Medical Research News

RSS

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

Novel high-resolution method helps study which genes are active in tissues

Scientists at Karolinska Institutet and the Royal Institute of Technology have devised a new high-resolution method for studying which genes are active in a tissue.

1 Jul 2016

Scientists develop new vaccine to stimulate both innate and specific adaptive response

Though a variety of immunotherapy-based strategies are being used against cancer, they are often hindered by the inability of the immune response to enter the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and to effectively mount a response to cancer cells.

1 Jul 2016

Study sheds more light on how bacteria rapidly causes infectious diseases

Researchers at Umea University are first to discover that bacteria can multiply disease-inducing genes which are needed to rapidly cause infection.

1 Jul 2016

New supplement could help reduce urge to consume high-calorie foods

Eating a type of powdered food supplement, based on a molecule produced by bacteria in the gut, reduces cravings for high-calorie foods such as chocolate, cake and pizza, a new study suggests.

1 Jul 2016

Implementation science may help prevent mother-to-child HIV transmissions

An emerging field, known as implementation science, may help reduce the nearly 150,000 instances of mother-to-child HIV transmissions that occur annually around the world, mostly in developing countries. c

1 Jul 2016

AHR plays role in modulating the body's innate immune response to viral infections

A receptor, first known for its role in mediating the harmful effects of the environmental pollutant dioxin in our body, is now understood to play other important roles in modulating the innate immune response.

1 Jul 2016

Scientists investigate molecular mechanisms that regulate STAT3 activity

Hokkaido University scientists are getting closer to understanding the function of a protein involved in vital cellular processes. This may lead to the discovery of drugs that can treat some cancers and autoimmune disorders.

1 Jul 2016

Researchers discover surprising mismatch on either side of dopaminergic synapses

Neurons are cells that transmit nerve impulses. Dopamine neurons are the main source of the chemical dopamine in the central nervous system and are few in number compared to other types of neurons in the brain.

1 Jul 2016

Nutritional interventions may help prevent detrimental brain ageing

Ageing is a highly complex process marked by a succession of events that may lead to an altered brain function, including neurodegenerative diseases. To date, the precise cause of cognitive decline remains quite elusive.

1 Jul 2016

Key warning signs of mental health problems in adults and children

The National Institute of Mental Health says one in five adults suffers from a diagnosable mental disorder, affecting more than 43 million people in a given year, an issue highlighted recently by the publicized struggles of prominent athletes like NFL quarterback Johnny Manziel and Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps.

1 Jul 2016

Study assesses prevalence of delirium among survivors of cardiac arrest treated with hypothermia

A study in the American Journal of Critical Care found a remarkably high prevalence of delirium in a small cohort of critically ill patients treated with therapeutic hypothermia after cardiac arrest.

1 Jul 2016

Paracetamol use during pregnancy linked to hyperactivity, autism spectrum symptoms in children

A new study has found that paracetamol (acetaminophen), which is used extensively during pregnancy, has a strong association with autism spectrum symptoms in boys and for both genders in relation to attention-related and hyperactivity symptoms.

1 Jul 2016

Wolbachia bacterium can prevent mosquitoes from transmitting Zika virus

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have confirmed that a benign bacterium called Wolbachia pipientis can completely block transmission of Zika virus in Aedes aegypti, the mosquito species responsible for passing the virus to humans.

1 Jul 2016

Undiagnosed hearing issues may lead to social isolation, cognitive impairment in seniors

Senior citizens with undiagnosed or untreated hearing problems are more likely to suffer from social isolation and cognitive impairment, a UBC study has found.

1 Jul 2016

SLU researchers receive federal grant to study Zika virus

Saint Louis University vaccine researchers have received $1.3 million in federal funding to study Zika, as part of a multi-site study funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health.

1 Jul 2016

Discrimination linked to heavy and hazardous drinking

In the late 1980s, researchers across the United States began reporting a link between discrimination against African Americans and poor cardiovascular health within the African American population.

1 Jul 2016

Scientists discover new way to predict risk for delayed recovery in children with AML

The chemotherapy treatments necessary to treat Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) in children can be grueling on the body, and can cause health-related complications during therapy, as well as long down the road after remission.

1 Jul 2016

Targeted molecular therapy reduces initial development of NAFLD in mice

Researchers report in the journal Cell Reports a targeted molecular therapy that dramatically reduces the initial development of Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) in laboratory mouse models of the disease.

1 Jul 2016

Women with BRCA1 gene mutation at increased risk of aggressive uterine cancer

Women who carry the BRCA1 gene mutation that dramatically increases their risk of breast and ovarian cancers are also at higher risk for a lethal form of uterine cancer, according to a study led by a Duke Cancer Institute researcher.

1 Jul 2016