Popular drug combination for treatment resistant depression is not more effective than a single antidepressant in primary care1 November 2018Psychiatrists and GPs increasingly combine mirtazapine with an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) or SNRI (serotonin-noradenaline reuptake inhibitor) antidepressant for patients whose depression does not respond to a single antidepressant. A large clinical trial led by researchers at the Universities of Bristol, Exeter, Keele, Manchester and Hull York Medical School, and published in the British Medical Journal today, looked at the effectiveness of adding mirtazapine to an SSRI or SNRI in patients who remain depressed after at least six weeks of conventional (SSRI or SNRI) antidepressant treatment. They found that this combination was no more effective in improving depression than placebo and call on doctors to rethink its use.
New drug formulation could help people undergoing heart surgery31 October 2018Scientists at the University of Bristol are to develop and test a new drug combination that could protect the hearts of patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Professor Raimondo Ascione, and Professor Saadeh Suleiman, from the Bristol Heart Institute, will explore whether treatment with two drugs, which are already used in other ways in people with heart conditions, could benefit patients undergoing open-heart surgery. They have been awarded a grant of nearly £300,000 by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) to carry out this work.
Incarceration is likely to increase HIV and HCV transmission among people who inject drugs, new study finds29 October 2018Injecting drug use, through the sharing of needles, syringes and other injecting equipment, is a primary route of transmission for both HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV), blood-borne infections that cause considerable morbidity and mortality worldwide. New research led by the University of Bristol has found among people who inject drugs, that recent incarceration was associated with an 81 per cent and 62 per cent increase in HIV and HCV acquisition risk, respectively.
GW4 Alliance announces award for Doctoral Training Programme29 October 2018The GW4+ consortium, of which the University of Bristol is a member, has been awarded a 5-year Doctoral Training Programme from the Natural Environment Research Council.
Business Minister visits Bristol BioDesign Institute and Unit DX26 October 2018The Rt Hon Lord Henley, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), visited the University’s Bristol BioDesign Institute today, along with a visit to science incubator, Unit DX [25 Oct].
Antarctic Ocean CO2 helped end the ice age25 October 2018A team of scientists has shown that rapid CO2 release from the ocean around Antarctica helped end the last ice age.
Study of 500,000 people clarifies the risks of obesity25 October 2018Elevated body mass index (BMI) – a measure of weight accounting for a person's height - has been shown to be a likely causal contributor to population patterns in mortality, according to a new study led by the University of Bristol using measurements and mortality data from 500,000 people.
Experts call for health system change to tackle the challenge of multimorbidity in the NHS25 October 2018The number of people with multiple long-term conditions, known as multimorbidity, is rising internationally, putting increased pressure on health care systems, including the NHS. Researchers from the 3D Study – the largest ever trial of a person-centred approach to caring for patients with multimorbidity in primary care - at the Universities of Bristol, Dundee, Manchester and Glasgow, are hosting a conference today [Thursday 25 October] with the Royal College of General Practitioners to discuss the challenges facing general practice and how the health care system needs to respond.
People needed to share their experience of dementia or memory problems24 October 2018Do you have experience of dementia or memory problems? Researchers from the University of Bristol and North Bristol NHS Trust are looking for patients or carers over the age of 45 to join a memory patient group to help further research into the disease.
Zebrafish gravitate to higher levels22 October 2018Zebrafish could help scientists understand the early stages of diseases such as osteoarthritis after spending time in hypergravity to investigate how their development is affected by increased loading conditions. Postgraduate students from the University of Bristol completed their study at the European Space Agency (ESA) European Space Research and Technology Centre last month.
University of Bristol appoints new Deputy Vice-Chancellor19 October 2018The University of Bristol is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Judith Squires to the post of Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost, with effect from 1 January 2019.
University gives international students a Bristol welcome18 October 2018This week the University of Bristol officially welcomed its international students to the city, at an event held at the historic Bristol City Hall, located at the heart of the city.
Bristol launches alumni mentoring scheme18 October 2018The University of Bristol has launched its brand-new alumni mentoring initiative, which pairs current students with alumni to give them invaluable insights, advice and opportunities to support and shape their future ambitions.
Experts raise safety concerns about cardboard baby boxes18 October 2018Cardboard baby boxes are being promoted for infant sleep as a safe alternative to more traditional cots, bassinets, or Moses baskets, without any evidence in place, warn experts from the Universities of Bristol and Durham and published in The BMJ.
Prioritising help for the poorest hit by deadly natural disasters17 October 2018A new statistical tool to help target resources following deadly natural disasters has been created by the University of Bristol, allowing governments to prioritise getting aid to the most vulnerable people.
Which factors are linked with wellbeing and medication adherence in young adults with kidney failure16 October 2018A new study led by the University of Bristol has evaluated important aspects of psychological health in young adults with kidney failure. The findings, which appear in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN), point to the need for additional efforts to address the wellbeing of these patients.
Pioneering animal welfare approach with AssureWel16 October 2018New guidance outlining a pioneering new approach for farm assurance schemes, retailers and farmers to improve animal welfare has been released following a six-year project with the Soil Association, RSPCA and University of Bristol.
Emeritus Professor Haydn Mason, 1929-201810 October 2018Emeritus Professor and Senior Research Fellow, Haydn Trevor Mason died on 16th August 2018 a few months before his 90th birthday. His former colleague Dr Edward Forman has provided this tribute.
Researchers appeal to parents to help them improve care after stillbirth10 October 2018Every year, thousands of people in the UK are affected by stillbirth. The loss of a baby has many effects on parents and their families in the short- and long-term and care is often inconsistent. To address how to measure the impact of the care bereaved families receive, researchers from the University of Bristol are appealing to parents who have experienced a stillbirth to find out what impact the loss has had on their health.
Dame Parveen Kumar to give Elizabeth Blackwell Annual Public Lecture10 October 2018Dame Parveen Kumar, Professor at St Bartholomew's Hospital and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, is this year’s speaker for the free Elizabeth Blackwell Annual Public Lecture, in the Wills Memorial Building on 22 October.
£4.9 million makeover transforms sports centre10 October 2018The first phase of the University of Bristol’s transformation of its Clifton campus is being unveiled today [10 October] with the official reopening of its Indoor Sports Centre, which has undergone a £4.9 million makeover.
Harnessing silicon fabrication technology to build quantum optical circuits9 October 2018A new study by scientists from the University of Bristol brings us a significant step closer to unleashing the revolutionary potential of quantum computing by harnessing silicon fabrication technology to build complex on-chip quantum optical circuits.
Calling all budding vets and vet nurses9 October 2018Aspiring vets and vet nurses will have the opportunity to explore and experience life as a student and find out what it's like to work in veterinary medicine at the Bristol Veterinary School on Saturday 27 October.
Tackling Bristol’s ‘educational inequality crisis’9 October 2018There is a shocking divide in educational opportunities for young people in Bristol depending on where they live in the city, new research from the University of Bristol has confirmed.
Leading lights in mathematics and computing awarded scientific heirlooms8 October 2018Bristol academic Dr Nina Snaith is to receive a Suffrage Science Award, alongside fellow leading female mathematicians and computer scientists, at the second Suffrage Science Awards for Mathematics and Computing today [8 October].
Understanding natural fungicide synthesis: the pathway to strobilurins revealed at last5 October 2018Scientists from the Universities of Bristol and Hannover studying a naturally-produced compound that inspired the biggest selling family of commercial agricultural fungicides have, for the first time, discovered how this important class of compound is synthesised in nature. The findings could potentially be used in the future to enable a ‘pick and mix’ approach with combinations of enzymes to make designer biosynthetic pathways for new compounds that could help to control crop diseases.
Day-time naps help us acquire information not consciously perceived, study finds
5 October 2018The age-old adage "I'll sleep on it" has proven to be scientifically sound advice, according to a new study which measured changes in people's brain activity and responses before and after a nap. The findings, published in the Journal of Sleep Research, support the advice which suggests that a period of sleep may help weighing up pros and cons or gain insight before making a challenging decision.
