Researchers at MCG report breakthrough in treating acute renal failure by blocking mitochondrial fragmentation caused by vascular obstruction, trauma, chemotherapy, and toxins. This can prevent kidney cells from committing suicide and lead to acute renal failure.
Researchers found that increased O-GlcNAc levels damage blood vessels by reducing nitric oxide production, increasing blood pressure and vessel contraction. This discovery could lead to new treatments targeting the O-GlcNAc pathway.
A recent study found that nearly one-third of healthy, young black adolescents have an impaired renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, which regulates blood pressure. This dysfunction may lead to difficult hypertension in adulthood. Researchers hope to identify youth at risk using genetic mutations linked to hypertensive kidney disease.
Researchers developed a mathematical model predicting optimal time for loading and unloading cryoprotectants, which reduces egg size shifts and improves fertilization chances. Using sugars like trehalose, these staged drugs can help preserve eggs at subzero temperatures, enabling easier transportation and potential transplantation.
The Medical College of Georgia is part of a large national study examining the genes of 10,000 patients with schizophrenia and 10,000 healthy individuals. The study aims to pinpoint variations that can improve disease diagnosis and treatment.
A study of 1,495 veterans found that those exposed to Agent Orange had a nearly 50% increased risk of prostate cancer recurrence and more aggressive cancers. This highlights the need for closer monitoring and timely intervention in these patients.
New studies suggest male impotence drugs like Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis may also treat female sexual dysfunction. Researchers found the drugs relax blood vessels in females differently than males, with some women more sensitive to certain medications.
Researchers discovered a receptor in the colon that has cancer-killing potential and is silenced by cancer. Activating this receptor with butyrate or a related compound may provide a new treatment for colon cancer and inflammatory bowel disease.
Dental amalgam has been deemed safe and effective for over 200 years, with the majority of health risks associated with large doses. A person would need hundreds of amalgam fillings to experience symptoms of mercury toxicity, according to Dr. Rod Mackert.
Researchers at Medical College of Georgia developed novel assays to measure corin and active ANP levels in patients with heart failure. Low corin levels may indicate heart failure or those at risk for the condition.
Researchers discovered a significant link between schizophrenia and type 2 diabetes in a study of 50 people newly-diagnosed with schizophrenia. The study found that 16% of participants had either diabetes or abnormal glucose metabolism rates.
Researchers found that mice with mutated or missing clock genes developed thick and inflexible blood vessels, a hallmark of vascular disease. This suggests that clocks may work normally in the brain but malfunction in blood vessels to bring on hypertension and vascular disease.
Researchers are developing biomarkers using molecular fingerprints to detect early signs of cancer, such as leukemia, bladder, kidney, and breast cancer. By identifying metabolites that indicate cancer presence and aggressiveness, doctors can tailor optimal treatment and monitor success.
A study published in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology found that daily exercise for 20-40 minutes significantly improved depressive symptoms and self-esteem in overweight children. The researchers noted a dose response benefit, with more exercise leading to greater benefits.
A study found that teens with lower vitamin D intakes had higher body fat and visceral fat percentages, while those with adequate intake had lower body fat and visceral fat. Researchers suggest that encouraging teens to consume enough vitamin D through diet or supplements may promote a healthy body as they grow and develop.
Undergraduate nursing students can benefit from research instruction, which enhances their education and prepares them to investigate healthcare issues. Nurse researchers like Dr. Tingen build knowledge used to improve care quality and efficiency.
Researchers find that decreased PPAR activity may cause irreversible lung damage and pulmonary hypertension in children with heart defects. Boosting PPAR signaling with existing drugs could help restore healthy blood vessel balance and prevent disease.
The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study is expanding to enroll 200 newborns from Georgia and Florida with high-risk genes for type 1 diabetes. Researchers will monitor participants for 15 years, collecting data on genetic and environmental factors that contribute to the disease.
Researchers found that breast cancer cells can be made to express a transporter, allowing pyruvate to enter and induce cell death. The study aims to develop a new therapeutic target for fighting breast cancer.
Researchers found that knocking out the protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) gene improves cardiovascular function in genetically fat mice with diabetes. The study suggests that PTP1B contributes to insulin resistance, which can lead to impaired nitric oxide dilation and vascular remodeling. By improving fine control of blood glucos...
Dr. Wenbo Zhi, a postdoctoral fellow at the Medical College of Georgia, has received a two-year fellowship to study biomarkers associated with type 1 diabetes. He aims to identify protein biomarkers that can improve diagnosis and treatment using proteomic techniques.
Researchers aim to teach the immune system to ignore insulin-producing cells by boosting IDO levels. By enhancing this natural mechanism, they hope to slow or prevent disease progression in high-risk children. A new treatment approach could provide a breakthrough in preventing type 1 diabetes.
Combining drugs that protect neurons with those targeting memory may be key to treating neurodegenerative diseases. Researchers at the Medical College of Georgia are exploring novel drug candidates that target specific disease targets and improve cognition, reaction time and attention.
Researchers have found that female hormones play a crucial role in the body's ability to regulate salt levels, potentially explaining why women are less prone to salt-sensitive hypertension. The study suggests that estrogen drives the beneficial action of ETA receptors, which increase sodium excretion without increasing blood pressure.
Researchers discovered that DNA component CpG can stimulate inflammation at low doses but block it at high doses through the enzyme indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase. This finding holds promise for treating cancer and infections by manipulating dosage to optimize immune response.
Scientists are using slices of living human brain tissue to identify new stroke therapies by blocking anoxic depolarization, a wave of death that engulfs and engorges brain cells. The study aims to find treatments that can delay or prevent the destructive electrical activity, potentially improving treatment options for strokes.
Researchers found that trained primary care physicians can perform colonoscopies with a low complication rate and high polyp detection rate, comparable to specialists. This fills the gap in colorectal cancer screening as the US population ages and demand for screenings grows.
Researchers are studying the mechanisms behind cytomegalovirus-induced cell death in the retina, which may lead to new treatment targets. Understanding this process could also provide insights into how the retina responds to other insults such as diabetes or infection.
Researchers investigate the effect of high blood sugar on the immune system in hopes of improving islet cell transplant success rates. High blood glucose levels can temporarily shift the balance between effector and regulatory T cells, giving advantage to regulatory cells that suppress attacks.
The Robert W. Woodruff Foundation has pledged $3 million to support the construction of a new Medical College of Georgia School of Dentistry building. The gift will help alleviate the shortage of dentists in Georgia, with the school increasing its class size from 63 to 100 and residency positions from 44 to 72.
Researchers investigate relationship between diabetes treatment and disordered eating behaviors in children with diabetes. They hope to find a different treatment approach that helps patients gain control over their eating behaviors and treatment without adopting maladaptive weight management strategies.
Scientists are investigating methods to selectively suppress the immune response in transplanted organs, inspired by fetal development. Researchers will explore increasing IDO levels to improve transplant survival and look for biomarkers to detect rejection episodes.
A new study finds that regular aerobic exercise significantly reduces anger expression and aggressive behavior in overweight but otherwise healthy children. The 10-15 week afterschool exercise program improved the children's ability to control their anger and aggression, according to the Pediatric Anger Expression Scale.
The Medical College of Georgia has received a $1.27 million two-part gift from the Helene Fuld Health Trust to expand its clinical nurse leader program and create an endowment for nursing scholarships. The gift will partner with Macon State University and Georgia Southwestern University to offer advanced degrees in nursing.
Mantle cell lymphoma cells rely on heat shock protein 90 to maintain their rapid growth. Researchers are using inhibitors to block this process, causing stress in the cells' machinery. The goal is to trigger apoptosis in cancer cells.
The Medical College of Georgia has received a $100,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop an antibody-based vaccine against HIV-1. Dr. Pandelakis Koni aims to target conserved areas of the virus's sugar coating, which he believes could be vulnerable to attack.
A study of over 300 diabetics and their caregivers will measure the impact of insulin pump technology on quality of life, attitudes towards treatment, and lifestyle changes. The research aims to provide insights into the clinical implications and potential coverage by Medicare and health insurance providers.
Researchers at Medical College of Georgia identified a new gene, chromodomain helicase DNA binding protein 7 (CHD7), responsible for some puberty disorders, including idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH) and Kallmann syndrome. The study found that CHD7 mutations account for about 6% of IHH and Kallmann syndrome cases.
Researchers found that green tea's EGCG reduced salivary gland damage and delayed insulin-dependent type 1 diabetes in a laboratory mouse. The study also showed that EGCG suppressed abnormal gene expression and lowered serum autoantibodies, reducing Sjogren's syndrome-like symptoms.
Agrin and MuSK don't directly communicate, but LRP4 serves as a bridge to initiate critical internal cell talk. This finding sheds light on the agrin-MuSK signaling pathway's role in muscular dystrophy.
Researchers have developed a method to selectively and safely remove memories from mice by over-expressing a protein critical to brain cell communication. This technique eliminates new and old memories alike, with potential applications for treating traumatic war memories or unwanted fears.
Researchers found that chronic inflammation can nurture skin cancer by exploiting the IDO enzyme's suppressive immune response. This is analogous to chronic sun exposure and skin cancer, where UV radiation causes malignant skin cells to appear while also causing skin inflammation.
Researchers found that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels can indicate impending relapse in schizophrenia patients. BDNF levels may drop even before symptoms worsen, suggesting a potential biomarker for early intervention and treatment adjustment.
Researchers found that a heat shock protein, Hsp90β, helps stabilize rapsyn, an unstable protein responsible for anchoring receptors to catch messages from neurons. This discovery could lead to new treatments for muscular dystrophies and neurological disorders.
Breast cancer cells can recycle their components to survive antiestrogen therapy, with macroautophagy playing a key role in this survival strategy. Researchers now believe targeting the autophagosome function could significantly improve hormonal treatment for estrogen-positive breast cancer.
A new touch-screen kiosk lets patients quickly answer questions about their physician encounter, displaying a colorful measure on a monitor. The study collects data for eight weeks in primary care practice sites, aiming to determine if physicians will change their behavior to get more positive feedback from patients.
Researchers investigate how high blood pressure affects tiny kidney filters, known as glomeruli. They believe that damaged kidney filters worsen hypertension and that inflammation plays a crucial role in the process.
Researchers aim to harness the power of endothelin-1 to constrict blood vessels, but complex receptor interactions hinder progress. Dr. Adviye Ergul suggests that poorly understood relationships in normal and disease states may be behind failed clinical trials.
Researchers discover that a certain drug, known for its pain-relieving properties, can protect the retina from damage caused by diabetes. The study found that sigma receptor activation helps prevent retinal damage and vision loss.
Researchers investigate how much alcohol exposure during fetal development can lead to facial malformations, brain damage, and other lifelong issues. Exposure to just a few glasses of wine in early pregnancy increases cell death, resulting in irreversible damage to the fetus's face and possibly its brain and spinal cord.