Studies highlight global risks of vascular disease, probe creative new treatments
...ion (HOPE)-2 Trial High blood levels of the amino acid homocysteine have been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Treatment with folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 can reduce homocysteine levels by 25 percent to 30 percent, but the clinical benefits of vitamin supplements have be...Cosmetic plastic surgery patients chose needle over knife
...ctively since 2004, but on the rise are hyaluronic acid (Restylane, Hylaform), polylactic acid (SculptraTM), and calcium hydroxylapatite (RadiesseTM) fillers. This can be attributed to the fact t...Injection of synthetic polymer may improve facial wasting syndrome associated with HIV
...he efficacy, safety and tolerability of polylactic acid injections on 50 HIVinfected patients (42 men, 8 w...e correction of facial lipoatrophy with polylactic acid applications is safe and effective in increasing dermal thickness after a complete cycle of four to ...Hopkins study shows low-dose aspirin suppresses clumping of blood platelets in both sexes
...in both sexes of 81 milligrams of acetyl salicylic acid a day, Hopkins researchers found aspirin therapy prevents the clumping together of these clot-forming cells, called platelets. Clots in blood vessels of the heart and brain can cause heart attacks and strokes. However, while the drug's overall effec...New family of biodegradable polymers shows promise for intracellular drug delivery
...s, but have done so using materials that generated acid degradation products and that hydrolyzed too slowl...." However, polyketal nanoparticles use the cell's acid to hydrolyze into hydrophilic compounds that can release encapsulated therapeutics at an accelerated...Research shows certain metabolites responsible for initiating breast and prostate cancer
... natural estrogens can react with deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) to cause specific damage that initiates the series of events leading to breast, prostate and other human cancers. This understanding of a common mechanism of cancer initiation could result in cancer prevention and in better assessment of cancer...Kids behave and sleep better after tonsillectomy, study finds
...ep disorder in children, while obesity, allergies, acid reflux and structural abnormalities in the head and neck also contribute to it in children and adults. Interruptions in breathing during sleep can cause the brain to "wake up" to some extent, even if the sleeping person is not aware of it. These repe...Photodynamic therapy is an alternative to removal of esophagus
...re experiencing persistent or severe heartburn. If acid reflux is controlled, you may not develop Barrett's esophagus." Preventing Barrett's esophagus could be a matter of life or death: Those with Barrett's esophagus may be 30 times more likely than the average person to develop esophageal cancer. Surviv...Hopkins study suggests commercially available antibiotic may help fight dementia in HIV patients
...f a brain chemical called EAAT-2 (excitatory amino acid transporter-2). EAAT-2 absorbs the neurotransmitter glutamate from the space between neurons (the synapse), thereby preventing excess neuronal excitation, which in turn can cause cell death and brain damage. Ceftriaxone, used to treat pneumonias, sex...Study shows more than half of esophageal cancer patients now survive
...s into the stomach, a ring of muscle keeps stomach acid used in digestion from flowing back up into the es...ring malfunctions consistently over time, allowing acid to irritate the cells lining the esophagus, which causes "heartburn" pain and GERD. Acid can also ca...Molecular imaging may lead to earlier diagnosis of childhood respiratory virus
...e with the help of proteins encoded by ribonucleic acid (RNA) inside the cell. Ultimately, the research could to lead to early and rapid detection of viral infection and the design of new antiviral drugs. Scientists and engineers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Georgia are stu...Hypnotherapy helps relieve chest pain
...gh several factors have been implicated, including acid reflux and psychological problems. The condition i...s. And hypnotherapy can also cut levels of gastric acid produced by the stomach. The authors acknowledge that hypnotherapy is labour intensive and therefore...Preconception health care can improve the lives of mothers and babies
...ancy, and informed of the benefits of taking folic acid to reduce the risk of serious birth defects. Chronic diseases such as diabetes, asthma and high blood pressure can be diagnosed and managed, allowing the mother to maintain good health while protecting the health of her future children. Medications ...Creative public-health approaches needed to improve folic acid intake in women
...h approaches need to be developed to improve folic acid intake in women and prevent neural tube defects, s...ealth campaigns recommending daily synthetic folic acid in the period immediately before and after conception to reduce neural tube defects, many women are ...Low folate levels may cut bowel cancer risk
...the risk of bowel cancer. Homocysteine is an amino acid implicated in the thickening and hardening of arteries, levels of which are kept in check by B vitamins, including folate. The authors conclude that while high levels of folate may indeed protect against the development of bowel cancer, so too may lo...Scientists discover possible link between oxidative stress and non-hereditary degenerative disease
...genetic deletion or mutations that result in amino acid substitutions, which can dramatically affect protein structure or function. The cause of the 90 percent of Parkinson's Disease cases not influenced by genetics has remained more of a mystery. Lian Li, PhD, is associate professor of pharmacology at ...T cell 'brakes' lost during human evolution
...djustment to the human-specific loss of the sialic acid Neu5Gc some three million years ago, and that the phenotype has been carried by all humans ever since. The study raises warning flags about the stimulatory and potentially destructive potential of the absence of Siglec molecules in human T cells, co...Excess folate linked to increased birth of twins after in-vitro fertilisation
...ce in the US, where flour fortification with folic acid in 1998 was associated with an 11-13% increase in the incidence of multiple births after fertility treatment. The current study also identified a link between one of the genes involved in folate metabolism and the success of IVF treatment. The autho...US infant mortality rate fails to improve
...rges women to take a multivitamin containing folic acid prior to and during early pregnancy to reduce the risk of serious birth defects; abstain from drinking alcohol during pregnancy and see their doctors to help manage chronic health conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity. "Infant Morta...UCLA researchers discover how drug binds to neurons to stop drunken symptoms of alcohol
...ptors are specific subtypes of Gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA-A) receptors that play a role in impairing motor coordination caused by alcohol in experimental animals. IMPACT: These studies are the first to show how the alcohol antidote drug Ro15-4513 binds to these GABA-A receptors. The research may le...