Researchers found that diverticulitis patients suffer from chronic symptoms such as anxiety, depression, bloating, and abdominal pain, which can significantly impact their quality of life. The study aims to develop a screening tool to better assess the long-term impact of diverticulitis.
A team of researchers from UCLA discovered that autophagy, a process that clears damaged proteins, is impaired in people with Type 2 diabetes, leading to the destruction of insulin-producing beta cells. This impairment contributes to the accumulation of toxic IAPP protein.
A new UCLA-led study reveals that high-performing public charter high schools in Los Angeles significantly reduced the likelihood of engaging in risky health behaviors, such as tobacco and alcohol use, among low-income minority adolescents. These students also scored better on standardized tests and exhibited improved cognitive skills.
A team of experts at UCLA will collaborate to create, implant, and test a memory prosthesis to help restore lost memory functions in brain-injured individuals. The project aims to stimulate the entorhinal area, a key region involved in learning, memory, and Alzheimer's disease.
A UCLA study found that depressed men with localized prostate cancer were more likely to be diagnosed with aggressive cancer, received less effective treatments, and had shorter survival times. The study identified demographic factors that contributed to the disparity in treatment and outcomes.
The UCLA Center for East–West Medicine has published a document to help students, educators, and practitioners evaluate and digest Chinese medical texts with greater sensitivity and comprehension. The 15-page document addresses translation-specific issues, technical terminology, and cultural perspective to promote accurate translations.
UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine has received a $7.2 million NIH grant to tackle rare genetic disorders through comprehensive bedside-to-bench clinical research. The program aims to provide answers to patients living with undiagnosed diseases by analyzing patients' genomes and identifying environmental factors that lead to disease.
A working group recommends removing sexual orientation-related disorders from the ICD to improve healthcare access for LGBTQ individuals. The move could lead to improved treatment and reduced risk of mistreatment, such as conversion therapy.
A new study by Dr. Andrew Hudson and colleagues provides clues about the brain's processes used to navigate from unconsciousness back to consciousness after anesthesia. The researchers found that the brain activity occurred in discrete clumps, or clusters, and that certain patterns consistently occurred in anesthetized rodents.
Surgical residents who received anonymous peer feedback through a social networking site improved their robotic surgery skills more than those without feedback. The study found that residents in the intervention arm completed procedures faster and earned better scores.
Researchers developed a new design for preventive health care from birth to age 3 in low-income communities, focusing on family-centered, effective, and efficient care. The study suggests two working groups improved well-child visits by providing longer visit times, trained health educators, and online resources.
A new UCLA study found that depression, lower education levels, physical inactivity, and high blood pressure increase the likelihood of self-perceived memory complaints across all adult age groups. Memory issues rose with more risk factors, affecting 20% of those polled.
A UCLA research team has discovered a new hormone called erythroferrone, which regulates the iron supply needed for red blood-cell production. Erythroferrone suppresses hepcidin, allowing more iron to be made available for red blood-cell production and potentially treating iron disorders.
A new UCLA-led study found that depression is linked to a far greater chance for early death among adults 65 and older with diabetes, compared to those without depression. The researchers suggest that depressed individuals are less likely to adhere to their prescribed medications and lifestyle changes.
A new UCLA study reveals that conventional biopsies may fail to detect aggressive cancers in men with low-risk prostate cancer, highlighting the need for a targeted biopsy approach. The findings suggest that the criteria for active surveillance should be re-evaluated to account for the risk inflation seen with targeted prostate biopsy.
A new study suggests that physician partners can lighten the administrative load of primary care physicians, allowing them to spend more time with their patients. The study found that geriatricians who worked with a physician partner had shorter patient visits and higher patient satisfaction rates compared to those without a partner.
A study by UCLA researchers found that treating older men with early-stage prostate cancer who also have other serious underlying health problems with aggressive therapies does not help them live longer. In fact, it can be detrimental and result in additional health issues such as impotence, urinary incontinence, and bowel problems.
A UCLA research team has made significant progress in developing a computer-aided diagnostic system to accurately distinguish between epileptic and non-epileptic seizures. By analyzing clinical notes from patients with medication-resistant seizure disorder, the team achieved a diagnosis accuracy of 65% using machine learning methods.
Researchers used a genetic approach to find that cortical neurons play a key role in initiating the disease, while shutting down mutant huntingtin in both sets of cells corrected symptoms. The study suggests new targets for therapeutic drugs to slow the devastating disease.
A new UCLA-led study suggests that people taking statins in the 2009-10 year consumed more calories and fat than those who used statins 10 years earlier. Researchers found a significant increase in caloric intake among statin users, with no similar change among non-statin users.
Hospitals participating in UCLA's Target: Stroke program have increased tPA administration speed, leading to improved patient outcomes, including reduced mortality and increased independence. The average time-to-treatment fell from 74 minutes to 59 minutes.
A community-based HIV prevention effort boosted testing rates by 45% and reduced new infections by 14% in Africa and Thailand. The intervention also led to increased social acceptance of testing and lower rates of sexual partners among infected individuals.
The UCLA/RAND community research team won a prestigious award for their 10-year effort to improve depression care in low-income areas. The team's collaborative approach showed that community engagement can provide measurable added value, leading to improved mental and physical health outcomes.
A UCLA-led study found that higher education levels are associated with lower rates of bone fractures among non-white women. The study followed over 2,000 pre-menopausal women for nine years and found that those with at least some postgraduate education had an 87% lower non-traumatic fracture rate than those with less education.
Dr. Ira Kurtz's research aims to understand the molecular processes affecting kidney function, with a focus on designing specific drugs targeting disease-causing proteins. The goal is to reduce side effects and costs associated with current treatments, which affect millions of people worldwide.
A UCLA study found that increasing Kir4.1 levels in astrocytes improves walking and prolongs survival in a mouse model of Huntington's disease. The discovery could lead to new drug targets for treating the devastating disorder, which affects one in every 20,000 Americans.
A new study from the University of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences found that older Americans with more muscle mass are less likely to die prematurely. The research suggests that clinicians should focus on improving body composition rather than relying solely on body mass index (BMI) when counseling older adults.
Researchers from UCLA have updated guidelines for managing skin abscesses associated with community-acquired MRSA. The new guidelines focus on improving diagnostic accuracy and treatment options, including the use of ultrasound and preferred antibiotics like trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and doxycycline.
A UCLA-led team of researchers has found evidence that photosensitizing a virus's membrane covering can inhibit its ability to enter cells. This process could lead to the development of stronger, cheaper medications to fight a host of tough viruses.
Researchers used Twitter 'big data' to track HIV incidence and drug-related behaviors, mapping where tweets originated and linking them with geographic distribution of HIV cases. The study suggests that monitoring tweets can predict sexual risk and drug use behaviors, potentially preventing outbreaks.
Researchers at UCLA discovered that vitamin A and a specific gene assist the immune system by reducing cholesterol levels in TB-infected cells, allowing lysosomes to kill bacteria effectively. This finding may lead to new treatment approaches for tuberculosis.
Researchers develop a method to predict future clinical events using genomic testing over multiple patient visits. The AlloMap test can assess the risk of dysfunction or rejection of a transplanted heart months before such an event may occur.
A study found that giving stroke patients intravenous magnesium within an hour of symptom onset does not improve stroke outcomes, while working with paramedics can increase the chances of administering potentially brain-saving drugs in time. The researchers plan to continue searching for new treatments and are grateful for the collabor...
A new study by UCLA researchers found that certain pesticides inhibit an enzyme called ALDH, which converts toxic aldehydes into less harmful agents, increasing the risk of Parkinson's disease. The study identified 11 pesticides that increase the risk, particularly in individuals with a common genetic variant of the ALDH2 gene.
Researchers found that the current US Preventive Services Task Force strategy identifies only 34% of women in this age group with osteoporosis. This could lead to missed opportunities for fracture risk reduction among high-risk women.
A UCLA team developed an easy-to-use risk calculator that predicts heart failure patients' chances of survival for up to five years. The calculator uses four key variables: B-type natriuretic peptide level, peak oxygen consumption, New York Heart Association classification, and heart failure medications.
A new UCLA study found that married men who waited until 25 or older to get married had stronger bones than those who got married earlier. In contrast, women with supportive partners had greater bone strength, regardless of their age at marriage. The study suggests that marriage quality plays a significant role in bone health.
A recent study by UCLA researchers found that minority patients and those of lower socioeconomic status are more likely to have advanced thyroid cancer at diagnosis. Black patients faced the worst outcomes, while Hispanic and Asian/Pacific Islander patients surprisingly survived longer despite having later-stage disease.
A new study found that acute otitis media, or ear infection, is associated with significant increases in direct costs incurred by consumers and the health care system. The research showed that pediatric AOM accounts for approximately $2.88 billion in added health care expenses annually.
Researchers found no evidence of an association between iron levels and the risk of atherosclerosis, contradicting a long-held hypothesis. The study's findings carry important implications for patients with chronic kidney disease or anemia related to inflammatory disorders.
A pilot program using telehealth technology found that pediatric patients were satisfied with their virtual appointments, considering them just as good as in-person visits. The program also showed positive outcomes in BMI scores and blood pressure normalization, making it a promising tool for overcoming barriers to care.
Researchers found that the risk of developing diverticulitis from diverticulosis is significantly lower than previously thought, with only 1% over seven years. Younger patients diagnosed with diverticulosis are more likely to progress to diverticulitis.
Scientists at UCLA have made a breakthrough in understanding the biology of autism by mapping groups of autism-risk genes by function. They found that gene variants are expressed in the developing brain during critical processes, disrupting neural circuits and leading to miswiring between brain regions.
Men with prostate cancer who followed a low-fat fish oil diet had lower levels of pro-inflammatory substances in their blood and a lower cell cycle progression score compared to those on a Western diet. The study suggests that altering the diet may favorably affect prostate cancer biology.
Researchers at UCLA found that engineered tomatoes can reduce the negative effects of unsaturated lysophosphatidic acids (LPAs) in mice, which are linked to high cholesterol and inflammation. The tomatoes produce a peptide that mimics HDL ('good') cholesterol, stopping increases in 'bad' cholesterol and inflammation.
Researchers found that modulating the hormonal environment makes endometrial cancers more sensitive to PARP inhibitors. In high estrogen environments, tumors did not respond to the therapy due to increased DNA repair capabilities.
Researchers will investigate links between substance abuse and HIV among Latino and African-American men who have sex with men. The MASCULINE study aims to determine how substance use affects HIV transmission and treatment outcomes.
A UCLA study has identified a biological clock embedded in the human genome that can accurately measure the age of diverse organs, tissues, and cell types. The clock found that some parts of the anatomy, like breast tissue, age faster than the rest of the body.
A new Pain and Interoception Imaging Network (PAIN) will feature hundreds of brain scans and clinical information to tease out similarities and differences between chronic-pain conditions. The database aims to improve research and treatment development for conditions like migraine, irritable bowel syndrome, and rheumatoid arthritis.
A study found that lawsuits related to procedures when non-physicians operate the laser are increasing, particularly outside traditional medical settings. Non-physician operators, including nurse practitioners and medical assistants, were involved in 75.5% of hair removal lawsuits from 2004 to 2012.