Archive for November 2008

Antibiotics are one of the most important discoveries of modern medicine. However, indiscriminate usage can lead to the rise of antibiotics-resistant bacteria such as MRSA and VRE. Now, physicians are talking about infections due to the bacteria Acinetobacter baumannii, which has been steadily rising in the last three decades. Currently, multidrug resistant A. baumannii has been reported to be around 30%. Risk factors for infection with this bacteria include an extended hospitalization, advanced age, serious comorbid conditions, suppressed immune system, major trauma, invasive procedures (including catheters), and mechanical ventilation.

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Doctors are hoping the results of a new study led by Johns Hopkins University will pave the way for standardized noninvasive imaging of coronary arteries by using newer, more powerful CT scanners. Currently, angiograms are considered the gold standard for detecting blockage of arteries in the heart. However, angiograms (also called cardiac catheterization) are invasive procedures with many risks. CT scans, on the other hand, carry less risks and are noninvasive. Researchers have found that 3D scans produced by CT scanners can accurately pinpoint the size and location of blockages, but not nearly as well as a traditional angiograms. Additional studies will be needed to clarify exactly how this technology can be best used in the detection of coronary heart disease.

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News sources are reporting that lawmakers in Papua, one of Indonesia’s poorest provinces, are considering passing a law that would mandate certain “sexually aggressive” HIV-positive people be implanted with microchips so they can be better monitored. This would allow them to be easily prosecuted if they knowingly infect others, a provincial crime that carries a sentence of up to 6 months or a large fine. Prostitution and drug use are believed to be the major cause of HIV infection in Indonesia. In Papua, tribal rituals that encourage partner swapping, along with lack of education about STDs and condom use, are thought to be particular reasons for the high rate of HIV spread. Those who are against the bill say it’s a breach of human rights and support a focus on HIV/AIDS education instead.

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Scientists are debunking the belief that sperm with longer tails (and therefore are capable of producing more propulsion activity) are evolutionarily favored. New thinking suggests that because sperm are so small and relatively slow moving, they operate on very different hydrodynamic terms than we do at human size. Researchers say that it’s not only the size of the tail that matters, but also the size of the sperm’s head, which can produce a significant amount of drag that can slow them down. Therefore, just because a sperm has a large tail does not mean it can swim faster.

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Boston University researchers report that children of centenarians live longer than their counterparts, and with less risk of heart attacks, strokes, and diabetes. In a study published in the November issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, researchers found that offspring of centenarians had 78% lower risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack), an 83% lower risk of stroke, and an 86% lower risk of developing diabetes.

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The American Cancer Society kicked off their 33rd annual Great American Smoke Out yesterday in an effort to help smokers quit. The goal of the event is to get smokers to quit for one day, in hopes that the day will inspire them to remain smoke-free for good. Smoking is the major risk factor for lung cancer, the top killing cancer globally in both men and women. Studies have found by calling 1-800-Quit-Now, a free service in the US, a person’s chances of successfully quitting tobacco more than doubles.

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Exercise is known to reduce cancer risk. Just how and why is unclear. On the contrary, decreased sleep appears to be correlated with an increased risk of cancer, according to a new study presented this week at the American Association for Cancer Research’s annual research meeting. It is unclear why this is the case, but scientists found that among the women 65 and younger who engage in exercise, those who had less than 7 hours sleep a day had higher overall cancer risk, suggesting that much of the cancer-preventive benefit that might come from exercise could be undermined by lack of adequate sleep. Sleep, after all, is critical for general bodily repair and recovery.

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The journal Human Reproduction reports on a nationwide US study which has found that babies conceived through Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), such as in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection, have higher rates of birth defects. Compared to infants conceived without ART, the CDC study found that in pregnancies which resulted in single births, ART was linked to twice the risk of certain heart defects and cleft lips and more than four times the risk of some types of gastrointestinal defects. Although the relative risk of birth defects are still low, it is certainly a consideration for couples who choose to conceive with ART.

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A German woman became the mother of a new baby girl last week. What makes this story special is that baby Maja, named after the Roman goddess of fertility, was born as a result of the world’s first successful whole-ovary transplant. Susanne Butscher received her ovary from her sister, making Maja genetically her niece. The transplant procedure required microsurgery to connect the blood vessels to the ovary then positioning the ovary precisely so that eggs released from it could properly travel down the fallopian tube to be fertilized.

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A new study reported in the British Medical Journal finds that often overlooked over the counter remedies for irritable bowel syndrome are more effective than placebo. The study shows that ispaghula husk, antispasmodics (particularly hyoscine), and peppermint oil are all effective treatments for irritable bowel syndrome. The researchers, however, did not distinguish between constipation- and diarrhea-predominant IBS. The study authors stated that the advent of newer and more expensive drugs, these remedies are overlooked as potentially effective treatments.

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