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New approach to diagnose tuberculosis

Researchers working in the UK and The Gambia, have developed a new approach to the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) that relies on direct sequencing of DNA extracted from sputum (a technique called metagenomics) to detect and characterize the bacteria that cause TB without the need for time-consuming culture of bacteria in the laboratory.

23 Sep 2014

Caltech researcher explores link between variable heart rate, health and fitness

Although the heart beats out a very familiar "lub-dub" pattern that speeds up or slows down as our activity increases or decreases, the pattern itself isn't as regular as you might think. In fact, the amount of time between heartbeats can vary even at a "constant" heart rate-and that variability, doctors have found, is a good thing.

23 Sep 2014

Sequencing the Asian liver fluke genome: an interview with Dr Neil Young

Opisthorchis viverrini is a parasitic flatworm (or liver fluke) endemic throughout Thailand, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Vietnam and Cambodia. Humans are infected with this parasite when they eat a fluke encysted in inadequately cooked/preserved freshwater fish.

21 Sep 2014

NCH advances cardiovascular service line in northwest suburbs

Northwest Community Healthcare is strengthening cardiovascular care for patients in the northwest suburbs by advancing its cardiovascular service line. NCH has new relationships with cardiothoracic surgeons, vascular surgeons and cardiologists, and, in addition, has announced plans to open a new heart failure clinic this fall in Mount Prospect.

21 Sep 2014

Urgency breeds aggression in schizophrenia patients

Increased urgency is a major contributor to aggression in patients with schizophrenia, suggests research published in The American Journal of Psychiatry.

17 Sep 2014

Scientists suggest ways to fund medical research

With the continuing downward trend of federal funding for biomedical research, top scientists offer their own ideas.

17 Sep 2014

APOC3 gene variant dramatically reduces triglyceride levels in the blood

Research using data collected from around 4,000 healthy people in the UK has enabled scientists to identify a rare genetic variant that dramatically reduces levels of certain types of lipids in the blood. The study is the first to emerge from the UK10K Project's cohort of samples from the general public and demonstrates the power of whole genome sequencing at scale.

17 Sep 2014

NIH awards grant to scientist to link drugs, genes and diseases

The National Institutes of Health wants to make the process of finding new drugs faster and better. The effort will help all 27 of its research institutes and centers. So, the nation's medical research agency awarded Tudor Oprea, MD, PhD, a 2-year $4.9 million grant to develop a tool scientists can use to link information about drugs, diseases and genes.

17 Sep 2014

Warwick researchers discover novel drug target for treating postpartum haemorrhage

Researchers at the University of Warwick have discovered a new target for drugs that could prevent the deaths of thousands of women in the developing world due to heavy blood loss after childbirth.

17 Sep 2014

Health value of Apple's Watch questioned

Health care professionals say there is little evidence the new watch surpasses gadgets already on the market, although more health features may be in store, Reuters reports. Meanwhile, The Associated Press examines tensions between Silicon Valley tech giants and government regulators.

15 Sep 2014

Scientists identify how molecular motor essential for human development works

Another mystery of the human body has been solved by scientists who have identified how a molecular motor essential for human development works.

10 Sep 2014

Treatment with xenon gas after head injury reduces extent of brain damage

Treatment with xenon gas after a head injury reduces the extent of brain damage, according to a study in mice.

9 Sep 2014

Researchers develop novel technique to promote tissue repair in damaged muscles

Researchers at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham) have developed a novel technique to promote tissue repair in damaged muscles.

8 Sep 2014

Study investigates stigma as a significant barrier to care for many individuals with mental illness

Over 60 million Americans are thought to experience mental illness in a given year, and the impacts of mental illness are undoubtedly felt by millions more in the form of family members, friends, and coworkers.

8 Sep 2014

Investigators make thought-provoking discovery about type of cholesterol believed to be "bad guy"

A team of investigators at the University of Kentucky has made a thought-provoking discovery about a type of cholesterol previously believed to be a "bad guy" in the development of heart disease and other conditions.

5 Sep 2014

Researchers find most accurate gene transcript expression estimation method

RNA-sequencing data analysis method BitSeq developed by Academy Research Fellow Antti Honkela's research group and University of Manchester researchers has been found to be the most accurate gene transcript expression estimation method in a large international assessment.

4 Sep 2014

Dyspnoea in COPD patients heralds worse outcomes

Breathlessness is a common finding in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and signals an increased risk of exacerbations, study findings indicate.

3 Sep 2014

New blood test provides fast, accurate diagnosis of tuberculosis in children

A new blood test provides a fast and accurate tool to diagnose tuberculosis in children, a new proof-of-concept study shows. The newly developed test (TAM-TB assay) is the first reliable immunodiagnostic assay to detect active tuberculosis in children.

1 Sep 2014

Surgical researchers rarely use female animals in medical research

A new study from Northwestern Medicine- has found that surgical researchers rarely use female animals or female cells in their published studies -- despite a huge body of evidence showing that sex differences can play a crucial role in medical research.

30 Aug 2014

Preventing tentacle-like structures from forming can stop spread of cancer entirely

A new study from the research group of Dr. John Lewis at the University of Alberta (Edmonton, AB) and the Lawson Health Research Institute (London, ON) has confirmed that "invadopodia" play a key role in the spread of cancer. The study, published in Cell Reports, shows preventing these tentacle-like structures from forming can stop the spread of cancer entirely.

30 Aug 2014