Categories: medical research
Cow slime can help disc herniation patients after surgery
Researchers at Uppsala University have developed a gel inspired by cow slime for patients suffering from disc herniation. By adding the mucin gel immediately after surgery, it is possible to create a protective barrier around the discs to prevent the immune system from attacking their nucleus pulposus. This keeps the discs intact and reduces the risk of further damage.
Animals on fur farms can spread viruses to humans
Animals bred in the fur animal industry can both carry and spread viruses with the potential to infect humans. In a new study conducted by researchers at Uppsala University and others, researchers have identified 36 previously unknown viruses. The study has been published in the journal Nature.
Promising treatment for rectal cancer confirmed in major study
A new treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer shows favourable results in that surgery can sometimes be avoided completely. It also reduces the risk of recurrence. The method has been confirmed as effective in a comprehensive study conducted at Uppsala University and published in eClinicalMedicine.
Brain biomarker in blood sample predicts stroke
Researchers at Uppsala University Hospital and Uppsala University have demonstrated that a simple blood test that reflects brain health can predict which people are most at risk of suffering a stroke. The discovery could contribute to more individualised treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation. The study has been published in the journal Circulation.
Genetic signatures provide prognostic information in colorectal cancer
Using a unique collection of genetic and clinical data for colorectal cancer, researchers at Uppsala University have revealed genetic new alterations and developed of a new molecular classifier of tumour variants. The finding could lead to improved possibilities for individualised therapies. This is shown in study recently published in the journal Nature.
Greater attention needs to be paid to malnutrition in the sick and elderly
As many as half of all patients admitted to hospital, other healthcare facilities are malnourished. This has serious consequences for the individual in terms of poorer quality of life and mortality. Providing nutrients can alleviate these problems, but not enough attention is paid to this knowledge, writes researchers from Uppsala University and the University of Gothenburg published in the NEJM.
Lymphoma patients at high risk of infections after diagnosis
Every year, around 100 people are affected by mantle cell lymphoma. A study at Uppsala University shows that these patients are more vulnerable to other diseases and that the risk of infection for this type of patient should therefore be carefully evaluated. The results of the study have been published in the journal Hemasphere.
Macrophages behave like mural cells to promote healing of ischemic muscle injury
Innate immune cells including macrophages and neutrophils have unique properties that allows them to quickly accumulate in large numbers at the site of infection or injury. A new study from researchers at Uppsala University establishes that macrophage in the adult ischemic muscle induce a phenotype switch into mural cells to support restoration of functional blood flow and thereby promote healing.
New mechanisms behind antibiotic resistance
Two newly discovered mechanisms in bacteria have been identified that can contribute to the development of antibiotic resistance. Changing the number of copies of resistance genes in bacteria increases antibiotic resistance. These two mechanisms, along with a third known mechanism, can occur independently of each other, even within the same bacterial cell. (published in Nature Communications)
Robots' sense of touch could be as fast as humans
Research at Uppsala University and Karolinska Institutet could pave the way for a prosthetic hand and robot to be able to feel touch like a human hand. Their study has been published in the journal Science. The technology could also be used to help restore lost functionality to patients after a stroke.
Early detection of language disorders helps children obtain right interventions
New screening tools in child health care are effective in identifying early language and communication difficulties in children. This is shown by two studies based on more than 6,000 children carried out by researchers at Uppsala University in cooperation with Region Gotland.
New antibiotic class effective against multidrug-resistant bacteria
Scientists at Uppsala University have discovered a new class of antibiotics with potent activity against multi-drug resistant bacteria, and have shown that it cures bloodstream infections in mice. The new antibiotic class is described in an article in the scientific journal PNAS.
New discovery concerning occurrence of antibiotic resistance
A new study shows how heteroresistance, a transient resistance common in many bacteria, can act as a precursor to the development of antibiotic resistance. According to researchers at Uppsala University, this is the first time this link has been demonstrated.
Lower survival rates for women than men with germ cell tumours
Women with a type of ovarian cancer known as germ cell tumours have a worse prognosis than men with similar tumours, i.e. testicular cancer. After five years with the disease, 98 percent of men were alive while the survival rate for women was only 85 percent. This has been revealed by a new study from Uppsala University and Uppsala University Hospital published in the Journal of Internal Medicine.
Too little sleep raises risk of type 2 diabetes
Adults who sleep only three to five hours a day are at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This is demonstrated in a new study from Uppsala University, published in JAMA Network Open. It also shows that chronic sleep deprivation cannot be compensated by healthy eating alone.