University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

Improved detection of frontotemporal degeneration may aid clinical trial efforts

A series of studies demonstrate improved detection of the second most common form of dementia, providing diagnostic specificity that clears the way for refined clinical trials testing targeted treatments. The new research ...

Neuroscience created Mar 15, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Tau transmission model opens doors for new Alzheimer's, Parkinson's therapies

Injecting synthetic tau fibrils into animal models induces Alzheimer's-like tau tangles and imitates the spread of tau pathology, according to research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania ...

Neuroscience created Mar 15, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Telestroke program increases access to stroke care by 40 percent

Telestroke programs substantially improve access to life-saving stroke care, extending coverage to less populated areas in an effort to reduce disparities in stroke care access. A new study by researchers from the Perelman ...

Cardiology created Mar 15, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

Two-pronged immune cell approach could lead to universal shot against flu

Seasonal epidemics of influenza result in nearly 36,000 deaths annually in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Current vaccines against the influenza virus elicit an antibody response specific ...

Medical research created Mar 14, 2013 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (2) | comments 1 | with audio podcast

Financial incentives affect prostate cancer treatment patterns

According to a new study by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, prostate cancer patients of urologists who own expensive radiation equipment are more likely to receive radiation ...

Cancer created Mar 12, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Niacin added to statin therapy increases HDL cholesterol levels but does not improve HDL functionality, research shows

While two large clinical trials recently showed that adding niacin to statin therapy failed to improve clinical outcomes despite a significant increase in HDL-C levels, little is known about exactly why the increased HDL-C ...

Cardiology created Mar 12, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Study examines health providers' perspectives on ICD deactivation in end-of-life situations

In the United States alone, an estimated 100,000 patients per year receive implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) – devices that detect life-threatening heart rhythm irregularities and deliver a high-voltage shock ...

Other created Mar 12, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Map to avoid detours on road to HIV treatment success: Focus on transitions in care may improve outcomes

(Medical Xpress)—Addressing on the challenges that accompany transitions between health care settings could be a key strategy for improving clinical outcomes for people living with HIV, according to researchers from the ...

HIV & AIDS created Mar 07, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Emphasis on 'value' in health care reform sends mixed messages, physician says

The wide consensus that health care spending poses a threat to the nation's fiscal solvency has led to the championing of "value" as a goal of health care reform efforts. But the divergence of opinions between patients and ...

Health created Mar 06, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

How the body's energy molecule transmits three types of taste to the brain

Saying that the sense of taste is complicated is an understatement, that it is little understood, even more so. Exactly how cells transmit taste information to the brain for three out of the five primary ...

Medical research created Mar 06, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Colonoscopy screening reduces risk of advanced colorectal cancer, study finds

A new study led by the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania adds support to current medical recommendations stating that screening colonoscopy substantially reduces an average-risk adult's likelihood ...

Cancer created Mar 04, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Proteins with mutations in 'prion-like' segments considered candidates for inherited forms of ALS

A multi-institution group of researchers has found new candidate disease proteins for neurodegenerative disorders. James Shorter, Ph.D., assistant professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the Perelman ...

Medical research created Mar 03, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Tweaking gene expression to repair lungs

A healthy lung has some capacity to regenerate itself like the liver. In COPD, these reparative mechanisms fail. HDAC therapies may be useful for COPD, as well as other airway diseases. The levels of HDAC2 ...

Medical research created Feb 25, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Reprogramming cells to fight diabetes

For years researchers have been searching for a way to treat diabetics by reactivating their insulin-producing beta cells, with limited success. The "reprogramming" of related alpha cells into beta cells ...

Medical research created Feb 22, 2013 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (8) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Study shows long-term efficacy of minimally invasive therapy for patients with Barrett's esophagus

According to a new study by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, patients with Barrett's esophagus and early or pre-cancerous cells have been shown to significantly benefit from ...

Cancer created Feb 20, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0