March 2008 Archives
"For a rich source of stem cells to be engineered into new blood vessels or skin tissue, clinicians may one day look no further than the hair on their patients' heads, according to new research published earlier this month by University at Buffalo engineers."Engineering blood vessels for bypass surgery, promoting the formation of new blood vessels or regenerating new skin tissue using stem cells obtained from the most accessible source -- hair follicles -- is a real possibility," said Stelios T. Andreadis, Ph.D., co-author of the paper in Cardiovascular Research and associate professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering in the UB School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
Researchers from other institutions previously had shown that hair follicles contain stem cells.
In the current paper, the UB researchers demonstrate that stem cells isolated from sheep hair follicles contain the smooth muscle cells that grow new vasculature. The group recently produced data showing that stem cells from human hair follicles also differentiate into contractile smooth muscle cells...."
Read the full article by Ellen Goldbaum, at University at Buffalo
"Lodged behind several organs and attached to arteries, the lemon-sized tumor in Brooke Zepp’s abdomen appeared to be inoperable. It was malignant and out of reach.But on Monday, Ms. Zepp watched in awe as doctors at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center explained how they detached and removed six of her organs, cut out the cancerous tumor, then reassembled her insides. With a video of the March 4 operation on display at a news conference here, she wiped away tears and said: “I feel like I’m coming through the tunnel and I have a whole life.”
Her doctors smiled with pride. The surgery lasted 15 hours and was one of the first to involve taking so many organs out of the body: the stomach, liver, pancreas, spleen, small intestine and two-thirds of the large intestine..."
Read the full article by Damien Cave, at NY Times
Event: Canned Food DriveWe are working in collaboration with the South Lake Village Council to help collect canned goods, which will be donated to a local Food Shelter.
Date: Mar. 3, 2007 [Monday]
Time: 9:00pm - 10:00pm
Location: South Lake Village Community Bldg.
Please submit donations to the South Lake Community Building.
Email: pmborders@yahoo.com
"Up to 20 percent of patients taking aspirin to lower the risk of
suffering a second cerebrovascular event do not have an antiplatelet
response from aspirin, the effect thought to produce the protective
effect, researchers at the University at Buffalo have shown."Millions of people use low-dose aspirin either for prevention of a second stroke, second heart attack or second episode of peripheral artery disease," said Francis M. Gengo, Pharm.D., lead researcher on the study.
Gengo is professor of neurology in the UB School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and professor of pharmacy practice in the UB School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
"In those three indications, it's crystal clear that aspirin reduces the risk of a second heart attack or stroke in most patients. But we have known for years that in some stroke and heart attack patients, aspirin has no preventive effect."
With no definitive data on the frequency of this condition, known as aspirin resistance, physicians were left with a best guess of between 5 and 50 percent, said Gengo..."
Read the full article Lois Baker, at University at Buffalo
Event: American Heart Association We are working in coordination with the American Heart Association to raise Stroke Awareness, by presenting educational materials to local Block Groups.
Date: Mar. 1, 2008 (Saturday)
Time: 6:45am - 10:30am
Location: Holiday Inn - Buffalo Airport
To view a list of warning signs for Stroke / Heart-Attack, please visit the American Heart Association
Email: pmborders@yahoo.com
