Novel PET tracer detects small blood clots. Blood clots in veins and arteries can lead to heart attack, stroke, and pulmonary embolism, which are major causes of mortality. Now researchers show that targeting GPIIb/IIIa receptors, the key receptor involved in platelet clumping, with a fluorine-18 labeled ligand is a promising approach for diagnostic imaging. Source 9d.
'Shapeshifter' that regulates blood clotting is visually captured for the first time. It has not been possible to witness exactly how von Willebrand factor senses and harnesses mechanical forces in our blood vessels -- until now. Medical researchers have revealed exactly how VWF stops bleeding from cuts and bruises. Cutting-edge fluorescence imaging and microfluidic tools allowed them to capture images of individual VWF molecules elongating and relaxing in response to blood flow. Source 6q.
This is huge stuff. Not only will this possibly help with understanding diseases where people clot too much, it'll help with diseases where they clog too little or not at all. Furthermore, it may be a life saver on the battlefield to help people with traumatic injuries.
New clinical practice guidelines for venous thromboembolism. Venous thromboembolism (VTE), a term referring to blood clots in the veins, is a highly prevalent and far-reaching public health problem that can cause disability and death. Despite effective new options for prevention and treatment, VTE remains a threat underappreciated by the general public, causing up to 100,000 deaths annually in the United States alone. Source 9c.