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Muscling up
Muscle is often the first thing to go when we age or we're laid up due to injury or post-op recovery. A researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine is trying to reverse that process. Dr. Troy Hornberger is on a mission to develop a drug that can prevent muscle atrophy, especially in the elderly who are suffering from injuries that require a long recovery period. Hornberger's efforts focus on creating a drug that can mimic how muscles build themselves up. His studies have already helped identify a molecule that, when activated, can cause muscle fibers to enlarge 60 percent within seven days. For more information, contact Tania Banak at 608-263-6914 or banakt@svm.vetmed.wisc.edu.
Been there, done that
A discovery by researchers at the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine indicates that people previously exposed to influenza viruses may have some level of immunity from the novel 2009 H1N1 virus. The researchers, including Carol Cardona, a veterinarian and Cooperative Extension specialist at UC-Davis, have identified a group of important immunological sites on the 2009 H1N1 virus that are also present in seasonal flu viruses that have been circulating for years. Their findings suggest that a person's own T-cells may play a key role in lowering the disease-causing ability of the 2009 H1N1 influenza, especially in people older than 60. For more information, contact Lynn Narlesky at 530-752-5257 or lnarlesky@ucdavis.edu.
Giving Parkinson's the punt
Researchers at the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine have found what they consider "a hope for the cure" of Parkinson's disease. The promise lies in the discovery of a compound that neutralizes a protein responsible for cell damage in the brain that leads to the debilitating disease. By nullifying the cell-killing protein, the brain is able to produce enough dopamine to stop the progression of the disease or even cure it. Parkinson's disease patients lack a sufficient amount of dopamine in the brain. For more information, contact Tracy Raef at 515-294-4602 or traef@iastate.edu.
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Reducing the threat of global disease
When the U.S. Agency for International Development sought experts to help combat new and emerging diseases of animal origin that can threaten human health, they knew exactly where to look – the nation's AVMA-accredited veterinary schools and colleges. Veterinarians from the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, the University of Minnesota and the University of California, Davis have been awarded multimillion-dollar grants as part of the Emerging Pandemic Threats program. The program focuses on surveillance, training and outbreak response involving diseases such as HIV/AIDS, SARS, H5N1 avian influenza and the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus. For more information, contact David Kirkpatrick at 847-285-6782 or dkirkpatrick@avma.org.
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A sampling of interesting upcoming events and pet-related campaigns ...,
American Association of Equine Practitioners Annual Convention, Dec. 5, 2009 – Dec. 9, 2009: More than 4,000 equine veterinarians will gather in Las Vegas, Nev., to share their insights and learn from experts such as renowned equine surgeon Dr. Larry Bramlage. Topics include new research on lameness in racehorses, and in-depth lectures on critical care and pain management. For more information, go to www.aaep.org.
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