NIH asks participants in women's health initiative estrogen-alone study to stop study pills
...her the pills should be continued, provided that a letter would be sent to the participants clearly informing them of the stroke risks and other findings. After careful review, the NIH decided that women in the estrogen-alone study should stop taking their study pills. The NIH advises women to continue to ...Vaccine development against influenza A (h5n1) virus 'should be made a priority'
...paredness, and pandemic planning". In a Research letter (p 617), Malik Peiris (University of Hong Kong) and colleagues suggest that some avian influenza viruses pose a substantial threat to human health, and after the re-emergence of H5N1 disease in humans, the authors draw our attention to the need to de...Are our brains wired for race or gender bias?
...iated with oneself. One such example is "the name letter effect" the degree to which people exhibit a marked preference for letters in the alphabet that belongs to their own names. Seen in this context, "in-group" bias could be seen as yet another expression of this implicit bias toward the self. "Not o...Study suggests possible clue to miscarriage
...tor for miscarriage, suggest authors of a research letter in this week's issue of THE LANCET. Around 10-15% of pregnancies result in miscarriage, with no treatment available to prevent fetal loss and no biological markers to identify women at high risk. Macrophage inhibitory cytokine 1 (MIC 1) plays an impo...Arm position matters in blood pressure readings according to UCSD medical researchers
...t heart level, according to a study published as a letter in the Jan. 6, 2004 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine. The study's investigators from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine and the Medical College of Wisconsin noted that because blood pressure values determine t...American Lung Association calls on governors and legislatures to stand up for public health
...d translates each state's relative progress into a letter grade: A, B, C, D, or F. A grade of "A" is assig...te includes information for sending a personalized letter to state leaders demanding tough measures to combat tobacco use and addiction. In addition to advoc...Study suggests widespread environmental presence of Enterobacter sakazakii
... previously thought, suggest authors of a research letter in this week's issue of THE LANCET. Enterobacter sakazakii occasionally causes illness among premature babies and infants. In some previously described outbreaks, infant formula-contaminated during factory production or bottle preparation-was recog...Wanted: Help through the jungle of hospital care
...s and carers. The editorial cites a correspondence letter (p 2022) in this week's issue which states: "Experiencing the world of the inpatient was for us, the inpatient family, like landing on Mars", writes a mother describing her and her husband's perception of the 2-year journey of her young, chronically ...Animal model shows early promise for SARS vaccine
US authors of a research letter in this week's issue of THE LANCET highlight preliminary findings which could mark an important step in the development of a human vaccine for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). A genetically engineered vaccine was found to be effective in tri...WHO accused of huge HIV blunder
...r Human Rights based in Washington DC sent an open letter to the WHO and UNAIDS. It calls for more resources...pent on preventing infection by dirty needles. The letter says people should be educated about the dangers, and measures taken such as providing syringes that...No significant genetic difference in viruses responsible for two major Hong Kong SARS outbreaks
...ier this year is disputed by authors of a research letter inthis week's issue of THE LANCET. SARS is a global health concern. The apparent increased frequency ofdiarrhoea (73% compared with 20%), admission to intensive care (32% comparedwith 23%), and death (13% compared with 4%) among the Amoy Gardens outb...Nov/Dec 2003 Annals of Family Medicine tip sheet
...ues questions whether a simple care recommendation letter could improve the functional status of patients wi...tion in Primary Care A simple care recommendation letter identifying patients as having the diagnosis of somatization and providing recommendations for appro...Mental health of asylum seekers deteriorates with longer detention
US authors of a research letter in this week's issue of THE LANCET highlight how prolonged detention has a substantial negative impact on the mental health of asylum seekers. There are an estimated 5000 detained asylum seekers in the USA; they are often held in detention (forced to...Sun avoidance will not reduce cancer
...erall rates of cancer, claims a senior doctor in a letter to this week's BMJ. Recommending moderate exposure to the sun would be more prudent. Sun exposure is the main source of vitamin D, which reduces the risk of colon, breast, prostate, and other cancers, writes Professor Cedric Garland at the University...Fosrenol shows significant reduction in serum phosphate in Chinese end-stage kidney disease patients
...carbonate (FOSRENOL) Shire received an approvable letter for lanthanum carbonate on Feb. 28, 2003 from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The company also submitted the drug for regulatory review in the European Union and Canada. Shire has an exclusive worldwide license to develop, manufacture,...Potential low-cost options for monitoring HIV-1-infected children in less-developed countries
Authors of a research letter in this week's issue of THE LANCET highlight how assessment of total blood lymphocyte count and albumen concentrations could have potential as low-cost alternatives in assessing the disease status of HIV-1-infected children in less-developed countrie...Implanted stimulator for Parkinson's disease impairs cognitive function
...k, subjects were required to press a button when a letter appeared on a computer screen and not to push the button when they saw a number. When subjects saw many letters and very few numbers, their natural tendency was to continue pressing the button whether their stimulator was on or off. "When a number w...Physician organizations urge Secretary Thompson to defend NIH review process
...A) and the HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA) sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson calling on him to support the public health value of research and to defend the integrity of the peer-review process that funds federal research grants. While the level of government involvement ...Study suggests radiography unnecessary to identify TB in HIV pts in some settings
Authors of a research letter in this week's issue of THE LANCET provide evidence that counters UNAIDS/WHO guidelines with respect to preventive tuberculosis treatment for people with HIV-1 infection. Chest radiography-considered important by UNAIDS/WHO in screening out people wi...Addressing medical students as 'student doctors' may help quell patient fears
...t taking part in medical education, according to a letter to this week's BMJ. Surprisingly, patients tend to accept a trainee's presence in a consultation if they are addressed as student doctor or trainee doctor, as opposed to medical student, writes Dr Hany George El-Sayeh. This may be because of fears ab...