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Atomic-level structure of cardiac sodium channel

Atomic-level studies of the architecture of tiny sodium channel proteins, critical to generating electrical signals that start off each beat of the heart, are imparting striking details about their function, malfunctions, disruption by many disease mutations, and response to medication.

20 Dec 2019

Preterm birth could be spotted early by ultrasound

A new presentation at the 178th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America in San Diego will report on ultrasound as used in pregnancy, especially with respect to the comparison of two sets of data derived from two separate ultrasound techniques to evaluate cervical changes. The researchers claim that both ultrasound techniques help to estimate the attenuation coefficient of human cervical tissue, and to thus assess changes in it, providing a better picture of the true risk for preterm birth thereby.

4 Dec 2019

New treatment could make passing kidney stones faster and less painful

Every year, more than half a million Americans visit the emergency room for kidney stone problems. In most cases, the stones eventually pass out of the body on their own, but the process can be excruciatingly painful.

2 Dec 2019

New glassy carbon electrode makes deep brain stimulation safer for patients

Imagine having an electrode embedded in your brain in a surgical procedure that involves drilling holes in your skull to implant it. Now imagine going through an MRI scan for medical evaluation, when the metal electrode may react to the magnetic fields and vibrate, generate heat or even possibly damage the brain.

19 Nov 2019

New type of bionic pacemaker

A new study published in the Journal of Physiology on November 14, 2019, reports the development of a radically different type of cardiac pacemaker which could change the prognosis of patients with heart failure.

14 Nov 2019

Pacemaker-like device improves heart function in patients with chemotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy

With the advent of new therapies, cancer patients are surviving longer than ever before -- but the incidence of side-effect chemotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy (CHIC), or weakness of the heart muscle, is increasing.

13 Nov 2019

Study examines link between transplant center and survival benefit in the U.S. heart allocation system

Analysis of more than 29,000 adults listed on the national heart transplant registry from 2006 to 2015 shows how rules that give hospitals discretion in determining who gets a transplant result in large discrepancies in how sick patients are when they receive heart transplants at hospitals across the United States.

12 Nov 2019

Hiccups in a newborn could mean their brains are developing say researchers

Newborn babies seem to hiccup a lot and there are myths and legends surrounding such behaviour. Now researchers have found that with each such hiccup in a new born, there is a trigger of brain signals that help the baby’s brain figure out breathing. The UCL scientists published the findings of their study in the latest issue of the journal Clinical Neurophysiology.

12 Nov 2019

New prenatal care approach offers the benefit of shared experience among women

A month before her baby was due, Mirian Zempualteca decided to start maternity leave early. Her belly was getting in the way of her job at a Brooklyn department store.

2 Nov 2019

Low-dose exposure to antibiotics can have major impacts on gut bacteria

An antibiotic commonly found at low concentrations in the environment can have major impacts on gut bacteria, report researchers at the University of Oregon.

10 Oct 2019

Need to feel balanced drives development of limb-body coordination, study finds

The need to feel balanced drives the development of coordination between body and limbs as zebrafish larvae learn to swim, a new study by NYU School of Medicine finds.

9 Oct 2019

Using electrically conductive biomaterials for heart repair

When a heart attack occurs, muscle in the heart tissue can be scarred, interfering with electrical activity necessary for healthy heart function. Drug treatments are available that alleviate further damage, but these don't lead to tissue regeneration.

8 Oct 2019

Study shows how brake cell failure causes some types of seizure disorders

A study has revealed that brake cell failure causes some types of seizure disorders.

2 Oct 2019

Studying underlying electrical causes of arrhythmias

Despite advances in medical imaging, the mechanisms leading to the irregular contractions of the heart during heart rhythm disorders remain poorly understood.

17 Sep 2019

Mobile health devices for screening and detection of common heart condition

A new study, presented as 'Late Breaking Science' at the European Society of Cardiology annual congress and published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, highlights the feasible use of mobile health (mHealth) devices to help with the screening and detection of a common heart condition.

6 Sep 2019

Wearable motion sensors could potentially reduce stillbirths

The thump, thump of a baby's heartbeat is a milestone in any pregnancy. Now, researchers at Stevens Institute of Technology have developed a technique that could allow expectant parents to hear their baby's heartbeat continuously at home with a non-invasive and safe device that is potentially more accurate than any fetal heartrate monitor currently available in the market.

7 Aug 2019

Scientists take major step in 3D bioprinting functional organs

Scientists have taken a major step closer to being able to 3D bioprint functional organs, after researchers devised a method of rebuilding components of the human heart, according to a study published in the August 2nd edition of Science.

2 Aug 2019

Autonomic nervous system of babies functions well regardless of mode of delivery, study finds

Late in pregnancy, the human body carefully prepares fetuses for the rigors of life outside the protection of the womb. Levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, ramp up and spike during labor.

31 Jul 2019

Maternal behavior in mice linked to oxytocin-sensitive cells in the female brain

A startling new study shows that cells that are exquisitely sensitive to oxytocin are found in a tiny region in the brains of female but not male mice. This could be of great importance in explaining maternal behavior in females and eventually in treating social disorders like postpartum depression and autism spectrum disorder.

25 Jul 2019

Common medications can masquerade as dementia in seniors

By all accounts the woman, in her late 60s, appeared to have severe dementia. She was largely incoherent. Her short-term memory was terrible. She couldn't focus on questions that medical professionals asked her.

18 Jul 2019