Mayo Clinic Proceedings: November highlights

The November issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings includes three articles with leading research, highlighted below.
Khat Chewing Increases Risk of Stroke and Death in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome
ROCHESTER, Minn. — Researchers found th…

For elderly, even short falls can be deadly

While simple falls, such as slipping while walking off a curb, may seem relatively harmless, they can actually lead to severe injury and death in elderly individuals, according to a new study published in The Journal of Trauma: Injury, Infection, an…

Research could improve detection of liver damage

LIVERPOOL, UK — 17 September 2010: Research at the University of Liverpool could lead to faster and more accurate diagnoses of liver damage.
The team used paracetamol as the basis for the study: research indicates that paracetamol can place tem…

Researchers discover protective gene mutation in some HIV-infected patients

Mayo Clinic researchers have identified a naturally occurring “good guy” for patients infected with HIV. It is a helpful gene mutation that impairs the HIV virus’ cell-killing machinery, thus preserving immune system function. Moreover, Mayo’s experiments in mice suggest that the presence or absence of this mutation in the gene known as Vpr may play a central role in determining which HIV-infected patients develop full-blown, fatal AIDS.

Death, miscarriage linked to genetic mutation

Scientists have discovered that the genetic mutation that causes the childhood cancer retinoblastoma routinely triggers fetal death and miscarriage in laboratory animals by disrupting the normal functions of the placenta, a finding that may force researchers to reevaluate the powerful Rb gene and the role it plays in causing cancer.