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Oversized tonsils and tongue indentations increase risk for OSA

According to a new study led by University at Buffalo orthodontic researcher Thikriat Al-Jewair, dentists are in the unique position as health care professionals to pinpoint signs of obstructive sleep apnea, a disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep due to blocked upper airways

9 Mar 2016

Surgeon's learning curve linked to fatality rates of oesophageal cancer patients

According to a major Swedish cohort study from researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and Imperial College London, a surgeon who operates on oesophageal cancer must have performed 60 operations to prevent any lack of experience adversely affecting the long-term survival of the patients. The finding, which is published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, has potential significance for clinical practice.

9 Mar 2016

Scientists discover brain mechanisms that separate food consumption from cravings

Researchers investigating eating disorders often study chemical and neurological functions in the brain to discover clues to overeating. Understanding non-homeostatic eating -- or eating that is driven more by palatability, habit and food cues -- and how it works in the brain may help neuroscientists determine how to control cravings, maintain healthier weights and promote healthier lifestyles. Scientists at the University of Missouri recently discovered the chemical circuits and mechanisms in the brain that separate food consumption from cravings. Knowing more about these mechanisms could help researchers develop drugs that reduce overeating.

9 Mar 2016

New software takes ensemble approach to determine presence of chemical structure in drug molecule

A computer program that can predict whether or not a given pharmaceutical will have worrying side effects has been developed by researchers in the USA. Md Jamiul Jahid and Jianhua Ruan of the Department of Computer Science, at the University of Texas at San Antonio, have developed the "in silico" testing system for drugs in the early stage of drug development.

9 Mar 2016

Shift in workforce model in public mental health clinics may affect efforts to improve services

Community mental health clinics, where most specialty mental health treatment is delivered, have been relying more on independent contractors to treat patients, largely for budgetary reasons. Many of these clinics have simultaneously been moving towards the greater use of evidence-based psychosocial practices , broadly defined as talk therapies that are informed by rigorous research as well as clinician expertise and patient preferences.

9 Mar 2016

UWF scanning technology increases identification of diabetic retinopathy

In a national clinical trial led by Joslin Diabetes Center's Beetham Eye Institute, ultrawide field scanning technology significantly improved the ability of experts at a remote central location to identify diabetic retinopathy in a patient, and to judge whether the eye disease warranted referring the patient to an ophthalmologist for further care.

9 Mar 2016

Novel nanoparticle technology can decipher protein structures and help access drug targets

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, have developed a nanoparticle technology that can be used to stabilise membrane proteins so that their structure can be studied in a lipid environment. The method, described in Nature Methods, makes it possible to access drug targets that previously could not be investigated and therefore potentially allows for the development of novel drugs, therapeutic antibodies and vaccines.

9 Mar 2016

Hematopoietic reprogramming can lead to differentiated blood products for cell-replacement therapy

Building upon previous work, researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai identified cells in the embryos of mice that are precursors to blood stem cells or hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells.

9 Mar 2016

Clinical review examines benefit of RT in breast cancer patients with BRCA1, BRCA2 mutations

In light of conflicting and inconclusive clinical data on the benefit of radiation therapy in cancer patients with the BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation, a clinical review examined the current status of data regarding BRCA1 and BRCA2 deficiency and radiation therapy sensitivity and a potential strategy to intensify the effects of radiation therapy (RT) by poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi), the pharmacologic drugs under investigation as monotherapy for the treatment of breast cancer in patients with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations.

9 Mar 2016

Bilberries can be utilised in food products to boost dietary fibre intake

Bilberries - a unique part of the Nordic diet - could be utilised in higher amounts in food products to increase our dietary fibre intake. VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd took an interest in bilberry press cake and developed methods to use it as a dietary fibre source in tasty snacks.

9 Mar 2016

Startling lack of resistance genes discovered in intensively-farmed beef

In the first study to track antibiotic resistance in intensively-farmed beef, scientists discovered a "startling" lack of resistance genes in meat.Meanwhile, in soil and faeces samples from cattle pens they found genes resistant to a powerful "last resort" class of antibiotics called carpabemens that aren't used in the livestock industry. These genes may have jumped from humans or companion animals to livestock, or could even be present at low levels in the wider environment.

9 Mar 2016

Gut microbial imbalance appears to be underlying cause of fatal intestinal illness in premature babies

An imbalance of certain gut microbes appears to be the underlying cause of a frequently fatal intestinal illness in premature babies, according to new research led by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

9 Mar 2016

Alcohol worst of all drugs that affect fetal health

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention set off a firestorm of controversy this month when they suggested that women stop drinking alcohol if they are trying to get pregnant, or could get pregnant. Some people took this advice as the CDC prioritizing hypothetical, yet-to-be-conceived children over real women, which has brought up a number of issues from female autonomy to access to birth control—but how clear is the science about what causes fetal alcohol syndrome and related fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.

9 Mar 2016

Physicians miss opportunities for detection and management of people with prediabetes

Less than one-quarter of patients who met the criteria for prediabetes received drug or lifestyle modification treatment from their primary care physician, according to University of Florida researchers, who say the findings indicate physicians are missing opportunities for diabetes prevention.

9 Mar 2016

Brain Awareness Week: University of Leicester to host free event to raise awareness of neurological research

The University of Leicester is to host a free event which coincides with a global initiative aimed at raising awareness of neurological research.

9 Mar 2016

Thermo Fisher exhibits new UHPLC-MS workflow solutions for biopharmaceutical characterization at Pittcon 2016

Biopharmaceutical companies can now achieve advanced levels of specificity, sensitivity and speed with specialized analytical workflow solutions for the characterization and quantification of proteins.

From Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. 9 Mar 2016

Research proves importance of designing patient interactions with medical technologies

Patients risk experiencing anxiety and fear when health care does not meet individual patients' needs. New approaches to reduce anxiety for instance over radiotherapy are needed and design research is well-suited to meet these challenges. This is according to a dissertation at Umeå University in Sweden.

9 Mar 2016

Reconstructive surgery using custom-made spinal rods may improve outcomes

Custom fit is the key when it comes to spinal implant rods, which an estimated 38,000 people need each year. This need is especially great for people who have a spinal deformity such as scoliosis, which causes the spine to twist and turn into complex and sometimes dangerous positions. In 2011, an estimated 1.6 million people received treatment for scoliosis according to the Bone and Joint Initiative, a consortium of professional medical societies.

9 Mar 2016

Chapman University psychologist-led study examines men's body satisfaction

A Chapman University psychologist has just published the results of a national study examining how men feel about their bodies and their attractiveness. Long thought to be an issue primarily faced by women, body dissatisfaction was identified as a common issue among men in the largest examination of body image to date.

9 Mar 2016

Mindful eating could improve heart health, glucose levels

Given the high stress levels, extended periods of screen time and regular social outings many Americans experience day-to-day in environments where high-calorie foods are readily available, it can be easy to fall into the habit of mindless eating - where we're too distracted to pay attention to how much, what and why we're eating. Research suggests that practicing mindfulness - or taking the time to bring awareness to present-moment experiences with an open attitude of curiosity and non-judgment - can be effective in allowing us to make more thoughtful food choices and recognize when we are hungry, satisfied or full.

9 Mar 2016

Medical Research News

Oversized tonsils and tongue indentations increase risk for OSA

Surgeon's learning curve linked to fatality rates of oesophageal cancer patients

Scientists discover brain mechanisms that separate food consumption from cravings

New software takes ensemble approach to determine presence of chemical structure in drug molecule

Shift in workforce model in public mental health clinics may affect efforts to improve services

UWF scanning technology increases identification of diabetic retinopathy

Novel nanoparticle technology can decipher protein structures and help access drug targets

Hematopoietic reprogramming can lead to differentiated blood products for cell-replacement therapy

Clinical review examines benefit of RT in breast cancer patients with BRCA1, BRCA2 mutations

Bilberries can be utilised in food products to boost dietary fibre intake

Startling lack of resistance genes discovered in intensively-farmed beef

Gut microbial imbalance appears to be underlying cause of fatal intestinal illness in premature babies

Alcohol worst of all drugs that affect fetal health

Physicians miss opportunities for detection and management of people with prediabetes

Brain Awareness Week: University of Leicester to host free event to raise awareness of neurological research

Thermo Fisher exhibits new UHPLC-MS workflow solutions for biopharmaceutical characterization at Pittcon 2016

Research proves importance of designing patient interactions with medical technologies

Reconstructive surgery using custom-made spinal rods may improve outcomes

Chapman University psychologist-led study examines men's body satisfaction

Mindful eating could improve heart health, glucose levels

Real-time Raman monitoring for pharmaceutical hot melt extrusion

Synthetic Psychedelics: A Growing Public Health Concern

How the Vutara VXL simplifies single-molecule imaging

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