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Also Try AIDS and HIV Resources Biotechnology Health Current Events Archives Health News Health Research Medical Lesson Plans -12-16-06 New Jersey to Fund Stem Cell Research (CBS Newst) "Hoping to jump-start plans to make New Jersey a leader in stem cell research, Gov. Jon S. Corzine's administration plans to make $10 million available for research grants, with most money going to embryonic stem cell research." 12-06 Lists Hospital-Acquired Infections (Awesome Library) Provides articles on reducing hospital-acquired infections. Hospital-acquired infections are infections gained while staying at a hospital. Preparing for Avian Flu (Awesome Library) Provides links to articles. 03-06 News -01-01-07 Seniors Need to Work Out (US News) Harris, though, is the exception to the rule. Despite the age-defying benefits of getting fit, seniors are the least physically active of all Americans—40 percent of women and 30 percent of men over 70 report that they never exercise. Beyond protection against heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers, numerous studies suggest that regular exercise can lower the risk of decline—the dementia, the frailty—that spells the end of independence. Brisk walks around the neighborhood make a great start. But more is needed to prevent falls and retain strength and mobility. In August, the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association issued new exercise guidelines for seniors that call for several workouts a week incorporating resistance training, stretching, and balancing as well as aerobics. 10-07 -01-02-07 Starbucks, Along with New York City, Bans Trans Fats (MSNBC News) "Standalone Starbucks stores in Seattle, San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Portland, Ore. will have zero trans fats in their food as of Wednesday, Borrman said." "Getting the other half of U.S. stores to follow suit will take some time, as the company adjusts recipes with regional bakers and food suppliers." "In December, New York became the first American city to ban artificial trans fats in restaurants and eateries. With some exceptions, restaurants will be barred from using spreads and frying oils containing artificial trans fats by July 1." 01-07 -01-02-07 The Cruel Irony of Hormone Therapy (MSNBC News) "The recent data on breast cancer rates suggest that millions of women could have developed and even died from the disease because of excessive use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT)." "How did this happen?" "A good place to look is a book called 'Feminine Forever,' by Dr. Robert A. Wilson. A best seller when it was published 40 years ago, the book helped persuade millions of physicians and their female patients that HRT was not just helpful, but necessary." 01-07 -01-03-07 For Longevity, Other Factors Pale in Comparison to "Education" (New York Times) "The one social factor that researchers agree is consistently linked to longer lives in every country where it has been studied is education. It is more important than race; it obliterates any effects of income." "And, health economists say, those factors that are popularly believed to be crucial — money and health insurance, for example, pale in comparison." 01-07 -01-11-06 Obesity Drug Based on Genetic Research (ABC News) "In the coming year, the French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi-Aventis plans to release what many believe could be one of the first truly effective anti-obesity drugs. Preliminary data from large trials have suggested that weight loss is much greater than with any current drugs on the market." "The drug, rimonabant, targets receptors of cannabinoid 1, which stimulates appetite and other cravings (including nicotine) in the brain. By blocking cannabinoid 1's receptors, rimonabant helps people beat their cravings and lose weight." 01-06 -01-17-07 Boosting Brain Power Through Exercise (CBS News) Professor Arthur Kramer of the University of Illinois in Urbana says "changing the size and the function of your brain is as easy as taking a few steps." " 'We found in our study that walking will increase the volume of the brain, increase the efficiency of the brain and increase improvements in the number of cognitive functions such as memory and attention,' Kramer says." 01-07 -01-18-07 Staph Germ Can Kill Quickly (MSNBC News) "A nasty staph germ circulating in the community and some hospitals produces a poison that can kill pneumonia patients within 72 hours, researchers said Thursday." "Staphylococcus aureus bacteria — Staph for short — can pass one another the gene for the toxin and are apparently swapping it more often, the researchers report in Friday’s issue of the journal Science." 01-07 -01-22-07 Genetic Signature Predicts Recurrence of Breast Cancer (Health.MSN.com) "A genetic 'signature' that consists of 186 genes combined together can predict the risk of breast cancer recurrence in women with the disease, a new study found." 01-07 -01-24-07 Pancreatic Cancer Prevention (ABC News) "When the researchers compared the answers of the men who had developed pancreatic cancer to those who had not, they found that the risk of developing the disease was 64 percent greater in the men who had gum disease." 01-07 -01-26-06 Effective New Treatments for Breast Cancer (ABC News) "Four years after she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer, Peggy Matson is now free of the disease." "She had surgery and took a new drug called Herceptin, one of the first medications to attack breast cancer cells specifically." "One of the most promising is a pill called Lapatinib, potentially more effective than Herceptin because it inhibits the growth of two proteins in certain cancer cells, while Herceptin affects only one." 01-06 -01-27-06 New Cancer Drug Approved (CBS News) "A new drug that combats both a rare stomach cancer and advanced kidney cancer won speedy federal approval Thursday." "Sunitinib, to be marketed by Pfizer Inc. as Sutent, is the first cancer drug to simultaneously win Food and Drug Administration approval for two conditions, the agency said." 01-06 -01-27-06 Passive Smoke Linked to Breast Cancer (USA Today) "California regulators ruled Thursday that secondhand smoke causes breast cancer in younger women, an unprecedented finding that could lead to tougher anti-smoking measures." 01-06 -01-29-07 McDonald's to Go "Trans-Fat Free" (USA Today) "McDonald's (MCD) has finally selected a new trans-fat-free oil for cooking its famous french fries after years of testing, the fast-food chain said Monday." 01-07 -01-31-06 Drinking a Cancer Risk (CNN News) "Along with smoking and chronic infections, alcohol consumption is an important cause of several types of cancer, researchers said on Monday." 01-06 -01-31-06 Stem Cell Research and State Laws (Christian Science Monitor) "Washington has effectively put a lid on federal efforts to advance embryonic stem-cell research. But pressure from scientists eager to expand their knowledge, special interest groups searching for new cures for diseases, and those who see a lucrative new biomedical industry has found a relief valve: the nation's 50 statehouses." 01-06 -02-02-07 Texas Passes First Law to Mandate Anti-Cancer Vaccinations (CBS News) "Bypassing the Legislature, Republican Gov. Rick Perry signed an order Friday making Texas the first state to require that schoolgirls get vaccinated against the sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer." 01-07 -02-03-05 Liquid Radiation Has Fewer Side Effects (ABC News) "A study published in today's New England Journal of Medicine offers encouraging news about a novel way to fight cancer. It finds that injecting a type of liquid radiation, called Bexxar, into patients with lymphoma — a cancer of the immune system — can fight the disease more quickly and with fewer side effects that existing treatments. The approach might eventually be used on a variety of cancers." "The radioactive drug is delivered intravenously and works like a guided missile. It travels throughout the body, homing in on a specific protein found on the cancer cells." 2-05 -02-04-08 Obesity Caused Partly by a Virus? (ABC News) "New research announced Monday found that when human stem cells the blank slate of the cell world were exposed to a common virus they turned into fat cells. They didn't just change, they stored fat, too." "While this may be a guilt-free explanation for putting on pounds, it doesn't explain all or even most of America's growing obesity problem. But it adds to other recent evidence that blames expanding waistlines on more than just super-sized appetites and underused muscles." "For several years, researchers have looked at a possible link between obesity and this common virus, called adenovirus-36, from a family of viruses that cause colds and pinkeye in people. They had already found that a higher percentage of fat people had been infected with the virus than nonfat people. They had exposed animals to the virus and got them to fatten up and even found a a gene in the virus that causes animals to get obese." 02-08 -02-07-07 Sleep Deprivation Linked to Being Overweight (USA Today) "Children who don't get enough sleep are more likely to be overweight than those who get plenty of sleep, a study reports Wednesday." "The National Sleep Foundation recommends that preschoolers get 11 to 13 hours of sleep each night. Children ages 5 to 12 years are supposed to sleep 10 to 11 hours a night; teens, nine hours." 02-07 -02-07-08 Association Found Between Cell Phone Use and Sperm Count (MSNBC News) "Spending hours on a cell phone each day may affect the quality of a man’s sperm, preliminary research suggests." 02-08 -02-08-07 Study: Autism More Common Than Expected (ABC News) "Autism is more common in the United States than anyone had estimated, affecting about one in every 150 children, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Thursday." 02-07 -02-09-07 FDA Approves a Device to Save the Limbs of Soldiers (MSNBC News) "A plastic shunt that can temporarily rejoin the severed blood vessels of soldiers wounded on the battlefield won federal approval Friday, following an expedited review." 02-07 -02-09-08 Metabolic Syndrome Tied to Diet Soda (New York Times) "Researchers have found a correlation between drinking diet soda and metabolic syndrome — the collection of risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes that include abdominal obesity, high cholesterol and blood glucose levels, and elevated blood pressure." "But the one-third who ate the most fried food increased their risk by 25 percent compared with the one-third who ate the least, and surprisingly, the risk of developing metabolic syndrome was 34 percent higher among those who drank one can of diet soda a day compared with those who drank none." 02-08 -02-15-06 Study: Risk of Hip Fractures Reduced With Supplements (ABC News) "Taking calcium and vitamin D supplements for several years can help older women reduce the risk of hip fractures, according to the results of a long-term, comprehensive, federally funded study by the Women's Health Initiative." -02-15-06 What Has Many Germs? (ABC News) "To find out how to make our offices less germ-friendly, we called on Allison Janse, who was Gerba's co-author for the book, 'The Germ Freak's Guide to Outwitting Colds and Flu.' " -02-17-06 Diffusion Tension Imaging Surpasses MRI (ABC News) "When you look at the pictures of a brain from a typical MRI, it looks like an indistinguished blob. But the latest, cutting-edge technology called diffusion tensor imaging reveals the true wonders of the brain by developing the images into what looks like bundles of colorful wires — thousands of them — linking the brain's different parts. And to the patient, getting a DTI feels no different than getting an MRI." "The new imaging technology is only present in a few dozen research hospitals and not yet available to the average patient. But it already has far-reaching implications for those with head injuries because it can detect abnormalities that an MRI can't. Doctors will also be able to see more precisely how different drugs act on the brain and will be able to evaluate better the risks of brain surgery." 02-06 -02-17-06 Greenies Could Endanger Your Dog (ABC News) "One veterinarian told us preliminary national figures he'd compiled indicated that Greenies were the No. 3 cause of blockages in the esophagus behind bones and fish hooks." " 'There have been eight complaints about Greenies,' said Joe Roetheli, the manufacturer's chief executive officer. 'That's over eight years and 700 million sold.' " 02-06 -02-18-08 A Thousand Lives a Month Lost (CBS News) "How much did Bayer know? And why did it take Bayer and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration nearly two years to take the drug off the market after major studies revealed the danger? Two years - during which it's estimated Trasylol was contributing to the loss of one thousand lives a month." 02-08 -02-18-08 Choking Game Kills 82 Kids (Time.com) "At least 82 youths have died from the so-called "choking game," according to the first government count of fatalities from the tragic fad." 02-08 -02-18-08 Denmark the Happiest Place to Live? (CBS News) "Little Denmark, with its five-and-a-half million people, is the happiest country in the world, says a study done by an English University." 02-08 -02-26-06 Stem Cell Agency Fights for Life (ABC News) "The future of embryonic stem cell research could be shaped in a suburban courtroom where two taxpayer groups are challenging the legality of California's new agency dedicated to the controversial field." "The lawsuits allege among other things that it violates a state constitutional mandate that the spending of taxpayer dollars be under state control." 02-06 -02-27-06 Does Airborne Stave Off Colds? (ABC News) "Airborne said that a double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted with 'care and professionalism' by a company specializing in clinical trial management, GNG Pharmaceutical Services." "GNG is actually a two-man operation started up just to do the Airborne study. There was no clinic, no scientists and no doctors. The man who ran things said he had lots of clinical trial experience. He added that he had a degree from Indiana University, but the school says he never graduated." 02-06 -02-27-07 Study: HPV, Virus That Causes Cancer in Women, Is Very Common (ABC News) "And the figures could have the greatest implications for younger women. Researchers found that among females 14 to 24 years of age, 34 percent were infected with HPV. That suggests 7.5 million teens and young women infected nationwide — much more than the 4.6 million in previous estimates." "Harper says vaccination against HPV does not provide 100 percent protection against cervical cancer, and women still need to have regular Pap smears as recommended by their doctor to allow for early detection of changes in the cervix." 02-07 -02-27-08 Recommendation: All Kids Should Get Flu Shots (Time.com) "All children — not just those under 5 — should get vaccinated against the flu, a federal advisory panel said Wednesday. The panel voted to expand annual flu shots to virtually all children except infants younger than 6 months and those with serious egg allergies." 02-08 -03-03-08 Study: One-third of Workers Sleeping too Little (CNN) " The survey of 1,000 people found participants average six hours and 40 minutes of sleep a night on weeknights, even though they estimated they'd need roughly another 40 minutes of sleep to be at their best." "Roughly one-third of those surveyed said they had fallen asleep or become very sleepy at work in the past month." 03-08 -03-04-06 Hoodia May Suppress Hunger (CBS News) Hoodia is "very different from diet stimulants like Ephedra and Phenfen that are now banned because of dangerous side effects. Hoodia doesn't stimulate at all. Scientists say it fools the brain by making you think you’re full, even if you've eaten just a morsel." 03-06 -03-04-06 Study: Hot Tubs and Whirlpool Baths Are Breeding Grounds (ABC News) "In 95 percent of the tubs, bacteria derived from feces were present, while 81 percent had fungi and 34 percent contained potentially deadly staphylococcus bacteria." "Moyes explained that a teaspoon of normal tap water contains about 138 bacteria and many samples are bacteria-free. A teaspoon of whirlpool tub water, on the other hand, contains an average of more than 2 million bacteria." 03-06 -03-05-07 Locally Grown or Organic? (Time Magazine) "In her 2001 memoir, This Organic Life, Columbia University nutritionist Joan Dye Gussow writes that her commitment to eating locally "is probably driven by three things. The first is the taste of live food; the second is my relation to frugality; the third is my deep concern about the state of the planet." I don't have much relation to frugality, and, perhaps foolishly, I'm more optimistic than Gussow about our ability to develop alternative energy sources." 03-07 -03-07-08 New Colon Cancer Screening Recommendations (US News) "Two tests are now being recommended: the virtual colonoscopy, which is an external CT scan that visualizes the colon without snaking a tube into it, and a stool test that detects mutated DNA shed from tumors." 03-08 -03-07-08 Primer on Colon Cancer Screening (US News) "Any screening is better than none. But the guidelines say the best option is one that can pick up precancerous polyps, not just early signs of cancer. Those preferred tests are colonoscopy every 10 years, sigmoidoscopy every five years, double-contrast barium enema every five years, or virtual colonoscopy every five years." 03-08 -03-07-08 Three Ways to Lower Risk of Breast Cancer Recurrence (US News) "New research, though, suggests women may be able to lower their risk of recurrence by taking steps to reduce their estrogen levels. A study of more than 300 breast cancer patients found that those whose cancer came back within seven years had estrogen levels on average that were twice as high as those found in women who remained cancer free; this was true even for those taking tamoxifen." 03-08 -03-13-07 A Quick Walk Could Help Smokers Quit (ABC News) "As little as five minutes of exercise could help smokers quit, says a new study. Research published in the international medical journal Addiction showed that moderate exercise, such as walking, significantly reduced the intensity of smokers' nicotine withdrawal symptoms." " 'What's surprising is the strength of the effect,' said Dr. Robert West, professor of health psychology at University College London. West was not involved in the review. 'They found that the acute effects of exercise were as effective as a nicotine patch,' he said." 03-07 -03-13-08 New Colon Cancer Screening Recommendations (US News) "It's a scary pair of statistics: Nearly 150,000 Americans are expected to be diagnosed with colorectal cancer this year, and almost 50,000 are likely to die from it. Screening tests can nip precancerous polyps in the bud, saving lives. But for whatever reason—the ick factor, inconvenience, fear of the results—less than half the eligible population gets any kind of screening. Now that two more options have gotten the stamp of approval from a coalition of medical groups including the American Cancer Society, doctors hope to see a jump in screening rates. The latest guidelines, issued earlier this month, endorse a new type of annual stool test that looks for DNA shed from tumors as well as the so-called virtual colonoscopy, which is actually a CT scan of the lower part of the digestive tract. (The new guidelines are for average-risk Americans age 50 and over; if you have a family history of colon cancer, a personal history of polyps, or other risk factors, check with a doctor.)" 03-08 -03-14-06 Protein Complex in Brain Found to Cause Memory Loss (ABC News) "Scientists have identified a substance in the brains of mice that causes memory loss, which could be a target for drugs to treat patients with Alzheimer's disease." " 'Finding the specific cause of memory loss and cognitive decline gives scientists a protein complex to target,' said Professor Karen Ashe of the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis, who headed the research team." 03-06 -03-14-06 Scientist: 50-50 Chance of Bird Flu Hitting Humans (ABC News) "Robert G. Webster is one of the few bird flu experts confident enough to answer the key question: Will the avian flu switch from posing a terrible hazard to birds to becoming a real threat to humans?" "There are 'about even odds at this time for the virus to learn how to transmit human to human,' he told ABC's 'World News Tonight.' Webster, the Rosemary Thomas Chair at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., is credited with being the first scientist to find the link between human flu and bird flu." 03-06 -03-14-06 Study: Crestor Found to Reduce Heart Disease (CBS News) "New research indicates that the powerful statin Crestor not only drastically lowered cholesterol levels by more than 50 percent, it actually reversed heart disease." 03-06 -03-14-07 Another Atkins Diet Study (ABC News) "Several recent studies suggest that overweight people might have more success with weight loss when they follow a diet lower in carbohydrates (and higher in fat and protein) than by following the standard guidelines for a lower fat, higher carbohydrate diet." "These findings have surprised and concerned many nutritional experts. Critics have correctly pointed out that these studies didn't involve enough people and were too short in duration to draw strong conclusions or to change standard recommendations." "Most experts agree that, more important than specific diet composition, are the following recommendations — not only for weight control, but for overall health:" 03-07 -03-15-06 New Blood Test May Be 100,000 Times More Sensitive (ABC News) "FACTT, shorthand for fluorescent amplification catalyzed by T7-polymerase technique, detects unusual proteins in the blood — sometimes the first telltale signal that something is wrong." "If FACTT can find traces of unusual proteins or other molecules in the bloodstream, that might ultimately make it possible to pick up signs of Alzheimer's disease before it creates brain damage. It might pick up the errant proteins created by the human form of mad cow disease. It might also make it possible to find a cancer before a tumor shows up on a mammogram or other X-ray." 03-06 -03-15-07 Scientists Discover 6 Million New Genes in the Ocean (PBS News) "Scientists spent two years trawling the oceans for bacteria and viruses, and in the process discovered 6 million new genes, doubling the number known on Earth and holding promise for new antibiotics and alternative energy sources." "The newly discovered genes include those that help microbes use the sun's energy in new ways, help them use nitrogen and protect them from ultraviolet light, the scientists reported." 03-07 -03-18-07 "Tough" Guys May Heal Faster (MSNBC News) "The annual incidence of traumatic brain injuries in the United States is greater than that of all cancers, Good writes in his study, and men account for three-quarters of such injuries. The number will increase if the Iraq war continues, he said." "But, men who focused on their careers, success, power and competition reported better relations in their community. These same participants showed greater improvement a year after their hospitalization." 03-07 -03-20-07 Alzheimer's Rate Increases (CBS News) "More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease, a 10 percent increase since the last Alzheimer's Association estimate five years ago — and a count that supports the long-forecast dementia epidemic as the population grays." 03-07 -03-20-07 Malaria-Resistant Mosquito Developed (CBS News) "Researchers have developed a malaria-resistant mosquito, a step that might one day help block the spread of an illness that has claimed millions of lives around the world." 03-07 -03-27-08 Simulated Immune System Reported (Time.com) "You've heard of artificial limbs and artificial hearts but what about artificial immune systems? Add another notch to the test tube: scientists at VaxDesign, a five-year-old biotechnology company based in Orlando, Florida, have created a simulated human immune system, called the Modular Immune In Vitro Construct (MIMIC for short). The dime-sized immune system can predict how humans will respond to new vaccines. The goal? To streamline vaccine research and hasten the eradication of global killers, such as AIDS." 03-08 -03-28-06 Ambien May Cause Eating -- While Asleep (CBS News) CBS News Correspondent John Blackstone says that "Dr. Mark Mahowald and other sleep researchers have discovered that nocturnal eating may be a side effect of the popular sleep medication, Ambien." "That comes on the heels of reports that some Ambien users may drive while sleeping." 03-06 -03-28-07 Study: Drugs Work as Well as Stents in Non-Emergency Situation (PBS News) "A new study has found that the use of drugs and stents, which are tiny metal scaffolds placed in clogged arteries, may be no better than using drugs alone in non-emergency situations. Two cardiologists discuss the findings." 03-07 -03-29-07 Caffeine: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (ABC News) "If taken in excess, caffeine can be addictive in a way; to receive the same jolt you get when you first start taking it, you need to gradually increase your dose. Studies have shown that tiredness introduced by caffeine withdrawal can be fixed by additional caffeine intake." 03-07 -03-29-07 Damaged Gym Lights Can Damage Eyes (Yahoo.com) "At issue are metal halide bulbs, which are about the size of a football and give out bright, white light. The bulbs became available in the 1960s, and millions are in use across the country." "An outer glass envelope normally prevents the release of UV rays. But metal halide bulbs differ from ordinary household bulbs in that when the glass gets broken — say, by a basketball or a volleyball — the inner quartz tube keeps on burning." "Exposure to a broken metal halide bulb can burn the corneas. A small number of cases have been reported across the country and around the world, in Florida and South Dakota, Canada and Australia. Exactly how often it happens is unclear, but some experts suspect many cases go unreported or are mistaken for other conditions, such as pinkeye." 03-07 -03-30-06 HIV Rates Drop in India (BBC News) "HIV infection rates have fallen by a third in the worst hit regions of south India, research suggests." 03-06 -03-31-07 Cash Incentives to Families to Promote School Performance (ABC News) The New York mayor's office "said that unlike traditional approaches to poverty, a strategy that is based on incentives — such as cash payments — will increase participation in things that have been targeted, like health care and education. And the city's theory is that that will decrease poverty and long-term dependency on government help. What the mayor's office does not point out is that it may be cheaper for the city, because fewer social workers and truant officers will be required." 03-07 -03-31-07 Texas Lawmakers Propose Strong Dog-Bite Law (Bloomberg.com) "Lawmakers are reacting to a spate of fatal attacks that manifest Texas's status as the U.S. dog-bite capital. Texas has had at least 13 fatal dog attacks since 2004 and the most such fatalities in two of the past three years, according to data compiled by Richard Polsky, an animal behaviorist based in Los Angeles." 03-07 -04-02-06 Study Shows Link Between Mobile Phones and Tumors (ABC News) "The use of mobile phones over a long period of time can raise the risk for brain tumors, a new Swedish study said on Friday, contradicting the conclusions of other researchers." "A four-year British survey released in January showed no link between regular, long-term use of cell phones and the most common type of tumor." "However, researchers at the Swedish National Institute for Working Life said they looked at the mobile phone use of 905 people between the age of 20 and 80 who had been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor and found a link." 04-06 -04-03-06 Organ Regeneration a Reality (ABC News) "The news is being hailed as a medical milestone: Several years after receiving new bladders engineered entirely in a laboratory, seven young patients are all still healthy." 04-06 -04-03-08 Lung Cancer Genes Identified (Time.com) "Smokers are much more likely to develop lung cancer than nonsmokers — that has been a scientific truism for decades. But what about the 80% of smokers who don't develop lung cancer? Are they just the lucky ones? A trio of new studies suggests that the explanation for why they escape the disease may lie partly in their genes." 03-08 -04-03-08 Study: "Weight-ism" More Widespread Than Racism (ABC News) "It's illegal to discriminate against someone because of race or gender, but our culture condones a bias against people who are overweight." "Weight discrimination 'occurs in employment settings and daily interpersonal relationships virtually as often as race discrimination, and in some cases even more frequently than age or gender discrimination,' the researchers report in the current issue of the International Journal of Obesity." 04-08 -04-06-06 Benezene Levels Too High in Soft Drinks (ABC News) "Cancer-causing benzene has been found in soft drinks at levels above the limit considered safe for drinking water, the Food and Drug Administration acknowledged Wednesday." 04-06 -04-06-06 Eye Fungus Strikes Contact Lens Wearers (ABC News) "The fungus [fusarium] grows within the eye's cornea. Doctors who prescribe antibiotics for their patients to treat eye symptoms without first culturing the eye to see whether something is there could be putting their patients at risk because the fungal infection could go untreated." 04-06 -04-06-06 Universal Health Care Proposed in Massachusettes (WTEN.com) "Members of the Senate and the Assembly have already handed a bill over to Governor Mitt Romney that would require citizens to purchase some kind of health care coverage. Penalties for those who refuse would include stiff penalties, and eventually outright fines." "Employers will also be held accountable. Any business with eleven employees or more would have to provide health insurance or pay close to $300 a year to uncovered workers." 04-06 -04-09-06 Fat-Busting Lasers (TimesOnline.co.uk) "A technique developed by American scientists could lead to fat-related conditions, including arterial heart disease, being melted away by high-intensity beams." 04-06 -04-09-08 Diets that Have Always Promoted Health (US News) "The focus is on finding the overall combination of foods that are associated with better health, without necessarily pinpointing individual elements of the diet that are responsible. That may involve studying how people in different areas of the world eat or, here at home, using statistics to study which foods the healthiest among us consume. 'You find out who's healthy, then ask what they're eating and how much they exercise,' says K. Dun Gifford, founder and president of Oldways Preservation Trust, the Boston-based food issues think tank that developed the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid. (More later on the exercise element, which often gets lost when people try to adopt a healthier diet.)" 04-08 -04-09-08 Ten Ways to Pep Up (CNN News) "Fatigue and flagging energy seem to be epidemics, especially among women who burn the candle at both ends (and who doesn't?). Instead of moping, pump up your mojo with these 10 strategies from experts in sleep, fitness, nutrition, psychology, and alternative medicine." 03-08 -04-10-08 Drug Seems to Counter Radiation (Time.com) "Scientists mimicked one of cancer's sneaky tricks to create a drug that promises to prevent a serious side effect of cancer treatment — radiation damage — or offer an antidote during a nuclear emergency." 04-08 -04-15-06 New Treatments for Broken Bones (WashingtonTimes.com) "Once almost a childhood rite of passage, plaster or fiberglass casts were the method of choice for fixing broken bones. But now, doctors around the world are increasingly shunning cumbersome casts in favor of more cutting-edge options for both children and adults: splints, special boots, metal plates, rods and screws." 04-06 -04-16-08 Chemical in Plastic Bottles May Be Toxic (CBS News) "The federal National Toxicology Program said Tuesday that experiments on rats found precancerous tumors, urinary tract problems and early puberty when the animals were fed or injected with low doses of the plastics chemical bisphenol A." 04-08 -04-16-08 Exercise to Improve Health (USA Today) "Besides reducing belly fat, physical activity lowers blood pressure, cholesterol and the risk of diabetes and cancer. It reduces depression and anxiety, and it improves bone and joint health, sex drive, sleep and memory, he [Church] says." "But Church notes that fewer than 25% of Americans meet the minimum guidelines of being moderately active for 30 minutes five or more days a week, estimates show." " 'The average American doesn't understand that other than not smoking, exercise is the most important thing you can do for your health,' Church says. 'They think exercising is a health suggestion on par with leaving mayonnaise off their sandwich.' " 04-08 -04-16-08 The Kanzius Machine: Cure for Cancer? (CBS News) "Here's the important part: if clinical trials pan out-and there's still a long way to go-the Kanzius machine will zap cancer cells all through your body without the need for drugs or surgery and without side effects. None at all. At least that's the idea." 04-08 -04-17-06 New Drug Prevents Breast Cancer (ABC News) "A newer drug prevents breast cancer in older, high-risk women just as well as today's standby tamoxifen — but with fewer side effects, the National Cancer Institute announced Monday." "Called raloxifene, the newer drug already is sold to treat bone-thinning osteoporosis." 04-06 -04-19-05 Food Pyramid Revised (ABC News) "The new food pyramid, unveiled today by the USDA, is being welcomed by nutritionists as an important step forward from existing dietary guidelines." " 'Overall, I think it's a vast improvement over the previous pyramid,' said Lora Sporny, a professor of nutrition at Columbia University in New York.' " "As a response to growing rates of obesity, the pyramid breaks new ground by emphasizing physical activity. In particular, the pyramid indicates dietary choices that are appropriate for a person based on their individual level of daily activity." "Many images of the new pyramid show a person climbing the side of the pyramid, reminding Americans that exercise is as important a component of health as diet." " 'The emphasis on physical activity is very important,' said Sporny. 'Anybody can make food recommendations, but to take into account one's activity level to arrive at estimated calorie needs is very important.' " 4-05 -04-19-08 Study: Old Age Is the Happiest Time (Time.com) "That's according to eye-opening research that found the happiest Americans are the oldest, and older adults are more socially active than the stereotype of the lonely senior suggests." 04-08 -04-25-06 Study: Milk "Essential" During Pregnancy (TimesOnline.co.uk) "Women who don’t drink enough milk during pregnancy — perhaps to limit weight gain or because of concerns about allergies — may stunt their babies’ growth in the womb, research suggests." 9-05 -04-29-08 Boost Memory and Become Smarter? (MSNBC News) "An intense game of Concentration or other demanding memory task might kick your intelligence up a notch or two, and the more you engage your brain this way, the smarter you might become." "Researchers reporting in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences say that brain exercises designed to improve working memory also increase scores in fluid intelligence. Fluid intelligence is the ability to reason and solve new problems. It does not rely on memory and is often thought of as having a strong hereditary component. Such intelligence is considered one of the most important factors in learning and is linked to academic and professional success, according to researchers." 04-08 -04-29-08 Study: Nursing Home Costs Are Up (Time.com) "Costs for nursing homes, assisted living facilities and some in-home care services have increased for a fifth consecutive year, and could rise further if a shortage of long-term care workers isn't resolved, a new study indicates." "The study found that the average annual cost for a private room in a nursing home rose to $76,460, or $209 per day, this year, a 17 percent increase over the $65,185 cost in 2004. Nursing home costs this year ranged from $515 per day in Alaska to $125 per day in Louisiana, the study found." 04-08 -05-02-06 Study: Middle-Aged Americans Much Sicker Than British (ABC News) "Middle-aged, white Americans are much sicker than their counterparts in England, startling new research shows, despite U.S. health care spending per person that is more than double what Britain spends." 05-06 -05-03-06 Report: We Are Mostly On Our Own With Bird Flu (ABC News) "A medical reality is complicating federal preparations for the next pandemic: Flu spreads in ways that make it extremely unlikely the U.S. could avoid being hit." 05-06 -05-03-06 Soda Companies to End Most School Sales (ABC News) "Non-diet sodas will be yanked from schools, and other drinks will be downsized under a deal announced Wednesday by former President Bill Clinton and the nation's largest beverage distributors." " 'This is a truly bold step forward in the struggle to help 35 million young people lead healthier lives," said Clinton, whose foundation has targeted obesity in children for the past year. 'This one policy can add years and years and years to the lives of a very large number of young people.' " 05-06 -05-03-06 Study: Autism in 5.5 Out of 1,000 (Washington Post) "About 300,000 U.S. children have been diagnosed with autism, according to the largest national study so far of the prevalence of this complex behavioral disorder." 05-06 -05-06-06 Survival Strategies for a Brutal Allergies Season (ABC News) "Experts are calling this one of the worst allergy seasons on record, with people who never have had problems before reporting itching, coughing and sneezing." "About one-third of people with seasonal allergies will aggravate their symptoms if they eat certain foods during the allergy season. These people breathe in the pollen, and then the pollen triggers a cross-reaction with the protein in these foods. Avoid apples, pears, carrots, almonds and hazelnut coffee." 05-06 -05-07-07 Bees Disappearing at an Alarming Rate (CBS News) "According to the Apiary Inspectors of America, a hive-tracking group, more than a quarter of the country's bee colonies have been lost — more than half-a million bee colonies that have simply vanished. What is actually happening — and what repercussions could it have on your dinner table?" 05-07 -05-07-07 Senate Fails to Pass Bill to Allow Prescription Drug Imports (CBS News) "In a triumph for the pharmaceutical industry, the Senate on Monday killed a drive to allow consumers to buy prescription drugs from abroad at a significant savings over domestic prices." 05-07 -05-10-06 Study: Encouraging Results from Bird Flu Vaccine (ABC News) "A trial of an experimental vaccine against the H5N1 bird flu virus shows it produced a good immune response in healthy volunteers, scientists said on Thursday." 05-06 -05-12-06 High Tech May Replace Some Caregivers (ABC News) "Across town, Louise — who uses a walker to get around — shows us how the system works. Her apartment is rigged with a series of motion detectors that track her movements and then transmit that information over the Internet to her family members." 05-06 -05-13-06 Tracing Lung Ailments to Ground Zero (New York Times) "Some of the people working in the cleanup and recovery effort after Sept. 11 wore masks, but the most effective ones were effective for no more than 20 minutes." "As they push their investigation into the health risks to workers in the recovery and cleanup operations at ground zero, medical detectives are focusing on a group of lung diseases that can lead to long-term disabilities and, in some cases, death." "The most worrisome to medical experts are granulomatous pulmonary diseases, which show a particular type of swirling marks left on the lungs by foreign matter like dust. Doctors say the severity of the disease is often dictated by a patient's genetic makeup. The diseases include pulmonary fibrosis and sarcoidosis, a sometimes fatal disorder that can be set off when exposure to dust causes the body's immune system to attack itself." 05-06 -05-15-07 World Food Program Names Drew Barrymore Ambassador (MSNBC News) "“I can’t think of any issue that is more important than working to see that no schoolchild in this world goes hungry,” Barrymore said in a statement Wednesday. 'Feeding a child at school is such a simple thing, but it works miracles. I’ve seen it with my own eyes.' " "Founded in 1962, WFP provides food aid to an average of 90 million poor people, including 58 million hungry children in at least 80 of the world’s poorest countries. The United States said it provides nearly half the annual contributions to the Rome-based agency, which has an annual budget of just under $3 billion." 05-07 -05-20-06 FDA: Cancer-Causing Benzene Too High in Some Soft Drinks (CBS News) "A government analysis of more than 100 soft drinks and other beverages turned up five with levels of cancer-causing benzene that exceed federal drinking-water standards, the Food and Drug Administration said Friday." 05-06 -05-23-06 Obesity Rises Faster Among the Poor (MSNBC News) "Americans in their upper teens who are living in poverty have grown fatter at a higher rate than their peers, according to research that seems to underscore the unequal burden of obesity on the nation's poor." 05-06 -05-25-06 Revolutionary New Treatment for Asthma (ABC News) "So researchers are trying a radically different kind of treatment — bronchial thermoplasty — a procedure that could revolutionize the way those with asthma are treated." 05-06 -05-25-06 Vermont Signs Near-Universal Health-Care Insurance (ABC News) "Vermont's governor signed a bill on Thursday that would make the state the second in the nation with near-universal health-care insurance by extending coverage to as much as 96 percent of its residents by 2010." " A new subsidized health-care plan called Catamount Health will be offered by insurance companies and paid for in part with a hike in the state's cigarette tax and a fee on employers who do not offer health insurance to their workers." 05-06 -06-02-07 Study: Flaxseed and Ginseng May Help Prevent Cancer (MSNBC News) "Three popular complementary and alternative therapies for cancer and cancer-related conditions—flaxseed, ginseng and shark cartilage—came up for review in rigorous trials. The first two showed surprisingly promising results. The third, shark cartilage, failed, but that in and of itself will have major implications, since cartilage is sold widely in health-food stores across the country. Here's the lowdown on all three studies, and what they mean for the future of cancer treatment." 06-07 -06-04-07 New Treatment for Liver Cancer (ABC News) "For the first time, doctors said Monday they have found a pill that improves survival for people with liver cancer, a notoriously hard to treat disease diagnosed in more than half a million people globally each year." "The results in a multinational study of 602 patients with advanced liver cancer are impressive and likely will change the way patients are treated, say cancer specialists, including the study authors." 06-07 -06-04-07 Shrinking Technology Can Help Worldwide (CNN News) "As ultrasound machines become more compact and their image quality more precise, doctors have begun carrying the body-imaging technology to rural U.S. hospitals and developing countries. No longer is ultrasound available only to hospitals with reliable power supplies and room for bulky equipment." 06-07 -06-06-07 Biologists Make Skin Cells Work Like Stem Cells (MSNBC News) "In a leap forward for stem cell research, three independent teams of scientists reported Wednesday that they have produced the equivalent of embryonic stem cells in mice using skin cells without the controversial destruction of embryos." "If the same could be done with human skin cells — a big if — the procedure could lead to breakthrough medical treatments without the contentious ethical and political debates surrounding the use of embryos." "Embryonic stem cells are prized because they can develop into all types of tissue. So experts believe they might be used for transplant therapies in people who are paralyzed or have illnesses ranging from diabetes to Parkinson’s disease." 06-07 -06-06-07 Biologists Make Skin Cells Work Like Stem Cells (New York Times) "In a surprising advance that could sidestep the ethical debates surrounding stem cell biology, researchers have come much closer to a major goal of regenerative medicine, the conversion of a patient’s cells into specialized tissues that might replace those lost to disease." "The new technique, developed by Shinya Yamanaka of Kyoto University, depends on inserting just four genes into a skin cell. These accomplish the same reprogramming task as the egg does, or at least one that seems very similar." "The technique, if adaptable to human cells, is much easier to apply than nuclear transfer, would not involve the expensive and controversial use of human eggs, and should avoid all or almost all of the ethical criticism directed at the use of embryonic stem cells." 06-07 -06-07-07 Congress Passes Bill Supporting Stem Cell Research (MSNBC News) "The Democratic-controlled Congress passed legislation Thursday to loosen restraints on federally funded embryonic stem cell research, but the bill’s supporters lacked the votes needed to override President Bush’s threatened veto." 06-07 -06-08-06 First-Ever Cancer Vaccine Approved (USA Today) "The Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday that it has approved the first vaccine designed to prevent cancer." "The vaccine, Gardasil, blocks infection by two types of the human papillomavirus, or HPV, which account for about 70% of cervical cancer cases." 06-06 -06-14-07 First Approved Diet Drug (CBS News) "The first over-the-counter weight-loss pill approved by the FDA, Alli works by blocking about one-fourth of consumed fat. The drug's makers don't claim that it's a miracle drug — a reduced-calorie, low-fat diet and regular exercise are necessary companions for it to be effective — but dieters are eager to reap its potential rewards." "Alli users must contend with some less-than-glamorous side effects — gas, oily discharge and an inability to control bowel movements — and skeptics of the pill's enduring benefits point out that those aren't the only reasons to think twice before taking the drug." 06-07 -06-19-06 Stem Cells Help Repair Rats' Paralysis (ABC News) "Scientists have used stem cells and a soup of nerve-friendly chemicals to not just bridge a damaged spinal cord but actually regrow the circuitry needed to move a muscle, helping partially paralyzed rats walk." 06-06 -06-21-06 Happiness Comes with Age for Many (ABC News) "In his latest study, carried out with Heather Lacey, a postdoctoral fellow with the Veterans Administration's Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ubel found that most people are happier in their later years than they were when they were young, although they may not have expected that to be the case." 06-06 -06-21-07 Study: Some Clarity on Estrogen Use (US News) "Estrogen is not risky and looks to be beneficial for women's hearts when it's begun within 10 years of menopause, says the latest report from the Women's Health Initiative appearing in this week's New England Journal of Medicine. Confused? This sure sounds different from the WHI findings that shook the world a few years back—that hormones brought heart risk, not benefit—and overnight changed how medicine and women viewed what had been seen as a fountain of health." 06-07 -06-22-07 Gene Therapy for Parkinson's Disease (CBS News) "The gene therapy treatment involved slipping billions of copies of a gene into the brain to calm overactive brain circuitry." 06-07 -07-01-07 Study: Five Types of Alcoholics (CBS News) "New alcoholism research identifies five types of alcoholics and shows that young adults account for more than half of U.S. alcoholics." 07-07 -07-03-06 Man "Rewires" Own Brain: A First (USA Today) "Doctors have their first proof that a man who was barely conscious for nearly 20 years regained speech and movement because his brain spontaneously rewired itself by growing tiny new nerve connections to replace the ones sheared apart in a car crash." 07-06 -07-03-06 Study: Lifestyle Trumps Medicine for Healthy Heart (ABC News) "Middle-aged men on these medications can reduce their chances of heart problems by 57 percent by eating right, not smoking, drinking in moderation and maintaining a healthy weight while exercising regularly, the researchers said." "Those who do not take the drugs can cut their risk of heart ailments by 87 percent if they adopt these lifestyle choices." 07-06 -07-06-06 Scientists Worry About Health Risks in Plastic Containers (ABC News) "BPA — sometimes indicated by a number 7 on products — is found mostly in strong plastics, such as nondisposable water bottles, baby bottles and in the lining of canned foods." "BPA — sometimes indicated by a number 7 on products — is found mostly in strong plastics, such as nondisposable water bottles, baby bottles and in the lining of canned foods." "While the Food and Drug Administration and the American Plastics Council insist BPA is safe, an outspoken biology professor and other scientists believe it may bring all kinds of harm — such as cancer, early puberty, obesity and even attention-deficit disorder." 07-06 -07-08-07 Stop the Damage to Your Ears (US News) "A Harvard survey of adolescents and young adults reported that more than half had taken a hit to their hearing at loud music events, either tinnitus or temporary deafness. And from my observation, most seem to have iPods attached to their ears. For them, and the others who can still hear a pin drop, it's smart to pay attention to the health of the inner ear, the nerve center for making sense of sound." 07-07 -07-09-07 How to Cope With Allergies (MSNBC News) "The two most common types of allergy medications are antihistamines, which can stop all the major symptoms of hay fever but don't work well on established congestion, and decongestants. The latter comes in the form of oral medications and nasal sprays. The sprays are good for the short term but can cause dependency. If decongestants keep you up at night, or you can't take them due to heart or thyroid problems, try an anti-leukotriene, a medication that helps fight allergic inflammation. Prescription steroid nasal sprays are another effective option." 08-07 -07-09-07 Relief for Cat Allergies (MSNBC News) "People who are allergic to cats may not have to get rid of their pets to find relief, if the findings of a new study hold up." -07-10-06 Hints for Combating Sleep Disorders (WebMD.com) "There are many simple steps you can take to help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep." 07-06 -07-10-07 Ex-Surgeon General: Bush Administration Put Politics Ahead of Science (MSNBC News) " 'Anything that doesn't fit into the political appointees' ideological, theological or political agenda is ignored, marginalized or simply buried,' Dr. Richard Carmona, who served as the nation's top doctor from 2002 until 2006, told a House of Representatives committee." " 'The problem with this approach is that in public health, as in a democracy, there is nothing worse than ignoring science, or marginalizing the voice of science for reasons driven by changing political winds. The job of surgeon general is to be the doctor of the nation, not the doctor of a political party' Carmona added." Editor's Note: Provides a short guide to stem cell research. 07-07 -07-10-07 Man Flies 193 Miles in Lawn Chair (MSNBC News) "Last weekend, Kent Couch settled down in his lawn chair with some snacks — and a parachute. Attached to his lawn chair were 105 large helium balloons." 07-07 -07-10-07 New Tablet Could Help Smokers Quit (CBS News) "A drug called varenicline may be the answer. The tablets already have been shown to make smoking less rewarding for some. Preliminary work, done in rats, suggests they could do the same for drinking." 07-07 -07-12-07 Best Hospitals for 2007 (US News) "Hospitals are ranked by specialty and not by specific procedures because the goal is to identify facilities that excel at treating a variety of demanding illnesses and procedures within a specialty, not just a few." "Out of 5,462 hospitals evaluated, only 173 met that standard in one or more specialties. Most that did are referral centers, places accustomed to seeing the toughest patients and conducting bench-to-bedside research that advances the state of the art." 07-07 -07-14-06 Man Moves Objects With Thoughts (BBC News) "A sensor implanted in a paralysed man's brain has enabled him to control objects by using his thoughts alone." 07-06 -07-15-05 Group Recommends Warning Labels on Soft Drinks (CBS News) "Soft drinks that are packed with sugar could get warning labels just like cigarettes and alcohol if an advocacy group gets its way." 7-05 -07-17-06 Republicans Divided on Stem Cell Research (LATimes.com) "After almost a year of silence on the issue, the Senate is on the brink of approving an expansion of federal support for embryonic stem cell research — a measure that bitterly divides the Republican Party, pits Congress against the White House and is almost certain to be blocked by the first veto of George W. Bush's presidency." 07-06 -07-20-06 Report: Drug Errors Hurt 1.5 Million (ABC News) "More than 1.5 million Americans are injured every year by drug errors in hospitals, nursing homes and doctor's offices, a count that doesn't even estimate patients' own medication mix-ups, says a report that calls for major steps to increase patient safety." "Topping that list: All prescriptions should be written electronically by 2010, the Institute of Medicine said. At least a quarter of all medication-related injuries are preventable, the institute concluded in the report it released Thursday." 07-06 -07-21-06 Advances in Protection from the Sun (ABC News) "The most promising new products are sunscreen lotions containing an ingredient called Helioplex. It is being called the most important advance in sunscreen in 20 years." 07-06 -07-21-06 Dermatologist: Pill Can Help Against Sunburn and Maybe Skin Cancer (ABC News) "Heliocare, made from the extract of a tropical fern that has been used for generations in folk medicine to treat skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema, is an herbal supplement that you can take daily to prevent sun damage." 07-06 -07-21-07 Removable Tatoos (CNN News) "While the idea might intrigue some -- for example, the 36 percent of Americans ages 18 to 29 who get tattoos, according to a 2006 study by the Journal of American Academy of Dermatology -- some enthusiasts say getting inked without the lifetime commitment wouldn't be appealing." 07-07 -07-23-05 Homeless Killed by Heat Waves (CNN News) " 'What if the first person who walked by had done something or stopped to say, "Hey, dude, you all right?" Maybe he'd still be around,' he says." 7-05 -07-23-05 Huge Bills for Long-Term Elderly Care (ABC News) "Currently, roughly 9 million elderly Americans require some kind of long-term care. By 2020, that number will have jumped to 12 million." "It's a subject a lot of people don't like to think about. A recent study found four in 10 Americans don't know what steps to take to prepare for their own long-term care, which can easily run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars." 7-05 -07-25-05 Study: Cats Probably Can't Taste Sweets (Fox News) "Researchers at the Monell Chemical Senses Center (search) in Philadelphia and their collaborators said Sunday they found a dysfunctional feline gene that probably prevents cats from tasting sweets, a sensation nearly every other mammal on the planet experiences to varying degrees." 7-05   -07-26-05 Girl Cannot Speak - But Now Can Sing (ABC News) "A touchpad on Pyszka's wheelchair, which sits next to her head, is connected to her computer. Using her head, Pyszka clicks on words and phrases. The technology allowed the teenager who loves to compose music to actually perform it." 7-05 -07-26-06 Glaxo Reports Breakthrough on Bird Flu (BBC News) "UK drugs firm GlaxoSmithKline believes it has developed a vaccine for the H5N1 deadly strain of avian flu that may be capable of being mass produced by 2007." 07-06 -07-27-05 Scientists Find Bacteria That Fight Bad Breath (CBS News) "Scientists have found bacteria that fight bad breath and smelly feet." 7-05 -08-02-05 Report: Police Failed to Follow Procedure in Trunk Deaths (CNN News) "Police failed to follow proper procedures as they searched for three missing boys, neglecting a federal agency's recommendations to immediately look in enclosed spaces such as car trunks, a report released Tuesday said." 8-05 -08-02-05 Russia Bans ABC Over Interview (CBS News) "Russia's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday it will not renew permission for ABC-TV to operate in the country after the network broadcast an interview with a notorious Chechen warlord." 8-05 -08-03-05 Starvation Disaster in Niger (CNN News) Doctors Without Borders "has complained that the international community until recently ignored warnings of a prolonged drought and locust infestation in Niger, leaving more than a million people near starvation." "This week alone, the Maradi camp took in more than 1,100 cases of severely malnourished children. That is the highest it's ever had and it keeps growing." 8-05 -08-05-05 Getting Rid of Cellulite (ABC News) "Some 90 percent of women have cellulite. Even thin and physically fit stars like Pamela Anderson, Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears and Nicole Kidman have it." 8-05 -08-09-05 Lung Cancer Deadly for Women (ABC News) "As the number of men with lung cancer declines, the American Cancer Society estimates that 73,020 women will die in the U.S. of lung cancer this year, more than those who will die from breast, ovarian, and uterine cancers combined." 08-05 -08-11-05 Possible Lung Cancer Breakthrough (Washington Times) "A key reason lung cancer is the deadliest cancer in America is that it is rarely detected early and usually has spread beyond the lungs when diagnosed." "But that could change as a result of clinical studies that are trying to determine whether a new X-ray technique known as low-dose spiral CT scanning can detect lung cancer early enough to save lives in those most at risk." 8-05 -08-14-07 Mapping the Face (MSNBC News) "New research into how the face stores fat could lead to more effective anti-aging strategies, better facial reconstruction techniques, and may even help doctors assess heart-disease risks." " 'Human anatomy has been studied for over 500 years,' says study coauthor Joel Pessa, an assistant professor and plastic surgeon at UT Southwestern. 'It’s pretty unusual to see something this new at the macroscopic, anatomical level.' ” 08-07 -08-15-07 Mattel Recalls 9 Million Dangerous Toys (PBS.org) "Toy-maker Mattel recalled over 400,000 Chinese-made toys Tuesday due to "impermissible levels of lead" and millions of other toys whose powerful magnets could be swallowed by children. The company also said recalls may continue as product testing is stepped up." 08-07 -08-16-06 Bacterial Infections of the Skin not Bites (ABC News) "Their infections were caused by a bacterium called methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. Once confined mostly to hospitals and prisons, MRSA has branched out into the general population. It often infects people without warning, and is commonly mistaken as a spider bite." "A study published today in the New England Journal of Medicine shows just how widespread the bug has become. Researchers took hundreds of skin samples from patients who'd visited 11 emergency rooms in the United States with skin or tissue infections. Laboratory analysis showed that 59 percent of the time the culprit was MRSA, meaning the bug has reached broadly into the general community — and that's bad news in the fight against antibiotic resistance. " 08-06 -08-19-05 Drug Rings Broken (ABC News) "Drug enforcement agents have arrested some 160 people in four U.S. cities and two countries and have broken up three major drug transportation rings with international ties in a 10-month drug-trafficking sting revealed Friday." "The Drug Enforcement Administration said the people arrested were involved in 27 U.S. distribution groups that have moved enough methamphetamine into the United States to have provided the drug to more than 22,700 users a month." 8-05 -08-21-06 AIDS Mystery Solved (CBS News) "The cells are turned off by HIV, which disarms them by flicking off a molecular switch in the cells. But in the laboratory, researchers were able to block that switch and restore T-cell function." "The findings raise the possibility that one day, doctors could switch a chronically ill patient's immune system back 'on' so that it could resume its fight against HIV, cancer or even Hepatitis C." 08-06 -08-21-07 Bush Administration Moves to Limit Children's Health Insurance (PBS.org) "The White House issued new guidelines for a low-income children's health insurance program that would essentially check states' efforts to broaden coverage to those at higher income levels." "Congress is considering legislation to increase funding for the program by $35 billion or $50 billion over five years. President Bush, however, has proposed an increase of $5 billion over five years to the current $25 billion funding level in order to ensure that the program does not become a substitute for private coverage, he has said." 08-07 -08-21-07 Exercise and Brain Power (New York Times) "Scientists have suspected for decades that exercise, particularly regular aerobic exercise, can affect the brain. But they could only speculate as to how. Now an expanding body of research shows that exercise can improve the performance of the brain by boosting memory and cognitive processing speed. Exercise can, in fact, create a stronger, faster brain." 08-07 -08-21-07 India Moves to Protect Traditional Medicine from Patents (PBS.org) "A new digital library in India is safeguarding ancient knowledge from patents, which can force royalty payments for knowledge that is common in that part of the world. NewsHour correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro reports from New Delhi." 08-07 -08-23-06 Stem Cell Research Breakthrough Announced (MSNBC News) "The new stem cell production method takes a cell extracted during PGD and allows it to divide. One of the two resulting cells is genetically tested as in normal PGD; the other is cultured to encourage the development of stem cells." 08-06 -08-24-05 Eastern States to Cut Emissions (CBS News) "Nine U.S. states have reached a preliminary agreement on an initiative led by New York Governor George Pataki to freeze power plant emissions at current levels and reduce them by 10 percent by 2020." 8-05 -08-24-05 Study: Fetal Pain Not Present Until Third Trimester (JAMA) "Proposed federal legislation would require physicians to inform women seeking abortions at 20 or more weeks after fertilization that the fetus feels pain and to offer anesthesia administered directly to the fetus. This article examines whether a fetus feels pain and if so, whether safe and effective techniques exist for providing direct fetal anesthesia or analgesia in the context of therapeutic procedures or abortion." 8-05 -08-25-05 Study: MP3 Players Dangerous for Ears (CBS News) "Since damage to hearing caused by high volume is determined by its duration, continuous listening to an MP3 player, even at a seemingly reasonable level, can damage the delicate hair cells in the inner ear that transmit sound impulses to the brain." "Studies have shown that people exposed to 85 decibels for eight hours tend to develop hearing loss," Brian Fligor, ScD, of Children's Hospital in Boston, tells WebMD. He found that all the CD players he examined produced sound levels well in excess of 85 decibels." "Every time you increase a sound level by three decibels, listening for half as long will produce the same amount of hearing loss. The kid who cuts my grass uses an iPod. The lawn mower noise is about 80 to 85 decibels. If he likes listening to his iPod 20 decibels above that, he's in the range of 100-105 decibels. At that sound level he shouldn't listen for more than eight to 15 minutes." 8-05 -08-28-05 Simulation Results: Temperature Rise Caused a Mass Extinction (BBC News) "A computer simulation of the Earth's climate 250 million years ago suggests that global warming triggered the so-called 'great dying'." "A dramatic rise in carbon dioxide caused temperatures to soar to 10 to 30 degrees Celsius higher than today, say US researchers." "Some 95% of lifeforms in the oceans became extinct, along with about three-quarters of land species." 8-05 -08-28-05 Simulation Results: Temperature Rise Caused a Mass Extinction (BBC News) "A computer simulation of the Earth's climate 250 million years ago suggests that global warming triggered the so-called 'great dying'." "A dramatic rise in carbon dioxide caused temperatures to soar to 10 to 30 degrees Celsius higher than today, say US researchers." "Some 95% of lifeforms in the oceans became extinct, along with about three-quarters of land species." 8-05 -08-30-05 Record of 46 Million Without Health Care (ABC News) "The number of Americans without health insurance rose by 800,000 last year, reaching a record high of nearly 46 million, the U.S. Census Bureau reported Tuesday." "Officials blamed the increase in part on the continuing erosion of workplace-sponsored health insurance. A majority of Americans still get their coverage by sharing costs with their employer, though a smaller and smaller percentage of American jobs are now accompanied by medical benefits." 8-05 -08-31-05 Health Emergency Declared (CNN News) "The Bush administration declared a public health emergency for the entire Gulf Coast on Wednesday in an effort to stop the spread of disease in the wake of Hurricane Katrina." " 'We are gravely concerned about the potential for cholera, typhoid and dehydrating diseases that could come as a result of the stagnant water and the conditions,' Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt said Wednesday after announcing the emergency." 8-05 -08-31-05 Hundreds Killed in Stampede (MSNBC News) "Trampled, crushed against barricades or plunging into the Tigris River, more than 700 Shiite pilgrims died Wednesday when a procession across a Baghdad bridge was engulfed in panic over rumors that a suicide bomber was at large." "Most of the dead were women and children, Interior Ministry spokesman Lt. Col. Adnan Abdul-Rahman said. It was the single biggest confirmed loss of life in Iraq since the March 2003 invasion." 8-05 -08-31-05 Top Health Official Resigns Over Delay (CBS News) "A high-ranking Food and Drug Administration official resigned Wednesday in protest of the agency's refusal to allow over-the-counter sales of emergency contraception." "Susan Wood, director of FDA's Office of Women's Health, announced her resignation in an e-mail to colleagues at the agency. The e-mail was released by contraception advocates." "The FDA on Friday postponed indefinitely its decision on whether to allow the morning-after pill, called Plan B, to sell without a prescription. The agency said it was safe for adults to use without a doctor's guidance, but said young teenagers still needed a prescription and that it couldn't determine how to enforce an age limit, a decision contrary to the advice of its own scientific advisers." 8-05 -09-01-06 Cells Engineered to Fight Cancer (ABC News) "Researchers took immune system cells from the blood of 17 advanced melanoma patients who, like Origer, had not been helped by conventional treatments. Origer had only three months to four months left to live when the experimental treatment began." "These ordinary blood cells, called T cells, were genetically engineered to become cancer-fighting cells that could recognize and attack the life-threatening melanoma." 09-06 -09-02-07 Essential Medical Screening (CBS News) "For most of the diseases we're going to talk about screening for, many patients wouldn't have any symptoms at all to alert them that there was a problem. So routine screening allows you to make a diagnosis before symptoms arise and early enough to actually be able to do something about it." 09-07 -09-07-07 How Children Can Win the Weight Battle (USNew.com) "Many experts now believe that an emphasis on dropping weight rather than adding healthful nutrients and exercise is doing more harm than good." 09-07 -09-08-07 Chip Implants May Be Dangerous (CBS News) "When the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved implanting microchips in humans, the manufacturer said it would save lives, letting doctors scan the tiny transponders to access patients' medical records almost instantly. The FDA found 'reasonable assurance' the device was safe, and a sub-agency even called it one of 2005's top "innovative technologies." "But neither the company nor the regulators publicly mentioned this: A series of veterinary and toxicology studies, dating to the mid-1990s, stated that chip implants had 'induced' malignant tumors in some lab mice and rats." 09-07 -09-10-05 Study: Girls Who Eat Breakfast Stay Slimmer (ABC News) "Girls who regularly ate breakfast, particularly one that includes cereal, were slimmer than those who skipped the morning meal, according to a study that tracked nearly 2,400 girls for 10 years." 9-05 -09-12-06 Study: Where You Live Influences How Long You Live (MSNBC News) "Where you live, combined with race and income, plays a huge role in the nation's health disparities, differences so stark that a report issued Monday contends it's as if there are eight separate Americas instead of one." 09-06 -09-12-07 Vitamin D Lowers Risk of Death (Time.com) "Doctors have long known that vitamin D is essential to good health. Get enough of it and it ensures strong bones and teeth. But a new study this week suggests an even more extraordinary benefit: a lower risk of death." 09-07 -09-15-06 FDA: Throw Away Packaged Spinach to Prevent E. Coli (ABC News) "It doesn't matter what brand of spinach. It doesn't matter how long it's been sitting in the refrigerator. If it comes in bag, the Food and Drug Administration is strongly encouraging consumers, from coast to coast, to throw it out." 09-06 -09-15-07 Toy Safety: What We Can Do (US News) "At least we have an army of government regulators serving as a safety net, right? Uh, nope. The New York Times and others have pointed out that the Consumer Product Safety Commission, responsible for enforcing safety standards, has been gutted in recent years, even as imports have been surging. The federal government, it turns out, spends more money monitoring the safety of animal feed than testing the safety of products used by children." " 'Made in China' isn't the problem." "That's because the image of shoddy Chinese-owned factories hoodwinking naive American corporations is largely a myth. Most big American companies importing products from China own the factories where those products are made or partially own them through a joint venture. So the companies themselves are on-scene at the source of the problem—or should be—and they represent the first line of responsibility for dangerous components." 09-07 -09-16-06 Study: Osteoporosis Shot Reduces Breaks (USA Today) "Reclast, given as an annual, 15-minute infusion, reduced risk of new spine fractures by 70% and of hip fractures by 40%, according to data supplied by maker Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. The drug, chemically known as zoledronic acid, also reduced the risk of fractures elsewhere, according to a just-completed, international study of 7,736 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis." 09-06 -09-18-05 Face Transplants Considered (CBS News) "This is no extreme TV makeover. It is a medical frontier being explored by a doctor who wants the public to understand what she is trying to do." "It is this: to give people horribly disfigured by burns, accidents or other tragedies a chance at a new life. Today's best treatments still leave many of them with freakish, scar-tissue masks that don't look or move like natural skin." "These people already have lost the sense of identity that is linked to the face; the transplant is merely 'taking a skin envelope' and slipping their identity inside, Siemionow contends." 9-05 -09-18-06 Acid Reflux Disease May Cause Esophageal Pre-Cancer Conditions (ABC News) "More than 60 million Americans experience heartburn at least once a month and more than 15 million experience it daily. While occasional heartburn is normal, chronic heartburn is not and can lead to cancer when not properly treated." "But many people ignore serious acid reflux because instead of heartburn they have other, sometimes confusing symptoms, such as difficulty swallowing, a choking sensation, chronic cough, and sore throat." 09-06 -09-19-06 Mercury Now Polluting Our Food Chain - Pollution Is Reversable (ABC News) "Mercury contamination is making its way into nearly every habitat in the United States, not just oceans, according to a report that the National Wildlife Federation will release Tuesday." "[Felicia] Stadler[of the National Wildlife Federation] said she believes the key is for this country — and the whole world for that matter — to realize just how big a threat mercury pollution is to our ecosystems." " 'We need to be as drastic at cutting mercury as we have been in cutting lead,' she said." 09-06 -09-25-06 Study: Multiple Sclerosis Drug Successful (Bloomberg.com) "Shares of Acorda Therapeutics Inc. rose almost fourfold after the company said its experimental Fampridine drug helped people with multiple sclerosis walk faster." 09-25-06 -09-28-05 Dog Flu (ABC News) "A newly discovered virus has killed dogs in at least seven states, and veterinarians, kennel operators and pet owners are concerned because researchers say there is no vaccine and dogs do not have immunity to the new flu." 9-05 -09-29-05 Bird Flu Mutant Likely to Cause Pandemic (USA Today) "A top U.N. public health expert warned Thursday that a new influenza pandemic could come anytime and claim millions of lives unless officials to take action now to control an epidemic in Asia." "Dr. David Nabarro of the World Health Organization called on governments to take immediate steps to address the threat at a news conference following his appointment as the new U.N. coordinator to lead a global drive to counter a human flu pandemic." 9-05 -10-03-07 Twice as Many Americans Obese Compared to Europeans (MSNBC News) "Nearly twice as many U.S. adults are obese compared to European, a key factor leading Americans to suffer more often from cancer, diabetes and other chronic ailments, a study released on Tuesday found." "Treatment of these and other chronic diseases adds between $100 billion and $150 billion to the annual health care tab in the United States, according to the report comparing U.S. and European health published online in the journal Health Affairs." "The United States spends significantly more per capita than any European country on health care, about $2 trillion annually, or 16 percent of the gross domestic product. While the big discrepancy has been linked to higher U.S. prices for medical treatment, the report said a sicker population may also be a factor." 10-07 -10-05-05 Flu from 1918 Reconstructed (CNN News) "Scientists have made from scratch the Spanish flu virus that killed as many as 50 million people in 1918, the first time an infectious agent behind a historic pandemic has ever been reconstructed." "Why did they do it? Researchers say it may help them better understand -- and develop defenses against -- the threat of a future worldwide epidemic from bird flu." " Like the 1918 virus, the current avian flu in Southeast Asia occurs naturally in birds. In 1918, the virus mutated, infected people and then spread among them. So far, the current Asian virus has killed at least 65 people but has rarely spread person-to-person." 9-05 -10-05-06 Macular Degeneration Treatment Effective (CBS News) "In patients with age-related macular degeneration - or AMD - the center of the retina responsible for vision deteriorates over time. In the wet form, blood vessels grow abnormally, causing a blind spot, distortion of lines, and other problems." "But Daniel is lucky. Doctors have a new drug called Lucentis, approved by the FDA this June. It's injected directly into the eye once a month. After three shots, Daniel has noticed dramatic results." 10-06 -10-05-07 Fitness Myths (MSNBC News) "We've all heard the expression 'No pain, no gain,' but did you know that's actually not true? Author and celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak dispels this and some other common fitness myths:" 10-07 -10-08-05 Vaccine 100 Percent Effective on Targeted Cancers (BBC News) "The first major study of an experimental vaccine to prevent cervical cancer found it was 100 percent effective, in the short term, at blocking the disease and lesions likely to turn cancerous, the drugmaker Merck & Co. said Thursday. Its shares rose nearly 6 percent." "Gardasil, a genetically engineered vaccine, blocks infection with two of the 100-plus types of human papilloma virus, HPV 16 and 18. The two sexually transmitted viruses together cause about 70 percent of cervical cancers." 10-05 -10-08-07 Three Win Nobel in Medicine for Gene Technology (New York Times) "Two Americans and a Briton won the 2007 Nobel Prize in medicine today for developing the immensely powerful 'knockout' technology that allows scientists to create animal models of human disease in mice." "The winners, who will share the $1.54 million prize, are: Mario R. Capecchi, 70, of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City; Oliver Smithies, 82, of the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill; and Sir Martin J. Evans, 66, of Cardiff University in Wales." 10-07 -10-09-06 Colas Result in Loss of Bone Density in Women (ABC News) "Women who drank more cola had reduced bone mineral density at all three hip sites but not at the spine. The link between cola consumption and women's bone loss was unaffected by age, menopausal status, cigarettes, alcohol, or total calcium and vitamin D intake. "Cola consumption did not affect men in the same way. Also, other carbonated drinks were not associated with bone loss." 10-06 -10-09-07 Blood Transfusions May Cause Heart Disease (Time.com) "Logically, and medically, patients who need transfusions — those with low blood counts — should benefit immediately from a transfusion of new oxygen-laden red blood cells. Yet many get sicker. Puzzled by the paradox, Stamler and his colleagues decided to look more closely at banked blood — to figure out whether it underwent certain changes that turned it from life-saving in the donor to potentially deadly in the bag." "Their finding, reported this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences: nitric oxide (NO). A workhorse of the blood, the gas helps red blood cells ferry oxygen to tissues and props open tiny vessels to allow freer blood flow. It turns out that within hours of leaving the body, levels of nitric oxide in the blood begin to drop, until, by the time donated blood expires after 42 days, the gas is almost nonexistent. 'The reality is that we are giving blood that cannot deliver oxygen properly,' says Stamler, lead author of the study. 'Many patients who are getting blood are being put at increased risk.' " 10-07 -10-10-05 Glowing Mosquitoes to Fight Malaria (BBC News) "A protein that makes the sex glands and sperm of male mosquitoes glow could help reduce malaria infection rates, UK scientists say." "They used the protein to tag male mosquito larvae, the genes of which can be manipulated to make them infertile." "As malaria is spread only by female mosquitoes, the scientists hope sending such sterile males into the wild could help kill off infective populations." 10-05 -10-11-06 Dramatic Improvements in Cancer Treatment (CBS News) "Herceptin is a drug that targets proteins on the surface of the cell. Gleevec works inside the cell to block cancer's growth. Avastin shuts down the blood vessels that feed the tumor, literally starving it to death. These are all called targeted therapies." "Those discoveries could pave the way for the development of other cancer drugs that destroy the dangerous runaway cells without destroying the patient's quality of life." 10-06 -10-15-05 Dog Flu Spreads Rapidly (Washington Times) "A new canine influenza, or dog flu, is spreading steadily through the nation's dogs, and experts say there is no vaccine available to curb the virus that has killed young and otherwise healthy animals." 10-05 -10-16-05 Method May Replace Embryonic Stem Cell Destruction (CNN News) "Objections to the embryo destruction have led to a ban on federal funding for such work, which scientists say hampers research." "The new methods, detailed Sunday in the online edition of the journal Nature, seek to obtain the cells without destroying embryos." "In the study, researchers plucked a single cell from eight-cell mouse embryos, which were about two days old. While fertility clinics use such a cell for genetic testing, the researchers cultured the plucked cells and found they behaved like embryonic stem cells. The embryos, meanwhile, went on to produce mice." 10-05 -10-21-05 Mercury Toxicity and Seafood (ABC News) "Millions of people make fish — a low-fat, vitamin-rich source of protein — part of their diet for nutritional reasons, or simply because they enjoy the taste. But eating a diet high in fish is becoming increasingly controversial, as some studies tout the benefits of seafood while others argue that the toxic mercury found in some fish outweighs any potential benefits." 10-05 -10-21-07 Do You Need a Thyroid Test? (US News) "The symptoms of an underactive thyroid—fatigue, feeling cold, weight gain, dry skin and hair, and constipation—can be associated with many other diseases and disorders, making the condition impossible to diagnose definitively without a blood test." 10-07 -10-23-06 Monkeys No Longer Subjects for Research Project (ABC News) "A research center has dropped a controversial proposal to conduct medical experiments on up to 100 endangered African monkeys that are natural carriers of a form of the AIDS virus but do not get sick from it." 10-06 -10-23-07 The Places with the Most Germs (MSNBC News) "Sure, there are outbreaks of microbes and viruses across the country, but some of these germs are lurking where you least expect them." -10-24-07 Seniors Sleep Worse and Other Myths of Aging (USNew.com) "To researchers’ great surprise, it turns out that sleep does not change much from age 60 on. And poor sleep, it turns out, is not because of aging itself, but mostly because of illnesses or the medications used to treat them." 09-07 -10-27-06 Girls Arriving at Puberty at Younger Ages (ABC News) "Nearly half of African-American girls start showing signs of puberty by 8 years old, and some American girls are developing as young as 5, even 4 years old, experts say." 10-06 -10-30-06 KFC to Reduce Use of Trans Fats (MSNBC News) "KFC said Monday it is phasing out trans fats in cooking its Original Recipe and Extra Crispy fried chicken, Potato Wedges and other menu items, but hasn’t found a good alternative yet for its biscuits." 10-06 -10-30-06 Study: Lonely Older Adults Wake Up With More Stress (ABC News) "Adults who reported feeling lonely at night were more likely to have higher cortisol levels the next morning, meaning that a few hours' rest did not wash away any stress." 10-06 -10-31-06 Study: Genetic Link to SIDS Deaths Suspected (DailyNewsCentral.com) "The difficulty seems to center on the chemical serotonin and the brain's ability to use and reuse it. In addition to being a mood regulator, seratonin is involved in the regulation of breathing." 10-06 -11-09-06 Recall of Pain Reliever Acetaminophen Pills (MSNBC News) "Check your medicine cabinet: Millions of bottles of the widely used pain reliever acetaminophen — some sold as long as three years ago — are being recalled because they may contain metal fragments." 11-06 -11-10-05 CT Scans May Provide Early Detection of Lung Cancer (ABC News) "By the time symptoms appear, lung cancer has usually spread beyond the lungs and the five-year survival rate is only 15 percent. Studies have shown traditional chest X-rays do not catch lung cancer early enough to reduce the death rate. That's why some researchers are so enthusiastic about the new, more sensitive CT scans." 11-05. -11-13-05 Stems Cells Help Heart After Attack (CNN News) "Heart attack survivors whose hearts were infused with stem cells from their own bone marrow showed nearly twice the improvement in the organ's pumping ability as patients given a placebo, according to a study presented Sunday." 11-05 -11-14-05 Bundling Up and the Common Cold (ABC News) "Since the early 1960s, doctors generally doubted the stereotypical mother's advice that bundling up helps avoid a cold — saying the cold virus causes a cold, not going out in the winter without a hat or with wet hair." "But now, some doctors say mom's conventional wisdom was right." "A report coming out in this week's Oxford Journal of Family Practice, an international scientific publication from Oxford University, concludes that chilling can bring on common cold symptoms." 11-05 -11-14-05 Oil and Water Diet (ABC News) "Seth Roberts says he lost 35 pounds in three months by drinking tablespoons of oil and glasses of sugar water in-between meals to quell the urge to continue to eat." "Roberts calls it the Shangri-La Diet, and suggests it works by suppressing a basic 'caveman' instinct from days when access to food was intermittent. The diet tricks the body from thinking it needs to eat every last bit of food before an impending famine." 11-05 -11-15-06 Best Practices for Heart Care Clarified (PBS.org) "People should receive angioplasties to unclog arteries in the first 90 minutes following a heart attack, though they often don't receive the treatment in time, the American Heart Association said at a recent meeting. An expert discusses this and other recommendations." 11-06 -11-21-06 Does Surgery for Back Pain Work? (MSNBC News) "A clinical trial finds that back-pain sufferers with herniated disks improve with or without surgery." 11-06 -11-21-06 Surgery for Back Pain (Journal of the American Medical Association) "Patients in both the surgery and the nonoperative treatment groups improved substantially over a 2-year period." 11-06 -11-26-07 Second-Ranking Republican Trent Lott Resigns (CBS News) "Mississippi Sen. Trent Lott, the Senate's No. 2 Republican, announced Monday he will retire from the Senate before January, ending a 35-year career in Congress in which he rose to his party's top Senate job only to lose it over a remark interpreted as support for segregation." 11-07 -11-26-07 Skin Cells into Stem Cell Breakthrough? (Christian Science Monitor) "Colonies of tiny cells flourishing in petri dishes in the US and Japan are reshaping the political and ethical landscape surrounding human stem-cell research." "In the process, these diminutive colonies also may level the playing field in stem-cell research – internationally and domestically." "These are some of the effects analysts say they see coming out of this week's announcements that two teams have genetically reprogrammed skin cells so that they take on the traits of embryonic stem cells." 11-07 -11-27-06 Toxic Cottonseed Becomes Food (Christian Science Monitor) "Dr. Rathore and his colleagues have figured out how to make poisonous cottonseeds fit for human consumption. The new, nontoxic seeds could give 500 million people an additional source of high-quality protein, the team estimates, if the genetically engineered plant is approved for cultivation." 11-06 -11-27-07 Implications of Stem Cell Breakthrough (New York Times) "Biologists were electrified on Tuesday, when scientists in Japan and Wisconsin reported that they could turn human skin cells into cells that behave like embryonic stem cells, able to grow indefinitely and to potentially turn into any type of tissue in the body." "The discovery, if it holds up, would decisively solve the raw material problem. It should provide an unlimited supply of stem cells without the ethically controversial embryo destruction and the restrictions on federal financing that have impeded work on human embryonic cells." "There are two ways that stem cells can lead to treatments for diseases. Making replacement tissues for ailing organs is the direct way. But many scientists say the biggest impact of the new cells will be on the indirect way: using the cells to learn about diseases and then applying that knowledge to develop conventional drugs. 11-07 -11-29-06 Fruit and Vegetables May Protect From Memory Losses (MSNBC News) "Purple fruits and vegetables, such as blueberries, cranberries and Concord grapes, may be especially beneficial for the brain, says Joseph. In a study on aging mice genetically engineered to develop Alzheimer's, Joseph was able to improve their cognitive function by feeding the animals a diet high in blueberries." 11-06 -11-29-06 Want to Make It to 85? (MSNBC News) "One of the largest, longest studies of aging found one more reason to stay trim and active: It could greatly raise your odds of living to at least age 85." 11-06 -11-30-05 French Doctors Transplant a Face (CBS News) "French doctors on Wednesday claimed a world-first partial face transplant, saying a nose, lips and chin were grafted onto a 38-year-old woman disfigured by a dog bite. " 11-05 -12-01-05 Malawi Poverty and Disease: Half Face Starvation (CNN News) "This is one of the world's 10 poorest countries; life expectancy is a mere 37 years; two-thirds of the population live on less than a dollar a day; one in six adults is HIV positive, and nearly half the population of 12 million faces starvation in coming months if help doesn't arrive soon." "That's 5 million people, which is half the population of London or New York City." "Malawi is in deep trouble after a fourth straight season of failed rains, which made farmlands and fields bone dry. November was supposed to usher in the rainy season -- but the skies were a clear blue and no clouds are in sight." "The majority of Malawians are subsistence farmers - and they are crying out for help." 12-05 -12-01-05 World AIDS Day (CBS News) "World AIDS Day was marked Thursday with marches, memorials and speeches honoring the millions who've died from the disease and highlighting global efforts to combat its spread." "The epidemic has killed at least 25 million people, including 3.1 million last year. If they don't get AIDS drugs, 6 million more people will die in the next year or two, notes health information Website WebMD.com." 12-05 -12-02-05 Fatal Bacterial Illness Spreading (CBS News) "A deadly bacterial illness commonly seen in people on antibiotics appears to be growing more common — even in patients not taking such drugs, federal health officials warned Thursday." "The bacteria are Clostridium difficile, also known as C-diff. The germ is becoming a regular menace in hospitals and nursing homes, and last year it was blamed for 100 deaths over 18 months at a hospital in Quebec, Canada." "Recent cases in four states show it is appearing more often in healthy people who have not been admitted to health-care facilities or even taken antibiotics, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention." 12-05 -12-09-05 Pacifiers Greatly Reduce Risk Of SIDS (Scientific American) "Pacifiers aren't just for soothing colicky babies anymore. A new study has found that use of a pacifier during sleep reduced the chances of a baby suffering from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) by 90 percent. Furthermore, pacifiers eliminated the increased risk associated with babies who slept on their stomach or in soft bedding--factors that have been shown to increase the risk of SIDS as much as 10-fold." "Myths persist that the use of pacifiers (or thumb sucking) will affect tooth development or the infant's ability to take to breast-feeding, but by simply waiting a few weeks to start using a pacifier and stopping when the baby becomes a toddler such impacts can be avoided, Li notes." 12-05. -12-11-05 "Superspreaders" a Key for Spread of Disease (Scientific American) "James Lloyd-Smith, a biophysicist at the University of California at Berkeley and colleagues studied the statistics of eight diseases ranging from measles to monkeypox, and were surprised to find that there was no meaningful 'average' number of people who could be infected by a contagious individual. 'A lot of people don’t infect anyone,' Lloyd-Smith says. Rather, a tiny number of superspreaders are responsible for an epidemic. The researchers developed a mathematical model to predict disease dynamics arising from superspreaders, which showed that depending on circumstances, a viral outbreak can either fizzle out or explode." " 'There is a great need for rapid action once a disease is identified, to identify the people you should target for control,' Lloyd-Smith says." 12-05 -12-11-05 Anti-Malaria Vaccine Discovered (Scientific American) "A new vaccine stimulated human immune cells to recognize and kill malaria parasites in a recent clinical trial. The vaccine proved effective in both infected human blood samples and mice whose immune systems had been modified to mimic that of humans." 12-05 -12-11-05 Compound in Some Foods Attack Alzheimer's Agent (Scientific American) " 'Resveratrol is a natural polyphenol occurring in abundance in several plants, including grapes, berries and peanuts,' says author Philippe Marambaud of the Litwin-Zucker Research Center for the Study of Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders in Manhasset, N.Y. 'The polyphenol is found in high concentrations in red wines.' " "The scientists found that 40 micromoles (a measure of the amount of resveratrol in a liter of solution) cut levels of the Alzheimer's-associated molecules--amyloid-beta peptides--by more than half." 9-03 -12-14-05 Parkinson's Eye Cell Treatment Effective (MSNBC News) "People with Parkinson’s disease showed marked improvement after surgeons implanted in their brains chemical-producing cells taken from the eye of a dead donor, researchers said Monday." 12-05 -12-14-05 Scientists: Marketing of "Junk" Food Effective - Stop It (MSNBC News) "SpongeBob SquarePants, Shrek and other characters kids love should promote only healthy food, a panel of scientists recommended." "In a report released Tuesday, the Institute of Medicine said television advertising strongly influences what children under 12 eat." 12-05 -12-15-05 Study: Coffee Strongest in Antioxidants (CBS News) "Coffee not only helps clear the mind and perk up the energy, it also provides more healthful antioxidants than any other food or beverage in the American diet, according to a study released Sunday." "Of course, too much coffee can make people jittery and even raise cholesterol levels, so food experts stress moderation." 12-05 -12-15-05 Study: Fiber Does Not Prevent Cancer (CBS News) "Fiber is part of a healthy diet. Guidelines suggest we eat 25 to 30 grams a day. An apple is about 5 grams. A cup of baked beans is 19." "But right now the only thing known to prevent colon cancer is that colonoscopy. And that is the problem because only about 40 percent of Americans get a regular colonoscopy." "If you're 50 or over, the recommendation is that you have one every few years. So, Kaledin concludes, it seems most people think eating a big bowl of cereal is a lot easier and just as healthy — they would be wrong about that." 12-05 -12-15-06 Breast Cancer Rates Lowered Dramatically (ABC News) "U.S. breast cancer rates plunged an unprecedented 7 percent in 2003, the year after millions of women stopped taking menopause hormones when a study showed the pills raise the risk of tumors." 12-06 -12-18-05 Heroes Against Poverty and Disease (MSNBC News) "Managing Editor James Kelly said the three had been chosen as the people most effective at finding ways to eradicate such calamities as malaria in Africa, HIV and AIDS and the grinding poverty that kills 8 million people a year." 12-05 -12-20-05 Better Pain Reliever Found (Scientific American) "Morphine and other opioids work wonders for pain. Unfortunately, their effectiveness declines over time while their addictiveness grows, meaning patients need the drug even as it affords them less and less relief. But new research into the cellular workings of opioids offers a promising new pathway to improved pain relief--without the addiction--by triggering one receptor and blocking another." "Medicinal chemist Philip Portoghese of the University of Minnesota and his colleagues began by studying two of the four major opioid receptors in the cells of the central nervous system. Each bears the name of a Greek letter and the chemists focused on the Mu and Delta receptors. Previous research had shown that drugs that linked up with Mu receptors lasted longer with less addiction when combined with drugs that blocked Delta receptors. But it was not known whether the two channels worked separately or in concert to improve the overall effect." 12-05 -12-20-06 Gut Microbes Provide Clues to Obesity (ABC News) ""By changing our diet, we can change the kind of bugs found in our colon, from those found in an obese person's colon to that of a lean person's colon," said Dr. Samuel Klein, director of the human nutrition center at Washington University." 12-06 -12-25-07 New Proton Machines for Combating Cancer (New York Times) "The machines accelerate protons to nearly the speed of light and shoot them into tumors. Scientists say proton beams are more precise than the X-rays now typically used for radiation therapy, meaning fewer side effects from stray radiation and, possibly, a higher cure rate." "X-rays, which are high-energy electromagnetic waves, pass through the body, depositing their energy all along the way, not just in the tumor. By contrast, protons — subatomic particles with a positive electrical charge — can be made to stop on the tumor and dump most of their payload there." 12-07 -12-28-06 Study: Preschool Children Are Too Fat (CNN News) "Far too many kids are fat by preschool, and Hispanic youngsters are most at risk, says new research that's among the first to focus on children growing up in poverty." 12-06 -12-30-05 Report: Young Adults Lax on Cholesterol Control (MSN Health) "Younger adults don't seem to be getting the message about the importance of low blood cholesterol, according to the latest report from a decades-long study." 12-05 -Avian Flu (Awesome Library) Provides information and news on the avian (bird) flu. 10-05 -Best Health Plans (USNews.com) "This year's rankings of commercial, Medicare, and Medicaid HMOs and POS plans show useful information about most of America's larger plans as well as the majority of the nation's smaller ones." 06-07 -Best Hospitals (USNews.com) "Of the 176 medical centers that appear in this year's edition of America's Best Hospitals, find out which ones earned Honor Roll status, a mark of particular distinction." 06-07 -Best and Worst Hospitals for Heart Attack Survival (USA Today) "These hospitals made the government's roster of the best and worst in America, as measured by patients' heart-attack and heart-failure death rates in 2005 and 2006." 06-07