In medical school, Gerald Karpman was taught that when it comes to matters of the heart, what's done is done. "If you survived the heart attack, you survived at the level that you were going to be," he recalls. "Whatever damage was done was permanent." That thinking has prevailed until very recently, when studies involving a handful of patients showed an infusion of stem cells might help rebuild healthy hearts in heart attack survivors. On March 7, Karpman joined that perilous club. A dermatologist in Camarillo, California, and a former marathon runner, the 66-year-old had a rigorous routine: eight to 10 miles of walking each day and a meticulous, meatless diet. But that morning, sitting at his home computer, a pain kicked in. "Within about 30 seconds, I was in extreme discomfort," recalls Karpman, who says it was worse than the kidney stones he once suffered. "I couldn't sit still. I mean even driving the car (to the hospital), I couldn't put a seat belt on; I'm just moving around, just trying to think of something else." Karpman made it to Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, where doctors used stents to reopen an artery in his … Continue reading →

Clive Randell, 57, injured his leg in a motorcycle accident in 2011 Thanks to a new stem cell procedure, he can now ride his bike again Stem cells taken from the pelvis are blended with gel to 'glue' the bone By David Gerrie Published: 16:01 EST, 12 July 2014 | Updated: 02:33 EST, 13 July 2014 A pioneering stem cell procedure to repair fractured bones could provide a lifeline for accident victims facing the amputation of a limb. The development involves harvesting stem cells master cells that are able to transform into any kind of body tissue from the patients pelvis, blending them with a specially created gel and injecting the solution into the damaged bone. One patient already benefiting is lifelong motorcycle enthusiast Clive Randell who suffered horrific injuries to his left leg when his Harley-Davidson was rammed by a car in 2011. On yer bike: Clive Randell, 57, pictured with his 'saviour' Professor Anan Shetty at Kents Canterbury Christ Church University, can now ride his bike again after undergoing the new stem cell procedure He suffered multiple open fractures, leaving bone protruding through the skin, and extensive skin loss. Doctors repeatedly told him his leg would have to … Continue reading →

WEDNESDAY, July 9, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A genetic mutation that increases the risk for a certain form of autism and causes specific physical traits and symptoms has been identified by researchers. The finding may eventually enable doctors to do pre-birth testing for the CHD8 gene mutation in order to identify babies who are at risk for autism, according to the study authors. "This is a big leap forward in our insight into the causes of autism," study leader Dr. Raphael Bernier, clinical director of the Autism Center at Seattle Children's Hospital and associate professor at the University of Washington, said in a hospital news release. "It's possible we may be able to look at features in utero and determine a higher risk of autism, possibly even early detection," he added. The findings were published July 3 in the journal Cell. Early detection of autism -- a neurodevelopmental disorder -- is critical in treating the disorder. Previous research suggests that beginning treatment when children are just a few months old can lessen or even prevent autism symptoms from developing, the researchers said. Autism is characterized by impaired communication and social skills. "We know that if we can intervene by 3 … Continue reading →

Imagine for a moment that we had the magic bullet for depression or schizophrenia or anorexia or autism. A single pill, taken once a day, safe and effective, that would immediately and continually keep all of the symptoms at bay. With this magic bullet, an end to episodes threatening job and family, no more hospitalizations, and a chance for a long life not cut short by mental illness and its complications. Now imagine that such a magic bullet existed, but only one in four people received it. Seems impossible? Take a look at the figure describing the current state of the HIV epidemic in America. For AIDS, we know the cause, we have a good biomarker for diagnosis, and we have an effective treatment. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) suppresses HIV, the virus that causes AIDS; this treatment has converted HIV infection from a diagnosis that meant a life expectancy measured in months or years to a chronic condition with a near-normal lifespan for those who stay on treatment. Yet only one out of four people living with HIV in the US have achieved viral suppression. Even more alarming is the fact that 75% of people have not been successfully supported in … Continue reading →