Health Research San Diego

pSCANNER/iDASH Symposium pSCANNER is a stakeholder-governed, distributed clinical data network that aims to make health data more accessible and usable for the generation of scientific evidence that patients, clinicians, and other stakeholders together use to make more informed health decisions. http://pscanner.ucsd.edu/ Integrating Data for Analysis, Anonymization and SHaring (iDASH) is one of the National Centers for Biomedical Computing (NCBC) under the NIH Roadmap for Bi...oinformatics and Computational Biology. Founded in 2010, the iDASH center is hosted on the campus of the University of California, San Diego and addresses fundamental challenges to research progress and enables global collaborations anywhere and anytime. Driving biological projects motivate, inform, and support tool development in iDASH. iDASH collaborates with other NCBCs and disseminates tools via annual workshops, presentations at major conferences, and scientific publications. https://idash.ucsd.edu/ Date: September 30-October 2, 2015 (Wednesday-Friday) Location: Atkinson Hall Auditorium Warren College, UC San Diego Campus Voigt Drive La Jolla, CA Wed, September 30 8:00a 5:00p: pSCANNER Related Presentations Thurs, October 1 9:00a 5:00p: pSCANNER and iDASH presentations Fri, October 2 9:00a 12:00p: iDASH presentations

Every time an iPad says a word, it sounds exactly the same. Researchers think that this is why the iPad is effective in promoting language development in kids with autism. For these kids, it is important for things to be as consistent as possible. Children who participated in the study learned new spoken words and several learned to produce short sentences. Find out more about the study here: http://www.futurity.org/ipads-help-kids-autism-find-langua/

Is a concussion the only thing to worry about when it comes to brain injury in contact sports? What does the evidence say about mild hits to the head? Check out the results of a research study that compared athletes in contact sports like football and hockey to a comparison group of athletes in noncontact sports. None of the athletes were diagnosed with a concussion during the time of the study. Read more about how the research was conducted and the results at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlinepl/news/fullstory_143337.html

There is a new medical device to treat epilepsy. The implantable device works like a cardiac defibrillator to detect and suppress seizures the instant they begin. Clinical trials of the Responsive Neurostimulator System (RNS) show that the device significantly decreases the number of monthly seizures. Clinical trials are used to determine whether new biomedical or behavior interventions are safe and effective. Clinical trials are an important part in making new treatments available to the public. Read more about this study at http://www.futurity.org/brain-implant-detects-seizures-sym/

Join us for a free symposium open to all that will feature presentations by CTRI-funded faculty and trainee investigators highlighting exciting developments in Clinical and Translational Research. Day of Translational Science - Tuesday, February 25, 2014 10 A.M. to 4 P.M.

Medications used to treat diabetes may have different effects on the hearts of men than they do on the hearts of women. This is important because understanding the potential side-effects of a treatment helps a doctor to choose the best option. IF they are unrecognized, sex differences also have the potential to cause certain types of information to go unseen when reviewing research results. Read more to find about how diabetes drugs affect the heart and why it is important to understand the differences between men and women at http://news.wustl.edu/news/Pages/26268.aspx

Should breast cancer screening and prevention programs be different for Mexican women? According to a recent study, maybe they should be. Findings from this study at UC San Diego suggest that some things that have been linked with lower rates of cancer for women in general may actually be related to higher rates of cancer in Mexican women. Studies like this one can help discover how to provide the highest quality of care, especially when that care might be different depending on a person’s background. Read more at http://health.ucsd.edu//2013-10-01-lactation-linked-to-can

Studies in adults have shown that naps can enhance certain mental functions but there has been little scientific evidence that young children get the same benefits. A new study provides more information about classroom naps and preschoolers. According to the study, naps are associated with enhanced memory and learning in young children. Click on the link to read the full article. http://www.nih.gov/researchm/september2013/09302013naps.htm

Research is the foundation for new health innovations and people who are willing to be study participants are needed for certain types of research to happen. ResearchMatch is a great way to learn about studies that are happening near you. If you are you not sure what it means to be a participant in a research study, visit the ResearchMatch website to learn more about how it works. If you are not yet registered, we invite you to visit the ResearchMatch web site today and learn more about what is involved. https://www.researchmatch.org/?rm=CTRI+web

Every cell in our bodies runs on a 24-hour clock. Results of a research study at University of Michigan suggest that the clock may be broken in people with depression. The findings suggest this may occur at the cellular level. Learn more about the study at: http://www.futurity.org/depressed-peoples-body-clocks-out-/

For some people, fear can noticeably restrict normal activities and quality of life. For instance, someone with a fear of spiders might avoid going in to a utility closet because it’s in a basement or to their child’s outdoor sports activities. Researchers are searching for ways to help people who experience this type of fear. A pilot study at UCSD is investigating a possible treatment for arachnophobia, or fear of spiders. A pilot study is a small scale study that is done first to help evaluate the potential of a treatment and provide information that is needed to plan a full-scale study. You can read more this pilot study at http://ctri.ucsd.edu/news/Pages/ItsyBitsySpider.aspx

Sometimes health programs that work are too expensive or impractical for the people that need them. Wouldn't it be great to discover new options that are a better fit for real life? That’s what this study at UC San Diego is trying to do for childhood obesity. Read more about it at: http://health.ucsd.edu//2013-04-01-self-guided-weight-loss

More than one million Americans suffer from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and many do not respond to current treatment options. An intravenous antibody medication is being researched that has potential for treating both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. This new medication specifically targets the digestive tract, allowing for a localized effect. Follow the link to read more about how people are affected by this disease and how clinical research is giving new hope. http://health.ucsd.edu//2013-08-21-two-studies-identify-po