A WOMAN whose face and body swell up and balloon because of a rare illness hopes new stem cell treatment available in the US could rid her of the condition. Christie Newport, 33, is virtually housebound after bullies taunted her with the nickname "rubber dingy lips", leaving her contemplating suicide. She now hopes to raise 12,000 to pay for new specialist treatment in Califirnia. Christie's lips, stomach, arms and legs have gradually bloated due to Melkersson Rosenthal syndrome. But a range of procedures and medicines in the UK, including plastic surgery on her lips, all failed. The US treatment costs a minimum of 12,000, but its arrival has left Christie determined to beat the condition. She said: "I have one of the worst cases there is and I just don't feel like I have a life any more. "It's like it has been stolen by my illness. I'm prepared to do anything to get the treatment because I can't live like this. If I could avoid living like this I would do it tomorrow." Christie, from Ashton-on-Ribble, Lancs, was diagnosed with the condition at the age of 18, despite dealing with symptoms since childhood. Her health has worsened to the … Continue reading →

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) - Plans seeking more money for education and wholesale changes to the tax code are certain to spark debate in Nevada this session, but they werent the only dramatic shifts Gov. Brian Sandoval called for in his State of the State address. The Republican governor also announced a proposal to pump tens of millions into a program that lawmakers recently considered cutting altogether: child autism support. Advocates acknowledge that funding increases wont fix every problem, but they say Sandovals plan could help hundreds of Nevada children with autism spectrum disorders. No opposition has emerged. But the plan calls for adding $73 million from state and federal sources to a program that previously had a $10 million allocation, an increase that comes as part of a $7.3 billion two-year budget proposal that has drawn criticism from fiscal conservatives. Several state senators and assembly members have said they would vote against Sandovals budget plan because it includes tax increases. All of the allocated money would go to the Autism Treatment Assistance Program, which gives parents a monthly stipend to help pay for treatment and therapy. The program accepts patients up to the age of 19, and uses a … Continue reading →

University of Canterbury lab study tests show peoples memory can improve after a stroke. Professor Tanja Mitrovic says the computer science and software engineering lab study tests clearly pointed to significant improvements in stroke patients prospective memory functioning. Her research team plans to conduct a larger clinical study and also explore the effect of similar treatment on brain-injury patients. With support from a Marsden funded grant, Professor Mitrovics project is breaking new ground in helping patient rehabilitate faster after a stroke. "We have developed a treatment method which improves prospective memory in stroke patients. These tests using a virtual reality environment for stroke patients to practise their cognitive skills clearly work. "Prospective memory, or remembering to perform actions in the future, is of crucial importance for everyday life. This kind of memory is often impaired in stroke survivors and can interfere with independent living, as it can result in forgetting to take medication, or remember something they had to do. "It is a complex cognitive ability, which requires coordination of multiple cognitive abilities: spatial navigation, retrospective memory, attention and executive functioning. "We have developed a computer-based treatment based on visual imagery which teaches participants how to remember time and event-based … Continue reading →

Canterbury research tests shows stroke patients memories do improve January 25, 2015 University of Canterbury lab study tests show peoples memory can improve after a stroke. Professor Tanja Mitrovic says the computer science and software engineering lab study tests clearly pointed to significant improvements in stroke patients prospective memory functioning. Her research team plans to conduct a larger clinical study and also explore the effect of similar treatment on brain-injury patients. With support from a Marsden funded grant, Professor Mitrovics project is breaking new ground in helping patient rehabilitate faster after a stroke. We have developed a treatment method which improves prospective memory in stroke patients. These tests using a virtual reality environment for stroke patients to practise their cognitive skills clearly work. Prospective memory, or remembering to perform actions in the future, is of crucial importance for everyday life. This kind of memory is often impaired in stroke survivors and can interfere with independent living, as it can result in forgetting to take medication, or remember something they had to do. It is a complex cognitive ability, which requires coordination of multiple cognitive abilities: spatial navigation, retrospective memory, attention and executive functioning. We have developed a computer-based treatment based … Continue reading →