Category Archives: Health

„Molekularer Schalter“ bei Parkinson-Protein entdeckt

Bei einer Variante von Parkinson spielt das Enzym LRRK2 eine zentrale Rolle. Wissenschaftler der Universität Kassel haben nun einen Mechanismus entdeckt, der die Aktivität von LRRK2 steuert. Das eröffnet neue Ansatzpunkte für die Entwicklung von Medikamenten gegen die bislang unheilbare Krankheit.

Parkinson ist nach Alzheimer die häufigste neurodegenerative Krankheit; Schätzungen gehen von rund sieben Millionen Erkrankten weltweit aus. Ein Teil der Erkrankungen ist erblich bedingt und wird durch Mutationen bestimmter Gene hervorgerufen. Diese sogenannte familiäre Parkinson-Variante tritt in verschieden Volksgruppen unterschiedlich häufig auf; bestimmte Mutationen sind insbesondere in Italien und Spanien verbreitet. Mutationen eines Proteins namens LRRK2 gelten als häufigste Ursache für vererbbares Parkinson. (more…)

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Schizophrenia in the limelight: film-industry technology provides insights into social exclusion

The first 30 seconds of a social encounter is crucial for people with symptoms of schizophrenia for establishing contact with people, according to new research carried out at Queen Mary University of London and the University of Exeter Medical School.

Using motion capture technology more commonly found in the film industry, the researchers studied social interactions of patients in a group and analysed the patterns of verbal and non-verbal communication. (more…)

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Facelift complications eased with help of new 3-D imaging technique

Millions of people each year remove wrinkles, soften creases and plump up their lips by injecting a gel-like material into their facial tissue. These cosmetic procedures are sometimes called “liquid facelifts” and are said to be minimally invasive.

It’s rare, but sometimes things go wrong. In a matter of minutes, patients’ skin can turn red or blotchy white and the injected area becomes painful. Vital blood supply to the face is restricted and if untreated, parts of the tissue will die. That scenario is irreversible and can leave deep scars. (more…)

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Helping adolescents understand the consequences of risky sexual behavior

Both parents and health care providers wonder: What is the best way to get through to adolescents about the dangers of risky sexual behavior? Research by investigators from Yale School of Medicine and the Yale play2PREVENT Lab finds that both positive and negative messaging may influence adolescent behavior. The study is published online in the journal Health Education Research.

The researchers write that 48% of high school students have had sex, and 6% had sex by the age of 13. Beginning sexual activity at an early age increases the risk of multiple partners, unwanted pregnancy, and sexually transmitted infections. A full half of all new sexually transmitted infections in the United States occur in individuals aged 15 to 25. (more…)

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Gene therapy leads to robust improvements in animal model of fatal muscle disease

Preclinical studies show that gene therapy can improve muscle strength in small- and large-animal models of a fatal congenital childhood disease know as X-linked myotubular myopathy.

The findings, appearing  as the cover story in the January 22, 2014 issue of Science Translational Medicine, also demonstrate the feasibility of future clinical trials of gene therapy for this devastating disease. (more…)

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