US overdose deaths involving fentanyl and stimulants increased 50-fold from 2010 to 2021, with stimulants becoming most common drug class found in fentanyl-involved overdoses. The trend disproportionately affects racial/ethnic minority communities, particularly Black and African American people.
Doctors treating Parkinson's patients need to focus on the emotional and social impacts of stigma, in addition to motor symptoms. Stigma can lead to feelings of loneliness, depression, anxiety, and isolation, which significantly affect quality of life.
Researchers analyzed data from 2005-2020 and found that 10-year conditional survival was similar between biventricular and most single-ventricle CHD patients. Biventricular CHD patients also showed better 10-year survival compared to non-CHD heart transplant recipients.
Researchers at UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center aim to overcome brain tumor's limited treatment options with ERAS-801, a brain-penetrant inhibitor showing promise in preclinical models. The team is testing the treatment in early clinical trials for patients diagnosed with glioblastoma.
Researchers found that tumors with metastasis to the brain respond better to immunotherapy due to effective priming outside the brain. Glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer, does not respond well due to impaired priming step.
Research reveals that heart transplant recipients from economically disadvantaged areas are at a greater risk of graft failure and mortality, with a 10% increased relative risk compared to those from non-distressed communities. The disparity in outcomes has widened since the implementation of the 2018 UNOS Heart Allocation policy.
Researchers evaluated biochemical recurrence as a surrogate endpoint for overall survival, but found no reliable correlation. Biochemical recurrences occur early in the disease course and may impact quality of life, but high-level data tracking this is lacking.
Researchers at UCLA have found that embedding study recruitment in pre-appointment check-in pages can increase participation rates up to 40 times higher than traditional methods. The new technique, called preCheck-in recruitment, resulted in a socio-demographically representative patient population without financial incentives or staff...
Researchers found a combination of ipilimumab and nivolumab can extend progression-free survival and improve response rates in patients with resistant metastatic melanoma. The treatment showed a 37% improvement in progression-free survival compared to ipilimumab alone.
A global consortium of researchers has developed a large-scale, cross-species database and universal 'clock' to estimate age in all mammalian tissues. The study found that changes in DNA methylation levels are closely associated with life span and numerous other traits across mammals.
Researchers have discovered a novel pathway that minimizes liver injury during transplantation by activating the protective CEACAM1-S version. This protective characteristic is regulated by HIF-1α and can be enhanced using molecular tools and alternative gene splicing, reducing organ injury and improving post-transplant outcomes.
Researchers found that translating consent documents can discourage investigators from recruiting patients with limited English proficiency, contributing to low rates of participation from underrepresented groups. By relieving investigators of these costs, studies can become more inclusive and results more accurate and generalizable.
Researchers found seven potential genes linked to increased autism risk, including rare inherited variations and polygenic scores. Children with language delays had a higher likelihood of inheriting these genes, suggesting a link between genetic risk and language delay.
Researchers designed machine learning models to identify children at risk of self-harm, finding that incorporating more data points and diagnostic codes improved detection rates. The models were particularly effective for detecting underrepresented groups, such as Black and Latino youth.
A UCLA Health study found that Kundalini yoga increased activity in a region of the brain impacted by stress and associated with memory decline. The study suggests that this type of yoga, which combines movement and meditation, may be beneficial for older women at risk for Alzheimer's disease.
PSMA PET imaging provides prognostic information on cancer recurrence risk before treatment, improving personalized treatments and guiding surgical plans. The tool outperforms current standard tests in predicting biochemical recurrence, a critical factor in determining cancer-specific mortality.
Researchers identify key protein interactions that control the body's immune response during liver transplantation, leading to improved transplant survival rates. The study found that a specific communication pathway between CEACAM1 and TIM-3 proteins plays a crucial role in controlling the immune response.
A new UCLA Health study analyzed genetic data from 36,000 patients to identify disease risks and healthcare utilization among ancestrally diverse groups in the Los Angeles region. The research found substantial differences in diagnoses, hospital utilization, and genetic disease rates across clusters linked by shared genetic ancestry.
Researchers boosted inhibitory interneuron activity in Fragile X mice, reducing hypersensitivity to sensory stimuli. The study found that even young mice with Fragile X had lower PV neuron density and functional decoupling, but treatment restored excitatory neuron function and reduced hypersensitivity.
Researchers at UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center confirmed genetic variants of unknown significance are verified mutations that increase the risk of kidney cancer. The findings could lead to new treatment options for people with hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer (HLRCC).
New research suggests targeting autoimmune inflammation associated with ALS could be a promising approach. The study found that two drugs, including one already approved for multiple sclerosis, reduced the expression of inflammatory proteins in ALS patients' immune cells.
A UCLA-led team is tracking mpox outbreaks across the US with a new surveillance project called CRASHED. The research aims to identify cases beyond high-risk groups and determine if mpox remains rare or resurges more broadly.
A UCLA research team has developed a new method called cfSort to accurately quantify tissue-derived cell-free DNA in liquid biopsies. The approach identifies unique methylation patterns for each tissue, enabling accurate diagnosis and monitoring of diseases.
A new AI model has been developed to help doctors determine the extent of cancer within the prostate gland, improving the effectiveness of focal therapy. The model was found to be more accurate than magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in predicting tumor margins, reducing the chance of cancer recurrence.
Researchers found that when a patient's congestive heart failure is mentioned during the initial check-in process, emergency room physicians are less likely to test for pulmonary embolism, potentially leading to delays in diagnosis. This anchoring bias can delay crucial testing and diagnosis of deadly medical conditions.
Scientists found that CXCL13-mediated recruitment of B cells helps predict response to immunotherapy treatment. This cooperation between T cells and B cells is associated with improved survival in patients treated with immunotherapy.
The expanded Child Tax Credit led to significant improvements in adult health and nutrition, with eligible adults reporting better health outcomes and food security compared to ineligible adults. The study estimates that this policy may have benefited approximately 1.08 million adults and 684,000 households.
A pilot study suggests that high-definition cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation (HD C-tDCS) may be beneficial for acute ischemic stroke patients. In the study, patients who received HD C-tDCS showed improved blood flow and a significant rescue of threatened brain tissue, compared to those in the sham group.
Researchers at UCLA Health have discovered that estriol, a pregnancy hormone, can repair damaged myelin in the brain's cortex of mice with multiple sclerosis. This finding offers hope for developing new treatments to address the disease's progression.
A statewide pay-for-performance intervention based on Choosing Wisely reduced rates of inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions for acute respiratory tract infections from 43% to 25%. This reduction occurred without measurable harms at safety-net hospitals serving disadvantaged patients.
Researchers at UCLA have developed a new method to bioprint miniature tumor organoids that can mimic the function and architecture of real tumors. This allows for the accurate measurement of individual organoids, enabling the identification of personalized treatments for people with rare or hard-to-treat cancers.
A new targeted therapy drug vorasidenib has been shown to extend treatment time without worsening glioma in people with IDH1 and IDH2 mutations. The study suggests a possible new treatment option for slow-growing but deadly brain tumors, delaying chemotherapy and radiation.
A study found that adding ribociclib to hormone therapy significantly improves invasive disease-free survival rates in patients with stage 2 or 3 HR positive/HER2 negative breast cancer. The combination therapy reduced the risk of cancer recurrence by 25%, with a three-year invasive disease-free survival rate of 90.4%.
Researchers at UCLA Health highlight the impact of test results on lung cancer screening adherence and the potential unnecessary use of axillary ultrasound in breast cancer diagnostics. Meanwhile, a new AI system helps check endotracheal tube placement with high accuracy and user satisfaction.
Researchers found that targeted deep-brain stimulation during a critical sleep cycle improved memory consolidation in patients with epilepsy. The study provided physiological evidence from inside the human brain supporting the main theory for how memory is consolidated during sleep.
A recent study published in Annals of Internal Medicine found that elderly hospitalized patients treated by physicians with MD or DO degrees had virtually identical mortality rates, readmissions, length of stay, and healthcare spending. The results suggest high-quality care regardless of the physician's educational background.
A recent study led by UCLA researchers has identified a potential new strategy for treating glioblastoma by targeting a specific metabolic process in cancer cells. The study found that disrupting this process could make glioblastoma cells more vulnerable to cell death, offering hope for new treatment options.
A study of nearly 67,200 postmenopausal women found that the Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX) was inadequate for identifying osteoporotic fracture risk across racial/ethnic categories. However, the Osteoporosis Self-Assessment Tool (OST) was excellent for detecting osteoporosis within each category.
Researchers from the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center are presenting findings on combination therapies for breast cancer and a potential new treatment for patients with recurrent glioma. A phase 3 study evaluating vorasidenib versus placebo in patients with residual or recurrent grade 2 glioma with an IDH1/2 mutation is also be...
A new UCLA study found that the accuracy of genetically-based disease predictions using polygenic scores (PGSs) varies significantly between individuals, even within traditionally considered homogeneous populations. PGS performance declines as genetic distance increases, and individual ancestry plays a crucial role in determining accur...
Researchers at UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have found a potential therapeutic target, IL-21, to reduce endocrine autoimmune side effects from checkpoint immunotherapy. A specific group of immune cells play a central role in this autoimmune attack and blocking IL-21 prevents thyroid autoimmunity.
Researchers at UCLA and Harvard have identified 10 pesticides toxic to dopaminergic neurons, which play a key role in voluntary movement. The study used California's pesticide use database and found that co-exposure of certain pesticides increased toxicity, with combinations involving herbicides like trifluralin producing the most harm.
A new computer-modeling system, scDesign3, has been developed to generate realistic synthetic data for analyzing genetic makeup of cells. The system can help researchers evaluate and validate computational methods for tasks such as gene expression analysis and cell trajectory modeling.
Researchers have developed a zebrafish model to understand lipid transport across the blood-brain barrier, crucial for healthy nervous system development. The study provides key insights into how omega-3 fatty acids, particularly DHA, are transported into the brain and may enable targeted drug delivery.
A sharp increase in colchicine's price led to a 17% drop in its use and worsened disease control in gout patients. Patients turned to alternative medications with potentially different side effects, resulting in increased emergency department visits and specialist consultations.
Researchers found that people who perceived cognitive difficulties during COVID were more likely to experience physical symptoms of long COVID. The study suggests a psychological component for lingering SARS-CoV-2 symptoms in some patients.
Scientists have discovered potential broad-spectrum antivirals that target multiple families of RNA viruses, which pose a significant threat to future pandemics. The new agents showed promise in preventing and mitigating viral arthritis caused by Chikungunya virus and rescuing cells from harmful effects of other viruses.
Researchers analyzed genetic changes in organs of recently deceased patients with metastatic cutaneous melanoma to understand how the disease spreads and evolves. They found that cancer cells take advantage of specific organ environments, pointing to the need for distinct treatment approaches.
Researchers from UCLA will deliver presentations on innovative approaches to pediatric care, including a trauma-informed care assessment tool and a weight bias curriculum. A mobile phone pilot intervention is also being explored as a potential solution for preventing obesity in Latino preschool children.
Researchers from UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and Department of Urology will showcase significant advances in urologic oncology, female pelvic reconstruction, and more. The presentations highlight innovative treatments for kidney cancer, prostate cancer, and other conditions.