Connect with us

Published

on

For the first time, doctors surgically repaired a malformed blood vessel in a baby’s brain while she was still in the womb. The baby, born in mid-March, was discharged from the hospital a few weeks after birth and has not required any medications or other treatments since then.

“I heard her cry for the first time and that just, I — I can’t even put into words how I felt at that moment,” Kenyatta Coleman of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the baby’s mother, told CNN (opens in new tab) . “It was just, you know, the most beautiful moment being able to hold her, gaze up on her and then hear her cry.”

In a new report, published Thursday (May 4) in the journal Stroke (opens in new tab) , doctors described the first-of-its-kind procedure, which was conducted as part of an ongoing clinical trial (opens in new tab) . The trial is aimed at finding a new way to treat vein of Galen malformation (opens in new tab) (VOGM), a rare abnormality that affects the blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the brain. 

In VOGM, certain arteries in the brain don’t link to capillaries — delicate, branching blood vessels that help slow blood flow — as they normally would. Instead, the arteries dump blood into veins at the base of the brain, and this blood flows at a high pressure. The high-pressure blood flow can cause congestive heart failure, high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs (pulmonary hypertension), brain tissue injury and loss, or an enlarged head (hydrocephalus).

Related: In a 1st, baby’s heart defect successfully treated with injected stem cells 

VOGM affects an estimated 1 in 60,000 births, according to a statement from the American Heart Association (opens in new tab) (AHA). The standard treatment takes place after birth and involves blocking off the artery-to-vein connections within the malformation. However, this procedure can’t always reverse the onset of heart failure, and it can be too late to prevent disabling or life-threatening brain damage.

Doctors from Boston Children’s Hospital and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston launched a trial to treat VOGM sooner, while the fetus is still in the womb. The new approach uses an in utero surgery designed to reduce the aggressive blood flow through the VOGM. The trial will include an estimated 20 babies, in total, and the recently treated baby, Denver Coleman, was the first to undergo the procedure.RELATED STORIES—Mini-brains show how common drug freezes cell division in the womb, causing birth defects

—Father’s use of diabetes drug could raise his kids’ risk of birth defects

—Having a baby: Stages of pregnancy by trimester

“In our first treated case, we were thrilled to see that the aggressive decline usually seen after birth simply did not appear,” Dr. Darren Orbach (opens in new tab) , co-director of the Cerebrovascular Surgery & Interventions Center at Boston Children’s Hospital, an associate professor of radiology at Harvard Medical School and lead author of the case report, said in the AHA statement.

“We are pleased to report that at six weeks, the infant is progressing remarkably well, on no medications, eating normally, gaining weight and is back home,” Orbach said. “There are no signs of any negative effects on the brain.”

Denver and Kenyatta Coleman underwent the “transuterine” procedure 34 weeks and two days into the pregnancy. (The VOGM was diagnosed just after an ultrasound at 30 weeks, according to CNN.) 

Following the procedure, Kenyatta Coleman began leaking amniotic fluid,  meaning her “water had begun to break,” so doctors delivered the baby by induction of vaginal birth two days later. The newborn did not require any cardiovascular support or surgery after birth but was monitored in the neonatal intensive care unit for several weeks before discharge.

“While this is only our first treated patient and it is vital that we continue the trial to assess the safety and efficacy in other patients,” Orbach said, “this approach has the potential to mark a paradigm shift in managing vein of Galen malformation where we repair the malformation prior to birth and head off the heart failure before it occurs, rather than trying to reverse it after birth.”

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Jaguar: British luxury vehicle maker has a new advert that doesn’t feature any cars

Published

on

By

Jaguar: British luxury vehicle maker has a new advert that doesn't feature any cars

Jaguar has left people scratching their heads with a new glossy advert which fails to show any cars.

The British luxury vehicle maker has released a commercial featuring a series of models, in brightly-coloured clothing, emerging from a lift into an austere landscape.

They are then seen in various poses as different slogans appear on screen, including “live vivid”, “delete ordinary” and “copy nothing”.

But it has created a series of reactions online from ridicule to confusion, because there is no hint of any cars.

screengrabs from jaguar advert https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLtFIrqhfng
Image:
Jaguar’s latest advert has left some people confused

screengrabs from jaguar advert https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLtFIrqhfng
Image:
Jaguar says the advert represents a ‘complete reset’ for the brand

Tesla boss Elon Musk tweeted a response to Jaguar’s advert posted on X by asking: “Do you sell cars?”

It prompted the reply: “Yes. We’d love to show you” followed by an invite to a promotional event. But others on X continued to question the advert and what it represented.

“Umm where are the cars in this ad?” one user posted, while a second wrote: “I thought you guys made cars?”

screengrabs from jaguar advert https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLtFIrqhfng
Image:
Bold, bright colours feature in the commercial – but not everyone is impressed

There was also confusion from another person who asked: “What are you trying to sell me?”

Jaguar teased that: “All will be revealed… Think of this [advert] as a declaration of intent. We’re shifting gears, not our purpose. Stay tuned.”

In a news release to accompany the advert, the carmaker described it as part of a “completely transformed Jaguar brand” and “a new era” which makes “it relevant for a contemporary audience”.

“This is a complete reset,” said managing director Rawdon Glover. “To bring back such a globally renowned brand we had to be fearless.”

In the lead-up to the campaign, Jaguar announced it was discontinuing five models with “close to zero profitability”.

It has developed three new ultra-luxury electric vehicles, one of which is set to be unveiled at Miami’s Art Basel event next month.

Continue Reading

Sports

Vogt awarded top AL manager in first year on job

Published

on

By

Vogt awarded top AL manager in first year on job

The Cleveland GuardiansStephen Vogt was named American League Manager of the Year on Tuesday after winning the AL Central in his first season on the job.

The 40-year-old Vogt, who had never managed before this year, steered Cleveland to a 92-69 record. The Guardians made it to the AL Championship Series before losing to the New York Yankees.

He is the third AL manager to win the award, given out since 1983, in his rookie season managing.

Despite injuries to starters Shane Bieber and Triston McKenzie that left the Guardians short-handed for most of the season, Vogt managed Cleveland’s bullpen brilliantly, with its 2.57 ERA more than half a run better than the next-best team. The Guardians improved by 16 games over the previous season and won Vogt’s first playoff series against Detroit until the Yankees dismissed them in five games.

Over his 10-year playing career, Vogt played for six teams and was twice an All-Star. He took over in Cleveland for the retiring Terry Francona — himself a three-time Manager of the Year — after spending a season as the Seattle Mariners‘ bullpen coach.

Vogt received 27 of 30 first-place votes and finished ahead of two other AL Central managers, Kansas City‘s Matt Quatraro (two first-place votes) and Detroit’s A.J. Hinch (one).

Continue Reading

Sports

Mets acquire OF Siri from Rays for reliever Orze

Published

on

By

Mets acquire OF Siri from Rays for reliever Orze

The New York Mets landed veteran outfielder Jose Siri in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays, the team announced Tuesday. In return, the Mets surrendered reliever Eric Orze.

Siri, 29, was tied for the lead among all center fielders in defensive runs saved last season but he struggled offensively, batting .187 with 18 homers, 14 stolen bases and an adjusted OPS+ of 76.

He’ll be eligible for arbitration for the first time this winter, meaning he’s likely to get a minor bump over his 2024 salary of $757,800.

Siri had a meandering path to the big leagues, bouncing through five organizations before making his debut with the Astros in September 2021. He has been known for playing with a demonstrative flair that can sometimes bug opponents.

Early in this offseason, some industry sources said they expected the Rays to move on from Siri, who had a staggering 170 strikeouts and just 31 walks in 448 plate appearances last season.

Harrison Bader, who was the Mets’ primary center fielder last season, became a free agent again. Tyrone Taylor played well in 44 games at the position, though he just had hernia and elbow surgery, procedures from which the Mets expect him to recover by the start of spring training.

But Siri gives the Mets some coverage at the spot no matter how the rest of the offseason plays out.

A contingent representing the Mets’ organization, including owner Steve Cohen and head of baseball operations David Stearns, traveled to California in recent days to meet with slugger Juan Soto. But that negotiation could continue for another week or more, with Soto and agent Scott Boras taking information and offers from the Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays and other teams.

Orze, 27, pitched in two games for the Mets last season, allowing four runs in 1⅔ innings in his first-ever major league outings. He was a fifth-round pick of the Mets in the 2020 draft.

Continue Reading

Trending