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Science News for November 12, 2001


Study: control of chloride channels localized, discovery may boost cystic fibrosis treatment

Scientists at UNC Chapel Hill have discovered a highly ordered array of signaling molecules controlling the passage of chloride and other ions in healthy people. This breakthrough may lead to new treatments for cystic fibrosis by restoring CFTR function through genetic engineering or drug therapy.

SourceUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateNov 12, 2001

Stroke victims at twice the risk of suicide

A study published in Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health found that stroke victims are at twice the risk of suicide compared to the general population. The increased risk remains for up to five years after the stroke, with patients under 50 and those hospitalized for less than two weeks being particularly vulnerable.

SourceBMJ Specialty Journals·JournalJournal of Epidemiology and Community Health·DateNov 12, 2001

Workers rarely extend the weekend by taking sick leave

A study of 27,541 full-time staff in Finland found that workers do not typically extend the weekend by taking sick leave on Mondays and Fridays. Despite the widespread assumption that these days are common absences due to illness, the research reveals that Monday and Friday absences were actually lower than other days of the week.

SourceBMJ Specialty Journals·JournalOccupational and Environmental Medicine·DateNov 12, 2001

NHLBI-funded study finds heart assist device extends and improves lives of patients with end stage heart failure

A new study funded by the NHLBI shows that a type of implantable heart pump can extend and improve the lives of terminally ill patients with end stage heart failure. The HeartMate LVAD was shown to have a 52% one-year survival rate, compared to 25% for those receiving standard medical management.

SourceNIH/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateNov 12, 2001

Study helps identify key step in simple motor learning

A new study has identified the key step in simple motor learning, which involves the reduced response to glutamate in Purkinje cells. By examining this process, researchers hope to create a mouse that can't reduce the number of glutamate receptors on its Purkinje cells and test if it affects learning.

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateNov 12, 2001

Cholesterol and heart disease

Individuals with normal low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol may still be at increased risk of coronary artery disease (CAD), particularly if they carry additional risk factors like central obesity and insulin resistance. Targeting atherogenic dyslipidemia, including abdominal obesity, is recommended to prevent CAD risk.

SourceCanadian Medical Association Journal·JournalCanadian Medical Association Journal·DateNov 12, 2001

Method to restart the heart after traumatic injury and bleeding caused it to stop may help save lives now almost certainly lost

Researchers at UNC developed a technique to deliver oxygen-carrying fluid to resuscitate the heart after cardiac arrest. The method, selective aortic arch perfusion (SAAP), has shown promising results in animal studies and may help save trauma victims by allowing surgeons to repair damage.

SourceUniversity of North Carolina Health Care·JournalCritical Care Medicine·DateNov 12, 2001

Death of a volunteer

A volunteer's death during a medical research study highlights the need for improved safety measures and enhanced ethical oversight. The Canadian Medical Association Journal article emphasizes the importance of learning from such incidents to prevent future tragedies.

SourceCanadian Medical Association Journal·JournalCanadian Medical Association Journal·DateNov 12, 2001

Results of the OPTIMA study show significant benefits from early and sustained treatment of mild asthma

The OPTIMA study shows that low-dose budesonide alone reduces the risk of severe asthma exacerbations and poorly controlled days by half in previously untreated patients. Adding formoterol improves symptom control and reduces exacerbations in both previously untreated and corticosteroid-treated patients.

SourceKetchum UK·JournalAmerican Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine·DateNov 12, 2001

Gene chips bring new order to lung cancer types, could yield sharper diagnoses, better drugs

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists have developed a new biological classification of adenocarcinomas using miniaturized gene chips. The technique groups tumors by their genetic 'signatures', which can capture distinctive patterns of active and inactive genes, allowing for more accurate diagnoses and treatments.

SourceDana-Farber Cancer Institute·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateNov 12, 2001