The University of Maine is a community of more than 11,900 undergraduate and graduate students, and 2,500 employees located on the Orono campus, the regional campus in Machias, and throughout the stat...

The luminal surface of blood vessels is covered by a hydrated mesh of sugars and proteins termed the endothelial glycocalyx. The glycocalyx forms a permeability barrier and helps regulate leucocyte migration. Directly detecting glycocalyx damage could provide a major advance in vascular health monitoring. Here we show that red blood cell glycocalyx mirrors the endothelial glycocalyx in health and disease. Using peripherally sampled blood, we confirm that red blood cell glycocalyx measurements predict cardiac and renal endothelial glycocalyx alterations and direct measures of endothelial barrier function in male rats. To investigate the underlying mechanism, we use Azide-Alkyne cycloaddition (‘Click’ chemistry) to confirm that contact between endothelial and red blood cells results in continual reciprocal transfer of glycocalyx components. These discoveries facilitate real-time monitoring of endothelial damage in patients whilst simultaneously providing a potential explanation as to how

The FDA won’t tell Americans where their generic drugs are made, so ProPublica did it instead. Use information on your prescription label to locate the factory and see inspection reports.

Health officials say seven people in three states, including children, have been sickened by E. coli food poisoning linked to cheddar cheese made from raw milk. The U.S.