http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. A life-threatening condition that often requires transplantation and accounts for half of all acute liver failures, autoimmune hepatitis is often precipitated by certain anesthetics and antibiotics. Researchers say these drugs contain tiny molecules called haptens that ever so slightly change normal liver proteins, causing the body to mistake its own liver cells for foreign invaders and to attack them. The phenomenon disproportionately occurs in women, even when they take the same drugs at the same doses as men. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-estrogen-fuels-autoimmune-liver.html Medical research Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:48:32 EST news286548506 An international research consortium led by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), the CIBERER and the University of Wurzburg (Germany) has discovered a gene that can cause three totally different diseases, depending on how it is altered. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-gene-diseases.html Genetics Thu, 25 Apr 2013 12:00:15 EST news286108969 Researchers at the University of Calgary's Hotchkiss Brain Institute have discovered that stress circuits in the brain undergo profound learning early in life. Using a number of cutting edge approaches, including optogenetics, Jaideep Bains, PhD, and colleagues have shown stress circuits are capable of self-tuning following a single stress. These findings demonstrate that the brain uses stress experience during early life to prepare and optimize for subsequent challenges. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-stress-circuits.html Neuroscience Sun, 07 Apr 2013 13:00:02 EST news284557977 (Medical Xpress)—A new study by researchers at the Center for Modeling Immunity to Enteric Pathogens at Virginia Bioinformatics Institute provides novel insight into how an emerging strain of the diarrhea-causing bacteria E. coli interacts with its host. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-potential-therapeutic-coli-infections.html Medical research Thu, 28 Mar 2013 08:40:03 EST news283677820 Scientists at the Gladstone Institutes have discovered that a certain type of DNA damage long thought to be particularly detrimental to brain cells can actually be part of a regular, non-harmful process. The team further found that disruptions to this process occur in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease—and identified two therapeutic strategies that reduce these disruptions. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-scientists-dna-brain.html Alzheimer's disease & dementia Sun, 24 Mar 2013 14:10:01 EST news283335265 (Medical Xpress)—Anyone whose hand or foot has "fallen asleep" has an idea of the numbness and tingling often experienced by people with peripheral nerve damage. The condition also can cause a range of other symptoms, including unrelenting pain, stinging, burning, itching and sensitivity to touch. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-clues-peripheral-nerve.html Neuroscience Thu, 07 Mar 2013 07:07:50 EST news281862461 (Medical Xpress)—An international team of scientists has observed that the well-studied protein Sirtuin-1, known for helping cells live longer, also appears to play an important role in pancreatic cancer. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-pancreatic-cancer.html Cancer Tue, 05 Feb 2013 08:44:09 EST news279276224 (Medical Xpress)—Scientists from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), part of the National Institutes of Health, and the University of Oxford, U.K., have shed light on a long-standing enigma about the structure of a protein related to the Hepatitis B virus. Their findings, reported in Structure, could lead to new therapeutic strategies for chronic liver disease. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-scientists-mystery-hepatitis-virus-discovery.html Medical research Wed, 09 Jan 2013 06:29:17 EST news276935350 (Medical Xpress)—A new study is currently exploring why Indigenous Australians (IA) suffer more frequently and severely from lupus than non-Indigenous Australians (NIA). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-indigenous-australians-vulnerable-lupus.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Fri, 14 Dec 2012 06:47:44 EST news274690055 (Medical Xpress)—Researchers at the Moffitt Cancer Center have found that delayed tumor growth and enhanced survival of mice bearing melanoma were possible by blocking the reconstitution of myeloid-derived suppressor cells and Tregs (suppressors of anti-tumor activity) after total body irradiation had eliminated them. Blocking myeloid-derived suppressor cells and regulatory T-cell reconstitution improved adoptive T-cell therapy, an immunotherapy designed to suppress tumor activity. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-effective-immunotherapy-melanoma-hinges-blocking.html Immunology Tue, 11 Dec 2012 03:48:04 EST news274420077 Cancer biologists have known for decades that even the most potent cancer-causing genes do not act alone. Yet, identifying which combinations of genetic changes can cause a tumor to form and disease to progress remains a challenge. "The hope is that by understanding these [combinations], it will be possible to design therapeutic strategies tailored to the genetic changes in different cancers," says Stephen Cohen of the A*STAR Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) and the National University of Singapore. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-fruit-genes-reveals-molecules-cooperate.html Genetics Wed, 05 Dec 2012 08:10:41 EST news273917424 (Medical Xpress)—Some infants are more susceptible to potentially life-threatening breathing problems after birth, and rare, inherited DNA differences may explain why, according to research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-gene-linked-respiratory-distress-babies.html Pediatrics Tue, 27 Nov 2012 12:17:55 EST news273241063 The age-adjusted prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) varies considerably within the United States, from less than 4 percent of the population in Washington and Minnesota to more than 9 percent in Alabama and Kentucky. These state-level rates are among the COPD data available for the first time as part of the newly released 2011 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-cdc-nih-survey-state-level-copd.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Wed, 21 Nov 2012 13:19:47 EST news272726363 Following an infection, dysregulation of the immune system can result in a systemic inflammatory response and an often fatal condition called severe sepsis or septic shock. Sepsis is not uncommon, yet its cause and underlying immune dysfunction remain poorly understood. Regulatory T cells (Tregs), a component of the immune system, now appear to have an important role in suppressing the immune response in advance of sepsis, and understanding this role may lead to new therapeutic strategies for improving patient outcomes, as described in a review article in Journal of Interferon & Cytokine Research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-closer-deadly-sepsis.html Medical research Fri, 16 Nov 2012 12:56:11 EST news272292918 Liver cancer is the sixth most common cancer worldwide and the third leading cause of cancer-associated deaths. Yet even for such a frequent and deadly disease, the pathogenesis of this cancer remains obscure. Now, a team of scientists in Japan has shown that genes involved in regulating how tightly DNA is wound into chromosomes are commonly mutated in liver tumors. The finding points to potential new and much-needed therapeutic strategies. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-identification-mutations-common-liver-cancers.html Cancer Fri, 16 Nov 2012 07:14:42 EST news272272473 A new study from Tel Aviv University suggests that early clues about the progression of the disease can be found in the metabolism of the brain, making it possible to detect and diagnose Alzheimer's at an early stage with a simple blood test. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-metabolism-alzheimer-percent-accuracy.html Alzheimer's disease & dementia Wed, 07 Nov 2012 14:46:53 EST news271521985 (Medical Xpress)—Researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center and colleagues at the University of South Florida; Duke University; Johns Hopkins University; the Brazilian National Cancer Institute; and the Rio de Janeiro Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology have discovered that an intricate system to repair DNA damage called the "DNA damage response" (DDR) contains previously unknown components, including proteins that could be targeted as sensitizers for chemotherapy. Some of these targets may already have drugs available that have unrecognized uses in cancer therapy, said the researchers. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-proteins-dna-response-network-therapies.html Medical research Tue, 16 Oct 2012 04:13:09 EST news269579571 More effective treatments for one of the deadliest forms of cancer are one step closer thanks to groundbreaking research from an international collaborative study. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-breakthrough-lung-cancer-vulnerabilities-therapy.html Cancer Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:00:37 EST news268315602 Scientists may have discovered why a protein called MYC can provoke a variety of cancers. Like many proteins associated with cancer, MYC helps regulate cell growth. A study carried out by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and colleagues found that, unlike many other cell growth regulators, MYC does not turn genes on or off, but instead boosts the expression of genes that are already turned on. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-major-cancer-protein-amplifies-global.html Genetics Thu, 27 Sep 2012 12:00:01 EST news267965344 Stem cells are considered promising agents for the recovery of spinal cord injuries. European scientists explore their abilities and plan future therapeutic strategies. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-stem-cell-therapy-spinal-cord.html Medical research Tue, 25 Sep 2012 09:00:01 EST news267781317 Brain metastases are common secondary complications of other types of cancer, particularly lung, breast and skin cancer. The body's own immune response in the brain is rendered powerless in the fight against these metastases by inflammatory reactions. Researchers at the MedUni Vienna have now, for the first time, precisely characterised the brain's immune response to infiltrating metastases. This could pave the way to the development of new, less aggressive treatment options. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-brain-immune-response-metastasized-cancer.html Cancer Tue, 25 Sep 2012 08:10:47 EST news267779434 Cardiac injury leads to significant structural changes in the heart, including enlargement, excess formation of fibrous growth tissue, and abnormalities of the coronary vasculature. While associated factors have been targeted for therapeutic intervention, the results have been conflicting. Most studies have investigated these changes after six days of injury. However, advanced stages of remodeling have already begun by day seven following injury. New research reveals that morphological changes in response to cardiac injury occur rapidly, with implications for the development of therapeutic strategies. The results are published in the October issue of The American Journal of Pathology. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-heart-remodeling-rapidly-cardiac-injury.html Cardiology Tue, 04 Sep 2012 00:00:01 EST news265893373 The Journal of Neurosurgery (JNS) Publishing Group is proud to announce publication of the NACTN/AOSNA Focus Issue on Spinal Cord Injury, a supplement to the September issue of the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine, which is sponsored by AOSpine North America available in print and online. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-therapies-spinal-cord-injury-edge.html Surgery Fri, 31 Aug 2012 11:06:44 EST news265629979 Microbial infections are becoming unbeatable due to progressive mutations that lead to antimicrobial drug resistance. European scientists exploited the characteristics of novel antimicrobial compounds that mimic the dual activities of natural antimicrobial proteins. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-immune-antimicrobials.html Medications Thu, 30 Aug 2012 09:24:29 EST news265537460 (HealthDay) -- High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) is an independent risk factor for the development of diabetic nephropathy, but not retinopathy, in patients with type 2 diabetes, according to research published online Aug. 13 in Diabetes Care. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-hdl-cholesterol-ups-diabetic-nephropathy.html Diabetes Wed, 22 Aug 2012 19:20:01 EST news264871069 In a study published June 25 in the Journal of Neuroscience, a collaborative team of researchers led by Linda J. Van Eldik, director of the University of Kentucky Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, and D. Martin Watterson of the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, present results showing that a new central nervous system drug compound can reduce Alzheimer's pathology in a mouse model of the disease. The drug, called MW-151, is a selective suppressor of brain inflammation and overproduction of proinflammatory molecules from glial cells. The drug can be taken by mouth and readily enters the brain. The new study tested the hypothesis that intervention with drugs like MW-151 could be effective as a preventive measure, when administered at an early stage before Alzheimer's pathology appears, as well as after disease symptoms have begun to appear. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-effect-early-drug-administration-alzheimer.html Alzheimer's disease & dementia Tue, 24 Jul 2012 17:10:42 EST news262368632 An EU research project has shed light on the tumor-growth role of a key-signalling pathway in mammary gland stem cells. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-exploring-stem-cells-tumor-growth.html Cancer Mon, 16 Jul 2012 10:16:34 EST news261652586 Research presented at the Society of Nuclear Medicine's 59th Annual Meeting reveals that patients with differentiated thyroid cancer live as long as people in perfect health, unless they are in the minority and have reached the most advanced stages of disease. Survival did not vary based on age, sex, or even if patients' cancer had reached the beginning of stage IV. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-cases-thyroid-cancer-affect-survival.html Cancer Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:00:05 EST news258639803 The BCL-2 protein family plays a large role in determining whether cancer cells survive in response to therapy or undergo a form of cell death known as apoptosis. Cells are pressured toward apoptosis by expression of pro-apoptotic BCL-2 proteins. However, cancer cells respond to therapy by increasing expression of anti-apoptotic proteins, which bind and neutralize pro-apoptotic family members and mediate therapeutic resistance. Therefore, development of therapeutic strategies to neutralize resistance to apoptosis will be critical to clinical improvements. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-destruction-newly-compound-triggers-cancer.html Cancer Thu, 24 May 2012 12:01:24 EST news257077876 Clinical studies registered in clinicaltrials.gov between 2007-2010 are dominated by small, single-center trials and contain significant heterogeneity (different in nature, difficult to compare) in methodological approaches, including the use of randomization, blinding, and data monitoring committees, according to a study in the May 2 issue of JAMA. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-clinical-trials-fall-short.html Other Tue, 01 May 2012 16:28:41 EST news255108475