Using Antioxidants To Stabilize Fanconi AnemiaFanconi anemia (FA) is a rare genetic disorder which affects one person in 350,000. People affected by this disease have defects in DNA repair, and are hypersensitive to oxidative damage, resulting in bone marrow failure and an increased predisposition to cancer...
Aortic Aneurysm Treatment Monitored By Contrast-Enhanced UltrasoundContrast-enhanced ultrasound is an effective, noninvasive method for monitoring patients who undergo endovascular repair for abdominal aortic aneurysms, according to a new study published in the journal Radiology. "Our findings support the addition of contrast-enhanced ultrasound as a complementary tool in the follow-up of these patients," said Rosa Gilabert, M.D., Ph.D...
Blood Clot Prevention In A Dietary SupplementA compound called rutin, commonly found in fruits and vegetables and sold over the counter as a dietary supplement, has been shown to inhibit the formation of blood clots in an animal model of thrombosis...
JAM-A Protein Keeps Blood Clots In CheckCut your toe, and platelets -- those disc-shaped cells circulating in your blood -- rush to the scene, clumping together to plug the leak. But when an unwanted clot forms in an artery, and an overaccumulation of platelets blocks blood flow, a heart attack or stroke occurs, too often with fatal results...
Large-Scale Computer Simulation Of Human BloodHaving a virtual copy of a patient's blood in a computer would be a boon to researchers and doctors. They could examine a simulated heart attack caused by blood clotting in a diseased coronary artery and see if a drug like aspirin would be effective in reducing the size of such a clot...
Incentives Improve Response To Blood DrivesIt's called the gift of life. But more people will roll up their sleeves to donate blood if a gift card comes with it. That's according to a new study from the University of Toronto. It shows a 15 to 20 percent rise in blood drive donations when incentives such as T-shirts, jackets, coupons or gift cards are thrown into the mix...
Gene Involved In Fanconi AnemiaScientists of KIT and the University of Birmingham have identified relevant new functions of a gene that plays a crucial role in Fanconi anemia, a life-threatening disease. The FANCM gene is known to be important for the stability of the genome. Now, the researchers found that FANCM also plays a key role in the recombination of genetic information during inheritance...
Risk Of Stroke High When Anti-Clotting Drugs StoppedSome patients with irregular heartbeats who are taken off anti-clotting medication face a high risk of stroke or blood clotting within a month, according to new research presented at the American Heart Association's Emerging Science Series webinar...
Complications Of Sickle Cell Trait May Be Improved By ExerciseSickle cell disease (SCD), an inherited condition that causes red blood cells to sometimes deform into a crescent shape, affects an estimated 100,000 Americans, typically those of African descent. However, far more have sickle cell trait (SCT), caused when individuals carry just a single copy of the disease-causing mutation in their genes...
In Some Patients Blood Transfusions May Do More Harm Than GoodCiting the lack of clear guidelines for ordering blood transfusions during surgery, Johns Hopkins researchers say a new study confirms there is still wide variation in the use of transfusions and frequent use of transfused blood in patients who don't need it...
Biomarkers May Predict Chemo-Resistant Breast CancersResearchers at the University of Hull in the UK have identified a family of proteins that could potentially be used as biomarkers to predict resistance to chemotherapy in estrogen receptor-positive (ER-positive) breast cancer patients...
River Blindness Causing Black Flies May Aid In Treatment Of Heart AttacksBlack flies drink blood and spread disease such as river blindness - creating misery with their presence. A University of Georgia study, however, proves that the pesky insects can be useful. Don Champagne, an entomology professor with the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, discovered a way to use the black fly's blood-sucking tactics for medical advancement...