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The human brain is the center of the human nervous system and is a highly complex organ. Enclosed in the cranium, it has the same general structure as the brains of other mammals, but is over three times as large as the brain of a typical mammal with an equivalent body size.

Registration open for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis healthcare summit

The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF) announced today that registration is now open for the IPF Summit 2011: From Bench to Bedside. The conference will feature an innovative two-day continuing medical education (CME) program for physicians, researchers, and other health care professionals. Additionally there will be a separate one-day patient, family member, and caregiver program to address the growing educational needs of the idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) community.

14 Feb 2011

Less than one-third of acute stroke patients receive clot-busting drug within 60 minutes of hospital arrival

Every minute counts after the onset of a stroke. The more time that elapses before a patient receives an intravenous drug to help break up the clot that is blocking a blood vessel in the brain, the slimmer the chances of a good outcome.

14 Feb 2011

Novel technology to diagnose Alzheimer's disease before symptoms appear

UT Southwestern Medical Center scientists have helped develop a novel technology to diagnose Alzheimer's disease from blood samples long before symptoms appear.

14 Feb 2011

Interaction of two genes helps growing nerve cells realise reaching of target

The human brain consists of approximately one hundred billion nerve cells. Each of these cells needs to connect to specific other cells during the brain's development in order to form a fully functional organism. Yet how does a nerve cell know where it should grow and which cells to contact? Scientists of the Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology in Martinsried have now shown that growing nerve cells realise when they've reached their target area in the fly brain thanks to the interaction of two genes.

14 Feb 2011

CX3CL1 signaling chemical can offer better understanding of Parkinson's disease

Targeting the neuroinflammatory causes of Parkinson's disease with a naturally present brain chemical signal could offer a better understanding of the clinical mechanisms of the disease and open a future therapeutic window, reports a team of researchers from the University of South Florida Department Neurosurgery and Brain Repair and the James A. Haley Veterans' Administration Hospital, Tampa.

14 Feb 2011

UH Case Stroke and Cerebrovascular Center increases tPA use for ischemic stroke by 13.5 times

University Hospitals Stroke and Cerebrovascular Center recently reported that it has increased the use of tPA or "clot busting therapy" for ischemic stroke by 13.5 times throughout UH system hospitals since implementing the System Stroke Program. Launched in 2008, SSP sought to increase access to the lifesaving treatment for acute ischemic stroke patients in the 15 counties surrounding Cleveland.

14 Feb 2011

New clinical trial to test surgery specifically for Type 2 diabetes

A new clinical trial at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center is among the first to test surgery specifically for Type 2 diabetes. The aim of the study is to understand whether surgery can control diabetes, as well or even better than the best medical treatment available today. This is the first study of its kind open to patients who are overweight or mildly obese.

14 Feb 2011

Spinal cord sugar residues regulate growth and survival of nerve cells: Study

Researchers in Bochum have found out that certain sugar residues in the spinal cord regulate the growth and survival of nerve cells which control the movement of muscles. "We hope that our findings can improve regenerative treatment of nerve injuries", explains Prof. Dr. Stefan Wiese from the Molecular Cell Biology study group.

14 Feb 2011

Researchers discover mechanism for normalizing blood sugar without insulin need

Diabetes can result from either a deficiency of insulin or decreased sensitivity to insulin. Researchers at Children's Hospital Boston have discovered a mechanism for normalizing blood sugar that doesn't involve insulin and could offer a new therapeutic approach to both kinds of diabetes.

14 Feb 2011

Neurologic and neurosurgical patients do not receive therapy to prevent VTE: Study

Patients with strokes, brain tumors and spinal cord injuries are at high risk for life-threatening blood clots, but many do not receive preventive therapy, Loyola University Health System researchers report.

14 Feb 2011

Study: Leptin resistance may help prevent ARDS, ALI development in patients with type II diabetes

Resistance to leptin, a protein that plays a key role in regulating metabolism and appetite, may help prevent the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome and acute lung injury in individuals with type II diabetes, according to a study conducted by researchers in Chicago.

13 Feb 2011

Men and women who eat berries may have lower risk of developing Parkinson's disease

New research shows men and women who regularly eat berries may have a lower risk of developing Parkinson's disease, while men may also further lower their risk by regularly eating apples, oranges and other sources rich in dietary components called flavonoids.

13 Feb 2011

Silent strokes can cause long-term cognitive, learning deficits in children with sickle cell disease

Silent strokes, which have no immediate symptoms but could cause long-term cognitive and learning deficits, occur in a significant number of severely anemic children, especially those with sickle cell disease, according to research presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2011.

13 Feb 2011

Study finds LC damage and reduction in noradrenaline levels in brain are linked with MS

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago have shown for the first time that damage to a particular area of the brain and a consequent reduction in noradrenaline are associated with multiple sclerosis.

13 Feb 2011

Scientists produce SR-3306 compound to protect brain cells from Parkinson's disease

Scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have produced the first known compound to show significant effectiveness in protecting brain cells directly affected by Parkinson's disease, a progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disorder.

13 Feb 2011

Ski helmets prevent head injuries by 35%: Study

According to experts there is evidence that helmets help protect downhill skiers and snowboarders from head injuries, but more needs to be done to encourage helmet use.

13 Feb 2011

HIV infection in mothers reduces disease resistance in babies: Study

New research suggests that babies whose mothers have HIV, but are not HIV-infected themselves, are born with lower levels of specific proteins in their blood called antibodies, which fight infection, compared with babies not exposed to HIV.

13 Feb 2011

Gene GFPT1 crucial in causing variation of Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome

The gene, GFPT1, has been identified by researchers at Newcastle University working with international colleagues, as crucial in causing a variation of Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome (CMS).

11 Feb 2011

Guide star and time-reversal mirror in biomedical imaging

Astronomers have a neat trick they sometimes use to compensate for the turbulence of the atmosphere that blurs images made by ground-based telescopes. They create an artificial star called a guide star and use its twinkling to compensate for the atmospheric turbulence.

11 Feb 2011

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Registration open for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis healthcare summit

Less than one-third of acute stroke patients receive clot-busting drug within 60 minutes of hospital arrival

Novel technology to diagnose Alzheimer's disease before symptoms appear

Interaction of two genes helps growing nerve cells realise reaching of target

CX3CL1 signaling chemical can offer better understanding of Parkinson's disease

UH Case Stroke and Cerebrovascular Center increases tPA use for ischemic stroke by 13.5 times

New clinical trial to test surgery specifically for Type 2 diabetes

Spinal cord sugar residues regulate growth and survival of nerve cells: Study

Researchers discover mechanism for normalizing blood sugar without insulin need

Neurologic and neurosurgical patients do not receive therapy to prevent VTE: Study

Study: Leptin resistance may help prevent ARDS, ALI development in patients with type II diabetes

Men and women who eat berries may have lower risk of developing Parkinson's disease

Silent strokes can cause long-term cognitive, learning deficits in children with sickle cell disease

Study finds LC damage and reduction in noradrenaline levels in brain are linked with MS

Scientists produce SR-3306 compound to protect brain cells from Parkinson's disease

Ski helmets prevent head injuries by 35%: Study

HIV infection in mothers reduces disease resistance in babies: Study

Gene GFPT1 crucial in causing variation of Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome

Guide star and time-reversal mirror in biomedical imaging

More research needed to determine link between folic acid and breast cancer

Achieving and maintaining ISO 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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