well established cholesterol lowering benefits, statins also have potent anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic and antioxidant effects, which continue to be identified in a wide range of diseases.

30 Nov 2015

Eating a light meal during labor may benefit most healthy women

Most healthy women can skip the fasting and, in fact, would benefit from eating a light meal during labor, suggests research being presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2015 annual meeting. Improvements in anesthesia care have made pain control during labor safer, reducing risks related to eating, researchers note.

26 Oct 2015

Thyroid hormone treatment improves cardiac health in female rats with high blood pressure

Thyroid hormones administered to female rats with high blood pressure led to encouraging cardiac improvements, according to a study in the American Journal of Physiology led by NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine researcher Martin Gerdes.

14 Oct 2015

Quest Diagnostics scientists demonstrate new molecular combing technique that predicts cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy

Genetic testing for mutations beyond those currently recommended in medical guidelines may aid the identification of more couples at risk of having a child with cystic fibrosis, according to a study presented today at the 2015 American Society of Human Genetics Annual Meeting, which runs through October 10 in Baltimore, Maryland.

From Quest Diagnostics 13 Oct 2015

NC State scientists take a giant leap closer to understanding locomotion from the leg up

Using an "Avatar"-like bio-robotic motor system that integrates a real muscle and tendon along with a computer controlled nerve stimulator acting as the avatar's spinal cord, North Carolina State University researchers have taken a giant leap closer to understanding locomotion from the leg up.

13 Oct 2015

NYIT's Aydin Farajidavar receives NIH grant to develop implantable wireless device for measuring gastric activity

New York Institute of Technology Assistant Professor Aydin Farajidavar has received a $457,000 National Institutes of Health grant to develop an implantable wireless system to study the body's gastric and digestive systems.

8 Oct 2015