Cardiovascular Research: New test for heart disease is noninvasive ♦ Supercomputers listen to the heart ♦ E-health vital in battle against heart disease say cardiology leader

Supercomputers listen to the heart New supercomputer models have come closer than ever to capturing the behavior of normal human heart valves and their replacements, according to recent studies. The studies focused on how heart valve tissue responds to realistic blood flow. The new models can help doctors make more durable repair and replacement of heart valves

Tests used to measure internal bleeding for patients taking two popular drugs may not be reliable While internal bleeding may be uncommon as a result of taking blood thinners such as Xarelto® (rivaroxaban) and Eliquis® (apixaban), the normal coagulation tests physicians use to check for the side effect of bleeding may not be reliable.

Spouses of stroke survivors face lingering health issues Caregiver spouses of stroke survivors are at an increased risk of mental and physical health issues that may continue for years after stroke. Spouses of stroke survivors reported lower scores in several mental and physical areas -- more health issues affecting their lives, less vitality, and reduced social function -- not only during the first years after stroke but also in the long-term.

New test for heart disease is noninvasive A new, noninvasive technology employs CT scans to detect coronary artery disease. The system calculates how much blood is flowing through diseased coronary arteries that have narrowed due to a buildup of plaque. The patient does not need an invasive angiogram that involves threading a catheter to the heart.

E-health vital in battle against heart disease say cardiology leaders E-health is vital to winning the battle against heart disease, cardiology leaders said. The novel paper outlines how the ESC will exploit e-health in education and research, while tackling issues of quality control and data security.

Cancer Research: Parkinson's disease appears associated with many cancer ♦ Supercomputers surprisingly link DNA crosses to cancer ♦ Tubal ligation may improve prognosis of endometrial cancer

Parkinson's disease appears associated with many cancers in Taiwan Parkinson's disease appeared associated with 16 types of cancer in a study in Taiwan, an effort to explain the association in an East Asian population because most prior research has been conducted in Western populations.

Researchers discover mechanism leading to BRAF inhibitor resistance in melanoma patients The development of targeted therapies has significantly improved the survival of melanoma patients over the last decade; however, patients often relapse because many therapies do not kill all of the tumor cells, and the remaining cells adapt to treatment and become resistant. Researchers have discovered a novel mechanism that can lead melanoma cells to develop resistance to drugs that target the protein BRAF.

Supercomputers surprisingly link DNA crosses to cancer DNA naturally folds itself into cross-shaped structures called cruciforms that jut out along the sprawling length of its double helix. DNA cruciforms are abundant; scientists estimate as many as 500,000 cruciform-forming sequences may exist on average in a normal human genome. Supercomputers have now helped scientists find a surprising link between cross-shaped (or cruciform) pieces of DNA and human cancer.

Tubal ligation may improve prognosis of endometrial cancer later in life Endometrial cancer (EC) can spread by several routes, including the lymph system, blood vessels, through the uterine wall, as well as through the fallopian tubes into the peritoneal cavity, but the association of transtubal dissemination of EC with cancer stage, histological type, and mortality is unknown.