http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. (Medical Xpress)—Michigan State University researchers have unlocked secrets in bone marrow that could lead to improved treatments for colitis and Crohn's disease. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-bone-marrow-secrets-colitis-crohn.html Medical research Mon, 24 Sep 2012 16:37:01 EST news267723389 Radiation therapy is one of the most widely used cancer treatments, but it often damages normal tissue and can lead to debilitating conditions. A class of drugs known as mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors can prevent radiation-induced tissue damage in mice by protecting normal stem cells that are crucial for tissue repair, according to a preclinical study published by Cell Press in the September issue of the journal Cell Stem Cell. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-stem-cell-protecting-drug-side-effects-therapy.html Cancer Thu, 06 Sep 2012 12:00:12 EST news266148159 It is likely that the protein is also highly significant for other inflammatory diseases. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-immune-protein-pancreatitis.html Immunology Fri, 31 Aug 2012 11:09:01 EST news265630132 New research from the laboratory of Dr. Andrea Cooper at the Trudeau Institute, just published in the European Journal of Immunology, holds promise for the improved prevention and treatment of bacterial infections and the life-threatening complications of chronic inflammation that can result from them. The publication title is "Nitric oxide inhibits the accumulation of CD4+CD44hiTbet+CD69lo T cells in mycobacterial infection". http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-unforeseen-anti-bacterial-immune-response.html Immunology Tue, 28 Aug 2012 12:36:46 EST news265376195 Astrocytes are cells that have many functions in the central nervous system, such as the control of neuronal synapses, blood flow, or the brain's response to neurotrauma or stroke. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-astrocytes-neurons-neural-stem-cells.html Medical research Fri, 24 Aug 2012 10:50:01 EST news265021544 Stem cells isolated from fat are being considered as an option for treating tissue damage and diseases because of their accessibility and lack of rejection. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Stem Cell Research & Therapy shows that this is not as straightforward as previously believed, and that fat-derived stem cells secrete VEGF and other factors, which can inhibit cartilage regeneration. However pre-treating the cells with antibodies against VEGF and growing them in nutrients specifically designed to promote chondrocytes can neutralize these effects. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-cartilage-fat-problems-potential-solutions.html Medical research Fri, 24 Aug 2012 00:40:01 EST news264987211 (Medical Xpress) -- New research from the University of Bristol has identified the subtypes of sensory nerve cells that are likely to contribute to long-term nerve pain from partial nerve injury. It is hoped this will aid in the development of more effective painkillers. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-sensory-nerve-cells-contribute-chronic.html Medical research Fri, 17 Aug 2012 03:40:49 EST news264393524 European researchers are working toward restoration of mobility in neuromuscular disease and trauma. Using miniature scaffolds to guide nerve regeneration, they are seeking to ensure proper functional connections between peripheral nerves and their target muscles. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-reconnecting-nerves-muscles.html Medical research Tue, 31 Jul 2012 10:12:36 EST news262948349 Throughout the lifecycle, injury to the body’s cells occurs naturally, as well as through trauma. Cells have the ability to repair and regenerate themselves, but a defect in the repair process can lead to cardiovascular, neurological, muscular or pulmonary diseases. Recent discoveries of key genes that control cell repair have advanced the often painstaking search for ways to enhance the repair process. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-mg53-protein-shown-traumatic-tissue.html Medical research Thu, 21 Jun 2012 17:18:39 EST news259517871 Scientists have discovered a new function for a protein that protects cells during injury and could eventually translate into treatment for conditions ranging from cardiovascular disease to Alzheimer's. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-newly-protein-function-cells-injury.html Medical research Thu, 07 Jun 2012 12:00:01 EST news258289123 Neuropathic pain, caused by nerve or tissue damage, is the culprit behind many cases of chronic pain. It can be the result of an accident or caused by a variety of medical conditions and diseases such as tumors, lupus, and diabetes. Typically resistant to common types of pain management including ibuprofen and even morphine, neuropathic pain can lead to lifelong disability for many sufferers. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-drug-resistant-chronic-pain.html Neuroscience Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:10:01 EST news255009100 To the surprise of investigating researchers, an animal model of Epstein Barr virus protected lupus-prone mice against development of the autoimmune disease. Earlier work had suggested that EBV might promote the development of autoimmunity. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-epstein-barr-virus-autoimmune-disease.html Immunology Mon, 02 Apr 2012 15:00:04 EST news252585474 A new study suggests that administering FTY720, an oral drug that has shown promise in trials for human multiple sclerosis, significantly improves locomotor recovery in mice with spinal cord injury (SCI). The research suggests a possible new avenue to counteract the degeneration of the spinal cord in human SCI. The study will be published in the April 2012 issue of The American Journal of Pathology. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-therapeutic-approach-spinal-cord-injury.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 13 Mar 2012 04:22:11 EST news250831279 The liver is unique among mammalian organs in its ability to regenerate after significant tissue damage or even partial surgical removal. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-lost-uncovering-liver-tissue-regenerates.html Medical research Mon, 12 Mar 2012 12:29:14 EST news250774148 (Medical Xpress) -- Boosting levels of the simple compound fumarate in mice significantly reduces damage from a heart attack, an Oxford University-led study has shown. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-fumarate-greatly-heart-mice.html Medical research Wed, 07 Mar 2012 08:13:34 EST news250330405 (Medical Xpress) -- 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. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-gel-tissue-heart.html Cardiology Wed, 22 Feb 2012 09:20:00 EST news249124790 A new study shows that Kineret (anakinra), a medication approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, is effective in stopping the progression of organ damage in people with neonatal-onset multisystem inflammatory disease (NOMID). This rare and debilitating genetic disorder causes persistent inflammation and ongoing tissue damage. The research was performed by scientists at the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), part of the National Institutes of Health. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-drug-halts-inflammatory-genetic-disorder.html Inflammatory disorders Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:55:00 EST news248100889 Craig Hutto considers himself part bionic man. In 2005, doctors amputated his leg after a shark attacked him during a fishing trip off the Florida Gulf Coast. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-bionic-leg-amputee-faster-feet.html Medical research Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:05:11 EST news246614689 (Medical Xpress) -- Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine have found in an animal model of acute lung injury a molecular mechanism that allows cells of the immune system to reduce tissue damage from inflammation. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-12-cells-limit-inflammation-lung-injury.html Medical research Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:10:04 EST news243069658 (Medical Xpress) -- Publishing in the leading medical journal Nature Medicine, a team led by Newcastle University academics have identified serotonin receptors which can be targeted with drugs to enhance the natural healing properties of the liver. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-serotonin-healthy-chronic-liver-disease.html Medical research Mon, 28 Nov 2011 05:30:02 EST news241676825 Mitochondria are often called cellular "powerhouses" because they convert nutrients into energy. But these tiny structures also help determine cellular lifespan. Scientists at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham) are now discovering how mitochondria alternate between duplicating and fragmenting and how these events help cells adapt to diverse physiological conditions. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-mitochondria-protein-therapeutic-heart-disease.html Cardiology Thu, 17 Nov 2011 14:47:06 EST news240763601 A targeted, nanoparticle gelatin-based clot-busting treatment dissolved significantly more blood clots than a currently used drug in an animal study of acute coronary syndrome presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2011. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-gelatin-based-nanoparticle-treatment-effective-clot.html Cardiology Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:47:06 EST news240508011 Drinking plenty of fluids may provide men with some protection against bladder cancer, according to a study presented at the 10th AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research, held Oct. 22-25, 2011. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-10-high-fluid-intake-bladder-cancer.html Cancer Mon, 24 Oct 2011 17:57:12 EST news238697825 Belgian researchers describe a new mechanism to enhance the restoration of the blood flow in ischemic diseases, which are among the leading causes of death worldwide. The team of Massimiliano Mazzone demonstrates that blocking the protein PhD2 in white blood cells accelerates the maturation of blood vessels. This leads to a better blood perfusion to organs that had been deprived from blood supply by ischemia. This might become a new therapeutic approach in ischemic diseases. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-10-strategy-blood-vessel-maturation-therapeutic.html Medical research Tue, 11 Oct 2011 11:46:15 EST news237552369 Researchers have shown they can reverse the aging process for human adult stem cells, which are responsible for helping old or damaged tissues regenerate. The findings could lead to medical treatments that may repair a host of ailments that occur because of tissue damage as people age. A research group led by the Buck Institute for Research on Aging and the Georgia Institute of Technology conducted the study in cell culture, which appears in the September 1, 2011 edition of the journal Cell Cycle. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-scientists-clock-adult-stem-cells.html Medical research Tue, 20 Sep 2011 15:46:00 EST news235752345 Examination of lung tissue and other autopsy material from 68 American soldiers who died of respiratory infections in 1918 has revealed that the influenza virus that eventually killed 50 million people worldwide was circulating in the United States at least four months before the 1918 influenza reached pandemic levels that fall. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-earliest-evidence-influenza-pandemic.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 19 Sep 2011 15:00:54 EST news235662152 Scientists have identified a surprising new role for a new type of T cell in the immune system: some of them can be activated by nerves to make a neurotransmitter (acetylcholine) that blocks inflammation. The discovery of these T cells is novel and suggests that it may be possible to treat inflammation and autoimmune diseases by targeting the nerves and the T cells. The study was published this week in Science. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-cells-brain-chemicals-treatments-inflammation.html Medical research Fri, 16 Sep 2011 11:00:30 EST news235389535 Ten weeks of preventive supplementation with a natural form of vitamin E called tocotrienol in dogs that later had strokes reduced overall brain tissue damage, prevented loss of neural connections and helped sustain blood flow in the animals' brains, a new study shows. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-07-natural-vitamin.html Cardiology Tue, 05 Jul 2011 14:39:30 EST news229095549 Levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) are increased in response to acute inflammation, infection and tissue damage. There are also reports that CRP levels are elevated because of cancer. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Breast Cancer Research shows that elevated CRP levels are predictive of a poor prognosis for breast cancer sufferers. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-06-c-reactive-protein-breast-cancer-survival.html Cancer Fri, 03 Jun 2011 02:50:39 EST news226287983 Researchers studying the life threatening infectious disease sepsis have discovered how the infection can lead to a fatal inflammatory response through blood vessel cells. The research, which is published in EMBO Molecular Medicine, focuses on blocking crucial Matrix Metalloprotease enzymes (MMP) which activate the response. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-05-blueprint-blocking-mmp-treatments-deadly.html Medical research Wed, 18 May 2011 04:17:04 EST news224910977