http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress provides the latest news from University of South Florida A new discovery about the malaria-related parasite Toxoplasma gondii—which can threaten babies, AIDS patients, the elderly and others with weakened immune function—may help solve the mystery of how this single-celled parasite establishes life-long infections in people. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-proteins-chronic-disease-toxoplasma-infections.html Medical research Mon, 08 Apr 2013 16:19:44 EST news284656765 An international study has discovered a molecule which could form the basis of powerful new anti-malaria drugs. The paper "Quinolone-3-Diarylethers: a new class of drugs for a new era of malaria eradication" has been published in the journal Science Translational Medicine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-discovery-powerful-anti-malaria-drugs.html Medical research Wed, 20 Mar 2013 14:11:22 EST news283007463 Cardiovascular disease specialists at Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute and Dr. Kiran C. Patel Research Institute affiliated with the University of South Florida announced they have enrolled their first patients into a clinical trial testing a novel gene therapy for the treatment of heart failure after ischemic injury. The therapy may promote the regeneration of heart tissue by encouraging the body to deploy more stem cells to the injury site. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-therapy-heart-failure-body-stem.html Cardiology Thu, 21 Feb 2013 15:10:02 EST news280681409 Researchers from the University of South Florida and colleagues at the James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital studying the long-term consequences of traumatic brain injury (TBI) using rat models, have found that, overtime, TBI results in progressive brain deterioration characterized by elevated inflammation and suppressed cell regeneration. However, therapeutic intervention, even in the chronic stage of TBI, may still help prevent cell death. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-long-term-consequences-traumatic-brain-injury.html Neuroscience Fri, 04 Jan 2013 16:51:40 EST news276540691 (Medical Xpress)—A new study focusing on how people with dementia become lost while driving, how missing drivers are found, and the role of public notification systems like Silver Alert in these discoveries suggests techniques that may help recover drivers with dementia and prevent potentially harmful incidents. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-techniques-recovery-incidents-drivers-dementia.html Alzheimer's disease & dementia Fri, 14 Dec 2012 14:38:38 EST news274718307 (Medical Xpress)—An increase in antioxidant enzymes triggered by acupuncture appeared to play a role in reducing high blood pressure in hypertensive rats treated with the ancient Chinese therapy, a study by researchers at the University of South Florida College of Pharmacy and Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine found. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-animal-model-molecular-mechanisms-blood-pressure-lowering.html Health Fri, 02 Nov 2012 09:58:38 EST news271069110 University of South Florida researchers have identified a genetic biomarker for age-related hearing loss, a major breakthrough in understanding and preventing a condition of aging that affects 30 million Americans and greatly diminishes their quality of life. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-gene-mutation-linked-age-loss.html Health Thu, 25 Oct 2012 15:12:55 EST news270396765 (Medical Xpress)—A landmark paper identifying genetic signatures that predict which patients will respond to a life-saving drug for treating congestive heart failure has been published by a research team co-led by Stephen B. Liggett, MD, of the University of South Florida.  http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-two-gene-patients-heart-failure-beta-blocker.html Cardiology Tue, 16 Oct 2012 07:00:01 EST news269588502 Adolescent girls participating in a sexual risk reduction (SRR) intervention study were more likely to practice abstinence and, if sexually active, showed substantial decreases in unprotected sex, number of partners, and unintended pregnancies, reports a research team led by principal investigator Dianne Morrison-Beedy, PhD, RN, WHNP-BC, FNAP, FAANP, FAAN, Senior Associate Vice President of USF Health and Dean of the College of Nursing at the University of South Florida. Results of the study demonstrate the value of risk-reduction interventions tailored to girls, who are at a greater risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) than boys. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-intervention-sexual-behavior-unintended-preganancies.html Health Tue, 09 Oct 2012 10:40:14 EST news268997967 The newborns of obese pregnant women suffering from obstructive sleep apnea are more likely to be admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit than those born to obese mothers without the sleep disorder, reports a study published online today in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-apnea-obese-pregnancy-women-linked.html Sleep apnea Thu, 20 Sep 2012 17:00:01 EST news267378813 (Medical Xpress)—A new study has found a gene that appears to make women happy, but it doesn't work for men. The finding may help explain why women are often happier than men, the research team said. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-gene-happiness-women.html Psychology & Psychiatry Tue, 28 Aug 2012 13:29:45 EST news265379340 (Medical Xpress) -- If physical exercise can strengthen muscles, can mental exercise strengthen brains?  And if so, for how long? http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-brain-workout-older-adults-usf.html Neuroscience Tue, 31 Jul 2012 09:30:02 EST news262945242 (Medical Xpress) -- Researchers at the University of South Florida (USF) College of Nursing have shown that brief treatments with Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) substantially reduce symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) including, depression, anxiety, sleep dysfunction and other physical and psychological symptoms. The findings of this first study of ART appear in an on-line article published June 18, 2012 in the journal Behavioral Sciences. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-resolution-therapy-significantly-ptsd-symptoms.html Psychology & Psychiatry Fri, 27 Jul 2012 09:10:36 EST news262599029 Growth factors shown to cure Alzheimer's disease in a mouse model and administered to cancer patients as part of their treatment regimen were linked to significant improvements in the patients' cognitive function following stem cell transplantation, a preliminary clinical study reports. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-gmcsf-treatment-cognition-cancer-patients.html Alzheimer's disease & dementia Fri, 22 Jun 2012 09:48:27 EST news259577239