Women exposed to the highest levels of fine-particulate air pollution late in their pregnancies are two times more likely to give birth to a child with autism. Thats according to the largest study to date looking at the link between autism and pollution. The neurodevelopmental disorder is marked by repetitive behaviors and difficulties with social interaction and communication. Researchers analyzed data from 116,000 mothers and their children in all 50 states. Investigators, led by Marc Weisskopf of Harvard University, found women exposed to high levels of fine-particulate matter air pollution, during their third trimester of pregnancy, were at highest risk of having an autistic child. Their increased risk was double that of women who lived in areas with low levels of particulate pollution. The Harvard study found that timing of exposure was critical. The researchers detected no increased risk of autism spectrum disorder in children whose mothers were exposed to high levels of pollution before becoming pregnant. And the study found airborne pollution does not appear to increase the risk of children developing autism after they are born. Weisskopf, an environmental and occupational epidemiologist, says the finding is compelling even though it is not evidence of a direct link between … Continue reading →

Updated: Friday, December 19 2014, 07:34 PM EST Rochester, N.Y. -- A doctor's visit isn't always pleasant. But for children with Autism, that experience can become overwhelming. A new, one of a kind pediatric clinic is being dedicated to children with Autism. The Golisano Children's Hospital received a major gift to help build the new facility. The William and Mildred Levine Foundation donated $1 million to the center. Dr. Susan Hyman, of the URMC, says more than 500 new Autism Spectrum Disorders diagnosis were made through UR Medicine's Golisano Children's Hospital in the past year. That number is growing, and the new center will cater to their specific needs. "When you have a child with a disability like autism the smallest activities can be really challenging," says Rachel Rosner, member director at AutismUp and mother of two children with Autism. "When you have a child with autism you visit the doctor a lot more than families with typical developing children." That's because they have different sensory needs. "Children with Autism are overwhelmed by sound or may get fixated on certain patterns - who become overwhelmed with the proximity coming and going through the same doorway or the noise," says Dr. … Continue reading →

Friday December 19, 2014 5:39 PM UPDATED: Saturday December 20, 2014 3:27 PM A stroke is called a brain attack. Survivors may find themselves partially paralyzed or unable to speak. But a new study finds that a treatment tested at OhioHealth Riverside Hospital can do a remarkable job helping some patients recover. Every 45 seconds, someone in this country has a stroke. It's caused by a clot, that stops blood flow in the brain. Doctors say "time is brain." "The longer you wait to get treatment, the more brain tissue might have died." said Dr. Ron Budzik, co-director of the stroke program a Riverside. Until now, the only approved treatment has been the clot-busting drug called TPA. But it has to be given no more than four and a half hours after the brain attack. Doctors at Riverside Hospital were among the first in the country to test a new technique, one that uses a tiny scaffold-like stent. When a stroke patient arrives in the emergency department at Riverside, doctors scan the blood vessels of the brain to locate the clot. Through a small slit, they snake a tube up to the clot. The tube carries the stent. A tiny … Continue reading →

Hockey legendGordie Howehas made strides in his recovery from a stroke after underdoing adult stem-cell treatment earlier this month inMexico. The 86-year-old Howe had a significant stroke in October and his family said in an update on Friday that he has shown significant improvement since participating in a clinical trial. In a statement issued through theDetroit Red Wings, the family described the procedure and his recovery: "Following the press coverage of our father's deteriorating medical condition, the Howe family was contacted in late November by Dr.Maynard Howe(CEO) andDave McGuigan(VP) ofStemedica Cell Technologies. McGuigan knew our family as a result of his previous employment with theDetroit Red Wings. "Stemedica is abiotechnologycompany that manufactures allogeneic adultstem cellsin itsU.S. governmentlicensed,cGMP facilityinSan Diego,California. Although no relation, Dr. Howe and his brothers Drs. David and Roger are hockey players and bigGordie Howefans, having grown up inMinnesota. They wished to help our father by generously facilitating Dad's participation in a stem cell clinical trial at Novastem, a licensed distributor of Stemedica's products inMexico. Novastem (www.novastem.mx) is currently conducting federally licensed andInstitutional Review Boardapproved clinical trials for several medical conditions, including stroke, using Stemedica's stem cell products. At the time, we were contacted, Mr. Hockey had been … Continue reading →