Cord blood helps meet marrow needs Mar 3, 2010
"Such a tiny few drops of blood cells really give new birth to people," Tirpak said. On Saturday, her husband, Jake, finally wore the suit he had been saving for his wife's funeral -- at a family wedding. (CNN)
Cold-stunned turtles recuperate at aquarium Mar 2, 2010
When the two were brought in, aquarium staffers assessed their health, drawing blood to count white blood cells and check calcium levels, taking x-rays of their lungs, and checking their weight. Then they were put in a warm freshwater bath. (MSNBC -- Technology)
Key Player Found for a Cancer Typical in Down Syndrome Mar 2, 2010
However, for reasons that haven't been clear, 20 to 30 percent of these babies progress to a more serious leukemia known as Down syndrome acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (DS-AMKL), which affects the blood progenitor cells that form red blood cells and platelets ... DS-AMKL is always associated with mutations in the gene GATA1, which helps make and regulate red blood cells and megakaryocytes (the cells that produce platelets) ... Cells were taken from the fetal livers of these mice and induced... (Science Daily)
Preventing or reversing inflammation after heart attack, stroke may require 2-pronged approach Mar 1, 2010
Blood vessels, which form a tight barrier between blood and the surrounding tissues, are composed of endothelial cells that act as gatekeepers, controlling how, when and where molecules of water, solutes and blood cells pass through them into the body's tissues. Previous studies have shown blocking the enzyme Src altered the structure of a protein known to hold the endothelial cells together, thus, keeping their barriers tight and limiting tissue damage caused by fluid accumulation, or edema. (EurekAlert!)
Exploiting the Body's Own Ability to Fight a Heart Attack Feb 27, 2010
26, 2010) Scientists trying to find a way to better help patients protect themselves against harm from a heart attack are taking their cues from cardiac patients. The work has its roots in a perplexing curiosity that physicians have long observed in their patients: When faced with a heart attack, people who have had a previous one oftentimes fare better than patients who have never had one. (Science Daily)
New Study Casts Doubt on Link Between Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Human Retrovirus XMRV Feb 27, 2010
They examined the DNA from XMRV in the blood cells of 32 Dutch patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and 43 healthy controls, matched by age, sex and geographical area. Two highly sensitive tests were performed on two different target genes. (Science Daily)
Tips to Prevent Heart Disease Feb 26, 2010
Vitamin E is another strong antioxidant that helps prevent blood cells from clumping together and forming clots and plaques. To reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke take between 400 and 800 IU of vitamin E.. (Suite101.com)
New University of Colorado paper shows novel way to study human inflammatory disease Feb 26, 2010
In addition, specialized white blood cells known as hemophagocytic macrophages accumulated in the organs of the body, including bone marrow. The team previously showed that salmonella-infected mice developed hemophagocytic macrophages, which ingest other white and red blood cells. (EurekAlert!)
Tests to Measure Safety of Anti-Clotting Drugs of Limited Value Feb 25, 2010
Three of the six tests, which measure the function of platelets, the blood cells that clump together to form clots, did provide some useful information, according to the report in the Feb. 24 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. "However, the predictability of these three tests was only modest," the report added. (MEDLINEplus)
Bone marrow cell transplants to benefit those with heart disease Feb 24, 2010
Bone marrow white blood cells therefore play an important role in the angiogenic mechanism, contributing to the revascularization of the heart. The researchers selected the intramyocardial route for injection based on prior experimental data showing higher myocardial stem cell uptake. (EurekAlert!)
Further Doubt Cast on Virus Link to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Feb 24, 2010
She said, "No association between XMRV infection and CFS was observed in the samples tested, either by PCR or serological methodologies. Our findings therefore appear inconsistent with the previous report that isolated XMRV from the blood cells of CFS patients. We are confident that, although we were unable to replicate the detection, our PCR assay is more sensitive than the earlier method and possessed the necessary sensitivity to detect XMRV had it been present." ... Detection of an Infectious... (Science Daily)
Mosquito Genes Yield Secrets to How They Survive Malaria-Causing Parasite Feb 23, 2010
Michel's research team's recent project involved characterizing genes specific to hemocytes, which are mosquito blood cells. The researchers were able to identify genes in the blood cells whose expression changed with malaria infection ... While these blood cells are essential to the mosquito's cellular immune response, little is known about their molecular composition. (Science Daily)
Burn survivor facing surgery Feb 23, 2010
Officials say the boy will require many blood products throughout the course of his recovery, including red blood cells and plasma. Until you re in that situation, you don t realize how precious that blood is, Jim Snider said. (Columbia Daily Herald, TN)
Fetal Surgery Continues to Advance Feb 22, 2010
This sets the stage for postnatal transplant of therapeutic blood cells from the same donor that will not be rejected by the infant's immune system. The specific characteristics of SCID make this disease uniquely amenable to a prenatal stem cell approach. (Science Daily)
Enzyme deficiency protects hepatitis C patients from treatment-related anemia Feb 22, 2010
DURHAM, N.C. Many people who undergo treatment for hepatitis C develop hemolytic anemia, a disorder that destroys red blood cells. In some cases, it is so severe they have to reduce their medication or stop therapy altogether. (EurekAlert!)
Read the story Feb 22, 2010
They fight the disease and also replace normal blood cells killed by heavy doses of chemotherapy. For patients with weakened immune systems, healthy cord blood helps create the infection fighting cells they lack. (CBS News -- Evening News)
Agency says military base water tainted Feb 21, 2010
The company's final report, issued in 1994, made no mention of benzene, which can damage bone marrow, lower red blood cells and cause anemia and leukemia with long-term exposure. A Michael Baker spokesman on Friday referred a request for comment to the Marines. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA)
No self-pity for Lisa Ray Feb 20, 2010
Diagnosed with an incurable form of cancer of the white blood cells, how does she manage to cope on a daily basis. She allows herself a pensive look. (India Times, India)
Report on Marines' water omitted cancer chemical Feb 20, 2010
Drinking water containing high levels of it can cause vomiting, dizziness, sleepiness, convulsions, and death and long-term exposure damages bone marrow, lowers red blood cells and can cause anemia and leukemia, according to the EPA.. Camp Lejeune environmental engineer Robert Alexander was quoted in 1985 as saying no one had been directly exposed to contaminants, including benzene. (Chippewa Falls Chippewa Herald, WI)
After 18 Miscarriages, a 'Miracle' Is Finally Born Feb 20, 2010
NK cells are a subtype of white blood cells. They protect the body from foreign viruses. (ABC News)
Genetic Link to Leukemias With an Unknown Origin Discovered Feb 20, 2010
One possibility raised in the manuscript is that 2HG accumulation may block the ability of the leukemic cells to differentiate into normal blood cells. The research was funded in part by grants from the National Cancer Institute and the Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute. (Science Daily)
Ultrasound Measurement of Fetal Adrenal Gland a Better Predictor of Preterm Birth Feb 20, 2010
15, 2010) Factors such as maternal high blood pressure and high hematocrit levels (the proportion of blood that consists of red blood cells) are associated with a greater likelihood of restricted fetal growth. . (Science Daily)
Cooling Inflammation for Healthier Arteries Feb 19, 2010
Meydani previously has shown that phenolic antioxidants in oats obstruct the ability of blood cells to stick to artery walls. Chronic inflammation inside the arterial wall is part of the process that eventually leads to a disorder known as atherosclerosis. (Science Daily)
Navel Gazing Feb 19, 2010
That's because the stem cells it contains can take up residence in the bone marrow and give rise to new blood cells ... That's because his cord-blood cells might contain the abnormality that gave rise to the cancer ... Last month, for instance, researchers reported on a tantalizing new method for expanding a population of cord blood cells and using them. (Slate)
Low-Dose Platelet Transfusions Deemed Safe Feb 19, 2010
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 17 (HealthDay News) -- A lower dose of platelets than is commonly used is safe for people who require transfusions of the clot-forming blood cells, a new study shows. That's good news for people getting chemotherapy or bone marrow transplants because platelets are often in short supply, said Dr. Victor M. Aquino, a member of the research team whose findings are reported in the Feb. 18 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. (MEDLINEplus)
UCR researcher identifies mechanism malaria parasite uses to spread among red blood cells Feb 19, 2010
Infected human red blood cells (top; and right of center) by the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum (the parasite is shown in purple) ... In trying to understand how the malaria parasite multiplies in red blood cells, Le Roch's team found that in Plasmodium a kind of "histone crash" takes place a massive breakdown of histone that explains how the parasite can replicate extensively its DNA and coding gene in human red blood cells. (EurekAlert!)
Birth weight on the decline in the U.S. Feb 19, 2010
5 pounds) may face problems such as low blood sugar, lower body temperatures, or an increase in red blood cells, which can cause the blood to thicken and clot. To track trends in birth weights, Donahue and her colleagues examined birth records for nearly 37 million newborns in the US, excluding California. (MSNBC -- Health)
Blood Cancer Drug Approved For New Use Feb 19, 2010
The slow-growing cancer, in which bone marrow makes faulty white blood cells that don't fight infection well, affects about 86,000 Americans. Rituxan is approved for several other uses, including treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. (KWTX.com, TX)
Reliable Home Male Fertility Test? Accurate Sperm Counts Now Possible Feb 18, 2010
White blood cells were also distinguished by the chip. The number of white blood cells tells us something about sperm quality and so this is important additional information for the gynaecologist. (Science Daily)
New Type of Genetic Variation? Feb 18, 2010
Individuals who inherit the sickle cell variant of the hemoglobin gene from both parents have impaired red blood cells and shortened life expectancy. However, those who receive a sickle cell gene and a normal hemoglobin gene have an increased resistance to the parasite that carries malaria, giving them an advantage wherever malaria is present. (Science Daily)
Spence returns to coaching after battle with leukemia Feb 18, 2010
" Spence's body had begun to grow leukemic cells quickly, crowding out red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. What made the then-35-year-old Spence's case so interesting is that cancer does not run in his family, and his type of leukemia occurs mostly in young children or older adults. "After getting the bad news, the doctor told us that if we would have not come in, Fritz didn't have more than a few weeks to live," Teri said. "It was so surreal hearing it. It was like I wasn't even... (Daily Collegian, PA)
Salmon prices zoom on fish disease Feb 18, 2010
The disease, which does not affect humans if afflicted fish are consumed, kills off salmon by attacking their red blood cells. "Chile, which was the second- biggest producer of salmon, has seen its output plunge more than 75 per cent in two years," said Aslak Berge at First Securities in Norway. (CNN -- International)
Immune System Turns on the Body in Narcolepsy Feb 18, 2010
6, 2007) The first report to identify the biological markers of narcolepsy using gene expression in white blood cells finds that the MX2 gene, which is relevant to the immune system, is significantly less. (Mar. (Science Daily)
Aspirin may help prevent return of breast cancer Feb 17, 2010
That could be a problem for women who are having radiation and chemotherapy, which also lower the number of blood cells, she says. Even healthy people can develop serious gastrointestinal bleeding from aspirin, Jacobs says. (USA Today -- News)
CSL Profit Rises 23% on Swine Flu Vaccine; Shares Advance Most Since June Feb 17, 2010
The company trails Deerfield, Illinois-based in the global market for treatments derived from blood plasma, the watery liquid in which blood cells are suspended. Those products are used for immune deficiencies, hemophilia, healing wounds and treating burns. (Bloomberg -- Australia & New Zealand)
Women Have Special Dietary Needs Feb 17, 2010
Women with low iron intake are at risk for developing anemia, a blood disorder that develops when the level of healthy red blood cells in the body becomes too low. Symptoms include fatigue, headaches, weakness and dizziness. (Click2Houston, TX)
New Weapon to Fight Disease-Causing Bacteria, Malaria Developed Feb 17, 2010
18, 2006) Scientists at Georgetown University are describing the first use of a new microscope technology to capture images of live malaria parasites inside human red blood cells. They say the advance could be. (Science Daily)
Restrictions on Plasma From Female Donors May Need Revisiting Feb 17, 2010
Plasma is the fluid in blood in which blood cells are suspended. Researchers found that heart-surgery patients who received plasma from female donors did significantly better than those who got plasma from males. (MEDLINEplus)
Induced Neural Stem Cells: Not Quite Ready for Prime Time Feb 17, 2010
29, 2008) Researchers in Sweden have established and isolated the tissue-specific stem cell that produces blood cells (blood stem cell) by using genetically modified embryonic stem. (Feb. (Science Daily)
New US rules could loosen Amgen’s hold on market Feb 17, 2010
Anemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to other body tissues. It is common in people with kidney disease who use dialysis, and Amgen s drugs are the only ones now used in dialysis clinics. (Boston Globe)
Upstart Affymax Will Get Boost From U.S. in Anemia Market Ruled by Amgen Feb 16, 2010
is a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy, red blood cells to carry oxygen to other body tissues ... People with kidney disease often dont produce enough , a hormone that stimulates production of the red blood cells ... Epogen, a synthetic version of erythropoietin, boosts the depleted red-blood cells and is used primarily by dialysis patients, who take it with most treatments. (Bloomberg -- US)
Scientists discover molecular pathway for organ tissue regeneration and repair Feb 16, 2010
The new molecular repair pathway involves white blood cells called macrophages part of the immune system that respond to tissue injury by producing a protein called Wnt7b ... Silencing macrophage white blood cells through a process called ablation reduced the response level of Wnt proteins to injured kidney cells. (EurekAlert!)
Erytech Pharma working with M.D. Anderson Center on tumor treatment Feb 16, 2010
By encapsulating the enzyme inside red blood cells, the company is seeking to make Graspa safer and have a broader range of clinical uses as compared to existing forms of L-asparaginase. Dr. John Weinstein, chair of the department of bioinformatics and computational biology at M.D. Anderson will serve as principal investigator for the project. (Philadelphia Business Journal, PA)
How I met my match: a donor's story Feb 16, 2010
It grew the blood cells in my marrow at a rapid rate and pushed them out into my blood stream for collection ... It separated out my white blood cells because the stem cells lived there. (The Daily Campus, CT)
Factors Linked to Growth of Fetus in First Trimester and Subsequent Outcomes Feb 16, 2010
15, 2010) Factors such as maternal high blood pressure and high hematocrit levels (the proportion of blood that consists of red blood cells) are associated with a greater likelihood of restricted fetal growth during the first trimester, with restricted growth linked to an increased risk of preterm birth and low birth weight, according to a study in the February 10 issue of JAMA.. See Also. (Science Daily)
Biologists image birth of blood-forming stem cells in embryo Feb 15, 2010
The researchers say their time-lapse imaging of the process, by which primitive embryonic tissues first produce the parent stem cells that produce all adult blood cells over the life of an individual, should help guide future efforts to repair and replace this cell population for therapeutic purposes. Current transplantation therapies rely on the infusion of donor stem cells into a patient's bone marrow to generate new, healthy blood cells without disease. (EurekAlert!)
Bacteria-killing proteins cover blood type blind spot Feb 15, 2010
Blood type comes from differences in sugar molecules attached to proteins on red blood cells. If incompatible blood types are mixed, the antibodies from one person will make red blood cells from the other person clump together, with devastating results in an emergency ... But someone's immune system usually doesn't make antibodies to the sugar molecules on his or her own red blood cells. (EurekAlert!)
Need for blood on the rise Feb 14, 2010
"On an average month, we will require about 305 units of packed red blood cells to meet the needs of our patients, which is why it so important for those who are able to donate blood to take the time to do so. A single person donating blood can help save the life of three people through the blood products that a unit of blood can produce," said Jerri Garison, president, Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano ... Donated red blood cells have a shelf-life of up to 42 days, and a healthy donor may... (McKinney Courier-Gazette, TX)
Vancouver 2010 Games Spur Blood Doping Fears Feb 13, 2010
This method can sometimes be caught by tests that can tell if a person's hemoglobinthe protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to tissueis suspiciously high. But athletes using this version of blood doping have been known to inject blood in the morning, race, then have the blood withdrawn later, thereby reducing their chances of being caught by random tests. (National Geographic)
Cell-Off: Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Fall Short of Potential Found in Embryonic Version Feb 12, 2010
He notes his company had planned this year to apply to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to use red blood cells and platelets derived from iPS cells in clinical trials, but "at this point, therapies with these cells are years off.". There were already concerns surrounding the use of iPS cells in therapies because prior studies suggested they were. (Scientific American)
Tests show Jordyn's leukemia in remission Feb 12, 2010
"One of the most dangerous parts of transplant is the time immediately after the procedure because a patient's depleted immune system makes him or her more prone to potentially fatal infections. Sure enough, Jordyn developed a staph infection last week, but is on antibiotics that appear to be working. Each week, she has a specific blood test that shows how many blood cells in her body are her father's and how many originated in her body. The hope is that she continues to show 100 percent donor... (Seacoast New Hampshire)
8-year-old needs marrow transplant Feb 11, 2010
The underlying cause was aplastic anemia, a rare and serious condition that occurs when the body stops producing enough new blood cells, he said ... The underlying cause was aplastic anemia, a rare and serious condition that occurs when the body stops producing enough new blood cells, he said. (Honolulu Star-Bulletin)
Anorexics Found to Have Excess Fat -- In Their Bone Marrow Feb 11, 2010
5, 2005) A new model showing how sickle cell blood cells operate within bone marrow is presented at a conference in Austria today. Researchers at Imperial College London, who developed the model, hope that it. (Science Daily)
Mom's lifestyle while pregnant affects baby's size Feb 10, 2010
Women who didn't use folic acid supplements and those with higher levels of red blood cells also had smaller babies, according to the study. A small size during the first trimester translated to a higher risk of certain complications later in the pregnancy, such as preterm birth and low birth weight. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Health)
Auto Exhaust Linked to Thickening of Arteries, Possible Increased Risk of Heart Attack Feb 10, 2010
MPO, or myeloperoxidase,is an enzyme produced by white blood cells. High levels of MPO predict a heart attack, the need for invasive intervention, or. (Science Daily)
JCI online early table of contents: Feb. 8, 2010 Feb 9, 2010
Individuals with a condition known as Chuvash polycythemia, which is caused by a specific mutation in the protein VHL, have a greater proportion of their blood volume occupied by red blood cells than do healthy individuals. They also have pulmonary hypertension (i. (EurekAlert!)
Researchers Identify Genetic Variant Linked to Faster Biological Aging Feb 9, 2010
Samani and his colleagues analyzed more than 500,000 genetic variations (naturally occurring, single-nucleotide differences) spanning the genome in blood cells collected from almost 3,000 people. The researchers found that individuals carrying a particular genetic variant had shorter telomeres meaning less padding for those fragile genes. (Scientific American)
How Respiratory Tubes and Capillaries Form in Flies Feb 9, 2010
23, 2007) Millions of times during their four-month lifespan, human red blood cells must squeeze through tiny capillaries to deliver their payload of oxygen and pick up waste carbon dioxide-functions essential. (Oct. (Science Daily)
Bike Goliath Leaves Others in Wake Feb 8, 2010
Rudd certainly does not publicly display his fitness in the same way and our ex-PM Paul Keating, concerned about cancer, used to jump up and down on a trampoline to get the red blood cells moving. Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, eccentrically rides everywhere in a suit, even up to press conferences. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion)
Malaria drug potency is restored Feb 7, 2010
Chloroquine - which is far cheaper than more modern malaria drugs - works by blocking the way the parasite breaks down human haemoglobin contained in red blood cells ... Professor Ron Behrens, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said primaquine was not suitable for all patients, as it could trigger the break down of red blood cells in people with an enzyme deficiency. (Yahoo News -- Malaria)
World's First in-Depth Study of the Malaria Parasite Genome Feb 7, 2010
17, 2009) Researchers have discovered a new mechanism the malaria parasite uses to enter human red blood cells, which could lead to the development of a vaccine cocktail to fight the mosquito-borne ... 18, 2006) Scientists at Georgetown University are describing the first use of a new microscope technology to capture images of live malaria parasites inside human red blood cells. (Science Daily)
Science helps to pick a winner Feb 7, 2010
While it is sensible to believe that a good horse has healthy lungs, a powerful heart and a large supply of red blood cells, ultimately it is the amount of mitochondria that will affect its aerobic energy production. The same applies to humans, although about 80 per cent of oxygen-uptake capacity (VO2max ) in humans is determined by genetics, rather than training. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Sport)
'Gene Doping' May Be Next Wave of Sports Tampering Feb 5, 2010
Substances banned at the Olympics includes stimulants, anabolic steroids, human growth hormone and erythropoietin, a synthetic hormone that acts on stem cells in the bone marrow to increase the production of red blood cells and increase endurance. The parade of elite athletes caught using banned substances continues. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Health)
Losing the weight war? Head to the mountains Feb 5, 2010
And Dr. David Heber, director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, said that changing elevation "is not a magic bullet. While obese patients may experience a temporary boon from an elevation hike, if they remained at a high altitude, they would adjust to conditions and resume unhealthy habits, Heber said. Obesity has reached epidemic proportions worldwide. In the U.S., obesity rates more than doubled to 34 percent among adults, and more than tripled to 17 percent among children and... (MSNBC -- Health)
Cell Mechanism Leading to Diabetic Blindness Identified Feb 5, 2010
"But we weren't sure how the GAPDH was getting in there. It doesn't contain any of the necessary signaling motifs. I read about the siah-1 protein and cell death in white blood cells in a Nature paper, so we decided to investigate them. We had no idea if the siah-1 protein was even in the retina.". Mohr's research also found that lowering levels of siah-1 proteins stopped GAPDH from moving into the nuclei of M. (Science Daily)
