Research News

(14th May, 2014); Today, the Wellcome Trust has signed a concordat on openness on animal research in the UK. There are 72 other organisations across the scientific sector, including universities, charities, commercial companies, research councils, umbrella bodies and learned societies are joining in concordat.

(Business Wire India; 12th May, 2014); New data has shown that treatment with melt-in-the-mouth desmopressin (MINIRIN® Melt)* improved sleep patterns and psychological functioning (including attention problems and memory) in children with nocturnal enuresis (bedwetting). The negative impact of bedwetting on children’s neuropsychological functioning (e.g. anxiety and social self-esteem problems) was also shown. The data from a study by researchers at the University Hospital Ghent, Belgium was presented at the 25th annual congress of the European Society for Paediatric Urology (ESPU) in Innsbruck, Austria.

(6th May, 2014);As per new findings by investigators from King’s College London, Eczema caused by defects in the skin could reduce the risk of developing skin cancer. The immune response generated by eczema could help prevent tumour formation by shedding potentially cancerous cells from the skin.

(2nd May, 2014); Team of researchers from Montana State University showing that skin cells from infertile man can be used to create, primary germ cells - precursors of sperm. This research is providing ray of hope for future treatment of male infertility.

(1st May, 2014); At the AAN meeting in Philadelphia, two separate studies showed that electroCore’s non invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS) therapy was effective in helping patients with different types of migraine. The first poster presentation, on April 28th, found that two hours after treatment with electroCore’s nVNS therapy patients who had both chronic migraine and medication overuse headache were pain free in 33% of attacks while significant pain relief (mild or no pain) was noted in 50% of attacks. In the second poster presented on May1st it was found that 45 % of patients, with migraine without aura, were pain free within 30 minutes of just one dose of nVNS therapy.

Team of scientists, from University of Edinburgh, have succeeded in regenerating a living organ for the first time. Living mouse organ is regenerated successfully and transplanted in to a mouse. Regenerated organ closely resembles the juvenile thymus in terms of architecture and gene expression profile.

New studies escalate medical concerns about glioma (a malignant brain tumor) from cell phone use. The BioInitiative Working Group (BWG) noted that evidence for health risk from wireless technology is growing stronger and require immediate action. The Group released a mid-year update covering new science studies from 2012 to 2014.

The scientists,  from Oxford Health NHS, confirmed that some patients with severe depression who have not responded to other treatments, can be treated with ketamine which has a rapid antidepressant effect. Ketamine is a licensed medical drug and is very widely used as an anaesthetic and in pain relief. It is also used as a recreational drug or drug of abuse, and is to be reclassified as a Class B banned substance.

Formation of plaques is more frequent in coronary arteries of HIV positive men than HIV negative men, according to a new study by National Institutes of Health grantees. The research describes that HIV-infected men are at higher risk for a heart attack than their HIV-uninfected which is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.