Multi-drug 'polypill' finally to tackle heart problems
A long-mooted single, cheap tablet combining a slew of drugs that protect against heart disease and stroke is at last to be tested
10:00 05 October 2008
Crick was right about 'vision filter' in the brain
In 1984, Francis Crick suggested that a simple brain structure may help remove unwanted visual information – now research backs up the theory
18:00 05 October 2008
Public Release: 6-Oct-2008
Canadian Medical Association Journal
Traumatic brain injury common amongst homeless people
Traumatic brain injury is common amongst homeless people and is associated with poorer health, found a study of more than 900 homeless men and women in Toronto.
Contact: Kim Barnhardt
kim.barnhardt@cma.ca
800-663-7336 x2224
Canadian Medical Association Journal
Public Release: 6-Oct-2008
Pediatrics
Free drug samples carry risks for children
Free prescription drug samples distributed to children may be unsafe, according to a study by physicians from Cambridge Health Alliance and Hasbro Children's Hospital.
Contact: Nancy Cawley
ncawley@lifespan.org
Lifespan
Public Release: 6-Oct-2008
Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
Using a fan during sleep may reduce infants' SIDS risk, Kaiser Permanente study shows
A study by Kaiser Permanente found infants who slept in a bedroom with a fan had a 72 percent lower risk of SIDS compared to infants who slept in a bedroom without a fan.
This is the first study to examine air ventilation in infants' bedrooms and SIDS risk. This finding is consistent with previous research that showed other factors influence a baby's sleep environment and change SIDS risk, like stomach sleeping, soft bedding and pacifiers.
National Institutes of Health
Contact: Danielle Cass
danielle.x.cass@kp.org
510-267-5354
Kaiser Permanente
Public Release: 6-Oct-2008
Pediatrics
New test could help catch serious infections in babies
A new blood test may help detect serious bacterial infections (such as meningitis and bloodstream infections) in infants with fevers that have no clear cause -- and may spare many infants from unnecessary spinal taps and antibiotics, which are typical in routine evaluations.
Frederick H. Lovejoy, Jr., M.D. Resident Research Fund, American Academy of Pediatrics
Contact: James Newton
james.newton@childrens.harvard.edu
617-919-3110
Children's Hospital Boston
Public Release: 6-Oct-2008
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
New prenatal test for down syndrome less risky than amniocentesis, Stanford/Packard scientists say
Pregnant women worried about their babies' genetic health face a tough decision: get prenatal gene testing and risk miscarriage, or skip the tests and miss the chance to learn of genetic defects before birth.
Contact: Erin Digitale
digitale@stanford.edu
650-724-9175
Stanford University Medical Center
Space rock found on collision course with Earth
For the first time, astronomers have found an object on a certain collision course with Earth – fortunately, it is too small to cause damage
Updated 23:06 06 October 2008
Public Release: 6-Oct-2008
PLoS Pathogens
U of T researchers reveal Epstein-Barr virus protein contributes to cancer
Researchers at the University of Toronto have discovered that the EBNA1 protein of Epstein-Barr virus disrupts structures in the nucleus of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells, thereby interfering with cellular processes that normally prevent cancer development.
Contact: Lori Frappier
lori.frappier@utoronto.ca
416-946-3501
University of Toronto
Public Release: 6-Oct-2008
40th Annual International Society of Pediatric Oncology Meeting
Pediatric study finds alternatives for radiation of low-grade brain tumors
A multi-institutional study led by researchers at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center has found that using chemotherapy alone and delaying or avoiding cranial radiation altogether can be effective in treating pediatric patients with unresectable or progressive low-grade glioma. The study was presented Sunday at the 40th Annual International Society of Pediatric Oncology Meeting in Berlin, Germany.
Contact: Sara Farris
sfarris@mdanderson.org
713-792-9133
University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
Public Release: 6-Oct-2008
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Oral vitamin D may help prevent some skin infections
A study led by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, suggests that use of oral vitamin D supplements bolsters production of a protective chemical normally found in the skin, and may help prevent skin infections that are a common result of atopic dermatitis, the most common form of eczema.
Contact: Debra Kain
ddkain@ucsd.edu
619-543-6163
University of California - San Diego
Public Release: 6-Oct-2008
American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Post-term pregnancies risk infant's life and health, UCSF studies show
Infants born more than one week past their due dates have a higher risk of both impaired health and death, according to two new studies by authors from the University of California's San Francisco and Berkeley campuses.
Agency for Health Care Research and Quality, NIH/National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Contact: Kristen Bole
kbole@pubaff.ucsf.edu
415-476-2557
University of California - San Francisco
Public Release: 6-Oct-2008
2008 Joint Annual Meeting GSA/ASA-CSSA-SSSA/GCAGS
Public Release: 7-Oct-2008
Olive oil ingredient ups the time between meals
A fatty acid found in abundance in olive oil and other "healthy" unsaturated fats has yet another benefit: it helps keep the body satisfied to prolong the time between meals.
Contact: Cathleen Genova
cgenova@cell.com
617-397-2802
Cell Press
Public Release: 7-Oct-2008
Cochrane Library
St. John's wort relieves symptoms of major depression
New research provides support for the use of St. John's wort extracts in treating major depression. A Cochrane systematic review backs up previous research that showed the plant extract is effective in treating mild to moderate depressive disorders.
Contact: Jennifer Beal
wbnewseurope@wiley.com
44-012-437-70633
Wiley-Blackwell
Public Release: 7-Oct-2008
Cochrane Library
Honey helps to heal wounds
Honey may reduce healing times in patients suffering mild to moderate burn wounds. A systematic review by Cochrane researchers concluded that honey might be useful as an alternative to traditional wound dressings in treating burns.
Contact: Jennifer Beal
wbnewseurope@wiley.com
44-012-437-70633
Wiley-Blackwell
Public Release: 7-Oct-2008
JAMA
Circumcision not associated with reduced risk of HIV for men who have sex with men
An analysis of previous research indicates there is a lack of sufficient evidence that circumcision reduces the risk of human immunodeficiency virus infection or other sexually transmitted infections among men who have sex with men, according to an article in the Oct. 8 issue of JAMA.
Contact: National Center for HIV/AIDS
404-639-8895
JAMA and Archives Journals
Public Release: 7-Oct-2008
American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
Withdrawal of life support often an imperfect compromise
Intensive Care Unit doctors seeking to balance the complex needs of their patients and the patients' families may make an imperfect compromise, withdrawing life support systems over a prolonged period of time. This practice is much more common than previously believed, and is also surprisingly associated with higher satisfaction with care-at least among surviving family members.
Contact: Keely Savoie
ksavoie@thoracic.org
212-315-8620
American Thoracic Society
Public Release: 7-Oct-2008
Cell Metabolism
UCI study shows how fatty foods curb hunger
Fatty foods may not be the healthiest diet choice, but those rich in unsaturated fats -- such as avocados, nuts and olive oil -- have been found to play a pivotal role in sending this important message to your brain: stop eating, you're full.
National Institutes of Health, New York Obesity Research Center, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, Italian Ministry of Research
Contact: Cathy Lawhon
clawhon@uci.edu
949-824-1151
University of California - Irvine
Public Release: 7-Oct-2008
'Deadly dozen' reports diseases worsened by climate change
Health experts from the Wildlife Conservation Society today released a report that lists 12 pathogens that could spread into new regions as a result of climate change, with potential impacts to both human and wildlife health and global economies.
Contact: Stephen Sautner
ssautner@wcs.org
718-220-3682
Wildlife Conservation Society
Public Release: 7-Oct-2008
Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
Narcissistic people most likely to emerge as leaders
When a group is without a leader, you can often count on a narcissist to take charge, a new study suggests. Researchers found that people who score high in narcissism tend to take control of leaderless groups. Narcissism is a trait in which people are self-centered, exaggerate their talents and abilities and lack empathy for others.
Contact: Amy Brunell
Brunell.2@osu.edu
740-366-9262
Ohio State University
VIP stalkers prone to serious mental illness
People who stalk royals and celebrities are more likely to need psychiatric help than non-VIP stalkers, such as jilted lovers
12:51 07 October 2008
Some coma patients 'feel pain'
Brain scans show that the coma patients that are most aware of their environment react to pain as much as healthy people
18:15 07 October 2008
Vital Signs
Children: Acetaminophen in Babies May Raise Risks
The use of acetaminophen in the first year of life is associated with an increased risk for asthma, eczema and allergic runny nose later in childhood, a New Zealand study reports.
By NICHOLAS BAKALAR
Published: October 6, 2008
Diversification of Cacao Is Traced to the Amazon
A team led by Juan C. Motomayor of the candymaker Mars and the United States Department of Agriculture looked at genetic markers in more than 1,200 cacao samples representing geographic regions around the world, and discovered there are 10 genetic clusters, not 3.
By HENRY FOUNTAIN
Published: October 6, 2008
Three Chemists Win Nobel Prize
By KENNETH CHANG
One Japanese and two American scientists won this year’s prize for their work on observing cells.
* Times Topics: Nobel Prize
Fossil reveals how the turtle got its shell
The ancient remains of an armadillo-like creature could explain one of evolution's biggest mysteries
11:22 08 October 2008
Messenger finds web of debris on Mercury
The spacecraft's latest flyby provides the first clear pictures of a third of the planet, revealing long bright streaks of material across the surface
11:43 08 October 2008
Space rock collides with Earth right on time
The first meteoroid to be spotted on a course to hit us strikes the atmosphere exactly as predicted, creating a dramatic fireball
14:30 08 October 2008
Public Release: 8-Oct-2008
Neuron
Cell protein suppresses pain 8 times more effectively than morphine
Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine and the University of Helsinki have discovered a new therapeutic target for pain control, one that appears to be eight times more effective at suppressing pain than morphine.
Sloan Foundation, Searle Scholars Program, Klingenstein Foundation, Whitehall Foundation, Rita Allen Foundation, NIH/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Contact: Les Lang
llang@med.unc.edu
919-966-9366
University of North Carolina School of Medicine
Public Release: 8-Oct-2008
New England Journal of Medicine
New study determines double flu jab needed against bird flu pandemic
Scientists recommend stockpiling influenza vaccine.
Contact: Dr. Iain Stephenson
pressoffice@le.ac.uk
44-011-625-22415
University of Leicester
Public Release: 8-Oct-2008
Journal of Nuclear Medicine
1 dose of EPO may halt cell suicide following a heart attack
Two things happen following a heart attack―necrosis (normal cell death) and apoptosis (programmed cell death) -- and both are bad. Now researchers in Japan have found that a single intravenous dose of the hormone erythropoietin immediately after myocardial infarction (heart attack) can drastically reduce or eliminate apoptosis and thereby limit the amount of damage to the heart, according to an article in the October issue of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.
Contact: Amy Shaw
Ashaw@snm.org
703-652-6773
Society of Nuclear Medicine
Public Release: 8-Oct-2008
Molecular Therapy
RNA molecules, delivery system improve vaccine responses, effectiveness
A novel delivery system that could lead to more efficient and more disease-specific vaccines against infectious diseases has been developed by biomedical engineers at The University of Texas at Austin.
NIH/National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Coulter Foundation
Contact: Krishnendu Roy
kroy@mail.utexas.edu
512-232-3477
University of Texas at Austin
Public Release: 8-Oct-2008
Structure
Scripps research team solves structure of 'beneficial' virus
Researchers at the Scripps Research Institute have, for the first time, solved the structure of a virus that can infect specific cancer cells. This new knowledge may help drug designers tweak the pathogen enough so that it can attack other tumor subtypes. The study was published in the Oct. 8 issue of Structure, a Cell Press journal.
National Institutes of Health
Contact: Keith McKeown
kmckeown@scripps.edu
858-784-8134
Scripps Research Institute
Newly discovered fungus strips pollutants from oil
Experiments suggest that the first fungus able to remove sulphur from crude oil is the best microorganism yet found for the job
17:45 08 October 2008
Public Release: 9-Oct-2008
Journal of Clinical Investigation
Small intestine can sense and react to bitter toxins in food
Toxins in food often have a bad, bitter taste that makes people want to spit them out. New UC Irvine research finds that bitterness also slows the digestive process, keeping bad food in the stomach longer and increasing the chances that it will be expelled.
Contact: Jennifer Fitzenberger
jfitzen@uci.edu
949-824-3969
University of California - Irvine
Public Release: 9-Oct-2008
Science
Bold traveler's journey toward the center of the Earth
The first ecosystem with only a single biological species has been discovered and its genome analyzed by a multi-institutional and multidisciplinary team. Living 2.8 km beneath the surface of the earth in the Mponeng gold mine near Johannesburg, South Africa, the rod-shaped bacterium Desulforudis audaxviator exists in complete isolation, total darkness, a lack of oxygen, and 60-degree-Celsius heat.
US Department of Energy, NASA
Contact: Paul Preuss
paul_preuss@lbl.gov
510-486-6249
DOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Public Release: 9-Oct-2008
Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association
Mouse studies suggest daily dose of ginkgo may prevent brain cell damage after a stroke
Working with genetically engineered mice, researchers at Johns Hopkins have shown that daily doses of a standardized extract from the leaves of the ginkgo tree can prevent or reduce brain damage after an induced stroke.
Contact: Eric Vohr
evohr1@jhmi.edu
410-955-8665
Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions
'Unbreakable' encryption unveiled
Perfect secrecy has come a step closer with the launch of the world's first computer network protected by unbreakable quantum encryption at a scientific conference in Vienna.
By Roland Pease BBC Radio Science Unit
Public Release: 9-Oct-2008
Pediatrics
Steroid treatment offers no benefit in preemies, Hopkins Children's study suggests
Results of a multicenter study led by Johns Hopkins Children's Center challenge the longstanding practice of treating premature babies with hydrocortisone, a steroid believed to fight inflammation and prevent lung disease.
Contact: Katerina Pesheva
epeshev1@jhmi.edu
410-516-4996
Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions
Hand transplant shows lost limbs are never forgotten
An amputee has regained feeling in a newly attached hand – the finding hints that the brain never completely erases connections with lost limbs
17:36 09 October 2008
Stonehenge 'was a cremation cemetery, not healing centre'
Stonehenge was used as a cremation cemetery throughout its history, according to new evidence that divides archaeologists over whether England's most famous ancient monument was about celebrating life or death.
By Louise Gray Environment Correspondent
Fossils of dancing shrimp show earliest group behaviour
Newly discovered ancient chains of up to 20 crustaceans linked head-to-toe are the earliest record of collective behaviour in any animal
19:00 09 October 2008
Public Release: 10-Oct-2008
Journal of American College of Surgeons
Only some Web sites provide patients with reliable information before having an operation
New research published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons shows unsponsored and professional society Web sites provide significantly higher quality information about common elective surgical procedures compared with commercially sponsored Web sites. In addition, the study authors say that providing patients with technical search terms may increase the likelihood of obtaining reliable surgical information on the Web.
Public Release: 10-Oct-2008
JAMA
Research shows link between bisphenol A and disease in adults
A research team from the Peninsula Medical School, the University of Exeter, the University of Plymouth and the University of Iowa, have found evidence linking bisphenol A to diabetes and heart disease in adults.
Contact: Andrew Gould
media@pr-works.co.uk
44-139-268-6107
The Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry
Is anybody listening out there?
Messages have been sent to a planet 20 light years from Earth in the hope they will reach intelligent alien life.
Gates declares war on farm animal disease
A $28-million fund is set to revolutionise the struggle against diseases that kill farm animals and cost poor farmers their livelihood
14:23 11 October 2008