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Science News for February 23, 2004


MCOs shortchange minority Medicaid patients

A recent study by Penn State researchers found that Minority Medicaid patients face barriers to quality care due to language and cultural factors. The study analyzed responses from 49,327 adults in 14 states, revealing significant disparities in care reports among linguistic minorities.

SourcePenn State·JournalJournal of General Internal Medicine·DateFeb 23, 2004

Study compares clinical diagnoses and autopsy diagnoses in ICU deaths

A study of 1,492 ICU patients found that major discrepancies between clinical and autopsy diagnoses exist, with up to 31.7% of cases identified as having major diagnostic errors. Autopsies also revealed missed diagnoses, including cancers, strokes, and heart attacks, which could have changed management and potentially saved lives.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalArchives of Internal Medicine·DateFeb 23, 2004

Women who were sexually abused as children more likely to smoke

A study published in Addictive Behaviors found that women who were sexually abused as children were 3.8 times more likely to be current smokers, with twice the likelihood of ever smoking cigarettes and starting by age 14. The connection between childhood sexual abuse and smoking may help inform new approaches to prevent or quit smoking.

SourceMayo Clinic·JournalAddictive Behaviors·DateFeb 23, 2004

Computer method identifies potentially active enzymes

A new computer method called FamClash has been developed to predict the activity of hybrid enzymes, which are created by combining similar enzymes from different organisms. The approach identifies incompatible residue pairs that can lead to reduced enzyme activity, and provides valuable insights for protein engineering interventions.

SourcePenn State·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateFeb 23, 2004

Home on the RangeView

A new Web site allows users to compare greenness from one year to the next, between years, against a 14-year average and at two-week intervals. This information is invaluable for making long-term land management decisions, enabling natural resource managers to monitor vegetation dynamics through time and across landscapes.

Antibiotics may not be necessary when treating children with a simple skin abscess

A study by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers found that draining a skin or soft-tissue abscess and packing the wound with gauze is an effective therapy for simple skin abscesses in children, potentially reducing the need for antibiotics. The treatment was shown to be effective even when treating methicillin-resistant Staphyloc...

SourceUT Southwestern Medical Center·JournalThe Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal·DateFeb 23, 2004

New discovery may lead to therapy for incurable blood cancer

A recent finding reveals a frequent abnormal cellular event occurring in about half of all myeloma cases, identifying c-maf as an attractive target for therapeutic intervention. Inhibition of c-maf function blocks tumor formation in mice, suggesting its potential as a novel target for future therapies.

SourceCell Press·JournalCancer Cell·DateFeb 23, 2004

USC researchers produce a hairier mouse

Researchers at USC have created a transgenic mouse with an overexpressed noggin gene, resulting in increased hair follicles, thicker fur, and additional whiskers. The study also reveals unusual changes to the mice's eyes, feet, and genitalia, challenging the distinction between normal and abnormal variations.

SourceUniversity of Southern California·JournalAmerican Journal Of Pathology·DateFeb 23, 2004