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UF cardiologists, surgeons team up to offer life-extending procedure

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — For patients who have severe narrowing of the aortic valve, a condition known as aortic stenosis, standard treatment is surgical replacement of the damaged valve. But advanced age or medical problems such as lung disease prevent many of those patients from having open chest surgery. In the past, the best such patients could hope for was to control their symptoms with medications.

Filed under Aging, Health, Research on Thursday, January 26, 2012.

UF researchers develop gene therapy that could correct a common form of blindness

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A new gene therapy method developed by University of Florida researchers has the potential to treat a common form of blindness that strikes both youngsters and adults. The technique works by replacing a malfunctioning gene in the eye with a normal working copy that supplies a protein necessary for light-sensitive cells in the eye to function. The findings are published today (Monday, Jan. 23) in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences online.

Filed under Health, Research on Monday, January 23, 2012.

New drug could help reduce heart attack risk for cardiac patients awaiting surgery

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Heart patients who have stents that prop open blocked arteries often face a dilemma when they need open heart surgery: Continue taking life-saving blood thinners but risk severe bleeding during surgery, or stop taking the medicines and risk a heart attack.

Filed under Aging, Health, Research on Thursday, January 19, 2012.

Parkinson treatment shows positive results in clinical testing

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Researchers from the University of Florida and 14 additional medical centers reported results today in the online version of The Lancet Neurology journal indicating that deep brain stimulation — also known as DBS — is effective at improving motor symptoms and quality of life in patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease.

Filed under Aging, Health, Research on Wednesday, January 11, 2012.

UF study: Educational program lowers incidence of back pain in soldiers

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A program of core strengthening exercises was no better than traditional sit-ups for preventing back pain in soldiers, according to a new University of Florida study. But combining both exercise programs with a brief educational session on back pain strategies did lower the incidence of treatment for back pain.

Filed under Health, Research on Thursday, January 5, 2012.