UCLA joins forces with White House to meet unique needs of veterans, families

2012-01-18T00:00:00.0000000-08:00

As part of a White House effort to ensure that America's military heroes receive care worthy of their service, the UCLA Health System and the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA have pledged to mobilize their uniquely integrated missions in education, research and clinical care to help train physicians to meet the special needs of veterans, active service members and their families.

Researchers uncover how new melanoma drug accelerates secondary skin cancers

2012-01-18T00:00:00.0000000-08:00

Patients with metastatic melanoma taking the recently approved drug vemurafenib (marketed as Zelboraf) responded well to the twice-daily pill, but some of them developed a different, secondary skin cancer.

Now, researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, working with investigators from the Institute of Cancer Research in London, Roche and Plexxikon, have elucidated the mechanism by which...

Young UCLA leukemia patient launches kid-friendly cookbook, hosts book signing

2012-01-11T00:00:00.0000000-08:00

(Editors: B-roll available of Jack Witherspoon in hospital recovering from bone marrow transplant.)

WHAT:

Jack Witherspoon, an 11-year-old aspiring chef who has battled leukemia three times and recently underwent a...

Diet counts: Iron intake in teen years can impact brain in later life

2012-01-11T00:00:00.0000000-08:00

Now, researchers at UCLA have found that in addition to causing cognitive problems, a lack of iron early in life can affect the brain's physical structure as...

Protein changes identified in early-onset Alzheimer's

2012-01-09T00:00:00.0000000-08:00

With a lack of effective treatments for Alzheimer's, most of us would think long and hard about whether we wanted to know years in advance if we were genetically predisposed to develop the disease. For researchers, however, such knowledge is a window into Alzheimer's disease's evolution.

Understanding the biological changes that occur during the clinically "silent" stage — the years before symptoms appear — provides clues about the causes of the...

Move-in day goes smoothly at UCLA Medical Center Santa Monica

2012-01-09T00:00:00.0000000-08:00

Professor's cell phone microscope honored as best innovation of 2011

2012-01-05T00:00:00.0000000-08:00

A groundbreaking imaging technology developed by UCLA Engineering professor Aydogan Ozcan that can turn a simple cell phone into a powerful microscope has been named the top innovation of 2011 by The Scientist, a magazine focusing on the life sciences, research and technology. Ozcan's compact, lightweight and inexpensive microscope has the potential to bring better health...

Chinese herbal medicine may provide novel treatment for alcohol abuse

2012-01-05T00:00:00.0000000-08:00

UCLA RESEARCH ALERT

FINDINGS:

UCLA researchers have identified how a component of an ancient Chinese herbal anti-hangover medicine called dihydromyricetin, isolated from the plant Hovenia, counteracts acute alcohol intoxication and withdrawal symptoms.

The research team found that dihydromyricetin blocks the action of alcohol on the brain and neurons and also reduces...

Home monitoring may help manage and reduce costs for heart failure

2012-01-02T00:00:00.0000000-08:00

UCLA RESEARCH ALERT

FINDINGS:

Heart failure affects 5.8 million people in the U.S. alone and is responsible for nearly 1 million hospitalizations each year, most resulting from a build-up of body fluid in the lungs and other organs due to the heart's inability to pump effectively. The disease needs to be closely tracked in order to avoid such hospitalizations, and home-monitoring...

Removal of lymph nodes during surgery for thyroid cancer may be beneficial

2011-12-20T00:00:00.0000000-08:00

Papillary thyroid cancer accounts for the majority of all thyroid malignancies, which primarily impact women. A new study indicates that routinely removing lymph nodes in the neck in these cancer patients may help prevent the disease from coming back.

When thyroid cancer metastasizes, lymph nodes in the neck may be affected, but these lymph-node tumors can be tiny and may not be detected by ultrasounds done before surgery to remove the diseased thyroid —...

West Coast's first hand transplant recipient to ride in 2012 Rose Parade

2011-12-19T00:00:00.0000000-08:00

Imagine trying to wrap your child's holiday presents with only your left hand — when you're right-handed. For the last five years, that's exactly what 26-year-old Emily Fennell of Yuba City, Calif., has had to do.

This year, it's different. Nine months ago, the young office assistant received a life-changing gift at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center: the

Snipping key nerves may help life-threatening heart rhythms

2011-12-19T00:00:00.0000000-08:00

What do sweaty palms and abnormal heart rhythms have in common? Both can be initiated by the nervous system during an adrenaline-driven "flight-or-fight" stress reaction, when the body senses danger.

Hyperhidrosis, an abnormal flight-or-fight response of the sympathetic nervous system that causes excessively sweaty palms may also contribute to problems like dangerous irregular rhythms from the lower chambers of the heart, known as ventricular...

UCLA Early Head Start program receives grant to enhance outdoor play for infants and toddlers

2011-12-19T00:00:00.0000000-08:00

The Head Start Body Start National Center for Physical Development and Outdoor Play (HSBS) has awarded a $5,000 grant to the UCLA Early Head Start program to improve the outdoor play space at the program's center located in Arleta.

The grant helped purchase age-appropriate playground equipment for infants and toddlers including tunnels, bridges,

UCLA Department of Design | Media Arts announces events for winter 2012

2011-12-16T00:00:00.0000000-08:00

(Editors: Images are available from media officers)

The UCLA Department of Design | Media Arts (DMA) is offering a variety of events for the public's enjoyment this winter, including exhibitions, seminars, symposia and lectures.

For events at the UCLA Broad Art Center's New Wight Gallery (Room 1100) or EDA facility (Room 1250), all-day parking ($11) and short-term parking...

American College of Surgeons Honors UCLA Surgeon

2011-12-15T00:00:00.0000000-08:00

The prestigious Surgical Forum, where...

UCLA Physician Appointed Director of HRSA's Maternal and Child Health Bureau

2011-12-12T00:00:00.0000000-08:00

Dr. Michael Lu, associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and public health at UCLA, and lead investigator of the National Children's Study in the Los Angeles-Ventura County Study Center was recently appointed director for the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

The...

UCLA researchers suggest unconventional approach to control HIV epidemics

2011-12-07T00:00:00.0000000-08:00

A new weapon has emerged to prevent HIV infection. Called pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, it is a strategy of providing medications to at-risk people before they are exposed to the virus. Having shown great promise in recent phase 3 clinical trials, PrEP may soon be rolled out for public use.

Because PrEP is based on the same drugs used to treat HIV-infected individuals, the big public health fear is that the dual use of these drugs will lead to skyrocketing...

Older Californians with disabilities struggle to remain at home as public programs lose funding

2011-12-07T00:00:00.0000000-08:00

California's low-income seniors with disabilities are struggling to remain in their homes as public funding for long-term care services shrinks and may be slashed even further, according to a new study by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research conducted with support from The SCAN Foundation.

Should as much as $100 million in additional cuts be made to In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) on Dec. 15, as proposed...

Breathe easier: New parenting book addresses full range of children's respiratory issues

2011-12-06T00:00:00.0000000-08:00

Why do infants make snorting sounds during feedings? Is snoring normal in a toddler? Is it...

UCLA researchers identify new method for generating stem cell-like cells from human skin

2011-12-01T00:00:00.0000000-08:00

Researchers from the UCLA School of Dentistry investigating how stem cells can be used to regenerate dental tissue have discovered a way to produce cells with stem cell–like characteristics from the most common type of human skin cell in the epidermis.

These skin cells, called keratinocytes, form the outermost layer of skin and can be cultured from discarded skin tissues or biopsy specimens.

The findings,...

Food served in children's hospitals rated largely unhealthy

2011-12-01T00:00:00.0000000-08:00

Given the obesity epidemic among the nation's young, one might hope that children's hospitals would serve as a role model for healthy eating. But hospitals in California fall short, with only 7 percent of entrees classified as "healthy," according to a new study published in the journal Academic Pediatrics.

Researchers from UCLA and the RAND Corp. assessed 14 food venues at the state's 12 major children's hospitals and found much room for improvement...

2 million Californians report mental health needs; most receive little or no treatment

2011-11-30T00:00:00.0000000-08:00

Nearly 2 million adults in California, about 8 percent of the population, need mental health treatment, but the majority receive no services or inadequate services, despite a state law mandating that health insurance providers include mental health treatment in their coverage options, a new report by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research...

UCLAhealth.org Health News

UCLA joins forces with White House to meet unique needs of veterans, families

Researchers uncover how new melanoma drug accelerates secondary skin cancers

Young UCLA leukemia patient launches kid-friendly cookbook, hosts book signing

Diet counts: Iron intake in teen years can impact brain in later life

Protein changes identified in early-onset Alzheimer's

Move-in day goes smoothly at UCLA Medical Center Santa Monica

Professor's cell phone microscope honored as best innovation of 2011

Chinese herbal medicine may provide novel treatment for alcohol abuse

Home monitoring may help manage and reduce costs for heart failure

Removal of lymph nodes during surgery for thyroid cancer may be beneficial

West Coast's first hand transplant recipient to ride in 2012 Rose Parade

Snipping key nerves may help life-threatening heart rhythms

UCLA Early Head Start program receives grant to enhance outdoor play for infants and toddlers

UCLA Department of Design | Media Arts announces events for winter 2012

American College of Surgeons Honors UCLA Surgeon

UCLA Physician Appointed Director of HRSA's Maternal and Child Health Bureau

UCLA researchers suggest unconventional approach to control HIV epidemics

Older Californians with disabilities struggle to remain at home as public programs lose funding

Breathe easier: New parenting book addresses full range of children's respiratory issues

UCLA researchers identify new method for generating stem cell-like cells from human skin

Food served in children's hospitals rated largely unhealthy

2 million Californians report mental health needs; most receive little or no treatment