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May 2007 - Posts
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Taking iron supplements during pregnancy may be harmful for non-anaemic women, reported four newspapers (31 May 2007). The newspapers accurately summarised the main findings of a generally well-conducted randomised controlled trial, although some reports included findings not derived from the study.
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Two new products designed to speed the adoption of science-based interventions into clinical practice are now available from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). These new “Blending Team” products are part of an expanding portfolio that includes the latest research findings on drug abuse approaches and interventions.
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An international team of scientists, including researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, report using antibodies derived from immune cells from recent human survivors of H5N1 avian influenza to successfully treat H5N1-infected mice as well as protect them from an otherwise lethal dose of the virus.
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The news that Microcyn, a 'super-oxidised' water, can speed up wound healing was reported by seven newspapers on 24 May 2007 (1-7). The articles were based on a report published in the New Scientist (8) but the original research data were not available for evaluation.
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Very low birth weight infants are significantly more likely to survive when delivered in hospitals with high-level neonatal intensive care units that care for more than 100 such newborns annually than are those delivered in comparable facilities that provide care to fewer than 100 such children every year.
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Rosiglitazone, a drug used to treat diabetes, increases the risk of heart attack, reported seven newspapers (22 May 2007). The newspapers reports are based on a poorly reported systematic review that has several important methodological weaknesses. The results of the review should be interpreted with caution.
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The scenario unfolds almost every day in the United States. A crowd gathers at a playground, or perhaps on a soccer field. A child has fallen to the ground, gripped by a seizure. Usually, the twitching and jerking stop within a few minutes. If they do not, the condition becomes status epilepticus, continuous unrelenting seizures that can lead to brain damage — or even death — if not treated. An ambulance rushes the child to a nearby hospital emergency department. There, doctors do their best to administer life-saving treatment as quickly as possible. Before they can treat the patient, however, they must choose between one of two drugs commonly prescribed to treat the condition.
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A study from scientists at the University of Freiburg, Germany, and their collaborators at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, has pinpointed a potential mechanism for resistance of Ewing’s sarcoma, a type of bone cancer, to a protein that may be useful in fighting cancer — and a possible method for overcoming this resistance. The results appear online May 23, 2007, in the Journal of Pathology.
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In the largest and most rigorous U.S. trial comparing two traditional operations for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in women, a team of urologists and urogynecologists supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has found that a sling procedure helps more women achieve dryness than the Burch technique. The study is being released early by the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) to coincide with a presentation at the annual meeting of the American Urological Association on May 21, 2007. Results will appear in the May 24 print edition of NEJM.
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The Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), today challenged psychiatrists to learn more about the importance of substance abuse as a factor in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses.
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A new study has shown that microarray technology, which allows researchers to simultaneously compare the degree to which hundreds of genes are expressed (converted into proteins), now makes it possible to more definitively identify skin lesions in mice that are thought to be at high risk of progressing to a type of cancer known as squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).
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Find an evidence update on the diagnosis, treatment and management of this condition.
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Drugs known as luteinising-hormone-releasing hormone agonists may be beneficial when treating premenopausal women with hormone sensitive breast cancer, reported three newspapers (18 May 2007). The newspapers accurately report the results of a systematic review. Some review methods are poorly reported, making it difficult to comment on aspects of the analysis presented.
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Investigators funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have released the first data from an effort to track normal brain development in hundreds of children growing up near six U.S. cities.
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Scientists supported by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) at the National Institutes of Health have created two mouse strains that will permit researchers to trace, in a live animal, the activity of an enzyme believed to play a crucial role both in the normal immune response as well as autoimmunity and B cell tumor development. Their report appears in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.
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Those who have reached middle age and beyond can remember when deep tans were thought to be beautiful and healthy. Back then, it was not widely recognized that hours spent sunbathing could increase the risk for skin cancer. It was not until the early 1980s that public health experts began to advise against tanning as one important way to reduce the risk of skin cancer. Older Americans concerned about this condition can learn more about it by visiting NIHSeniorHealth.gov, a Web site developed by the National Institutes of Health with the needs of older people in mind.
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A vaccine that prevents HIV infection remains an important goal in the fight against AIDS, but the current top HIV vaccine candidates may not work in this way, say scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
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NHS patients are set to benefit from an extra £8 billion investment in the NHS over the next twelve months - the biggest cash increase the service has ever seen.
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Researchers announced today that there is strong evidence a chemical referred to as hexavalent chromium, or chromium 6, causes cancer in laboratory animals when it is consumed in drinking water. The two-year study conducted by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) shows that animals given hexavalent chromium developed malignant tumors.
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Today, National Asian and Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, we honor those who have dedicated themselves to promoting HIV/AIDS awareness and education among people of Asian and Pacific Island heritage. It is also a day to remember those whom we have lost to HIV/AIDS and to recommit ourselves to stopping this deadly disease from spreading within our communities.
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Stephen E. Straus, M.D., 60, the first director of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), died of brain cancer May 14, 2007, at his home in Potomac, Maryland.
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NHS patients have a new representative to make sure that their views are at the centre of efforts to transform the service and cut waiting lists.
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On 15 May 2007, six newspapers reported that a healthy Mediterranean diet halves the risk of lung disease. These were generally accurate reports of a large, well-conducted, cohort study of 42,971 men, whose results are likely to be reliable, but maybe not generalisable beyond men in the USA or men residing in countries with similar dietary patterns.
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The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) has established an Integrative Medicine Consult Service at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center, the world’s largest hospital devoted to research. This service will provide physicians, nurses, and other members of the Clinical Cnete health care team the ability to discuss complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies with knowledgeable medical staff from the consult service and learn how various CAM practices might complement or interact with a patient's care as a research participant at the Clinical Center.
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In an effort to understand every part of the genome needed for organisms to develop and thrive, the National Human Genome Research Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, today announced the first grants in a four-year, $57 million scientific mission to identify all functional elements in the genomes of the fruit fly and round worm.
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May 18, 2007 marks the 10th annual HIV Vaccine Awareness Day, an opportunity to reflect upon the more than two decades of progress worldwide in the search for a safe and effective HIV vaccine. Today, many challenges remain, but we look forward with optimism as the HIV vaccine candidates in clinical trials today are among the most promising we have seen.
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Daily use of aspirin can prevent bowel cancer, reported six newspapers (11 May 2007). The articles reported on research which found a link between aspirin use and a reduced risk of colorectal cancer. This finding was based on an analysis of long-term aspirin users so may not apply to the general population.
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Just in time for Mother's Day, the National Institutes of Health has released "¿Qué Significa ser Padres? (What Does It Mean To Be Parents?)", a free Spanish–language publication geared toward Hispanics who are seeking advice on parenting.
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Just in time for Mother's Day, the National Institutes of Health has released "¿Qué Significa ser Padres? (What Does It Mean To Be Parents?)", a free Spanish–language publication geared toward Hispanics who are seeking advice on parenting.
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A vaccine against two strains of human papillomavirus which causes cervical cancer was almost 100% effective reported the Daily Telegraph (10 May 2007). The report of the research was accurate but further long-term research is needed to ascertain if vaccinated young women do go on to develop cervical cancer during their lifetime.
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Nutritionists have long endorsed fish as part of a heart-healthy diet, and now some studies suggest that omega-3 fatty acids found in the oil of certain fish may also benefit the brain by lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. In order to test whether an omega-3 fatty acid can impact the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, researchers supported by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health, will evaluate one in a clinical trial, the gold standard for medical research.
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An update of the evidence on this topic, produced by the NLH ENT & Audiology Specialist Library.
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An international team, led by researchers at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), today announced the publication of the first genome sequence of a marsupial, belonging to a South American species of opossum.
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People infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) are at an increased risk of developing certain lymphomas (cancers of the lymphatic system), according to a study published in the May 8, 2007, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Researchers from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, and Baylor College of Medicine, found that HCV infection increased the risk of developing non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma by 20 percent to 30 percent.
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U.S. and Indian health officials have renewed the Indo-U.S. Vaccine Action Program (VAP), a 20-year-old bilateral collaboration supporting research on vaccines, immunology and related biomedical issues. The VAP aims to reduce the burden of vaccine-preventable diseases of public health significance in India, the United States and other parts of the world, and to promote vaccines as one of the most cost-effective health technologies.
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In the most comprehensive look at genetic risk factors for type 2 diabetes to date, a U.S.-Finnish team, working in close collaboration with two other groups, has identified at least four new genetic variants associated with increased risk of diabetes and confirmed existence of another six.
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More than 500 scientists, clinicians and public health specialists met today at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to discuss the latest research on drug abuse and the evolving epidemic of HIV/AIDS. This is the first-ever two-day public meeting at NIH to include a focus on non-injection drug use and HIV transmission. The meeting was being held in collaboration with the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the National Institute on Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
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Drug Abuse and addition continue to fule the spread of HIV/AIDS in the United States and abroad. The issue of NewsScan highlights NIDA-supported studies that address the multifaceted issues relating to HIV/AIDS
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The likelihood of developing bipolar disorder depends in part on the combined, small effects of variations in many different genes in the brain, none of which is powerful enough to cause the disease by itself, a new study shows. However, targeting the enzyme produced by one of these genes could lead to development of new, more effective medications. The research was conducted by scientists at the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), with others from the Universities of Heidelberg and Bonn and a number of U.S. facilities collaborating in a major project called the NIMH Genetics Initiative.
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Once-a-year treatment with the drug Aclasta can significantly cut the risk of spinal and hip fractures caused by osteoporosis in post-menopausal women, reported three newspapers (3 May 2007). The newspapers were generally accurate in their reports of the main findings of this large multi-centre, randomised controlled trial.
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Only 8 percent of people identified as drug abusers, and fewer than 40 percent of those diagnosed with drug dependence, have ever gotten any kind of intervention or treatment, according to the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). The study was conducted by scientists from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), components of the National Institutes of Health.
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A new study supports earlier estimates of the prevalence of bipolar disorder in the U.S. population, and suggests the illness may be more accurately characterized as a spectrum disorder.
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The Heart Truth Road Show, a traveling women’s heart health exhibit designed to bring heart health education and screenings to women across the country, stops in Washington, DC May 14-16. Celebrating National Women's Health Week, the exhibit offers information about heart disease and its risk factors.
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The Office of Research on Women’s Health is broadcasting the second in a series of podcasts, “Pinn Point on Women’s Health,” hosted by Dr. Vivian Pinn, Associate Director for Research on Women’s Health and the Director of the Office of Research on Women’s Health.
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An advanced imaging technique known as electron tomography has allowed researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to visualize an “entry claw,” a unique structure formed between the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes AIDS and the cell it infects. The findings are in the May 4, 2007, issue of PLoS Pathogens.
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Medical advances in treatment for heart attacks have almost halved death rates in the last six years reported two newspapers (2 May 2007). The reports were based on a large observational study monitoring changes in the use of coronary interventions and medications, alongside changes in death and cardiac outcomes during and after hospitalisation.
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An update of the evidence on this topic, produced by the NLH Musculoskeletal Diseases and Trauma and Orthopaedics Specialist Libraries.
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The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), parts of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), have teamed with Group Health Cooperative in Seattle and Henry Ford Health System in Detroit to launch a study to investigate the interest level of healthy, young adults in receiving genetic testing for eight common conditions. Called the Multiplex Initiative, the study will also look at how people who decide to take the tests will interpret and use the results in making their own health care decisions in the future.
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The Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), today announced a grant to Iowa State University to study botanicals used as ingredients in dietary supplements. A multidisciplinary research team will study Hypericum (St. John’s wort), Prunella (Self-heal), and several types of Echinacea (for example, Purple Coneflower) for their anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties.
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Caesarean delivery is associated with a higher risk of complications in the following pregnancy, reported three newspapers on 2 May 2007. The reports were based on a large retrospective cohort study, the findings of which are likely to be reliable.
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More than four million Americans have glaucoma, an eye disease that damages the optic nerve and destroys eyesight. However, nearly half of those with glaucoma are not even aware they have it. Are you one of them? You owe it to yourself to find out by getting a dilated eye exam. With its painless and gradual loss of vision, glaucoma comes with no early warning signs, but it can be detected during a comprehensive dilated eye exam. In an effort to encourage Americans to make vision a health priority, the National Eye Institute (NEI), one of the Federal government’s National Institutes of Health (NIH), observes Healthy Vision Month each May. This year’s observance highlights the importance for early detection of glaucoma.
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Bladder, prostate and other urinary tract diseases cost Americans nearly $11 billion a year, according to a new report from the National Institutes of Health. Medicare’s share exceeded $5.4 billion.
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Reforms and investment in the NHS have cut waiting lists and saved hundreds of thousands of lives over the last ten years.
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Grant Information
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This Web site was made possible in part by NIH Grant Number R43 DK70418
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