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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.

Study finds biological basis of brain's ability for rapid adaptation

A new study in the Nov. 21 advance online edition of the journal Nature Neuroscience details the biological basis of this ability for rapid adaptation: neurons located at the beginning of the brain's sensory information pathway that change their level of simultaneous firing.

23 Nov 2010

Aggressive surgery for brain tumors increases survival in children

A new Mayo Clinic study found that children with low-grade brain tumors (gliomas) who undergo aggressive surgery to completely remove the tumor have an increased chance of overall survival. If complete removal is not possible, adding radiation therapy to a less complete surgery provides patients with the same outcomes as a complete removal.

23 Nov 2010

GFAP levels predict brain injury, death in critically ill children on ECMO

Johns Hopkins Children's Center scientists have discovered that high blood levels of a protein commonly found in the central nervous system can predict brain injury and death in critically ill children on a form of life support called extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation or ECMO.

23 Nov 2010

Researchers investigate ways to counteract unhealthy effects of fat

A fat yet muscular mouse is helping researchers learn whether more muscle improves the cardiovascular health of obese individuals. We are looking for ways to counteract the unhealthy effects of fat, said Dr. David Stepp, vascular biologist at the Medical College of Georgia Vascular Biology Center and co-director of MCG's Diabetes & Obesity Discovery Institute.

23 Nov 2010

Largest genomic study of human medulloblastomas

Medulloblastomas are the most common malignant brain tumors of childhood, with 40 to 50 percent overall mortality. One of the greatest challenges in treating them is that they vary substantially from patient to patient. In the largest genomic study of human medulloblastomas to date, researchers from Children's Hospital Boston, together with collaborators, have identified six subtypes with distinct molecular "fingerprints" that will improve doctors' ability to direct and individualize treatment.

23 Nov 2010

Preclinical trial shows Chimerix’s CMX001 inhibits HSV replication

Chimerix, Inc., a pharmaceutical company developing orally-available antiviral therapeutics, today announced that data demonstrating preclinical efficacy of Chimerix's lead antiviral compound CMX001 against herpes simplex virus (HSV) as well as its ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier was published in the November 15, 2010 issue of The Journal of Infectious Diseases.

23 Nov 2010

New method to reverse age-related decline in vision

Elderly adults can improve their vision with perceptual training, according to a study from the University of California, Riverside and Boston University that has implications for the health and mobility of senior citizens.

23 Nov 2010

IsoRay to sell $2.25 million in common stock

IsoRay Inc. has entered a securities purchase agreement with an investor to sell $2.25 million in common stock with the potential of $2,075,000 additional funding through two subsequent short term warrant tranches of 90 days and 180 days assuming an average exercise price of $1.40 and that all Series A and B warrants are exercised. Additional funding will occur if Series C or D warrants are exercised.

22 Nov 2010

Stealth Peptides introduces Bendavia clinical candidate at AHA Scientific Sessions

Stealth Peptides, a privately held biopharmaceutical company developing innovative mitochondrial therapies for diseases with significant unmet medical needs, introduced its lead clinical candidate, Bendavia, a novel compound that targets the mitochondrion, at the 2010 American Heart Association's (AHA) Scientific Sessions, Resuscitation Science Symposium.

22 Nov 2010

Cell Therapeutics announces preliminary results of phase II OPAXIO study for high-grade gliomas

Cell Therapeutics, Inc. announced the preliminary results of a phase II study of paclitaxel poliglumex (OPAXIO) combined with temozolomide (TMZ) and radiotherapy (RT) in patients with newly diagnosed high-grade gliomas.

22 Nov 2010

VYTORIN reduces major vascular events in patients with chronic kidney disease

In a new investigational study of VYTORIN, the cholesterol-lowering medicine from Merck, VYTORIN 10/20 mg reduced the incidence of first major vascular events defined as non-fatal heart attacks or cardiac death, stroke or any revascularization procedure by a highly statistically significant 16.1 percent compared to placebo, Study of Heart and Renal Protection study involved more than 9,000 patients who, on average, had advanced or end-stage chronic kidney disease (CKD)

22 Nov 2010

Alexion's Soliris Phase 2 clinical study for aHUS meets primary, secondary endpoints

Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that a Phase 2 clinical study investigating Soliris (eculizumab) as a treatment for patients with atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (aHUS) who are resistant to plasma therapy met primary and key secondary endpoints with high levels of statistical and clinical significance, according to results presented today at the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) annual meeting in Denver.

21 Nov 2010

Presence of albumin in urine predicts cognitive decline: Study

A new study has found that low amounts of albumin in the urine, at levels not traditionally considered clinically significant, strongly predict faster cognitive decline in older women.

21 Nov 2010

Researchers to discuss latest advances in Alzheimer's research

Today, America's biopharmaceutical research companies highlighted the 98 new medicines in the pipeline for Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, either in clinical trials or awaiting FDA review.

20 Nov 2010

First international study to examine human developmental effects of environmental exposure to e-waste

A new international population study, led by the University of Cincinnati, will be the first to examine the human developmental effects of environmental exposure to the complex metal mixture found in electronic waste (e-waste).

20 Nov 2010

German researchers use binocular rivalry to interpret mechanism of brain functions

Researchers around Andreas Bartels at the Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neurosciences (CIN) and the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen, Germany used this phenomenon to decipher a key mechanism of the brain functions that contributes to conscious visual perception.

20 Nov 2010

Northeast Ohio receives over $497 million in community benefits from Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland Clinic provided more than $497 million in community benefit to the Northeast Ohio community in 2009. Significant increases over 2008 were seen in education, community outreach programming, Medicaid shortfall and charity care.

20 Nov 2010

New editorial dispel doubts about Lou Gehrig's ALS diagnosis

A recent study suggesting that amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) may be attributed to repetitive head trauma experienced in collision sports lacks scientific epidemiological evidence to support this claim.

20 Nov 2010

Comprehensive guide to current practice of intraoperative neurophysiology

A new book entitled "Intraoperative Neurophysiologic Monitoring" has been published by Cambridge University Press, co-authored by Nationwide Children's Hospital Pediatric Neurologists Gloria M. Galloway, MD, and Khaled M. Zamel, MD; Marc R. Nuwer, MD, of UCLA; and Jaime R. Lopez, MD of Stanford University.

20 Nov 2010

Children's Surgical Centre offers no-cost surgery for children with frontoethmoidal meningoencephalocele

Frontoethmoidal meningoencephalocele is a type of facial malformation that is rarely seen in developed countries, but is quite common in many Southeast Asian countries, occurring in 1 of every 5,000 live births.

20 Nov 2010