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Researchers use gene therapy to restore hearing and balance in mouse model of Usher syndrome

Hearing loss, sometimes associated with other disorders such as balance defects, is the most common sensory deficit, affecting more than 280 million people worldwide, according to WHO. In France, one child in 700 is born with severe or profound hearing loss, and one in every 1,000 will lose their sense of hearing before adulthood.

22 Sep 2017

New syndrome caused by biallelic mutations predisposes the body to tumors

A new syndrome caused by biallelic mutations - those produced in both gene copies inherited from the mother and father - in the FANCM gene predisposes the body to the appearance of tumours and causes rejection to chemotherapy treatments.

22 Sep 2017

Research confirms smartphone apps as effective treatment option for depression

New Australian-led research has confirmed that smartphone apps are an effective treatment option for depression, paving the way for safe and accessible interventions for the millions of people around the world diagnosed with this condition.

22 Sep 2017

University of Portsmouth helping tackle air pollution in Sub-Saharan Africa

The University of Portsmouth is helping to tackle air pollution and its harmful effects in Sub-Saharan Africa.

22 Sep 2017

Physical activity boosted cognition in breast cancer survivors, study says

A study conducted by a team of researchers at the San Diego School of Medicine, University of California, reported that physical activities can more than double the post-treatment mental processing speed of breast cancer survivors.

22 Sep 2017

Narrow networks get even tighter when shopping for mental health specialists

If you've got a plan offered on the federal health law's insurance marketplace and you're looking for a therapist, you may have to look really hard: The average provider network includes only 11 percent of all the mental health care providers in a given market, according to a recent study.

22 Sep 2017

Hard water may contribute to development of eczema by damaging skin barrier

Researchers from the University of Sheffield and King’s College London have discovered that exposing the skin to hard water damages the skin barrier – which is our defense against outside threats such as bacteria or sun burn – and increases the sensitivity of the skin to potential irritants found in everyday wash products such as soap or washing powder.

22 Sep 2017

ESCP reveals overwhelming response to large cohort study on colon, sigmoid, rectal resection operations

The European Society of Coloproctologists has revealed that almost 1500 clinicians from around the world (49 countries) have participated in its latest cohort study recording and sharing the results of 5640 operations – marking one of the largest studies of its kind.

22 Sep 2017

Triple-action antibody to be tested as HIV vaccine

Scientists from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in collaboration with the pharmaceutical company Sanofi have engineered a three-pronged antibody that protected monkeys from two strains of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) better than the equivalent naturally occurring antibodies.

22 Sep 2017

FDA approves scope with disposable part aimed at reducing superbug infections

Seeking to prevent superbug outbreaks, federal health officials said they have approved the first gastrointestinal medical scope with a disposable cap for use in the U.S.

22 Sep 2017

Chemotherapy may increase survival for advanced colon cancer patients with dementia, study suggests

A pre-existing diagnosis of dementia was associated with increased risk of death for older patients with advanced colon cancer; however, some of the effects of dementia on survival could be mediated by receipt of chemotherapy.

22 Sep 2017

New tissue-chip research aims to speed drug development for two genetic forms of epilepsy

An interdisciplinary team of Vanderbilt University researchers has received a two-year, $2-million federal grant to develop an "organ-on-chip" model for two genetic forms of epilepsy. These disorders affect both brain and heart and improved modeling could lead to new drug treatments.

22 Sep 2017

Study may contribute to genetic understanding of high-altitude adaptation

Many research groups have recently explored human adaptation and successfully identified candidate genes to high altitude living among three major far-flung global populations: Tibetans, Ethiopians and Peruvians.

22 Sep 2017

Alternative splicing may also trigger cancer, study shows

Cancer, which is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, arises from the disruption of essential mechanisms of the normal cell life cycle, such as replication control, DNA repair and cell death.

22 Sep 2017

Time spent outdoors impacts risk for contracting Zika virus

When Zika first buzzed into the continental United States during the 2016 outbreak, Florida was hit first--and hardest--with 1,174 documented cases to date. So, when Marco Ajelli, associate research scientist at Northeastern and an expert in infectious disease modeling, wanted to study how time spent outside might affect the spread of the epidemic, he chose to focus on the state's most stricken county: Miami-Dade.

22 Sep 2017

Experts advise new measures to combat antimicrobial resistance

An expert panel was formed in the United States to advise the government on how to deal with the problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a growing menace. This panel has now come up with a set of recommendations that could help reduce AMR in humans and animals. Recommendations include development of new vaccines against infections, development of better diagnostic tools to detect the infections early and also new therapies to handle the infections.

22 Sep 2017

Majority of people not being screened for AF and stroke risk factors, report reveals

New research released today by The Economist Intelligence Unit, a division of The Economist and a leader in global business intelligence, revealed that on average, more than 75 percent of people aged 65 and older worldwide are not being screened for atrial fibrillation (AF) and other common stroke risk factors during routine primary care examinations, even though this population is at high risk for stroke.

21 Sep 2017