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Research - Other research results

March 1-7, 2004

►March 4, 2004 - "Triple Swap" Kidney Transplant Operation a Success - Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions via Newswise

►February 2004 - Antibodies to infectious agents in individuals with recent onset schizophrenia - journal article (European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience)

►February 20, 2004 - Researchers Find a Type of Stem Cell May Have the Ability to Repair the Brain (requires subscription) - The New York Times

►March 4, 2004 - Scripps scientists describe dangerous cocktail of alcohol, brain peptides, and neurotransmitters - Scripps Research Institute via www.eurekalert.org

►March 4, 2004 - Antibacterial Products Don't Reduce Infection Symptoms - Annals of Internal Medicine via Ivanhoe

►March 2004 - Short Children Born Small for Gestational Age and Treated with Growth Hormone for Three Years Have an Important Catch-Down Five Years after Discontinuation of Treatment - journal article (Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism)

►March 6, 2004 - High IQ in childhood may protect from cognitive decline - journal article (BMJ)

►February 27, 2004 - UW study: Baby's face lights up emotional center of new mom's brain - University of Wisconsin-Madison via www.eurekalert.org

►February 12, 2004 - Human embryos cloned - South Korean team demonstrates cloning efficiency for humans similar to pigs, cattle - The Scientist via BioMed Central

►February 29, 2004 - Too Much Weight Tugs at Kids Hearts - HealthDay via Yahoo!

►March 1, 2004 - Studying Hyperlexia May Unlock How Brains Read - Children With Rare Disorder Have Heightened Reading, Learning Skills (requires registration) - The Washington Post

►February 26, 2004 - Mix of Chemicals Plus Stress Damages Brain, Liver in Animals and Likely in Humans - news release - Duke University Medical Center

February 23-29, 2004

►February 19, 2004 - Fish Oil and Hostility - Eating fatty fish might make you less hostile - Seattle Post-Intelligencer 

►February 24, 2004 - Scientists raise caution about effects of HRT on hearing - University of Rochester Medical Center via www.eurekalert.org 

►February 27, 2004 - Scientists suspect health threat from GM maize - The Guardian, UK

►February 28, 2004 - Concern growing over youth doing their own piercings, tattoos - AP via The Times and Democrat

►February 23, 2004 - Probiotics - dead or alive (requires registration or subscription) - BioMedNet 

►February 19, 2004 - Study provides new insights about brain organization - Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center via www.eurekalert.org 

►February 23, 2004 - UNC study may improve gene therapy safety - University of North Carolina School of Medicine via www.eurekalert.org 

►February 20, 2004 - Low-level magnetic fields concern - Exposure to low-level magnetic fields could be harmful, say US scientists. - BBC News 

►February 26, 2004 - Mix of Chemicals Plus Stress Damages Brain, Liver in Animals and Likely in Humans - AScribe Newswire - "Stress is a well known culprit in disease, but now researchers have shown that stress can intensify the effects of relatively safe chemicals, making them very harmful to the brain and liver in animals and likely in humans, as well...Even short-term exposure to specific chemicals -- just 28 days -- when combined with stress was enough to cause widespread cellular damage in the brain and liver of rats, said Mohamed Abou Donia, Ph.D., a Duke pharmacologist and senior author of the study."

►February 12, 2004 - Human embryos cloned - South Korean team demonstrates cloning efficiency for humans similar to pigs, cattle - The Scientist via BioMed Central

►February 24, 2004 - Smoking outside may not protect those indoors - Parents who smoke outdoors still expose homes and kids to nicotine. - journal article (Nature)

►February 23, 2004 - Antibiotics may not be necessary when treating children with a simple skin abscess - University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas via www.eurekalert.org

February 16-22, 2004

►February 2004 - Does the huamn mnid raed wrods as a wlohe? (requires registration or subscription) - A recent email message about a purported experiment run at Cambridge University provides a useful illustration of some fundamental mechanisms involved in reading. The message demonstrates that a text composed of words whose inner letters have been re-arranged can be raed wtih qutie anazimg esae! Although some of the readability of this email message is probably due to top-down factors made possible by the fact that almost 50% of the words are not mixed up, we suggest that a significant part of this 'jumbled word effect' is due to the special way in which the human brain encodes the positions of letters in printed words. Recent research using the masked-priming technique has helped to elucidate the mechanisms involved in letter-position coding. Masked primes are briefly presented, pattern-masked letter strings, whose effects on target processing are thought to reflect fast, automatic processing. We will briefly describe two phenomena, relative-position priming and transposition priming, that have been observed with this paradigm and that are particularly relevant for understanding letter-position coding. - Trends in Cognitive Sciences via BioMedNet

►February 20, 2004 - Predators And Human Health: Exploring The Role Of Predators In Keeping Pathogens At Bay - Ecological Society Of America via www.sciencedaily.com

►February 21, 2004 - In the shadow of white death - Pollution and global warming are devastating the world's coral reefs, reports Tim Radford. - www.theage.com.au

►February 14, 2004 - Schizophrenia link to lead petrol - US scientists say they have found a link between exposure to lead in the womb and schizophrenia in adulthood. - BBC  

►February 19, 2004 - Blood Test Can Prevent Unneeded Antibiotic Use - HealthDay via Yahoo!

►February 19, 2004 - Biochemical clues to long lifespan revealed - Findings extend longevity research from yeast and worms to mammals - Children's Hospital Boston via www.eurekalert.org

►February 2004 - Differences in antibiotic prescribing patterns for children younger than five years in the three major outpatient settings - journal article (Journal of Pediatrics)

►February 15, 2004 - Advances in equine cloning may aid insight into human diseases - American Association for the Advancement of Science via www.eurekalert.org 

►February 18, 2004 - New Test Could Fine-Tune Antibiotic Use - AP via The Herald-Sun - "A blood test could help doctors determine whether antibiotics are needed for common respiratory infections and may reduce the over-prescribing that creates drug-resistant germs, new research suggests...About 75 percent of all antibiotics are given for lower respiratory tract infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia. Most of these infections are caused by a virus, not bacteria. Experts say antibiotics are not only useless against viral infections, but also help bacteria evolve defenses against drugs." 

►January 29, 2004 - 'Look away when I speak to you' - For years, parents and teachers have ordered children to 'look at me when I'm speaking to you'. - BBC News - "Children who dared turn away were accused of being rude or of failing to pay attention...But now a report suggests that rather than being rude, children turn away to help them think...What's more, they probably pick up the habit from adults, says psychologist Dr Gwyneth Doherty-Sneddon from Stirling University in Scotland."

►February 14, 2004 - When coping means cutting - Sam Hunt, from Birmingham, is 17. When she was severely bullied at school, she regularly cut herself with a knife - and took repeated overdoses. Doctors say the number of people coming to A&E units with self-harm injuries is on the rise.  Sam now talks to other young people about self-harm and how to cope with it. She wrote her disturbing story for BBC News Online and explained how she broke the self-harm habit. - BBC

►February 17, 2004 - Lead linked to schizophrenia - Study hints that prenatal toxins can trigger psychiatric disease. - journal article (Nature)

►February 16, 2004 - Chip slaps cuffs on pox bug - A chip that can sense a single virus could lead to revolutionary medical diagnostic tools - http://news.zdnet.co.uk - "American researchers have demonstrated a chip capable of detecting and potentially analysing a single virus. The microelectromechanical system (MEMS) silicon device reacted to a single particle of vaccina virus and the researchers say this could lead to chips capable of identifying many thousands of different kinds of viruses, toxins and bioagents. It was created using variants of standard silicon chip production technology."

Comment:  While this might well have some benefits, it also has the potential to be mis-used to create hysteria over nothing.

February 9-15, 2004

►February 12, 2004 - Hormone released by bone marrow cells may hasten recovery from brain injury - University of South Florida Health Sciences Center via www.eurekalert.org 

►February 15, 2004 - Cloning cures are a long way off, scientists say - Scientists say crusading advocates and passionate patients are desperate for something that they cannot provide: therapeutic cloning. - New York Times Service via The Miami Herald

►February 15, 2004 - Despite Advance in Cloning, Scientists Are Tempering Hope With Reality (requires registration or subscription) - The New York Times

►February 12, 2004 - Talking to bacteria - Researchers teach cells a new language. - journal article (Nature)

►February 11, 2004 - Survey Shows Impact of Psoriasis is More Than Skin Deep - Self-confidence, Relationships, Work/School, and Social Interactions Affected - PRNewswire via Yahoo!

►February 10, 2004 - Accutane makes severe acne vanish, but its sometimes severe side effects give patients and doctors pause - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 

January 26 - February 8, 2004 (2 weeks combined due to illness)

►February 7, 2004 - Investigating sudden unexpected deaths in infancy and childhood and caring for bereaved families: an integrated multiagency approach - journal article (BMJ)

►February 7, 2004 - Doctors reluctant to work on child protection committees, survey shows - journal article (BMJ)

►February 6, 2004 - Bacteria lingering in body may pose future food poisoning risks, Stanford study finds - Stanford University Medical Center via www.innovations-report.com

►January 30, 2004 - Drug may give cells a fresh start - A chemical could switch adult cells from one type to another. - Nature

►January 28, 2004 - Do women clasp infants to their left to boost bonding? - Cuddling linked to how the brain processes emotion. - Nature

►January 27, 2004 - 'Test-tube' mice become bold adults - Assisted reproduction may affect behaviour. - Nature

►January 29, 2004 - Food Additive May Pave Way to New Antibiotics - HealthDayNews via The Atlanta Journal Constitution - "Scientists have replicated the internal machinery that creates a powerful type of antibiotic, potentially setting the stage for the development of new drugs to replace those that no longer work...The antibiotics, known as lantibiotics, are currently used as preservatives in the food industry. But the breakthrough could lead to their use in humans, University of Illinois researchers say."

►February 3, 2004 - Hormone therapy study halted over cancer concerns - Scandinavian scientists announced Tuesday that they have called off a study of the effects of hormone replacement therapy for women with a history of breast cancer because early results showed an "unacceptably high" risk of recurrence. - AP via CNN

►February 5, 2004 - Gene-Altered Mice Create Healthful Oils (requires registraion) - Omega-3 Advance Could Be Applied to Foods - Washington Post - "Scientists in Boston have created a line of genetically engineered mice that make their own omega-3 fatty acids -- healthful oils, typically found in fish, that mice, humans and other mammals cannot normally make on their own...They do, however, foresee a future in which cattle will be engineered to have the gene in their muscles so a slab of beef could have a fat profile similar to that of a piece of salmon -- and without worries about mercury or other ocean contaminants that have recently plagued the seafood industry."

►February 4, 2004 - Science ties illnesses to your month of birth - March is the cruellest month, with a long list of diseases - The Ottawa Citizen via www.canada.com

►February 2, 2004 - Antidepressant Strengthened Warnings About Pediatric Suicidality Risk Needed Immediately, Cmte. Says - FDA - The committee heard from 65 speakers during the meeting's public hearing, many of whom were parents of children who had committed or attempted suicide or homicide after a short time on antidepressants. Many described severe behavioral changes in their children.

►January 27, 2004 - Caution Urged on Anti-Psychotic Drugs - Doctors Urge Cautious Use of Anti-Psychotic Drugs, As Studies Link Them to Serious Side Effects - AP via ABC News - "People taking certain drugs for schizophrenia, manic-depression, autism, dementia or several other psychiatric disorders should be carefully watched for signs they are developing diabetes, obesity or high cholesterol, four medical societies say...The recommendation follows recent studies that link those potential side effects to certain anti-psychotic drugs...The statement deals with six now available in the United States: Abilify, Clozaril, Geodon, Risperdal, Seroquel and Zyprexa."

►January 22, 2004 - Gender Bender - Our Sexual Identity Has Little to Do With Sex Organs, Researchers Find - ABC News

►January 26, 2004 - Women’s health and safety risks at work “underestimated” - A new report published by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, entitled Gender Issues in Safety and Health — A Review, claims that health and safety risks of women at work tend to be underestimated and neglected. - www.healthandsafety-centre.net

►January 22, 2004 - Sleep boosts lateral thinking - Study shows the value of sleeping on a problem. - Nature

►January 22, 2004 - How fluoride firms up teeth - Computer models show that fluoride locks calcium into your pearly whites. - Nature

January 19-25, 2004

►January 25, 2004 - Center probes mind's mystery - The Boston Globe - "Researchers at the 34-year-old center are conducting some 40 projects aimed at understanding neurological and behavioral development...The center focuses on such topics as how important brain systems assemble themselves; the effect of genetic and environmental factors on neurological and behavioral development; and the social policy implications of advances in genetics."

►January 22, 2004 - Local study pinpoints how viruses invade cells - The Boston Globe

►January 23, 2004 - Antibiotics in food production investigated - A new article raises concern that the banning of antibiotics in food animals may harm both human and animal health. The report, published this month in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, argues there is little to no scientific evidence to suggest that the use of antibiotics in food animals negatively impacts human health. - NOVIS  via  www.foodproductiondaily.com

►January 20, 2004 - Nerves, Heal Thyselves - Weizmann Institute via Life Science News

►January 19, 2004 - Rutgers Scientists Discover Protein In Brain Affects Learning And Memory - Rutgers, The State University Of New Jersey via ScienceDaily

►January 20, 2004 - Wallaby eggs grown in micewww.abc.net.au

January 12-18, 2004

►January 17, 2004 - Sleepless Nights? Could Be Sinus Trouble - HealthDayNews via The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

►January 17, 2004 - How you clean could be making you sick - Don't use same sponge to clean everything; bleach is your friend - Akron Beacon Journal

December 23, 2003 - Human stem cells show abnormalities - (requires registration) - BioMedNet Magazine - The first report of chromosomal abnormalities in human embryonic stem (ES) cells has appeared, prompting concern that the phenomenon may be more widespread than has been recognized until now. It suggests that caution should be taken over developing stem cell-based therapies in future.

►January 15, 2004 - Navy Enlists Microbes To Cut Costs - SpaceDaily - "Microbes have been exploited for thousands of years to help us make bread and alcohol, and more recently, to make antibiotics and clean up toxic spills. Now the Office of Naval Research is hoping the one-celled organisms will reduce the costs of producing a missile propellant, and in the process, lead to a new age of 'bioproduction.'"

►January 17, 2004 - Long term cognitive dysfunction in older people after non-cardiac surgery - Outcomes from various studies differ, and not definite conclusion is possible - journal article (BMJ)

►January 15, 2004 - Plant extracts found to fight deadly virus - Sansoke effective in lab tests, says lecturer - Bangkok Post

►January 14, 2004 - Ancient DNA Mutations Permitted Humans To Adapt To Colder Climates, Researchers Find - University of California via ScienceDaily

►January 2004 - Use of cough and cold products (registration required) - This month’s column will review the use of these products in children and the published evidence of their efficacy. - Infectious Diseases in Children

►January 14, 2004 - How Using This Drug (cannabis) Effects The Brain - Evening Standard, London (UK) via www.mhnet.org

►January 13, 2004 - House of horrors - Sperm counts are falling and cancer levels are rising. Something is very wrong somewhere, but what? The answer, says Hilary Freeman, may be uncomfortably close to home ... - The Guardian, UK - "Buying organic and filtering your water may make you feel more secure, but it does little to protect you or your family from environmental toxins. Forget traffic pollution: the average Briton's home is almost certainly swimming in a cocktail of chemicals, many of which have been linked to allergies, cancers and infertility."

►January 14, 2004 - Disgust is good for you, shows study - New Scientist - "The purpose of disgust has been quantitatively demonstrated for the first time - it is an evolved response that protects people from disease or harm."

►January 14, 2004 - Criteria hit for rating hospitals - Volume of procedures may not best measure - The Boston Globe

►January 12, 2004 - Cutting-edge science - www.palmbeachpost.com - "Scripps holds a patent on another promising technology: 'pharming,' or implanting human genes into corn and other crops so their tissues will contain disease-fighting antibodies."

January 5-11, 2004

►January 10, 2004 - Half of UK patients taking drugs for epilepsy continue to have seizures - journal article (BMJ)

►January 6, 2004 - The 44-hour day - A new prescription drug that can stave off sleep for hours - with no side-effects - could transform the way we live. The armed forces already use it; others, from new mothers to shift-workers, might benefit too. So what effect did it have on Julia Llewellyn Smith over the party season? - The Telegraph, UK

February 2003 - PopMod: a longitudinal population model with two interacting disease states -  journal article (Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation)

►December 2003 - Childhood illnesses and the use of paracetamol (acetaminophen): a qualitative study of parents' management of common childhood illnesses - journal article (Family Practice)

December 29, 2003 - January 4, 2004

►December 28, 2003 - 'Bad breath' clue to lung disease - People with lung diseases have bad breath, according to scientists in the United States. - BBC

December 31, 2003 - Daft science cashing in on the bleeding obvious - People who are sick die sooner and drunk gamblers lose more, according to recent researchlose more, according to recent research - www.timesonline.co.uk  - "PERHAPS it is time for research into why university personnel continually attract funding for studies with blindingly obvious conclusions...There must be an art to it. How else to explain the work of Amos Zeichner, director of the psychology clinic at the University of Georgia, who proved that 'alcohol facilitates aggression among those who express anger outwardly'. "

December 29, 2003 - Gender specific medicine - Approach acknowledges differences between women, men - The Courier-Journal - "Put simply, gender-specific medicine is the science of how normal human biology differs between men and women and how those differences affect — or should affect — diagnosis and treatment of disease."

Comment:  While vaccination policy continues to sacrifice untold healthy infants and children to its "one-size-fits-all" approach to "prevention", evidence continues to mount that recognizing and allowing for individual differences is paramount to the success of drugs and other biological products. 

►December 24, 2003 - New understanding of why brain cells die after stroke will lead to development of new treatments - University of Toronto via www.eurekalert.org

December 29, 2003 - 'Smart bomb' delivery destroys tumors in mice - A new method selectively kills cancer cells, leaves healthy ones intact - American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science via www.eurekalert.org - "Weizmann Institute scientists have destroyed malignant tumors in mice using a chemical that occurs naturally in garlic. The key to the scientists' success lies in the development of a unique, two-step system for delivering the cancer-wrecking chemical straight to the tumor cells...Allicin, as the chemical is called, is the substance that gives garlic its distinctive aroma and flavor.For many years, scientists studying allicin have known that it is as toxic as it is pungent. It has been shown to kill not only cancer cells, but the cells of disease-causing microbes, and even healthy human body cells. Fortunately for our body's cells, allicin is highly unstable, and breaks down quickly once ingested. However, the rapid breakdown and undiscriminating toxicity presented twin hurdles to creating an allicin-based therapy."

December 29, 2003 - To fight disease, it pays to have the right hit man - The Boston Globe - "How do you find an effective hit man? It's a dilemma biologists have been struggling with for more than a decade now, looking for brutish molecules that can whack diseases before diseases whack you. Specifically, what they want is a way to hack up, or "cleave," the RNA that carries the messages that will give you diabetes, Parkinson's, Lou Gehrig's disease, or any number of other undesirable conditions...This is one of those rare cases when killing the messenger -- the RNA inside your cells that bears the blueprints for disease -- is actually a very smart thing to do."

 

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