Medical news & information, drug approvals & FDA & NIH medical research news. Information on prescribing drugs, patient education, infectious diseases, the pharmaceutical industry & biomedical news http://www.vidyya.com http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Fri, 9 May 2008 10:24:44 -0500 Sun, 6 Apr 2008 11:40:36 -0500 FeedForAll v2.0 (2.0.2.9) http://www.feedforall.com At the recent American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting in San Diego, two new studies were presented that shed additional light on the alcohol-breast cancer connection, including one study that linked alcohol consumption with a significantly increased risk of the most common type of breast cancer. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i127_1.htm D17E0925-3EB1-45CC-B5D1-ABC47B29B6C5 Fri, 9 May 2008 10:22:44 -0500 As controversy swirls about proper clinical use of opioids and other potent pain medications, research reported at the American Pain Society annual meeting shows that, contrary to widespread beliefs, less than 3 percent of patients with no history of drug abuse who are prescribed opioids for chronic pain will show signs of possible drug abuse or dependence. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i127_2.htm D62D7533-746B-441E-8B11-EB82FB3C942A Fri, 9 May 2008 10:22:28 -0500 A common, incurable joint disease, osteoarthritis (OA) is the leading cause of disability in elderly people. While nearly any joint can be affected, OA most often strikes the knee, particularly the inner aspect of the tibiofemoral joint. One source of stress on this vulnerable joint compartment is the knee adduction moment, an indication of weight placement while walking. A 20 percent increase in the peak knee adduction moment is associated with a 6-fold or greater increase in the risk of knee OA progression over 6 years. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i127_3.htm 4E427DC7-9516-4417-9ACA-3D80EB9F6153 Fri, 9 May 2008 10:22:09 -0500 When most people discover mold on their bread, they immediately throw it out. Others see a world of possibilities in the tiny fungus. A University of Missouri scientist, along with a collaborative research team, has examined a new mechanism in the reproductive cycle of a certain species of mold. This mechanism protects the organism from genetic abnormalities by “silencing” unmatched genes during meiosis (sexual reproduction). The finding could have implications for higher organisms and may lead to precise “targeting” of unwanted genes, such as those from the HIV virus. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i127_4.htm BCBEF1C6-8D4C-443D-BC3B-BBE7A24E403B Fri, 9 May 2008 10:21:50 -0500 Despite widespread use of cholesterol-lowering drugs, a significant number of cardiac patients continue to suffer heart attacks and stroke. Researchers theorize that high levels of an enzyme found in coronary plaques may be to blame, by making plaques more likely to rupture and block blood flow. The drug darapladib may offer a way to fight that risk, according to new research led by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i127_5.htm 8461066B-E177-4354-BF2D-BF396606969B Fri, 9 May 2008 10:21:29 -0500 Wouldn’t it be nice if our doctors could predict accurately whether we would respond to a particular medication" This question is important because research studies provide information about how groups of patients tend to respond to treatments, but inevitably, differences among groups of patients with the same diagnosis mean that findings about groups of patients may not apply to individuals from those groups. “Personalized medicine” is the effort to match particular treatments to particular patients on the basis of genetic information or other biological markers. In a new article published in Biological Psychiatry on May 1st, researchers report their findings on the potential use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to match treatments for patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i127_6.htm BF8280FB-5582-4C51-8EFE-F9B295E70456 Fri, 9 May 2008 10:21:10 -0500 Color Doppler ultrasound, not CT, should be the first imaging examination for adult patients with suspected acute appendicitis, a new study emphasizes. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i127_7.htm 8ED1C273-3B51-4A1E-8B39-BA27FFE30543 Fri, 9 May 2008 10:20:35 -0500 An international study has found that urine can offer an in-depth snapshot of what’s going on inside a person’s body. The results revealed differences between populations and uncovered relationships between several urine components and blood pressure. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i126_1.htm B801DA50-C690-4CDD-BA85-C1D78E82B0FC Wed, 7 May 2008 10:19:25 -0500 Major mental disorders cost the nation at least $193 billion annually in lost earnings alone, according to a new study funded by the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). The study was published in the May 2008 issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i126_2.htm 162A7DD4-7B9C-4EEF-B6E9-B38301D6A4E3 Wed, 7 May 2008 10:19:02 -0500 Scientists at UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara and MIT have developed nanometer-sized “nanoworms” that can cruise through the bloodstream without significant interference from the body’s immune defense system and—like tiny anti-cancer missiles—home in on tumors. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i126_3.htm E71EA1C6-4C3E-4ADD-BD47-B126652B4B2F Wed, 7 May 2008 10:18:45 -0500 Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an incurable disease that is increasing in prevalence and will increase even more rapidly as the Baby Boom generation enters the age of highest risk. The available AD drugs are only partially effective in some patients. New strategies are urgently needed. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i126_4.htm BC5F047F-AEAD-4B17-A765-841795818E5D Wed, 7 May 2008 10:18:29 -0500 More and more U.S. college students are smoking tobacco using waterpipes – or hookahs – and it's becoming a growing public health issue, according to a new study led by a Virginia Commonwealth University researcher. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i126_5.htm 4B1EEF29-8B12-4A21-AF12-CB0FFC31A56A Wed, 7 May 2008 10:18:12 -0500 An outbreak of the insidious ´screw worm´ fly in Yemen, is threatening livelihoods, in a country where rearing livestock is a traditional way of life. In recent weeks, a Ministerial delegation was at the IAEA in Vienna, Austria, to turn to the international community for emergency assistance to fight the deadly pest. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i126_6.htm F232C064-036F-4A86-9F7E-2F4911100617 Wed, 7 May 2008 10:17:55 -0500 Being obese can increase the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease by as much as 80 per cent, according to a study in the May issue of Obesity Reviews. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i126_7.htm F69C68B6-DE9C-49AA-802C-B37B4171347E Wed, 7 May 2008 10:07:10 -0500 A new study by Rhode Island Hospital and Brown University researchers reports that fewer than half the patients previously diagnosed with bipolar disorder received a diagnosis of bipolar disorder based on a comprehensive, psychiatric diagnostic interview--the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID). http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i125_1.htm 7BD037CF-24D3-453B-AF3D-B4D9FAF8020D Tue, 6 May 2008 12:14:08 -0500 After launching a communications revolution, cell phones are talking up a potentially life-saving new role in telemedicine — the use of telecommunications technology to provide medical diagnosis and patient care when doctors and patients are hundreds or thousands of miles apart. Researchers in the United States and Brazil describe development of a simple, inexpensive telemedicine system that uses ordinary cell phone cameras to collect medical data from patients and transmit the data to experts located offsite for analysis and diagnosis. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i125_2.htm E877DEE6-CBC0-4438-98D8-ED082EA62D55 Tue, 6 May 2008 12:13:43 -0500 Scientists at the Center for Translational Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia have found that a protein that appears to have protective and perhaps healing effects for failing hearts also plays a similar role in high blood pressure. They found lower-than-normal levels of the protein S100A1 in cells that line blood vessel walls in animals with high blood pressure. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i125_3.htm BAC2A63E-ABAD-4254-AC66-5486062A4B40 Tue, 6 May 2008 12:13:21 -0500 Breast cancer patients who have a prior history of mood and anxiety disorders are at a much higher risk of experiencing posttraumatic stress disorder following their diagnosis, new research suggests. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i125_4.htm D48CB705-F454-4DE0-89A2-BB666E6586B8 Tue, 6 May 2008 12:12:33 -0500 Two studies that offer new insights to help adolescents and younger children improve their asthma control will be presented by researchers from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center at this year’s annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Society (PAS) in Honolulu, Hawaii. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i125_5.htm C9DB9C71-045D-4B6B-9DB1-2E4ADAE6E596 Tue, 6 May 2008 12:12:23 -0500 The search for genes associated with alcohol dependence (AD) has recently been extended to the tachykinin receptor 3 gene (TACR3), located within a broad region on chromosome 4q. Researchers have found that seven of the nine single nucleotide polymorphisms – DNA sequence variations – in the 3’ region of TACR3 have a significant association with AD as well as cocaine dependence. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i125_6.htm C22FB600-BE80-439F-8F10-25004412A5D5 Tue, 6 May 2008 12:11:47 -0500 Researchers have discovered how a mole develops into melanoma by showing the interaction of two key proteins involved in 60-70 percent of tumors. The Penn State scientists also demonstrate that therapeutic targeting of these proteins is necessary for drugs to effectively treat this deadly form of cancer. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i125_7.htm B76848EE-E2C2-4898-90C7-9AB6417C9472 Tue, 6 May 2008 12:11:33 -0500 The best available treatment for chronic kidney disease from high blood pressure did not keep the disease from substantially worsening in about a fourth of African-Americans studied, according to long-term results of a National Institutes of Health study published April 28, 2008, in the Archives of Internal Medicine. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i124_1.htm D9BE7479-42BC-406F-8CCE-E26A93F04F99 Mon, 5 May 2008 12:09:55 -0500 A research on the bone health of one of the oldest persons in the world, who recently died at the age of 114, reveals that there were no genetic modifications which could have contributed to this longevity. The research team, directed by Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona professor Adolfo Díez Pérez, pointed out a healthy lifestyle, a Mediterranean diet, a temperate climate and regular physical activity as the reasons for his excellent health. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i124_2.htm 2B711435-17CE-4CC6-8748-F27117EE70EC Mon, 5 May 2008 12:09:35 -0500 Parents of children with autism were roughly twice as likely to have been hospitalized for a mental disorder, such as schizophrenia, than parents of other children, according to an analysis of Swedish birth and hospital records by a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researcher and colleagues in the U.S. and Europe. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i124_3.htm 2F158125-7B0B-4B28-B1D1-F7DCB69C1422 Mon, 5 May 2008 12:09:20 -0500 A gene sequence linked to an expanding waist line, weight gain and a tendency to develop type 2 diabetes has been discovered as part of a study published today in the journal Nature Genetics. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i124_4.htm B8B29FED-C162-4225-88AB-54CBD031A0F5 Mon, 5 May 2008 12:09:04 -0500 Researchers in Maine report a new explanation for the mysterious link between consumption of cows’ milk protein in infant formula early in life and an increased risk of later developing Type-1 diabetes. A protein in cow’s milk that triggers an unusual immune response appears to be the main culprit, they say. The study is scheduled for the 6 June issue of ACS’ monthly Journal of Proteome Research. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i124_5.htm C3264B6E-9CFF-4546-B5F7-E341D53B64E9 Mon, 5 May 2008 12:08:46 -0500 A specially coated metal tube, no larger than a cigarette, could be the key to developing an artificial pancreas to help millions of people with diabetes avoid insulin injections, according to an article scheduled for the May 5 issue of Chemical & Engineering News, ACS’ weekly newsmagazine. The so-called “bioartificial pancreas” also could help keep blood sugar closer to normal levels, and perhaps reduce the risk of diabetic complications, which include blindness, kidney failure, and premature death, the article suggests. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i124_6.htm FE643161-C268-47B5-A4E4-7F8FAE4A03C2 Mon, 5 May 2008 12:08:29 -0500 A person with dilated cardiomyopathy has an enlarged and stretched heart cavity, usually too weak to pump normally; most people will go on to develop heart failure. While clinicians know that up to 36 percent of all cases of dilated cardiomyopathy may be due to excessive drinking, it has been difficult to differentiate between alcohol-induced heart failure and heart failure due to idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. A first-of-its-kind study has found a way to both diagnose alcohol-induced heart failure and possibly reverse it through therapeutic interventions. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i124_7.htm 9BB4FB76-F053-413B-80A4-A581A1A8DBDD Mon, 5 May 2008 12:07:41 -0500 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Amitiza (lubiprostone) for the treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation (IBS-C) in adult women aged 18 and over. There is currently no prescription drug therapy for IBS-C. With this approval, Amitiza becomes the only FDA-approved medical treatment for IBS-C available in the United States. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i122_1.htm F986EE4E-B4D6-4438-A9F2-301D7823839E Fri, 2 May 2008 10:17:44 -0500 Human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) — highly specific, identical, infection-fighting proteins produced in large quantities in the lab in cell lines that are derived from a single antibody-producing cell — against influenza can be rapidly produced in the lab, according to a new report from scientists supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Using cells drawn from volunteers inoculated with seasonal influenza vaccine, the investigators made influenza-specific mAbs in just a few weeks rather than the typical two to three months. The new technique could potentially be used to rapidly create mAbs for a range of uses, the team says. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i122_2.htm D3F03829-833C-4020-82AF-672B5D703D52 Fri, 2 May 2008 10:17:26 -0500 A new, interactive video training program from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), demonstrates quick and effective strategies for screening patients for heavy drinking and helping them to cut down or quit. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i122_3.htm E5B3CAD1-EE18-4658-A51F-61A877187A00 Fri, 2 May 2008 10:17:14 -0500 By activating a cancer suppressor gene, a small molecule called nutlin-3a can block cancer cell division, according to researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health. This activation of the p53 gene leads to cellular senescence, a process by which cells lose their ability to grow and divide. An opportunity for new genetic mutations occurs each time a cell divides, so limiting the number of cell divisions in a cancer cell inhibits tumor progression. This study is published in the May 1, 2008, issue of Cancer Research. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i122_4.htm 9FD09AFB-47BD-40EC-8E54-BF8AEE56D0C3 Fri, 2 May 2008 10:17:00 -0500 Many women under age 55 aren’t seeking timely treatment for heart attack because they expect the warning signs and their reaction to follow a Hollywood script — tightening in the chest, shortness of breath, clutching the chest while dropping to one knee. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i122_5.htm BAE4E133-BD4E-4355-B793-91137D618BEA Fri, 2 May 2008 10:16:43 -0500 In a today’s issue of The Lancet, international health experts call for urgent action from international development banks and pharmaceutical companies to stem the epidemic of blood pressure-related diseases affecting developing countries worldwide. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i122_6.htm 4C1402BB-8AA1-4D58-B53D-ECF9E84E5917 Fri, 2 May 2008 10:16:28 -0500 Researchers at Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA have found that low-dose antidepressant therapy can significantly improve the overall quality of life for adolescents suffering from irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i122_7.htm 1A8ED9E0-C21C-4E6B-B7AB-B3E67CE04EBE Fri, 2 May 2008 10:15:58 -0500 It’s an unpleasant part of childhood you can never really leave behind. Even when chickenpox is gone, the virus that causes it stays with you for life, hidden and inactive in your nerve cells. As you get older, the virus may make a second, unwelcome appearance and cause a painful disease called shingles. The second time around can be far more complicated and miserable than the first. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i121_1.htm D0379C5D-1D08-4EDE-B7AC-A42849641FE6 Thu, 1 May 2008 09:04:41 -0500 Age at menopause may now be predicted more realistically according to a new study accepted for publication in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM). The study revealed that anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels are related to the onset of menopause and are able to specify a woman’s reproductive age more accurately than chronological age alone. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i121_2.htm 1737F969-5B7D-4E0A-92A5-FEBE987FCEE6 Thu, 1 May 2008 09:04:26 -0500 Researchers at the University of Sheffield have developed innovative technology which illuminates a person´s lungs and helps clinicians identify if they are functioning correctly. The new technology could result in earlier diagnosis of emphysema and smoking related damage, as well as other lung conditions and diseases. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i121_3.htm 8BDB7742-BA80-4247-BC33-6E90B001C469 Thu, 1 May 2008 09:04:12 -0500 Not a day goes by without a new story about the environment. Although we often consider the environment on a global scale, cells in our body also have to contend with environmental factors. New studies from a team of researchers from the Research Institute of the MUHC and McGill University show that the environment surrounding breast cancer cells plays a crucial role in determining whether tumor cells grow and migrate or whether they fade away. Their study is the first to identify the genes behind this environmental control and correlate them with patient outcome. Their findings are published in this week’s issue of Nature Medicine. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i121_4.htm 3A3DBC18-1457-44B7-A0F8-1205A1355735 Thu, 1 May 2008 09:03:49 -0500 A study published in the May 1 issue of the journal SLEEP is the first attempt to quantify the strength of the cross-sectional relationships between duration of sleep and obesity in both children and adults. Cross-sectional studies from around the world show a consistent increased risk of obesity among short sleepers in children and adults, the study found. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i121_5.htm A39638F2-ED51-4CCB-9A79-6E61F5F4C65C Thu, 1 May 2008 09:03:34 -0500 A new analysis of the Women’s Health Study (WHS) found that women who took Vitamin E supplements had rates of cataract development comparable to women who did not take such supplements. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i121_6.htm 649A7E05-75EE-4624-95C9-3A5ED8E134FE Thu, 1 May 2008 09:03:16 -0500 New evidence is emerging that low cerebrospinal fluid pressure may be a significant contributor to optic nerve damage in glaucoma, the complex eye disorder that affects more than 2.2 million Americans over age 40. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i121_7.htm 83D913F5-6D19-422F-86D7-D7681203516E Thu, 1 May 2008 09:03:03 -0500 Influenza virus strains that cause seasonal flu in temperate climates may emerge anew from tropical regions each year, according to a new study. Understanding how flu viruses evolve and spread is essential for making more effective future flu vaccines. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i120_1.htm B5E242F4-3CAF-467D-8668-309955DCAC43 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:38:00 -0500 Tiny marks on the teeth of an ancient human ancestor known as the "Nutcracker Man" may upset current evolutionary understanding of early hominid diet. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i120_2.htm 3E0E13C1-6770-4464-8889-73D6A345363D Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:37:44 -0500 Too much of a good thing could be harmful to the environment. For years, scientists have known about silver’s ability to kill harmful bacteria and, recently, have used this knowledge to create consumer products containing silver nanoparticles. Now, a University of Missouri researcher has found that silver nanoparticles also may destroy benign bacteria that are used to remove ammonia from wastewater treatment systems. The study was funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i120_3.htm 4EB4FA47-CBCE-41B5-9690-743F0334D68B Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:37:30 -0500 A new study may end the century-old controversy over what ingredient in absinthe caused the exotic green aperitif’s supposed mind-altering effects and toxic side-effects when consumed to excess. In the most comprehensive analysis of old bottles of original absinthe — once quaffed by the likes of van Gogh, Degas, Toulouse-Lautrec and Picasso to enhance their creativity — a team of scientists from Europe and the United States have concluded the culprit was plain and simple: http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i120_4.htm 8C845A2B-1301-4D5F-8557-C25F6E8095D9 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:37:15 -0500 A group of University of Southern California School of Dentistry researchers says it has identified the slimy culprits killing the jawbones of some people taking drugs that treat osteoporosis. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i120_5.htm 9D8A1795-403A-4B11-8E0B-6F470AE0989D Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:37:02 -0500 The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said earlier that a chemical contaminant had been found in some batches of the drug heparin. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i120_6.htm 5B71C0E7-5873-4581-9899-A883F26BF5B0 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:36:43 -0500 An outbreak of a lethal intestinal virus that started in March in east China's Anhui Province had befallen 1,884 children and killed 20 by Tuesday noon, an official said here on Wednesday. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i120_7.htm 1D6F33B7-DDEF-4DAA-9D57-79EEFA7E5475 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:36:31 -0500 Scientists have identified brain regions that react to changes in how people perceive their social ranking. The findings could have implications for understanding how health and behavior are affected by social status. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i119_1.htm 800DEA60-5A4A-4D99-AEF9-8DEA523C0363 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 09:11:07 -0500 Aspirin-like compounds (salicylates) can claim another health benefit: increasing the amount of insulin produced by otherwise healthy obese people. Obesity is associated with insulin resistance, the first step toward type 2 diabetes. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i119_2.htm 0676FC57-34E3-437A-982C-7C98BD066665 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 09:10:55 -0500 A gene that can cause the heart to become enlarged, greatly increasing the risk of heart attacks and heart failure, is identified today in a new study. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i119_3.htm 74A3F7EF-61D9-4FBC-854C-B1AE09EE8111 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 09:10:42 -0500 A novel cell therapy using retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells attached to tiny gelatin bead microcarriers implanted in the brain can improve the symptoms of patients with moderate to advanced Parkinson’s disease (PD). http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i119_4.htm E9361020-ECD1-4BF5-AA60-BA70BD8AD662 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 09:10:28 -0500 Women who have used Fosamax are nearly twice as likely to develop the most common kind of chronically irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation) than are those who have never used it, according to research from Group Health and the University of Washington published in the April 28 Archives of Internal Medicine. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i119_5.htm 1A290550-2E05-47AF-BFBE-5D501FE70077 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 09:10:14 -0500 Postmenopausal women taking hormone therapy appear to have an increased risk of stroke regardless of when they started treatment, according to a report in the April 28 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i119_6.htm 9EBCA096-4911-4348-BB75-4FC9369946E3 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 09:10:01 -0500 A widely used class of diabetes medications appears to be associated with an increased risk for fractures, according to a report in the April 28 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i119_7.htm 63285B56-A68C-45EB-9C93-24344A804BE0 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 09:09:34 -0500 Scientists have identified rare variations in 3 genes that can protect against hypertension and its consequences, such as stroke, kidney disease and heart failure ttp://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i118_1.htm E6FF3CA0-2CDC-4327-B5D1-CFC6A1C9A539 Sun, 27 Apr 2008 21:09:27 -0500 Advance directives, or living wills, may not effectively honor end-of-life wishes because life-sustaining treatment preferences often change over time without people being aware of the changes, according to a new study co-authored by UC Irvine researchers Peter Ditto and Elizabeth Loftus. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i118_2.htm 40DE7E94-E615-40B5-B1B3-553F0A1E8D22 Sun, 27 Apr 2008 21:09:09 -0500 In studies of human brain cells, the widely-used anesthetic desflurane does not contribute to increased production of amyloid-beta protein; however, when combined with low oxygen conditions, it can produce more of this Alzheimer’s associated protein. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i118_3.htm A73E7C5E-A581-487B-BBC9-30E064DF2305 Sun, 27 Apr 2008 21:08:53 -0500 Doctors are aware of a range of risk factors, mostly related to the patients’ family history, overweight, and lifestyle, that contribute to the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Now researchers at the University of Warwick have found markers that indicate endothelial dysfunction (changes in the cells which line the blood vessels) and sub-clinical systemic inflammation can also help identify a far greater number of people http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i118_4.htm 46126B2F-D791-4831-AAE8-E7CEE86C8DBE Sun, 27 Apr 2008 21:08:35 -0500 The mysterious death of patients around the world following a routine dosage of the common blood thinner, heparin, sent researchers on a frantic search to uncover what could make the standard drug so toxic. A researcher at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute was among a small group of scientists with the expertise and the high-tech equipment necessary to determine the source of the contamination. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i118_5.htm 1E4EC2C4-A6E3-4ECD-8003-331A156FF853 Sun, 27 Apr 2008 21:08:20 -0500 Researchers have mapped out a region on human chromosome 1 that contributes to genetically elevated blood triglyceride levels, a major risk factor for heart disease. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i118_7.htm 35AB7A58-5103-4B3B-9289-87A2275A0A43 Sun, 27 Apr 2008 21:07:56 -0500 Researchers have identified several factors that influence an extremely low birth weight infant's chances for survival and disability. The findings will help physicians and families to choose the most appropriate treatments. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i117_1.htm D192AB74-D540-4FE9-BA7E-FA69A0F1DF9D Sun, 27 Apr 2008 11:59:25 -0500 This learner-led or instructor-led continuing education (CE) module enables nurses to receive CE credits by completing a module about reducing the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The module is approved for 1.1 hours of CE credit from the Maryland Nurses Association http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i117_2.htm 7C52C67A-45C2-499E-B93A-9C11D1E9A15A Sun, 27 Apr 2008 11:58:59 -0500 This fact sheet, part of the Milk Matters calcium education campaign, describes lactose intolerance to health care providers and outlines strategies for getting enough calcium despite the condition. This is a large pdf, so please be patient while downloading it. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i117_3.htm 547E669D-E371-4A61-AED8-06758D63F9A8 Sun, 27 Apr 2008 11:58:45 -0500 This teacher's guide summarizes the findings of the National Reading Panel and suggests how to use these findings to teach reading in the classroom. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i117_4.htm 6FC60E17-FB8C-4205-9537-7C4C1890B0B8 Sun, 27 Apr 2008 11:58:32 -0500 Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical produced in large quantities for use primarily in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins (Figure 1). It exists at room temperature as a white solid and has a mild “phenolic” or hospital odor. Polycarbonate plastics have many applications including use in certain food and drink packaging, e.g., water and infant bottles, compact discs, impact-resistant safety equipment, and medical devices. Polycarbonate plastics are typically clear and hard and marked with the recycle symbol “7” or may contain the letters "PC" near the recycle symbol. Polycarbonate plastic can also be blended with other materials to create molded parts for use in mobile phone housings, household items, and automobiles. Epoxy resins are used as lacquers to coat metal products such as food cans, bottle tops, and water supply pipes. Some polymers used in dental sealants or composites contain bisphenol A-derived materials. In 2004, the estimated production of bisphenol A in the United States was approximately 2.3 billion pounds, most of which was used in polycarbonate plastics and resins. Read and comment on the report through today's issue of Vidyya. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i117_5.htm 48E24A85-ADE4-49CF-BEFC-40C8B43878F1 Sun, 27 Apr 2008 11:58:10 -0500 By restoring two small molecules that are often lost in chronic leukemia, researchers were able to block tumor growth in an animal model. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i117_6.htm EB452777-EB9D-40E8-AAF9-0AD407E78C13 Sun, 27 Apr 2008 11:57:51 -0500 Using 3-D ultrasound technology they designed, Duke University bioengineers can compensate for the thickness and unevenness of the skull to see in real-time the arteries within the brain that most often clog up and cause strokes. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i117_7.htm 72444C19-ECE2-4F78-88FC-CFE941749F62 Sun, 27 Apr 2008 11:57:28 -0500 Synchronized pulsing of heart muscle cells allows the heart to pump blood through the body. A new study has identified a protein that helps organize the structures that produce the contractions in these cells. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i116_1.htm 1C7FC572-FFA4-46D9-8570-49CE5A889F41 Sat, 26 Apr 2008 11:10:54 -0500 Cardiomyopathy (KAR-de-o-mi-OP-a-the) refers to diseases of the heart muscle. These diseases have a variety of causes, symptoms, and treatments. In cardiomyopathy, the heart muscle becomes enlarged or abnormally thick or rigid. In rare cases, the muscle tissue in the heart is replaced with scar tissue. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i116_2.htm C48C3DDC-2223-4406-BFAD-76EA83A079F2 Sun, 27 Apr 2008 11:10:27 -0500 In its Annual Forum the Managed Care Executive Group (MCEG) met to discuss a variety of topics and technologies in support of the President's Four Cornerstones, which focuses on value-driven healthcare. During these sessions, the MCEG members determined the 2008 Top 10 issues impacting the managed care industry and noted a significant shift towards priorities that give members the necessary tools and support to manage their healthcare needs. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i116_3.htm 15B94F65-6875-4A9A-ABF5-1F2C83E0533E Sun, 27 Apr 2008 11:10:07 -0500 Pharmaceutical giant Roche has announced that new data from three studies indicate that chronic hepatitis C patients who received PEGASYS(R) (peginterferon alfa-2a) plus COPEGUS(R) (ribavirin) had a greater chance of being cured of their disease than those who received combination therapy with another pegylated interferon and ribavirin. Results from the studies were presented this week at the 43rd Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) in Milan, Italy. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i116_4.htm 389CD36A-A7C5-41E1-A814-A72453C568BC Sat, 26 Apr 2008 11:09:30 -0500 Osteotech, Inc. a company known for its biologic solutions for regenerative medicine, announced earlier this week that the United States Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") has cleared its 510(k) submission for the Plexur P(TM) Biocomposite for use in spinal applications as a bone void filler and as a bone graft extender. Previously, Osteotech received FDA clearance for Plexur P(TM) for use in filling bony voids of the pelvis and extremities. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i116_5.htm 273DCD14-A449-418E-AAA2-818124DD58B3 Sun, 27 Apr 2008 11:09:03 -0500 They may be called bed bugs but they do not just live in beds. They can make their home anywhere that their human food source is stationary for any length of time and in virtually any surface or material. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i116_6.htm DB0CBE86-2D04-4867-BE64-0CCBE2137A1C Sat, 26 Apr 2008 11:08:33 -0500 Medicaid beneficiaries and families searching for top quality long-term care services can find critical new information added today to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Web site “Nursing Home Compare.” http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i116_7.htm 0E778A08-BA59-4C46-A71C-C57AAC19AEEF Sat, 26 Apr 2008 11:08:10 -0500 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration this week issued a final regulation barring certain cattle materials from all animal feed, including pet food. The final rule further protects animals and consumers against bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, also known as "mad cow disease"). http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i115_1.htm 2BC7E187-C669-4FF6-A01D-58823FDE5732 Fri, 25 Apr 2008 09:29:23 -0500 When millions of HIV-infected people in poor countries began receiving advanced drug therapies, critics worried that patient care would suffer because few high-tech laboratories were available to guide treatments. But according to a study being published today in The Lancet, these concerns are as yet unfounded. In fact, the study indicates that when clinicians use simple physical signs of deteriorating health -- such as weight loss or fever -- these doctors can provide therapies almost as effective as those relying on the most advanced laboratory analysis. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i115_3.htm 56F7A0D9-87F6-4C35-BBBA-A0378BBDD3C6 Fri, 25 Apr 2008 09:29:07 -0500 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Relistor (methylnaltrexone bromide) to help restore bowel function in patients with late-stage, advanced illness who are receiving opioids on a continuous basis to help alleviate their pain. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i115_2.htm B2FEE6AE-8BAC-459F-A26D-51F913745CA2 Fri, 25 Apr 2008 09:28:33 -0500 Malaria continues to haunt 40% of the world's population. It infects more than 500 million people per year and kills more than 1 million. The burden of malaria is heaviest in sub-Saharan Africa but the disease also afflicts Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and even parts of Europe. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i115_4.htm 16F7C916-4C62-4544-84D6-EEEC9C2618CB Fri, 25 Apr 2008 09:28:13 -0500 Malaria is a disease which can be transmitted to people of all ages. It is caused by parasites of the species Plasmodium that are spread from person to person through the bites of infected mosquitoes. The common first symptoms – fever, headache, chills, and vomiting – appear 10 to 15 days after a person is infected. If not treated promptly with effective medicines, malaria can cause severe illness that is often fatal. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i115_5.htm F65CE3BC-FC07-4BAC-ADB1-E23B0C0FA240 Fri, 25 Apr 2008 09:27:57 -0500 Parents of children with autism are increasingly turning to sensory integration treatment to help their children deal with the disorder, and they’re seeing good results. In 2007, 71 percent of parents who pursued alternatives to traditional treatment used sensory integration methods, and 91 percent found these methods helpful. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i115_6.htm 4D222A9B-9084-4B1C-881E-367E8785BEEB Fri, 25 Apr 2008 09:27:40 -0500 Papers presented at the 1st European Lung Cancer Conference, jointly organized by the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) and the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) in Geneva, Switzerland highlight emerging evidence that common viruses may contribute to the development of lung cancer. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i115_7.htm 6EEA244E-6338-4DF5-A863-ABEFDE5A5F2F Fri, 25 Apr 2008 09:29:51 -0500 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared for marketing the first device made from a new form of natural rubber latex, guayule latex. The product, the Yulex Patient Examination Glove, is derived from the guayule bush, a desert plant native to the Southwestern United States. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i114_1.htm 357F8489-0269-4EE1-96C5-D08F076BEC63 Thu, 24 Apr 2008 10:38:13 -0500 The risk of suffering depression increases 41% in smokers, in comparison with non-smokers. This was the conclusion of a study undertaken with 8,556 participants by scientists of the University of Navarra, in collaboration with the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and the Harvard School of Public Health (USA), and which demonstrates in a pioneering way the direct relationship between tobacco use and this disease. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i114_2.htm 22A319BC-684D-4AF4-B235-B775F4ED1873 Thu, 24 Apr 2008 10:37:56 -0500 The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) has discovered a new form of intellectual disability involving mental retardation (MR) along with the eye defect retinitis pigmentosa (RP). CAMH also discovered the previously unidentified gene that causes this disorder, CC2D2A. This scientific advance will help understand the developmental and biological processes involved in brain development, and may help identify ways to diagnose and treat intellectual disabilities. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i114_3.htm 4119D8EA-04C4-46F6-BE15-BAC694F769DD Thu, 24 Apr 2008 10:37:42 -0500 A mind is a terrible thing to waste, but humans may have even less to work with than previously thought. University of Missouri researchers found that the average person can keep just three or four things in their “working memory” or conscious mind at one time. This finding may lead to better ways to assess and help people with attention-deficit and focus difficulties, improve classroom performance and enhance test scores. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i114_5.htm 23E2ECE4-A6E5-4905-B31C-B5233E7ECFE0 Thu, 24 Apr 2008 10:37:17 -0500 Researchers from Korea have found that technically efficient screening and diagnostic colonoscopy generally requires experience with 150 cases or more. The study appears in the April issue of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, the monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE). http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i114_6.htm 66DFAC19-1012-41CE-8DF9-0A51F7A1A13C Thu, 24 Apr 2008 10:37:00 -0500 Human imaging studies have for the first time identified brain circuitry associated with social status, according to researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) of the National Institutes of Health. They found that different brain areas are activated when a person moves up or down in a pecking order — or simply views perceived social superiors or inferiors. Circuitry activated by important events responded to a potential change in hierarchical status as much as it did to winning money. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i114_7.htm EC28EDDB-05DA-4337-9B96-63D73D8BD3A5 Thu, 24 Apr 2008 10:36:27 -0500 A woman's diet around the time of conception may influence the gender of her baby, research suggests. The study suggests a high-calorie diet at this time - and regular breakfasts - might increase the odds of a boy. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i113_1.htm D4D40B23-EDBB-48F8-8C61-8ED2CDD3F4C7 Wed, 23 Apr 2008 11:27:33 -0500 In a study that points to a new strategy for preventing or possibly reversing fibrosis – the scarring that can lead to organ and tissue damage – researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have determined that a molecule called Epac (Exchange protein activated by cAMP1), plays a key role in integrating the body’s pro- and anti-fibrotic response. The research was published in the online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS) the week of April 21. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i113_2.htm D972359C-4E0F-479F-B6C9-7A28BCD9F64F Wed, 23 Apr 2008 11:27:20 -0500 Spreading rumors and gossiping may not cause bruises or black eyes, but the psychological consequences of this social type of bullying could linger into early adulthood, a new University of Florida study shows. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i113_3.htm 30BE99C6-96AE-4523-A97E-6E1D769E7290 Wed, 23 Apr 2008 11:27:05 -0500 A psychological trait called neurobehavioral disinhibition (ND), which consists of a measurable decrease in behavior control, modulation of emotion, and higher-level thought, may help identify boys at risk of habitual drug abuse after experimentation with an addictive substance, according to a study published in the December 2007 issue of Psychology of Addictive Behaviors. Investigators funded by NIDA evaluated 278 boys between the ages of 10 and 12 for the ND trait. The boys returned for a follow-up evaluation at age 16, and again at 19, when they were diagnosed with the presence or absence of substance use disorder (SUD) by a clinical committee. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i113_4.htm F8A06684-4A2F-4BF6-8CD7-750A94C744C3 Wed, 23 Apr 2008 11:26:51 -0500 Doctors are often reluctant to prescribe antidepressants for depression in adolescents with substance use disorders (SUD) due to the lack of research in this area. NIDA-funded investigators recently addressed this research gap with a 16-week controlled trial, in which 126 adolescents (ages 13–19) with major depression (MD) and SUD were randomly assigned to receive the antidepressant fluoxetine or placebo daily along with weekly cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for drug abuse. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i113_5.htm A078B3D1-DE64-4112-9AC3-D0ECA4583ECA Wed, 23 Apr 2008 11:26:37 -0500 Little things can have big effects. In the case of the receptors in the nervous system that bind nicotine and mediate its effects on the body, including heart rate and alertness, that little thing is a subunit—a piece of the receptor. A variety of different subunits can combine and form functional nicotine receptors in the body; however, different combinations of subunits can produce receptors that work quite differently. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i113_6.htm AA7AED6B-D7E9-43C2-AD23-61164F9F8E76 Wed, 23 Apr 2008 11:26:21 -0500 Previous studies have shown a link between chronic hepatitis C (HCV) infection and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, particularly among older, overweight individuals. However, these studies have not used sensitive screening tests or controlled for classic diabetes risk factors such as family history and sedentary lifestyle. Recently, a NIDA-funded research team conducted a study including these important variables to confirm the relationship between HCV, insulin resistance, and abnormal glucose tolerance, among older individuals with or at risk for HIV. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i113_7.htm DD8795FB-B104-45D3-AA45-CBD465103EA9 Wed, 23 Apr 2008 11:25:56 -0500 A new drug has been approved to help sufferers of Crohn's disease, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today. Cimzia (certolizumab pegol) received approval for adults with moderate to severe Crohn's disease who have not responded to conventional therapies. This product was approved with a Medication Guide. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i112_1.htm 27807C0A-E206-4577-AA1C-DFCE69A06775 Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:35:45 -0500 The results of a University of Illinois study have demonstrated an effective way to lower cholesterol levels – by eating chocolate bars. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i112_2.htm 4337E56B-25E7-4F25-B1A6-4F3D5F3F156C Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:35:27 -0500 Help is on the way for patients who have undergone back surgery but who continue to suffer from chronic pain in their backs and legs, thanks to a novel technology pioneered by two Chicago-area pain management specialists. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i112_3.htm D1C20032-CCC9-4EF6-B2DE-676A6DC428AE Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:34:52 -0500 We all know the story of a man named Brady and the group that somehow formed a family. But if the iconic ‘70s sitcom about a “blended” family reflected reality, the Brady Bunch likely would have been dealing with much more than silly sibling squabbles. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i112_4.htm 283A11F2-4DE6-413A-96F0-CFBCC69012E8 Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:34:35 -0500 Researchers report this month that red colobus monkeys in a park in western Uganda have been exposed to an unknown orthopoxvirus, a pathogen related to the viruses that cause smallpox, monkeypox and cowpox. Most of the monkeys screened harbor antibodies to a virus that is similar – but not identical – to known orthopoxviruses. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i112_5.htm 3EADF41A-7E32-47D8-ACEB-D2DC421A751C Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:34:19 -0500 According to estimates there are 85,000 Alzheimer patients in Belgium and approximately 20,000 new cases every year. This spectacular increase is due to the increasing ageing population. Unfortunately it is still unclear precisely which ageing process forms the basis of this spectacular rise in the occurrence of the disease. VIB scientists affiliated to K.U.Leuven have discovered an important molecular link between Alzheimer's disease and the development of the typical plaques in the brains of Alzheimer patients. This discovery is an important breakthrough in the fundamental research into the cause of Alzheimer's disease. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i112_6.htm DE6505F5-ECA8-4840-90D5-966336D2A2C2 Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:34:05 -0500 A new neuroimaging study at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital at McGill University aims to ensure the highest quality of life for patients by assessing their cognitive skills before, during, and after brain tumor surgery. This is done by mapping the important functional brain areas surrounding the tumor in order to decrease the risks during surgery. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i112_7.htm 04BC29A8-3068-455D-83DA-1697CB4EA142 Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:33:49 -0500 Stem cell research pioneer James Thomson and colleagues at the University of Wisconsin have generated cells that appear to function like embryonic stem cells by “reprogramming” human skin cells. These cells could potentially be used to create different types of cells that can replace damaged cells in patients with diseases like diabetes or Parkinson’s. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i111_1.htm 400F7AD1-5F70-4D7B-80C4-1BABCC02739D Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:32:46 -0500 We Can! is a national education program of the National Institutes of Health to help parents, families, and communities raise children with healthy weights. Today’s lifestyles can often make it diffi cult for parents to keep their families at a healthy weight. And, since children are growing, it is often not easy to know whether your child is at a healthy weight. Exactly what a healthy weight is depends on a child’s age, height, and other factors. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i111_2.htm 4029345E-0F79-425E-8499-4E813012EECE Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:32:30 -0500 Learn practical tips to help your family find the right balance of eating well and being physically active to maintain a healthy weight. This useful easy to read handbook explains the concept of Go, Slow and Whoa foods, proper portion size, and how to make screen time active time. Community planners or health care professionals may wish to order copies to share with parents at community events, or with patients. The handbook also provides resources for further information on real-life strategies for managing a healthy weight in today's world. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i111_3.htm 22A1B29D-30A9-4F3D-91C5-253621DA17EF Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:31:52 -0500 This resource helps you create a food plan that focuses on choosing healthier foods while saving money. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i111_5.htm 92173E4D-1D71-418F-9A8E-F9B246BC518C Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:31:11 -0500 A new fundamental mechanism of how tumour cells communicate has just been discovered by the team of Dr. Janusz Rak at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) in collaboration with Dr Guha from the University of Toronto. The cancer cells are able to communicate with their more healthy counter-parts by releasing vesicles. These bubble-like structures contain cancer-causing (oncogenic) proteins that can trigger specific mechanisms when they merge into non or less-malignant cells. These findings could change our view on how cancerous tissues work and lead to major clinical innovations. They were published on April 20 in the on-line edition of Nature Cell Biology. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i111_6.htm 4A4B8C27-C5A1-412B-B9CB-3DF88B181481 Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:30:18 -0500 Based on observations of more than 4,000 infants, researchers in an NIH newborn research network have identified several factors that influence an extremely low birth weight infant's chances for survival and disability. The findings offer new information to physicians and families considering the most appropriate treatment options for this category of infants. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i111_7.htm BFC133FA-8FEF-4DD6-884F-44AB5C1C5827 Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:29:26 -0500 Take skin cells, tweak them a bit, and they can become heart cells for a patient with chronic heart disease or insulin-producing cells for a patient with diabetes. Such cell-based therapies in which stem cells give rise to specific types of cells to repair damaged cells or tissues, also referred to as regenerative medicine, are still in the future. But two recent studies conducted by groups based at NCRR-funded National Primate Research Centers (NPRCs) are helping to pave the way toward custom-made cells and tissues for patients. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i110_1.htm 22F65C96-B009-4CF7-81B7-E9B5197FA6E9 Sat, 19 Apr 2008 09:48:32 -0500 Each year when summer comes to the southern hemisphere, hundreds of researchers and support staff descend on the South Pole. And every year, despite careful health screening, a few researchers may need to be evacuated because of severe altitude illness, and scores more may experience milder symptoms, such as headache, nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath, and fatigue. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i110_2.htm 0D1ACBA8-75F9-4E25-A95E-41CF8DE7AA51 Sat, 19 Apr 2008 09:48:13 -0500 “Not all children who play baseball become professional ball players, but they do learn to appreciate the sport,” says John A. Pollock, biology professor at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pa. Through innovative methods, including movies, video and board games, and Internet sites, Pollock has been finding ways to get children and their families to appreciate not baseball but science. “We don’t intend all children to become scientists; rather, we hope to foster an appreciation and understanding of science and its influence on their lives.” http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i110_3.htm DA7BADAE-E546-4429-9C04-14D5E312F4F6 Sat, 19 Apr 2008 09:47:57 -0500 An ex-White house aide, Robert Weiner, and Dr. Patricia Berg, director of a GWU Medical Center breast cancer lab, are reporting that many scientists believe that "the cost of the Iraq war is largely responsible for a drop in real dollars for cancer research, and private organizations, though critical, are a pale substitute for the power of the federal government." Discoveries are being lost due to "the high funding bar." http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i110_4.htm 77FA87F0-1ED2-4753-9592-FB2752A7B0F4 Sat, 19 Apr 2008 09:47:42 -0500 Less educated, older men are more likely to view depression negatively, while almost one in five Australians say they wouldn’t work with someone suffering depression, according to researchers from The Australian National University. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i110_5.htm 871AFC2F-2AEF-4C7D-95B3-0C8DECBAA1A6 Sat, 19 Apr 2008 09:47:28 -0500 A Study by OHSU expert says a 40 percent hike in IT workforce will be needed to move U.S. healthcare toward a paperless system that controls costs and reduces medical errors http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i110_6.htm CC0533F3-FA8C-4728-9E50-ED25DF5B0F55 Sat, 19 Apr 2008 09:47:17 -0500 Children and teens who spend more than a couple of hours a day on average in front of a TV, video, or computer screen, are more likely to be overweight than their peers who limit their screen time. We Can! (Ways to Enhance Children's Activity and Nutrition), a science-based national education program from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to help children ages 8-13 stay at a healthy weight, is working with the Center for Screen Time Awareness (CSTA) and other national and community organizations to raise public awareness about the negative impact of excessive screen time. CSTA is a leading nonprofit organization focused on the impact of electronic media on society, health, education, family and community. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i110_7.htm 01243166-EDF4-4781-94D1-9C97B7473A62 Sat, 19 Apr 2008 09:46:47 -0500 Resin from the Boswellia serrata tree (frankincense) has been shown in animal and human studies to reduce inflammation, which is a primary cause of brain edema. Additionally, laboratory studies suggest that B. serrata resin may also cause human brain cancer cells to undergo programmed cell death (apoptosis). http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i109_1.htm C5847942-7C68-4BBD-82B6-C2419DF1B10F Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:13:54 -0500 The field of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), in which cancer patients and people with certain other diseases receive transplanted blood-producing stem cells to restore their blood and immune systems after treatment, has seen several exciting developments in recent years. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i109_2.htm FF27964E-8BB3-48AB-B32A-554A779D267E Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:13:35 -0500 A connection between vitamin D level and the risk of developing breast cancer has been implicated for a long time, but its clinical relevance had not yet been proven. Sascha Abbas and colleagues from the working group headed by Dr. Jenny Chang-Claude at the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ), collaborating with researchers of the University Hospitals in Hamburg-Eppendorf, have now obtained clear results: While previous studies had concentrated chiefly on nutritional vitamin D, the researchers have now investigated the complete vitamin D status. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i109_3.htm 7786F282-5B01-49F0-905A-1E01AC19DF9A Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:13:14 -0500 Breast cancer screening is effective, appropriate and reduces deaths from the disease in women aged up to 75 years old according to new research in over 860,000 women aged 70-75 presented today (Friday) at the 6th European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC-6) in Berlin. In another study of nearly 100,000 women aged 50-62, also presented at EBCC-6 today, researchers found that the best interval for screening was every three years – a finding that counters arguments that women should have mammograms more frequently. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i109_4.htm 29F4BBC7-1DB5-4AC1-BFE7-3045763953B4 Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:12:30 -0500 Researchers at Yale School of Medicine have identified, characterized and cloned ovarian cancer stem cells and have shown that these stem cells may be the source of ovarian cancer’s recurrence and its resistance to chemotherapy. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i109_5.htm 04B12130-8297-4975-BEFE-138FC66FF5F2 Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:12:08 -0500 Acupuncture provides effective relief from hot flushes in women who are being treated with the anti-oestrogen tamoxifen following surgery for breast cancer, according to new research presented today (Friday) at the 6th European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC-6) in Berlin. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i109_6.htm 897F0DC5-9FFB-4F0D-B40E-1D34A12FD231 Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:11:51 -0500 A new American Cancer Society study finds female African American patients tend to overestimate their level of cancer screening, indicating that current estimates of screening based on self-reported data may be lower than reported. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i109_7.htm A8D34355-85DF-4708-92D1-5A331D793DF2 Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:11:20 -0500 Two studies in the April 1 Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO) found that intravenous (IV) iron significantly improves hemoglobin levels in patients taking erythropoietin-stimulating agents (ESAs) for chemotherapy-induced anemia compared with ESAs alone or ESAs plus oral iron. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i108_1.htm BC8FB3F9-E530-4E92-91BF-3484BBAA8A38 Thu, 17 Apr 2008 09:32:00 -0500 A region of chromosome 15 may contain genetic risk factors for lung cancer, three research teams reported online this month in Nature and Nature Genetics. The results are from the first genome-wide association studies to attempt to identify the genetic component of a disease that is closely associated with a strong environmental cause. Yet researchers have long known that genetic factors play a role in lung cancer risk, and recent studies have implicated this region in the disease. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i108_2.htm 35B3CE4B-4DBD-4018-811A-875FF84B6DD4 Thu, 17 Apr 2008 09:31:37 -0500 Researchers have identified a common genetic change in Philadelphia chromosome (BCR-ABL1)-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), an aggressive leukemia that carries a poor prognosis. The change alters the gene IKZF1, which produces the protein Ikaros, and appears to be an important lesion in this ALL subtype, the researchers reported online in the 13 April Nature. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i108_3.htm 2773E8D0-36BF-4DDD-879E-9E37B778A914 Thu, 17 Apr 2008 09:31:21 -0500 Researchers at Rutgers University have developed a form of active vitamin D called Gemini 0097 that dramatically reduced the growth of both ER-positive and ER-negative breast cancer cells and showed no toxicity in rats and mice. Dr. Nanjoo Suh presented the results of her team's study at AACR yesterday. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i108_4.htm DD0292DB-4B8D-4A0D-B4B8-64625C19D45E Thu, 17 Apr 2008 09:31:07 -0500 Recent studies have reported that after rising for two decades, the breast cancer incidence rate in the United States dropped sharply between 2002 and 2003 and continued to decline in 2004. However, new research presented April 15 at the 2008 AACR annual meeting shows that this decline was not equally distributed across racial groups. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i108_5.htm BD06BFC8-B352-4829-B9D9-756D0ABD087A Thu, 17 Apr 2008 09:30:52 -0500 The extra fat we carry around our middle could be making us hungrier, so we eat more, which in turn leads to even more belly fat. Dr. Yaiping Yang and his colleagues at the Lawson Health Research Institute affiliated with The University of Western Ontario found abdominal fat tissue can reproduce a hormone that stimulates fat cell production. The researchers hope this discovery will change in the way we think about and treat abdominal obesity. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i108_6.htm FC85D6AF-DCCF-4AB6-AF75-58DE70ADC411 Thu, 17 Apr 2008 09:30:10 -0500 A new study in mice indicates that overeating, rather than the obesity it causes, is the trigger for developing metabolic syndrome, a collection of heath risk factors that increases an individual’s chances of developing insulin resistance, fatty liver, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i108_7.htm ACD6D8BD-A62D-404A-9128-54D206B79539 Thu, 17 Apr 2008 09:29:34 -0500 Take a look in your medicine cabinet -- do you spot prescription pain medication? If so, are you contributing to the nation's dramatic increase in irresponsible prescription drug use? According to the 2008 National Drug Control Strategies Report, 71 percent of prescription pain medication abusers obtained the drugs from family and friends. Among 12- to 13-year-olds, prescription drug abuse actually exceeds marijuana use. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i107_1.htm 7F50F252-6B88-4D0D-BC9F-5832EB672AAC Wed, 16 Apr 2008 09:01:04 -0500 People with high cholesterol in their early 40s are more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than those with low cholesterol, according to research that will be presented at the upcoming American Academy of Neurology 60th Anniversary Annual Meeting in Chicago, April 12–19, 2008. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i107_2.htm 6960147B-7192-4ADD-8014-34A967B9BA07 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 09:00:48 -0500 Researchers at the Duke School of Medicine apparently have solved the riddle of why cancer cells like sugar so much, and it may be a mechanism that could lead to better cancer treatments. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i107_3.htm 2C5B68BD-04E1-4D9C-A273-EAEBDF01E827 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 09:00:36 -0500 Who owns your medical tests results and your personal health data? Such a vexing question cuts to the core of personal liberty and freedom of information. Now, researchers writing in the International Journal of Healthcare Technology and Management have introduced the notion of ownership of medical information and present a basic research model for the adoption of personal health records. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i107_5.htm FA3CAFD9-9367-42A8-BBDF-1B4C66D44275 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 09:00:06 -0500 Heavy drinkers and heavy smokers develop Alzheimer’s disease years earlier than people with Alzheimer’s who do not drink or smoke heavily, according to research that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology 60th Anniversary Annual Meeting in Chicago, April 12–19, 2008. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i107_6.htm D0ABCF24-CD50-48DB-8AC2-8BE35B896CFF Wed, 16 Apr 2008 08:59:44 -0500 The vitamin industry has long touted antioxidants as a way to improve health by filling in gaps in diet, but a new review of studies found no evidence that the nutrition supplements extend life. Worse, the review authors said that some antioxidants could increase risk for death. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i107_7.htm 4E854230-246F-4ED0-A872-2A145FD08E4B Wed, 16 Apr 2008 08:59:27 -0500 While many health plan insurers will pay for patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus to have an insulin pump, the criteria for approval is not always clear. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i106_1.htm 4C2A62AD-FCAC-4D60-A0E0-18D8334C2C24 Tue, 15 Apr 2008 09:29:33 -0500 Annual flu vaccinations are highly effective at preventing acute respiratory illness and making sure that existing breathing problems don’t get any worse, according to research published in the April issue of IJCP, the UK-based International Journal of Clinical Practice. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i106_2.htm D3360866-C5BD-4DDA-94B6-AA8B7C99D2D5 Tue, 15 Apr 2008 09:29:15 -0500 Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may gain better control over their breathing and breathe more efficiently by using their breath to play a computer game, according to new research. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i106_3.htm 228A5455-9CCC-48F7-A7D6-B134FDFF5296 Tue, 15 Apr 2008 09:28:59 -0500 A single subjective (SS) question may be an effective screening tool for excessive daytime sleepiness, according to a study published in the April 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine (JCSM). http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i106_4.htm D4A47312-F0ED-48BA-A735-C3F14EEB043C Tue, 15 Apr 2008 09:28:40 -0500 Morris "Mo" Moses and his wife Ida thought they were doing everything they could for Mo's health. A Type II diabetic, with multiple medical problems, Moses had an ugly, uncomfortable sore on the bottom of his right foot which just wouldn't go away. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i105_1.htm 9E4E9115-E015-4481-9017-5161B086A876 Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:43:02 -0500 A protein profile has been identified in the blood of chronic sinusitis sufferers that may enable physicians to objectively diagnosis and treat the disease, researchers say. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i106_5.htm FF97F1B7-0B49-47EB-94EC-2A070F5EF4A4 Tue, 15 Apr 2008 09:28:23 -0500 When City traders have high morning testosterone levels they make more than average profits for the rest of that day, researchers at the University of Cambridge have discovered. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i106_7.htm 25DBFE77-4731-416C-9FCE-D4E2E9F0D60E Tue, 15 Apr 2008 09:27:34 -0500 Engine exhaust fumes are linked to excess deaths from pneumonia across England, suggests research published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i106_6.htm FBABDF60-E66A-44D0-B4F5-0B9D084845ED Tue, 15 Apr 2008 09:28:03 -0500 Research published in Nature Chemical Biology reveals that three specific inhibitors of a cell death pathway, termed necroptosis, all target and inhibit RIP1 kinase, a protein that can direct cells into necrosis. Induced by trauma such as a heart attack or stroke, this form of necrotic death can result in tissue damage contributing to death or long-term disability. The findings present a novel avenue for drug development. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i105_2.htm D2CA996D-EEC8-4FB1-9619-143C55F64350 Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:42:36 -0500 Smoking puts older women at significant risk for loss of DNA repair proteins that are critical for defending against development of some colorectal cancers, according to research from a team led by Mayo Clinic scientists. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i105_3.htm A62F452B-F086-46E6-A0AC-E51D49818F4D Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:42:20 -0500 Researchers at Emory University are learning how vitamins and minerals in the diet can stimulate or prevent the appearance of colon cancer. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i105_4.htm 469F6E11-6B66-4370-9EC1-7EB4B1ACA80E Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:42:01 -0500 The discovery of a gene for a rare form of inherited iron deficiency may provide clues to iron deficiency in the general population – particularly iron deficiency that doesn’t respond to iron supplements - and suggests a new treatment approach. The finding was published online by the journal Nature Genetics on April 13. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i105_5.htm 2A6FE3A8-C85A-46F1-B253-7EA404A4352C Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:41:34 -0500 If lung cancer and heart disease aren’t bad enough, cigarette smokers are also at higher risk for developing, among other things, pancreatic cancer. Now, researchers at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson in Philadelphia have preliminary evidence indicating one possible reason why. Data being presented April 13, 2008 during the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research shows that they have found that nicotine in cigarettes increases the production of a protein that is known to promote cancer cell survival, invasion and spread. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i105_6.htm B9C85B5B-CF96-42B0-9BD0-5416C4348377 Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:41:14 -0500 Using a rodent model of epilepsy, researchers found one of the body’s own neurotransmitters released during seizures, glutamate, turns on a signaling pathway in the brain that increases production of a protein that could reduce medication entry into the brain. Researchers say this may explain why approximately 30 percent of patients with epilepsy do not respond to antiepileptic medications. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i105_7.htm 30D56634-3FFD-416B-A99A-DFA4D3D348F1 Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:40:49 -0500 Morris "Mo" Moses and his wife Ida thought they were doing everything they could for Mo's health. A Type II diabetic, with multiple medical problems, Moses had an ugly, uncomfortable sore on the bottom of his right foot which just wouldn't go away. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i105_1.htm A07BEA08-FCBF-4F47-9149-B5138BB7A7AC Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:24:01 -0500 Research published in Nature Chemical Biology reveals that three specific inhibitors of a cell death pathway, termed necroptosis, all target and inhibit RIP1 kinase, a protein that can direct cells into necrosis. Induced by trauma such as a heart attack or stroke, this form of necrotic death can result in tissue damage contributing to death or long-term disability. The findings present a novel avenue for drug development. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i105_2.htm F7FC6D39-187D-4BB1-903B-E5FB05F1743A Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:23:40 -0500 Smoking puts older women at significant risk for loss of DNA repair proteins that are critical for defending against development of some colorectal cancers, according to research from a team led by Mayo Clinic scientists. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i105_3.htm F6CFF1A7-AF38-45FD-BE97-65DC1E02DA9B Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:23:26 -0500 Researchers at Emory University are learning how vitamins and minerals in the diet can stimulate or prevent the appearance of colon cancer. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i105_4.htm 604ABB8D-BCA2-43D7-94AA-C18EB7263FF3 Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:23:11 -0500 The discovery of a gene for a rare form of inherited iron deficiency may provide clues to iron deficiency in the general population – particularly iron deficiency that doesn’t respond to iron supplements - and suggests a new treatment approach. The finding was published online by the journal Nature Genetics on April 13. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i105_5.htm 3CCF842F-83A8-4EBF-8773-29370243114F Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:22:55 -0500 If lung cancer and heart disease aren’t bad enough, cigarette smokers are also at higher risk for developing, among other things, pancreatic cancer. Now, researchers at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson in Philadelphia have preliminary evidence indicating one possible reason why. Data being presented April 13, 2008 during the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research shows that they have found that nicotine in cigarettes increases the production of a protein that is known to promote cancer cell survival, invasion and spread. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i105_6.htm C46F8237-13DE-46E1-9E75-2516F05EA116 Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:22:39 -0500 Using a rodent model of epilepsy, researchers found one of the body’s own neurotransmitters released during seizures, glutamate, turns on a signaling pathway in the brain that increases production of a protein that could reduce medication entry into the brain. Researchers say this may explain why approximately 30 percent of patients with epilepsy do not respond to antiepileptic medications. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i105_7.htm B16FCD84-1A58-4F86-B51D-705298AC76AF Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:22:22 -0500 When a person sleeps, the brain hums slowly, like an idling automobile engine. The slower the engine idles, the deeper the sleep. As the engine is revved up, a person wakes up and—provided the foot remains on the accelerator—stays awake. Researchers at the NCRR-funded Center for Translational Neuroscience in Little Rock, Ark., have now discovered how that process works. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i104_1.htm A29CA91C-FB0C-4160-9085-171D0963C50C Sun, 13 Apr 2008 11:39:12 -0500 Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and Abramson Cancer Center reported today at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research that combining two targeted therapies overcomes treatment resistance in liver cancer cell lines. The team is currently designing a trial to test the combination in patients. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i104_2.htm F0654AC7-81C8-455D-99E0-420252B9FD2F Sun, 13 Apr 2008 11:38:54 -0500 The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced that at least 23 people in 14 states have been diagnosed with salmonellosis that was caused by the same strain of Salmonella that was found in the recently recalled unsweetened Puffed Rice and unsweetened Puffed Wheat Cereals produced by Malt-O-Meal. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i104_3.htm 2E3786BA-1F24-4C25-9F2B-083AFDE1B69D Sun, 13 Apr 2008 11:38:35 -0500 Do you know how to give medicine to children? If you are caring for a child who needs medicine, it's important that you know how to give the medicine the right way. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i104_4.htm D24AF0EC-B92E-428B-8D1A-1677F52F6FCC Sun, 13 Apr 2008 11:38:18 -0500 We at Vidyya occasionally come across materials that we feel are worthwhile for practitioners to pass on to their patients. This is one of them. Welcome to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Maturity Health Matters. This online newsletter is about FDA regulated products for older adults, their families and their caregivers. It focuses on FDA approved products that help people live longer, more productive lives. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i104_5.htm E81A3CB7-EE94-4CDD-8068-A8C2D02E7C1B Sun, 13 Apr 2008 11:38:02 -0500 What is the truth about cancer? Is it the same deadly killer it was 30 years ago -- or are we making progress? Find out through the poignant stories of patients battling the disease in The Truth About Cancer premiering nationally on PBS Wednesday, 16 April. Comprised of a 90-minute documentary followed by a 30-minute panel discussion, the two-hour broadcast event takes a look deep inside the cancer field gauging how far we have come in this decades-old war and asking, "Why does anyone still die of cancer?" http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i104_6.htm B9510145-7089-49FF-BE62-E1373E73BDA2 Sun, 13 Apr 2008 11:37:46 -0500 News stories about an allegedly harmful link between the mumps, measles and rubella vaccine and the onset of autism had little effect on whether U.S. parents immunized their children, according to a review of immunization records and news stories. Parents' decisions were more likely influenced by recommendations from their child's pediatrician, the researchers said. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i104_7.htm 842F395D-85E3-4C58-A62F-1D83F670E9DF Sun, 13 Apr 2008 11:37:16 -0500 Many people know the human body needs vitamin D for strong bones. But a recent study suggests that the vitamin is also good for a strong heart. The research, published in the May 2007 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, hints that taking vitamin D supplements could have a positive impact on people’s health—but a single recommended dose might not necessarily be a good fit for everyone. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i103_1.htm D835569C-DF04-446F-A43B-A88E84A0BF6E Sat, 12 Apr 2008 11:28:24 -0500 The use of MRI is effective in differentiating the blood supply to medial and lateral breast tumors, which is important in treatment planning and prognosis according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Miami in Miami, FL and the Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva, Israel. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i103_2.htm 661B4A49-E41E-48C7-B359-FD9E1E1317C9 Sat, 12 Apr 2008 11:26:56 -0500 Research presented at the UK National Stem Cell Network Annual Science Meeting in Edinburgh could offer hope that bone stem cells may be harnessed to repair the damaged cartilage that is one of the main symptoms of osteoarthritis. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i103_3.htm 0BBB9CBC-E940-4FFD-8EF5-2FCF74C2243C Sat, 12 Apr 2008 11:26:39 -0500 Tissues derived from embryonic stem (ES) cells could help to pacify the immune system and so prevent recipients from rejecting them, according to information presented on 11 April at the UK National Stem Cell Network Science Meeting. Speaking at the conference in Edinburgh, Dr Paul Fairchild from the University of Oxford will tell delegates that although tissues derived from ES cells succumb to rejection, they have an inherent immune-privilege which, if exploited, could have far reaching implications for the treatment of conditions such as diabetes, heart attacks and Parkinson’s. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i103_4.htm 9B972923-7CC8-4BBE-91D1-763E99ED7C14 Sat, 12 Apr 2008 11:26:18 -0500 Cognitive ability tests are the best way for medical schools to select their entrants, rather than interviews and psychological tests, says an editorial in this week’s BMJ. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i103_5.htm 72B06538-37CD-4BBB-A98E-69A95A7F9754 Sat, 12 Apr 2008 11:25:53 -0500 Many scientists view atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, as a localized disease characterized by the build up of fatty plaques in the arteries, which can eventually cause heart attacks and strokes. Now, in a finding that challenges conventional knowledge, researchers in New York and North Carolina report that plaques formed in arteries are associated with certain harmful chemical reactions that can contribute to damage in the lungs, liver, and other organs. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i103_6.htm 96AC2E8A-FBDF-4A6D-A4B8-1E22DC77114A Sat, 12 Apr 2008 11:25:33 -0500 More than a third of Americans now die under the care of a hospice service, a huge increase from just a decade ago and a major advance in end-of-life care. But a new University of Michigan study reveals major gaps in the availability of hospice care across the country – gaps that the researchers attribute directly to the way hospice care is currently funded in America. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i103_7.htm 6572B1D7-A80D-4107-89A1-5A26FC8982A0 Sat, 12 Apr 2008 11:22:16 -0500 Hepatitis can make you feel as if you have the flu, but it’s a completely different disease. Flu is caused by viruses that attack your lungs and respiratory system; hepatitis is a liver disease. Some forms of hepatitis get better on their own. But others can inflict serious liver damage, and may even leave you needing a new liver. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i102_1.htm D1EAFACA-6E96-4309-99C1-8D87D41B91D4 Fri, 11 Apr 2008 12:25:39 -0500 Use of multipolar radiofrequency ablation in the treatment of colorectal liver metastases is effective and has a relatively low recurrence rate, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at Charité, Campus Benjamin Franklin in Berlin, Germany. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i102_2.htm 5C679EEE-E0E9-4EFC-9D60-C28CB53944A6 Fri, 11 Apr 2008 12:25:24 -0500 Macadamia nuts included in a heart healthy diet reduced low-density cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and should be included among nuts with qualified health claims, according to researchers. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i102_3.htm CB4170BD-F37D-40FA-9834-E2515DC85D28 Fri, 11 Apr 2008 12:25:04 -0500 A new cardiac CT technique, prospective gated 64-channel cardiac CT, has a significantly lower radiation dose and produces CT coronary angiograms with better image quality when compared with the standard retrospective ECG gating, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Washington in Redmond, WA. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i102_4.htm E82CD5F5-791A-40FC-9304-F1C5FD03A8A4 Fri, 11 Apr 2008 12:24:47 -0500 The treatment of uterine fibroids with 3T MR-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) is safe, non-invasive and effective, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, NY. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i102_5.htm 19D2EDCD-B3A7-4B14-85A8-111F014E4549 Fri, 11 Apr 2008 12:24:32 -0500 MRI and PET/CT can help spare patients with clinically operable cervical cancer from unnecessary high-morbidity treatment, however, pretreatment imaging does not lead to increased survival of these patients, a new study shows. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i102_6.htm 036E3B16-F01A-4527-8309-FB27748BDF72 Fri, 11 Apr 2008 12:24:17 -0500 A new study in the April issue of the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, asks the question “With more than $220 million dollars dedicated to malaria treatment and prevention, why is the annual mortality rate from malaria on the rise" The study, entitled “Malaria Vector Management: Where Have We Come From and Where Are we Headed"” conducted by researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, examines the current methods used to control and prevent the spread of malaria. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i102_7.htm 0DAE7956-968E-4E64-8EFA-C341FE093D77 Fri, 11 Apr 2008 12:23:58 -0500 Risk for developing asthma is linked to variants in a gene called CHI3L1, which can be measured by checking levels of an inherited blood protein regulated by that gene, according to new research sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health. http://www.vidyya.com/vol10/v10i101_1.htm 9CE41841-D9C2-4FED-98D7-E2AC9019A090 Thu, 10 Apr 2008 11:28:44 -0500