Clinical Trials & Research

Doctors should prescribe fewer antidepressants and for shorter periods of time, because of the ongoing uncertainties about their effectiveness and the potential severity and durability of the withdrawal symptoms associated with them, suggests a review of the evidence on antidepressant use, published online in the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin. The use of antidepressants is also

The protein UBR7 acts as a histone chaperone, regulating histone re-deposition at specific sites during DNA replication, according a recent study published in The EMBO Journal. This protein was previously identified to regulate nucleotide metabolism, making UBR7 among the first proteins known to affect both processes, according to Daniel Foltz, PhD, associate professor of Biochemistry

A computer analysis of hundreds of thousands of secure email messages between doctors and patients found that most doctors use language that is too complex for their patients to understand. The study also uncovered strategies some doctors use to overcome communication barriers. Experts on health literacy, as well as leading health care organizations, have advised

Why are some individuals able to use recreational drugs in a controlled way, whereas others switch to the compulsive, relapsing drug-seeking and -taking habits that characterize substance use disorder (SUD)? Despite more than six decades of extensive research, the question remains unanswered, hampering the development of targeted prevention and therapeutic strategies. Now, a new study

Study design B-AHEAD-2 is a multicentre, randomised controlled two-arm (1:1) trial within ten breast units in the Greater Manchester Clinical Research Network, UK: Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT; the co-ordinating centre, The Christie, and hospitals in Stockport, Salford, Wigan, Oldham, North Manchester, Leighton, Macclesfield, Bolton and Tameside). Patient population Participants were recruited prior to

PHC offers a range of high quality three-dimensional cell culture platforms. These platforms feature an array of well shapes, specifically designed to facilitate spheroid culturing of defined cell types. The PrimeSurface range of cell culture labware features ultra-low attachment (ULA) plates and dishes designed to facilitate scaffold-free, self-assembly spheroid formation. These innovative ULA plates have

Care providers, residents and staff will all benefit from additional funding to support the social care sector. A total of £1.4 billion will be made available over three years to help increase the fee rates local authorities pay to care providers. Further funding of more than £1 billion will be available for local authorities in

Within the ZOE COVID Study, we launched a diet and lifestyle retrospective longitudinal observational cohort study (from 31 July to 25 September 2020 in the United Kingdom and from 25 September to 30 November 2020 in the United States). The participants were invited to complete a retrospective questionnaire (Methods) assessing diet quality, diet habits and

For some in the industry, compound management simply is not what it used to be. Most research laboratories had primitive tracking, storage and dispensing strategies up until the 1970s, with handwritten labels and physical logbooks used for tracking. This logistics-free solution was in place until the advent of computing, which offered an alternative to this

A growing body of scientific evidence, considered together with ecological reality, strongly suggest that novel coronaviruses will continue to infect bats and other animal reservoirs and potentially emerge to pose a pandemic threat to humans. To counter future coronavirus outbreaks, the global scientific and medical research community should focus a major effort now on three

1. Zmora, N., Suez, J. & Elinav, E. You are what you eat: Diet, health and the gut microbiota. Nat. Rev. Gastroenterol. Hepatol. 16, 35–56 (2019). CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar  2. David, L. A. et al. Diet rapidly and reproducibly alters the human gut microbiome. Nature 505, 559–563 (2014). ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar  3.

Biobanking is a critical factor within genomic and personalized research: offering cross-purpose access to large datasets. Such a task requires a reliable and robust sample management system. Biobank sample management software (sometimes referred to as a laboratory information management system, or “LIMS”) is vital in ensuring efficient sample control and accurate management of information. There

In a recent study posted to the medRxiv* preprint server, researchers utilized pre-pandemic information from two UK-based observational population studies – the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) and UK Biobank (UKB) – to investigate predictors of selection into analytic subsamples in observational studies on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection

Introduction Surat Thani Hospital is the main hospital of Surat Thani Province in Thailand. It houses 660 beds and a Medical Education Center that trains doctors for the Faculty of Medicine of Thammasat University. As a public hospital, it is required to analyze numerous samples for diagnostic and disease monitoring purposes. It is estimated that

Chief Medical Officer for England Professor Chris Whitty will call on the public to get a booster vaccination, in a nationwide advertising campaign launching today (Tuesday 14 December) to further galvanize the booster program. This comes as a total of 24 million boosters and third doses have now been administered in the UK. 75% of

Introduction Hanoi Medical University Hospital (HMUH) in Vietnam is a general hospital that forms a part of Hanoi Medical University. The hospital was established in 2007 and specializes in medical care and treatment, training, research, and international cooperation. Hanoi Medical University Hospital has more than 400 beds and receives more than 500,000 outpatient visits every

The spike protein (S) of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a major structural protein and is therefore involved in several interactions involving host infections. The S protein binds to the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2 or ACE2) receptor on the cell surface and initiates infection using the receptor-binding domain (RBD). Study:

Varicose veins are highly recognisable due to the presence of twisting, bulging veins on the feet and legs. These veins tend to become more pronounced and swollen as time progresses. Image Credit: Veincentre Varicose veins are a frequently occurring medical issue, with at least 1 in 3 people suffering from them at some point in

The Prime Minister, together with the NHS, has today [Sunday 12 December] launched an urgent national appeal calling for people to get jabbed, as he outlined plans to significantly increase NHS vaccination capacity. It comes as the UK Chief Medical Officers have today increased the UK Covid Alert Level from Level 3 to Level 4

The medical industry is highly reliant on imaging-based diagnostic tools due to the capacity of these instruments to offer critical insights into several diseases. Advances in medical imaging have enabled medical professionals to accurately and rapidly detect a number of diseases, visualize interior structures invisible to the naked eye and make more informed decisions around

Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) and Ryukyu Football Club Co., Ltd. (FC Ryukyu) have today launched a new partnership, aimed at understanding how athletes’ minds behave during team sports. The insights into brain science gained during the project may one day con-tribute to improving the performance of professional athletes in team

The medical industry continues to be driven by technological advances. As far back as the invention of the stethoscope, advanced devices have been developed in response to industry demands and global circumstances. For example, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted diagnostic device manufacturers to develop compact, portable devices able to rapidly detect SARS-CoV-2