More evidence that grape juice may have some of the same beneficial effects on your heart as red wine (the good news on that’s been in for some time now). Both can reduce inflammation and raise levels of good HDL cholesterol, according a small study reported in a recent issue of Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. Superoxide, one indicator of inflammation, was lower in subjects after they’d drunk grape juice for a couple of weeks; and now there’s a new one: CD40 ligand. Ligand is a word scientists use loosely to describe a molecule that binds to a receptor (though it’s apparently somewhat arbitrary as to which they decide to call the ligand and which the receptor). Anyway, CD40 ligand, described in this WebMD article as “an emerging indicator of heart disease,” was also lower in the grape-juice-slugging folks.

And I love this one. An author berates a New York Times writer for stating inaccuracies about the effectiveness of adult stem cells. In a very user-friendly style, Michael Fumento describes the “miraculous” healings that are taking place on a regular basis using adult–that is, not politically loaded embryonic–stem cells. The article on the Heartland Institute site explains how stem cells–even those taken from fat, for heaven’s sake–can be used to heal wounds and improve functioning in muscle, veins and arteries in the heart and in other areas of the body. He says the technology is sufficiently advanced that when his bypass goes bad in a few years Clinton won’t have to undergo another open-heart surgery–a process the article outlines with gruesome clarity and describes as “positively medieval” compared to inserting stem cells via a catheter.

This is incredibly encouraging and exciting news.