Blood Vessel News and Research

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Blood Vessels are tubes through which the blood circulates in the body. Blood vessels include a network of arteries, arterioles, capillaries, venules, and veins.

UIC researchers identify molecular mechanism that directs embryonic stem cells to turn into endothelial cells

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago have identified a molecular mechanism that directs embryonic stem cells to mature into endothelial cells -- the specialized cells that form blood vessels. Understanding the processes initiated by this mechanism could help scientists more efficiently convert stem cells into endothelial cells for use in tissue repair, or for engineering blood vessels to bypass blockages in the heart.

25 Jun 2015

Noisy road traffic may reduce life expectancy, increase stroke risk

Living in an area with noisy road traffic may reduce life expectancy, according to new research published in the European Heart Journal.

25 Jun 2015

NIH awards $1.8 million grant for brain imaging technique

A researcher at the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin has received a four-year, $1.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop a new technique for imaging blood flow across the surface of the brain that could help patients undergoing neurosurgery.

24 Jun 2015

Study reveals benefit of early screening for vascular disorder patent ductus arteriosus among preterm infants

Among extremely preterm infants, early screening for the vascular disorder patent ductus arteriosus before day 3 of life was associated with a lower risk of in-hospital death and pulmonary hemorrhage, but not with differences in other severe complications, according to a study in the June 23/30 issue of JAMA.

24 Jun 2015

ALK1 protein determines the extent of breast tumour's spread in the body

For breast cancer to be fatal, the tumour has to send out metastases to other parts of the body. The cancer cells are spread via the blood vessels, and a research team at Lund University in Sweden has now proven that the protein ALK1 determines the extent of the tumour's spread in the body.

17 Jun 2015

New study reports more practical approach to heal the heart after a heart attack

Stem cell have been the main focus of healing therapy research because they can morph into new cells, and using a patient's own stem cells will not induce an autoimmune response. For healing after a heart attack, the ideal time to administer these therapies is when reopening the clogged blood vessel because the heart is easily accessible. While stem cells show promise for heart attack treatment, the process of harvesting and reintroducing the cells—which can take days or weeks—is too slow for this window.

17 Jun 2015

Brain changes reflect higher risk of cerebrovascular disease in women who experience more hot flashes

Women who experience more hot flashes, particularly while sleeping, during the menopause transition are more likely to have brain changes reflecting a higher risk for cerebrovascular disease, such as stroke and other brain blood flow problems, according to a pilot study led by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine published online today in Menopause and funded by the National Institutes of Health.

11 Jun 2015

Men benefit from ultrasound screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms

Men benefit from one-time screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms via ultrasound. Studies provide proof that their risk of dying is reduced, the abdominal aorta ruptures less often, and emergency surgery can be avoided more often. Far fewer data are available for women and they show no relevant differences between the groups investigated.

11 Jun 2015

Diagnosing brain lesions in children can be challenging, report Loyola physicians

Brain lesions in children can be especially challenging to diagnose, according to a report in the journal Frontiers in Neurology by a multidisciplinary team of Loyola University Medical Center physicians.'

10 Jun 2015

Study examines how improvised explosive devices can lead to traumatic brain injury

By accounting for a rush of blood to the head, University of Nebraska-Lincoln engineers have found that blast waves from concussive explosions may put far greater strain on the brain than previously thought.

9 Jun 2015

New study suggests that IDH1 gene may be prognostic marker for anaplastic astrocytoma

New findings suggest that a gene called IDH1 might be prognostic marker for a rare form of brain cancer. Patients in this study who had a mutated IDH gene lived an average of 7.9 years after diagnosis versus 2.8 years for patients with unaltered IDH.

4 Jun 2015

MGH researchers develop bioartificial replacement limbs suitable for transplantation

A team of Massachusetts General Hospital investigators has made the first steps towards development of bioartificial replacement limbs suitable for transplantation. In their report, which has been published online in the journal Biomaterials, the researchers describe using an experimental approach previously used to build bioartificial organs to engineer rat forelimbs with functioning vascular and muscle tissue.

3 Jun 2015

Vascular surgeries provide relief from two debilitating conditions

When Carol Werkman first saw Loyola University Medical Center vascular surgeon Bernadette Aulivola, MD, she was suffering from two debilitating conditions: Every time she ate, Mrs. Werkman felt terrible abdominal pain. And whenever she walked more than a few hundred feet, her legs would begin to hurt.

1 Jun 2015

Researchers identify 763 proteins in human aqueous humor that nourish the cornea and the lens

Researchers conducting a comprehensive proteomics analysis of human aqueous humor samples identified 763 proteins - including 386 proteins detected for the first time - in this clear fluid that helps maintain pressure in the eye and nourishes the cornea and the lens.

30 May 2015

Researchers discover new source for cells that can develop into coronary vessels

The heart has its own dedicated blood supply, with coronary arteries that supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart and cardiac veins that remove deoxygenated blood. This system of vessels nourishes the heart, enabling it to pump blood to all the other organs and tissues of the body. Yet despite their critical importance, the process and molecules required for coronary vessel development have not been fully determined.

30 May 2015

Study could offer new way to treat, prevent diabetes-associated blindness

Reporting on their study with lab-grown human cells, researchers at The Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland say that blocking a second blood vessel growth protein, along with one that is already well-known, could offer a new way to treat and prevent a blinding eye disease caused by diabetes.

26 May 2015

Growth of neuronal and vascular networks is controlled by same signaling molecules

Neurons and blood vessels often traverse the body side by side, a fact observed as early as the 16th century by the Flemish anatomist Andreas Vesalius. Only over the last ten years, however, researchers have discovered that the growth of neuronal and vascular networks is controlled by the same molecules.

14 May 2015

New landmark study to examine role of cocoa flavanols in maintaining cardiovascular health

Recognizing that heart health is one of the world's most significant public health challenges, Mars, Incorporated, in collaboration with Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School, is launching a five-year landmark study to examine the role of cocoa flavanols, plant-derived bioactives from the cacao bean, in helping people maintain cardiovascular health.

12 May 2015

Experimental gene therapy holds promise against metastatic prostate cancer

Even with the best available treatments, the median survival of patients with metastatic, hormone-refractory prostate cancer is only two to three years. Driven by the need for more effective therapies for these patients, researchers at VCU Massey Cancer Center and the VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine have developed a unique approach that uses microscopic gas bubbles to deliver directly to the cancer a viral gene therapy in combination with an experimental drug that targets a specific gene driving the cancer's growth.