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Independent Panel Evaluates Potential Health Risks of
Bisphenol A — July 30, 2007
7/30/2007
An independent panel of scientists convened by
the Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction (CERHR)
of the National Toxicology Program (NTP) will review recent scientific
data and expects to reach conclusions regarding whether or not
exposure to a widely used chemical, Bisphenol A (BPA) is hazardous
to human development or reproduction. The NTP is located in Research
Triangle Park, North Carolina, at the National Institutes of Environmental
Health Sciences (NIEHS), one of the National Institutes of Health.
After a Decades-Long Search, Scientists Identify New Genetic Risk Factors for Multiple Sclerosis — July 29, 2007
7/30/2007
A pair of large-scale genetic studies supported by the National
Institutes of Health has revealed two genes that influence the
risk of getting multiple sclerosis (MS) — data sought since
the discovery of the only other known MS susceptibility gene decades
ago. The findings could shed new light on what causes MS — a
puzzling mix of genes, environment and immunity — and on
potential treatments for at least 350,000 Americans who have the
disease.
Mouse Genome Will Help Identify Causes of Environmental
Disease — July 29, 2007
7/30/2007
Research on the DNA of 15 mouse strains commonly used in biomedical
studies is expected to help scientists determine the genes related
to susceptibility to environmental disease. The body of data is now
publicly available in a catalog of genetic variants, which displays
the data as a mouse haplotype map, a tool that separates chromosomes
in to many small segments, helping researchers find genes and genetic
variations in mice that may affect health and disease. The haplotype
map appearing online in the July 29th issue of Nature is
the first published full descriptive analysis of the “Mouse Genome
Resequencing and SNP Discovery Project” conducted by the National
Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National
Institutes of Health.
NCCAM Names Jean H. McKay Director of the Office of Policy, Planning, and Evaluation — July 26, 2007
7/26/2007
Jean H. McKay, M.L.S. was selected as director for the Office of Policy, Planning, and Evaluation within the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Ms. McKay will serve as senior advisor to NCCAM's director on science, science policy, and other strategic issues, as well as oversee the planning, evaluation, and reporting activities for the Center.
NIHSeniorHealth Offers Tips on How to Talk with Your Doctor — July 26, 2007
7/26/2007
How do you talk about a sensitive subject with your doctor? What if you forget to ask an important question? What if you feel rushed during your visit? How can you get the most out of your visit with your health care provider? Being able to communicate openly, comfortably and assertively with your doctor can help you make good health decisions and stay well. But some older people shy away from this approach and hesitate to ask questions or take the doctor’s time.
New NIH-Supported Study Characterizes Social Networks of Family, Friends Influencing Obesity — July 25, 2007
7/26/2007
People wondering about excessive weight gain might look to their relationships with family and friends for one clue, suggests new research reported July 26, 2007, in The New England Journal of Medicine. The study showed that obesity spreads within social networks and that the closer the social connection — even if people live in different households many miles apart — the greater the influence on developing obesity. The study, funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is the first to provide a detailed picture of the social networks involved in obesity and could prove useful in developing both clinical and public health interventions for obesity.
NCCAM Names Jean H. McKay Director of the Office of Policy, Planning, and Evaluation — July 26, 2007
7/26/2007
Jean H. McKay, M.L.S. was selected as director for the Office of Policy, Planning, and Evaluation within the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Ms. McKay will serve as senior advisor to NCCAM's director on science, science policy, and other strategic issues, as well as oversee the planning, evaluation, and reporting activities for the Center.
NIHSeniorHealth Offers Tips on How to Talk with Your Doctor — July 26, 2007
7/26/2007
How do you talk about a sensitive subject with your doctor? What if you forget to ask an important question? What if you feel rushed during your visit? How can you get the most out of your visit with your health care provider? Being able to communicate openly, comfortably and assertively with your doctor can help you make good health decisions and stay well. But some older people shy away from this approach and hesitate to ask questions or take the doctor’s time.
New NIH-Supported Study Characterizes Social Networks of Family, Friends Influencing Obesity — July 25, 2007
7/26/2007
People wondering about excessive weight gain might look to their relationships with family and friends for one clue, suggests new research reported July 26, 2007, in The New England Journal of Medicine. The study showed that obesity spreads within social networks and that the closer the social connection — even if people live in different households many miles apart — the greater the influence on developing obesity. The study, funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is the first to provide a detailed picture of the social networks involved in obesity and could prove useful in developing both clinical and public health interventions for obesity.
Treating HIV-Infected Infants Early Helps Them Live Longer — July 25, 2007
7/25/2007
Hundreds of thousands of babies around the world are born each year with HIV — more than half a million in 2006 alone. Caring for these children is complicated by the fact that their immune systems are not fully developed in the first year of life, which makes them especially susceptible to rapid HIV disease progression and death.
Treating HIV-Infected Infants Early Helps Them Live Longer — July 25, 2007
7/25/2007
Hundreds of thousands of babies around the world are born each year with HIV — more than half a million in 2006 alone. Caring for these children is complicated by the fact that their immune systems are not fully developed in the first year of life, which makes them especially susceptible to rapid HIV disease progression and death.
Faster-Acting Antidepressants Closer to Becoming a Reality — July 24, 2007
7/24/2007
A new study has revealed more about how the medication ketamine, when used experimentally for depression, relieves symptoms of the disorder in hours instead of the weeks or months it takes for current antidepressants to work. While ketamine itself probably won’t come into use as an antidepressant because of its side effects, the new finding moves scientists considerably closer to understanding how to develop faster-acting antidepressant medications – among the priorities of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), part of the National Institutes of Health.
NCRR Launches National Network to Connect Investigators Based at Minority Institutions — July 24, 2007
7/24/2007
The National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), announced today it will initially provide $9.5 million over three years to launch a Translational Research Network that will increase the opportunity for multi-site clinical and translational research among minority and other collaborating institutions throughout the nation. Investigators at these institutions are focused on cancer, diabetes, renal disease, infant mortality, HIV/AIDS, and cardiovascular diseases, diseases that disproportionately affect minority populations.
Novel Approach Targets an Inherited Disorder — July 23, 2007
7/24/2007
Using a quantitative high-throughput screening strategy, researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have identified three new classes of small molecules that may prove useful for treating Gaucher disease, an inherited disorder that disrupts a cell’s ability to break down and dispose of certain cellular waste products. The findings, reported in the online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences during the week of July 23-27, could lead to a new therapeutic approach in which a defective enzyme is corrected by an easy-to-take oral medication.
NCRR Launches National Network to Connect Investigators Based at Minority Institutions — July 24, 2007
7/24/2007
The National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), announced today it will initially provide $9.5 million over three years to launch a Translational Research Network that will increase the opportunity for multi-site clinical and translational research among minority and other collaborating institutions throughout the nation. Investigators at these institutions are focused on cancer, diabetes, renal disease, infant mortality, HIV/AIDS, and cardiovascular diseases, diseases that disproportionately affect minority populations.
New Director to Advance NIGMS Computational Biology Efforts — July 23, 2007
7/23/2007
Karin Remington, Ph.D., a leader in genomics research and the development of computational tools, today begins her new position as director of the Center for Bioinfomatics and Computational Biology (CBCB) at the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Framingham Observational Study Notes Greater Incidence of Metabolic Syndrome Among Adults Consuming Soft Drinks — July 23, 2007
7/23/2007
Middle-aged adults who drank more than one soft drink daily, either diet or regular, have a more than 40 percent greater rate of either having or developing metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions that increase the risk for heart disease, according to new data from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health.
Award-Winning NIH Administrator Appointed Deputy Director at National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities — July 23, 2007
7/23/2007
Joyce A. Hunter, Ph.D., a cardiovascular physiologist and award-winning administrator at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will serve as deputy director, National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD), NIH.
New Director to Advance NIGMS Computational Biology Efforts — July 23, 2007
7/23/2007
Karin Remington, Ph.D., a leader in genomics research and the development of computational tools, today begins her new position as director of the Center for Bioinfomatics and Computational Biology (CBCB) at the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Improvement Following ADHD Treatment Sustained in Most Children — July 20, 2007
7/20/2007
Most children treated in a variety of ways for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/healthinformation/adhdmenu.cfm) showed sustained improvement after three years in a major follow-up study funded by the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
Improvement Following ADHD Treatment Sustained in Most Children — July 20, 2007
7/20/2007
Most children treated in a variety of ways for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/healthinformation/adhdmenu.cfm) showed sustained improvement after three years in a major follow-up study funded by the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
First Genome-Wide Study of Infectious Disease Opens New Avenues for HIV Treatment, Vaccines — July 19, 2007
7/19/2007
The first genome-wide association study of an infectious disease, conducted by an international group of researchers through the Center for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Immunology (CHAVI), has yielded a new understanding of why some people can suppress virus levels following HIV infection.
First Genome-Wide Study of Infectious Disease Opens New Avenues for HIV Treatment, Vaccines — July 19, 2007
7/19/2007
The first genome-wide association study of an infectious disease, conducted by an international group of researchers through the Center for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Immunology (CHAVI), has yielded a new understanding of why some people can suppress virus levels following HIV infection.
Nature’s Secrets Yield New Adhesive Material — July 18, 2007
7/18/2007
Scientists report they have merged two of nature’s most elegant strategies for wet and dry adhesion to produce a synthetic material that one day could lead to more durable and longer-lasting bandages, patches, and surgical materials. As published in this week’s issue of the journal Nature, the scientists, supported by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), part of the National Institutes of Health, have designed a synthetic material that starts with the dry adhesive properties of the gecko lizard and supplements it with the underwater adhesive properties of a mussel. .
Nature’s Secrets Yield New Adhesive Material — July 18, 2007
7/18/2007
Scientists report they have merged two of nature’s most elegant strategies for wet and dry adhesion to produce a synthetic material that one day could lead to more durable and longer-lasting bandages, patches, and surgical materials. As published in this week’s issue of the journal Nature, the scientists, supported by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), part of the National Institutes of Health, have designed a synthetic material that starts with the dry adhesive properties of the gecko lizard and supplements it with the underwater adhesive properties of a mussel.
Ability to Listen to Two Things at Once Is Largely Inherited, Says Twin Study — July 17, 2007
7/17/2007
Your ability to listen to a phone message in one ear while a friend is talking into your other ear — and comprehend what both are saying — is an important communication skill that’s heavily influenced by your genes, say researchers of the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), one of the National Institutes of Health.
Ability to Listen to Two Things at Once Is Largely Inherited, Says Twin Study — July 17, 2007
7/17/2007
Your ability to listen to a phone message in one ear while a friend is talking into your other ear — and comprehend what both are saying — is an important communication skill that’s heavily influenced by your genes, say researchers of the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), one of the National Institutes of Health.
Increase in Percentage of Children Living With One or Two Working Parents, Percentage of Children Covered by Health Insurance Drops; Unmarried Birth Rate Increases - July 13, 2007
7/13/2007
Compared to national statistics for the previous year, there has been an increase in the percentage of children living with at least one working parent and the percentage of children living in households classified as food insecure has declined. High school students were more likely to have taken advanced academic courses and the percentage of young adults who completed high school has increased. The adolescent birth rate has dropped to a record low.
Increase in Percentage of Children Living With One or Two Working Parents, Percentage of Children Covered by Health Insurance Drops; Unmarried Birth Rate Increases - July 13, 2007
7/13/2007
Compared to national statistics for the previous year, there has been an increase in the percentage of children living with at least one working parent and the percentage of children living in households classified as food insecure has declined. High school students were more likely to have taken advanced academic courses and the percentage of young adults who completed high school has increased. The adolescent birth rate has dropped to a record low.
NIH Announces New Resource for Advancing Innovative Technologies Toward Commercialization - July 11, 2007
7/11/2007
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) launched today a new Web-based resource called NIH Pipeline to Partnerships (P2P), aimed at furthering the development of NIH’s licensed technologies and technologies funded through the NIH Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs.
NIEHS Researchers Identify Enzyme Critical in DNA Replication - July 5, 2007
7/5/2007
In this week’s issue of Science, researchers from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and Umeå University in Sweden report an important discovery about a critical new role that an enzyme called DNA polymerase epsilon plays in replicating DNA in higher organisms such as yeast and perhaps even humans.
News Advisory: NIH Hosts Cancer Health Disparities Summit 2007: Catalyzing Trans-disciplinary Regional Partnerships to Eliminate Cancer Health Disparities - July 3, 2007
7/5/2007
The annual Cancer Health Disparities Summit brings together some of the nation’s top researchers in the field of cancer health disparities. NIH grantees, health professionals, and community advocates from across the country will gather to discuss their research, successful program strategies, challenges, and accomplishments.
Human Antibodies that Block Human and Animal SARS Viruses Identified - July 2, 2007
7/3/2007
An international team of investigators has identified the first human antibodies that can neutralize different strains of the virus responsible for outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).
Alcohol Survey Reveals ‘Lost Decade’ Between Ages of Disorder Onset and Treatment - July 2, 2007
7/2/2007
At some time during their lives, more than 30 percent of U.S. adults surveyed in 2001-2002 had met current diagnostic criteria for an alcohol use disorder (AUD), according to an article in the current issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry. Many of those persons never received treatment, and many others did not receive treatment until well after AUD onset.
Violence in Schizophrenia Patients More Likely Among Those with Childhood Conduct Problems - July 2, 2007
7/2/2007
Some people with schizophrenia http://www.nimh.nih.gov/healthinformation/schizophreniamenu.cfm who become violent may do so for reasons unrelated to their current illness, according to a new study analyzing data from the Clinical Antipsychotic Trials for Intervention Effectiveness (CATIE) http://www.nimh.nih.gov/healthinformation/catie.cfm. CATIE was funded by the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). The study was published online on June 30, 2007, in the journal Law and Human Behavior.
The Cancer Genome Atlas Awards Funds for Technology Development - July 2, 2007
7/2/2007
As part of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) pilot project, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) today awarded eight two-year grants totaling $3.4 million to support the development of innovative technologies for exploring the genomic underpinnings of cancer.