The research team led by Drs Benjamin Kile and David Huang has discovered that platelet life span is controlled by two key molecules. The discovery raises the prospect of developing a new drug to prolong the life span of platelets stored in blood banks, effectively increasing the availability of this life-saving blood product.An undesirable side effect of cancer chemotherapy is extensive bruising and potentially life-threatening bleeding. [click link for full article]

From drooping eyelids and sagging breasts to cleft palates and stained teeth, the makeover experts on the ABC reality show Extreme Makeover have never met a physical imperfection they couldn’t correct. But philosophy professor Cressida Heyes argues that, for all the beautification that takes place on the show, there are some ugly truths at its core.The cosmetic surgery makeover show is relatively new to the TV landscape. [click link for full article]

A tiny snippet of RNA, a chemical cousin of DNA, controls damage to the heart under several types of stress, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found.The published discovery, appearing online on Science Express and in Science magazine, could mean that blocking the small molecule might become a way to prevent or treat heart damage, the scientists say. [click link for full article]

CMS by May plans to decide whether to expand Medicare coverage for an expensive procedure to treat carotid artery disease, which occurs when major arteries in the neck narrow or become blocked, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. [click link for full article]

A record number of cardiologists will be reaching for their mobile devices to access the latest clinical information thanks to the American College of Cardiology (ACC). At the ACC Annual Scientific Session in New Orleans, all association members and users of Cardiosource, the College’s clinical cardiovascular portal, received a complimentary subscription to Epocrates®-ACC Essentials for Cardiology, a mobile-based clinical application. [click link for full article]

“We welcome the Government of Indonesia’s announcement that it will immediately resume the sharing of influenza virus samples. This is a positive step forward in international cooperation and in our ability as a global community to prepare for an influenza pandemic. Responding to a pandemic will demand the cooperation of the world community, as no nation can go it alone. [click link for full article]

There are more than 6 million children with asthma in the United States, and this number is growing every year. Asthma can lead children to miss school, prevent participation in…

People from some black and minority ethnic groups were three times more likely than average to be admitted to mental health hospitals, results of a national census have shown. It is the second year that the national ‘Count Me In’ census has shown significantly higher rates of admission and detention among some black and minority ethnic groups. [click link for full article]

The international medical organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) today released statistics showing that even under optimized conditions, treatment will succeed in barely more than half of patients with multi-drug resistant (MDR) Tuberculosis (TB). [click link for full article]

Long waits for endoscopies have been eliminated in many parts of the country, but some people are still waiting too long for the procedures, particularly in the south east, according to a report published today by the Healthcare Commission. The report also highlights concerns about the quality of care for patients undergoing an endoscopy, a procedure used to detect conditions such as bowel cancer and stomach ulcers. [click link for full article]