Medical News

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The serotonin system, an aspect of the brain's neurochemical structure associated with behavior and mood, has been shown to substantially decline with age, according to research with living humans ages 18-76 at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center funded by the National Institutes of Mental Health and presented this morning at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in New Orleans.

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Health care professionals can contribute to or lessen hope in cancer patients by the way they communicate, ultimately influencing the patients' ability to cope with the disease, University of Minnesota Cancer Center researchers have found.

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Researchers from Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons have demonstrated the long-term transfer and high level long-term expression of the normal human beta globin gene in an animal model for the first time. The study, published in the Nov. 1 issue of Blood, may lead to gene therapy for the treatment of sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia, a related disorder.

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A portable,hand-held biosensor capable of detecting a wide range of medically important chemical reactions has been created by a team of researchers from The Scripps Research Insitute of La Jolla, Calif. and the University of California, San Diego.

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Cytimmune Sciences, Inc. (CSI) is a cutting edge technology-based research organization. CSI immunoassay kits measure biological response in humans, suitable for consideration in future clinical diagnostics. Applications include cancer, autoimmune, allergy and bacterial diseases.

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Health Briefs on the following topics: 1) Avoiding Antibiotic Overuse, 2) Treating the Common Cold, 3) The Mystery of Endometriosis, 4) Exercise is Key Ingredient in Recipe for Healthy Aging

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Good results in preliminary studies of a potential diagnostic test for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have led Johns Hopkins scientists to call for an expanded trial immediately.

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University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences researchers have developed an antibody for phencyclidine toxicity overdose.

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Cystic fibrosis (CF) patients are living longer, presenting new treatment challenges to the physicians who care for them, said Dr. Stanley Fiel, a renowned expert on the disease.

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A study conducted at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Harlow Primate Laboratory demonstrates for the first time in a laboratory setting that even moderate drinking can harm infant development.

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NASA and the Cleveland Clinic are studying the use of satellites and high-speed digital transmissions to provide mammograms to women in regions of the United States where physicians who specialize in diagnosing breast cancer are scarce.

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University of Michigan scientists have developed a viral vector technique that delivers the gene for dystrophin, a protein critical for normal maintenance of muscle tissue, to the muscles of adult mice with muscular dystrophy.

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People diagnosed with cancer have a lot to learn and fast. One of the greatest challenges for almost all cancer patients is acquiring the knowledge they need in order to fully understand what a diagnosis of cancer means. Unfortunately, few physicians have the kind of time or availability. William A Fintel and Gerald McDermott can answer many of the questions that consume the thoughts of cancer patients. They're co-authors of the book, Dear God It's Cancer: A Medical and Spiritual Guide for Patients and Their Families.

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Manganese dominates the toxicity risks of heavy metals since it may be more harmful inhaled than ingested. EPA opposed approval of methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT) in gasoline. This debate between EPA and industry was taken to court and won by the manufactuers on issues unrelated to health. As of Dec.1996, manganese is permitted for use as an additive in gasoline in the U.S.

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Contradictory prevention messages addressed to the gay male community lead a significant number of gay men to believe that the risk of HIV transmission during oral sex is higher than it actually is, reports a study published in the current issue of the Journal of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association.

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IRVINE, California - October 28, 1997 - NeoTherapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:NEOT) presented new research findings today that treatment with its lead compound, AIT-082, demonstrated an increase in neurotrophic factors following spinal cord injury in rats. These findings were reported today at the Society of Neuroscience meeting in New Orleans.

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Geneticists from the University of Maryland School of Medicine will present research findings on fetabl diagnosis of dwarfisms, diabetes genes among the Amish, and mutations leading to cardiovascular or kidney disease at the American Society of Human Genetics meeting in Baltimore Oct. 28-Nov. 1.

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Researchers at Johns Hopkins think they have identified sites in the brain where "worrying" takes place. Using brain scans that measure blood flow variations, the scientists concluded that several structures on the right side are the site of anxious thoughts.

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Hospitalization and emergency department visits were reduced by more than 80 percent in asthmatic patients participating in a hospital-based comprehensive care program in New York. (Embargoed: October 28)

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The cost of care for patients in ICUs in particular and hospitals in general can be reduced without jeopardizing quality of care. One multi-disciplinary approach at a California hospital resulted in a decrease of $20,000 per patient. (Embargoed: October 28)

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A new study of genetically normal rats indicates that the effects of overfeeding extends for at least three generations and may explain health trends beginning to be seen in human populations around the world, a University of Washington researcher told the Society of Neuroscience today.

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WINSTON-SALEM -- The brains of some people who read poorly -- especially people with dyslexia -- differ physiologically from normal readers, according to pioneering work at the Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

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Three Harvard Medical School studies that will be presented at the Society of Neuroscience Annual Meeting, which will be held October 25-30 in New Orleans, are worth noting. The first study found that children who are deprived of the attention and stimulation that typically occurs in family life were prone to hormone regulation abnormalities and retarded mental and behavioral development. The second study found that boys and girls had a similar prevalence rate of Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This counters the popular belief that boys are more prone to ADHD. Findings from the third study suggest that there may be a genetic basis to insominia. Please refer to the meetingπs press book specific information about the research and the associated embargoes.

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University of Pittsburgh researchers found no difference in homocysteine levels between men who suffered heart attacks and men who had not experienced heart attacks or stroke. These findings suggest that homocysteine more likely indicates the extent of atherosclerosis or inflammation rather than promotes the processes that lead to heart attacks or stroke.

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Although sleep apnea is generally associated with overweight men, a Stanford study, released today at the annual scientific meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians, found that Asians have more severe obstructive sleep apnea than Caucasians. (Embargoed: October 27)

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French invesigators report on a study of 160 patients with venous thromboembolic disease and determine what role, if any, extended travel played in their illness. (Embargoed October 27).

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The use of an inexpensive anesthetic (costing just $2.89) during and immediately after prostate surgery might be able to reduce hospital stay and dramatically reduce the amount of pain a patient experiences, according to an Albany Medical College study to be presented Oct. 21 at the annual meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists.

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Nearly 3.5 million Canadians either do not know they have high blood pressure or they are receiving poor medical treatment, a landmark study in the October issue of the American Journal of Hypertension reveals.

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Researchers at the Yerkes Primate Center of Emory University have synthesized a compound that shows promise as a medication for people addicted to cocaine and amphetamines. Currently there is no treatment to help the millions of Americans who abuse these drugs. In related cocaine studies, the scientists also discovered that food intake in animals is controlled at least in part by a new group of neuropeptides

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Successful managers in health care setting have significantly different leadership skill profiles than ineffective managers. Physician administrators also have approximately the same leadership skills as non-physician "professional" administrators. Those are two results of a study examining leadership and management skills in health care settings co-authored by Frank Shipper of Salisbury State University.

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Emory University researchers report at the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting that transmitting electronic ocular images to retinal specialists for assessment means persons with diabetes may be screened for eye damage during routine office visits.

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More than 2,000 geneticists will present their latest research results at the 47th Annual Meeting of The American Society of Human Genetics in Baltimore, Maryland October 29-November 1, 1997. Topics range from determining genetic predisposition to certain cancers, to revealing the genetics of HIV and obesity.

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Washington, D.C., October 21, 1997 ó Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a report that studied the costs and benefits of implementing the Clean Air Act between 1970 and 1990. The report found that each year more than 200,000 premature deaths and 18 million illnesses are avoided due to lower air pollution levels.

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The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research is sponsoring a conference to discuss and identify critical gaps and future research needs regarding outcomes and effectiveness research. The conference will be held in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, October 30, and Friday, October 31, 1997.

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University of Maryland,Baltimore, neuroscientists report on herbal brain-cell armor, pain as a 2-way street, helpless rats as a model for depression therapies, and location in the brain of pain proscessing.

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A hepatitis A vaccine, already approved for use in adults, is also proving to be effective and safe for infants, according to a researcher at The University of Texas-Houston School of Public Health.

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American Psychiatric Association November Tipsheet - Part 2: Outstanding Mental Health Programs Honored by APA - Recipients of the APA Gold Achievement Award and the APA Significant Achievement Awards. Embargo: Nov 1.

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American Psychiatric Association November 1997 Tipsheet- Part 1: 1) Quit Smoking, Lower Anxiety, 2) POWs Suffer Long After War Is Over, 3) Depression in Schizophrenia May Have a Genetic Cause, 4) High Marks for Rural Telepsychiatry, 5) New Measurement Tool Determines Competency for Consent

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A Columbia-Presbyterian study has demonstrated that brain scans and neuropsychiatric tests can help doctors determine whether psychiatric problems are due to Lyme disease or a primary psychiatric disorder.

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580 U.S. dentists were polled about general oral care trends, including cosmetic tooth whitening, at the 138th Annual Session of the American Dental Association (ADA) in Washington D.C.

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Up to 25 percent of cases of insulin dependent diabetes mellitus that occur before age 15 may possibly be prevented by immunizing children with common pediatric vaccines at birth, rather than waiting until up to eight weeks of life, according to a new epidemiological study by researchers at Intermountain Health Care's LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City and Classen Immunotherapies in Baltimore, Maryland.

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Add another star to the list of health benefits associated with omega-3 fatty acids. Recent Purdue University research shows that they also help bones grow.

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Monroe E. Wall, PhD, has received the American Chemistry Society's Alfred Burger Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to medicinal chemistry, largely for his leadership in discovering two new classes of pharmaceuticals for cancer treatment.

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NASA and the US Department of Health and Human Services signed an interagency agreement today to apply space technology to women's health issues. Since the early 1990s, their collaboration to develop new tools for fighting breast cancer has been facilitated by scientists at Research Triangle Institute. So far, the NASA, DHHS, RTI team has identified several existing space technologies that could be applied to digital mammography. Three commercial systems are now in clinical trials.

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Over 2,500 gastroenterologists will gather in Chicago from 10/31 - 11/5 for the American College of Gastroenterology's 62nd Annual Scientific Meeting to discuss the latest advances in GI research, treatment of digestive diseases and clinical practice management.

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University of Michigan scientists have used an insulin-like growth factor called IGF-I to stimulate growth of a myelin membrane sheath around neurons. Scientists believe understanding how growth factors affect neural development could lead to new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases like diabetic neuropathy, multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

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ATS News Tips From Oct. Journals 1- balancing ethics with limited resources in ICUs; 2- acute lung injury and quality of life; 3- drug resistant bacteria in hospital patients.

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The National Library of Medicine's new exhibit, Frankenstein: Penetrating the Secrets of Nature, opens on Halloween for a 10-month run. The exhibit focuses on the folklore surrounding scientific discoveries and the social and ethical questions raised by new medical advances such as cloning.

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SAN ANTONIO, Texas-October 22, 1997- Results of clinical trials for ZOMIG (zolmitriptan), an investigational oral medication for the treatment of acute migraine, demonstrate that the compound may provide relief of migraine headache associated with and without menstruation, as well as migraine in women using oral contraceptives. These clinical trial data were presented at the American Osteopathic Association Research Conference, held October 19-23 in San Antonio. ZOMIG is a product of Zeneca Pharmaceuticals.

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Women who have a tendency to overeat may be sensitive to chocolate which can elevate their appetite if it is consumed at the wrong time, LSU researchers find.