news

June 11, 2010 — University of Miami Miller School genetic researchers teamed up with 72 centers to discover new genetic targets for autism in the second phase of a collaborative study known as the Autism Genome Project (AGP). UM's John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics (HIHG) is part of the AGP, an international autism genetics research consortium co-funded by Autism Speaks, the world's largest autism science and advocacy organization, and an international public-private partnership.

IGS has collaborated to produce California Choices, a resource guide providing a wealth of data and an online tool allowing voters to share their positions on ballot items. BERKELEY — The University of California, Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies (IGS) is taking a decidedly Web 2.0 tack to help voters sort through the facts, fiction and political posturing around five propositions on the state's June 8 primary election ballot.

New research shows that Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) continues to dramatically reduce rates of mortality from HIV infection in high-income countries, such that non-AIDS-related deaths exceed AIDS deaths after approximately four years of taking ART. The study, by researchers from the University of Bristol and a large group of international collaborators, examined data from the Antiretroviral Therapy Cohort Collaboration (ART-CC) which involved nearly 40,000 patients who started ART between 1996 and 2006 in Europe and North America.

Stem Cell Myth Buster Research pioneer uses ‘Stem Cell for Dummies’ book to dispel misconceptions about stem cell research Watch a video of Larry Goldstein discussing his new book, "Stem Cells for Dummies" in which he seeks to dispel myths about stem cell research. Working on stem cell research is a lot like standing on a beach looking at an undiscovered continent: you can see mountain ranges, forests and rivers in the distance; you know great resources are awaiting on the horizon.

Researchers from the University of Sheffield have found that private developers have agreed to fund £5 billion of England´s local capital infrastructure, including roads, schools and new affordable housing in England. The research, which was commissioned by the Department of Communities & Local Government (CLG) and published today by CLG, shows planning obligations have led to the very substantial investments by developers.

It is well known that people with learning disabilities have poorer health and die younger than other people. An investigation into the standards of care for people with learning disabilities was announced today [Tuesday 23 March] by the Department of Health . The Confidential Inquiry will find out what can be changed to improve the health of people with learning disabilities to enable them to live longer.

A slice through the interior of Jupiter shows the top layers that are depleted of helium and neon, the thin layer where helium drops condense and fall, and the deep interior where helium and neon again mix with metallic hydrogen. Burkhard Militzer graphic) On Jupiter, however, UC Berkeley scientists claim that helium rain is the best way to explain the scarcity of neon in the outer layers of the planet, the solar system's largest.

Women's community groups have had a dramatic effect on reducing neonatal mortality rates in some of the poorest areas on India, according to new UCL research. The study, published today in The Lancet , reports that the groups provide a cost-effective intervention with added benefits such as reducing significantly maternal depression and improving decision-making amongst the women.

Stroke survivors in South Yorkshire are set to benefit from a unique project being launched by the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, which will aim to improve their communication skills. The CACTUS Project will assess whether people can improve their communication skills, regardless of the time since their stroke.

A combination of two targeted therapies already shown to be effective in breast cancer has been found to pack an effective one-two punch against a subset of gastric cancers with a specific genetic mutation, according to a study by UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. The drugs Herceptin and Tykerb, when given together, proved to significantly inhibit tumor growth in gastric cancers with amplified levels of HER2, a mutation that results in an aggressive form of the disease, causing the cancers to grow and spread faster.

Private enterprises spent almost CHF 12 billion on research and development activities (R&D) they conducted in Switzerland in 2008.

Gaps in care and outcomes between older and younger ischemic stroke patients are diminishing as hospitals improve adherence to treatments outlined in the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's Get With the Guidelines-Stroke initiative, according to a new UCLA study. The study was published online Feb.

The teen years can be a tumultuous time, as many parents know, a time when adolescents begin to flex their mental muscles, testing boundaries and turning to peers rather than parents for advice. Sometimes emotions and arguments can become so intense that things get out of hand and the child runs away.

November 12, 2009 — Coral Gables — There is a tendency to think that only men treat women in a sexist way, but a new study by a University of Miami researcher and his daughter shows that both men and women participate in maintaining a gender hierarchy in our society. The study, titled 'Social Dominance and Sexual Self-Schema as Moderators of Sexist Reactions to Female Subtypes,' was recently published by the journal of Sex Roles.

October 28, 2009 — Coral Gables — One of the joys of riding a motorcycle is the freedom that comes with that form of travel. However the absence of physical barriers to protect riders puts motorcyclists at a higher risk of injury than other motorists. Motorcycle fatalities have been on the rise for many years, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.

BERKELEY — The University of California, Berkeley, is one of six UC campuses participating in an unprecedented initiative to study and drive innovations in breast cancer prevention, screening, and treatment. The large-scale demonstration project, called the ATHENA Breast Health Network, was announced Tuesday, Sept.

PA 220/09 Exciting research into Brown adipose tissue (BAT) — brown fat, which is found in abundance in hibernating animals and newborn babies — could lead to new ways of preventing obesity. Studies have already shown that BAT activity in adults is reduced with obesity. Therefore, promoting BAT function could prevent or reduce obesity in some people.

The amount of money spent in delivering maternity care in Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) does not have a significant impact on rates of infant or perinatal mortality, researchers at the University of Birmingham have found. Nick Freemantle, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, found that between 70% and 80% of variations between PCT infant and perinatal mortality can be explained by a combination of social deprivation, ethnicity and maternal age.

The Parkinson ´s Disease Society (PDS) has announced funding of nearly £240,000 towards research at the University of Sheffield which will look into the possibility of slowing down the onset of Parkinson's disease. Dr Oliver Bandmann and his team at the University will focus on the gene PARK 2, as this is associated with an inherited form of Parkinson´s disease that strikes at an early age, but can also result in Parkinson´s disease presenting later in life.