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Researchers to test effectiveness of wristwatch-like devices for detecting sleep apnea in TBI patients

Researchers from the Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute will participate in a national study to determine whether medical devices used in the home can diagnose sleep apnea that often develops after traumatic brain injuries.

18 Apr 2017

Discovery of additional viral reservoir reveals new target for HIV cure research

HIV cure research to date has focused on clearing the virus from T cells, a type of white blood cell that is an essential part of the immune system.

17 Apr 2017

Study investigates differences between heavy and light drinkers

Heavy drinkers develop behavioral tolerance to alcohol over time on some fine motor tasks, but not on more complex tasks, according to a study led by a Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System researcher. While heavy drinkers showed less impairment than light drinkers on a rote fine motor test over time, they did not perform better on a test involving more short-term memory, motor speed, and more complex cognitive processing.

14 Apr 2017

Common drugs, uncommon risks? Higher rate of serious problems after short-term steroid use

Millions of times a year, Americans get prescriptions for a week's worth of steroid pills, hoping to ease a backache or quell a nagging cough or allergy symptoms. But a new study suggests that they and their doctors might want to pay a bit more attention to the potential side effects of this medication.

14 Apr 2017

Aspirin therapy may not provide benefits to people with peripheral vascular disease, study finds

Aspirin use may not provide cardiovascular benefits for patients who have peripheral vascular disease, an analysis by University of Florida Health researchers has found.

13 Apr 2017

Gladstone scientists discover common mechanism that links neurodegeneration in young and old

Scientists at the Gladstone Institutes and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), identified a common mechanism in two forms of neurodegeneration that affect young adults or the elderly.

12 Apr 2017

Scientists discover novel therapeutic target for retinal neovascularization

A team led by Massachusetts Eye and Ear researchers has identified a novel therapeutic target for retinal neovascularization, or abnormal blood vessel growth in the retina, a hallmark of advanced diabetic eye disease (proliferative diabetic retinopathy).

11 Apr 2017

History of early life abuse may affect concentration abilities

Does a history of abuse before the age of 18 affect later capacity to concentrate and stay focused? According to a new study Veterans with a history of physical or sexual abuse or witnessing family violence before the age of 18 have a reduced ability to concentrate compared to Veterans who were not abused

10 Apr 2017

Pitt develops new motorized wheelchair that runs on compressed air

A new waterproof motorized wheelchair that runs entirely on compressed air was unveiled today at Morgan's Wonderland, a 25-acre theme park in San Antonio, Texas.

7 Apr 2017

Study shows how chemical modification in the retinal can improve vision

A light-sensing pigment found in everything from bacteria to vertebrates can be biochemically manipulated to reset itself, an important therapeutic advantage, according to new research out of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

6 Apr 2017

Cow's milk decreases the body's ability to absorb oral thyroid hormone medication

Taking the common oral thyroid hormone medication levothyroxine with a glass of cow's milk significantly decreases the body's ability to absorb the drug, a preliminary study finds. Results will be presented Sunday at ENDO 2017, the Endocrine Society's 99th annual meeting in Orlando, Fla.

2 Apr 2017

Neuro-prosthesis helps man with complete paralysis to regain hand and arm movements, study shows

A man who was paralysed from the shoulders down has been able to feed himself and drink as a result of a novel neuro-prosthesis which reconnects his brain with his muscles.

29 Mar 2017

Veterans treated for schizophrenia less likely to use alcohol than general population, study finds

U.S. military veterans who are being treated for schizophrenia are much less likely to drink any alcohol than the general population.

28 Mar 2017

Transgender college students more likely to experience negative consequences from drinking

A survey of more than 422,000 college freshmen found that students who identified as transgender were more likely than their cisgender peers to experience negative consequences from drinking, including memory blackouts, academic problems and conflicts such as arguments or physical fights.

24 Mar 2017

Brain makes new connections in blind people to enhance compensatory abilities

The brains of those who are born blind make new connections in the absence of visual information, resulting in enhanced, compensatory abilities such as a heightened sense of hearing, smell and touch, as well as cognitive functions (such as memory and language) according to a new study led by Massachusetts Eye and Ear researchers.

23 Mar 2017

Study shows safety of Schwann cell transplantation for treating subacute thoracic spinal cord injury

A Phase I clinical trial that targeted individuals with new onset paraplegia to evaluate the safety of transplanting their own potentially neuroprotective Schwann cells into a trauma-induced spinal cord lesion showed no evidence of adverse effects after 1 year.

22 Mar 2017

Advance care planning often fails to communicate patient's preferences

Too few older adults plan ahead for end-of-life medical decisions. Even when they do identify a loved one to make decisions for them, their preferences are not always communicated or understood, according to a new study led by a Yale researcher.

20 Mar 2017

Drug or alcohol problems among veterans may increase risk of suicide, study finds

Veterans who have drug or alcohol problems are more than twice as likely to die by suicide as their comrades, a new study finds. And women veterans with substance use disorders have an even higher rate of suicide -- more than five times that of their peers, the research shows.

16 Mar 2017

Study warns against use of bone morphogenetic proteins in pediatric spinal fusion

Bone morphogenetic proteins, commonly used off-label to enhance pediatric spinal fusion (spinal arthrodesis), did not improve revision rates for pediatric spinal fusion, according to a study presented on March 14 at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting in San Diego.

15 Mar 2017

ER visits may serve as effective 'teachable moments' for drug use, study suggests

An emergency room visit for an illness or injury may seem like a strange time to try to motivate someone to cut back on using drugs.

13 Mar 2017