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Medical marijuana reduces use of prescription drugs, research finds

Medical marijuana is having a positive impact on the bottom line of Medicare's prescription drug benefit program in states that have legalized its use for medicinal purposes, according to University of Georgia researchers in a study published today in the July issue of Health Affairs.

8 Jul 2016

New genetic test provides rapid diagnosis of mitochondrial disease

Newcastle researchers have developed a genetic test providing a rapid diagnosis of mitochondrial disorders to identify the first patients with inherited mutations in a new disease gene.

7 Jul 2016

TKCI Srujana Innovation Award launched to combat corneal blindness

The Tej Kohli Cornea Institute [TKCI] in partnership with world-renowned LV Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) is proud to announce the launch of the TKCI Srujana Innovation Award. The award encourages ideas that will lead to the next big breakthrough in treatment of corneal blindness. It launches in conjunction with the fourth annual ‘Engineering The Eye Workshop’ at which LVPEI clinicians and MIT engineers meet every July in Hyderabad, India.

5 Jul 2016

Risk of blindness from spinal-fusion surgery has declined, study shows

The risk of blindness caused by spinal fusion, one of the most common surgeries performed in the U.S., has dropped almost three-fold since the late 1990s, according to the largest study of the topic to date.

1 Jul 2016

Researchers develop 2D culture system that mimics development of the whole eye

Research groups led by Professor Kohji Nishida of the Department of Ophthalmology and Endowed Associate Professor Ryuhei Hayashi of the Department of Stem Cells and Applied Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, developed a 2D culture system which mimics the development of the whole eye by promoting cell-autonomous differentiation of human iPS cells.

30 Jun 2016

Transorbital ACS can improve vision in patients with glaucoma, optic nerve damage

Vision loss due to glaucoma or optic nerve damage is generally considered irreversible. Now a new prospective, randomized, multi-center clinical trial demonstrates significant vision improvement in partially blind patients after 10 days of noninvasive, transorbital alternating current stimulation.

30 Jun 2016

New AAV 3.0 program to create next-generation viral vectors for better treatment of inherited diseases

The Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania has launched a new program, called AAV 3.0, to create new viral vectors to find quicker and better treatments for an array of diseases. James M. Wilson, MD, PhD, a professor of Medicine and director of the Orphan Disease Center, will lead an interdisciplinary team of over 30 scientists to create this new technology platform with support provided by the University of Pennsylvania Health System.

30 Jun 2016

Experts compile model list of essential diagnostic tests aiming to improve global health

In a western doctor's office or hospital, patients don't think twice about giving a blood or urine sample that can tell if they have a disease or infection, or show if their medicines are working. The samples get rushed to a testing lab with modern equipment that's held to high quality standards.

30 Jun 2016

Pain reliever appears to help preserve vision in animal model of retinal degeneration

A pain medicine that potently activates a receptor vital to a healthy retina appears to help preserve vision in a model of severe retinal degeneration, scientists report.

28 Jun 2016

Latest online version of German Diabetes Risk Score optimized for mobile devices

The German Institute of Human Nutrition has updated the online version of its German Diabetes Risk Score and has optimized it for mobile devices.

23 Jun 2016

Study estimates real-world prevalence of myopic choroidal neovascularization in the U.S.

A new study estimates that 9.6 million adults in the United States are highly myopic, or severely nearsighted. Of those, nearly 820,000 have a degenerative form of the disease and more than 41,000 suffer a complication called myopic choroidal neovascularization that could cause long-term vision loss, with women at higher risk.

22 Jun 2016

Delayed healing linked to weaker electrical currents in diabetic wounds

People with diabetes often suffer from wounds that are slow to heal and can lead to ulcers, gangrene and amputation. New research from an international group led by Min Zhao, professor of ophthalmology and of dermatology at the University of California, Davis, shows that, in animal models of diabetes, slow healing is associated with weaker electrical currents in wounds.

17 Jun 2016

Researchers develop new method to combat VR sickness

Columbia Engineering Professor Steven K. Feiner and Ajoy Fernandes MS'16 have developed a method of combating virtual reality (VR) sickness that can be applied to consumer head-worn VR displays, such as the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Sony PlayStation VR, and Google Cardboard.

15 Jun 2016

Darapladib drug can protect against vision loss in diabetic patients

Researchers at Queen's University Belfast and University College London have discovered that a drug, originally developed to treat cardiovascular disease, has the potential to reduce diabetes related blindness.

14 Jun 2016

Scientists identify gene linked to severe glaucoma in children

Northwestern Medicine and University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists have identified a gene that causes severe glaucoma in children.

13 Jun 2016

Scientists developing cost-effective retinal scanner for early diagnosis of glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy

A European group of scientists are working on the development of a breakthrough, compact, cost-effective retinal scanner that will play a key role in targeting the early diagnosis of retinal diseases that are worldwide leading causes of blindness.

13 Jun 2016

Controlling corneal blindness by 2030: an interview with Dr Pravin Vaddavalli

Corneal blindness is estimated to be the second most prevalent cause of blindness in many less developed countries. Globally, bilateral corneal blindness is estimated to afflict 4.9 million persons and accounts for 12% of 39 million blind, utilizing WHO 2010 global blindness data.

13 Jun 2016

Dishwasher and laundry capsules pose threat to children

Parents are being warned of the major health risks of children mistaking potentially harmful dishwasher and laundry capsules for sweets, after figures showed at least one case is happening every day.

7 Jun 2016

New study identifies PDGFRα as key molecule for HCMV viral entry

A publication in the scientific journal Nature Microbiology identifies PDGFRα as the receptor for the trimeric gHgLgO complex of Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV).

7 Jun 2016

Few commercial weight loss programs show promise of benefit for diabetic patients

Johns Hopkins scientists who indirectly investigated the blood sugar effects of 10 (out of 32 selected) commercial weight loss programs say a few show promise of benefit for diabetic patients, but far more rigorous research is needed before doctors can wholeheartedly recommend them.

3 Jun 2016

Blindness News and Research

Medical marijuana reduces use of prescription drugs, research finds

New genetic test provides rapid diagnosis of mitochondrial disease

TKCI Srujana Innovation Award launched to combat corneal blindness

Risk of blindness from spinal-fusion surgery has declined, study shows

Researchers develop 2D culture system that mimics development of the whole eye

Transorbital ACS can improve vision in patients with glaucoma, optic nerve damage

New AAV 3.0 program to create next-generation viral vectors for better treatment of inherited diseases

Experts compile model list of essential diagnostic tests aiming to improve global health

Pain reliever appears to help preserve vision in animal model of retinal degeneration

Latest online version of German Diabetes Risk Score optimized for mobile devices

Study estimates real-world prevalence of myopic choroidal neovascularization in the U.S.

Delayed healing linked to weaker electrical currents in diabetic wounds

Researchers develop new method to combat VR sickness

Darapladib drug can protect against vision loss in diabetic patients

Scientists identify gene linked to severe glaucoma in children

Scientists developing cost-effective retinal scanner for early diagnosis of glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy

Controlling corneal blindness by 2030: an interview with Dr Pravin Vaddavalli

Dishwasher and laundry capsules pose threat to children

New study identifies PDGFRα as key molecule for HCMV viral entry

Few commercial weight loss programs show promise of benefit for diabetic patients

How ELRIG Is Helping Mid-Career Scientists Navigate Leadership, Career Change and Redundancy

The role of UV-Vis in biopharma QC

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