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Androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer may up Alzheimer's disease risk

Men taking androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer were almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in the years that followed than those who didn't undergo the therapy, an analysis of medical records from two large hospital systems by Penn Medicine and Stanford University researchers has shown.

8 Dec 2015

Web-based survey system for symptom collection benefits cancer patients

Systematic collection of cancer patients' symptoms using computer surveys was linked to less frequent emergency room admissions, longer average chemotherapy adherence, greater quality of life improvements, and improved survival, according to a new randomized, controlled trial spearheaded by a UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center researcher.

8 Dec 2015

Open online courses key to transforming dementia healthcare workforces?

Many of our lives have been touched by dementia and with an ageing population the challenge of finding a sustainable solution can seem insurmountable. The recent House of Commons Reception hosted by the University of Derby, however, highlighted some innovative approaches to health and social care development that may enable our workforces to cope with the hurdles that lie ahead.

From University of Derby Online Learning 8 Dec 2015

New Loyola Center for Cancer Care & Research opens at Palos Community Hospital

The new Loyola Center for Cancer Care & Research at Palos Community Hospital is offering cancer patients academic level care close to home.

8 Dec 2015

Existing compound offers hope for slowing Huntington's disease progression

Currently, there is no treatment to halt the progression of Huntington's disease (HD), a fatal genetic disorder that slowly robs sufferers of their physical and mental abilities. Now, researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have discovered that an existing compound, previously tested for diabetes, offers hope for slowing HD and its symptoms.

8 Dec 2015

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells may not contribute to late-stage lupus

For years, biomedical researchers have suspected that a specific set of immune cells are responsible for causing disease in lupus patients, but until now they haven't known for sure one way or the other.

8 Dec 2015

CTTV launches new web platform for identifying therapeutic targets

The Centre for Therapeutic Target Validation (CTTV) has launched a new web platform for life-science researchers that helps them identify therapeutic targets for new and repurposed medicines. Today's launch underscores the CTTV's commitment to share its data openly to benefit the broader scientific community.

8 Dec 2015

Eating together with colleagues improves job performance

Plenty of companies invest big money to provide their employees with upscale workplace eateries or at least catered meals. But are those companies getting a good return on their investment? According to a new Cornell University study, the answer is yes.

8 Dec 2015

Paracetamol provides no benefits in fighting influenza virus

Some doctors may recommend that patients with the flu take acetaminophen, or paracetemol, to relieve their symptoms; however, a new randomized clinical trial found no benefits to the over-the-counter medication in terms of fighting the influenza virus or reducing patients' temperature or other symptoms.

8 Dec 2015

Penile prostheses benefit men with erectile dysfunction

Most men who receive penile prostheses are very satisfied with the implants, indicating that the intervention is a valid treatment for erectile dysfunction.

8 Dec 2015

Macrophages play key role in maintaining healthy arteries after inflammation

Researchers from the University of Toronto have found that a specific cell type plays a key role in maintaining healthy arteries after inflammation. It's a discovery that could provide treatment options for cardiovascular disease -- one of the leading causes of death in Canada.

8 Dec 2015

NEK7 enzyme acts as on-off switch in innate immune system

UT Southwestern Medical Center and California researchers today provide the first report that an enzyme previously known solely for its role in cell division also acts as an on-off switch in the innate immune system -- the body's first defense against infection.

8 Dec 2015

Young men with HIV engage in risky sexual behavior

Young men who have sex with men and have detectable levels of HIV were more likely to report not using a condom during anal intercourse with a partner not infected with HIV, compared with virologically suppressed young men who have sex with men, according to researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health.

8 Dec 2015

Pediatric chemotherapy regimen improves outcomes in young adults with ALL

Using a pediatric chemotherapy regimen to treat young adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) significantly improved their outcomes compared to what has historically been achieved with 'adult' treatment protocols, report Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists.

8 Dec 2015

Researchers discover 'triple attack' technique to target liver cancer tumors

In an interdisciplinary collaboration between prominent academic and industry investigators, researchers have discovered a novel method for repositioning an FDA-approved anti-cancer compound so it can specifically target liver cancer tumors. A 'triple attack' technique combining chemotherapy, thermal ablation, and hyperthermia provided a highly targeted, yet minimally invasive approach.

8 Dec 2015

Stanford researchers invent new technique to dramatically accelerate protein evolution

All living things require proteins, members of a vast family of molecules that nature "makes to order" according to the blueprints in DNA.

8 Dec 2015

First targeted treatment to improve survival of high-risk patients with acute myeloid leukemia

Midostaurin added to standard chemotherapy is the first targeted treatment to improve survival of a high-risk, genetically defined subgroup of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), reported Dr. Richard Stone, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, on behalf of the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology group, in a plenary session at the 57th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition in Orlando.

8 Dec 2015

Researchers discover unique muscle fibers of upper airways often present in sleep apnea patients

Researchers at Umeå University in Sweden have discovered unique muscle fibers in the soft palate of the mouth in both infants and adults. The fibers seem to be present in greater number in snorers and sleep apnea patients.

8 Dec 2015

Study provides new insights into relationship between taste, behavior

Evolutionary conserved brainstem circuits are the first relay for gustatory information in the vertebrate brain. While the brainstem circuits act as our life support system and they mediate vital taste related behaviors, the principles of gustatory computations in these circuits are poorly understood.

8 Dec 2015