By Estel Grace Masangkay With help from the zebrafish, a team of Australian researchers has uncovered how hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) renew themselves, considered by many to be the holy grail of stem cell research. HSCs are a significant type of stem cell present in the blood and bone marrow. These are needed for the replenishment of the bodys supply of blood and immune cells. HSCs already play a part in transplants in patients with blood cancers such as leukemia and myeloma. The stem cells are also studied for their potential to transform into vital cells including muscle, bone, and blood vessels. Understanding how HSCs form and renew themselves has potential application in the treatment of spinal cord injuries, degenerative disorders, even diabetes. Professor Peter Currie, of the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute at Victorias Monash University, led a research team to discover a crucial part of HSCs development. Using a high-resolution microscopy, Prof. Curies team caught HSCs on film as they formed inside zebrafish embryos. The discovery was made while the researchers were studying muscle mutations in the aquatic animal. Zebrafish make HSCs in exactly the same way as humans do, but whats special about these guys is that their … Continue reading →

Contact Information Available for logged-in reporters only Newswise A new study by Barbara Beltz, the Allene Lummis Russell Professor of Neuroscience at Wellesley College, and Irene Sderhll of Uppsala University, Sweden, published in the August 11 issue of the journal Developmental Cell, demonstrates that the immune system can produce cells with stem cell properties, using crayfish as a model system. These cells can, in turn, create neurons in the adult animal. The flexibility of immune cells in producing neurons in adult animals raises the possibility of the presence of similar types of plasticity in other animals. We have been suspicious for some time that the neuronal precursor cells (stem cells) in crayfish were coming from the immune system, Beltz wrote. The paper contains multiple lines of evidence that support this conclusion, in addition to the experiments showing that blood cells transferred from a donor to a recipient animal generate neurons. Beltz, whose research focuses on the production of new neurons in the adult nervous system, uses the crustacean brain as the model system because the generations of precursor cells are spatially segregated from one another. According to Beltz, this separation is crucial because it allowed the researchers to determine that … Continue reading →

Londob, GB (PRWEB) August 18, 2014 Many attempts to dissolve kidney stones with natural remedies, diets and pills have failed; therefore, traumatic extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) and kidney surgeries are widely used. A recent article in the Medical Express suggests one more medication to dissolve renal calculi. Contrary to all treatment options, the use of Dr. Allens Device helps get rid of kidney stones naturally by improving blood circulation locally inside the kidney, Fine Treatment reveals. According to the article, Potential drug therapy for kidney stones identified in mouse study, dated August 14, 2014, in the Medical Express, A new mouse study, however, suggests that a class of drugs approved to treat leukemia and epilepsy also may be effective against kidney stones, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis report. Many drugs are in the list of medications for kidneys stones such as Allopurinol, Potassium Citrate, Tamsulosin, Tiopronin and others. However, medications do not help to get rid of kidney stones, therefore risky kidney surgeries, like ESWL and Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PCNL), are used now all over the world. These procedures cause many health problems in the future. For instance, A study found that one in seven … Continue reading →

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 18-Aug-2014 Contact: Cathy Lewis cathy.lewis@heart.org 214-706-1324 American Heart Association U.S. hospitalizations and deaths from heart disease and stroke dropped significantly in the last decade, according to new research in the American Heart Association journal Circulation. "Interestingly, these improvements happened in a period when there were no real 'miracle' clinical advancements," said Harlan Krumholz, M.D., S.M., lead author of the "most comprehensive report card to-date" on America's progress in heart disease and stroke prevention and treatment. "Rather, we saw consistent improvements in the use of evidence-based treatments and medications and an increase in quality improvement initiatives using registries and other data to track performance and support improvement efforts as well as a strong emphasis on heart-healthy lifestyles and behaviors." Researchers collected data on nearly 34 million Medicare Fee-For-Service recipients in 1999-2011. They analyzed trends in rates of hospitalization, dying within a month of being admitted, being admitted again within a month and dying during the following year. They considered patient factors including age, sex, race, other illnesses and geography. By the end of 2011, hospitalization rates among all races and areas dropped: Furthermore, risks of dying for people who went to the hospital within a year decreased about … Continue reading →

This article originally appeared on AlterNet. My body was completely breaking down, but I had no idea what was going on, Beatriz Rodriguez said, describing the nine years that passed before she was diagnosed with celiac disease. The actor had suffered from digestive problems since childhood and had her gallbladder removed at age 12 but did not experience any relief after the surgery. It was so normal for me to feel bad that I didnt think twice about it, Rodriguez said, listing stomach problems, low energy, insomnia, extreme fatigue, acne, depression, weight gain and brain fog as some of the symptoms she experienced. She knew her symptoms were related to food, but neither she nor her doctors could diagnose them. Over the years, she tried alternative medicine, acupuncture, holistic doctors, kundalini yoga and Chinese medicine in attempts to find a cure. After many doctors visits and endless tests, I finally took matters into my own hands, Rodriguez said, explaining that she began the Candida diet in an attempt to treat what she thought was Candidiasis overgrowth; the diet eliminated gluten, dairy, alcohol, sugar, fruit, vinegar and a long list of vegetables. The diet helped Rodriguez considerably. I finally felt free … Continue reading →