science wire

Newly approved drug for metastatic melanoma nearly doubles median survival
Researchers from UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, together with scientists from 12 other sites in the U.S. and Australia, report for the first time that a newly approved drug for metastatic melanoma nearly doubles the median survival time for patients with a common genetic mutation - a finding that will change the way this deadly form of skin cancer is treated.

A faster way to catch cells
New microfluidic device could be used to diagnose and monitor cancer and other diseases. Separating complex mixtures of cells, such as those found in a blood sample, can offer valuable information for diagnosing and treating disease. However, it may be necessary to search through billions of other cells to collect rare cells such as tumor cells, stem cells or fetal cells.

Neuroscientists join major EU consortium dedicated to advancing new Alzheimer’s disease therapies
Two Bristol University neuroscientists have become the only UK-based academic members of a major European Union-funded consortium dedicated to accelerating the next generation of Alzheimer's disease research and drug discovery.

University of California to Launch YouTube’s First University-run Original Channel
University of California Television (UCTV) will launch a new YouTube original channel on March 1 called UCTV Prime.

Injectable Gel Could Repair Tissue Damaged by Heart Attack
Tissue spins in a beaker at the end of the cleansing process that removes all of the cells. The process retains the tissue's structural proteins, a key component of the hydrogel. University of California, San Diego researchers have developed a new injectable hydrogel that could be an effective and safe treatment for tissue damage caused by heart attacks.

Under the Microscope #10 – Mouse tail skin
Through the work that I am completing, I hope that I can also gain a perspective as to what goes wrong in disease processes such as skin cancer." —Claire Cox Claire Cox: “

Recession increases work-related stress by 40 per cent, study finds
One in four workers experience work-related stress in times of recession — and work-related stress increases by 40 per cent overall, according to new research. A study, published in the journal Occupational Medicine , also found that the number of staff taking time off due to job stress increased by 25 per cent during an economic downturn.

King’s Health Partners proposes single organisation
King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC) is developing a business case for the creation of a new, single academic healthcare organisation which would provide both physical and mental healthcare.

New Book Ponders Ethical Issues of Genetic Testing
A patient who tested positive for the gene that leads to Huntington's disease wrestled with a host of questions.

Journal boycott gaining steam at UW-Madison
They are mad as hell, and not going to take it anymore. That describes an emerging response from more than 6,000 scientists to Elsevier , publisher of more than 2,500 scientific journals, including Cell and The Lancet. As the largest journal publisher in the world, Elsevier is able to command hefty subscription fees at university libraries.

Rare fungus kills endangered rattlesnakes in southern Illinois
CHAMPAIGN, lll. - A small population of rattlesnakes that already is in decline in southern Illinois faces a new and unexpected threat in the form of a fungus rarely seen in the wild, researchers report. The eastern massasauga rattlesnake ( Sistrurus catenatus catenatus ), a candidate for protection under the federal Endangered Species Act, suffers from habitat loss and environmental stresses wherever it is found, said University of Illinois comparative biosciences visiting instructor and wildlife veterinarian Matthew Allender, who led the health investigation.

Omega-3 linked with reduced risk for smallest babies
Omega-3 fatty acids may have a role in preventing heart attack or strokes in adults who were small at birth, according to University of Sydney researchers.

IPads show the way forward for medical imaging
Tablet computers such as the iPad are becoming more and more popular, but new research from the University of Sydney means they could soon be used in hospitals as a tool for doctors to view medical imaging. Results of the University of Sydney study, presented this month at the International Society for Optical Engineering (SPIE) Medical Imaging conference in San Diego, show tablet computers such as the iPad are as good as standard LCD computer screens when used as secondary display devices for viewing medical imaging.

Pluripotent stem cells: medical dream or ethical nightmare?
Paul Fairchild, University of Oxford, to give a public seminar tomorrow, 21 February, discussing this topical issue.

Positive media portrayals of obese individuals reduce weight stigma
Presenting obese individuals in a positive, non-stereotypical manner in the media could help reduce weight-biased attitudes held by the public, finds a study from the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity at Yale. The study, published online in Health Psychology, investigates the impact on public attitudes and preferences of both stigmatizing and positive portrayals of obese individuals in the media.

Nano discs pose potential health risk
A revolutionary material that is used in computer technology could pose health risks to those involved in its manufacture.

How quickly things spread
Understanding the spread of infectious diseases in populations is the key to controlling them. If the UK was facing a flu pandemic, how could we measure where the greatest spreading risk comes from? This information could help inform decisions on whether to impose travel restrictions or close schools.

Changes in generic drug costs could save $590 million, but don’t go far enough
The recently announced price cuts to generic drugs by the Australian Government do not go far enough, according to University of Melbourne health economist, Professor Philip Clarke.

New Combo of Chemo and Well-Known Malaria Drug Delivers Double Punch to Tumors
Blocking autophagy - the process of "self-eating" within cells - is turning out to be a viable way to enhance the effectiveness of a wide variety of cancer treatments.

Sweden’s Best-Kept Technology Secret
At the KTH Symposium, the director of the U.S. National Science Foundation explains how scientific co-operation with Sweden benefits American research.

The balancing act between protection and inflammation in MS
Scientists have discovered a molecular mechanism that could help explain how multiple sclerosis (MS) and other autoimmune diseases can be exacerbated by the onset of an infection. MS is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system which affects approximately 100,000 people in the UK. The research, directed by Bruno Gran at The University of Nottingham , focused on a population of cells of the immune system known as regulatory'T cells, which control and regulate the behaviour of other immune cells.

U-M Life Sciences Institute lab identifies potential antibiotic alternative to treat infection without resistance
U-M Life Sciences Institute lab identifies potential antibiotic alternative to treat infection without resistance ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Researchers at the University of Michigan have found a potential alternative to conventional antibiotics that could fight infection with a reduced risk of antibiotic resistance.

Novartis to revise product information in the European Union for high blood pressure drug Rasilez following assessment by CHMP
CHMP concluded the risk-benefit review of Rasilez* (aliskiren) and confirmed it remains positive for the treatment of essential hypertension CHMP has requested that the Rasilez (aliskiren

Yale’s new innovation and design center to foster ’culture of engineering’
The Yale School of Engineering & Applied Science has begun construction of a versatile innovation and design studio to encourage the invention and prototyping of radically new, socially beneficial te

New analysis shows most Australians at increased risk of bowel cancer are under-screened
People who are at an increased risk of developing bowel cancer, because they have a family history of the disease, are failing to have adequate screening, a University of Melbourne study has found. Medical guidelines recommend that where the family history is strong enough, family members should be having more intensive screening than the usual faecal occult blood test that is recommended for everyone over the age of 50.

Many young people still underestimate how much they drink
Many young people still underestimate how much they drink A new University of Sussex-led study reveals that many young people still lack the knowledge and skills required to follow the government's guidelines for responsible alcohol consumption.

The Splice of Life: Proteins Cooperate to Regulate Gene Splicing
RNAs wound in a knot and bound by hnRNP proteins illustrates the intractable problem of RNA regulation addressed by Huelga et al. Understanding how RNA binding proteins control the genetic splicing code is fundamental to human biology and disease - much like editing film can change a movie scene.

UCSD Uses Heat Energy to Fix Odd Heart Beat
UC San Diego Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center is now offering patients with atrial fibrillation the breakthrough benefits of heat energy, or radio frequency waves, to irreversibly alter heart tissue that triggers an abnormal heart rhythm or arrhythmia.

Nanoparticles in food, vitamins could harm human health
Billions of engineered nanoparticles in foods and pharmaceuticals are ingested by humans daily, and new Cornell research warns they may be more harmful to health than previously thought. A research collaboration led by Michael Shuler, the Samuel B. Eckert Professor of Chemical Engineering and the James and Marsha McCormick Chair of Biomedical Engineering, studied how large doses of polystyrene nanoparticles - a common, FDA-approved material found in substances from food additives to vitamins - affected how well chickens absorbed iron, an essential nutrient, into their cells.

Public interest in pandemic flu vaccine faded over time
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - When a new strain of influenza began to sicken even healthy younger adults three years ago, public interest in getting the newly developed H1N1 vaccine started strong but declined over time even as more people were getting sick, a new study shows. Researchers at RAND Corp. and the University of Michigan found that the more the public learned about this new type of influenza and the longer they had to wait for the vaccine, the less interested they were in getting it.

Express Yourself: How Zygotes Sort Out Imprinted Genes
Writing in the February 17, 2012 issue of the journal Cell , researchers at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and the Toronto Western Research Institute peel away some of the enduring mystery of how zygotes or fertilized eggs determine which copies of parental genes will be used or ignored.

Reducing salt in crisps without affecting the taste
Food scientists have found a way of measuring how we register the saltiness of crisps which could lead to new ways of producing healthier crisps — without losing any of the taste. The research by scientists at The University of Nottingham could lead to significant salt reduction in all snack foods.

Many babies born to immigrants incorrectly labelled underweight
For some immigrant parents, especially South Asians, questions about a baby's birthweight may be stressful, because many of their newborns are incorrectly diagnosed as being significantly underweight. Low birthweight generally means a baby could be at higher risk of developmental issues. Researchers at the University of Toronto and St. Michael's Hospital say many of these infants are in fact the correct birthweight for their ethnic group and should not be compared to those of babies of Canadian-born mothers.

Three UCLA researchers honored for bravery in face of threats from extremists
Three UCLA professors have been recognized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science for their "strong defense of the importance of the use of animals in research and their refusal to remain silent in the face of intimidation" by anti–animal research extremists.

Top researchers to lead U of T’s Institute for Human Development
Professor Stephen Lye will serve as the inaugural executive director and Professor Marla Sokolowski as the inaugural academic director of the University of Toronto's newly established Institute for Human Development.

Making the leap from ’theory to theatre’
A Leeds professor is one of eight of the UK's most promising leaders in medical health research to be awarded a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) professorship.

Indigenous Australians experience poorer mental health
Significant inequality exists in the mental health of Indigenous Australians compared with non-Indigenous Australians, and it starts from an early age, according to new analysis of data by leading youth mental health experts. In an article published in a recent edition of the Medical Journal of Australia Professor Anthony Jorm from the University of Melbourne's Youth Mental Health Research Centre, based at Orygen, and colleagues mined existing community health surveys from 2000 onward to establish an accurate picture of the state of Indigenous mental health.

BREAD grant funds research to tackle plant viral diseases
A team of international researchers is working to tackle the global problem of plant viral diseases that are spread by insects, thanks to close to $1 million from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Libyans ’would prefer one-man-rule over democracy’
The first ever National Survey of Libya suggests that Libyans would still prefer one-man-rule over alternatives like democracy. The publication of the survey of over 2,000 Libyan people coincides with the anniversary of the first protests triggered by rebel forces against Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.

Pioneering South Yorkshire launches new drug for heart attack victims
Pioneering South Yorkshire launches new drug for heart attack victims Ticagrelor, a new drug that could prevent one in five heart attack deaths, has this month been launched as a new treatment for heart attack victims across South Yorkshire, replacing the standard treatment clopidogrel for many patients admitted to hospital.

Psychiatric diagnoses: Why no one is satisfied
ANN ARBOR, Mich.—As the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is revised for the first time since 1994, controversy about psychiatric diagnosis is reaching a fever pitch.

Building a better trap
Fieldwork in Peru's Andes Mountains is demanding, especially when it involves hauling heavy equipment to remote sites that are accessible only by traversing the region's rugged terrain. But the task of collecting insects for the study of vector-borne diseases and other purposes has become a little less onerous since a Yale School of Public Health researcher and colleagues designed a lighter - and perhaps better - trap.

Will Anti-Arrhythmic Drug Beat Sudden Cardiac Arrest?
Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is the leading cause of death in the United States. This form of heart attack kills 325,000 people every year, representing one death every two minutes.

The mathematics of a heart beat could save lives
What we perceive as the beating of our heart is actually the co-ordinated action of more than a billion muscle cells. Most of the time, only the muscle cells from the larger heart chambers contract and relax. But when the heart needs to work harder it relies on back-up from the atrial muscle cells deep within the smaller chambers (atria) of the heart.

Internet a boost for answers to mental-health
University of Melbourne researchers have found Wikipedia is the most highly rated website for accessing information on mental-health related topics. The researchers assessed a range of on-line and print material on mental health-related topics and found that in the majority of cases, Wikipedia was the most highly rated in most domains.

UCLA brain-imaging technique predicts who will suffer cognitive decline over time
Cognitive loss and brain degeneration currently affect millions of adults, and the number will increase, given the population of aging baby boomers. Today, nearly 20 percent of people age 65 or older suffer from mild cognitive impairment and 10 percent have dementia. UCLA scientists previously developed a brain-imaging tool to help assess the neurological changes associated with these conditions.

On-site worker rescue plan urged for confined spaces
Many employers are mistakenly relying upon public fire departments to rescue workers from confined spaces, such as water and sewer pipes, manholes and tunnels, according to an analysis by University of California, Berkeley, health researchers of hundreds of deaths in the United States over 13 years.

Caregiver personality traits affect mental, physical health
Taking care of an aging or disabled loved one can be hazardous to your health. But certain personality traits appear to reduce caregivers' risk for health problems, reports a new Cornell study. "Personality accounted for about a quarter of the variance in caregivers' mental health and about 10 percent of the variance in their physical health," said lead author Corinna Loeckenhoff, assistant professor of human development in Cornell's College of Human Ecology.

Low hormone response may contribute to women avoiding intimacy
“ Our findings demonstrate that, for some people, viewing emotionally intimate stimuli can increase estradiol levels, but this was not the case for women who are more detached from close relationships. ” ANN ARBOR, Mich.—University of Michigan researchers have found that women who avoid close relationships and intimacy have smaller hormone responses to emotionally intimate stimuli.

All heart: UCLA docs guide mom with heart condition through birth, operate on newborn
The 33-year-old from of Bakersfield, Calif., suffers from a congenital heart disease called Ebstein's malformation of the tricuspid valve, and from abnormal pulmonary veins.

Getting the measure of MRI
A method for imaging the brain that has largely been confined to neuroscience labs may now find its place as a proper tool for medical diagnosis. Oxford University scientists have come up with a new approach that turns functional magnetic resonance imaging ( fMRI ) from something that produces pictures of changes in brain activity into a full numerical measure of how the brain is working.

Could "Love Hormone" Help Treat Depression?
Gazing into your lover's eyes isn't only romantic; it also releases a brain chemical called oxytocin that strengthens social bonds in a variety of species.

Former Haverford President Stephen G. Emerson Appointed Director of the Herbert Irving Cancer Center
Stephen G. Emerson Former President of Haverford College Appointed Director of the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center NEW YORK (Feb.

New immunotherapeutic agent for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease
Selective neutralization of APP-C99 with monoclonal antibodies reduces the production of Alzheimer's Aβ peptides.

Motivation to exercise affects behavior
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - For many people, the motivation to exercise fluctuates from week to week, and these fluctuations predict whether they will be physically active, according to researchers at Penn State.

FDA requests additional data on Novartis
Basel, February 13, 2012 - Novartis has received a Complete Response letter from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on its application for the expanded use of Menveo (Meningo

Ice hockey champ Mats Sundin donates over 2 million SEK to medical research
Former national ice hockey captain and NHL professional Mats Sundin has made the initial contribution of 2.2 million SEK to establish an elite scientific exchange program between Karolinska Insitutet and the University of Toronto.

Imperial signs up to strategic partnership with BBSRC
By Simon Levey Friday 10 February 2012 Scientists hope to deliver advances in biosciences - including food security, bioenergy, ageing and synthetic biology - faster and more cost effectively

C-sections linked to breathing problems in preterm infants
Research conducted at Yale School of Medicine shows that a cesarean (C-section) delivery, which was thought to be harmless, is associated with breathing problems in preterm babies who are small for gestational age.

New Ability to Regrow Blood Vessels Holds Promise for Treatment of Heart Disease
AUSTIN, Texas — University of Texas at Austin researchers have demonstrated a new and more effective method for regrowing blood vessels in the heart and limbs — a research advancement that could have major implications for how we treat heart disease, the leading cause of death in the Western world.

Challenges to the NHS from ’health tourism’ going unrecognized
The rise of medical tourism presents significant challenges for the NHS according to new work from academics at the Universities of Birmingham and York.

Mats Sundin establishes medical fellowships at U of T, Karolinska Institutet
Former Toronto Maple Leafs captain Mats Sundin announced today he will establish an elite scientific exchange program in the field of developmental health between the University of Toronto and Karolinska Insitutet in Stockholm, Sweden.

New therapeutic strategies for the treatment of Parkinson's disease
Mimicking Phosphorylation at Serine 87 Inhibits the Aggregation of Human α-Synuclein and Protects against Its Toxicity in a Rat Model of Parkinson's Disease. Several lines of evidence suggest that phosphorylation of α-synuclein (α-syn) at S87 or S129 may play an important role in regulating its aggregation, fibrillogenesis, Lewy body formation, and neurotoxicity in vivo.

Melbourne parents with teens invited to participate in groundbreaking research
Researchers at the University of Melbourne are calling on families from the Melbourne metropolitan area to help them find long term ways to help teenagers better cope with physical and mental stresses.

Four U of’T researchers recognized as rising stars in global health
Losing a limb can be devastating enough, but the high cost of a prosthetic limb makes them unavailable to many in the developing world.

An eye for the tsetse fly
The female Aedes aegypti mosquito "is the lab rat of vector insects," says Attardo, who studied gene signaling in these mosquitoes for his doctoral research.

Possible Link Between Diet Soda and Vascular Risks
— People who drink diet soft drinks on a daily basis may be at increased risk of suffering vascular events such as stroke, heart attack, and vascular death, according to a new study led by Hannah Gardener, Sc.D., epidemiologist in the Miller School's Department of Neurology.

UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering Faculty Elected to National Academy of Engineering
Three faculty members in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of California, San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering have been elected to the National Academy of Engineering.

UCLA faculty experts advisory: Testing pregnant women for thyroid function
Today's New England Journal of Medicine features a prospective treatment study that addresses the value of screening pregnant women for low thyroid function, which has been linked to miscarriage, pre-term delivery and reduced IQ in children.

Cutting ’unnecessary’ antibiotic prescriptions
A major University study which led to long-term reductions in the number of antibiotic prescriptions by Welsh GPs could see 'unnecessary' prescriptions cut by 1.6M per year, if replicated across the UK. The Stemming the Tide of Antimicrobial Resistance or STAR programme was designed by and implemented by experts from the University's School of Medicine's Institute of Primary Care and Public Health and South East Wales Trials Unit (SEWTU) to cut the number of unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions for common conditions such as acute cough and sinusitis.

University of Minnesota and startup to develop antidote to cyanide poisoning
MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (02/09/2012) —Cyanide poisoning is often fatal and typically affects victims of industrial accidents, terrorist attacks, or structural fires.

Clinical Trial Teaches Binge Eaters to Toss Away Cravings
Of 190 million obese Americans, approximately 10-15 percent engage in harmful binge eating. During single sittings, these over-eaters consume large servings of high-caloric foods. Sufferers contend with weight gain and depression including heart disease and diabetes. A new clinical trial, called Regulation of Food Cues, at UC San Diego Health System, aims to treat binge eating by helping participants to identify real hunger and to practice resistance if the stomach is full.

Midges 'actively spread' bluetongue epidemic
The midges that spread bluetongue, a devastating livestock disease, across Europe in 2006 weren't ‘passengers' on the wind but actively transported the disease, Oxford University scientists have found. Bluetongue is a non-contagious virus that causes symptoms such as drooling, and swelling of the neck, head and tongue in sheep, cattle, goats, deer and other ruminants.

Scientists sound alarm over threat of untreatable gonorrhea in United States
Researchers are continuing to sound the alarm on the growing threat of multi-drug resistant gonorrhea in the United States, according to a perspective in the Feb. 9 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. In July of 2011, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released “ Cephalosporin Susceptibility Among Neisseria gonorrhoeae Isolates - United States, 2000-2010 ,” which signaled the potential for resistance to the cephalosporins, the last line of defense for treating gonorrhea.

Scientists boost memory by stimulating key site in brain
UCLA neuroscientists have demonstrated that they can strengthen memory in human patients by stimulating a critical junction in the brain. Published in the Feb. 9 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine, the finding could lead to a new method for boosting memory in patients with early Alzheimer's disease.

Researchers Develop Gene Therapy to Boost Brain Repair for Demyelinating Diseases
Our bodies are full of tiny superheroes—antibodies that fight foreign invaders, cells that regenerate, and structures that ensure our systems run smoothly.

Eighth grader creates second iPhone app to benefit UCLA pediatric cancer research
When he was 11, Cameron Cohen created the hit drawing app iSketch for the iPhone and donated $20,000 of the proceeds from its sales to the Chase Child Life program at Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA.

Seven UChicago faculty members receive named professorships
Seven members of the University faculty—Habibul Ahsan, Pete Angelos, Shadi Bartsch-Zimmer, Young-Kee Kim, Paul Mendes-Flohr, David H. Song, and Jerrold R. Turner—have received named professorships.

Director appointed for inflammation research centre
The University of Manchester, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and AstraZeneca have appointed Professor Tracy Hussell as Director of the new Manchester Collaborative Centre for Inflammation Research (MCCIR).

Calories drive earlier puberty
Environmental pollutants, eating habits, lack of exercise and genetic traits have all been raised as possible causes of earlier puberty onset in girls in recent years.

Physical activity yields feelings of excitement, enthusiasm
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - People who are more physically active report greater levels of excitement and enthusiasm than people who are less physically active, according to Penn State researchers.

Defeating dementia in Down’s syndrome
A £1m brain-imaging study has just been launched at the University of Cambridge to investigate why people with Down's syndrome (DS) are at such high risk of Alzheimer's disease.

At Penn, Gene Therapy for Inherited Blindness Succeeds in Patients' Other Eyes
Gene therapy for congenital blindness has taken another step forward, as researchers further improved vision in three adult patients previously treated in one eye. After receiving the same treatment in their other eye, the patients became better able to see in dim light, and two were able to navigate obstacles in low-light situations.

Pivotal study published in JAMA confirms potential of Novartis candidate vaccine Bexsero to help protect infants against devastating meningococcal serogroup B disease
Data previously presented at ESPID annual meeting add to the body of evidence showing that Bexsero can help protect all vulnerable age groups Study including more than 1,800 infants showed Bexsero induces robust immune response when given alone or with other routine vaccines in different vaccination schedules Current vaccines do not broadly protect against MenB which is easily misdiagnosed and can kill within 24 hours;

University of Chicago Medicine, CeaseFire partner to address violence
In an effort to address urban violence on the South Side, the University of Chicago Medicine is partnering with CeaseFire Chicago to sponsor a “Violence Interrupter,” who will focus on monitoring, mediating and defusing disputes in neighborhoods that the medical campus serves.

Research Looks to Cut Drug Development Costs
At the KTH Symposium, the director of the U.S. National Science Foundation explains how scientific co-operation with Sweden benefits American research. AIMday Image is a forum for knowledge exchange between academic and industrial scientists in the field of image analysis Welcome to KTH on March 7! Reception and service at central level for international students after arrival at KTH.

QRISK2 international app released for the iPhone/iPad
PA 41/12 A new smartphone app designed to identify patients at risk of heart disease has been launched by researchers at The University of Nottingham and medical software company Clinrisk Ltd.

Comparing yourself to others can have health impacts
University Park, Pa. - Comparing yourself to others with the same health problem can influence your physical and emotional health, according to researchers who conducted a qualitative synthesis of over 30 studies focusing on the relationship between social comparisons and health.

Quality audit commends the University of Sydney’s performance
The University of Sydney has been commended for its strong research performance and its successful efforts to build multidisciplinary and international research collaborations through its highly strategic approach to internationalisation.

Researchers rank best online advice for postnatal depression
Researchers rank best online advice for postnatal depression Researchers at the University of Sussex have identified the top five internet sites offering support for women struggling with postnatal mental illness such as depression or anxiety.

Brain cells created from patients’ skin cells
This approach gives us the ability to study human brain development and disease in ways that were unimaginable even five years ago." —Dr Rick Livesey of the Gurdon Institute and Department of Biochemistry at the University of Cambridge Cambridge scientists have, for the first time, created cerebral cortex cells - those that make up the brain's grey matter – from a small sample of human skin.  The researchers' findings, which were funded by Alzheimer's Research UK and the Wellcome Trust, were published today .

Under the Microscope #6 – Killer T-cells
—Professor Gillian Griffiths Under the Microscope is a collection of videos that show glimpses of the natural and man-made world in stunning close-up.

Smallest tools could give biggest results in bone repair
When William Murphy works with some of the most powerful tools in biology, he thinks about making tools that can fit together.

Medical debt keeps rising, new report shows
Hard hit by one of the worst recessions in nearly a century, hundreds of thousands of Californians lost insurance coverage across the state as employers shed jobs and the health plans that came with those jobs, according to a new report from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. Among the most alarming trends resulting from the so-called Great Recession: a significant jump in California's already high rate of residents with medical debt.

A Spoonful of Sugar or a Bitter Blocker?
Hannah Newton, an historian of science with an interest in how previous generations coped with childhood illness, digs up some 17th century tips for making medicine taste better and finds evidence for common sense and compassion among the doctors of the day.

Augmented reality promises astronauts instant medical knowhow
Augmented reality promises astronauts instant medical knowhow A new augmented reality unit developed by ESA can provide just-in-time medical expertise to astronauts.

Looking at the micro could mend broken hearts
Researchers have completed the first comprehensive survey of the tiny cellular molecules found in the heart and which are essential for its healthy function. The breakthrough could lead to the development of targeted therapeutic treatments for heart disease. Professor Thomas Preiss and Jennifer Clancy and their team commenced the research at Sydney's Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute in 2008 and completed it at The John Curtin School of Medical Research at ANU.

Professor cited in brief to U.S. Supreme Court on new public health law
In March, the United States Supreme Court will hear arguments in an historic legal challenge to the new health law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).

£4.5M biomedical research boost
Leading university neuroscience and immunology research which helps translate new knowledge into improved clinical practice and treatments for the benefit of patients is set to receive a £4.5M funding boost. Cardiff University has secured funding from the Wellcome Trust's new Institutional Strategic Support Fund (ISSF) - a new fund designed to support major scientific research.

£4m boost for asthma research
The Medical Research Council (MRC) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) have co-funded a groundbreaking programme of asthma research at the MRC-Asthma UK Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma.

New device removes stroke-causing blood clots better than standard treatment
An experimental device for removing blood clots in stroke patients dramatically outperformed the standard mechanical treatment, according to research presented by UCLA Stroke Center director Jeffrey

Neurons from stem cells could replace mice in botulinum test
Using lab-grown human neurons, researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison have devised an effective assay for detecting botulinum neurotoxin, the agent widely used to cosmetically smooth the wrinkles of age and, increasingly, for an array of medical disorders ranging from muscle spasticity to loss of bladder control.

Gene related to fat preferences in humans found
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - A preference for fatty foods has a genetic basis, according to researchers, who discovered that people with certain forms of the CD36 gene may like high-fat foods more than those who have other forms of this gene. The results help explain why some people struggle when placed on a low-fat diet and may one day assist people in selecting diets that are easier for them to follow.

Adversity can be a catalyst for positive change
Tragedy, natural disasters, terrorism, divorce; 75 per cent of us will experience some form of trauma in life. But the experience can be a catalyst for positive change. In a ground-breaking new book an expert from The University of Nottingham , who has spent the last twenty years working with the survivors of trauma, challenges the conventional wisdom about trauma and its aftermath and demonstrates that rather than necessarily ruining one's life, a traumatic event can often improve it.

Sirtuin 1 at the pinnacle of metabolic control
Targeting Sirtuin 1 to Improve Metabolism: All You Need Is NAD+? (Review) Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) is an evolutionarily conserved NAD+-dependent deacetylase that is at the pinnacle of metabolic control, all the way from yeast to humans.

AstraZeneca's cutbacks in Södertälje a hard blow to medical research in Sweden

Microfluidics Research Aims for New Cancer Diagnostics
At the KTH Symposium, the director of the U.S. National Science Foundation explains how scientific co-operation with Sweden benefits American research.

Microfluidics and Nanotech Research Aims for New Cancer Diagnostics
At the KTH Symposium, the director of the U.S. National Science Foundation explains how scientific co-operation with Sweden benefits American research.

Straight from the gut: Microbes can cause obesity
Obesity and chronic liver disease can be triggered by a family of proteins that alter populations of microbes in the stomach, a discovery that suggests the condition may be infectious, Yale scientists report. The study, in the advance online publication of Nature , expands on earlier Yale research that showed how similar microbial imbalances caused by the same family of proteins increases the risk of intestinal diseases such as colitis.

Children test the air for pollutants in Brighton science project
by Simon Levey Wednesday 1 February 2012 Children from Brighton have been testing the air quality in their school playgrounds to monitor how pollution from neighbouring roads might affect them and their environment.

Anton part of the key to diabetes mystery
When Anton was born, a test was done on the umbilical cord which showed that he had a raised genetic risk of developing type 1 diabetes. Since then he has been one of several thousand children participating in Teddy, a study which is expected to lead to a better understanding of the disease and to a vaccine.

Obesity operations a mystery for diabetes researchers
Within just a few days of having obesity surgery, the majority of patients cease to suffer from type 2 diabetes. At the Lund University Diabetes Centre, a research group is trying to get to grips with the apparently inexplicable connection. It is hoped that in the long run a cure could be developed.

Sunlight could reduce risk of diabetes
Many people spend most of their life indoors. We work indoors during the day, perhaps sit in front of the television or computer in the evenings and go to bed late.

Effective link between diabetes researches and business sector
The Lund University Diabetes centre has been conducting cutting-edge research on diabetes for a number of years.

Prostate cancer risk halved for subfertile men
Involuntary childlessness owing to reduced fertility is a concern for many men. However, these men do have one advantage – they run a significantly lower risk of suffering from prostate cancer. Researchers are interested in whether this phenomenon could be used in the fight against cancer. There is a clear link between male subfertility and a lower risk of prostate cancer.

Nano-Sized Protein Clusters Address Major Challenge of Drug Delivery
AUSTIN, TX — A new form of proteins discovered by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin could drastically improve treatments for cancer and other diseases, as well as overcome some of the largest challenges in therapeutics: delivering drugs to patients safely, easily and more effectively.

‘Picture This #14′ Polymelus, Museum of Zoology
All British thoroughbred racehorses, including Polymelus, are descended from three stallions - the Darley Arabian, the Godolphin Arabian and the Byerley Turk.

FDA approves Novartis drug Glivec label recommending extending treatment to three years for certain GIST patients after surgery
Phase III results showed 54% reduction in risk of recurrence and 55% reduction in risk of death after three years' adjuvant Glivec in adults with KIT+ GIST Approval builds on vast experience with Glivec, first approved 10 years ago for treatment of adults with metastatic and/or unresectable KIT+ GIST Basel, February 1, 2012 - Novartis announced today that following a priority review, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

A Study on the Impact of Good Teachers Sparks National Attention
Teachers who succeed in raising standardized test scores have a lasting influence on their students' lives, helping them avoid teenage pregnancy, go to college and earn more money as adults, accordin

Scientists decode brain waves to eavesdrop on what we hear
Neuroscientists may one day be able to hear the imagined speech of a patient unable to speak due to stroke or paralysis, according to University of California, Berkeley, researchers. Frequency spectrograms of the actual spoken words (top) and the sounds as reconstructed by two separate models based solely on recorded temporal lobe activity in a volunteer subject.

Partnership gives a voice to pressure ulcer patients
A new survey aims to give patients and carers a voice in the search to find the most effective prevention and treatment for pressure ulcers.

Protein study helps superbug battle
Scientists have shed light on the way superbugs such as MRSA are able to become resistant to antibiotics. Researchers have mapped the complex molecular structure of an enzyme found in many bacteria. These molecules - known as restriction enzymes - control the speed at which bacteria can acquire resistance to drugs and eventually become superbugs.

Inquests more likely for younger people and deaths from medical care complications
Coroners are more likely to hold inquests for deaths involving younger people or people who died of fatal complications from medical care, according to a study from University of Melbourne experts and published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal.) Coroners must usually be notified of a death if it was violent or unexpected, if the identity of the deceased is not known, or if the deceased was in the custody or care of the state when he or she died.

Climate change history reveals future threats
The historical record foreshadows a grim picture for a future threatened by even greater climate change according to a study from The Australian National University. Professor Tony McMichael from the ANU National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health looked at climate changes and their impacts over the last 6,000 to 7,000 years, as documented in historical, archaeological and fossil records.

Portable device will quickly detect pathogens in developing countries
Two Cornell professors will combine their inventions to develop a handheld pathogen detector that will give health care workers in the developing world speedy results to identify in the field such pathogens as tuberculosis, chlamydia, gonorrhea and HIV. Using synthetic DNA, Dan Luo, professor of biological and environmental engineering, has devised a method of "amplifying" very small samples of pathogen DNA, RNA or proteins.

Watching the Engine of Life, in Real Time, to Understand How Things Go Wrong
Ruben Gonzalez views ribosomes—the minute particles in cells that make proteins—as the “machines” of life. Naturally, the associate professor of chemistry is interested in watching these little protein-producing factories in real time, especially when they malfunction and cause disease.

The Waisman Center: Decades later, what would Harry think?
Last fall, the Waisman Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison bid successfully for the same National Institutes of Health core grant that the late Harry Waisman first won 45 years ago. Harry Waisman, left, with colleagues C.S. Reiquam and Nathan J. Smith, examine pathology microscope slides in a research lab.

Novartis extends commitment to help achieve final elimination of leprosy
New five-year commitment includes donation of treatments worth an estimated USD 22.5 million and is expected to reach an estimated 850,000 patients Novartis will also intensify efforts to buil

Food crops damaged by pollution crossing continents
Man-made air pollution from North America causes Europe to lose 1.2 million tonnes of wheat a year, a new study has found. The research, led by the University of Leeds and co-authored by the University of York, shows for the first time the extent of the Northern Hemisphere's intercontinental crop losses caused by ozone - a chemical partly produced by fossil fuels.

Project to improve radiotherapy planning
A collaborative project between physicists, oncologists and computer scientists at Oxford and Cambridge Universities, launched last month, will develop improved tools for the planning of high precision radiotherapy.

Early intervention may curb dangerous college drinking
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The first few weeks of college are a critical time in shaping students' drinking habits. Now Penn State researchers have a tailored approach that may help prevent students from becoming heavy drinkers. "Research shows there is a spike in alcohol-related consequences that occur in the first few weeks of the semester, especially with college freshmen," said Michael J. Cleveland, research associate at the Prevention Research Center and the Methodology Center.

Addicts’ cravings have different roots in men and women
When it comes to addiction, sex matters. A new brain imaging study by Yale School of Medicine researchers suggests stress robustly activates areas of the brain associated with craving in cocaine-dependent women, while drug cues activate similar brain regions in cocaine-dependent men. The study, expected to be published online Jan.

Roche commences tender offer for Illumina, Inc. for $44.50 per share in cash
Roche commences tender offer for Illumina, Inc.

U of’T professors perform Ontario's first cardiac stem cell transplant
University of Toronto faculty members performed the first cardiac stem cell transplant in Ontario recently, using stem cells derived from the patient's own bone marrow, isolated completely within the operating room, and implanted into the heart at the time of coronary bypass surgery.

The back garden as a cultural environment
A place to relax or a demanding chore? Different people will give different answers to what a garden is.“With gardens, people shape their own personal cultural environments in their backyard”, says r

Hope for those with a depressive disposition
Good news for the 13 per cent of the population with depressive personality traits: their negative outlook does not have to be permanent. This has been shown by psychologist Rachel Maddux in new research from Lund University in Sweden. Depression is a serious and sometimes devastating health problem which affects millions of people worldwide.

Research into acute asthma attacks boosted with £4m award
Research into acute asthma attacks has been boosted with a £4m award from the Medical Research Council (MRC) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

Grant to UC San Diego Shiley Eye Center Supports Research in Blinding Eye Diseases
Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) has awarded a grant of $100,000 to the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine to support research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of blinding eye diseases.

ANU people given the order on Australia Day
A world-renowned quantum physicist and a researcher working to improve space travel are among the members of the ANU community recognised with 2012 Australia Day honours.

Breakthrough treatment successful for patients with blocked arteries
The world's first clinical trial of a new treatment for patients with blocked coronary arteries has shown the novel approach to be safe and to yield promising success rates. The University of Toronto -Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre study involved 20 patients, each with a coronary artery completely blocked by plaque - a condition called chronic total occlusion (CTO).

Scientists Link Evolved, Mutated Gene Module to Syndromic Autism
A team led by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine reports that newly discovered mutations in an evolved assembly of genes cause Joubert syndrome, a form of syndromic autism. The findings are published in the January 26 online issue of Science Express . Joubert syndrome is a rare, recessive brain condition characterized by malformation or underdevelopment of the cerebellum and brainstem.

U-M, Sierra Club to study links between outdoor experience, veterans’ mental health
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - For six years, the Sierra Club has organized outdoor trips for U.S. military service members, veterans and their families. Now, the national environmental group is working with the University of Michigan on a research project to measure how those trips affect veterans' mental health.

Exploring how a parent’s education can affect the mental health of their offspring
New research sheds light on cycle of low socioeconomic status and depression Could depression in adulthood be tied to a parent's level of education? A new study led by Amélie Quesnel-Vallée, a medical sociologist from McGill University, suggests this is the case.

Rotational Motion of Cells that Plays a Critical Role in Their Normal Development
Berkeley Lab researchers have discovered a rotational motion in human breast cells that continues through mitosis and enables the cells and their progeny to form sphere-shaped acini. In a study that holds major implications for breast cancer research as well as basic cell biology, scientists with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have discovered a rotational motion that plays a critical role in the ability of breast cells to form the spherical structures in the mammary gland known as acini.

Roche responds to adoption of shareholder rights plan by Illumina Board of Directors
Roche responds to adoption of shareholder rights plan by Illumina Board of Directors Roche today responded to an announcement from Illumina, Inc.

Four Breast Cancer-Related Studies Seeking Participants
UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center researchers examine role of diet and exercise An active lifestyle and a healthy diet can help you feel more energetic, control your weight, help you sleep better, and reduce your risk of many diseases.

Making a ‘contract’ with society: GlaxoSmithKline’s research and development head discusses the company’s ethos
By Tanya Gubbay Wednesday 25 January 2012 The Chairman of Research and Development at one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies last night shared his insights into the philosophy behind its work, in a distinguished guest lecture at Imperial College Business School.

How suppressing the immune system may prevent type 1 diabetes
A new study at Yale School of Medicine has uncovered the mechanism by which a targeted suppression of the immune system may prevent type 1 diabetes or induce sustained remission. The study appears in Science Translational Medicine. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease - the immune system goes into overdrive and attacks the body's normal cells instead of foreign invaders.

New Fluorescent Dyes Highlight Neuronal Activity
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have created a new generation of fast-acting fluorescent dyes that optically highlight electrical activity in neuronal membranes. The work is published in this week's online Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences .

Young breast cancer survivors face serious quality-of-life challenges
Quality of life in younger patients treated for breast cancer is seriously compromised, and these women face more physical and mental health issues than women their age who haven't had cancer and women over 50 who have, according to a study by researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Janet Rowley to receive Japan Prize for role in development of targeted cancer therapy
Janet Davison Rowley, the Blum-Riese Distinguished Service Professor of Medicine, Molecular Genetics & Cell Biology and Human Genetics at the University of Chicago, will receive the 2012 Japan Prize for Healthcare and Medical Technology.

Novartis delivers strong underlying financial performance in 2011, expects 2012 sales to be in line with 2011
Fourth quarter sales rose 5% while core operating income grew 17% in constant currencies (cc); full year sales up 12% cc and core operating income up 16% cc Core operating income grew 12% (

Spin-out targets better cancer treatment
A new Oxford University spin-out firm, Oxford Cancer Biomarkers Limited, is to develop technology to ensure that only patients who are likely to benefit from anti-cancer drugs will receive them and that the best treatment for each person can be quickly identified. Isis Innovation, the University's technology transfer company, has licensed the CancerNav biomarker technology to Oxford Cancer Biomarkers Limited (OCB).

Vision improves modestly in patients after human embryonic stem cells transplants
Researchers at UCLA's Jules Stein Eye Institute and colleagues who successfully transplanted specialized retinal cells derived from human embryonic stem cells into the eyes of two legally blind patients report that the transplants appear safe and that both patients have experienced modest improvement in their vision.

Revolutionising the early detection of cancer
The world's first centre of excellence specialising in pioneering research into the early detection of cancer will be officially opened at The University of Nottingham on Thursday January 26 2012. The Centre of Excellence for Autoimmunity in Cancer (CEAC) will lead research into the early detection and management of cancer and push forward the introduction of a blood test which can pick up the first signs of cancer as much as five years before a patient presents with any symptoms.

1.66m to explore the challenges and opportunities of making science public
Climategate, Nuttgate, opposition to GM crops, the MMR and BSE health scares: over the last 30 years high profile political crises surrounding the integrity of research, the status of expert advice a

Insomnia is a major health problem
Insomnia is a serious medical condition that should be treated with evidence-based medicine because it is linked to depression, diabetes, hypertension, drug abuse and even death, according to a review of recent research co-authored by a leading University of Wisconsin-Madison sleep researcher. "This review underscores the fact that insomnia needs to be taken seriously, and that health care providers should routinely ask their patients how they are sleeping," says Ruth Benca , director of the Wisconsin Sleep laboratory and clinic.

Gene Therapy Research team from Penn Vet and Scheie Eye Institute Cures Retinitis Pigmentosa in Dogs
Members of a University of Pennsylvania research team have shown that they can prevent, or even reverse, a blinding retinal disease, X-linked Retinitis Pigmentosa, or XLRP, in dogs. The disease in humans and dogs is caused by defects in the RPGR gene and results in early, severe and progressive vision loss.

Elliott Levinthal, Stanford professor emeritus of mechanical engineering, dead at 89
In a career that ranged from radar to medicine to outer space, Elliott Levinthal played an instrumental role in the schools of Engineering and Medicine, and in the rise of Silicon Valley.

University’s TV ’sperm race’ helps to unlock mysteries of procreation
University of Birmingham reproductive medicine expert Jackson Kirkman-Brown invites a group of male students to take part in an experimental ‘Sperm Race' to explore what it takes to be the best out of millions in the BBC3 documentary How Sex Works tonight. Five obliging young men aged 19-25 rise to the challenge, providing samples which are ‘raced' through an appropriate clinical medium at Kirkman-Brown's state-of-the-art laboratories.

Yale asks community to "help us discover" cures for disease
Yale University is launching a major effort to recruit thousands of volunteers to participate in clinical trials being conducted at Yale's Schools of Medicine, Nursing, and Public Health.

Transcriptional barcoding of retinal cells identifies disease target cells
Transcriptional barcoding of retinal cells identifies disease target cells By developing a large scale gene expression map for retinal cell types, FMI Neurobiologists have been able to identify the cells in the retina, where the genes causing retinal diseases specifically act. This narrows down the search for a better understanding of the diseases and opens up new avenues for therapeutic approaches.

Hip size may be the key to link between obesity and premature death
A research team headed by Associate Professor Stefan Söderberg from Umeå University has for the first time demonstrated that the effect of obesity on the risk of premature death is seriously underestimated unless a person's hip circumference is taken into account. By looking at the relationship between waist and hip circumference* in a 20-year study of almost 8000 Mauritians, the research is also the first ever study to link obesity to mortality in a South Asian population.

What the Olympic Games have done for us
The genuine scientific benefits that have emerged from the modern Olympic Games have often been lost in the hype surrounding these high profile international events.

Medicine and public acceptance
Preparedness usually means planning for an emergency and avoiding catastrophic outcomes. Not for Professor Peter Newman - he is planning for a best-case scenario.

CHMP recommends EU approval to update Novartis drug Glivec label to include three year treatment for GIST patients after surgery
Opinion based on Phase III study showing 66% recurrence-free and 92% overall survival at five years after three years' adjuvant Glivec in adults with KIT+ GIST Glivec has helped transform treatment and outcomes in patients with KIT+ GIST since its first approval in the metastatic setting almost 10 years ago Basel, January 20, 2012 - Novartis announced today that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the

T-rays technology could help develop Star Trek-style hand-held medical scanners
A*STAR and Imperial College London news release For immediate release Friday 10 January 2012 Scientists have developed a new way to create electromagnetic Terahertz (THz) waves or T-rays - the technology behind full-body security scanners. The researchers behind the study, published recently Photonics, say their new stronger and more efficient continuous wave T-rays could be used to make better medical scanning gadgets and may one day lead to innovations similar to the 'tricorder' scanner used in Star Trek.

Book Discussion at Penn on Jan. 24 About Health of Urban Women Worldwide
WHO: Afaf Ibrahim Meleis, dean of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing Eugenie L. Birch, Penn School of Design Susan M. Wachter, Wharton School WHAT: Book discussion of Women's Health and the World Cities WHEN: Tuesday, Jan.

Novartis drug Signifor recommended by CHMP for EU approval to treat patients with Cushing’s disease
If approved, Signifor (SOM230, pasireotide) would be the first approved medication targeting Cushing's disease In clinical trials, pasireotide suppresses overproduction of cortisol caused by a

New approach to combat intractable bacterial infections
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Penn GSE Researcher Scores a Publishing Hat Trick
Writing one book is a daunting task, but writing three - simultaneously - might seem near impossible.

Modelling cholera epidemics
Modelling cholera epidemics: the role of waterways, human mobility and sanitation.

Researcher Examines Public-Health Issues Concerning Firearms and Senior Citizens
More than 17 million Americans 65 or older have at least one firearm. Based on the current patterns of gun ownership and population growth, the number of elderly people who own a firearm is expected to increase. In an article released by the American Journal of Public Health, Susan B. Sorenson , a professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice , identifies public-health considerations related to firearm ownership among the elderly.

London 2012 unveils Anti-Doping Laboratory
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) today unveiled the WADA accredited anti-doping laboratory which will operate during the London 2012 Games. LOCOG, laboratory service providers GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and laboratory operators King's College London, welcomed Hugh Robertson, Minister for Sport and the Olympics for a tour of the facility which is based in Harlow, Essex.

Dying at home is on the rise
Although around two thirds of us would prefer to die at home, in the developed world the trend in recent years has been for the majority to spend their final days in an institutional setting, such as a hospital or hospice.

Sandoz initiates two more Phase III biosimilar trials, reinforcing long-term global leadership commitment
Phase III clinical study for filgrastim biosimilar (Neupogen ) is expected to support expansion to the US market Phase III study for Sandoz pegfilgrastim (Neulasta ) represents next ma

Verandas and egg shell examination could improve hen welfare
New research to help farmers improve the health of free-range hens has found verandas for the birds and the early scrutiny of eggshells could improve their welfare.

Abstracts wanted for Pediatric Research Day
Guidelines for reporting of child abuse, sexual assault Board chair and vice chair issue statement on questions about Paterno Alumni Town Hall meetings begin in Pittsburgh Panel discussion 'Responding to Child Sexual Abuse' set for Jan.

Origins of Esophageal Cancer
VIDEO: Richard Mayeux discusses ongoing Alzheimer's Disease research.

Statins may protect against death from aneurysm, Yale study finds
A study by Yale School of Medicine reveals that survival rates for patients with a thoracic aneurysm are significantly better, and complications are fewer, among patients who take statin cholesterol drugs than those who do not. The study appears in the American Journal of Cardiology. An aneurysm is a swelling of an artery, and is a common cause of death.

UC San Diego Researchers Review Cessation Studies and Call for Change in Policy
Smoking is a major public health issue and quitting is the single most important thing smokers can do to improve their health. In the 2012 edition of the prestigious Annual Review of Public Health, researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have reviewed the landscape of smoking cessation over the past 20 years.

Anatomy museum opens doors to public
A facial cast of mass murderer William Burke taken shortly before his execution is to form part of an exhibition of medical artefacts.

Novartis receives approval for Lucentis and launches Galvus in China
Lucentis (ranibizumab) approved in China to treat wet age-related macular degeneration, a major cause of blindness and severe vision loss in people over 50 Oral type 2 diabetes treatment Galvu

Genetic code cracked for a devastating blood parasite
Scientists have cracked the genetic code and predicted some high priority drug targets for the blood parasite Schistosoma haematobium, which is linked to bladder cancer and HIV/ AIDS and causes

International health experts call for a special UN session on mental health
Professor Harry Minas, Director of the Centre for International Mental Health at the University of Melbourne has joined experts from the US and the UK to call for a United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on the topic.

Researchers Help Solve Questions About Ethiopians’ High-Altitude Adaptations
Over many generations, people living in the high-altitude regions of the Andes or on the Tibetan Plateau have adapted to life in low-oxygen conditions. Living with such a distinct and powerful selective pressure has made these populations a textbook example of evolution in action, but exactly how their genes convey a survival advantage remains an open question.

Stem cell genetic ’switch’ offers Alzheimer’s hope
PA 14/12 Scientists at The University of Nottingham are leading a £1.3 million research project to develop new treatments to replace brain cells lost during dementia.

President David Naylor discusses research and innovation
When the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Innovation asked President David Naylor for his expertise and insight on innovation hubs and what makes them successful, he was happy to use Toronto as a prime example.

Vitamin D deficiency rates cause for concern
Almost one-third of adults over the age of 25 have a Vitamin D deficiency, a new study evaluating the Vitamin D status of Australian adults has found. The paper is the largest study of its kind, drawing on 11,218 people from the AusDiab Study and includes Australians from Darwin to Hobart.

No walk in the park: factors that predict walking difficulty in elderly
Yale School of Medicine researchers have found that the likelihood of becoming disabled with age increases with the following factors: having a chronic condition or cognitive impairment; low physical activity; slower gross motor coordination; having poor lower-extremity function; and being hospitalized.

Researchers put the squeeze on citrus disease by developing trees that taste bad to bugs
With Florida's $9 billion citrus industry threatened by a deadly bacterial disease, Rick Kress '73 asked scientists at Cornell's New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva for help.

Fake malaria drugs threaten crisis in Africa
Source: Wellcome Trust The emergence of fake and poor quality anti-malarial drugs could dash hopes of controlling malaria in Africa, warn experts writing in the Malaria Journal . Millions of lives could be put at risk unless urgent action is taken, they argue. The international team led by Oxford University researchers report cases where medicines are on sale in Africa that have been deliberately counterfeited by criminals or are of poor quality resulting from factory errors.

People with chronic illness or disability face catastrophic costs, experts warn
Australians with a chronic illness or disability face serious levels of economic hardship, according to an article in the January issue of the Medical Journal of Australia .

Computer models that predict crowd behaviour could be used to prevent the spread of infections at mass gatherings
Understanding the movement and behaviour of crowds is essential to minimising health hazards at mass gatherings (MGs).

New gene discovery unlocks mystery to epilepsy in infants
A team of Australian researchers has come a step closer to unlocking a mystery that causes epileptic seizures in babies. Benign familial infantile epilepsy (BFIE) has been recognised for some time as infantile seizures, without fever, that run in families but the cause has so far eluded researchers.

Yale Health earns top marks for its focus on patient-centered care
Yale Health has been recognized as a model of 21st-century primary care by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), which awarded the organization a perfect score for its accomplishments as a Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH).

EPA administrator to visit the University of Minnesota
Jackson will address the latest national environmental policies and challenges to environmental laws MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (01/13/2012) —Lisa P. Jackson, administrator of the Un

Research focuses on youth, chronic illness and employment
Like any 28 year old, Arif Jetha , a fourth-year PhD candidate at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health, is worrying about his future. Once he completes his PhD, should he remain at home with his parents and pursue post-doctoral work or move on to full-time employment and begin establishing his career? Then, he thinks about the participants in his Young Adult, Health and Employment Study (YHES) ) and realizes his own challenges pale in comparison to theirs.

Heping Zhang named the Susan Dwight Bliss Professor of Biostatistics
Heping Zhang, recently appointed as the Susan Dwight Bliss Professor of Biostatistics in the School of Public Health, specializes in research on substance use, statistical methods in genetic studies of substance use, and research training in mental health epidemiology. Zhang, who received his Ph.D. from Stanford University, has developed statistical methods and software to analyze data related to a broad range of health outcomes including pregnancy outcome, mental health, and substance use.