Period Ending May 12, 2007
MEMORY: FIRST IMAGES OF PHYSICAL CHANGES IN BRAIN
Researchers at the University of California at Irvine developed the first images of the physical changes in brain cells believed to underlie memory, a discovery they said is uncovering clues about memory loss linked to cognitive disorders. In the Journal of Neuroscience, the researchers presented images that show the size and shape of synapses that were changed by long-term potentiaton, a physiological effect that encodes everyday forms of memory. The imaging will help enable a map of how memories are laid down in the brain and will allow researchers to examine the effects of retardation, aging and cognitive disorders.
PARKINSON'S: EXERCISE MAY LEAD TO IMPROVEMENT
A new study from researchers at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, shows that treadmill exercises may benefit patients with Parkinson's and similar neurodegenerative movement disorders. Other studies have shown that exercise can have beneficial effects in patients with Parkinson's. The new study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, suggests that the benefits of treadmill exercise on motor performance may be accompanied by changes in the neurotransmitter dopamine and that these also differ between injured patients and non-injured.
HORMONE TREATMENT: TESTOSTERONE MAY HELP MEN WITH MS
A small pilot study suggests that testosterone treatment is safe and well tolerated and may reduce symptoms, slow brain degeneration as well as increase muscle mass in men with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. The study, published in the Archives of Neurology by the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, said that one year of treatment with testosterone gel was associated with improvement in cognitive performance and a slowing of brain atrophy. Because the protective effect of testosterone treatment on brain atrophy was observed in the absence of an appreciable anti-inflammatory effect, this protection may also be applicable to those with non-inflammatory neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease.
AUTISM: NO LINK BETWEEN DISORDER AND MERCURY PRESERVATIVES
The increase in the number of diagnosed cases of autism in recent years has sparked concern that environmental toxins may cause this complex disorder. However, a new University of Missouri-Columbia study concludes that exposure to vaccines preserved with mercury-containing thimerosal before birth was no higher for children with autism. The study, published in the American Journal of Medical Genetics, adds to the evidence that there is no casual association between thimerosal and childhood autism, the researchers said.
HEART DISEASE: PINE BARK EXTRACT PREVENTS DAMAGE
Pycnogenol, natural pine bark extract from the French maritime pine tree, helps prevent damage that high blood pressure causes to the heart, according to a study from researchers at the University of Arizona. The study, to be published in an upcoming edition of the journal of Cardiovascular Toxicology, demonstrates pycnogenol counteracts the wearing out of the heart, which may aid the 5 million Americans living with heart failure. Previous studies have shown pycnogenol supplementation to be associated with improved cardiovascular health, such as cholesterol reduction, blood pressure control and prevention of thrombosis.
HPV: VACCINE COULD REDUCE RATE OF VULVAL AND VAGINAL CANCER
Administration of a human papillomavirus vaccine has proven effective in preventing high-grade vulval and vaginal lesions that can lead to cancers in those areas, according to a study from researchers at the University Central Hospital in Helsinki. The study, published in The Lancet, analyzed three randomized clinical trials involving more than 18,000 women in 24 countries. Vaccine efficacy varied from 71 percent in women previously exposed to the human papilloma viruses to 100 percent in those not previously exposed. The researchers conclude that the vaccine is highly effective and its maximum effect is expected in girls who are vaccinated early in adolescence before exposure.
NUTRACEUTICALS: HEAVY VITAMIN USE LINKED TO PROSTATE CANCER
While regular multivitamin use is not linked with prostate cancer, excessive use may be, according to a study from scientists at the National Cancer Institute. Millions of Americans take multivitamins because of a belief in their health benefits, even though there is limited scientific evidence that they prevent chronic disease. In an article in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, the researchers report they found no association between multivitamin use and the risk of localized prostate cancer. But they did find an increased risk of advanced and fatal prostate cancer among men who used multivitamins more than seven times a week, compared with men who did not use multivitamins. The association was strongest in men with a family history of prostate cancer and men who also took selenium, beta-carotene, or zinc supplements.
EXERCISE: WORKOUTS REVERSE AGING IN HUMAN SKELETAL MUSCLE
Not only does exercise make most people feel better and perform physical tasks better, it now appears that exercise—specifically, resistance training—actually rejuvenates muscle tissue in healthy senior citizens. In a study from the Buck Institute and McMaster University Medical Center, researchers examined gene-expression profiles in tissue samples of healthy older men and women who underwent twice-weekly resistance training to measure mitochondrial function. (Mitochondria act as the powerhouse of cells; as people age, mitochondrial dysfunction is believed to be involved in the loss of muscle mass and functional impairment.) The results of the study, published in PLoS One, showed exercise resulted in a remarkable reversal in gene expression. The study also found a 50 percent improvement in strength.
PROSTATE CANCER: LYCOPENE-RICH FOODS DON'T PREVENT DISEASE
Lycopene, an antioxidant predominately found in tomatoes, does not effectively prevent prostate cancer, according to researchers at the National Cancer Institute and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. In fact, in a study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, the researchers noted an association between beta carotene, an antioxidant related to lycopene, and an increased risk for aggressive prostate cancer. The researchers said the findings were disappointing because lycopene might have offered a simple and inexpensive way to lower their risk of prostate cancer, but they cautioned it would be counterproductive to advise people not to eat carrots and leafy vegetables. Instead, they said people should consult a physician prior to taking beta carotene supplements, particularly at high doses.
MENTAL HEALTH: ANXIETY DOUBLES RISK OF HEART ATTACK
Research shows that highly anxious patients with heart disease face nearly twice the risk of heart attack of those with a more serene outlook on life, according to scientists at the Lown Cardiovascular Research Foundation. Patients whose anxiety intensified over time were in greatest peril, while those who started out highly anxious but later became calm markedly reduced their risk, according to the study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The findings, researchers said, not only show the need for repeated measurements of the impact of anxiety, but also suggest physicians have an important role in addressing patients' anxiety.
AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE: DIETARY SUPPLEMENT HELPS MS, DIABETES
A glucosamine-like dietary supplement has been found to suppress the damaging autoimmune response seen in multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes, according to researchers at the University of California at Irvine. In studies on mice, the scientist found that N-acetylglucosamine, which is similar but more effective than the widely available glucosamine, inhibited the growth and function of the abnormal T-cells that incorrectly direct the immune system to attack specific tissues in the body, such as brain myelin in MS and insulin-producing cells of the pancreas in diabetes. The study, published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, shows the potential of using a dietary supplement to help treat autoimmune diseases.
BREAST CANCER: WOMEN ARE HAVING FEWER MAMMOGRAPHIES
The rates of mammography in the United States declined 4 percent between 2000 and 2005, according to a new study from researchers at the National Cancer Institute. The drop, reported in Cancer, is significant. Regular mammography is the most effective early screen for breast cancer available. It detects early tumors in breast tissue, and its widespread use since the 1980s by women over 40 has lead to a reduction in breast cancer mortality in the United States. The researchers are concerned that the reason breast cancer incidence has appeared to go down recently is in fact that there are fewer mammographies.
HERPES: LATENT INFECTIONS MAY CHANGE IMMUNITY, FIGHT BACTERIA
Mice infected with chronic herpes can better resist the bacterium that causes plague as well as a bacterium that causes food poisoning. In a study published in Nature, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis attributed the finding to changes in the immune system triggered by the long-term presence of a latent herpes virus infection. (In latent viral infections, the virus is present for the lifetime of the host in a relatively quiescent form.) The results have potentially wide-reaching implications for immune research, implying that infections alter our immune systems at a fundamental level. This could also mean that the virus-free animal models scientists use to study vaccines and autoimmune disorders may produce misleading results, the researchers said.
VACCINES: QUICK-DISSOLVE STRIPS COULD HELP CURB KID KILLER
Undergraduate students in biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore have developed a quick-dissolving film that may someday deliver rotavirus vaccine to infants in impoverished areas. The thin strip, which dissolves in the mouth like a breath-freshener, could someday save lives. Rotavirus is a common cause of severe diarrhea and vomiting in children, leading to about 600,000 deaths annually. Most of these occur in developing nations, where medical services to treat intestinal distress are not widely available. The current vaccine must be chilled for transport and storage, making it prohibitively expensive. Newborns also sometimes spit out the liquid.
CT SCAN: SIMPLE PROTOCOL CAN ELIMINATE UNNECESSARY TESTS
A paper from researchers at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, argues that the use of simple clinical criteria can screen for pulmonary embolism (a clot in the lung) as efficiently as current expensive methods. Pulmonary embolism is the second-leading cause of sudden death in the United States. The study's author said that using a careful history and physical examination could reduce the need for testing for the clots by 25 percent. Diagnostic testing by CT costs $2,500 and is used with so little prescreening that more than 90 percent are negative. The data were presented at the 2007 Society for Academic Emergency Medicine annual meeting.
CANCER: THOSE FATALISTIC ABOUT CANCER IGNORE PREVENTION STEPS
A substantial number of American adults hold fatalistic beliefs about cancer and are commensurately less likely to take basic steps to lower their cancer risk, such as by exercising, quitting smoking and eating a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables. A national survey of more than 6,000 U.S. adults published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, found a substantial number believe that "everything causes cancer." Researchers at the University of Wisconsin at Madison who conducted the study found that despite the ready availability of cancer information, there has been little progress in this area in the last 20 years.
ELECTIVE PROCEDURES: STUDY FINDS DOCTORS DON'T VOTE
Physician participation in the political process has declined over the past few decades, despite the fact that healthcare issues are at the forefront of public attention. A study by researchers at Johns Hopkins Medical School, Baltimore, presented at the 2007 Society for Academic Emergency Medicine annual meeting found one in four physicians did not vote in the last three presidential elections. After controlling for socioeconomic differences, the researchers found that doctors were no more likely to report having voted than nurses, secretaries, waiters, drivers or engineers. Physicians were significantly less likely to vote than lawyers, teachers and farmers.
ANEMIA: MEDICARE PLACES LIMITS ON EPO DRUGS BECAUSE OF SAFETY
Medicare is proposing limiting payments for the epo class of anemia drugs in response to questions about its safety. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said in a statement that it would restrict the drugs for patients with certain types of cancer and other conditions. The FDA has also put new warnings on these drugs because of recent studies. This is expected to deliver a financial blow to Amgen and Johnson & Johnson, which make the drugs. Analysts expect the new restrictions will have a significant impact on earnings for the companies.
LITIGATION: CAL SUPREME COURT REFUSES TO HEAR STEM CELL CASE
The California Supreme Court put an end to litigation that has dogged California's $3-billion stem cell institute by declining to hear an appeal in the litigation challenging the constitutionality of Proposition 71. The ongoing litigation has prevented the voter-created California Institute for Regenerative Medicine from selling bonds to fund research in the state. Plaintiffs in the litigation were the California Family Bioethics Council, along with the People's Advocate and National Tax Limitation Foundation, represented by the Life Legal Defense Foundation. In April, after losing at the Superior Court and Court of Appeals, the plaintiffs filed petitions for review with the Supreme Court. Despite the litigation, the institute has been able to issue $158 million for 103 grants to 23 nonprofit research institutions and fund 169 research fellows at 16 institutions. The fundraising came through a combination of loans from the state, donations and the sale of bond-anticipation notes.
M&A: BAUSCH & LOMB ACCEPTS $4.5 B BID FROM WARBURG PINCUS
Eyecare giant Bausch & Lomb accepted a $4.5-billion takeover bid from the private equity firm Warburg Pincus, The New York Times reported. The $65-per-share offer includes $3.67 billion in cash and the assumption of $830 million in debt. Bausch & Lomb, known for such products as ReNu contact lens cleaner, ran into troubles last year when an outbreak of fungal infections among its users led to a global recall of its products. The company is facing a host of lawsuits from people who blame it for their infections, which led to eye surgery and in some instances the loss of an eye.
MEDICARE: STARK TO INTENSIFY EFFORTS TO CUT SPENDING
Pete Stark, the California Democrat who heads the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, is expected to seek broad cuts to Medicare spending that will include payments to hospitals, home health agencies and skilled nursing facilities, Congressional Quarterly reported. According to the publication, Stark will need to find ways to cut as much as $100 billion to fund Democratic policy priorities such as providing care to uninsured children. Lobbyists said Stark will have difficulties finding the money he'll need—$50 billion alone to cover 6 million uninsured children—and that Democrats will likely only begin expanding coverage for children.
HEALTHCARE: U.S. LAGS BEHIND DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
The US health care system is worse than that of Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, according to a Commonwealth Fund report analyzing international health policy surveys. The report compared the systems' quality, accessibility, efficiency, equity and outcomes. The United States ranked last in similar reports issued in 2006 and 2004. A separate report from the Commonwealth Fund comparing health-spending data in industrialized nations found that despite spending more than twice as much per capita on health care as other nations ($6,102 versus $2,571, the median of Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries in 2004) the US spends far less on health information technology—just 43 cents per capita—than the UK ($192 per capita).
INNOVATION: BIOTECH URGES CAUTION ON REFORMING PATENTS
More than 100 companies, associations, venture capital firms and universities sent a letter to key congressional leaders to urge a cautious approach to reforming patent law. They said that provisions of the Patent Reform Act of 2007 pose serious threats to "innovation" and American technological leadership. Flagged provisions include ones dealing with apportionment of monetary damages for patent infringement, expansive PTO rule-making authority, and an open-ended post-grant opposition system. The groups said rather than strengthening the system, these changes would undermine patent certainty, discourage investment in new technologies, and reduce publication and collaborative activities among academic scientists.
HEALTH ECONOMICS: BI-PARTISAN BILL WOULD FUND COST RESEARCH
A bipartisan bill would establish $3 billion to fund research to compare the cost-effectiveness of available treatments for particular conditions, United Press International reported. The legislation, introduced by Tom Allen, D-Maine, and Jo Ann Emerson, R-Missouri, would provide the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality additional funding to compare drugs. The funding would come from the federal government, insurers and employers and be made available for anyone else. Other industrialized countries already have agencies that perform research on the cost-effectiveness of treatments as a way to contain healthcare costs, but critics worry it could delay the availability of important treatments or the data could be misused to deny patients treatments just because it costs too much.CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR WEEKLY EMAILS
.gif)
