Mitral valve prolapse less common, less harmful than previously thought
..., contradictingearlier studies suggesting that MVP occurs more commonly in women, theresearchers found that men and women are equally likely to have the condition. "This is very compelling information," said Dr. Claude Lenfant, Directorof the NHLBI, "It may mean people who have been diagnosed with m...Immunology experiment aboard historic shuttle mission
... play a role because thesticking, called adhesion, occurs along the bottom of simulated blood vesselsduring experiments. But in space, Bargatze thinks, microgravity may alter blood flow. Whiteblood cells may not stick to vessel walls like they do on earth, and withoutthat initial adhesion the cells ...NOVANTRONE application for multiple sclerosis granted priority review by FDA
...tates. The symptoms of MS result when a breakdown occurs in themyelin sheath, the fatty substance that insulates the nerve fibers of the brainand spinal cord. This demyelination process causes patches of scar tissue, or"sclerosis," which interfere with the nerve's ability to transport messages fromthe bra...New study will revolutionise treatment for Parkinson's disease
... cure for Parkinson'sdisease. Parkinson's disease occurs when nerve calls in the brain, which produce achemical messenger known as dopamine, die or are damaged. L-dopa is the current gold standard treatment for Parkinson's disease, but isknown to cause disabling side effects known as dyskinesias (twitchi...Heart failure deaths reduced by 30 percent
...ondeaths. For heart failure patients, sudden death occurs at six to nine times therate expected in the general population. Even patients with mild symptoms facean annual mortality rate of 10-20 percent. There are many known causes leading to heart failure, including coronary heartdisease, high blood pressur...Duke/Novalon researchers identify potential mechanism behind tamoxifen resistance in breast cancers
...ings provide the first realevidence as to how this occurs and how to circumvent it. "This research program with Duke scientists has exploited the strengthsof Duke's cutting edge basic science and Novalon's drug discovery program," saidDana M. Fowlkes, chairman and chief scientific officer of Novalon...Combination immune therapy kills melanoma in mice
.... A similar loss of skin pigment, called vitiligo, occurs inmany patients who recover successfully from advanced melanoma. "Thisdepigmentation is what has me really excited about this therapy because of thecorrelation between vitiligo and successful therapy in humans." One question dogging the researchers ...NYU researcher unveils the scientist in painter Chuck Close
...ccording to Pelli, the transition fromgrid to face occurs at relatively short distances from the canvas (typicallyless than six meters). At these distances, the individual blocks are still insharp focus for a person with normal vision. Something else is driving the effect. According to Pelli, the dramatic...A leading cause of blindness may be controlled by simple course of oral antibiotic
...ard causing damage to the cornea. Total blindness occurs inmiddle to late life. In endemic communities, 25 percent of individuals age 50to 60 may become blind. Blind adults may not be able to earn a living and canbe an economic burden to families and communities. "Six million people around the world are ......r. "We also know that excessive daytimesleepiness occurs in about 5 percent of the population, so a betterunderstanding of the mechanisms of sleep could help millions of people." Il-6 is a cytokine. Cytokines are proteins that act as regulators inimmune function, metabolism and sleep. Vgontza...A leading cause of preventable blindness may be controlled by simple course of oral antibiotic
...ontroltrachoma levels over the long-term. Trachoma occurs when the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis infects t...tuallyleading to blindness. Total blindness often occurs in mid-life and, in endemiccommunities, 25 percent of individuals in the 50-60 year old age group ma......imated worldwide rates of 5to 15 percent. Bullying occurs more frequently and with greater lethality todaythan in the 1970s and 1980s, as incidents like Littleton, Colorado illustrate. Findings from three studies that examine the prevalence of bullying behavior,children's perceptions of who bullies and who ...Federal, private funding to establish inflammatory disease center at UNC
...ometimes destructive --immune system response that occurs when the body perceives a real threat, suchas infectious microorganisms, or a threat that apparently does not exist, hesaid. Arthritis may be an example and result of the latter. Flood, also associate professor of microbiology and immunology...Scientists provide first detailed maps of wiring circuitry in the living human brain
...how the recently recognized process of "re-wiring" occurs in brain ailments suchas stroke. Scientists' understanding of the wiring of the human brain has comeprimarily from studies of animals, which lack many of the higher brain functionsof humans. A nine-member team of physicists, computer scienti...Penn study shows that head trauma produces Alzheimer's-like neurodegeneration
... without impact -- a type ofnon-impact injury that occurs quite often in car crashes. "We were able to showthat such injury is enough to cause microscopic damage throughout the brainthat, in turn, initates a cascade of biochemical events that leads to thesubsequent formation of Alzheimer's-like plaques," e...Statement from Dr. Claude Lenfant, director, NHLBI and Dr. Phillip Gorden, director, NIDDK
...bnormal glucose levels. Type 2 diabetes most often occurs in overweight or obese adults after the age of30 and typically is preceded by insulin resistance, which also is related tocoronary heart disease (CHD). Factors that contribute to insulin resistance andtype 2 diabetes are genetics, obesity, physical i...Heart failure deaths reduced by 30 percent with new drug regimen
...ndeaths. For heart failure patients, sudden death occurs at six to nine timesthe rate expected in the general population. Even patients with mild symptomsface an annual mortality rate of 10-20 percent. There are many known causes leading to heart failure, including coronary heartdisease, high blood pressu...UI study advances understanding of antimicrobials and cystic fibrosis-related infection
...e among Caucasians ofNorthern European descent and occurs in about one of every 2,000 births.Advances in treating the disease complications have increased the averagesurvival age well beyond childhood; however, there is no cure. In people with cystic fibrosis, whose lungs often become infected by inhaledmi...Cancer tumors shown to consume large amounts of vitamin C
...or transporting vitamin C into cells. This process occurs when vitamin C, which is used by cells in the form ofascorbic acid, is converted into the form of dehydroascorbic acid andtransported into the cell. Once inside, the vitamin is converted back toascorbic acid. This discovery prompted Dr. Golde's team ......that you clean them out." Drug resistance occurs when a few parasites in their human hosts manageto survive therapy. The parasites then prosper and dominate as causes ofdisease. Malaria researchers report that drug-resistant forms of the parasiteinfest 80 percent of countries with the disease. ...