Veterinary medicine
Categories
Not sure where to start? Choose a topic below.

Discovery: Mechanical properties of viral DNA determine the course of infection
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A new study reveals a previously unknown mechanism that governs whether viruses that infect bacteria will quickly kill their hosts or remain latent inside the cell. The discovery, reported in the journal eLife, also may apply to viruses that infect humans and other animals, the researcher said. “I found for the first […]

Study explores risk factors linked to chikungunya and dengue outbreaks
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — In one of the largest studies of its kind, researchers analyzed chikungunya and dengue outbreak data from 76 countries over a period of 50 years, focusing on regions across the Indian Ocean that are hard hit by these and other mosquito-borne infectious diseases. The analysis of 1959-2009 data revealed that population density […]

Products of omega-3 fatty acid metabolism may have anticancer effects, study shows
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A class of molecules formed when the body metabolizes omega-3 fatty acids could inhibit cancer’s growth and spread, University of Illinois researchers report in a new study in mice. The molecules, called endocannabinoids, are made naturally by the body and have similar properties to cannabinoids found in marijuana – but without the […]

Sleep problems in menopause linked to hot flashes, depression – and may not last
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Sleep disruptions are one of the most commonly reported complaints among menopausal women. A new study of middle-aged women found that sleep problems vary across the stages of menopause, yet are consistently correlated with hot flashes and depression. The findings suggest that addressing those risk factors may also address sleep disruptions, as […]

Cancer drug starts clinical trials in human brain-cancer patients
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A drug that spurs cancer cells to self-destruct has been cleared for use in a clinical trial of patients with anaplastic astrocytoma, a rare malignant brain tumor, and glioblastoma multiforme, an aggressive late-stage cancer of the brain. This phase Ib trial will determine if the experimental drug PAC-1 can be used safely […]

Study in mice finds dietary levels of genistein may adversely affect female fertility
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Exposure to the phytoestrogen genistein prior to conception may adversely affect female fertility and pregnancy outcomes, depending on the dosage and duration of exposure, a new study in mice suggests. Chronic preconception exposure to genistein affected pregnancy rates in mice and was associated with prolonged labor, smaller litters and pups, and higher […]

Antibiotic-resistant infections in pets: What now?
Nearly every day on the job, veterinary clinical medicine professor Dr. Jason Pieper, a veterinary dermatologist, sees antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections in cats, dogs and other pets. This is not just a local phenomenon; nationally, rates of antibiotic-resistant infections in companion animals are rising at an alarming rate. Pieper spoke to News Bureau life sciences editor […]

Paper: Clinical signs best predictors of mortality in critically ill calves
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Clinical signs such as gastrointestinal problems or septic arthritis may be better predictors of mortality in neonatal calves with diarrhea than blood pH levels and other laboratory findings, a new study suggests. The research also may finally resolve a century-old debate among scientists about the blood pH levels needed to sustain life […]

Study: Omega-3 fatty acids fight inflammation via cannabinoids
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Chemical compounds called cannabinoids are found in marijuana and also are produced naturally in the body from omega-3 fatty acids. A well-known cannabinoid in marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol, is responsible for some of its euphoric effects, but it also has anti-inflammatory benefits. A new study in animal tissue reveals the cascade of chemical reactions […]

Fred A. Kummerow, successful crusader against trans fats, dies at 102
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Fred A. Kummerow, a pioneer in the study of dietary contributors to heart disease who led a decades-long crusade to remove trans fats from the food supply, died Wednesday, May 31, at his home in Urbana, Illinois. He was 102. Kummerow was a professor of comparative biosciences who maintained a laboratory at […]

New MRI opens door to innovative veterinary research and care
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Advances in magnetic resonance imaging have transformed medicine over the last several decades. Unfortunately, this technology is rarely available to veterinarians. The University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine is now one of a few veterinary research and clinical care schools in the U.S. with a state-of-the-art 3-Tesla MRI facility. The recently […]

Scientists test nanoparticle drug delivery in dogs with osteosarcoma
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — At the University of Illinois, an engineer teamed up with a veterinarian to test a bone cancer drug delivery system in animals bigger than the standard animal model, the mouse. They chose dogs – mammals closer in size and biology to humans – with naturally occurring bone cancers, which also are a […]