►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

►January 6, 2004 - New Insight Into How Anthrax Bacteria Can Evade A Host's Immune Response - University of California, San Diego via www.newswise.com

►January 5, 2004 - Engel Calls For Hearing On Flu Vaccine Shortage - www.house.gov/engel/welcome.htm

►January 5, 2004 - Leprosy exists in Canada but doctors often fail to spot it, study warns - Canadian Press

►January 5, 2004 - Study reveals teachers' attitudes about having chronically ill children in the classroom - JAMA via www.eurekalert.org - "Teachers have an overall positive attitude about having children with chronic illnesses in their classrooms, according to an article in the January issue of The Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals."

►January 5, 2004 - Priorities for Research Into Mad Cow - AP via www.kentucky.com

►January 6, 2004 - Don't Have A Cow - Los Angeles Times via The Tampa Tribune - "The `mad cow'' disease diagnosed in a U.S. cow has set off a new round of predictable but groundless panic...Foreign governments promptly banned imports of U.S. beef. Investors dumped the stocks of beef-related companies. And, of course, what health scare would be complete without hyperventilating calls for even more government oversight of an already highly regulated industry?...There's no question that bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE - commonly called mad cow disease - is a neurological disease in cattle. But the notion that people can contract a human form of mad cow by eating beef from infected cattle is more bun than burger."

►January 2, 2004 - Brain Scans Reveal Physiology of ADHD - journal article (Psychiatric News)

It's Federal Law! - You must give your patients current Vaccine Information Statements (VISs) - Immunization Action Coalition

Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases - A National Immunization Program and Public Health Training Network Satellite Broadcast& Webcast - CDC - online course alert - February 19, 26, and March 4, 11, 2004, 12:00 Noon - 3:30 PM ETv

►January 6, 2004 - Vaccine ' could beat meningitis' - Scientists believe they may have found a way to protect people against every strain of meningitis. - BBC

►January 6, 2004 - Scientists: Meningitis Vaccine Breakthrough - The Scotsman, UK

►January 6, 2004 - New SARS Case Confirmed - WHO Finding in China Raises Fears of Another Outbreak - Washington Post

►January 6, 2004 - Judge Says Maker of OxyContin Misled Officials to Win Patents (requires registration or subscription) - The New York Times - "Purdue Pharma, the maker of the highly profitable painkiller OxyContin, deliberately misled federal officials to win patents protecting its drug, a federal judge ruled yesterday. The ruling helps clear the way for a cheaper generic version and could lead to more lawsuits."

►1992 - Fundus Hermorrhages in Infancy - Things retinal hemorrhages in infancy may indicate

►2002 - Retinal Hemorrhages: Evidence of Abuse or Abuse of Evidence? (pdf) - Letter to the Editor - journal article (The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology) via www.debbiewadle.org

Comment:  This is an excellent letter.

►January 6, 2004 - Richard Harkness: As Prescribed - Reduction of thimerosal has made vaccines safer - Contra Costa Times - "The reduced-thimerosal single-dose injections make it possible for children (and pregnant women and other adults) to stay under the EPA safe limit for mercury when they get their flu shots...Children weighing 24 pounds or more getting reduced-thimerosal Fluzone and those weighing 48 pounds or more getting reduced-thimerosal Fluvirin would be below the EPA limit."

Comment:  Good overview by a pharmacist.

►December 22, 2003 - SIDS - serotonin insufficiency during sleep? (requires registration) - BioMedNet - "Kinney has found that the number of serotonin receptors is lower than normal in the brains of SIDS victims, leading her to conclude that the development of an abnormal serotonergic system may put an infant at increased risk of developing the disorder...The findings led George Richerson of Yale University to ask, 'Does SIDS really stand for Serotonin Insufficiency During Sleep?'"

►December 30, 2003 - Could injecting disinfectant treat bacterial infection? (requires registration) - BioMedNet - "A common antimicrobial agent used in toothpaste, skin creams, and mouthwash could be injected into the body to treat bacterial infection, says a microbiologist...What's more, there is no evidence that microbes can evolve resistance to this chemical, says Avadhesha Surolia, professor of biophysics at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore."

►January 6, 2004 - Some await anthrax shot antidote - The Daily News - "James Muhammad says that those who check his record will see he was a good Marine. An honor graduate from several military courses, he also received at least one meritorious promotion. In only two years and 11 months, he was promoted to sergeant on Nov. 1, 2002 - a rapid rise through the chain of command...Muhammad refused to take the vaccine. Less than six months later, on April 9, 2003, he was sentenced to 60 days in the brig, demoted to the rank of private and received a bad conduct discharge. He was jailed, strip-searched and housed with violent criminals."

►January 6, 2004 - Meningitis experts pin hopes on new vaccine - Plans for immunisation of children against B strain - Belfast Telegraph - "Meningitis experts in Northern Ireland said today they were "crossing their fingers" that a new vaccine would be the breakthrough needed to protect against the most dangerous form of the illness...The Meningitis Research Foundation was commenting on latest research carried out by scientists at the University of Surrey which could allow doctors to immunise children against meningitis B for the first time."

►January 6, 2004 - Flu shot suspect in death - The Calgary Sun - "The grieving family of a 22-month-old Calgary girl who died mysteriously are wondering if the tot suffered a fatal reaction to a flu vaccination."

►January 6, 2004 - W.H.O. Urges China to Use Caution While Killing Civet Cats (requires registration or subscription) - The New York Times - "The World Health Organization urged caution on Monday as provincial leaders in southern China rushed to kill thousands of civet cats as a preventive measure against SARS. Organization officials warned that such a large-scale slaughter, if done improperly, could pose serious hazards, including the possibility of more infections."