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Cell-coated stent as effective as drug-coated ones but needs less meds

A stent that entices artery-lining cells to coat it works as well or better than drug-eluting stents in keeping arteries open in coronary heart disease patients, according to two research studies presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2008.

The new endothelial progenitor cell-capturing (EPC) stent is coated with an antibody that binds endothelial progenitor cells circulating in the blood. A number of smaller, randomized studies have shown that the stent is effective in carefully selected patients.

Is sildenafil safe in cirrhosis patients?

Sildenafil is valuable in the treatment of erectile dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension in patients with end-stage liver disease through inhibition of the type-5 phosphodiesterase. The type-5 phosphodiesterase is also present in human mesenteric arteries. The effect of sildenafil on splanchnic blood flow and portal hypertension remains essentially unknown.

The research team led by Otto Clemmesen from Denmark addresses this question and this will be be published on October 28; 2008 in the World Journal of Gastroenterology.

Does HBV infection induce acute cellular DNA damage?

Eukaryotic cells employ multiple strategies of checkpoint signaling and DNA repair mechanisms to monitor and repair damaged DNA. There are two branches of the checkpoint response pathway, ataxia telangiectasia-mutated (ATM) pathway and ATM-Rad3-related (ATR) pathway. Virus replication presents the host cells with large amounts of exogenous genetic material, including DNA ends and unusual structures. Therefore, infected cells recognize viral replication as a DNA damage stress and elicit DNA damage signal transduction, which ultimatelyinduces apoptosis as part of host immune surveillance.

Possible association between CP and LC of alcoholic etiology

Chronic alcoholism is a well-known etiologic factor associated with chronic and irreversible pancreatic and liver disorders. There is a correlation between increased ethanol consumption through many years and the risk of developing chronic pancreatitis (CP). An excessive consumption of alcohol is also associated with liver cirrhosis (LC), again with a correlation between increased ethanol consumption and the risk of LC. In clinical practice, the coincidence of both diseases, LC and CP, is rare. Furthermore, these two diseases do not share risk factors apart from alcohol consumption.

Previous abortions and exercise: Do they affect pregnancy?

Women who have had two or more induced abortions have a reduced risk of pre-eclampsia by 60 %. It is not currently understood to what degree physical activity during pregnancy protects against pre-eclampsia, compared to previous studies. This is shown in two new studies from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) that use data from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa).

White vans go green

As if the drivers of mini vans and utility vehicles needed any more encouragement to drive fast between jobs, US researchers have designed a new rear spoiler for bluff-backed vehicles that can reduce drag and lift significantly. Writing in the International Journal of Vehicle Design, the team describes how the new spoiler could improve fuel consumption as well as vehicle handling.

Battling bacteria in the blood: Researchers tackle deadly infections

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — It's a leading cause of death, but no one knows for sure how and why it happens. It's a major source of health care costs, adding days or weeks to the hospital stays and lost work time of millions of people. But no one fully understands how best to fight it.

"It" is bacterial infection in the blood, also called bacteremia, and it's a major part of the very serious illness called sepsis.

'Arid aquaculture' among livelihoods promoted to relieve worsening pressure on world's drylands

"Arid aquaculture" using ponds filled with salty, undrinkable water for fish production is one of several options experts have proven to be an effective potential alternative livelihood for people living in desertified parts of the world's expanding drylands.

Without enzyme, biological reaction essential to life takes 2.3 billion years

CHAPEL HILL – All biological reactions within human cells depend on enzymes. Their power as catalysts enables biological reactions to occur usually in milliseconds. But how slowly would these reactions proceed spontaneously, in the absence of enzymes – minutes, hours, days? And why even pose the question?

Doctors should disclose off-label prescribing to their patients

Doctors should be required to disclose when they are prescribing drugs off-label, argues a new article in this week's PLoS Medicine. Michael Wilkes and Margaret Johns from the University of California Davis argue that the ethics related to informed consent and shared decision-making provide an imperative for doctors to inform patients about the risks of a medical treatment when their use has not been approved by regulators.

Limb loss in lizards -- evidence for rapid evolution

Small skink lizards, Lerista, demonstrate extensive changes in body shape over geologically brief periods. Research published in the open access journal BMC Evolutionary Biology shows that several species of these skinks have rapidly evolved an elongate, limbless body form.

Marine invasive species advance 50km per decade, World Conference on Marine Biodiversity told

A rapid, climate change-induced northern migration of invasive marine is one of many research results announced Tues. Nov. 11 during opening day presentations at the First World Conference on Marine Biodiversity, Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, in Valencia.

Blood pressure control inequality linked to deaths among blacks

Racial disparity in the control of hypertension contributes to the deaths of almost 8,000 black men and women in the United States annually, according to a first-of-its-kind study published today in the Annals of Family Medicine by University of Rochester Medical Center researchers.

The researchers concluded that the deaths could be avoided or postponed if blacks had their hypertension, or high blood pressure, controlled to the same level as whites.

Black and south Asian people benefiting less from interventions to reduce blood pressure, says study

People from black and south Asian communities in the UK are not benefiting as much as white people from doctors' interventions to reduce their blood pressure, according to a new study published today in the journal Annals of Family Medicine.

The study looked at the treatment of over 8,800 people with high blood pressure, visiting 16 family doctor practices across Wandsworth in southwest London in 2005. It was carried out by researchers from Imperial College London and Wandsworth Primary Care Trust.

First trial of gene therapy for advanced heart failure shows promising results

NEW YORK (Nov. 10, 2008) -- Phase I results of the first clinical trial of gene therapy for patients with advanced heart failure show the approach to be promising, with improvements in several measures of the condition's severity.

In Phase I clinical trials, researchers test a new treatment in a small group of people for the first time to evaluate its safety, determine a safe dosage range, and identify side effects.