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Scientists discover how external signals regulate vascular remodelling at cell level

Blood vessels are extremely dynamic: depending on the external conditions, they can adapt their permeability for nutrients, their contractility, and even their shape. Unlike cardiac muscle cells, for example, the smooth muscle cells in blood vessels demonstrate a high degree of plasticity, so they can specialise or multiply as required, even repairing damage to the vessel wall.

13 Nov 2012

Older North American farmers face increased risk of serious injury

Older North American farmers work fewer hours than their younger peers but spend more time operating heavy machinery and equipment-raising their risk of serious injury, according to new research from the University of Alberta.

13 Nov 2012

Novel electrotherapy reduces energy needed to re-establish normal rhythm in the heart

Implantable defibrillators currently on the market apply between 600 and 900 volts to the heart, almost 10 times the voltage from an electric outlet, says Ajit H. Janardhan, MD, PhD, a cardiac electrophysiology fellow at the Washington University's School of Medicine.

13 Nov 2012

Women with migraines do not appear to experience cognitive decline

Women with migraines did not appear to experience a decline in cognitive ability over time compared to those who didn't have them, according to a nine-year follow up study funded by the National Institutes of Health.

13 Nov 2012

White kidney cancer patients have a survival advantage over blacks

Among patients with the most common form of kidney cancer, whites consistently have a survival advantage over blacks, regardless of patient and tumor characteristics or surgical treatment.

12 Nov 2012

Radiotherapy protocol deviations: an interview with Dr Nitin Ohri

Radiotherapy is a key component of cancer therapy. A majority of cancer patients get radiotherapy in some form at some point in their disease course. It can be used in a curative setting or in a palliative setting.

12 Nov 2012

Exercise may help improve posture and reduce breast cancer risk in women

The end of the year is fast approaching and you know what that means: As soon as the calendar turns to 2013, you will be vowing to get physically active. But experts at the University of Alabama at Birmingham say with all the benefits you can glean, why wait until you make those New Year's resolutions to get active, especially if you are a woman?

9 Nov 2012

Dream images could provide insights into people's mental health problems

Dream images could provide insights into people's mental health problems and may help with their treatment, according to a psychology researcher from the University of Adelaide.

9 Nov 2012

Patients more likely to develop ischemic stroke after total hip replacement surgeries

An international study involving the University of Southampton has shown people who undergo a total hip replacement are at a higher risk of a stroke in the first two weeks after surgery.

9 Nov 2012

Leading allergy organizations release report that sheds light on angioedema

With today's modern medicine, misdiagnoses may be unexpected and surprising. But when symptoms of an unknown and uncommon illness mimic a number of other conditions, it can be difficult for medical professionals to properly diagnose and treat patients. That's why four leading allergy/immunology organizations have announced the release of a report to help set a new standard for a commonly misdiagnosed, under-recognized and under treated condition known as angioedema, the rapid swelling of deep layers of skin and tissue.

9 Nov 2012

Mindful eating reduces weight and blood sugar levels in adults with Type 2 diabetes

Eating mindfully, or consuming food in response to physical cues of hunger and fullness, is just as effective as adhering to nutrition-based guidelines in reducing weight and blood sugar levels in adults with Type 2 diabetes, a new study suggests.

9 Nov 2012

New CAM2 method could improve sound perception for users of hearing aids

A new software product developed by researchers at the University of Cambridge could greatly improve sound perception for users of hearing aids.

9 Nov 2012

ACT announces results from three ongoing stem cell clinical trials for macular degeneration

Advanced Cell Technology, Inc., a leader in the field of regenerative medicine, announced today that its upcoming conference call on its third quarter financial results will also provide some representative examples of data being collected from patients in its clinical trials for forms of macular degeneration.

9 Nov 2012

Longer looks: People with mental disabilities have a vote; Genome sequencing raises hope - also anxiety

I may get Alzheimer's disease, I was told after getting my DNA analyzed. I could suffer the consequences of an abnormal blood clot in my heart or my brain. Or perhaps I'll suffer from a disease called primary myelofibrosis that's caused by an overactive bone marrow. All of these were possible outcomes, based on my genetic profile. In each case, the test only gives an increased risk for disease, not a definitive diagnosis.

9 Nov 2012

Internet may foresee height of allergy suffering

While it's believed that Nostradamus' prophecies predicted many historical events, his digital successor, the Internet, may be foreseeing the height of allergy suffering. According to allergist Leonard Bielory, M.D., American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) board member, Google search volume is shedding light on the most common allergy symptoms, when searches peak and how they pertain to pollen types.

9 Nov 2012

Teleconcussion for diagnosis and management of mild TBI in athletes

Concussion is a common disorder estimated to affect no fewer than 1.7-3.8 million people in the U.S. each year. Many more people with concussion likely do not seek medical care for symptoms of concussion and may suffer long-lasting, progressive, and profoundcognitive, psychiatric, and neurologic effects.

9 Nov 2012

New communication training could help nephrology fellows to discuss serious news with patients

Kidney specialists, or nephrologists, care for a medically complex population and frequently must discuss serious news with patients: giving a diagnosis of kidney disease, explaining the risks and benefits of treatments, and defining care goals at the end of life. Yet nephrologists do not routinely receive formal education on how to engage in these types of conversations.

9 Nov 2012

Twelve Step-based residential treatment benefits young adults with addiction

Young adults undergoing addiction treatment benefit from regular participation in Twelve Step-based self-help groups after discharge, according to a naturalistic study published electronically and in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

9 Nov 2012

Lone star tick causes alpha-gal meat sensitivity in regional population

Meat lovers living in the central and southern regions of the country might be opting for a vegetarian lifestyle if meat comes with an unwanted side of a life-threatening allergic reaction. According to a study presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI), the lone star tick inhabiting these regions is the primary reason for what's known as a meat induced alpha-gal allergic reaction.

9 Nov 2012

Patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis tend to have high suPAR levels

Patients with a disease that is a leading cause of kidney failure tend to have high levels of a particular factor circulating in their blood, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN).

9 Nov 2012