Nerve News and Research

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45-year-old Hummelstown patient takes on FDA over Johnson & Johnson’s antibiotic Levaquin

Suffering from injuries to his brain, nerves, and tendons for over four years, 45-year-old John Fratti of Hummelstown, PA, has taken on the Food and Drug Administration with good results. Since taking Johnson & Johnson’s antibiotic Levaquin for an infection he has had many diagnostic studies on his brain and body that show considerable damage. Healthy and athletic at 41 years of age, he now takes multiple prescription pain medications for his injuries.

7 Aug 2010

Drugs that reduce activity of ABDH6 enzyme can prevent brain damage: Study

A newly discovered molecular mechanism helps control the amount and effectiveness of a substance that mimics an active ingredient in marijuana, but that is produced by the body's own nerve cells.

7 Aug 2010

New laser technology for robotic prostate cancer surgery

One of the challenges of prostate cancer surgery is removing the cancer-affected gland without side effects. The procedure is estimated to cause long-term sexual dysfunction in half of men.Now, new published research by urologic surgeons at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center presents evidence that a new laser technology used with robotic prostate cancer surgery may reduce the risk of damaging the crucial nerves necessary for erections and urinary continence.

6 Aug 2010

Summer Academy Meeting highlights benefits of HPV, Herpes Zoster vaccines

Vaccines have a long history of successfully preventing disease and, in effect, improving the lives of countless Americans. Now, two serious diseases - human papillomavirus (HPV) and herpes zoster - could become a thing of the past as people better understand the safety and efficacy of vaccines to prevent these serious viral infections in specific populations.

6 Aug 2010

Researchers identify gene associated with susceptibility to chronic pain caused by nerve injury

Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and elsewhere have succeeded in identifying for the first time a gene associated with susceptibility to chronic pain caused by nerve injury in humans, signaling a significant step toward better understanding and treating of the condition.

6 Aug 2010

Gene associated with susceptibility to chronic pain caused by nerve injury identified

Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and elsewhere have succeeded in identifying for the first time a gene associated with susceptibility to chronic pain caused by nerve injury in humans, signalling a significant step toward better understanding and treating of the condition.

5 Aug 2010

University of Pennsylvania announces recipients of 2010 Templeton Positive Neuroscience Awards

The Positive Psychology Center of the University of Pennsylvania and the John Templeton Foundation have announced the recipients of the 2010 Templeton Positive Neuroscience Awards, $2.9 million given to 15 new research projects at the intersection of neuroscience and positive psychology.

5 Aug 2010

Certain proteins, genes play key role in regenerating lost body parts: Research

Another option may be on the horizon for patients who lose limbs due to war, accident, or disease. Instead of using artificial legs or arms, patients actually may regrow their own missing limbs. An article in the current issue of Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), ACS' weekly newsmagazine, focuses on research efforts to turn the long-standing dream of human limb regeneration into reality.

5 Aug 2010

Injecting PAP may reduce chronic pain: Research

A study published in the Aug. 4, 2010 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience introduces an enzyme that could pack a big punch in the battle against chronic pain. Its name is prostatic acid phosphatase or PAP for short. According to researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, PAP blocks pain in animal models by siphoning off a molecule called PIP2—a critical component of the chemical cascade behind chronic pain.

5 Aug 2010

Targacept licenses Cornerstone technology for inflammatory disorders program

Targacept, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel NNR Therapeutics(TM), today announced that it has added to its program for inflammatory disorders by entering into an exclusive worldwide license agreement with Cornerstone Therapeutics Inc. The agreement grants Targacept rights to Cornerstone's NNR-based patents, as well as its library of preclinical compounds that act on the alpha7 or other nicotinic receptors.

4 Aug 2010

Sensory dysfunction affects quality of life of patients with Autism

The way the brain reacts differently to the sense of touch in people with Autism will be examined as part of an innovative Cardiff University study designed to create better understanding of the condition. Dr David McGonigle from Cardiff University's Schools of Psychology and Biosciences will use the latest brain imaging techniques to create a clearer picture of how touch is processed differently.

4 Aug 2010

Scientists study specific cell interactions for reasearch on human developmental disorders

Two University of Iowa biologists have published a paper on how cells make specific interactions during development -- in the hope of one day learning more about human developmental disorders -- in the Aug. 2 issue of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

4 Aug 2010

New surgical technique to maximize preservation of periprostatic anatomy

Stress urinary incontinence is one of the most feared complications of radical prostatectomy. The weighted mean continence rate immediately after catheter removal following robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALP) is 25.7%. Evidently, early recovery of urinary continence remains a challenge to be overcome. The Surgery in Motion section of the September issue of European Urology describes the surgical steps of pubovesical complex (PVC)-sparing RALP and presents the preliminary results of the technique.

3 Aug 2010

Exercise, restricted-calorie diets help to stave off mental, physical degeneration of aging: Research

Harvard University researchers have uncovered a mechanism through which caloric restriction and exercise delay some of the debilitating effects of aging by rejuvenating connections between nerves and the muscles that they control.

3 Aug 2010

Researchers discover manipulation of microRNA-29a shows potential of novel IBS treatment

A possible cause of irritable bowel syndrome has been traced to a small piece of RNA that blocks a substance protecting the colon membrane, leading to hostile conditions that can produce diarrhea, bloating and chronic abdominal pain.New research shows that this RNA segment sends signals that stop the activity of the gene that produces glutamine, an amino acid. Previous research has linked a shortage of glutamine in the gut with the seepage of toxins and bacteria through the intestinal wall, irritating nerves and creating disease symptoms.

3 Aug 2010

Research links body weight to glaucoma risk

This month's Ophthalmology journal includes surprising research from the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary on the relation of body weight to the risk for glaucoma. Also, from researchers at the Tokyo Medical and Dental University, comes the first specific map of how the development of myopic maculopathy, an illness that afflicts many severely nearsighted people, predicts which patients will be most susceptible to vision loss.

3 Aug 2010

VertiFlex enrolls 150 patients in Superion Interspinous Spacer IDE clinical trial

VertiFlex, Inc., a leading innovator of minimally invasive and motion preserving spinal surgery technologies, today announced that 150 patients have been enrolled in its pivotal IDE clinical trial of the Superion Interspinous Spacer (ISS).

3 Aug 2010

Inpatient rehab helps patient to regain functions lost from injury, illness

After a person receives acute care in a "regular" hospital for catastrophic illness, traumatic injury or a debilitating chronic condition, the next step in the process of recovery often involves a stay at an inpatient rehabilitation, or rehab, facility.Patients often have little warning when they're quickly moved to a rehab facility from acute care. Those who envision a long, leisurely recovery in a hospital or at home may find that the abrupt transition-and new responsibilities in rehab-leaves their heads spinning.

2 Aug 2010

Researchers identify new genetic route to treat epilepsy

New research points to a genetic route to understanding and treating epilepsy. Timothy Jegla, an assistant professor of biology at Penn State University, has identified an ancient gene family that plays a role in regulating the excitability of nerves within the brain.

2 Aug 2010

Taoist Tai Chi internal arts of health celebrates 40 years

Dimitri Granovski, a Russian immigrant to Canada, says that after 20 years of chronic migraines, he's become painkiller-free by practising these arts for only three months. Samantha Albert of Stratford, Ontario, says they help her deal with the effects of a critical blood disorder called amyloidosis. Helen Gaunt a wine producer in Margaret River, Australia, attributes her smooth recovery from thyroid and breast cancer to their practice.

31 Jul 2010

Nerve News and Research

45-year-old Hummelstown patient takes on FDA over Johnson & Johnson’s antibiotic Levaquin

Drugs that reduce activity of ABDH6 enzyme can prevent brain damage: Study

New laser technology for robotic prostate cancer surgery

Summer Academy Meeting highlights benefits of HPV, Herpes Zoster vaccines

Researchers identify gene associated with susceptibility to chronic pain caused by nerve injury

Gene associated with susceptibility to chronic pain caused by nerve injury identified

University of Pennsylvania announces recipients of 2010 Templeton Positive Neuroscience Awards

Certain proteins, genes play key role in regenerating lost body parts: Research

Injecting PAP may reduce chronic pain: Research

Targacept licenses Cornerstone technology for inflammatory disorders program

Sensory dysfunction affects quality of life of patients with Autism

Scientists study specific cell interactions for reasearch on human developmental disorders

New surgical technique to maximize preservation of periprostatic anatomy

Exercise, restricted-calorie diets help to stave off mental, physical degeneration of aging: Research

Researchers discover manipulation of microRNA-29a shows potential of novel IBS treatment

Research links body weight to glaucoma risk

VertiFlex enrolls 150 patients in Superion Interspinous Spacer IDE clinical trial

Inpatient rehab helps patient to regain functions lost from injury, illness

Researchers identify new genetic route to treat epilepsy

Taoist Tai Chi internal arts of health celebrates 40 years

The impact of vibration on microscopy

How Omics Technologies Are Transforming Biological Research and Drug Discovery

How microplastics and bacteria interact to drive antibiotic resistance

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