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Cumulative genetic risk may underlie many Parkinson’s cases

Genetic risk for Parkinson’s disease may be due as much to multiple genes with small individual effects as to single high-risk genes, research suggests.

19 Mar 2015

Vitamin D plays major role in preventing diabetes and atherosclerosis

In recent years, a deficiency of vitamin D has been linked to type 2 diabetes and heart disease, two illnesses that commonly occur together and are the most common cause of illness and death in Western countries. Both disorders are rooted in chronic inflammation, which leads to insulin resistance and the buildup of artery-clogging plaque.

19 Mar 2015

AAHRPP accredits three more organizations

The Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs today announced that it has accredited three more organizations, including the first historically black college and university medical school and a fourth hospital in Taiwan.

19 Mar 2015

MSU researchers discover cause of death in children who get malaria

Researchers from Michigan State University have uncovered the cause of death in children who die from cerebral malaria.

19 Mar 2015

Study reveals how Grhl2 plays a role in kidney function

The kidney carries out vital functions by continuously filtering the blood and excreting waste products into the urine. This is achieved by a complex system of tubules which transports the urine and regulates its composition.

19 Mar 2015

Winners of first SSPC National Crystal Growing Competition announced

The Synthesis and Solid State Pharmaceutical Centre today (19th March 2015) announced the winners of its first SSPC National Crystal Growing Competition, which was launched as part of Science Week in November 2014, to celebrate the International Year of Crystallography. The SSPC National Crystal Growing Competition was open to primary and post-primary schools from across Ireland.

19 Mar 2015

Fast-food restaurant ban fails to reduce obesity rates in Los Angeles

A Los Angeles ordinance designed to curb obesity in low-income areas by restricting the opening of new fast-food restaurants has failed to reduce fast-food consumption or reduce obesity rates in the targeted neighborhoods, according to a new RAND Corporation study.

19 Mar 2015

Researchers study how maternal intake of excessive vitamins impacts offspring's behaviour

A research group at the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine has been using a rat model to see how maternal intake of above-requirement vitamins (A, D, E, and K) impact offspring's brain development and behaviour.

19 Mar 2015

Daiichi Sankyo signs co-commercialization agreement with AstraZeneca for MOVANTIK (naloxegol)

Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. today announced a co-commercialization agreement with AstraZeneca for MOVANTIK (naloxegol) in the US, in line with the Daiichi Sankyo strategy to expand its US portfolio through strategic alliances, in addition to internal R&D and acquisitions.

19 Mar 2015

New diagnostic method replaces surgery for bowel tumor assessment

A new study at the MedUni Vienna's Comprehensive Cancer Center is assessing patients with metastasised bowel cancer to determine whether it is possible to characterise tumour and better control resistance mechanisms with a blood test. The aim of this is to spare patients the stress of having tissue removed via biopsies and to make the targeted use of therapy easier.

19 Mar 2015

Catheter ablation more beneficial to heart failure patients than Amiodarone treatment

Among patients with heart failure and atrial fibrillation, those who underwent catheter ablation were less likely to die, be hospitalized or have recurrent atrial fibrillation than patients taking a heart rhythm regulating drug, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's 64th Annual Scientific Session.

19 Mar 2015

Scientists identify mystery behind cell-signaling breakdown that causes heart failure

Working with lab animals and human heart cells, scientists from Johns Hopkins and other institutions have identified what they describe as "the long-sought culprit" in the mystery behind a cell-signaling breakdown that triggers heart failure. The condition, which affects nearly 6 million Americans and 23 million people worldwide, is marked by progressive weakening and stiffening of the heart muscle and the organ's gradual loss of blood-pumping ability.

19 Mar 2015

New approach to improve cardiac regeneration

The heart tissue of mammals has limited capacity to regenerate after an injury such as a heart attack, in part due to the inability to reactivate a cardiac muscle cell and proliferation program. Recent studies have indicated a low level of cardiac muscle cell (cardiomyocytes) proliferation in adult mammals, but it is insufficient to repair damaged hearts.

19 Mar 2015

Cardiovascular researchers identify MG53 protein necessary for repairing injured kidney cells

Cardiovascular researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center have shown that a protein known as MG53 is not only present in kidney cells, but necessary for the organ to repair itself after acute injury. Results from this animal model study are published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

19 Mar 2015

New bone marrow transplant unit launched in Bangalore, India

A bone marrow transplant can mean the difference between life and death for people with blood cancers and related disorders. But many patients in India can't afford the high treatment costs, and for them a transplant is not an option. This is changing thanks to a newly launched bone marrow transplant unit at M.S. Ramaiah Medical College in Bangalore.

19 Mar 2015

IU researchers reveal how Toxoplasma parasites modify brain cells

Rodents infected with a common parasite lose their fear of cats, resulting in easy meals for the felines. Now IU School of Medicine researchers have identified a new way the parasite may modify brain cells, possibly helping explain changes in the behavior of mice -- and humans.

19 Mar 2015

MSU researchers discover what causes death in children with cerebral malaria

Malaria kills a child every minute. While medical researchers have successfully developed effective drugs to kill the malaria parasite, efforts to treat the effects of the disease have not been as successful. But that soon may change.

19 Mar 2015

Health care changes essential to manage chronic disease, say researchers

Chronic disease accounts for 7 of every 10 deaths in the United States and more than 75% of total health care costs. Among people 65 years old and older, over 92% suffer from one or more chronic diseases.

19 Mar 2015

New 'Connected Health Cities’ initiative launched to improve health, social care in the English regions

FOUR new health and social care information projects, aimed at tackling major health challenges by catalysing ‘big picture’ data through the collective expertise of the region’s universities, teaching hospitals and local authorities, are being launched by the Chancellor of the Exchequer today (Wednesday 18 March).

19 Mar 2015

Denator's heat-stabilization system preserves lipids at close-to-in vivo-levels

Denator AB announced today that the company’s heat-stabilization system has been demonstrated to preserve lipids at close-to-in vivo-levels. To preserve lipids in a reliable manner prior to mass spectrometry-based analysis is pivotal to accurately quantify and identify potential biomarkers and perform disease research.

19 Mar 2015