AScribe Health News Service articles from October 2005

AScribe Health News Service archives from October 2005

Straight Answers on Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage: Century Foundation Releases Analysis of New Prescription Drug Plan for Seniors, Disabled.
October 3, 2005... Byline: The Century Foundation NEW YORK, Oct. 3 (AScribe Newswire) -- The Medicare prescription drug benefit, known as Medicare Part D, is scheduled to begin in January 2006; however, many questions remain about how effective it will be in...

Phytochemicals May Protect Cartilage, Prevent Pain in Joints; Phase 2 Enzyme Inducers Appear to Stop Harmful Inflammation.
October 3, 2005... Byline: Johns Hopkins University BALTIMORE, Oct. 3 (AScribe Newswire) -- Johns Hopkins researchers have discovered that plant-derived compounds known for their ability to protect tissue also appear to block the activity of an enzyme that...

Mystery Spot Demonstrates Power of Perception, UC Santa Cruz Psychologist Explains; Popular Santa Cruz, Calif., Tourist Attraction Isn't So Mysterious After All.
October 3, 2005... Byline: University of California, Santa Cruz SANTA CRUZ, Calif., Oct. 3 (AScribe Newswire) -- For years, UC Santa Cruz psychology professor Bruce Bridgeman has taken college students to the Mystery Spot, a popular local tourist attraction,...

Palo Alto Medical Foundation Collaborates to Increase Awareness About Domestic Violence.
October 3, 2005... Byline: Palo Alto Medical Foundation PALO ALTO, Calif., Oct. 3 (AScribe Newswire) -- Nearly one-third of American women report being physically or sexually abused by a husband or boyfriend at some time in their lives, according to a recent...

Brain Protein Linked to Alcoholism and Anxiety.
October 3, 2005... Byline: University of Illinois at Chicago CHICAGO, Oct. 3 (AScribe Newswire) -- Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago have discovered that a protein found in the brain is genetically linked to alcoholism and anxiety. ...

High Blood Glucose Levels in Early Pregnancy May Deprive Embryo of Oxygen, Lead to Birth Defects, Joslin Diabetes Center Study Shows.
October 4, 2005... Byline: Joslin Diabetes Center BOSTON, Oct. 4 (AScribe Newswire) -- The babies of women with diabetes are two to five times more likely to develop birth defects than offspring of women without the disease. A recent study in animals by...

Boise State Helps Form Coalition to Support Hurricane Victims With Autism; Donations, Volunteers Sought.
October 4, 2005... Byline: Boise State University BOISE, Idaho, Oct. 4 (AScribe Newswire) -- Boise State University's College of Health Sciences, through its Center for Health Policy, has joined with several national autism support groups to form...

Alliance for Healthy Homes, National Center for Healthy Housing Offer Fact Sheets for Residents Returning to Hurricane Impact Zones.
October 4, 2005... Byline: Alliance for Healthy Homes WASHINGTON, Oct. 4 (AScribe Newswire) -- The Alliance for Healthy Homes (the Alliance) and the National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH) have posted fact sheets and a brochure for residents returning to...

Three Natural Foods Retailers Support CCOF in 2005.
October 4, 2005... Byline: California Certified Organic Farmers SANTA CRUZ, Calif., Oct. 4 (AScribe Newswire) -- During the fall of 2005 CCOF, a leading organic certification, education and trade association, enjoyed the support of both national and regional...

Middle School Girls Catching Up to Boys in Delinquency.
October 5, 2005... Byline: University of Florida GAINESVILLE, Fla., Oct. 5 (AScribe Newswire) -- The gender gap for bad behavior in middle school is narrowing, with girls displaying more delinquency and aggression than their male classmates, a new University...

Surviving the Empty Nest: St. Lawrence University Counseling Director Has Advice for Parents.
October 5, 2005... Byline: St. Lawrence University CANTON, N.Y., Oct. 5 (AScribe Newswire) -- The last child in the house has left for college and you are now alone with your partner, or all by yourself. How are you feeling? What can you do to make this...

New Analysis of a Standard Brain Test May Help Predict Dementia.
October 5, 2005... Byline: NYU Medical Center NEW YORK, Oct. 6 (AScribe Newswire) -- Although Alzheimer's disease affects millions of people worldwide, there is no way to identify this devastating brain disease at its earliest stages when there still may be...

Alliance for Healthy Homes Appoints Robert O. Zdenek as Executive Director.
October 7, 2005... Byline: Alliance for Healthy Homes WASHINGTON, Oct. 7 (AScribe Newswire) -- The Alliance for Healthy Homes, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting children and families from housing-based environmental health hazards,...

Two Berkeley Lab Scientists Win Department of Energy Distinguished Scientist Fellowships.
October 7, 2005... Byline: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory BERKELEY, Calif., Oct. 7 (AScribe Newswire) -- Two scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) won Office of Biological and Environmental...

Does Smoking Cloud the Brain? Long-Term Tobacco Use Associated With Dulled Thinking, Lower IQ, University of Michigan Study Finds.
October 11, 2005... Byline: University of Michigan Health System ANN ARBOR, Mich., Oct. 11 (AScribe Newswire) -- Smokers often say that smoking a cigarette helps them concentrate and feel more alert. But years of tobacco use may have the opposite effect,...

Expert: IBM Genetic Policy Shows Flaws in Medical Records Practices.
October 11, 2005... Byline: Duke University DURHAM, N.C., Oct. 11 (AScribe Newswire) -- IBM's new policy barring employment discrimination based on genetic information highlights major shortcomings in the United States medical records system, said a Duke...

Cambridge Health Alliance in Step With Back-to-School Season, Launches New Center for Child and Adolescent Development.
October 11, 2005... Byline: Cambridge Health Alliance CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Oct. 11 (AScribe Newswire) -- Cambridge Health Alliance announced today the opening of the Center for Child and Adolescent Development (CCAD), a new clinical and research facility based...

Violent Video Games Lead to Brain Activity Characteristic of Aggression, Michigan State University Researcher Shows.
October 11, 2005... Byline: Michigan State University EAST LANSING, Mich., Oct. 11 (AScribe Newswire) -- A Michigan State University researcher and his colleagues have shown that playing violent video games leads to brain activity pattern that may be...

McLean Hospital Study Identifies New Area of Brain Linked to Drug Addiction.
October 11, 2005... Byline: McLean Hospital BELMONT, Mass., Oct. 11 (AScribe Newswire) -- Researchers at Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital say they have identified an area of the brain that appears to play a key role in why cocaine and other stimulants are...

New Microfluidic Devices Found to Be Effective Method of In-Vitro Fertilization in Mice; Early Research Suggests Emerging Technology Could Be Viable Option for IVF.
October 12, 2005... Byline: University of Michigan Health System ANN ARBOR, Mich., Oct. 12 (AScribe Newswire) -- Technology that more closely mirrors the natural fertilization process is showing promise as a new method of in-vitro fertilization, researchers at...

Mayo Clinic Finds Radical Surgery to Be Best Option for Most Ovarian Cancer Patients With Cancer in the Diaphragm.
October 12, 2005... Byline: Mayo Clinic ROCHESTER, Minn., Oct. 12 (AScribe Newswire) -- In a retrospective study looking back at a decade of surgeries, Mayo Clinic Cancer Center researchers have determined that surgery to remove metastatic disease from the...

Preventing a Bird Flu Pandemic: Researcher Says Selenium Supplements Could Help Prevent Avian Flu Mutations.
October 12, 2005... Byline: Texas Tech University LUBBOCK, Texas, Oct. 12 (AScribe Newswire) -- As world health officials scramble to prepare for what many increasingly fear could become a worldwide bird flu pandemic, Texas Tech University researcher Dr....

Kansas State Veterinarian Says a Dog's Frequent and Severe Itching May Be Sign of Allergy.
October 13, 2005... Byline: Kansas State University MANHATTAN, Kan., Oct. 13 (AScribe Newswire) -- Allergies may be the culprit if your dog's scratching and rubbing have become more frequent and severe, according to a Kansas State University veterinarian. ...

Environmental Working Group to Release Interactive Personal Care Product Safety Guide; Brand-by-Brand Assessment Will Allow Consumers to Choose Safer Products.
October 14, 2005... Byline: Environmental Working Group WASHINGTON, Oct. 14 (AScribe Newswire) -- Environmental Working Group (EWG) will unveil a vastly expanded version of its interactive personal care product safety guide for consumers, "Skin Deep," on...

Eight-Plus Hours Sleep Reduces Women's Breast Cancer Risk.
October 14, 2005... Byline: U. Conn. Health Center FARMINGTON, Conn., Oct. 15 (AScribe Newswire) -- Women who sleep longer than eight hours per night are at lower risk of breast cancer, according to a new study by a University of Connecticut School of...

Children's Hospital Boston Launches New Public Web Site With Fresh Content, Improved Look; Interactive Resource to Help Parents, Caregivers Provide Optimal Care to Children.
October 18, 2005... Byline: Children's Hospital Boston BOSTON, Oct. 18 (AScribe Newswire) -- Children's Hospital Boston has redesigned its public Web site, adding new content and valuable resources that will better serve patients and caregivers seeking...

'Riders Helping Riders': Alcohol and Motorcycling Growing Problem, Target of New State Safety Program.
October 18, 2005... Byline: Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation ATLANTA, Oct. 18 (AScribe Newswire) -- Deaths from traffic crashes have leveled off in recent years nationwide, but motorcycle fatalities are climbing ominously, nearly doubling in the...

Fatty Acid Found in Milk May Help Control Inflammatory Diseases.
October 18, 2005... Byline: University of Wisconsin - Madison MADISON, Wis., Oct. 18 (AScribe Newswire) -- One of the isomers of conjugated linoleic acid, a group of fatty acids found in milk, is a natural regulator of the COX-2 protein, which plays a...

Conference to Set Deer-Vehicle Crash Research Agenda.
October 18, 2005... Byline: University of Wisconsin - Madison MADISON, Wis., Oct. 18 (AScribe Newswire) -- More than 1.5 million drivers nationwide last year collided with deer on roadways around the country, and the costs related to this growing problem total...

Teacher Concern Associated With Reduced Anti-Social Behavior Among Troubled Teens.
October 18, 2005... Byline: University of Chicago CHICAGO, Oct. 18 (AScribe Newswire) -- Having a teacher who students perceive cares is associated with lower rates of drug and sexual risk behaviors among high risk youth, according to a new study headed by a...

Expert Encourages Alternate Treatments for Men Who Abuse Women.
October 18, 2005... Byline: Purdue University WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., Oct. 18 (AScribe Newswire) -- The ability to effectively treat men who repeatedly abuse women may be improved through individualized therapy rather than the traditional group treatment...

Expert: Early Awareness Might Prevent Bird Flu Pandemic.
October 18, 2005... Byline: Purdue University WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., Oct. 18 (AScribe Newswire) -- Health officials have issued warnings for months about the danger the avian flu could pose to humans, but an expert from Purdue University says that while the...

Kansas State University Experts Say Students Not Always Putting Best Face Forward on Facebook.
October 18, 2005... Byline: Kansas State University MANHATTAN, Kan., Oct. 18 (AScribe Newswire) -- Getting "poked" is a sign of friendliness, and the Flip-Flop Alliance is a legitimate organization at Kansas State University -- at least in the world of...

Dietary Fat Intake Linked to Dry Eye Syndrome in Women; Your Eyes Are What You Eat, Too; Consuming Foods Rich in Omega-3, Such as Tuna, May Reduce Risk By 68 Percent.
October 19, 2005... Byline: Schepens Eye Research Institute BOSTON, Oct. 19 (AScribe Newswire) -- More than eight million people in the United States, predominantly women, suffer from dry eye syndrome, a painful and debilitating eye disease. In the first study...

Mayo Clinic Reports Breakthrough Treatment for Breast Cancer; Concurrent NCCTG, NSABP Studies Find Trastuzumab Best for Women With HER2-Positive Form of Disease.
October 19, 2005... Byline: Mayo Clinic JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Oct. 19 (AScribe Newswire) -- In a joint paper, co-authored by Mayo Clinic's Edith Perez, M.D., and Edward Romond, M.D., of the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP),...

Psychologist Claude Steele to Address Issues of Stereotypes and Academic Achievement: American Educational Research Association's Second Annual Brown Lecture in Education Research.
October 19, 2005... Byline: American Educational Research Association WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 (AScribe Newswire) -- Claude M. Steele, director of the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences in Palo Alto, California, and Lucie Stern Professor in the...

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Launches $175 Million Fundraising Campaign.
October 19, 2005... Byline: Cystic Fibrosis Foundation BETHESDA, Md., Oct. 19 (AScribe Newswire) -- The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation today announced the launch of a $175 million major gifts fundraising campaign to support research into better treatments and an...

Vanderbilt Pediatrician to Testify Before U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Federal Marriage Amendment.
October 19, 2005... Byline: Vanderbilt Medical Center NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 19 (AScribe Newswire) -- Christopher Harris, M.D., assistant professor of Pediatrics at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, will testify on Thursday before a...

Humans Are Governed by Emotions -- Literally, Says Research by University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon.
October 20, 2005... Byline: Carnegie Mellon University PITTSBURGH, Oct. 20 (AScribe Newswire) -- The emotional responses that guide much of human behavior have a tremendous impact on public policy and international affairs, prompting government officials to...

New Tobacco Tax Would Fund Health Care for California Kids, Expand Anti-Smoking, Disease Prevention Programs.
October 20, 2005... Byline: American Lung Association SACRAMENTO, Calif., Oct. 20 (AScribe Newswire) -- A newly formed coalition of the state's major health and children's advocacy groups has launched a campaign to pass a $1.50 increase in the state's...

This Halloween, Leave the Howling to the Werewolves: Follow these Pumpkin Carving Tips and Keep Hands Safe.
October 20, 2005... Byline: Thomas Jefferson University PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 20 (AScribe Newswire) -- How could it be Halloween without a glowing jack-o-lantern looming in the night? While carving pumpkins is a fun and festive holiday tradition, it should be...

WSU Research Biologist Says Only Matter of Time Before Avian Flu Virus Reaches U.S.
October 21, 2005... Byline: Wright State University DAYTON, Ohio., Oct. 21 (AScribe Newswire) -- It's only a matter of time before the avian flu virus reaches the United States, according to a research biologist at Wright State University who said the key is...

African American Women: Domestic Violence and Help-Seeking Fact Sheet by Katherine E. Morrison, Ph.D.
October 21, 2005... Byline: Wellesley Centers for Women - Wellesley College Wellesley, Mass., Oct. 21 (AScribe Newswire) -- Each year, thousands of women are physically, emotionally, sexually, and verbally abused by their husbands or boyfriends. About one in...

Civil Rights Groups Call White House Response to Hurricane Katrina a Trojan Horse; Coalition Calls for Congressional Investigation Into Bush Administration's Waiving of Federal Civil Rights Laws in Wake of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita.
October 21, 2005... Byline: Leadership Conference on Civil Rights WASHINGTON, Oct. 21 (AScribe Newswire) -- Leading the effort with nearly 60 other major civil rights and advocacy organizations, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR), the nation's...

Emotional Impairment Linked to Cognitive Deficits in Bipolar Children.
October 21, 2005... Byline: University of Illinois at Chicago CHICAGO, Oct. 21 (AScribe Newswire) -- Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago used functional brain imaging to establish a link between emotional impairment and poor cognition in...

Salute to Family Caregivers: Los Angeles Conference to Honor California's Caregivers; Celebratory Tribute - Including Fanfare - Heralds Important Contributions Families Make to Long-Term Health Care in U.S.
October 21, 2005... Byline: Family Caregiver Alliance SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 21 (AScribe Newswire) -- A salute - complete with trumpet fanfare and an emcee in top hat and tails - will greet more than 400 family caregivers as they gather in downtown Los Angeles on...

National Alliance for Autism Research for Modell's Sporting Goods: Modell's Sporting Goods Launches 'Footprints' Program to Benefit NAAR, Increase Autism Awareness.
October 24, 2005... Byline: National Alliance for Autism Research PRINCETON, N.J., Oct. 24 (AScribe Newswire) -- The National Alliance for Autism Research (NAAR) and Modell's Sporting Goods have formed a new partnership that includes an in-store fundraising...

Mayo Clinic Measures Psychological, Social Impacts of Contralateral Prophylactic Mastectomies.
October 24, 2005... Byline: Mayo Clinic ROCHESTER, Minn., Oct. 24 (AScribe Newswire) -- Mayo Clinic researchers report that most women who have a contralateral (opposite to cancerous breast) prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) are satisfied and would elect this...

Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America Awarded Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Challenge Grant.
October 24, 2005... Byline: Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America ALEXANDRIA, Va., Oct. 24 (AScribe Newswire) -- Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a $500,000 challenge grant from the Robert...

Bladder Problems Increase in Men as They Age, Mayo Clinic Study Reports; Researchers Urge Men to Seek Physician Help Early and Not Procrastinate.
October 25, 2005... Byline: Mayo Clinic ROCHESTER, Minn., Oct. 25 (AScribe Newswire) -- Mayo Clinic researchers studying prostate problems in men report in the current issue of the Journal of Urology that as men grow older their bladder function can worsen...

Public Health Advocacy Institute Launches Internet Resource for Motor Vehicle Hazard Research.
October 26, 2005... Byline: Public Health Advocacy Institute BOSTON, Oct. 26 (AScribe Newswire) -- A unique new Internet resource for researchers, students, consumers and policymakers concerned with motor vehicle crashes and crash injuries was launched today...

Joslin Center Helps Put 'Treat' Back in Halloween for Kids With Diabetes.
October 26, 2005... Byline: Joslin Diabetes Center BOSTON, Oct. 26 (AScribe Newswire) -- It is time to scare away the myth that says children with diabetes can't enjoy Halloween because of their disease. The truth is they can still enjoy sweets as long as...

American Institutes for Research Expert Speaks at White House Conference on Helping America's Youth.
October 26, 2005... Byline: American Institutes for Research WASHINGTON, Oct. 26 (AScribe Newswire) -- The American Institutes for Research's (AIR) Sheppard Kellam, a nationally recognized expert on the prevention of school failure, aggressive and violent...

Mayo Clinic Tobacco Quitline to Provide Minnesota QUITPLANSM Helpline Service.
October 26, 2005... Byline: Mayo Clinic ROCHESTER, Minn., Oct. 26 (AScribe Newswire) -- Mayo Clinic Tobacco Quitline was recently awarded a two-year contract by the Minnesota Partnership for Action Against Tobacco (MPAAT) to provide tobacco treatment services...

Bench Pressing Can Reduce or Prevent Lymphedema Symptoms in Breast-Cancer Survivors, Suggests Penn Researcher; Strength-Training Is Contrary to Current Guidelines for Treating Lymphedema.
October 26, 2005... Byline: University of Pennsylvania Health System PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 26 (AScribe Newswire) -- In a novel research study to begin this week at the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania, Kathryn Schmitz, PhD, MPH, Assistant...

Mayo Clinic Researchers Find Math Learning Disorder Is Common.
October 26, 2005... Byline: Mayo Clinic ROCHESTER, Minn., Oct. 26 (AScribe Newswire) -- In a recently published study, Mayo Clinic researchers determined Math Learning Disorder (LD) is common among school-age children. Results show that boys are more likely...

Keeping Children Safe & Healthy on Halloween: Tips From Harvard Health Publications.
October 27, 2005... Byline: Harvard University Medical School BOSTON, Oct. 27 (AScribe Newswire) -- Halloween is an exciting time for kids, and we can all help to make sure that children have a safe and fun holiday with the following tips from Harvard Health...

Avian (Bird) Flu Vaccine Trial Begins At Vanderbilt University Medicalcenter.
October 28, 2005... Byline: Vanderbilt Medical Center NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 28 (AScribe Newswire) -- Vanderbilt University Medical Center is enrolling volunteers in a study to test a new vaccine that targets avian flu, the first such vaccine against the...

What Makes The Brain Tick, Tick, Tick. . .
October 28, 2005... Byline: Duke University DURHAM, N.C., Oct. 28 (AScribe Newswire) -- The brain is a "time machine," assert Duke neuroscientists Catalin Buhusi and Warren Meck. And understanding how the brain tracks time is essential to understanding all...

Beer's Bad Rap for Carbohydrates Unjustified.
October 28, 2005... Byline: University of California, Davis DAVIS, Calif., Oct. 28 (AScribe Newswire) -- In the recent flurry of publicity over low-carbohydrate diets, some diet promoters have depicted beer as an unhealthful source of fattening carbohydrates....

New York Academy of Sciences Conference Examines How Our Brains View Art, Dynamic Interface Between Art and Science; Nobel Laureate Torsten Wiesel Among Speakers at One-Day Conference Set for Nov. 5.
October 31, 2005... Byline: New York Academy of Sciences NEW YORK, Oct. 31 (AScribe Newswire) -- Why are we captivated by the sight of the Mona Lisa's smile? Why does a field of poppies in a Monet painting appear to wave? Though we are not often conscious of...