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

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Released: 18-May-2023 10:05 AM EDT
UCLA study shows accuracy of genetically based disease predictions varies from individual-to-individual
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Polygenic scores – estimates of an individual’s predisposition for complex traits and diseases – hold promise for identifying patients at risk of disease and guiding early, personalized treatments, but UCLA experts found the scores fail to account for the wide range of genetic diversity across individuals in all ancestries.

Released: 17-May-2023 3:45 PM EDT
Researchers identify 10 pesticides toxic to neurons involved in Parkinson’s
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Through a novel pairing of epidemiology and toxicity screening, UCLA and Harvard researchers were able to identify 10 pesticides that were directly toxic to key neurons.

Released: 17-May-2023 2:40 PM EDT
Researchers identify potential new strategy to prevent side effects from immunotherapy
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

A study led by researchers at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center suggests that IL-21, a soluble molecule involved in activating the immune system, can be a potential therapeutic target to help reduce endocrine autoimmune side effects caused by checkpoint inhibitor cancer therapy.

10-May-2023 7:00 PM EDT
Annual Medicare spending could increase by $2 to $5 billion if Medicare expands coverage for dementia drug lecanemab
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

The anti-dementia medication lecanemab and its ancillary costs could add $2 billion to $5 billion in annual Medicare spending if the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) revise their coverage decision. Currently, the medication is covered only for patients who are enrolled in clinical trials.

10-May-2023 6:30 PM EDT
Next-generation statistical simulator gives medical and biological researchers a benchmarking tool capable of closely mimicking single-cell and spatial genomics data
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

UCLA researchers have developed an “all-in-one,” next-generation statistical simulator capable of assimilating a wide range of information to generate realistic synthetic data and provide a benchmarking tool for medical and biological researchers who use advanced technologies to study diseases and potential therapies.

   
Newswise: Researchers develop model for how the brain acquires essential omega-3 fatty acids
Released: 8-May-2023 11:10 AM EDT
Researchers develop model for how the brain acquires essential omega-3 fatty acids
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Researchers have developed a zebrafish model that provides new insight into how the brain acquires essential omega-3 fatty acids, including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and linolenic acid (ALA), creating the potential to improve understanding of lipid transport across the blood-brain barrier.

4-May-2023 7:40 PM EDT
A sharp increase in the price of the gout drug colchicine led to lower use and poorer disease control, UCLA research suggests
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

A sharp increase in the price of the gout drug colchicine, the result of an unusual FDA policy, led to lower use and poorer disease control. The findings have implications for other drugs, whose price could be similarly affected by government policies and manufacturer decisions.

3-May-2023 8:20 PM EDT
UCLA researchers find possible link between self-perceived cognition deficits and symptomatic long COVID
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

People who perceived that they had cognitive difficulties such as memory problems during COVID were more likely to have lingering physical manifestations of the disease than people who did not report cognitive issues.

Newswise: Ten UCLA Nurses honored by new recognition from the Simms/Mann Family Foundation
Released: 4-May-2023 6:35 PM EDT
Ten UCLA Nurses honored by new recognition from the Simms/Mann Family Foundation
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Ten nurses from UCLA Health are among 30 honored by the Simms/Mann Family Foundation in a generous program to recognize the mettle of nurses in Los Angeles. The program, Off the Chart: Rewarding Nursing Greatness, Powered by the Simms/Mann Family Foundation, recognized 30 nurses working at three medical centers in the region.

Released: 4-May-2023 10:00 AM EDT
California Center for Rare Diseases at UCLA named a ‘Center of Excellence’ in national collaborative organization
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

The California Center for Rare Diseases at UCLA has been designated as a NORD Rare Disease Center of Excellence, becoming one of 40 U.S. academic medical centers selected to be a part of the first-of-it-kind national network of U.S. medical institutions dedicated to diagnosing, treating, and researching all rare diseases.

Released: 27-Apr-2023 1:30 PM EDT
UCLA researchers to present on latest research and clinical advancements at American Urological Association Annual Meeting
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Physicians and scientists from the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Department of Urology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA will be joining thousands of urology experts on April 28 to May 1 for the American Urological Association (AUA) Annual Meeting.

25-Apr-2023 10:05 AM EDT
UCLA researchers identify lethal molecular alterations after present-day therapies fail patients with metastatic melanoma
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

In a new translational study from UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, researchers analyzed genetic changes in the organs of recently deceased patients to understand how metastatic cutaneous melanoma spreads in those who had initially benefited from precision therapies.

Released: 26-Apr-2023 2:05 PM EDT
UCLA physicians and researchers to present at Pediatric Academic Societies meeting
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Physician scientists from the UCLA Department of Pediatrics at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA will present on the latest scientific advancements at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting April 27-May 1, 2023 in Washington, D.C.

Released: 24-Apr-2023 6:05 PM EDT
UCLA Health seeks participants for first-of-its-kind study using injectable buprenorphine to treat methamphetamine use disorder and opioid co-use
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

UCLA Health investigators are leading a new, six-city trial of injectable buprenorphine for treatment of methamphetamine use disorder in adults who also use opioids.

Newswise: Machine-learning technique identifies people who would benefit most from treatment to reduce future cardiovascular disease risk
Released: 14-Apr-2023 6:50 PM EDT
Machine-learning technique identifies people who would benefit most from treatment to reduce future cardiovascular disease risk
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

New UCLA research suggests that a novel machine-learning technique known as "causal forest" was about five times more efficient than the current clinical practice of treating patients with high blood pressure.

   
Newswise: The brain’s support cells may play a key role in OCD
10-Apr-2023 9:35 AM EDT
The brain’s support cells may play a key role in OCD
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

A type of cell usually characterized as the brain’s support system appears to play an important role in OCD, providing a surprising new clue about potential therapeutic strategies for the disorder.

Released: 10-Apr-2023 3:15 PM EDT
Prior treatments influence immunotherapy response in advanced melanoma
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Research led by scientists at UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center found that responses to a type of immunotherapy called PD-1 checkpoint blockade in patients with advanced melanoma depended on whether or not they had previously received another immunotherapy – CTLA-4 blockade – as well as other factors.

5-Apr-2023 6:05 AM EDT
Men and women have different obesity drivers, pointing to the need for tailored interventions
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

A new study from UCLA researchers finds sex-specific brain signals that appear to confirm that different drivers lead men and women to develop obesity.

30-Mar-2023 11:05 AM EDT
Higher lithium levels in drinking water may raise autism risk
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Pregnant women whose household tap water had higher levels of lithium had a moderately higher risk of their offspring being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, researchers reported in JAMA Pediatrics.

28-Mar-2023 7:40 PM EDT
Drug overdose fatalities among US older adults has quadrupled over 20 years, UCLA research finds
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Overdose mortality among people age 65 and older quadrupled over 20 years, suggesting the need for greater mental health and substance use disorder policies addressed at curbing the trend.

Newswise: Early study shows cones in retinal degeneration, thought to be dormant, may retain visual function
Released: 27-Mar-2023 5:40 PM EDT
Early study shows cones in retinal degeneration, thought to be dormant, may retain visual function
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

New UCLA research in mice suggests that “dormant” cone photoreceptors in the degenerating retina are not dormant at all, but continue to function, producing responses to light and driving retinal activity for vision.

Newswise: A readily available dietary supplement may reverse organ damage caused by HIV and antiretroviral therapy
Released: 24-Mar-2023 12:05 AM EDT
A readily available dietary supplement may reverse organ damage caused by HIV and antiretroviral therapy
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

MitoQ, a mitochondrial antioxidant that is available to the public as a diet supplement, was found in a mouse study to reverse the detrimental effects that HIV and antiretroviral therapy (ART) have on mitochondria in the brain, heart, aorta, lungs, kidney and liver.

Released: 22-Mar-2023 12:10 PM EDT
UCLA Health Tip Sheet: Visual loss and mask-wearing practices; Influenza vaccination rates are low; Mixed ancestry study provides clues to genetic traits
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Below is a brief roundup of news and story ideas from the experts at UCLA Health. For more information on these stories or for help on other stories, please contact us at [email protected].

Newswise: Researchers develop a universal oral COVID-19 vaccine that prevents severe illness in hamsters
Released: 21-Mar-2023 5:15 PM EDT
Researchers develop a universal oral COVID-19 vaccine that prevents severe illness in hamsters
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

A UCLA-led team has developed an inexpensive, universal oral COVID-19 vaccine that prevented severe respiratory illness and weight loss when tested in hamsters, which are naturally susceptible to SARS-CoV-2. It proved as effective as vaccines administered by injection or intranasally in the research. If ultimately approved for human use, it could be a weapon against all COVID-19 variants and boost uptake, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, and among those with an aversion to needles.

   
Released: 16-Mar-2023 7:25 PM EDT
An extra X chromosome-linked gene may explain decreased viral infection severity in females
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Researchers may have found why viral infections hit males more severely than females. They found that female mouse and human NK cells have an extra copy of an X chromosome-linked gene called UTX. UTX acts as an epigenetic regulator to boost NK cell anti-viral function, while repressing NK cell numbers.

   
Newswise: Scientists Discover Key Information about the Function of Mitochondria in Cancer Cells
14-Mar-2023 10:05 AM EDT
Scientists Discover Key Information about the Function of Mitochondria in Cancer Cells
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

A new study represents a first step towards generating highly detailed 3-dimensional maps of lung tumors using genetically engineered mouse models.

9-Mar-2023 5:25 PM EST
Too little sleep could make vaccination less effective
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Sleeping fewer than six hours per night around the time of vaccination was associated with a robust decrease in antibody response, researchers found.

6-Mar-2023 9:55 AM EST
New details on how immune cells ‘see’ and respond to mutations in cancer cells may lead to more targeted and effective immunotherapy
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

For the first time, a research team has identified and analyzed the steps by which immune cells “see” and respond to cancer cells, providing insights into reasons some treatments may be effective for certain patients but not others.

27-Feb-2023 6:00 AM EST
Older Black men are likelier to die after surgery than others, particularly following elective procedures
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Older Black men have a higher chance of dying within 30 days of surgery than do Black women and white men and women – with their odds of death 50% higher after elective surgery compared with white men.

Newswise: UCLA Health receives $25.3 million for street medicine program caring for homeless
Released: 1-Mar-2023 2:05 PM EST
UCLA Health receives $25.3 million for street medicine program caring for homeless
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

The UCLA Health Homeless Healthcare Collaborative has received a $25.3 million, two-year state grant to expand access and enhance coordination of medical and behavioral health care provided to people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles.

21-Feb-2023 7:00 AM EST
Researchers identify biomarker for diagnosing vascular dementia
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Patients with higher levels of a key molecule involved in the formation of new blood vessels were more likely to have cognitive impairment or evidence of brain injury, a consortium of academic medical centers reported.

Released: 15-Feb-2023 5:25 PM EST
UCLA receives $20 million to establish Goodman–Luskin Microbiome Center
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

A $20 million gift from Andrea and Donald Goodman and Renee and Meyer Luskin will fund a new center at UCLA focused on the microbiome and its effect on health.

7-Feb-2023 9:00 AM EST
Tobacco and e-cigs may put healthy young people at risk of severe COVID illness, new UCLA research suggests
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Smoking tobacco and vaping electronic cigarettes may increase healthy young people’s risk for developing severe COVID illness.

Released: 6-Feb-2023 10:00 AM EST
Many patients receive too little rehab therapy following stroke, study finds
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Many patients don’t receive much rehabilitation therapy following a stroke, despite strong evidence that higher amounts can reduce long-term disability, a large new multi-site study found.

Released: 2-Feb-2023 10:05 AM EST
Counterfeit pills sold in Mexican pharmacies found to contain fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

A UCLA-led study provides the first scientific evidence that brick and mortar pharmacies in Northern Mexican tourist towns are selling counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine. These pills are sold mainly to US tourists, and are often passed off as controlled substances such as Oxycodone, Percocet, and Adderall.

31-Jan-2023 6:00 AM EST
Financial coaching for parents in clinic leads to higher attendance at well-child health care visits for their young children
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Implementing financial coaching for parents of infants in a pediatric primary care setting reduced missed well-child care visit rates by half and significantly improved receipt of vaccinations at a timely age, according to a new community-partnered pilot study led by UCLA researchers.

Newswise: COVID by the numbers at UCLA Health: A million tests; 300,000 vaccines; 55,000 patients
Released: 27-Jan-2023 11:55 AM EST
COVID by the numbers at UCLA Health: A million tests; 300,000 vaccines; 55,000 patients
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Three years ago this month, the first case of COVID was diagnosed in the United States. Here are the latest figures on the pandemic, collected by UCLA Health hospitals and clinics.

24-Jan-2023 4:15 PM EST
Ignoring Native American data perpetuates misleading white ‘deaths of despair’ narrative
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

An increase in "deaths of despair" in recent decades has been frequently portrayed as a phenomenon affecting white communities, but a new analysis in The Lancet shows the toll has been greater on Native Americans.

Newswise: UCLA researchers identify possible approach to prevent cancer from evolving to resist treatment
25-Jan-2023 3:05 PM EST
UCLA researchers identify possible approach to prevent cancer from evolving to resist treatment
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

A new clinical and preclinical study from UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center identifies the DNA roots of resistance to targeted cancer therapy, providing a possible strategy to address a vexing issue in cancer therapeutics. Results are published online ahead of print in Cancer Discovery, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Released: 25-Jan-2023 6:05 AM EST
UCLA Health Tip Sheet January 25, 2023
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Below is a brief roundup of news and story ideas from the experts at UCLA Health.

Newswise: Commonly used antiretroviral drugs used to treat HIV and hepatitis B reduce immune cells’ energy production
Released: 18-Jan-2023 7:45 PM EST
Commonly used antiretroviral drugs used to treat HIV and hepatitis B reduce immune cells’ energy production
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

New UCLA-led research suggests that antiretroviral drugs called TAF and TDF directly reduce energy production by mitochondria, structures inside cells that generate the power that cells use to function. Both drugs led to reduced cellular oxygen consumption rates, a measure of the ability of the mitochondria to produce energy, compared with controls.

10-Jan-2023 12:00 PM EST
MRI-guided radiotherapy produces fewer side effects and better quality of life for patients with localized prostate cancer
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

For men who undergo radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer, the precise targeting capabilities of MRI guidance resulted in fewer toxicities and better quality of life according to new research from UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Newswise: The AVID college prep program leads to lower substance use, better health behaviors among high school students, UCLA-led research suggests
Released: 16-Dec-2022 12:15 PM EST
The AVID college prep program leads to lower substance use, better health behaviors among high school students, UCLA-led research suggests
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

New UCLA-led research finds that a college preparatory program for youth experiencing educational inequities that operates in about 13% of U.S public high schools has a positive effect on students’ social networks, psycho-social outcomes, and health behaviors.  The findings, published Dec. 16 in the peer-reviewed journal Pediatrics, suggests that the Advancement via Individual Determination (AVID) program, aimed at increasing educational opportunities for under-represented and economically disadvantaged students, also significantly reduces substance use.

   
5-Dec-2022 10:05 PM EST
Racial, ethnic, socioeconomic disparities in insulin pump use have persisted over 20 years
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

While use of insulin pumps to manage type 1 diabetes has grown over 20 years, there has been no improvement in racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in their use.

29-Nov-2022 7:55 PM EST
Long COVID patients and those with other illnesses experience similar, negative lingering effects during the pandemic
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Long COVID patients can experience many of the same lingering negative effects on their physical, mental, and social well-being as those experienced by people who become ill with other, non-COVID illnesses.



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