PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 25-Oct-2013 Contact: Zaal Kokaia Zaal.Kokaia@med.lu.se 46-705-365-917 Lund University Brain infarction or stroke is caused by a blood clot blocking a blood vessel in the brain, which leads to interruption of blood flow and shortage of oxygen. Now a reserach group at Lund University, Sweden, has taken an important step towards a treatment for stroke using stem cells. The research group shows in a new study, published in the scientific journal Brain, that so-called induced pluripotent stem cells have developed to mature nerve cells at two months after transplantation into the stroke-injured cerebral cortex of rats. These nerve cells have established contact with other important structures in the brain. The transplantation gave rise to improvement of the animals' mobility. The results are from studies in animals but the scientists are hopeful. ---The results are promising and represent a very early but important step towards a stem cell-based treatment for stroke in patients. However, it is important to underscore that further experimental studies are necessary to translate these findings into the clinic in a responsible way, says Olle Lindvall, senior consultant and professor of neurology and one of the scientists responsible for the study. In Sweden, about 30 000 … Continue reading →

THURSDAY, Oct. 24 (HealthDay News) -- Blood and bone marrow stem cell transplants may put a damper on the sex lives of cancer patients, a new study suggests. This type of stem cell transplant is an increasingly effective form of treatment for patients with blood cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. Writing in the Oct. 24 issue of Blood, researchers say that while stem cell transplant was once tied to a high risk of death, survival rates have steadily risen and there's now more focus on the patients' quality of life, including their sexual well-being. "It is not often that the transplant team and patient will have a conversation about how this procedure could impact their sex life, even after recovery," study lead author F. Lennie Wong, of City of Hope in Duarte, Calif., said in a journal news release. "However, we hope these findings will help encourage patients and their doctors to openly discuss concerns related to sexual dysfunction and address them with specialists who can help." The new study included 152 men and 125 women averaging 48 years of age, who underwent stem cell transplants between 2001 and 2005, and were followed-up for three years. The percentage … Continue reading →

TACOMA, Wash. As a single mom and combat-wounded Navy corpsman, Holly Crabtree has too much on her mind to stress about the next time she might black out. Shed rather think about her daughters busy schedule packed with things such as dance classes and Girl Scouts. But Crabtrees been getting seizures every week or two since she was shot in the head while serving on a Special Operations mission in western Iraq three years ago. The bullet led to two strokes, partial paralysis and epilepsy. She doesnt feel the seizures coming and she cant prepare for them. They surprise me, said Crabtree, 33. Epilepsy is a common side effect veterans experience after suffering head trauma at war. Its debilitating for parents such as Crabtree who worry about passing out in front of their children, and damaging for other veterans who cant drive or hold down jobs because of their occasional seizures. The financial issue is big, said Judy Ozuna, a nurse practitioner who spends several days a week caring for epilepsy patients at the federal Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in Seattle. Families dont know how to make ends meet. The link between combat-related head trauma and recurring seizures is … Continue reading →

GARDEN CITY, GA (WTOC) - Autism is the fastest-growing developmental disability in America, but in Georgia, insurance companies are not required to cover costly therapies. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one in 88 children is autistic. Currently, 34 states require insurers to cover autism treatment. Georgia isn't one of them, but insurance mandates aren't new to the state. Georgia law requires insurers to provide certain preventative treatments, like mammograms. Anna Bullard is lobbying for Ava's Law, a bill before the state legislature named after her daughter. "We have mandates in place like you know, breast cancer screenings, and all those kinds of things that save lives and drive healthcare costs down because people get preventive care," she said. "This is the same issue." Psychologists, psychiatrists and parents credit early-intervention therapy with helping autistic children lead more productive lives. Ava Bullard started getting therapy when she was 2 years old. Now she's 8 and Anna Bullard says if you met her three girls, you wouldn't be able to tell which one is autistic. She says that without therapy, "Ava would not be talking the way she is. She would not be able to go to birthdays. She … Continue reading →

Thousands of people are expected to attend this Sundays Walk Now for Autism Speaks event to raise funds for the organization while providing more information about an oft-misunderstood disorder. Scheduled for Oct. 27 at Tempe Beach Park, the event is split between a 5k run and a one-mile walk the former begins at 9:15 a.m., the latter at 9:30 a.m. with prizes handed out for the top runners after the athletic portion of the event. The event also includes a slew of activities that start after the run and the walk, like the kids zone, a main stage for entertainment and a vendor village for participants that lasts until approximately 12:30 p.m. The event features numerous sponsors, including Sprouts, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, Cardon Childrens Medical Center and Phoenix Childrens Hospital. Valley Honda Dealers Helpful Guys in Blue will also be on hand as sponsors of the start and finish lines to provide suntan lotion and support to the participants. Money raised from the event goes to support Autism Speaks a national organization that provides information about autism and advocates for autism-related causes ranging from treatment of autism to housing for people with the disorder. Chandler mom Renata … Continue reading →

East Lancashire Hospitals help in stroke research 7:00pm Friday 25th October 2013 in News EAST Lancashires hospitals will mark World Stroke Day by helping showcase research into the disease. As part of the National Institute for Health Research and North West Stroke Research Network, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust will take part in an event at Wigans DW Stadium on Tuesday. Stroke survivors and members of the general public have been invited to attend. Meanwhile, the trust is keen to raise awareness of how stroke can be beaten with speedy treatment. Jamie Walford, stroke research nurse at the trust, said: The faster a stroke patient receives treatment, the better their chances are of surviving and reducing long-term disability. The warning signs of a stroke can be identified with the help of the FAST test - Face, Arm, Speech and Time to call 999. If a patients face falls on one side, or they cannot lift both arms and keep them there, or they have slurred speech, it is important to call 999 quickly as time is of the essence in treating a stroke patient. FAST is a simple test to help people to recognise the signs of stroke and understand … Continue reading →

By Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter THURSDAY, Oct. 24 (HealthDay News) -- For patients being treated for a blockage in the artery that supplies blood to the head, inserting a stent may raise the risk of stroke more in elderly patients than in younger patients, a large new evidence review finds. However, death risk was similar for older and younger patients receiving stents. And it was not as high as it was for older patients who underwent a different surgical procedure -- called endarterectomy -- to unblock the clogged artery. The report was published Oct. 23 in the online edition of JAMA Surgery. An ongoing debate exists about the best treatment for the condition known as carotid artery atherosclerosis. The issue is whether placing a tiny mesh tube (a stent) to keep the plaque-clogged neck artery open is safer for older patients than endarterectomy -- a surgical procedure to open the artery and remove the plaque. For the new study, a research team led by Dr. George Antoniou, of the Hellenic Red Cross Hospital in Athens, Greece, reviewed 44 studies that looked at opening the carotid arteries with a carotid endarterectomy or by placing a stent. These studies included more than … Continue reading →