Research team documents benefits of endovascular stent repair for traumatic aortic injury

A UC Davis team of cardiovascular specialists has demonstrated the effectiveness of using stents -- as compared to traditional open-chest surgery -- to repair aortas that are torn as the result of accidents. The researchers will present their findings at the American Association for Thoracic Surgery Aortic Symposium 2010, which takes place April 29-30 in New York City.

More...

Why Cholesterol Damages Arteries: Cholesterol Crystals Lead to Life-Threatening Inflammation in Blood Vessel Wal

In addition to crystallized cholesterol, atherosclerotic plaques always contain large quantities of immune cells but, surprisingly, no bacteria or viruses. It was previously unclear just how the body's own defence forces are called into action. Even animals that are kept in an absolutely sterile environment can suffer from "clogging" or "furring" of the arteries when their food contains high levels of cholesterol. The same relationship is found in humans.

More...

Lottery game helps to assess brain damage following stroke

Patients recovering from stroke sometimes behave as if completely unaware of one half of the world: colliding with obstacles on their left, eating food only from the right side of their plate, or failing to dress their left side. This puzzling phenomenon is termed "spatial neglect" and it affects roughly 45% of patients suffering from a stroke in the right side of the brain. The condition can indicate a long road to recovery, but researchers have now developed a quick and simple lottery game, which can be used to assess the extent of these symptoms and potentially aid the design of rehabilitation programmes.

More...

Coffee: Is it healthier than you think?

Coffee: Is it healthier than you think?

More...

Nephrology: New Insight Into Common Kidney Disease

The kidney disease crescentic glomerulonephritis rapidly progresses to acute kidney failure and death within months if it is not treated. Even with treatment, many patients progress to end-stage kidney disease and require dialysis and sometimes a kidney transplant.

More...

Despite widespread claims, little proof for brain supplements

In the fight against memory loss, nothing is certain, doctors say.

More...

For Children With Hearing Loss: The Earlier the Better for Cochlear Implants, Study Finds

Receiving a cochlear implant before 18 months of age dramatically improves a deaf child's ability to hear, understand and, eventually, speak, according to a multicenter study led by scientists at Johns Hopkins.

More...

New Strain of Virulent Airborne Fungi, Unique to Oregon, Is Set to Spread

A newly discovered strain of an airborne fungus has caused several deaths in Oregon and seems poised to move into California and other adjacent areas, according to scientists at Duke University Medical Center.

More...

Contact Lens Capable of Correcting Hyperopia Without Surgery

Jaume Pauné, a graduate of the Master's Degree in Optometry and Vision Sciences at the UPC-Barcelona Tech's College of Optics and Optometry, has designed an innovative new contact lens that will improve the vision quality of thousands of people without surgery.

More...

How red wine may shield brain from stroke damage

Researchers at Johns Hopkins say they have discovered the way in which red wine consumption may protect the brain from damage following a stroke.

More...

Why you can’t do 3 things at once

For those who find it tough to juggle more than a couple things at once, don't despair. The brain is set up to manage two tasks, but not more, a new study suggests.

More...

Research discovery may lead to advances in heart disease and cancer treatment

Research led by T. Cooper Woods, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, and Director of the Molecular Cardiology Research Laboratory at Ochsner Clinic Foundation, has identified the mechanism of how a drug commonly used on stents to prevent reclosure of coronary arteries, regulates cell movement which is critical to wound healing and the progression of diseases like cancer. The study is published in the April 16th issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

More...

Bionic Eye in Sight: Wide-View Neurostimulator Concept Unveiled

Bionic Vision Australia (BVA) has unveiled its wide-view neurostimulator concept -- a bionic eye that will be implanted into Australia's first recipient of the technology.

More...

Quick Nano-Bio-Chip Checks for Oral Cancer

The gentle touch of a lesion on the tongue or cheek with a brush can help detect oral cancer with success rates comparable to more invasive techniques, according to preliminary studies by researchers at Rice University, the University of Texas Health Science Centers at Houston and San Antonio and the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

More...

Trans fats can be deadly for women

By this point, we know trans fats are a no-no. The fats, often found in processed foods, margarine, or shortening, and in fried foods, are commonly added to food products to extend their shelf life. The bad news is, the stuff is doing nothing to extend your own shelf life. In fact, a recent study published in the American Heart Journal found that women living with coronary heart disease who eat trans fats foods are at particular risk of sudden cardiac death.

More...

Lithium Shows No Benefit in ALS

Adding lithium to riluzole (Rilutek) in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ALS) failed to stop disease progression, researchers said.

More...

Sleep Apnea Linked to Eyelid Disorder

An eye disorder called floppy eyelid syndrome is strongly associated with obstructive sleep apnea, a new study finds.

More...

Drug That Extends Life Span Prevents Alzheimer's Deficits

If research results continue to be repeated and are turned into clinical trials, a drug already approved for some uses could be marshaled -- sooner than we expect -- to prevent Alzheimer's disease in humans and improve health to the end of life.

More..

Fight cancer by picking off cells before they go rogue

IMAGINE if cancer could be kept at bay by killing off precancerous cells every few months, much as dentists scrape away plaque to prevent tooth decay. Now drugs have been identified that do the job in mice.

More...