http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress provides the latest news from The Methodist Hospital System Two biomarkers widely being investigated as predictors of heart and vascular disease appear to indicate risk for "silent" strokes and other causes of mild brain damage that present no symptoms, report researchers from The Methodist Hospital and several other institutions in an upcoming issue of Stroke (now online). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-06-biomarkers-silent.html Cardiology Thu, 06 Jun 2013 07:11:46 EST news289721494 Researchers using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) discovered that thinned non-contracting heart muscle caused by a heart attack can potentially improve in function and be reversed after cardiac bypass surgery. This was found to be true in a small number of patients who had limited scarring of the heart, as detected by MRI http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-mri-heart-muscle.html Cardiology Wed, 06 Mar 2013 15:16:04 EST news281805352 (Medical Xpress)—The inflammation of fat tissue is part of a spiraling series of events that leads to the development of type 2 diabetes in some obese people. But researchers have not understood what triggers the inflammation, or why. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-obesity-fat-cells-theyre-infected.html Medical research Tue, 05 Mar 2013 18:05:13 EST news281729103 The energetic and radiant hue of emerald green has been declared the spring color of 2013. While green shirts, pants and jackets will be seen everywhere this season, so should green food on your plate. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-green.html Health Tue, 05 Mar 2013 08:50:01 EST news281695200 By loading fragile RNA into silicon nanoparticles, researchers from The Methodist Hospital and two other institutions found a new drug delivery system can reduce the size of ovarian tumors by as much as 83 percent—and stop tumor growth in chemotherapy-resistant ovarian cancer tissue. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-nanoteched-rna-drug-ovarian-cancer.html Cancer Thu, 14 Feb 2013 08:30:01 EST news280052808 (Medical Xpress)—The holidays are a time to consume—food, gifts, and spirits. Here are a few alcohol-related story ideas from The Methodist Hospital. Because alcohol's effects on human physiology are complex, advice about is often contradictory. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-toasting-health-alcohol-consumption.html Health Thu, 20 Dec 2012 08:30:03 EST news275213041 (Medical Xpress)—On the morning January 13th, 2013, 25,000 people will meet at the George R Brown convention center for the biggest one day sporting event in Houston.  Many of you will be running 26.2 miles for the first time.  "As more people attempt this wonderous feat, the risk for injury to someone in the field goes up," says Dr. Scott Rand, with the Methodist Center for Orthopedic Surgery. The volunteer medical staff does a great job of doing everything possible to ensure your safety, but you can go a long way towards helping yourself and making your run as safe, comfortable and enjoyable as possible if you follow a few simple tips.  http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-safe-marathon.html Health Thu, 20 Dec 2012 08:03:44 EST news275213014 (Medical Xpress)—The debilitating symptoms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, appear to be increased by a lack of inflammation-reducing T cells, report scientists from the Methodist Neurological Institute in an upcoming print issue of The EMBO Molecular Medicine Journal.The researchers found that expression of the gene FoxP3—which helps control the production of anti-inflammatory T cells—was an indicator of disease progression in 80 percent of the patients they studied. Low FoxP3 levels were likely in patients whose ALS would develop rapidly, and vice versa. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-gene-rapid-als-percent.html Genetics Mon, 10 Dec 2012 08:14:23 EST news274349583 (Medical Xpress)—The most widely used models for predicting heart failure rely on a complex combination of lifestyle, demographic, and cardiovascular risk factor information. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-simpler-heart-failure.html Cardiology Thu, 08 Nov 2012 08:30:01 EST news271585183 (Medical Xpress)—A new tool developed by scientists at The Methodist Hospital separates tumor-causing cancer cells from more benign cells by subjecting the cells to a microscopic game of Plinko—except only the squishiest cells make it through. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-tumor-causing-cells-squishier.html Cancer Mon, 05 Nov 2012 08:24:38 EST news271326263 (Medical Xpress)—Research shows that managing and treating vascular disease risk factors are not only beneficial to preventing heart disease and stroke, but also common forms of dementia. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-outlining-factors-dementia.html Alzheimer's disease & dementia Tue, 16 Oct 2012 08:09:30 EST news269593759 (Medical Xpress)—A new technique that allows scientists to grow lung cancer cells in three dimensions could accelerate discoveries for a type of cancer that has benefited little from scientific research over the last several decades. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-d-lung-cancer-mimics-real.html Cancer Thu, 11 Oct 2012 07:25:41 EST news269159120 (Medical Xpress)—With a little exercise and dieting, overweight people with type 2 diabetes can still train their fat cells to produce a hormone believed to spur HDL cholesterol production, report medical researchers from The Methodist Hospital and eight other institutions in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Lipid Research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-fat-cells-coax-liver-good.html Medical research Tue, 09 Oct 2012 18:41:29 EST news269026792 (Medical Xpress)—Ongoing research at the Methodist Cancer Center could reveal whether metastatic breast cancer patients with BRCA gene mutations are particularly responsive to a drug regimen that includes Veliparib, an investigational drug believed to hamper cancer cells. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-brca1-brca2-mutation-treatment-option.html Cancer Thu, 20 Sep 2012 07:45:20 EST news267345911 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced its approval of Lucentis (ranibizumab injection) for the treatment of diabetic macular edema, or DME, an eye condition in people with diabetes that causes blurred vision, severe vision loss and sometimes blindness. A retinal specialist at The Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas, was one of the lead investigators in the research that led to today’s FDA approval. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-fda-drug-diabetic-macular-edema.html Medications Mon, 13 Aug 2012 09:12:06 EST news264067919