http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. A workshop sponsored by NIH's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) has produced a set of consensus recommendations to improve the design and reporting of animal studies. By making animal studies easier to replicate and interpret, the workshop recommendations are expected to help funnel promising therapies to patients. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-workshop-animal.html Other Wed, 10 Oct 2012 15:21:06 EST news269101225 Should every primary school pupil in the UK be given a hearing test and what's the most effective way of doing it? These are questions that a team of academics from Nottingham and Exeter will be tackling as part of a new study. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-school-good.html Health Tue, 09 Oct 2012 10:55:18 EST news268998792 (Medical Xpress)—In a study published in Nature Neuroscience, neurobiologists from the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research have been linking synapse formation in the hippocampus to distinct learning steps. They show how different regions of the hippocampus have specific and sequential functions in the mastery of a complex task. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-specific-regions-hippocampus-discrete-task.html Neuroscience Mon, 01 Oct 2012 08:52:10 EST news268300319 Newspaper coverage of biomedical research leans heavily toward reports of initial findings, which are frequently attenuated or refuted by later studies, leading to disproportionate media coverage of potentially misleading early results, according to a report published Sep. 12 in the open access journal PLOS ONE. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-newspapers-biased-early-refuted.html Other Wed, 12 Sep 2012 17:00:42 EST news266688025 GPs are not always using the most comprehensive and reliable online resources to support them in treating patients with the debilitating hearing condition tinnitus, researchers have found. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-gps-unreliable-websites-tinnitus.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Wed, 12 Sep 2012 12:47:14 EST news266672823 Hearing and balance-related problems are often chronic conditions which can be managed but not always cured. Now new guidance by the British Society of Audiology – devised in collaboration with the National Institute for Health Research – promises to improve quality of life for patients with hearing and balance problems and tinnitus. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-guidance-patients-problems-tinnitus.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Fri, 31 Aug 2012 09:49:12 EST news265625343 Researchers at the University of Leicester have announced that the UK's first operation to tackle heart failure (HF) with a novel nerve-stimulating device will be performed today (Thursday August 23) at Glenfield Hospital. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-uk-tackle-heart-failure-nerve-stimulating.html Cardiology Thu, 23 Aug 2012 04:41:29 EST news264915604 Scientists at the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research have discovered that the helicase RHAU, a protein that can resolve complex structures in both DNA and RNA molecules, is essential for early embryonic development. Mice that specifically lack RHAU in haematopoietic stem cells – which ultimately give rise to all cellular components of blood – develop severe anaemia. The underlying causes are a dramatically reduced half-life of red blood cells as well as impaired cell division of haematopoietic progenitor cells. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-rhau-helicase-key-player-blood.html Medical research Tue, 31 Jul 2012 09:58:24 EST news262947461 It's clear where the black-and-white striped zebrafish got its name, but less obvious at first glance is what zebrafish has to do with biomedical research. Amazingly, it has biological similarities to humans, which are making this small freshwater fish an increasingly popular model organism for studying vertebrate development, genetics, physiology, and mechanisms of disease. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-versatility-zebrafish-highlighted-international-conference.html Genetics Thu, 21 Jun 2012 17:11:37 EST news259517356 Neurons come in an astounding assortment of shapes and sizes, forming a thick inter-connected jungle of cells. Now, UCL neuroscientists have found that there is a simple pattern that describes the tree-like shape of all neurons. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-simple-mathematcal-pattern-neuron-jungle.html Neuroscience Wed, 20 Jun 2012 13:25:46 EST news259417534 (Medical Xpress) -- A recent study from scientists at the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research has identified a novel target for the treatment of malignant brain tumors. The scientists found that the Mer receptor tyrosine kinase (MerTK) is highly expressed in human brain tumors but absent from normal adult brain tissue. MerTK not only increases the invasive potential of brain tumor-derived cells but also promotes their survival when treated with chemotherapeutics. Conversely, the authors demonstrate that loss of MerTK strongly reduces the invasive capacity of tumor cells, making it an attractive target for future brain tumor therapies. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-identification-glioblastoma-treatment.html Cancer Mon, 18 Jun 2012 09:00:01 EST news259225943 Common respiratory measurements are not effective in determining which asthma patients are able to significantly decrease their use of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) medications without risk of flare-ups or exacerbations, according to a new study conducted by researchers in the United Kingdom. The study also showed that nearly three-quarters of asthma patients can safely decrease, or step-down, their use of ICS medications once their symptoms are under control. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-asthma-patients-tolerate-doses-steroids.html Immunology Tue, 22 May 2012 10:40:01 EST news256899993 (AP) -- Two molecular biologists have been awarded the annual Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-molecular-biologists-500k-medical-prize.html Other Fri, 11 May 2012 15:17:21 EST news255968234 Researchers suggest that application of Nobel-prize-winning portfolio theory could provide objective funding allocations that would improve risk/reward trade-off in years of life lost. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-nih-funding-allocations-potential-efficiency.html Health Wed, 02 May 2012 17:00:01 EST news255191701 Giving antibiotics to patients with acute uncomplicated appendicitis is a safe and viable alternative to surgery, say experts in a study published in the British Medical Journal today. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-antibiotics-safe-viable-alternative-surgery.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Thu, 05 Apr 2012 18:30:02 EST news252860630 (Medical Xpress) -- Scientists from the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research together with colleagues from the University of Fribourg have discovered a signaling mechanism controlling mobility and metastasis in breast cancer. They have been able to thus reduce invasiveness of the cancer cells. This is promising for the development of therapies against the types of breast cancer that readily form metastasis and for which a therapy has yet to be found. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-inhibiting-cell-migration-breast-cancer.html Cancer Wed, 14 Mar 2012 10:06:50 EST news250938392 (Medical Xpress) -- Scientists from the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research describe how the protein phosphatase SHP2 promotes breast cancer with poor prognosis. As they report in the latest issue of Nature Medicine, SHP2 is necessary for the maintenance of the few tumor initiating cells (TICs) in a breast tumor. These cells are thought to sustain the growth of the tumor, promote metastasis and lead to relapses. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-breast-cancer-poor-prognosis.html Cancer Mon, 05 Mar 2012 08:56:18 EST news250160154 (AP) -- The Obama administration wants to spend just over half a billion dollars on Alzheimer's research next year, hoping to battle back against what could become the defining disease of the aging baby-boom generation. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-obama-alzheimer-money.html Alzheimer's disease & dementia Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:29:30 EST news247811335 Researchers from the University of Sheffield are conducting ground-breaking research to determine how body weight and hormones affect bone health from childhood to adulthood. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-effects-obesity-bone.html Medical research Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:52:12 EST news247492259 Researchers have developed a type of wearable, non-invasive electronic device that can monitor vital signs such as heart rate and respiration at the same time it records a person's activity level, opening new opportunities for biomedical research, diagnostics and patient care. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-life-portable-constant-vital.html Medical research Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:08:06 EST news247324069 The time for commercial development of gene therapy has come. Patients with diseases treatable and curable with gene therapy deserve access to the technology, which has demonstrated both its effectiveness and feasibility, says James Wilson, MD, PhD, Editor-in-Chief of Human Gene Therapy in a provocative commentary and accompanying videocast. Human Gene Therapy and Human Gene Therapy (HGT) Methods are peer-reviewed journals published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-gene-therapy-disruptive-science-ready.html Genetics Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:55:55 EST news246632138 In a major step that could revolutionize biomedical research, scientists have discovered a way to keep normal cells as well as tumor cells taken from an individual cancer patient alive in the laboratory — which previously had not been possible. Normal cells usually die in the lab after dividing only a few times, and many common cancers will not grow, unaltered, outside of the body. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-12-discovery-significantly-biomedical.html Cancer Mon, 19 Dec 2011 04:49:24 EST news243492543 Ineffective group dynamics within research groups and research collaborations contribute to the unrealistic picture of the data generated in scientific research, according to Judith Rosmalen and Albertine Oldehinkel from the University of Groningen in The Netherlands. In an Essay published in this week's PLoS Medicine, these researchers say: "We feel it is time for scientists to also critically evaluate their own role, and acknowledge that group dynamics within research groups and collaborations might contribute to the persistence of problematic scientific practices." http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-12-ineffective-group-dynamics-role-poor.html Other Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:00:10 EST news243016672 (Medical Xpress) -- As in broadband information technology, the nervous system transmits different messages simultaneously from one brain region to others. But how are messages retrieved at the other end without confusing them? Scientists from the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI) have discovered neuronal filters between the olfactory bulb and the cortex that can handle this problem. In a study published in Nature they show that neuronal filtering in the cortex can extract information about specific odors from the plethora of information that is broadcast by the olfactory bulb. This filtering is likely to be important for the perception and memory of odors, and may also be implemented in other brain areas. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-neuronal-filters-broadband-transmission-brain.html Neuroscience Mon, 21 Nov 2011 09:10:01 EST news241085778 A new data network that integrates emerging research on the molecular makeup of diseases with clinical data on individual patients could drive the development of a more accurate classification of disease and ultimately enhance diagnosis and treatment, says a new report from the National Research Council. The "new taxonomy" that emerges would define diseases by their underlying molecular causes and other factors in addition to their traditional physical signs and symptoms. The report adds that the new data network could also improve biomedical research by enabling scientists to access patients' information during treatment while still protecting their rights. This would allow the marriage of molecular research and clinical data at the point of care, as opposed to research information continuing to reside primarily in academia. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-creation-biomedical-patient-network-accurate.html Other Wed, 02 Nov 2011 10:49:19 EST news239449749 Technology developed by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin could significantly reduce the time and cost to finding a cure for Alzheimer's disease and help answer one of the greatest biological questions: why do we age? http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-10-reversing-aging.html Medical research Mon, 17 Oct 2011 13:51:55 EST news238078304 Carnegie Mellon University biologists have developed an MRI-based technique that allows researchers to non-invasively follow neural stem cells in vivo. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-scientists-track-neuronal-stem-cells.html Neuroscience Thu, 29 Sep 2011 11:05:07 EST news236513094 Two deans from the UC Davis School of Medicine have outlined several approaches to biomedical research workforce development, a topic that is currently under scrutiny by the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Their ideas were published today in Science Translational Medicine in a focus article titled, "Creating the future biomedical research workforce," and is available online. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-advocate-approaches-biomedical.html Other Wed, 28 Sep 2011 14:00:02 EST news236432564 European biomedical research is advancing at a great pace compared to the relatively small funds available, and with more funding, it could do better. This is one of the main conclusions from a new White Paper, published by the European Medical Research Councils (EMRC) – the European Science Foundation's membership organisation for all medical research councils in Europe. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-europe-weight-biomedical-limited-funding.html Other Wed, 28 Sep 2011 11:22:14 EST news236427724 Sir Iain Chalmers, coordinator of The James Lind Initiative, will use his plenary lecture at the European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology meeting to highlight the need for the research community to be more effective in serving the information needs of patients and professionals. He will state there are currently large inefficiencies in the way health research is carried out, with the result that the needs of consumers of research results - patients and clinicians - are not being met effectively. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-clinical-attuned-patients-clinicians.html Other Wed, 28 Sep 2011 03:56:26 EST news236400269