Clinical Trials & Research

Despite evidence that some active substances in cannabis may support some aspects of health, many people who use this drug, and particularly those who smoke it, develop symptoms of dependence. A new clinical trial shows that a safer, cannabis-based medication can counter dependence. A safer cannabis extract could help users fight cannabis dependence, according to

Everyone else is better than me. That’s the impression you get when you look at profiles on social networks. Great holiday, fantastic party, adorable children, incredible food: everyone shows their life in the best light on social networks. Those who take a look around on such sites can find that their self-esteem takes a hit

While reports on deaths are depressing, they can be incredibly interesting as well. They reflect trends in population health and help to target areas for health interventions. The latest report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reveals that more than 18,000 Australians died of coronary heart disease, or heart attacks, in 2017. While

The UPV/EHU-University of the Basque Country analyses the high capacity of A. baumannii, the possible cause of recurring outbreaks in ICUs, to persist on various surfaces. A group in the Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology at the UPV/EHU has conducted an in-depth study into the capacity to survive of the Acinetobacter baumannii bacterium as

Jul 15 2019 Bordeaux University Hospital (CHU) in France is leading the charge to improve success rates of complex kidney tumor removal surgery, thanks to unique full-color, multi-material 3D printing technology. The CHUis currently one of the only hospitals worldwide to use a Stratasys J750– the world’s only full-color, multi-material 3D printer – for complex

Jul 15 2019 Working closely with a medical device manufacturer, Porvair Sciences has developed a high-performance fluid collection vent for a surgical suction cannister using their proprietary Vyon® porous plastic. A large fraction of the waste produced during surgery is in the form of liquids such as blood and bodily fluids that have been diverted

Jul 15 2019 Researchers at Okayama University have developed an early gastric cancer endoscopic diagnosis system using artificial intelligence (AI). The details were presented at the Congress of the Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society (JGES), May 31 – June 2, 2019, Tokyo. The image of Endoscopic diagnosis system using AI. According to data released in 2017

Have you ever stepped up to the pharmacy cash register only to learn your new prescription will cost you hundreds of dollars — instead of your typical $25 copay — because your insurance doesn’t cover it? Or received a painfully high bill for a medical test because your health plan didn’t think it was necessary?

Jul 15 2019 Despite being the second most common element in the universe helium has an annoying habit of escaping into space. If this didn’t make things challenging enough, in 1996, the US government started selling off its holding of helium at low prices as it was no longer considered a strategic material. The knock-on

People who experience acute migraine may soon find relief in a new treatment. The results of a clinical trial of a novel drug revealed that it can eliminate head pain and reduce other symptoms of migraine. New research uncovers the benefits of a novel drug for treating acute migraine. Many people with acute migraine rely

Many different countries have a tea culture, and Japanese Matcha tea is growing in popularity around the world. In Japan, Matcha has a long history of being used for various medicinal purposes. It has been suspected to have various beneficial effects to health, but relatively little scientific evidence supported that claim. Now, a group of

Laboratory and animal studies have suggested that the leukemia drug nilotinib could alleviate symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Now, using early results from a clinical trial in humans, scientists have worked out how the drug reduces toxic protein and raises dopamine levels in the brain. New research explains how a cancer drug increases levels of the

Researchers from Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) have discovered the use of thioredoxin – a naturally occurring antioxidant to modulate T cells of the immune system. This may be a big step towards improving currently used immune therapies such as adoptive T-cell therapy (ACT) and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The studies were funded

Researchers have found that Schwann cells, a special type of cells are capable of generating protective myelin sheath covers for the nerves at rates higher than earlier believed. Senior author Dr. Kelly Monk, professor and co-director of the Vollum Institute at Oregon Health & Science University said in a statement, “This totally overturns the textbook

A minimally invasive surgical procedure that targets nerves leading to the kidneys could one day offer a safe way for some people to reduce their blood pressure medications. Scientists find a new way to optimize blood pressure control. Investigators have announced the 6-month results of an international clinical trial on the safety and effectiveness of

PET scans that can detect changes in the brain relating to Alzheimer’s disease could improve the diagnosis and medical care of people with dementia and similar symptoms. An innovative type of brain scan may improve care for people with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and other forms of cognitive impairment. Investigators came to this conclusion after analyzing

Researchers at LSTM, along with colleagues at the University of Edinburgh and the University Medical Center Utrecht have looked at the impact of the natural microbial flora or microbiota in the nose and viral co-infection on pneumococcal acquisition in healthy adults. Streptococcus pneumoniae or pneumococcus is the main bacterial pathogen involved in pneumonia, a respiratory

A drug that scientists originally developed to treat depression may have promise for the treatment of opioid withdrawal, researchers say. A new experimental drug may help reduce opioid withdrawal symptoms. Opioid withdrawal is a challenging experience, and although there are medications already on the market that can help curb the symptoms of withdrawal, these drugs

A study by the UPV/EHU’s Department of Evolutionary Psychology and Education has explored the validity of narrative and non-narrative cartoons for developing narrative skills, moral reasoning and values and countervalues in children in mainstream and non-mainstream education. The effect that may be exerted by the structure of the cartoons on these aspects when the children

The findings of a new study suggest that people who receive highly personalized combination therapy for treatment-resistant cancer can experience improved disease control and survival rates. Can highly personalized precision medicine bring more benefits to people with metastatic cancer? Recently, precision medicine has been gaining ground as a potentially more effective approach to treating a

In this season of global soccer competitions and hotly contested political primaries, bookies and pundits are scouring every evolving scrap of information and sifting through mountains of data in an effort to predict the outcome of the next game or election. These predictions can change on a dime, however, based on a player’s poor pass

For decades medical researchers have known that an effective way to combat multiple sclerosis (MS) would be to suppress the human immune system, since the debilitating disease is caused by the immune system ‘mistakenly’ attacking tissues in the spine and brain. However, this kind of treatment would cripple the body’s ability to control ordinary infections,

A recent study concludes that medicinal herbs found in Mauritius contain chemical compounds that inhibit the propagation of cancer cells. Mauritius is a hotbed of unique flora and fauna. Although science has made a great deal of headway in the treatment of cancer, there is still a long way to go. Some researchers, investigating new

A phase 3 clinical trial testing esketamine nasal spray in the treatment of severe depression found the spray mostly safe and effective. The findings led to the recent FDA approval of this treatment. Despite this, other researchers caution that “more questions than answers” remain. A phase 3 clinical trial found esketamine nasal spray safe and

Antidepressants reduce deaths by more than a third in patients with diabetes and depression, according to a study published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. People with diabetes are two to three times more likely to have depression than people without diabetes, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and

In 2007, Patrice Cani (FNRS-WELBIO researcher) and his team at the Louvain Drug Research Institute of University of Louvain, in close collaboration with Willem de Vos, professor at UWageningen, discovered the beneficial effects of an intestinal bacteria, Akkermansia muciniphila, able to moderate the development of obesity and type 2 diabetes, in mice. In 2017, the

The media is rife with claims of breakthrough biomedical studies performed in animals. However, can animals ever faithfully model human health? What can animal models tell us about human health? Avid readers of medical news will be familiar with the widespread use of animal models in biomedical research. From nutrition to cancer research and studies

As medical researchers continue their efforts to improve human health, some are turning their attention to the ocean because they believe that the Earth’s seas might harbor novel disease-fighting chemistry. Could human health depend on the creatures of the ocean? The oceans cover more than two-thirds of Earth. As the adage goes, we know more