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Variations in movement patterns indicate severity of autism spectrum disorder

Imperceptible variations in movement patterns among individuals with autism spectrum disorder are important indicators of the severity of the disorder in children and adults, according to a report presented at the 2014 Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in November.

2 Dec 2014

Faster and more accurate method for testing new cancer drugs

Finding faster and more accurate ways to test new cancer drugs is always a priority for cancer researchers.

2 Dec 2014

Antacid medicines improve overall survival in patients with head and neck cancer

Patients with head and neck cancer who used antacid medicines to control acid reflux had better overall survival, according to a new study from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.

2 Dec 2014

Study: Heavier newborns do better in school

Birth weight makes a difference to a child's future academic performance, according to new Northwestern University research that found heavier newborns do better in elementary and middle school than infants with lower birth weights.

2 Dec 2014

Children with change in SUFU gene more likely to develop brain tumour

Gorlin syndrome causes an increased risk of developing cancers of the skin and, rarely, in the brain. Around 1 in 30,000 people has the condition.

From The University of Manchester 2 Dec 2014

New therapeutic targets can prevent scarring within transplanted kidneys

Kidneys donated by people born with a small variation in the code of a key gene may be more likely, once in the transplant recipient, to accumulate scar tissue that contributes to kidney failure, according to a study led by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and published today in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

2 Dec 2014

UT Austin researchers identify network of genes that drives alcohol dependence

Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have identified a network of genes that appear to work together in determining alcohol dependence. The findings, which could lead to future treatments and therapies for alcoholics and possibly help doctors screen for alcoholism, are being published this week in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.

2 Dec 2014

HIV's ability to cause AIDS is declining, finds new research

The rapid evolution of HIV, which has allowed the virus to develop resistance to patients' natural immunity, is at the same time slowing the virus's ability to cause AIDS, according to new research funded by the Wellcome Trust.

2 Dec 2014

New cellPACK software can help explore human cells in more detail

Researchers can now explore viruses, bacteria and components of the human body in more detail than ever before with software developed at The Scripps Research Institute.

2 Dec 2014

Researchers explore how to turn on the activity of paternal gene

Most genes are inherited as two working copies, one from the mother and one from the father. However, in a few instances, a gene is imprinted, which means that one copy is silenced. This is called genomic imprinting. If the active copy is mutated, then disease results, even though the silenced gene copy may be normal.

2 Dec 2014

BioMed Central plans to publish new journal Research Involvement and Engagement

The open access publisher BioMed Central is pleased to announce its plans to publish the new innovative journal Research Involvement and Engagement, which aims to publish its first articles in June 2015.

2 Dec 2014

Physiologists use new method to identify two odorant receptors in live mice

A group of physiologists led by University of Kentucky's Tim McClintock have identified the receptors activated by two odors using a new method that tracks responses to smells in live mice.

2 Dec 2014

Young adults who skip college are at higher risk for nonmedical prescription opioid use

A study just released by Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health compared the use of prescription opioids and stimulants among high school graduates, non-graduates, and their college-attending peers, and found that young adults who do not attend college are at particularly high risk for nonmedical prescription opioid use and disorder.

2 Dec 2014

Global stem cell market estimated to reach US$117.66B in 2018

Stem cells have the potential to transform healthcare by enabling the cost-effective treatment of many conditions that currently have poor treatment options.

2 Dec 2014

(RED) raises money for ‘Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria’

As the world reaches a tipping point in the AIDS fight, (RED) and its iconic partners Apple, Bank of America, The Coca-Cola Company and Starbucks marked World AIDS Day 2014 by rallying millions of people around the AIDS fight, and raising money for the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.

2 Dec 2014

Study paves way for further research on brain evolution

The neocortex is the part of the brain that enables us to speak, dream, or think. The underlying mechanism that led to the expansion of this brain region during evolution, however, is not yet understood. A research team headed by Wieland Huttner, director at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, now reports an important finding that paves the way for further research on brain evolution: The researchers analyzed the gyrencephaly index, indicating the degree of cortical folding, of 100 mammalian brains and identified a threshold value that separates mammalian species into two distinct groups: Those above the threshold have highly folded brains, whereas those below it have only slightly folded or unfolded brains.

2 Dec 2014

Otsuka Pharmaceutical to acquire Avanir Pharmaceuticals for $3.5B

Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. pursuant to which Otsuka will acquire Avanir for $17.00 per share in cash.

2 Dec 2014

When private health care prices decrease, Medicare utilization increases

When private prices for health care services decrease, Medicare spending increases, according to a new study. The finding raises the possibility that physicians and hospitals may be shifting some services to Medicare when they stand to make more money by doing so -- though further research will be needed to clearly identify the cause, according to the study's authors.

2 Dec 2014

Novartis to highlight advances in blood, breast cancer research at ASH and SABCS 2014

Novartis will highlight more than 250 abstracts demonstrating advances in blood and breast cancer research at the upcoming American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting December 6-9, and CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) December 9-13.

2 Dec 2014

Co-enzyme Q supplement lowers age-associated damage that leads to heart disease

New research involving rats, and published in the December 2014 issue of The FASEB Journal, suggests that if you were born at a low birth weight, supplemental co-enzyme Q (CoQ) may lower your risk for heart disease.

2 Dec 2014