Topics: 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.
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.
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.
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 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.
Double risk of dementia after mouth ulcer virus
People who have had the herpes virus at some point in their lives are twice as likely to develop dementia compared to those who have never been infected. A new study from Uppsala University confirms previous research on whether herpes can be a possible risk factor for dementia.
A standard blood test can predict a heart attack
Using the results of a standard blood test and an online tool, you can find out if you are at increased risk of having a heart attack within six months. The tool has been developed by a research group at Uppsala University in the hope of increasing patients’ motivation to change their lifestyle.
Many more infected by TBE virus than previously known
The number of infections by the tick-borne TBE virus that are not detected by health services is far higher than previously assumed. This has been shown in a new study of Swedish blood donors from Uppsala University and the University Hospital in Uppsala. The results have been published in the journal Eurosurveillance, which is associated with the EU’s Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
New instrument for precision medicine in cardiovascular disease
Researchers at Uppsala University have developed an instrument that makes it possible to measure 21 biomarkers for cardiovascular disease simultaneously with great precision by means of a simple blood test. The aim is to use this type of tool to improve the prediction of cardiovascular complications and facilitate more personalised treatment for patients.
Some increase in cancer after 1986 Chernobyl disaster
The nuclear accident in Chernobyl in 1986 led to the spread of radioactivity across Sweden and Europe. In a long-term study now published in Environmental Epidemiology, researchers have used new, more specific calculation methods to show the connection between radiation dose and certain types of cancer.
Genetics influence the risk of blood clots in oral contraceptive users
Women with a high genetic predisposition for blood clots are six times more likely to develop a blood clot during the first two years of using contraceptive pills according to a new study from Uppsala University. The results have been published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.