Public Release: 18-Aug-2008
Annals of Internal Medicine
Good long-term prognosis after West Nile virus infection
The long-term prognosis of patients infected with West Nile virus is good, according to a new study appearing in the Aug. 19, 2008, issue of Annals of Internal Medicine,
the American College of Physicians' flagship journal. This is the largest study of the long-term outcomes of West Nile virus infection.
Contact: Angela Collom
acollom@acponline.org
215-351-2653
American College of Physicians
Public Release: 18-Aug-2008
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Indigenous children don't need number words to 'count', says new study
Indigenous Australian children who speak languages that have few number words are still able to count, according to a new international study.
Luverhulme Trust
Contact: Janine Sim-Jones
janinesj@unimelb.edu.au
61-040-089-3378
University of Melbourne
Public Release: 18-Aug-2008
Archives of Surgery
Elderly patients less likely to be transported to trauma centers than younger patients
Elderly trauma patients appear to be less likely than younger patients to be transported to a trauma center, possibly because of unconscious age bias
among emergency medical services personnel, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Contact: Eric A. Vohr
410-955-8665
JAMA and Archives Journals
Public Release: 18-Aug-2008
Archives of Surgery
Chewing gum associated with enhanced bowel recovery after colon surgery
Chewing gum is associated with enhanced recovery of intestinal function following surgery to remove all or part of the colon, according to an analysis
of previously published studies in the August issue of Archives of Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Contact: Paris P. Tekkis, M.D., F.R.C.S.
p.tekkis@imperial.ac.uk
JAMA and Archives Journals
Public Release: 18-Aug-2008
Journal of Translational Medicine
Limbs saved by menstrual blood stem cells
Cells obtained from menstrual blood, termed 'endometrial regenerative cells' are capable of restoring blood flow in an animal model of advanced peripheral artery disease.
A study published today in BioMed Central's open access Journal of Translational Medicine demonstrates that when circulation-blocked mice were treated with ERC injections,
circulation and functionality were restored.
Contact: Graeme Baldwin
graeme.baldwin@biomedcentral.com
44-020-707-94804
BioMed Central
Public Release: 18-Aug-2008
Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment journal
Researchers link cocoa flavanols to improved brain blood flow
Cocoa flavanols, the unique compounds found naturally in cocoa, may increase blood flow to the brain, according to new research published in the
Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment journal. The researchers suggest that long-term improvements in brain blood flow could impact cognitive behavior,
offering future potential for debilitating brain conditions including dementia and stroke.
Contact: Lori Fromm
lfromm@webershandwick.com
312-988-2436
Weber Shandwick Worldwide

Public Release: 18-Aug-2008
PNAS
New method to overcome multiple drug resistant diseases developed by Stanford researchers
Many drugs once considered Charles Atlases of the pharmaceutical realm have been reduced to the therapeutic equivalent of 97-pound weaklings as the diseases
they once dispatched with ease have developed resistance to them. But researchers at Stanford University have developed a method to get around one of the most
common forms of resistance, thereby opening up some if not many resistant diseases to the reinvigorated fury of the medications that once laid them low.
National Institutes of Health, John A. and Cynthia Fry Gunn Research Fund, Cellgate Inc., Eli Lilly
Contact: Louis Bergeron
louisb3@stanford.edu
650-725-1944
Stanford University
Public Release: 18-Aug-2008
Exceptional Children
UNC study: 'chilling' hardship rates among families raising disabled children
Families with disabled children are struggling to keep food on the table, a roof over their heads, and to pay for needed health and dental care. But according to a new study
from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, these challenges are now falling on middle-income households and not just on poor families as previous research has found.
Contact: Patric Lane
patric_lane@unc.edu
919-962-8596
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Public Release: 18-Aug-2008
UNC trial: oral contraceptives may ease suffering of women with severe PMS
A new clinical trial at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill using a popular low-dose contraceptive could uncover a
more effective treatment for the 5 to 10 percent of women who suffer from premenstrual dysphoric disorder.
NIH/National Institute of Mental Health
Contact: Leslie Lang
llang@med.unc.edu
919-966-9366
University of North Carolina School of Medicine
Public Release: 19-Aug-2008
American Chemical Society 236th National Meeting
New reasons to avoid grapefruit and other juices when taking certain drugs
Scientists and consumers have known for years that grapefruit juice can increase the absorption of some drugs, causing potentially toxic effects. Now, researchers in Canada
report new evidence that drinking grapefruit and other common fruit juices, including orange and apple, also can substantially decrease the absorption of some drugs,
wiping out their potential beneficial effects. Their research will be presented in August at the American Chemical Society national meeting in Philadelphia.
Contact: Michael Bernstein
m_bernstein@acs.org
202-872-4400
American Chemical Society
Public Release: 19-Aug-2008
American Chemical Society 236th National Meeting
Key advance toward 'micro-spacecraft'
Fleets of inexpensive, pint-sized spacecraft are one giant leap closer to lift off. Researchers describe a new, razor thin temperature-regulating film
that brings this sci-fi vision of "micro-spacecraft" weighing barely 50 pounds and 10-pound "nano-spacecraft" closer to reality.
Their work will be presented in August at the American Chemical Society national meeting in Philadelphia.
Contact: Michael Bernstein
m_bernstein@acs.org
202-872-4400
American Chemical Society
Public Release: 19-Aug-2008
American Chemical Society 236th National Meeting
'Cutting by color': New imaging technique for more precise cancer surgery
Instead of "paint by number," you might call it "cutting by color": Researchers in Massachusetts now report development and early clinical trials of a new imaging system
that highlights cancerous tissue in the body so that surgeons can more easily see and remove diseased tissue with less damage to normal tissue near the tumor.
Their research will be presented in August at the American Chemical Society national meeting in Philadelphia.
Contact: Michael Bernstein
m_bernstein@acs.org
202-872-4400
American Chemical Society
Public Release: 19-Aug-2008
JAMA
Silver-coated endotracheal tubes appear to reduce risk of pneumonia associated with ventilator use
Among intensive care unit patients who require mechanical ventilation, use of a silver-coated endotracheal tube resulted in reduced incidence of pneumonia
associated with ventilators, according to a report in the Aug. 20 issue of JAMA.
Contact: Diane Duke Williams
314-286-0111
JAMA and Archives Journals
Public Release: 19-Aug-2008
PLoS ONE
Study finds foul owls use faeces to show they are in fine feather
In a paper published in the online, open-access journal PLoS ONE, August 20, researchers now provide descriptive and experimental evidence that suggests that
owl faeces and prey remains could act as previously unrecognized visual signals for eagle owls.
Contact: Rebecca Walton
rwalton@plos.org
44-122-346-3333
Public Library of Science
Merck catches more flak over dangerous drug
Pharmaceutical giant accused of using a drug trial to introduce primary-care physicians to the painkiller Vioxx
10:15 19 August 2008
Polygamy is the key to a long life
Comparison of the lifespans of men from polygamous countries with those from monogamous ones helps explain why men live so long
17:26 19 August 2008
First red blood cells grown in the lab
Blood donations may one day be a thing of the past thanks to the creation of functional red blood cells from human embryonic stem cells
19:30 19 August 2008
Really?
The Claim: Morning Sickness Means a Girl Is More Likely
By ANAHAD O’CONNOR
Old wives’ tales about predicting a baby’s sex are usually more fantasy than fact.
* Health Guide: Morning Sickness »
Vital Signs
Behavior: Nothing Says ‘Focus’ Like Memory of Love
By ERIC NAGOURNEY
Published: August 18, 2008
Does love stay the wandering eye?
Wrinkle Removers, Backed by Science
By NICHOLAS BAKALAR
Over the past decade, researchers have been learning which treatments for wrinkles work, and why.
* Health Guide: Wrinkles »
Public Release: 20-Aug-2008
Neurosurgery
Brain surgery is getting easier on patients
Dr. Edward Duckworth is part of a new generation of neurosurgeons who are making brain surgery a lot easier on patients. Rather than cutting out large sections of the skull or face, Duckworth is reaching the brain through much smaller openings. And in certain cases, he goes through the nose to get to the brain.
Contact: Jim Ritter
jritter@lumc.edu
708-216-2445
Loyola University Health System
Yew cuttings help cancer research
An operation is under way to prune the famous yew hedges at Chirk Castle, and help the fight against cancer at the same time.
Superdoctors - one small step
By Diana Hill
Director and series producer of Superdoctors
You could call him the Indiana Jones of surgery. Steve Mannion, an orthopaedic surgeon, has devoted his life to working in far-flung and under-resourced corners of the world.
Public Release: 20-Aug-2008
UQ research touches a nerve
University of Queensland researchers have traced the origins of one of the most important steps in animal evolution -- the development of nerves.
Contact: Andrew Dunne
communications@uq.edu.au
61-733-652-802
Research Australia
Public Release: 20-Aug-2008
Journal of Biological Chemistry
LSUHSC research reports new method to protect brain cells from diseases like Alzheimer's
New research led by Chu Chen, PhD, Associate Professor of Neuroscience at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, provides evidence that one of the only
naturally occurring fatty acids in the brain can help to protect brain cells from neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
National Institutes of Health, Alzheimer's Association
Contact: Leslie Capo
lcapo@lsuhsc.edu
504-452-9166
Louisiana State University Health Science Center
Public Release: 20-Aug-2008
Nature
Hubble sees magnetic monster in erupting galaxy
The Hubble Space Telescope has found the answer to a long-standing puzzle by resolving giant but delicate filaments shaped by a strong magnetic field
around the active galaxy NGC 1275. It is the most striking example of the influence of these immense tentacles of extragalactic magnetic fields, say researchers.
Contact: Lars Lindberg Christensen
lars@eso.org
49-893-200-6306
ESA/Hubble Information Centre
Public Release: 20-Aug-2008
Nature
Biochemists manipulate fruit flavor enzymes
Would you like a lemony watermelon? How about a strawberry-flavored banana? Biochemists at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston say the day may be coming
when scientists will be able to fine tune enzymes responsible for flavors in fruits and vegetables. In addition, it could lead to environmentally-friendly pest control.
Pew Charitable Trusts, Robert A. Welch Foundation, National Institutes of Health, American Heart Association, INSERM
Contact: Robert Cahill
Robert.Cahill@uth.tmc.edu
713-500-3042
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Aggression written in the shape of a man's face
The width-height proportions of a man's face could reveal how aggressive he is
00:01 20 August 2008
Google buries $10m in underground power
The company is backing a technology that uses heat from underground rocks to generate green electricity
12:56 20 August 2008
Planets without metal cores may be bad for life
Rocky planets can form without metallic cores, a new study suggests – they would lack magnetic fields, which are crucial for life as we know it
15:07 20 August 2008
Public Release: 21-Aug-2008
American Chemical Society 236th National Meeting
Virginia Tech researcher converts biodiesel byproduct into omega-3 fatty acids
The typical American diet often lacks omega-3 fatty acids despite clinical research that shows their potential human health benefits. Zhiyou Wen, assistant professor of biological systems engineering in Virginia Tech's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, found a way to grow these compounds using a byproduct of the emerging biodiesel industry.
Virginia Agricultural Council, US Poultry and Egg Association, Fats and Proteins Research Foundation, Virginia Sea Grant, and Virginia Commercial Fisheries and Shellfish Technologies
Contact: Michael Sutphin
msutphin@vt.edu
540-231-6975
Virginia Tech
Public Release: 21-Aug-2008
British Medical Journal
Hormone replacement therapy improves sleep, sexuality and joint pain in older women
One of the world's longest and largest trials of hormone replacement therapy has found that post-menopausal women on HRT gain significant improvements in quality of life.
Medical Research Council, National Health and Medical Research Council, others
Contact: Professor Alastair MacLennan
alastair.maclennan@adelaide.edu.au
61-881-617-000
University of Adelaide
Public Release: 21-Aug-2008
Air-purifying church windows early nanotechnology
Stained glass windows that are painted with gold purify the air when they are lit up by sunlight, a team of Queensland University of Technology experts have discovered.
Contact: Rachael Wilson
rachael.wilson@qut.edu.au
Queensland University of Technology
Public Release: 21-Aug-2008
PLoS Pathogens
Malaria researchers identify new mosquito virus
Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's Malaria Research Institute have identified a previously unknown virus
that is infectious to Anopheles gambiae -- the mosquito primarily responsible for transmitting malaria.
Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute
Contact: Tim Parsons
tmparson@jhsph.edu
410-955-7619
Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health
Iran plans to launch humans into space
The head of Iran's aerospace agency says the country plans to send a crewed rocket into space in the next 10 years
15:37 21 August 2008
Two more face transplant triumphs
Chinese team break new ground with first transplant of facial bone, bringing a full face transplant a step nearer
00:01 22 August 2008
Machine 'sniffs out skin cancer'
A common form of skin cancer could be diagnosed by the distinctive chemical "scent" it gives off, say US experts.
Two more face transplant triumphs
Chinese team break new ground with first transplant of facial bone, bringing a full face transplant a step nearer
00:01 22 August 2008
Public Release: 22-Aug-2008
PLoS Genetics
Munich researchers discover key allergy gene
Together with colleagues from the Department of Dermatology and Allergy and the Center for Allergy and Environment of the Technische Universität München,
scientists at the Helmholtz Zentrum München have pinpointed a major gene for allergic diseases.
The gene was localized using cutting edge technologies for examining the whole human genome at the Helmholtz Zentrum München.
Contact: Heinz Joerg Haury
presse@helmholtz-muenchen.de
49-893-187-2460
Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health
Some solar flares may be caused by dark matter
Theoretical dark matter particles called axions could account for some bright X-ray explosions on the Sun, new calculations suggest
15:36 22 August 2008
Public Release: 22-Aug-2008
Journal of Consumer Research
When charities ask for time, people give more money
According to new research in the Journal of Consumer Research, simply asking people a question about whether they're willing to volunteer their time leads to increases
in donations of both time and money.
Contact: Mary-Ann Twist
JCR@bus.wisc.edu
608-255-5582
University of Chicago Press Journals
Public Release: 22-Aug-2008
Journal of Consumer Research
Healthy people and enhancement drugs
Healthy people are more willing to take drugs to enhance traits that are not fundamental to their identity. People's willingness to take a pill or drug
depends on whether the trait the drug promises to enhance is one they consider fundamental.
Contact: Mary-Ann Twist
JCR@bus.wisc.edu
608-255-5582
University of Chicago Press Journals
Public Release: 22-Aug-2008
2008 Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Convention
Health journalists face translation challenge, MU researchers find
University of Missouri researchers conducted a national survey and found that the majority of health journalists have not had specialized training in health reporting
and face challenges in communicating new medical science developments. Of the journalists surveyed, only 18 percent had specialized training in health reporting
and only 6.4 percent reported that a majority of their readers change health behaviors based on the information they provide.
Missouri Foundation for Health
Contact: Emily Smith
SmithEA@missouri.edu
573-882-3346
University of Missouri-Columbia
Stem cells 'created from teeth'
Japanese scientists say they have created human stem cells from tissue taken from the discarded wisdom teeth of a 10-year-old girl.