AScribe Health News Service articles from April 2005

AScribe Health News Service archives from April 2005

Chabot Space & Science Center Unveils New Telescope Eyepiece That Allows Wheelchair Access to the Stars.
April 1, 2005... Byline: Chabot Space & Science Center OAKLAND, Calif., April 1 (AScribe Newswire) -- Visitors to Chabot's 36-inch telescope, "Nellie," will now be able to observe the skies from a sitting position, allowing those in wheelchairs to observe...

Professor Explains Courtroom Persuasion Strategies, Trial Tactics.
April 1, 2005... Byline: Purdue University WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., April 1 (AScribe Newswire) -- Trial tactics that defy common sense are just one reason millions of Americans are drawn to the many law-related shows on television, says a Purdue University...

Harvard Launches Popular Web Site in Spanish; New Site Reaches Hispanics/Latinos With Personalized Disease Prevention Messages.(Cuidar de su Salud)
April 5, 2005... Byline: Harvard School of Public Health BOSTON, April 5 (AScribe Newswire) -- The Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention at the Harvard School of Public Health, has announced the launch of a Spanish-language version of its popular risk...

Study Finds No Association Between Diet and Pancreatic Cancer Among Men and Women.
April 5, 2005... Byline: Harvard School of Public Health BOSTON, April 4 (AScribe Newswire) -- Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), assessing dietary patterns among men and women and risk of pancreatic cancer, found no association...

Peter Jennings' Cancer Diagnosis: Experts Available for Comment.
April 5, 2005... Byline: Harvard School of Public Health BOSTON, April 5 (AScribe Newswire) -- In response to the recent announcement of Peter Jennings' lung cancer diagnosis, Graham Colditz, MD, Dr.PH, Director of the Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention...

Injectable Drug, Combined With Counseling, Shows Promise in Treating Alcohol Dependence.
April 5, 2005... Byline: University of Pennsylvania Health System PHILADELPHIA, April 5 (AScribe Newswire) -- Alcohol dependence is a major public health problem, ranking as the fourth leading cause of disability worldwide, according to the World Health...

WIN Against Breast Cancer to Join Forces With Daytime Television's First Reality Series, 'Starting Over'.(Women's Information Network)(Television Program Review)
April 6, 2005... Byline: Women's Information Network Against Breast Cancer HOLLYWOOD, Calif., April 6 (AScribe Newswire) -- The national nonprofit Women's Information Network Against Breast Cancer (WIN ABC) organization has recently joined forces with the...

Money Doesn't Buy Happiness -- Except When Disability Strikes, University of Michigan Study Suggests; Financial 'Buffer' Appears to Help Preserve Well-Being After Health Setbacks.
April 6, 2005... Byline: University of Michigan Health System ANN ARBOR, Mich., April 6 (AScribe Newswire) -- The old saying that "money doesn't buy happiness" may hold true most of the time. But when a serious health problem comes along, financial...

Insomnia in Elderly Nursing Home Residents Predicts Risk of Future Falls; Contrary to Common Wisdom, Sleeping Pills May Not Increase Fall Risk.
April 6, 2005... Byline: University of Michigan Health System ANN ARBOR, Mich., April 6 (AScribe Newswire) -- In nursing homes across the country, elderly people with insomnia often go untreated, because of the perception that sleeping pills increase the...

Family and Medical Leave Under Threat; More Than 200 Groups Urge U.S. Department of Labor to Protect Family and Medical Leave Act.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2005... Byline: Communications Consortium WASHINGTON, April 6 (AScribe Newswire) -- Since its enactment in 1993, the Family and MEdical Leave Act (FMLA) has allowed more than 50 million Americans to take job-protected leave to bond with a new baby,...

Joslin Diabetes Center Announces New Nutrition Guidelines for People With Type 2 Diabetes or Pre-Diabetes Who Are Overweight or Obese.
April 6, 2005... Byline: Joslin Diabetes Center BOSTON, April 6 (AScribe Newswire) -- As Americans' waistlines continue to expand, contributing to a burgeoning epidemic of type 2 diabetes, the scientific jury is in and the verdict is clear: weight loss and...

Mayo Clinic Teams Up With 'Hollywood Quits' to Reduce Tobacco Use in Entertainment Industry.
April 6, 2005... Byline: Mayo Clinic ROCHESTER, Minn., April 6 (AScribe Newswire) -- The American Legacy Foundation and the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) added a phone counseling component to their "Hollywood Quits" program when they selected...

Alcohol Awareness Month: Web Site Provides Self-Testing, Feedback to Help Identify Alcohol Problems.
April 7, 2005... Byline: Join Together BOSTON, April 7 (AScribe Newswire) -- "How much is too much?" AlcoholScreening.org, a Web site that promotes learning about the effects of alcohol on health and well-being, helps to answer this question. During...

University of Washington School of Nursing Expert Shows Higher Scores on Standardized Tests Associated With High-Quality Child Care.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Byline: University of Washington, School of Nursing SEATTLE, April 7 (AScribe Newswire) -- A University of Washington School of Nursing researcher, Dr. Cathryn Booth-LaForce, professor of family and child nursing and adjunct professor of...

Live Webcast to Examine Mental Health Care System for Children.
April 7, 2005... Byline: The Carter Center ATLANTA, April 7 (AScribe Newswire) -- "Children's Mental Health: Navigating the System," the final event in the 2004-2005 Conversations at The Carter Center series, will be webcast live Thursday, April 14, 2005,...

$25-Million Grant to University of Michigan: C.S. Mott Children's Hospital Carries on Founding Donor's Legacy; Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Grant Supports Construction of New Facility for Children's and Women's Health.
April 7, 2005... Byline: University of Michigan Health System ANN ARBOR, Mich., April 8 (AScribe Newswire) -- Forty years ago, Michigan auto pioneer and philanthropist Charles Stewart Mott gave the University of Michigan $6.5 million through his foundation...

Women's Information Network Against Breast Cancer Urges Science-Based Decision on Silicone Breast Implants; 'Junk Science Must Not Impede a Woman's Right to Choose,' Says WIN ABC Founder, President/CEO Elizabeth 'Betsy' Mullen.
April 8, 2005... Byline: Women's Information Network Against Breast Cancer SAN DIEGO, Calif., April 8 (AScribe Newswire) -- On April 13, 2005, Elizabeth Mullen, Founder, President/CEO of the national Woman's Information Network Against Breast Cancer (WIN...

Humor Can Increase Hope, Research Shows.
April 11, 2005... Byline: Texas A&M University COLLEGE STATION, April 11 (AScribe Newswire) -- Laughter might be the best medicine for transforming the faintest of glimmers of hope into an eternal spring, reveals research at Texas A&M University that shows...

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Offers Free Courses Online.
April 11, 2005... Byline: Bloomberg School of Public Health BALTIMORE, April 11 (AScribe Newswire) -- The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has launched the initial phase of its OpenCourseWare project, which provides free and open access to...

Early Stage Breast-Cancer Rates Are Rising Sharply as Rates of Invasive Breast Cancer Are Leveling Off; Most Comprehensive Study of Its Kind Suggests Mammography Accounts for Trend.
April 11, 2005... Byline: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center SEATTLE, April 11 (AScribe Newswire) -- Since 1980, the incidence of ductal carcinoma in situ, or DCIS, one of the most common kinds of early stage breast cancer, has increased more than...

Child & Adolescent Bipolar Foundation Receives High Marks for Its Online Courses and Materials for Parents, Teachers; Pilot Program in Illinois Provides Successful Model for School Districts Throughout U.S.(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... Byline: Child & Adolescent Bipolar Foundation WILMETTE, Ill., April 11 (AScribe Newswire) -- The Child & Adolescent Bipolar Foundation (CABF) has received overwhelming praise from parents and schools for its online learning program for...

Can Toddlers Understand What's Really Going On? Illinois and McGill Researchers Find Toddlers Know When Others Have Mistaken Beliefs.
April 12, 2005... Byline: McGill University MONTREAL, April 12 (AScribe Newswire) -- Hold the rose-coloured glasses: toddlers understand much more about false beliefs than parents and scientists previously suspected. A Canada-U.S. research team has...

Structure-Building Cell Signals Also May Influence Learning, Memory.
April 12, 2005... Byline: The Burnham Institute LA JOLLA, Calif., April 12 (AScribe Newswire) -- A Burnham Institute study has found that one of the cell's largest families of signaling molecules, called ephrins, which are known to regulate the development...

Not Your Mother's Analyst: APA's Division of Psychoanalysis to Meet in New York April 13 - 17.(American Psychological Association)
April 12, 2005... Byline: William A. White Institute NEW YORK, April 12 (AScribe Newswire) -- On the lookout for Woody Allen? You won't find him in the Waldorf-Astoria this week, where close to 1000 psychoanalysts and psychologists will shatter the...

University of Florida Study: Incarcerated Male Adolescents Suffer Ill Effects From Abuse.
April 12, 2005... Byline: University of Florida GAINESVILLE, Fla., April 12 (AScribe Newswire) -- Sexually abused teenage boys in jail are just as likely as their female counterparts to suffer from depression, a University of Florida study finds. The...

Antioxidant-Rich Diets Reduce Brain Damage From Stroke, New Preclinical Study Suggests.
April 12, 2005... Byline: University of South Florida Health Sciences TAMPA, Fla., April 12 (AScribe Newswire) -- Your mother was right. Eat your fruits and veggies -- they're good for you! And if that's not reason enough, a new study suggests...

Delay in Alzheimer's Disease Onset Seen for First Time; Neurologists May Have Foot in the Door to Preventing Alzheimer's Before It Starts.
April 13, 2005... Byline: Mayo Clinic ROCHESTER, Minn., April 11 (AScribe Newswire) -- A study led by Mayo Clinic shows for the first time that a drug appears to have a slowing effect -- though limited -- on the progression from mild cognitive impairment to...

University of Chicago Receives $1.8 Million to Study Connections Between Religious Beliefs and Health.(John Templeton Foundation )
April 13, 2005... Byline: University of Chicago CHICAGO, April 13 (AScribe Newswire) -- A belief in God may improve a person's physical health, according to University of Chicago researchers who are launching the first comprehensive study to examine the...

Ovary Removal Elevates Risk for Parkinson's Disease and Parkinsonism.
April 13, 2005... Byline: Mayo Clinic ROCHESTER, Minn., April 13 (AScribe Newswire) -- Mayo Clinic researchers have found that surgical removal of both ovaries doubles a woman's risk of developing Parkinson's disease and parkinsonism many years later in...

Anxious and Pessimistic Personalities Linked to Parkinson's Disease Later in Life.
April 13, 2005... Byline: Mayo Clinic ROCHESTER, Minn., April 13 (AScribe Newswire) -- Mayo Clinic researchers have found that people who score in the upper 25 percent in anxiety level on a personality test have a moderately increased risk of developing...

Exercise Variety - Not Intensity - Appears to Reduce Some Alzheimer's Disease Risk.
April 14, 2005... Byline: Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions BALTIMORE, April 14 (AScribe Newswire) -- The variety of leisure and physical activity one engages in -- and not its intensity in terms of calories expended - may reduce dementia risk in older...

University of Minnesota Research Finds Exposure to Positive Portrayals of Gay TV, Film Characters Reduces Prejudice.(Parasocial Contact Hypothesis)
April 14, 2005... Byline: University of Minnesota MINNEAPOLIS, April 14 (AScribe Newswire) -- New studies by University of Minnesota communication researchers have found that exposure to positive portrayals of gay characters on television and in film can...

Of Mice and Men's -- and Women's -- Contraceptives: Study of Unique Reproductive-Cell Protein in Mice Could Lead to New Contraceptives for Women and Men.
April 14, 2005... Byline: University of Pennsylvania Health System PHILADELPHIA, April 14 (AScribe Newswire) -- Mice lacking a special protein found only in germ-line cells results in infertility in both males and females, according to a new study from...

Two Thousand Hospice Professionals to Gather Next Week in Atlanta for National Conference Advancing the Continuum of End-of-Life Care.
April 14, 2005... Byline: National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization ALEXANDRIA, Va., April 14 (AScribe Newswire) -- The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization will host the Sixth Clinical Team Conference, "Science, Skills and Soul:...

Pessimism and Depression Increase Dementia Risk.
April 14, 2005... Byline: Mayo Clinic ROCHESTER, Minn., April 14 (AScribe Newswire) -- Individuals who do not have psychiatric problems but score very high on a personality test pessimism scale have a 30 percent increased risk of developing dementia several...

Vitamin E Loss Through Smoking Increases Health Risks.
April 14, 2005... Byline: Oregon State University CORVALLIS, Ore., April 14 (AScribe Newswire) -- New studies in the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University have shown that vitamin E disappears more quickly in smokers than in non-smokers -...

The Community Technology Foundation of California Files Protest To PUC on SBC/AT&T Joint Merger.
April 15, 2005... Byline: Community Technology Foundation of California San Francisco, Apr. 15 (AScribe Newswire) -- The Community Technology Foundation of California (CTFC) filed a protest with the California Public Utilities Commission (PUC) on SBC/AT&T's...

Penn Researchers Determine Structure of Binding Site of Colon-Cancer Drug and Its Protein Target; Findings Will Steer Future Treatment Design.
April 18, 2005... Byline: University of Pennsylvania Health System PHILADELPHIA, April 18 (AScribe Newswire) -- Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have determined the precise molecular details of how Erbitux, a recently approved...

Obesity Adds Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in Siblings in Families With History of Heart Problems; Added Risk Is Mostly Fixable With a Small Genetic Component.
April 18, 2005... Byline: Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions BALTIMORE, April 18 (AScribe Newswire) -- A Johns Hopkins study finds that people who have a family history of heart disease have more reason than most to keep their weight down. In these families,...

Medical College of Wisconsin Researchers Developing Rapid Diagnostic Test for Early Breast Cancer Detection.
April 18, 2005... Byline: Medical College of Wisconsin MILWAUKEE, April 18 (AScribe Newswire) -- Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center researchers at Froedtert Hospital have assembled the components to develop a rapid, sensitive diagnostic test to...

Purdue University Experts Can Discuss New Food Guidance Symbol, System.
April 19, 2005... Byline: Purdue University WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., April 19 (AScribe Newswire) -- Following are Purdue University experts who can talk about the new food guidance system that will replace the food pyramid announced by Agriculture Secretary...

Mercury Levels and Cognitive Function Investigated in Adults.
April 19, 2005... Byline: Bloomberg School of Public Health BALTIMORE, Apr. 19 (AScribe Newswire) -- Although the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish are well known for their health benefits, many fish are also the primary source of mercury in the general...

'Ads Aren't Prescriptions for Meds': McGill Researcher Martin Dawes to Speak About Pitfalls of Ads, Pharmaceuticals, Doctors; April 20.(Brief Article)
April 19, 2005... Byline: McGill University MONTREAL, April 19 (AScribe Newswire) -- An interesting change has come to the medical practice: patients often arrive at their doctor's office with a self-diagnosis. Because of heightened advertising of...

Smokers Who Commit to Quit Need to Be Supported, Say American Cancer Society Legislative Volunteers; Bill to Be Heard in California Senate April 20.
April 19, 2005... Byline: American Cancer Society SACRAMENTO, Calif., April 19 (AScribe Newswire) -- Today at the State Capitol in Sacramento, over 170 American Cancer Society volunteers with "Help Californians Quit Smoking" on their t-shirts and carrying...

Cerebral Navigation: How Do Nerve Fibers Know What Direction to Grow in? Insights Could Yield New Approaches to Nerve Regeneration.
April 20, 2005... Byline: Children's Hospital Boston BOSTON, April 20 (AScribe Newswire) -- Nervous system development requires billions of neurons to migrate to the appropriate locations in the brain and grow nerve fibers (axons) that connect to other nerve...

I'm a Senior -- by Michael Lipsky.(editorial)(Editorial)
April 20, 2005... Byline: Demos NEW YORK, April 20 (AScribe Newswire) -- Following is an editorial by Michael Lipsky, Senior Program Director at Demos, a public policy organization in New York. Lipsky lives in Northern Virginia. - - - - There's no...

Study Links Cigarette Smoking With Progression of Multiple Sclerosis; First Modifiable Risk Factor for Disease Advancement Identified.
April 20, 2005... Byline: Harvard School of Public Health BOSTON, April 20 (AScribe Newswire) -- Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) recently discovered that cigarette smoking may contribute to the progression of multiple sclerosis...

For Black-White Spouses, Race Can Be a Problem.
April 21, 2005... Byline: University of Maryland, College Park COLLEGE PARK, Md., April 21 (AScribe Newswire) -- Though interracial couples have a higher divorce rate than same-race couples, they typically say race is not a problem in the marriage. But new...

University of Florida Study: Counselors' Gender Not Key in Encouraging Patients to Divulge Affairs.
April 21, 2005... Byline: University of Florida GAINESVILLE, Fla., April 21 (AScribe Newswire) -- Male therapists are just as likely as female therapists to encourage patients to admit infidelities to their spouses, a new University of Florida study finds....

A Healthy Internal Clock Keeps Weight Off.
April 21, 2005... Byline: Howard Hughes Medical Institute CHEVY CHASE, April 21 (AScribe Newswire) -- Staying up past bedtime, skipping meals, and snacking constantly all add up to weight gain, fatty livers, and high cholesterol levels for an unlucky group...

Head of U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to Address University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health Graduates.
April 21, 2005... Byline: University of Illinois at Chicago CHICAGO, April 21 (AScribe Newswire) -- Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will deliver the commencement address to graduates of the University of...

Disabled Dramatist at Davidson Presents Personal Issues in New Stage Production.(Athena Stevens )(cerebral palsy)
April 22, 2005... Byline: Davidson College DAVIDSON, N.C., Apr. 22 (AScribe Newswire) -- Like many outstanding young students, people who told Athena Stevens she "couldn[sup.1]t" only motivated her more strongly to prove them wrong. As a child, Stevens...

Peppermint and Cinnamon Lower Drivers' Frustration, Increase Alertness.
April 22, 2005... Byline: The National Technology Transfer Center WHEELING, W.Va., April 22 (AScribe Newswire) -- The scent of peppermint or cinnamon in your car might make your morning commute less frustrating and you more alert when behind the wheel....

American Institutes for Research Shapes Improvements in the Workplace at 2005 Annual Conference of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology.
April 22, 2005... Byline: American Institutes for Research WASHINGTON, April 22 (AScribe Newswire) -- As the workplace undergoes rapid changes due to advanced technology and other trends, workforce-related research is also rapidly evolving, revealed American...

Robotic Arm Could Help Stroke Survivors Regain Range of Motion.
April 26, 2005... Byline: The Whitaker Foundation ARLINGTON, Va., April 26 (AScribe Newswire) -- A robotic arm that can be worn at home is being developed to help stroke survivors regain the ability to reach and grasp objects and perform basic tasks such as...

Mother's Day Advice for Moms-to-Be.(dangers of second-hand smoke and smoking)
April 26, 2005... Byline: H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute TAMPA, Fla., April 26 (AScribe Newswire) -- One of the greatest gifts a mother-to-be or new mom can give to her child is to quit smoking. Rumor is that even Brittany Spears gave up...

Professor: Stop Explaining 'Why' When Teens Kill; Instead Reach Out.
April 26, 2005... Byline: Purdue University WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., April 26 (AScribe Newswire) -- The labels put on youths who commit violent crimes not only prevent society from understanding their behavior, but also act as a barrier to solving the problem,...

Exclusive Breastfeeding Reduces Risk of Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission.
April 27, 2005... Byline: Bloomberg School of Public Health BALTIMORE, April 27 (AScribe Newswire) -- Breastfeeding causes nearly 40 percent of all pediatric HIV infections, yet also prevents millions of child deaths every year by protecting infants from...

Wisconsin Researchers Identify Sleep Gene.
April 27, 2005... Byline: Pending MADISON, Wis., April 27 (AScribe Newswire) -- Zeroing in on the core cellular mechanisms of sleep, researchers at University of Wisconsin Medical School have identified for the first time a single gene mutation that has a...

Distracting Visuals Clutter TV Screen; Viewers Less Likely to Retain Content.
April 27, 2005... Byline: Kansas State University MANHATTAN, Kan., April 27 (AScribe Newswire) -- No matter which channel you turn to on television, you are likely to find some kind of visual element that seems to overpower the screen -- making it difficult...

Owners Can Help Pets Overcome Fear of Thunderstorms.
April 27, 2005... Byline: Kansas State University MANHATTAN, Kan., April 27 (AScribe Newswire) -- When the thunder rolls and the lightning strikes, does your pet become visibly frightened? If so, you're not alone. Many pets, especially dogs, are fearful of...

32 California Counties Fail American Lung Association[sup.1]s Annual State of the Air Clean Air Test; 31.6 Million Californians Threatened by Dangerous Ozone, Particle Pollution Levels; Bad Report Is Call to Action.
April 28, 2005... Byline: American Lung Association OAKLAND, Calif., April 28 (AScribe Newswire) -- Thirty-two of California[sup.1]s 52 counties with air quality monitoring stations received failings grades in the American Lung Association State of the Air:...

Jamie Fox, Ray Liotta, Christine Lahti, Katey Sagall, Justine Waddell Receive Top Honors at 9th Annual PRISM Awards.
April 29, 2005... Byline: Entertainment Industries Council LOS ANGELES, April 29 (AScribe Newswire) -- The winners of the 9th Annual PRISM Awards were announced Thursday evening at a gala dinner at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Presented by the Entertainment...

Understanding the Proposed Cuts to Social Security Benefits - by Greg Anrig, Jr.(editorial/expert commentary)(Editorial)
April 29, 2005... Byline: The Century Foundation NEW YORK, April 29 (AScribe Newswire) -- Following is an editorial/expert commentary by Greg Anrig Jr., Vice President for Programs at The Century Foundation. - - - - Understanding the Proposed Cuts...