Latest News from: University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

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5-Dec-2018 8:05 PM EST
15 percent of babies exposed to Zika before birth had severe abnormalities in first 18 months of life
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

By age 12 to 18 months, 6.25% of children exposed to Zika during their mothers’ pregnancies had eye abnormalities, 12.2% had hearing problems, and 11.7% had severe delays in language, motor skills and/or cognitive function. In all, 14.5% had at least one of the three abnormalities.

Released: 10-Dec-2018 1:05 PM EST
Sprayable gel developed by UCLA-led team could help the body fight off cancer after surgery
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Many people who are diagnosed with cancer will undergo some type of surgery to treat their disease — almost 95 percent of people with early-diagnosed breast cancer will require surgery and it’s often the first line of treatment for people with brain tumors, for example. But despite improvements in surgical techniques over the past decade, the cancer often comes back after the procedure.

4-Dec-2018 4:30 PM EST
A minority of countries offer free early childhood education, UCLA researchers report
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Few governments make pre-primary education available on a tuition-free basis for two or more years, according to a new study from the WORLD Policy Analysis Center.

3-Dec-2018 9:00 AM EST
Neuroscientists Pinpoint Genes Tied to Dementia
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

A UCLA-led research team has identified genetic processes involved in the neurodegeneration that occurs in dementia — an important step on the path toward developing therapies that could slow or halt the course of the disease. The findings appear Dec. 3 in the journal Nature Medicine.

27-Nov-2018 8:05 PM EST
An opioid epidemic may be looming in Mexico — and the U.S. may be partly responsible
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Opioid use in Mexico has been low, but national and international factors are converging and a threat of increased drug and addiction rates exists. Many of these factors may have originated in the U.S., making this a potential joint U.S.-Mexico epidemic.

   
Released: 28-Nov-2018 2:05 PM EST
UCLA research suggests widely used breast cancer therapy doesn’t cause cognitive decline
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

UCLA researchers have found that commonly used hormone therapies for women diagnosed with breast cancer do not appear to cause significant cognitive dysfunction following the treatment.

Released: 14-Nov-2018 2:05 PM EST
Researchers identify a mechanism that fuels cancer cells’ growth
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

The study, led by UCLA professors Claudio Scafoglio and David Shackelford, suggests that a biomarker can help scientists detect lung cancer earlier, when it is much easier to treat.

25-Oct-2018 1:00 PM EDT
Low-Fat Diet Increases Cancer Survival Rate in Mice, Study Finds
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Something as simple as a change in diet can potentially help to increase the cancer survival rate of obese children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common childhood cancer, according to a new study by UCLA scientists.

Released: 31-Oct-2018 5:05 PM EDT
Investigators study how a protein factor involved in making messenger RNA molecules also contributes to cancer cell migration
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

UCLA researchers have discovered a new protein factor that contributes to a fibroblast cell’s ability to migrate to a wound and participate in its healing process. The study’s results could help scientists prevent cancer cells from using the same mechanisms to move throughout the body and spread.

26-Oct-2018 9:00 PM EDT
Can attending a top high school reduce teens’ marijuana abuse?
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Students from low-income neighborhoods who attended a high-achieving school were less likely to abuse marijuana than those who weren’t offered admission. By 11th grade, the risk of misusing the drug was cut by half in boys at top-performing schools.

Released: 18-Oct-2018 4:15 PM EDT
$5.1 Million Grant Will Fund Research to Develop a Stem Cell-Based Therapy for Blinding Eye Conditions
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Scientists at the UCLA Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research and the Stein Eye Institute have been awarded a $5.1 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine to advance the development of a novel therapy for blinding retinal conditions.

Released: 18-Oct-2018 11:55 AM EDT
Childhood Trauma, Depression Linked to Higher Risk of Longer-Term Fatigue in Breast Cancer Survivors
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Breast cancer survivors who experienced trauma early in life and depression after their cancer treatments are at increased risk of persistent fatigue, a new UCLA study shows. Some of the key predictors of longer-term fatigue for this group of women include elevated levels of depressive symptoms after treatment and a history of childhood adversity, such as abuse, neglect, household conflict and disorganization.

Released: 15-Oct-2018 4:05 PM EDT
HIV-Positive Infants Are at High Risk for Acquiring Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

FINDINGS Infants born to HIV-positive mothers had high rates of congenital cytomegalovirus, or CMV. Infants who also were infected before birth by the virus that causes AIDS were especially prone to CMV infection. The researchers found that 23 percent of the infants who became infected with HIV during the mother’s pregnancy also were infected with CMV; 18 percent who were infected with HIV either during pregnancy or birth acquired congenital CMV; and 4.

Released: 4-Oct-2018 2:05 PM EDT
UCLA researchers discover aggressive prostate and lung cancers are driven by common mechanisms
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

UCLA researchers have discovered a common process in the development of late-stage, small cell cancers of the prostate and lung. These shared molecular mechanisms could lead to the development of drugs to treat not just prostate and lung cancers, but small cell cancers of almost any organ.

Released: 2-Oct-2018 11:05 AM EDT
4 common myths about breast cancer
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

UCLA oncologist Dr. Parvin Peddi, assistant clinical professor in medicine and member of the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, discusses four myths regarding the most common cancer in U.S. women.

Released: 24-Sep-2018 7:05 PM EDT
UCLA-led Health Equity Network of the Americas is created to address gaps in health, longevity
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Across the Americas, there continue to be wide gaps in health and longevity between rich and poor, educated and lesser educated, and people at high or low risk of being the targets of violence. To address these gaps, the Health Equity Network of the Americas has been launched to coincide with the release of recommendations from the Pan American Health Organization Commission on Equity and Health Inequalities in the Americas.

18-Sep-2018 8:05 PM EDT
Online Diabetes Prevention Programs Are as Effective as in-Person Programs for Weight Loss, Study Finds
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

An embargoed UCLA-led study suggests that an intensive, multifaceted online diabetes prevention program is as effective as in-person programs and can make prevention programs more accessible to those at risk for developing diabetes

Released: 19-Sep-2018 10:05 AM EDT
What Patients Don't Know (but Should) About Prostate Cancer
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

This Prostate Cancer Awareness Week, urologist shares three things patients are surprised to learn

Released: 18-Sep-2018 12:05 PM EDT
Researchers find adult stem cell characteristics in aggressive cancers from different tissues
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

UCLA researchers have discovered genetic similarities between the adult stem cells responsible for maintaining and repairing epithelial tissues — which line all of the organs and cavities inside the body — and the cells that drive aggressive epithelial cancers. Their findings could bring about a better understanding of how aggressive, treatment-resistant cancers develop and progress, and could eventually lead to new drugs for a range of advanced epithelial cancers such as lung, prostate and bladder cancers.

Released: 17-Sep-2018 3:05 PM EDT
UCLA Researchers Develop Mechanism for Characterizing Function of Rare Tumor Cells
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

UCLA researchers have created a quick and effective mechanism to measure how these circulating tumor cells perform functions that drive cancer.

   
Released: 7-Sep-2018 4:55 PM EDT
Changes in the Architecture Around Cancer Cells Can Fuel Their Spread
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

UCLA researchers have found that an often overlooked component of a cell, the extracellular matrix, can influence how much sugar the cell consumes and its migratory behavior.

   
5-Sep-2018 4:10 PM EDT
UCLA-Led Team Develops Novel System to Track Brain Chemicals
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Researchers at UCLA and Columbia University have developed a novel method for tracking the activity of small molecules in the brain, including the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine. Pairing tiny artificial receptors with semiconductor devices that are able to function in living tissue, the team was able to observe brain chemicals at a high level of detail.

Released: 6-Sep-2018 1:05 PM EDT
California’s Large Minority Population Drives State’s Relatively Low Death Rate, Study Finds
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

FINDINGS High poverty rates, low education and lack of insurance are all social determinants that are expected to lead to high mortality rates and negative health outcomes. Despite a 62 percent minority population with these characteristics in California, the state’s health profile was significantly better than the nation’s as a whole.

Released: 5-Sep-2018 1:05 PM EDT
UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital named one of nation's most innovative children's hospitals
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Parents magazine has named UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital one of the most innovative children's hospitals in the United States. UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital was one of only 20 pediatric hospitals in the country to receive the distinction for 2018.

Released: 5-Sep-2018 1:05 PM EDT
Metabolism-Focused Startup Aims to Shorten Time Between Scientific Insight and Therapies
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

A new “virtual” drug development startup company, Enspire Bio, will channel the knowledge and financial resources necessary to translate basic science — the bedrock of medicine — into powerful treatments. And, in a notable departure from traditional approaches, the translation will occur in the heart of the research lab.

Released: 5-Sep-2018 1:05 PM EDT
UCLA’s epilepsy center offers hope to people with drug-resistant seizures
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Thirty to 40 percent of people with epilepsy — more than 1 million Americans — continue to experience seizures despite taking medication. Experts at the UCLA Seizure Disorder Center at UCLA Health want to change that picture. Their message to people with epilepsy as well as their doctors is simple: Referral to a full-service epilepsy center can help.

28-Aug-2018 6:00 PM EDT
Affordable Care Act Reduced Disparities in Health Care Between Mexican-Heritage Latinos and Other Latinos in California
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Previous studies have shown that Mexican immigrants living in the U.S. are less likely to have insurance or to report a usual source of care than Mexican-Americans, other Latinos and non-Latino whites. But the Affordable Care Act may have made it easier for them to access health care when needed.

29-Aug-2018 9:45 AM EDT
New Therapy Spurs Nerve Fibers to Regrow Thru Scar Tissue, Transmit Signals After Spinal Cord Injury in Rats
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Scientists have identified a three-pronged treatment that triggers axons to regrow after spinal cord injury in rodents. The findings could lead to a new therapy for patients, providing the first step to regaining lost function.

Released: 28-Aug-2018 7:05 AM EDT
Combination Approach Shows Promise for Beating Advanced Melanoma
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

A UCLA-led study has found that a treatment that uses a bacteria-like agent in combination with an immunotherapy drug could help some people with advanced melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer, live longer.

Released: 23-Aug-2018 5:05 PM EDT
Researchers Identify Link Between Gut Bacteria and Eating for Pleasure, as Opposed to Hunger
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

A study of 63 healthy people showed that those with elevated microbiome levels of the metabolite indole — produced when gut bacteria break down the amino acid tryptophan — had stronger function and connectivity in specific areas of the brain’s reward network. Such activity in the brain indicates that a person is more prone to “hedonic eating,” or eating for pleasure rather than for hunger. Those with higher levels of indole also were more likely to have food addiction, as determined by questionnaires they completed.

Released: 22-Aug-2018 5:05 PM EDT
Coping with changes to your feet as you age
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Most Americans will have walked 75,000 miles by the time they reach the age of 50 – the equivalent of trekking around the Earth on the equator three times - which is why regular foot care is so important.

20-Aug-2018 4:00 PM EDT
Study Restores Significant Bladder Control to 5 People with Spinal Cord Injuries
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

A UCLA study is the first to show that magnetic stimulation of the lower spinal cord through the skin enables people with spinal-cord injuries to recover significant urination control for up to four weeks between treatments. The approach could increase patients' independence by reducing reliance on catheters to empty their bladders.

Released: 21-Aug-2018 3:05 PM EDT
Five Facts About Ovarian Cancer Everyone Should Know
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Although ovarian cancer is often considered a relatively rare cancer – accounting for only about 3 percent of all cancers in women – it causes more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system. In September, also known as Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, share these 5 facts with your friends and loved ones.

Released: 20-Aug-2018 8:05 AM EDT
For Children with Complex Medical Situations, a New Roadmap for Improving Health
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

A team of UCLA researchers has developed a set of health outcome measures for children with medical complexity, using a software program that aggregates the latest research and expertise about how to treat their conditions. The team’s work, published in the September issue of the journal Pediatrics, proposes a standard to shape the ideal model of care for such children.

Released: 16-Aug-2018 4:45 PM EDT
Statins Associated with Improvement of Rare Lung Disease
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Researchers have found that cholesterol-lowering statins may improve the conditions of people with a rare lung disease called autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis. The research also suggested that two new tests could help diagnose the condition.

14-Aug-2018 12:05 AM EDT
UCLA Health Hospitals No. 1 in Los Angeles, No. 7 in Nation
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

For 29 consecutive years, US News has placed UCLA on the Best Hospitals Honor Roll reserved for those that deliver high-quality care across a range of specialties, procedures and conditions.

7-Aug-2018 9:05 PM EDT
Race and Research: How Public Health Experts Can Reduce Racial Bias in Their Work
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

How can public health researchers address racism? That’s the focus of a supplement to the latest issue of the journal Ethnicity & Disease, for which UCLA professor Chandra Ford served as guest editor.

3-Aug-2018 3:30 PM EDT
Health Systems in Low- and Middle-Income Countries Not Prepared to Diagnose and Treat Common Diseases
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Bangladesh, Haiti, Malawi, Nepal and Tanzania each has fewer than five health facilities that can properly diagnose and treat cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes, a new UCLA study reports.

Released: 1-Aug-2018 4:05 PM EDT
Drugs for Heart Failure Are Still Under-Prescribed, Years After Initial Study
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

A UCLA-led study found that many people with heart failure do not receive the medications recommended for them under guidelines set by the American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association and Heart Failure Society of America. The research also found that doctors frequently prescribe medications at doses lower than those recommended by the guidelines, especially for older people, those with kidney disease, those with worsening symptoms or those who were recently hospitalized for heart failure.

Released: 17-Jul-2018 8:05 PM EDT
Tips for Men Considering Plastic Surgery
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

More men are seeking plastic surgery to enhance their looks and boost their confidence. Here are five tips to guide the process of finding the right surgeon.

13-Jul-2018 6:05 PM EDT
Military Personnel Show Brain Changes Similar to Those Seen in Retired Football Players with Suspected Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Molecular tracer combined with PET scans show locations and concentrations of abnormal proteins associated with degenerative brain disease

Released: 13-Jul-2018 10:55 PM EDT
Worried About Varicose Veins? Here's What You Need to Know
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Varicose veins affect about 25 percent of women and 15 percent of men in their lifetime, and there are many ways they can be treated.

10-Jul-2018 3:00 PM EDT
Researchers Discover Gene That Controls Bone-to-Fat Ratio in Bone Marrow
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

UCLA researchers have found that the PGC-1α gene, previously known to control human metabolism, also controls the equilibrium of bone and fat in bone marrow and also how an adult stem cell expresses its final cell type. The findings could lead to a better understanding of the disruption of bone-to-fat ratio in bone marrow and its health consequences, and point to the gene as a therapeutic target in the treatment of osteoporosis and skeletal aging.

6-Jul-2018 12:05 AM EDT
Parents Who Had Severe Trauma, Stresses in Childhood More Likely to Have Kids with Behavioral Health Problems
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

A new study finds that severe childhood trauma and stresses early in parents' lives are linked to higher rates of behavioral health problems in their own children.



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