American Thoracic Society Journal news tips for December 2004 (second issue)
... triamcinalon, in an attempt to slow lung function decline showed reduced bone density in both the lumbar spi...nts. The authors said that there was little or no decline in bone mass density until after the first year of the study, but reductions did occur during the se...Daily social/physical activity improves sleep and cognition in the elderly
... sleep and frequent awakenings during the night. A decline in cognitive function is common with advanced age,...ealth changes associated with aging, including the decline in sleep and cognitive abilities, can be attributed to sedentary lifestyles and social disengagement...To help your mind, take steps to help your heart, study says
...ry or behavior, or whether the patient's cognitive decline has slowed. A discussion of costs and benefits, because of the high monthly cost of the drugs, is also advised. Langa says that the review's findings have changed the way he handles his patients with dementia and cardiovascular risk factors...USC researchers highlight disparities in cancer rates among racial and ethnic groups in California
...thnic groups, presumably due to screening, but the decline was small in Koreans and Filipinas, possibly due to limited access to screening. Declining cervical cancer mortality rates for all groups suggest that screening is saving women's lives. Esophageal cancer declined rapidly in blacks but was stead...Surprise mechanism behind light-induced blindness
...he light-induced blindness resulted from a gradual decline in the concentration of the light-receptor, referred to as rhodopsin. Manipulations that decreased the rate of light-induced loss of rhodopsin greatly decreased the visual deficit resulting from constant light. The study raises the possibility that ...Dartmouth Medical School receives $1.6 million in AIDS funding
...ave seen the incidence of HIV in American children decline steadily. At the same time, the epidemic continues to swell in other parts of the world, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. By turning over our remaining funds to support Dartmouth's efforts in Tanzania, we are supporting a project that holds grea...Smokers' lung cancer risk identified in CT screening study
...oked, the risk for developing lung cancer does not decline appreciably until 20 years after kicking the habit. "It starts decreasing slowly for the first 19 years after quitting, then drops to half by 20 years, although it always remains higher than in those who never smoked," Dr. Henschke said. Lung cancer ...Important priorities for prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS
...Durban) discusses a recent report highlighting the decline in South Africa's population growth because of HIV/AIDS, with future projections suggesting that the country's population may decrease by 5 million people (from a population of 45 million today) by the year 2050. This direct effect of HIV/AIDS on the...Decline in cardiovascular disease reported in patients with diabetes
Adults with diabetes have experienced a 50 percent decline in the incidence rate for cardiovascular disease e...art disease death, and stroke), have experienced a decline in CVD risk. Caroline S. Fox, M.D., M.P.H., from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Fra...System that regulates blood pressure may also affect aging
...d intake. "ACE inhibition may prevent age-related decline in physical performance, perhaps through a reduction in total fat mass," said Carter. ACE and Cognition: Radiation is often the best treatment for brain tumors, but it can result in permanent and progressive cognitive impairment. Mike Robbins, Ph.D...LA BioMed Medical/Research Briefs December 2004
... vaccines), the past decade has seen a substantial decline in their development, a decline that is projected to worsen. Why? Drug discovery efforts have shifted from antiinfectives toward a...University seeks recruits for Parkinson's Disease study
...PD patients with major depression show significant decline in their thinking processes after a one-year period, compared with PD patients with minor, or no depression. If we can identify and treat depression, it may prevent or delay the appearance of these thinking process symptoms. The team, based at the Ro...Federal forum reports Americans aging well, but gaps remain
...hough the number of older veterans is projected to decline slightly from 2000 to 2010, it is projected to inc... percent for women age 65 and over. Because of the decline in disability rates, the number of older Americans with chronic disabilities increased by only 600,0...Post-therapy damage in medulloblastoma patients can be mistaken for new tumors
...und that the presence of WMLs is associated with a decline in neurocognitive, or intellectual, function. "I...down. Patients with WMLs experienced a significant decline in estimated IQ and math scores. The researchers concluded that, in patients with medulloblastoma or...Crohn's disease treatment shows promise in clinical trial
... dropped dramatically by the end of treatment. The decline in these proteins suggests that blocking IL-12 worked as the doctors hoped it would, by slowing or halting the Crohn's disease process. "Data from this early study show us that the treatment was safe and also provide evidence that the antibody treatm...Following heart care guidelines saves lives
...g potential heart attack patients, the greater the decline in their mortality rates, according to a analysis ...5.6 percent increase in adherence and a 37 percent decline in death rates. The next step, according to Peterson, is to better understand the particula...DHEA may help decrease abdominal fat in elderly persons
... during middle and old age. One such change is the decline in production of the adrenal hormone dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). The blood level of DHEA, most of which is present in the sulfated form (DHEAS), peaks at approximately 20 years of age and declines rapidly and markedly after age 25. DHEA administr...Cholesterol-lowering drug may slow Alzheimer's progression
...erol-lowering drug atorvastatin slowed down mental decline and improved depressive symptoms in people with Al...ge score in the placebo group was 24, indicating a decline (higher number indicates worse performance). GDS scores were an average of 6 in both groups at the s...Metabolic syndrome associated with cognitive decline in elderly persons
...iovascular risk factors increase risk of cognitive decline and dementia, there is little data on any link bet...ognitive impairment (defined as at least a 5 point decline on the Modified Mini-Mental State Examination [3MS], a standard cognitive test). Those with both met...Respiratory infections, not air pollution, pose winter health threat for children with asthma
...tions, however, were associated with a significant decline in lung function, asthma symptoms and asthma exacerbations. "In our study, wintertime air pollution had no significant effect on asthma exacerbations or lung function," said Nathan Rabinovitch, M.D., a lead author of the study and pediatric allergist...