The Week At A Glance 

29 August 2008

Study confirms vCJD could be transmitted by blood transfusion

A nine-year study in sheep has added to the evidence that vCJD can be transmitted through blood transfusion in humans. The findings underline the importance of precautions against vCJD transmission, such as the Government decision in 2004 to ban blood donations from anyone who had received a blood transfusion since 1980. more  

Flu shot does not reduce risk of death

The widely-held perception that the influenza vaccination reduces overall mortality risk in the elderly does not withstand careful scrutiny, according to researchers in Alberta. The vaccine does confer protection against specific strains of influenza, but its overall benefit appears to have been exaggerated by a number of observational studies that found a very large reduction in all-cause mortality among elderly patients who had been vaccinated. more

New recommendations from ENT doctors on the treatment of impacted cerumen for adults and children

The American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) will issue the first comprehensive clinical guidelines to help health care practitioners identify patients with cerumen (commonly referred to as earwax) impaction. The guidelines emphasize evidence-based management of cerumen impaction by clinicians, and inform patients of the purpose of ear wax in hearing health. more  

All types of antipsychotic drugs increase the risk of stroke

All drugs used to treat psychosis are linked to an increased risk of stroke, and dementia sufferers are at double the risk, according to a study published on bmj.com today. more

Low levels of brain chemical may lead to obesity, NIH study of rare disorder shows  

A brain chemical that plays a role in long term memory also appears to be involved in regulating how much people eat and their likelihood of becoming obese, according to a National Institutes of Health study of a rare genetic condition. more

FDA approves first bone marrow stimulator to treat immune-related low platelet counts  

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Nplate (romiplostim), the first product that directly stimulates the bone marrow to produce needed platelets in patients with a rare blood disorder that can lead to serious bleeding. more

FDA clears test to help doctors manage heart transplant patients

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced it has cleared for marketing a non-invasive test that uses molecular expression techniques to assist doctors in managing heart transplant patients post-surgery for potential organ rejection. more

28 August 2008

Flushing away cocaine: New drug could be an anti-overdose first

A slight change to a naturally occurring enzyme means that chemists have created a molecule that could flush a cocaine overdose out of the body before it can cause irreparable damage to the central nervous system. more  

Risk of repeat attacks in heart patients causes concern for doctors

An international study, led by the University of Edinburgh, raises concerns that some patients may not be receiving the optimum medical treatment and follow-up care because doctors are misjudging the risk of a further heart attack. more

Antidepressants need new nerve cells to be effective, UT Southwestern researchers find

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have discovered in mice that the brain must create new nerve cells for either exercise or antidepressants to reduce depression-like behavior. more  

Endocrine Society releases guideline on diagnosis and treatment of primary aldosteronism

The Endocrine Society has released a new clinical practice guideline for the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of patients with primary aldosteronism. The guidelines appear in the September issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM), a publication of The Endocrine Society. more

Common treatment to delay labor decreases preterm infants' risk for cerebral palsy  

Intravenous magnesium sulfate supplementation before preterm delivery cuts the risk for handicapping cerebral palsy in half, according to research led by University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) obstetrician Dwight Rouse, M.D., and published in the Aug. 28 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine. more

Army personnel show increased risk for migraine: Condition underdiagnosed, mistreated 

Two new studies show that migraine headaches are very common among U.S. military personnel, yet the condition is frequently underdiagnosed. The studies, appearing in Headache, the peer-reviewed journal of the American Headache Society, examine the incidence among soldiers within 10 days of returning from a 1-year combat tour in Iraq , as well as U.S. Army officer trainees. more

Heart attack patients who stop statin risk death, say McGill researchers: Study finds doubled mortality risk if treatment is discontinued

Patients discontinuing statin medication following an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) increase their risk of dying over the next year, say researchers at McGill University and the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC). Their study was published in a recent issue of the European Heart Journal. more

27 August 2008

High cholesterol levels drop naturally in children on high-fat anti-seizure diet, Hopkins study show

Elevated cholesterol levels return to normal or near normal levels over time in four out of 10 children with uncontrollable epilepsy treated with the high-fat ketogenic diet, according to results of a Johns Hopkins Children's Center study more  

Young type-2 diabetic men suffer low testosterone levels, study shows

Young men with type 2 diabetes have significantly low levels of testosterone, endocrinologists at the University at Buffalo have found -- a condition that could have a critical effect on their quality of life and on their ability to father children. more

Scientists unmask brain's hidden potential

Previous research has found that when vision is lost, a person’s senses of touch and hearing become enhanced. But exactly how this happens has been unclear. Now a long-term study from the Berenson-Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) demonstrates that sudden and complete loss of vision leads to profound – but rapidly reversible -- changes in the visual cortex. These findings, reported in the August 27 issue of the journal PLOS One, not only provide new insights into how the brain compensates for the loss of sight, but also suggest that the brain is more adaptable than originally thought. more  

Eating nuts, popcorn not linked with higher risk of diverticulosis

Contrary to a common recommendation to avoid eating popcorn, nuts and corn to prevent diverticular complications, a large prospective study of men indicates that the consumption of these foods does not increase the risk of diverticulosis or diverticular complications, according to a study in the August 27 issue of JAMA. more

Findings challenge practice regarding glucose control for the critically ill  

An analysis of randomized trials indicates that for critically ill adults, tight glucose control is not associated with a significantly reduced risk of death in the hospital, but is associated with an increased risk of hypoglycemia, calling into question the recommendation by many professional societies for tight glucose control for these patients, according to an article in the August 27 issue of JAMA. more

Black raspberries slow cancer by altering hundreds of genes 

New research strongly suggests that a mix of preventative agents, such as those found in concentrated black raspberries, may more effectively inhibit cancer development than single agents aimed at shutting down a particular gene. more

Pre-school age exercises can prevent dyslexia

A typical characteristics of children's linguistic development are early signs of the risk of developing reading and writing disabilities, or dyslexia. New research points to preventive exercises as an effective means to tackle the challenges children face when learning to read. The results achieved at the Centre of Excellence in Learning and Motivation Research were presented at the Academy of Finland's science breakfast on 21 August. more

26 August 2008

Burning incense increases risk of respiratory tract cancers

Long term use of incense increases the risk of developing cancers of the respiratory tract, according to a new study. The new analysis, which the authors say is the first prospective investigation of incense and cancer risk, appears in the October 1, 2008 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. more  

Anti-psychotic drug use in the elderly increases despite drug safety warnings

Three regulatory warnings of serious adverse events slowed the growth of use of atypical antipsychotic drugs among elderly patients with dementia, but they did not reduce the overall prescription rate of these drugs, found a research analysis of prescription drug claims data in Ontario http://www.cmaj.ca/press/pg438.pdf. The rate of use of these drugs actually increased 20% from the month prior to the first warning in September 2002 to the end of the study period in February 2007. more

Low cholesterol associated with cancer in diabetics

Low levels of LDL cholesterol as well as high levels are associated with cancer in patients with type 2 diabetes, found a prospective cohort study published in CMAJ. more  

Bones get mended with high tech glass-of-milk-a-day

Scientists at the new Nuclear-Magnetic Resonance unit at the University of Warwick have discovered how a high tech glass of milk is helping bones mend. more

Uninsured patients receive unpredictable, rationed access to health care: hospitals do not adhere to their own policies  

A case study of three health care institutions -- public, for-profit and not-for-profit -- within one metropolitan area found that self-pay patients must navigate a system that provides no guarantees medical centers will follow their own policies for providing uncompensated care. more

New hope for stroke patients 

If a stroke patient doesn't get treatment within approximately the first three hours of symptoms, there's not much doctors can do to limit damage to the brain. But now researchers report a technique that potentially could restore functions to patients weeks or even months after a stroke. The technique involves jumpstarting the growth of nerve fibers to compensate for brain cells destroyed by the stroke. more

Caesarean babies more likely to develop diabetes

Babies delivered by Caesarean section have a 20 per cent higher risk than normal deliveries of developing the most common type of diabetes in childhood, according to a study led by Queen's University Belfast. more

25 August 2008

Study reveals how diet, antioxidants prevent blindness in aging population

A new study reveals part of the magic behind a diet rich in antioxidants, showing how artichokes, blueberries and pecans can hold at bay the leading cause of age-related blindness in developed countries. more  

Asthma monitoring on the Web

An inexpensive web-enabled device for measuring lung function in patients with asthma and other disorders is being developed by researchers at Texas Instruments, in Bangalore, India, and co-workers. Writing in the International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, the team explains how the devise could allow physicians to monitor their patients remotely and quickly instigate medical attention in an emergency. more

New study shows health benefits of probiotic could extend to the entire body

Data from a recent study demonstrate the anti-inflammatory and pathogen protection benefits of Bifidobacterium infantis 35624 a probiotic bacterial strain of human origin. Gastrointestinal benefits of probiotics have been well-documented, but more and more research is revealing that probiotic benefits extend to the entire body. The report was published in the August issue of the Public Library of Science (PLoS) Pathogens. more  

Arsenic exposure may be associated with type 2 diabetes

In a study involving a representative sample of U.S. adults, higher levels of arsenic in the urine appear to be associated with increased prevalence of type 2 diabetes, according to a report in the August 20 issue of JAMA. more

Silver-coated endotracheal tubes appear to reduce risk of pneumonia associated with ventilator use  

Among intensive care unit patients who require mechanical ventilation, use of a silver-coated endotracheal tube resulted in reduced incidence of pneumonia associated with ventilators, according to a report in the August 20 issue of JAMA. more

Opioid pain relievers can make pain worse in some patients 

Opioid medications are essential for helping to relieve all types of serious pain. However, relatively recent evidence suggests that in some patients they can paradoxically worsen the pain. more

Obesity raises risks of serious digestive health concerns

The prevalence of obesity and overweight in the United States coupled by the increased risk of gastrointestinal diseases related to obesity raises serious implications for the health of Americans. Several scientific studies in the August issue of The American Journal of Gastroenterology examine the association between obesity and the risk of colorectal cancer and gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. more

23 August 2008

Antipsychotic medications linked to deaths in elderly patients

Elderly patients who are prescribed a conventional, or first-generation, antipsychotic medication are at an increased risk of death from cardiovascular or respiratory diseases as compared to those who take an atypical, or second-generation, antipsychotic medication, according to a study funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. more  

New tool helps hospitals evaluate disaster drills

Hospitals can now identify the most important strengths and weaknesses in their disaster response plans using a new tool from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. more

Tool for evaluating core elements of hospital disaster drills

Hospitals must be prepared to respond to public health emergencies that that may create a sudden demand on services. Disaster drills allow hospitals to test response capabilities to these emergencies in real time. This tool can be used by hospitals to identify the most important strengths and weaknesses in disaster drills. The results can be applied to training and drill planning. more  

Inhibiting blood vessel growth shows promise in rat model of deadly brain tumor

In a landmark study, Medical College of Wisconsin researchers in Milwaukee report that drugs used to inhibit a specific fatty acid in rat brains with glioblastoma-like tumors not only reduced new blood vessel growth and tumor size dramatically, but also prolonged survival. The study is the featured cover story of the August, 2008 Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism. more

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) improves sleep, sexuality and joint pain in older women  

One of the world's longest and largest trials of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has found that post-menopausal women on HRT gain significant improvements in quality of life. more

Brain cells called astrocytes undergo reorganization and may engulf attacking T cells 

When virally infected cells in the brain called astrocytes come in contact with anti-viral T cells of the immune system, they undergo a unique series of changes that dramatically reorganize their shape and function, according to researchers at the Board of Governors Gene Therapeutics Research Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Intriguingly, the new data indicate that astrocytes may defend themselves from attacking T cells by engulfing (gobbling up) the aggressors. more

For coronary artery disease patients, B vitamins may not reduce cardiovascular events

In a large clinical trial involving patients with coronary artery disease, use of B vitamins was not effective for preventing death or cardiovascular events, according to a study published in the August 20 issue of JAMA. “Observational studies have demonstrated that the concentration of total homocysteine in blood is associated with risk of coronary artery disease and stroke,” the authors provide as background information. Plasma total homocysteine levels can be lowered by oral administration of folic acid and vitamin B12. In this study, the authors’ objective was “to evaluate the effects of homocysteine-lowering treatment with folic acid plus vitamin B12 on mortality and cardiovascular events.” more

21 August 2008

AJN study reveals compression stockings incorrectly used in 29 percent of patients

An original study, published in the September issue of the American Journal of Nursing (AJN), revealed that graduated compression stockings were used incorrectly in 29% of the patients and sized incorrectly in 26% of the patients. These stockings play an important role in preventing the formation of deep vein clots that can result in pulmonary complications and death. more  

Bone marrow stem cells may help control inflammatory bowel disease

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators have found that infusions of a particular bone marrow stem cell appeared to protect gastrointestinal tissue from autoimmune attack in a mouse model. In their report published in the journal Stem Cells, the team from the MGH Center for Engineering in Medicine report that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), known to control several immune system activities, allowed the regeneration of the gastrointestinal lining in mice with a genetic mutation leading to multiorgan autoimmune disease. more

New research suggests diabetes transmitted from parents to children

A new study in the September issue of the Journal of Lipid Research suggests an unusual form of inheritance may have a role in the rising rate of diabetes, especially in children and young adults, in the United States. more  

Study identifies protein that produces ‘good’ fat

A study by researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center has shown that a protein known for its role in inducing bone growth can also help promote the development of brown fat, a “good” fat that helps in the expenditure of energy and plays a role in fighting obesity. more

Sexual matters don’t sway mothers on HPV vaccine  

The opinions of women about sexual matters do not play a significant role in their decisions about whether girls in their care should receive a vaccine against a sexually transmitted virus, according to a new survey. more

Acute maternal stress during pregnancy linked to development of schizophrenia 

Pregnant women who endure the psychological stress of being in a war zone are more likely to give birth to a child who develops schizophrenia. Research published in the open access journal BMC Psychiatry (embargoed for release on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 at 7:01 p.m. EST) supports a growing body of literature that attributes maternal exposure to severe stress during the early months of pregnancy to an increased susceptibility to schizophrenia in the offspring. more

Bacterial pneumonia caused most deaths in 1918 influenza pandemic

The majority of deaths during the influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 were not caused by the influenza virus acting alone, report researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. Instead, most victims succumbed to bacterial pneumonia following influenza virus infection. The pneumonia was caused when bacteria that normally inhabit the nose and throat invaded the lungs along a pathway created when the virus destroyed the cells that line the bronchial tubes and lungs. more

20 August 2008

Vitamin C injections slow tumor growth in mice

Injecting high doses of vitamin C into mice with aggressive cancers slowed the growth of their tumors significantly without affecting normal tissues, researchers are reporting. While the potential anticancer effects of vitamin C (also known as ascorbate or ascorbic acid) have been studied for decades, the new findings provide "a firm basis" for advancing vitamin C as a pharmacologic agent for treating human cancer, they write in the August 5, 2008 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. more  

Researchers discover how rheumatoid arthritis causes bone loss

Researchers have discovered key details of how rheumatoid arthritis (RA) destroys bone, according to a study published in the Aug. 22 edition of the Journal of Biological Chemistry. The findings are already guiding attempts to design new drugs to reverse RA-related bone loss and may also address more common forms of osteoporosis with a few adjustments. more

79 million US adults have medical bill problems or are paying off medical debt

The proportion of working-age Americans who have medical bill problems or who are paying off medical debt climbed from 34 percent to 41 percent between 2005 and 2007, bringing the total to 72 million, according to recent survey findings from The Commonwealth Fund. In addition, 7 million adults age 65 and over also had problems paying medical bills, for a total of 79 million adults with medical bill problems or medical debt. more  

Addiction treatment proves successful in animal weight loss study

Vigabatrin, a medication proposed as a potential treatment for drug addiction by scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory, also leads to rapid weight loss and reduced food intake according to a new animal study from the same research group. The study will be published online August 20, 2008, by the journal Synapse. Vigabatrin is currently undergoing U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved Phase II clinical trials against cocaine and methamphetamine addiction across the U.S. more

Breaking the 'mucus barrier' with a new drug delivery system  

Chemical engineers from Johns Hopkins University have broken the "mucus barrier," engineering the first drug-delivery particles capable of passing through human mucus — regarded by many as nearly impenetrable — and carrying medication that could treat a range of diseases. Those conditions include lung cancer, cervical cancer and cystic fibrosis, the research noted in a presentation scheduled for the 236th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society. more

LSUHSC research reports new method to protect brain cells from diseases like Alzheimer's 

New research led by Chu Chen, PhD, Associate Professor of Neuroscience at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, provides evidence that one of the only naturally occurring fatty acids in the brain that has the ability to interact with the receptors originally identified as the targets of THC (the psychoactive component of marijuana) can help to protect brain cells from neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Published in the August 15, 2008 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry, the research focuses on the cellular and molecular mechanisms of inflammation, specifically the role these relatively recently discovered endogenous cannabinoids can play in the control of COX-2 and other cyclooxygenases. COX-2 is a key player in neuroinflammation and has been implicated in the development of neurodegenerative diseases and worsening of damage from such insults as traumatic brain injury and stroke. more

Primary care health consultations can be cost-effective and may help reduce cardiovascular risk

Offering health tests and health consultations in primary care settings can be cost-effective and may help in the fight against the increased burden of lifestyle diseases, according to new research published today in the Scandinavian Journal of Public Health (August issue published this week by SAGE). more

19 August 2008

Tadalafil shows promise for relief of lower urinary tract symptoms associated with BPH

Men with signs of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) can be helped with a daily dose of erectile dysfunction drug tadalafil (Cialis®) to relieve associated lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), according to a new study published in the October 2008 issue of The Journal of Urology. more  

Newly detected air pollutant mimics damaging effects of cigarette smoke

A previously unrecognized group of air pollutants could have effects remarkably similar to harmful substances found in tobacco smoke, Louisiana scientists are reporting. Inhaling those pollutants exposes the average person up to 300 times more free radicals daily than from smoking one cigarette, they added. The discovery could help explain the long-standing medical mystery of why non-smokers develop tobacco-related diseases like lung cancer, said study leader H. Barry Dellinger. more

Chemical liberated by leaky gut may allow virus to infect the brain in HIV patients

In up to 20 percent of people infected with HIV, the virus manages to escape from the bloodstream and cross into the brain, resulting in HIV-associated dementia and other cognitive disorders. Now, scientists at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have found strong evidence that a component of the cell walls of intestinal bacteria — a chemical present in high levels in the blood of HIV-infected people — helps HIV to penetrate the usually-impregnable blood brain barrier (BBB). The findings, published in the August issue of the Journal of Virology, could lead to strategies for preventing HIV from entering the brain and causing serious complications. more  

MU researchers study facial structures, brain abnormalities to reveal formula for earlier detection of autism

Recently, Harvard researchers reported that children with autism have a wide range of genetic defects, making it nearly impossible to develop a simple genetic test to identify the disorder. Now, University of Missouri researchers are studying 3-D imaging to reveal correlations in the facial features and brain structures of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which will enable them to develop a formula for earlier detection of the disorder. The researchers anticipate their work also will reveal genetic clues that can direct additional research. Autism is a brain disorder characterized by a complex of social, communication and behavioral difficulties. more

New reasons to avoid grapefruit and other juices when taking certain drugs  

Scientists and consumers have known for years that grapefruit juice can increase the absorption of certain drugs — with the potential for turning normal doses into toxic overdoses. Now, the researcher who first identified this interaction is reporting new evidence that grapefruit and other common fruit juices, including orange and apple, can do the opposite effect by substantially decreasing the absorption of other drugs, potentially wiping out their beneficial effects. more

Rice lab finds molecular clues to Wilson disease 

Using a combination of computer simulations and cutting-edge lab experiments, physical biochemists at Rice University have discovered how a small genetic mutation -- which is known to cause Wilson disease -- subtly changes the structure of a large, complex protein that the body uses to keep copper from building up to toxic levels. more

‘Chilling’ hardship rates among families raising disabled children

Families with disabled children are struggling to keep food on the table, a roof over their heads, and to pay for needed health and dental care. But according to a new study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, these challenges are now falling on middle-income households and not just on poor families as previous research has found. more

18 August 2008

Researchers link cocoa flavanols to improved brain blood flow

Cocoa flavanols, the unique compounds found naturally in cocoa, may increase blood flow to the brain, according to new research published in the Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment journal. The researchers suggest that long-term improvements in brain blood flow could impact cognitive behavior, offering future potential for debilitating brain conditions including dementia and stroke. more  

1918 flu antibodies resurrected from elderly survivors

Ninety years after the sweeping destruction of the 1918 flu pandemic, researchers at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt have recovered antibodies to the virus – from elderly survivors of the original outbreak. more

Largest study of its kind implicates gene abnormalities in bipolar disorder

The largest genetic analysis of its kind to date for bipolar disorder has implicated machinery involved in the balance of sodium and calcium in brain cells. Researchers supported in part by the National Institute of Mental Health, part of the National Institutes of Health, found an association between the disorder and variation in two genes that make components of channels that manage the flow of the elements into and out of cells, including neurons. more  

Depressed drivers on meds performed worst in driving simulation

People taking prescription antidepressants appear to drive worse than people who aren't taking such drugs, and depressed people on antidepressants have even more trouble concentrating and reacting behind the wheel. more

Researchers create safer alternative to heparin  

Robert Linhardt has spent years stitching together minuscule carbohydrates to build a more pure and safer alternative to the commonly used and controversial blood thinner heparin. At the national conference of the American Chemical Society on August 17, 2008, Linhardt announced that his research team may have accomplished this task by building the first fully synthetic heparin. Their creation is the largest dose of heparin ever created in the lab. more

FDA approves 2008-2009 flu vaccines 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced that it has approved this year's seasonal influenza vaccines that include new strains of the virus likely to cause flu in the United States during the 2008-2009 season. more

Gene signatures may help predict lung cancer survival

A new study provides perhaps the strongest evidence yet that profiling the activity of genes in lung tumors yields information that can help physicians and patients make treatment decisions. Yet the researchers caution that lung tumors are genetically diverse and it may be difficult to develop a single gene signature that could reliably classify all patients. The findings appeared online in Nature Medicine July 20. more

17 August 2008

Drugs boost exercise endurance in mice

Researchers have identified 2 drugs that, in mice, seem to confer many of the healthful benefits of long-term exercise, giving them more fat-burning muscle and better endurance. The scientists say their findings might eventually lead to better treatments for certain muscle disorders, frailty, obesity and other conditions in which exercise is known to be helpful but not always practical. more  

Monitoring cancer changes from the blood

Researchers have come up with a new way to monitor cancer using a special microchip that isolates tumor cells from the patient’s blood. The breakthrough could help doctors adjust to changes in tumors and personalize their patients’ treatments. more

Human genes associated with West Nile virus infection

Since West Nile virus (WNV) first appeared in the United States a decade ago, it’s become a seasonal epidemic, flaring up in the summer and continuing into the fall. Unfortunately, our understanding of the virus on a molecular level has been limited. A new study has now identified over 300 human proteins involved in WNV infection, exposing numerous potential antiviral targets. more  

Government saves money by funding family planning clinics

Publicly funded clinics that provide women with reproductive health care save government money, a recent analysis concludes. more

Researchers urge backpack safety over style for kids  

School children across the world may speak different languages but there is one experience an estimated 90 percent of all students share: wearing a backpack. Researchers from the University of San Diego, California School of Medicine say those students also share a common problem: low back pain due to overloaded backpacks. more

Chronic ear infections linked to taste damage, increased obesity risk in children and adults 

Ear infections are a painful rite of passage for many children. New research suggests the damage caused by chronic ear infections could be linked to people’s preference for fatty foods, which increases their risk of being overweight as they age. Scientists from around the country presented their findings on this unexpected connection at the American Psychological Association’s 116th Annual Convention here Thursday. more

Health insurance premiums have more than doubled since 1996

Private-sector employers and their employees have seen their health insurance premium costs go up by more than 100 percent since 1996, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. more

16 August 2008

Experiments could lead to new treatments for neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma is one of the most devastating diagnoses a child can receive. The cancer's victims average 2 years old when the disease is detected, most often by a parent feeling a lump in a child's abdomen. By then, the disease has often reached an advanced stage, and advanced neuroblastoma kills more than 50 percent of the children in whom it develops, despite aggressive treatment with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. more  

Potatoes may hold key to Alzheimer's treatment

A virus that commonly infects potatoes bears a striking resemblance to one of the key proteins implicated in Alzheimer's disease (AD), and researchers have used that to develop antibodies that may slow or prevent the onset of AD. more

By amplifying cell death signals, scientists make precancerous cells self-destruct

When a cell begins to multiply in a dangerously abnormal way, a series of death signals trigger it to self-destruct before it turns cancerous. Now, in research to appear in the August 15 issue of Genes & Development, Rockefeller University scientists have figured out a way in mice to amplify the signals that tell these precancerous cells to die. The trick: Inactivating a protein that normally helps cells to avoid self-destruction. more  

Cancer signatures uncovered

A new systematic analysis of the relationship between the neoplastic and developmental transcriptome provides an outline of trends in cancer gene expression. The research, published recently in BioMed Central's open access journal Genome Biology, describes how cancers can be divided into three groups distinguished by disparate developmental signatures. more

'Harry and Louise' icons return to promote health care reform in new ad  

Harry and Louise, the iconic couple featured in ads to defeat health care reform in 1993-1994, will be back on television to demand that health care reform return to the top of the agenda. more

Cancer Prevention Coalition demands cancer labeling for talc products 

In May 2008, a Coalition submitted a Petition updating the evidence for the major cancer risks of genital talc products, as detailed in 11 leading national and international scientific journals. This Petition was endorsed by leading national scientific authorities including Dr. Quentin Young, Chairman of the Health and Medicine Policy Research Group, and past president of the American Public Health Association; Dr. Peter Orris, Chief of Services, University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center; Ronnie Cummins, National Director of the Organic Consumers Association; and more recently the National Congress of Black Women. However, the FDA has failed to respond to the Petition. more

FDA approves first drug for treatment of chorea in Huntington’s disease

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Xenazine (tetrabenazine) for the treatment of chorea in people with Huntington’s disease. Chorea is the jerky, involuntary movement that occurs in people with this disease. more

15 August 2008

Study shows that surgical weight loss does not eliminate obstructive sleep apnea

A study in the August 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine shows that surgical weight loss results in an improvement of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but most patients continue to have moderate to severe OSA one year after undergoing bariatric surgery. Results of this study suggest that it is the severity of the condition, rather than a patient's presurgical weight, that determines if OSA will be resolved. more  

Asthma in boys may be just a phase, but for girls it may be there to stay

Boys may be more apt than girls to have childhood asthma, but, when compared to girls, they are also more likely to grow out of it in adolescence and have a decreased incidence of asthma in the post-pubertal years. This indicates that there may be a buried mechanism in asthma development, according to a prospective study that analyzed airway responsiveness (AR) in more than 1,000 children with mild to moderate asthma over a period of about nine years. more

Researchers find Leishmaniasis parasites evade death by exploiting the immune response to sand fly bites

Cutaneous leishmaniasis, a disease characterized by painful skin ulcers, occurs when the parasite Leishmania major, or a related species, is transmitted to a mammalian host by the bite of an infected sand fly. In a new study from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, scientists have discovered L. major does its damage by not only evading but also by exploiting the body’s wound-healing response to sand fly bites, as reported in the August 15 issue of Science. more  

Alternative vaccine strategy shows promise in prostate cancer patients

New research indicates that giving patients a continuous low dose of an immune system booster, a method known as metronomic dosing, as part of a therapeutic prostate cancer vaccine strategy is safe and produces similar immune responses and fewer side effects than the more common dosing method, which is not well tolerated by many patients. This study, led by researchers at that National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, was published in the Aug. 15, 2008, issue of Clinical Cancer Research. more

Stress, anxiety can make allergy attacks even more miserable, last longer  

A new study here shows that even slight stress and anxiety can substantially worsen a person’s allergic reaction to some routine allergens. more

New mushroom study shows the power of energy density 

Preliminary research, led by Dr. Lawrence Cheskin, MD, Director of John Hopkins Weight Management Center, suggests increasing intake of low-energy density foods, specifically mushrooms, in place of high-energy-density foods, like lean ground beef, is a strategy for preventing or treating obesity. This is good news for the more than one-third of U.S. adults age 20 and older who are obese, according to the Center for Disease Control. Obesity is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer, and type 2 diabetes. more

Hope for patients with COPD

For the first time, a drug therapy appears to reduce lung function loss in patients with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to the results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 42 countries. more

14 August 2008

MSG = Fat, overweight, obese

People who use monosodium glutamate, or MSG, as a flavor enhancer in their food are more likely than people who don't use it to be overweight or obese even though they have the same amount of physical activity and total calorie intake, according to a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Public Health study published this month in the journal Obesity. more  

Blood pressure response to daily stress provides clues for better hypertension treatment

How the body regulates blood pressure in response to daily stress is the focus of a study geared toward helping people whose pressure is out of control. “Research shows that two-thirds of patients’ high blood pressure is not controlled despite the best efforts of their doctors. That is terrible,” says Dr. Gregory Harshfield, director of the Georgia Prevention Institute at the Medical College of Georgia. more

Teens underestimate risk, overestimate vehicle, highway safety in motor vehicle accidents

Most teens' attitudes regarding trauma-related injuries, particularly those due to motor vehicle crashes, reflect an sense of invincibility and focus on fate rather than choice, according to new research published in the August issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. more  

Study finds that sleep selectively preserves emotional memories

As poets, songwriters and authors have described, our memories range from misty water-colored recollections to vividly detailed images of the times of our lives. Now, a study led by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and Boston College offers new insights into the specific components of emotional memories, suggesting that sleep plays a key role in determining what we remember – and what we forget. more

Perceived level of intimacy within a relationship predicts relational uncertainty  

Relational Uncertainty refers to people’s lack of confidence in their perceptions of relationship involvement. A new study in the journal Personal Relationships evaluated associations between intimacy and relational uncertainty and found that fluctuations in perceptions of relationships are meaningful aspects of non-marital romantic relationships. more

For high-risk patients, stroke-prevention surgical procedure does not equate with high surgical risk 

New research published in the August 2008 issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons shows that "high-risk" patients with multiple medical conditions, including high blood pressure and coronary artery disease, can safely undergo carotid endarterectomy – a stroke-preventing surgical procedure that clears blockages from the neck's carotid arteries. more

Key gaps remain in understanding health effects of vitamin D

Despite considerable progress in research to understand the health effects of vitamin D, experts convened by the NIH to review the available data found major gaps in the evidence. The data are strongest in the area of bone health among elderly men and post-menopausal women, suggesting that increased vitamin D intake can improve bone health and prevent falls. For other age groups and health issues, though, it is too early to say conclusively whether more vitamin D might be beneficial. more

13 August 2008

Cancer cells with a long breath: seeking the origin of brain tumors in children

Medulloblastoma is one of the most common and most malignant brain tumors among children and teenagers. These tumors grow very rapidly, and fifty percent of patients in the long term die from the condition. The details of the processes that lead to the growth of these tumors have remained unknown until now. In two studies, working together with international scientific teams, LMU medical scientist Dr. Ulrich Schüller has now successfully revealed certain molecular mechanisms that lead to the development of these cerebellar tumors. more  

Adverse reactions to antibiotics send thousands of patients to the ER

Adverse events from antibiotics cause an estimated 142,000 emergency department visits per year in the United States, according to a study published in the September 15, 2008 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases. more

Nature or nurture—are you who your brain chemistry says you are?

Researchers using positron emission tomography (PET) have validated a long-held theory that individual personality traits—particularly reward dependency—are connected to brain chemistry, a finding that has implications for better understanding and treating substance abuse and other addictive behaviors. more  

Childhood dairy intake may improve adolescent bone health

Dairy is recognized as a key component of a healthy, balanced diet. However, until recently it was unclear how long-term dairy intake contributes to the many aspects of bone health in children, including bone density, bone mineral content, and bone area. A new study soon to be published in The Journal of Pediatrics investigates the effect of childhood dairy intake on adolescent bone health. more

Causes for sexual dysfunction change as people age  

Sexual dysfunction is not an inevitable part of aging, but it is strongly related a number of factors, such as mental and physical health, demographics and lifetime experiences, many of which are interrelated, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Chicago. more

Nano vaccine for hepatitis B shows promise for third world 

Chronic hepatitis B infects 400 million people worldwide, many of them children. Even with three effective vaccines available, hepatitis B remains a stubborn, unrelenting health problem, especially in Africa and other developing areas. The disease and its complications cause an estimated 1 million deaths globally each year. more

Physical therapists offer low-cost solution to high-cost expenditures for acute low back pain

The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) concurs with findings from a recent study published in Spine (Volume 33, Number 16) demonstrating that active physical therapy for patients with acute low back pain is associated with better clinical outcomes, decreased use of prescription medications, MRI and epidural injections, and lower healthcare costs than passive physical therapy. more

12 August 2008

Rare case in a Baltimore couple explains why some infected with HIV remain symptom free for years without antiretroviral drugs

AIDS experts at Johns Hopkins say they have compelling evidence that some people with HIV who for years and even decades show extremely low levels of the virus in their blood never progress to full-blown AIDS and remain symptom free even without treatment, probably do so because of the strength of their immune systems, not any defects in the strain of HIV that infected them in the first place. more  

Gene's newly explained effect on height may change tumor disorder treatment

A mutation that causes a childhood tumor syndrome also impairs growth hormone secretion, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found. more

Signs of Alzheimer's disease may be present decades before diagnosis

Scientists from the University of South Florida and the University of Kentucky report that people who develop Alzheimer’s disease may show signs of the neurodegenerative illness many decades earlier in life — including compromised educational achievement. Their research is published online this month in the journal Alzheimer’s Disease and Associated Disorders. more  

Childhood brain tumor traced to normal stem cells gone bad

An aggressive childhood brain tumor known as medulloblastoma originates in normal brain "stem" cells that turn malignant when acted on by a known mutant, cancer-causing oncogene, say researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). more

Aspirin, acid blocker a-day keeps GI bleeding at bay  

For patients with clogged heart arteries who take long-term, low-dose aspirin to prevent a cardiac event, adding a stomach acid-blocking drug to their daily routine has been shown to reduce their risk for upper gastrointestinal bleeding – an infrequent, but serious side-effect of regular aspirin use. more

Designer RNA fights high cholesterol, researchers find 

Small, specially designed bits of ribonucleic acid (RNA) can interfere with cholesterol metabolism, reducing harmful cholesterol by two-thirds in pre-clinical tests, according to a new study by researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center in collaboration with Alnylam Pharmaceuticals and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. more

Some obese individuals appear 'metabolically healthy,' without increased cardiovascular risk

Some obese individuals do not appear to have an increased risk for heart disease, while some normal-weight individuals experience a cluster of heart risks, according to two reports in the August 11/25 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. more

11 August 2008

Obesity genes revealed

A study of 228 women has revealed genetic variants responsible for body shape. Based on work in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, research published this week in the open access journal BMC Genetics identifies natural variation in the human LAMA5 gene as a key determinant of weight. more  

Genes may make some people more prone to anxiety

Inborn differences may help explain why trauma gives some people bad memories and others the nightmare of post-traumatic stress. Scientists in Germany and the United States have reported evidence linking genes to anxious behavior. The findings appear in the August issue of Behavioral Neuroscience, published by the American Psychological Association. more

Unlocking mystery of why dopamine freezes Parkinson's patients

Parkinson's disease and drug addiction are polar opposite diseases, but both depend upon dopamine in the brain. Parkinson's patients don't have enough of it; drug addicts get too much of it. Although the importance of dopamine in these disorders has been well known, the way it works has been a mystery. more  

Eat oily fish at least once a week to protect your eyesight in old age

Eating oily fish once a week may reduce age-related macular degeneration (AMD) which is the major cause of blindness and poor vision in adults in western countries and the third cause of global blindness, according to a study published this week in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. more

Researchers block damage to fetal brain following maternal alcohol consumption  

In a study on fetal alcohol syndrome, researchers were able to prevent the damage that alcohol causes to cells in a key area of the fetal brain by blocking acid sensitive potassium channels and preventing the acidic environment that alcohol produces. The cerebellum, the portion of the brain that is responsible for balance and muscle coordination, is particularly vulnerable to injury from alcohol during development. more

Asthma, outdoor air quality and the Olympic Games 

As we come close to the Beijing Olympic Games, a review article, in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) reminds us that the heat and humidity in the Beijing region will present a formidable challenge to all athletes. Moreover, poor quality of air can also affect all athletes, especially those with asthma. more

Early treatment is key to combating hepatitis C virus

Canadian researchers have shown that patients who receive early treatment for Hepatitis C virus (HCV) within the first months following an infection, develop a rapid poly-functional immune response against HCV similar to when infection is erradicted spontaneously, according to a new study published in the Journal of Virology. Therefore, early treatment can restore immune response against HCV and help eliminate the virus rapidly. This new discovery of the mechanisms of viral eradication could contribute to the development of new treatments. more

8 August 2008

Pathogen that causes disease in cattle also associated with Crohn's disease

People with Crohn's disease (CD) are seven-fold more likely to have in their gut tissues the bacterium that causes a digestive-tract disease in cattle called Johne's disease. The role this bacterium may or may not play in causing CD is a top research priority, according to a new report released by the American Academy of Microbiology. The reports points out that the cause of CD is unknown, and the possible role of this bacterium—which could conceivably be passed up the food chain to people—has received too little attention from the research community. more  

PSA screening may be biased against obese men, leading to more aggressive cancers

Testing men for elevated levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the blood -- the gold standard screening test for prostate cancer -- may be biased against obese men, whose PSA levels tend to be deceptively low. And this bias may be creating more aggressive cancers in this population by delaying diagnosis, according to a new study led by investigators in the Duke Prostate Center and the Durham Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center. more

Testosterone key to disease transmission

High levels of testosterone may be a key factor in spreading disease among mice, according to biologists. The findings could help explain why males in a population are often more likely to get infected, and transmit disease. more  

First step towards switching off breast cancer and leukemia

Australian scientists have identified a way to 'switch off' a molecule, a key player in the molecular processes that trigger breast cancer and certain forms of leukemia. more

Researchers find cancer-inhibiting compound under the sea  

University of Florida College of Pharmacy researchers have discovered a marine compound off the coast of Key Largo that inhibits cancer cell growth in laboratory tests, a finding they hope will fuel the development of new drugs to better battle the disease. more

A new light on the brains of people with borderline personality disorder 

In a game of give and get, the brains of people with borderline personality disorder often don't get it. In fact, an interactive economic game played between two people in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) devices revealed a brain malfunction associated with the disorder, a serious but common mental illness that affects a person's perceptions of the world and other people, said researchers from Baylor College of Medicine in a report that appears in the current issue of the journal Science. more

TORC at UH turns to virtual world of Second Life for new study

The University of Houston department of health and human performance is launching an international effort to recruit 500 participants for a study promoting healthy dietary habits and physical activity. The study will take place entirely in the virtual world of Second Life (SL). more

7 August 2008

Coming soon to a doctor's office near you: Personalized vitamin plans to fine tune your body's engine

You may be one of the many people who take vitamin and mineral supplements as a kind of insurance plan, to make sure your body’s getting enough of all the nutrients you need. New research suggests that doctors may one day be able to design a personalized supplement plan that’s best for your particular body. more  

The end of one-size-fits-all medicine? Personalized medicine showing promise

Most of the time, doctors can be pretty sure that the medicine they give you is going to help. But sometimes they have to just wait and see. The fact is, people don't all respond the same way to medications. A new field of research is trying to take out the guesswork and help doctors predict which medicines will be right for you. more

82 percent of Americans think health care system needs major overhaul

Americans are dissatisfied with the U.S. health care system and 82 percent think it should be fundamentally changed or completely rebuilt, according to a new survey released today by The Commonwealth Fund. Also today, The Commonwealth Fund Commission on A High Performance Health System released a report outlining what an ideally organized U.S. health care system would look like, and detailing strategies that could create that organized, efficient health care system while simultaneously improving care and cutting costs. more  

Researchers report periodontal disease independently predicts new onset diabetes

Periodontal disease may be an independent predictor of incident Type 2 diabetes, according to a study by researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. While diabetes has long been believed to be a risk factor for periodontal infections, this is the first study exploring whether the reverse might also be true, that is, if periodontal infections can contribute to the development of diabetes. The full study findings are published in the July 2008 issue of Diabetes Care. more

Floss your teeth—on the double!  

In dental offices all over the world, patients are often told they are not flossing enough or instructed to floss more. As the old saying goes, you only need to floss the teeth you want to keep. After all, not flossing regularly can lead to tooth decay and to periodontal disease, the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. more

Study finds connections between genetics, brain activity and preference 

A team of researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) has used brain imaging, genetics and experimental psychology techniques to identify a connection between brain reward circuitry, a behavioral measurement of preference and a gene variant that appears to influence both. The report in the August 4 issue of Archives of General Psychiatry describes how variations in a gene involved with the brain's reward function are associated with the activity of a key brain structure and, in parallel, with the effort study participants 'invest' in viewing emotion-laden facial images. The findings have implications for how genes may influence healthy or dysfunctional behavior involving choices in many different areas. more

NYU researchers demonstrate activity of mebendazole in metastatic melanoma

Researchers at the NYU Cancer Institute and the Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology have identified mebendazole, a drug used globally to treat parasitic infections, as a novel investigational agent for the treatment of chemotherapy-resistant malignant melanoma. more

6 August 2008

Post-partum suicide attempt risks studied

Although maternal suicide after giving birth is a relatively rare occurrence, suicide attempts often have long-lasting effects on the family and the infant. In a study published in the August 2008 issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, researchers compared two populations of mothers and found that a history of psychiatric disorders or substance abuse was a strong predictor of post-partum suicide attempts. more  

New decision model seeks to avert flu vaccine mismatch of 2007-2008 season

To avoid producing vaccines that treat the wrong strains during flu season, the FDA should consider deferring some of its selections as well as other changes to the vaccine composition, according to a study by two decision analysts published in a journal of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS®). more

Exercise pill is no replacement for exercise

Recently, researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, a research organization focused on biology and its relation to health, published a study in the journal Cell on the results of a substance that increased exercise endurance without daily exertion when tested in mice. Media reports have described this substance as an “exercise pill,” potentially eliminating the need for exercise. Frank Booth, a University of Missouri expert on the science of inactivity, says the “exercise pill” study did not test all of the commonly known benefits of exercise and taking the pill cannot be considered a replacement for exercise. more  

Alcohol consumption declining, according to results of new study

Overall alcohol use—particularly consumption of beer—is declining in the US, according to a new study published in the August 2008 issue of The American Journal of Medicine. Researchers examined 50 years of data and found several changes in alcohol intake but no change in alcohol use disorders. Americans are drinking significantly less beer and more wine, while hard liquor use has remained fairly constant. More people now report that they are non-drinkers. People born later in the 20th century drink more moderately than older people. more

Researchers unveil vital key to cancer  

University of Manchester scientists have uncovered the 3D structure of Mps1 – a protein that regulates the number of chromosomes during cell division and thus has an essential role in the prevention of cancer – which will lead to the design of safer and more effective therapies. more

Students with food allergies often not prepared 

College students with food allergies aren't avoiding the foods they know they shouldn't eat. Students of all ages are not treated with potentially life-saving epinephrine as often as they should be. And instructors, roommates and friends often are not aware of what to do if a food-allergic student has a reaction. more

Invest in your family's health by budgeting for nutrient-rich foods

Times are tough for many families and schools – so those food dollars need to work hard by providing plenty of nutrition. Many nutrient-rich foods such as milk, are a good economic and nutritional value because they pack in many essential nutrients at a low cost per serving. more

5 August 2008

Exposure to Agent Orange linked to prostate cancer in Vietnam veterans

UC Davis Cancer Center physicians today released results of research showing that Vietnam War veterans exposed to Agent Orange have greatly increased risks of prostate cancer and even greater risks of getting the most aggressive form of the disease as compared to those who were not exposed. more  

People who are obese may carry asthma trait

A new study suggests that people who are obese with asthma may carry a specific trait or phenotype that causes them to have poorer asthma control than people who are not obese with asthma. more

Chronic cough in children adds to parental stress

Parents of children with chronic cough may suffer from additional stress and worry beyond the normal stress of parenting. In a new study, Australian researchers administered questionnaires measuring anxiety, depression, stress, and burden of cough to 79 parents of 190 children who were newly referred for chronic cough. more  

Cough affects lives in different ways

Cough is a symptom of many respiratory diseases; however, a new study shows that chronic cough may affect quality of life differently, based on a patient's disease. more

Treatment with anti-anemia drugs may not be safe for multiple myeloma patients  

A recent study published in American Journal of Hematology demonstrated that Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs), a widely used drug to treat anemia, may have a negative impact on the survival of myeloma patients. In the study, 323 multiple myeloma patients were evaluated over a 20 year period in Greece from 1988 to 2007. The investigators reviewed their medical records and observed an association between ESA exposure and a reduction in progression-free and overall survival. more

MDCT just as accurate as MRI in assessing myocardial infarction in emergency setting 

Multidetector CT (MDCT) is just as accurate as MRI in assessing myocardial infarct size--an important predictor of clinical outcome-- in an emergency setting according to a recent study conducted by researchers in collaboration between the VA Medical Center in San Francisco, CA and the University Claude Bernard in Lyon, France. more

Vitamin C injections slow tumor growth in mice

High-dose injections of vitamin C, also known as ascorbate or ascorbic acid, reduced tumor weight and growth rate by about 50 percent in mouse models of brain, ovarian, and pancreatic cancers, researchers from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) report in the August 5, 2008, issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The researchers traced ascorbate’s anti-cancer effect to the formation of hydrogen peroxide in the extracellular fluid surrounding the tumors. Normal cells were unaffected. more

4 August 2008

Older adults: How to stay cool in hot weather

Hyperthermia is the name given to a variety of heat-related illnesses that can include heat stroke, heat fatigue, heat syncope (sudden dizziness after exercising in the heat), heat cramps and heat exhaustion. Older adults are particularly at risk for developing heat-related illness because the ability to adequately respond to summer heat can become less efficient with age. The National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has some advice for helping older people avoid heat problems during the summer months. more  

Hyperthermia: Too hot for your health

Irene is retired, she loves to work in her garden. Because she has always spent hours outside, she thinks the heat and humidity of Midwestern summers don’t bother her. Then last year an unusual heat wave hit her area. Every day the temperature was over 100° F, and the humidity was at least 90%. Five days into the heat wave, her daughter Kim came over because Irene sounded confused on the phone. Kim found her mom passed out on the kitchen floor. The ambulance came quickly when called, but Irene almost died. She had heat stroke, the most serious form of hyperthermia. more

Electronic tongue tastes wine variety, vintage

You don't need a wine expert to identify a '74 Pinot Noir from Burgundy – a handheld "electronic tongue" devised by European scientists will tell you the grape variety and vintage at the press of a button. more  

Maternal deaths following cesarean delivery can be reduced

Maternal death rates have remained constant in the United States for many decades. Are there any improvements in health care that could reduce these rates further? In a study published in the July 2008 issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, researchers examined all maternal deaths in nearly 1.5 million birth records from the last 6 years to look for possible keys to saving more mothers. The study demonstrated that the risk of death attributable to cesarean delivery, approximately 2/100,000 procedures, can realistically be reduced only with universal thromboembolism prophylaxis for patients delivered by cesarean. more

Epilepsy drug may help alcoholics recover from dependence, small study suggests  

It's a Catch-22 of the highest order. People with alcohol problems often use alcohol to get to sleep -- but it actually keeps them from getting good-quality sleep all night long. more

Canadian study of colds and kids: Positive safety results for ginseng extract 

Positive findings of a safety study involving children and a highly touted botanical extract (COLD-fX) show promise for its future development for kids as a Canadian cold and flu remedy. The results appear in the August, 2008 issue of Pediatrics – the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. more

Data mining detects signs of Lou Gehrig’s disease in gene carriers long before symptoms appear

Inspired by the use of microarray chips that look for gene combinations, psychologists are using “pattern array” software to spot movements in rats that might help them predict diseases such as Lou Gehrig’s syndrome. more

3 August 2008

Penn researchers find a new role for a 'Foxy Old Gene'

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have discovered that a protein called FOXA2 controls genes that maintain the proper level of bile in the liver. FOXA2 may become the focus for new therapies to treat diseases that involve the regulation of bile salts. The study was published online this week in Nature Medicine. more  

Bulging prison system called massive intervention in American family life

The mammoth increase in the United States' prison population since the 1970s is having profound demographic consequences that disproportionately affect black males. more

Highly active antiretroviral therapy of similar benefit for HIV-infected injection drug users

Contrary to the belief that HIV-infected injection drug users (IDUs) receive less benefit from highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), new research finds little difference in the survival rate between IDUs and non-IDUs after 4-5 years of receiving HAART, according to a study in the August 6 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on HIV/AIDS. more  

Growth hormone treatment for HIV patients improves abdominal fat, but worsens glucose level

For human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients with treatment-related abdominal obesity and growth hormone deficiency, receiving low-dose growth hormone resulted in improvement in fat and blood pressure measurements but worsened glucose levels, according to a study in the August 6 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on HIV/AIDS. more

Growth hormone reduces abdominal fat, cardiovascular risk in HIV patients on antiviral therapy  

Low-dose growth hormone treatment reduced abdominal fat deposits and improved blood pressure and triglyceride levels in a group of patients with HIV lipodystrophy, a condition involving the redistribution of fat and other metabolic changes in patients receiving combination drug therapy for HIV infection. more

Male college students more likely than less-educated peers to commit property crimes 

Men who attend college are more likely to commit property crimes during their college years than their non-college-attending peers, according to research to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association. more

2 years old -- a childhood obesity tipping point?

Over the last decade, childhood obesity has grown into an epidemic, reflected in soaring rates of type 2 diabetes and recommendations that pediatricians check toddlers for elevated cholesterol. more

1 August 2008

FDA clears test that helps identify type of cancer in tumor sample

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared for marketing a test that can help health care professionals determine what type of cancer cells are present in a malignant tumor. more  

Lab study shows methadone breaks resistance in untreatable forms of leukemia

Researchers in Germany have discovered that methadone, an agent used to break addiction to opioid drugs, has surprising killing power against leukemia cells, including treatment resistant forms of the cancer. more

Australian study shows that sleep apnea is an independent risk factor for mortality

Moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is an independent risk factor for all-cause mortality, according to a study in the August 1 issue of the journal Sleep. more  

New male circumcision device for HIV prevention studied by NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell

With the recent endorsement by the World Health Organization (WHO) and scientists worldwide of adult male circumcision as an important strategy for HIV prevention, there is increased urgency to develop safe and cost-effective circumcision services. This is especially the case in Africa where HIV/AIDS continues to spread at an epidemic rate. more

Ties to war-dead are a predictor of likely presidential disapproval  

Those who know someone who died in the Iraq War or 9/11 terrorist attacks are less likely to approve of President Bush’s performance in office than people who have no such connections, according to new research from the University of California, Davis. The pattern holds true for Republicans as well as Democrats, conservatives as well as liberals,