By producing some of the highest resolution images of peptides attaching to mineral surfaces, scientists have a deeper understanding of how biomolecules manipulate the growth of crystals. This research may lead to a new treatment for kidney stones using biomolecules.

When kidney stones become stuck in the urinary tract, the pain can be excruciating and debilitating.
A relatively new ultrasound probe procedure has the highest success rate for breaking down kidney stones in the lower “funnel” area of the kidney, rather than the shock wave treatment used for many years, according to a review of studies.

Most Americans consume too much salt, contributing to the risk of heart disease and stroke, reports the September issue of Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource.
“Many people probably are aware that too much sodium can cause or aggravate hypertension, a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke,” says Gary Schwartz, M.D., a Mayo Clinic hypertension specialist. [...]

The most popular type of gastric bypass surgery appears to nearly double the chance that a patient will develop kidney stones, despite earlier assumptions that it would not, Johns Hopkins doctors report in a new study. The overall risk, however, remains fairly small at about 8 percent.

Patients with stone disease could benefit from drinking diet soda. New research from the University of California, San Francisco suggests that the citrate and malate content in commonly consumed sodas may be sufficient to inhibit the development of calcium stones. The study was presented at the 104th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Urological Association [...]