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Before 1/09/2006

Pair find hope for arthritis, heart attack, stroke relief in unique receptor

The fact that arthritis pain and inflammation regularly comes and goes despite drug and other interventions "suggests that additional pathways can rekindle arthritic responses," according to researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. Karin Westlund and Terry McNearney, who have been collaborating for almost 10 years, study among other things how the nervous system interacts with peripheral tissues. Working with Burgess Christensen, the lead author of a new paper, and others at UTMB, the team studied the physiology of pain, inflammation and neuroimmune responses in various forms of arthritis, where the pH of joint synovial fluid can be as low as 6, well below normal physiological levels. More

Hormone patch may increase sexual desire in postmenopausal women

A testosterone patch may produce modest increases in sexual desire and frequency of satisfying sexual experiences in women who develop distressful, low sexual desire following hysterectomy and removal of the fallopian tubes and ovaries, according to a study in a recent issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. More

Vitamin D supplements and bone mineral density in black women

Vitamin D supplementation did not appear to prevent bone loss in postmenopausal black women, according to a study in a recent issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. More

Before 12/06/2005

UTMB researchers close in on Alzheimer’s

Risk of breast cancer with HRT may be lower than we think

A woman’s risk of developing breast cancer while taking hormone replacement therapy may be lower than we think, suggest researchers in a recent issue of the British Medical Journal. The research team, based at the New South Wales Breast Cancer Institute, used the latest data to estimate a woman’s individual risk of breast cancer up to age 79 years in relation to hormone replacement therapy. This is known as the cumulative absolute risk. Until now, only population risk data have been available, so this analysis will help doctors weigh the benefits and harms of treatment more accurately. More

Researchers identify core traits strongly linked to eating disorders

An international team of researchers led by investigators at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine has identified six core traits that appear to be linked to genes associated with two common eating disorders: anorexia and bulimia nervosa. Approximately 10 million females and 1 million males nationwide are affected by either anorexia or bulimia. More

Before 11/15/2005

UTMB researchers link gastrin hormone to body weight, insulin levels and colon cancer

For the first time, researchers at UTMB, led by Center fellow Dr. Pomila Singh, left, have linked the hormone gastrin to the body’s ability to maintain normal weight and normal insulin levels. In experiments conducted on mice, the UTMB researchers found that removing gastrin production triggered obesity, insulin resistance and metabolic changes that — in turn — increased the risk of colon cancer in the animals. The discoveries likely will have wide implications for clinical research on obesity, colon cancer and metabolism. More

Phytochemicals may protect cartilage, prevent pain in joints

Johns Hopkins researchers have discovered that plant-derived compounds known for their ability to protect tissue also appear to block the activity of an enzyme that triggers inflammation in joints. Their findings, based on experiments with human cells in a lab, could lead to new arthritis treatments and better methods of making artificial cartilage. More

Breast cancer patients turn to reflexology for comfort

Researchers at Michigan State University are finding that many women who are receiving chemotherapy while in the late stages of breast cancer are turning to a complementary therapy known as reflexology to help them cope. More

Researchers make stem cell breakthrough

In a breakthrough with great significance for the use of stem cells in central nervous system therapies, researchers at UTMB have found a way to make the majority of human fetal stem cells implanted into rat brains and spinal cords develop into neurons. More

Lung cancer differences between women and men abound

The recent death of longtime ABC News anchor Peter Jennings and the acknowledgement of actress Dana Reeve, widow of "Superman" Christopher Reeve, that she has lung cancer present an opportunity to remind women and men that lung cancer is the number one cancer killer of both sexes. It is also important to note the differences between women and men in lung cancer, according to the Society for Women's Health Research. More

Some women have hot flashes, others don't

Hot flashes are well known to most menopausal women—and to many who are in perimenopause, the transition to menopause. Hot flashes tend to come on suddenly and last from one to five minutes; they can range in severity from fleeting warmth to a feeling of being on fire. The August issue of Harvard Women’s Health Watch explores why women experience this symptom differently, and why some don’t experience it at all. More

Teen girls may have heart protection against stress

Girls ages 16-18 years may have a secret to healthy hearts according to new research presented today at ISHIB2005. Before and after participating in stress-producing activities, male and female teenagers were measured for blood pressure levels. Females showed less of an increase in systolic blood pressure (SBP) than their male counterparts. More

Before 8/30/2005

UTMB grant from NIH promotes rethinking about diet

Despite research proof that high fat intake is a cause of high blood pressure, high blood sugar and high cholesterol, African Americans and Latinos often continue to follow familiar eating patterns learned from previous generations. But UTMB researchers and St. Vincent's House representatives are working to change this. With funding from a National Institutes of Health grant, they’re attempting to persuade residents of the community to rethink their long-held approaches to food. More

Balance of essential fats may prevent bone loss after menopause

Maintaining a proper balance of dietary fats may ward off much of the bone loss associated with post-menopausal osteoporosis, according to a recent study by scientists at Purdue University and the Indiana University School of Medicine. More

Sex differences in stroke recovery

This study, published in Preventing Chronic Disease (online July 2005) examined differences between men and women in the ability to perform basic activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, and higher physical functioning after stroke. In 459 stroke patients from acute and subacute facilities in an urban midwestern community, the study found lower recovery of activities of daily living and physical functioning in women after stroke. This may be due to multifactorial effects of older age, poor physical function prior to stroke onset, and depressive status after stroke. More

Ultrasound technique could reduce number of diagnostic procedures for breast lumps
“Streaming detection” ultrasound accurately differentiated fluid-filled cysts from solid masses in a recent pilot study and has the potential to reduce the number of cyst aspirations and imaging follow-ups for breast masses that are indeterminate at conventional ultrasound, say researchers from Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC. More

Before 7/19/2005

Exercise helps frail elders gain mobility

Even 94-year-old shut-ins can benefit from exercise, according to the preliminary results of a study by a researcher at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. In the first phase of the study, a group of 10 mobility-impaired elderly subjects nearly doubled the distance they could walk as well as their gait speed during a 12-week period. More

Time, money, information are keys to women's physical and emotional wellness

For American women, being healthy is far more than getting a good checkup or being disease-free. According to "Women Talk," the first annual national women's health survey from the National Women's Health Resource Center (NWHRC), being healthy means both physical and emotional wellness and having a healthy family. In fact, the survey's findings strongly suggest that women place a greater priority on the health of their family than their own personal health. More

Physician recommendations could help increase number of Pap tests in U.S.

The CDC analyzed data from the 2000 National Health Interview Survey to determine if women in the United States had received a physician recommendation to get a Pap test. Study findings show that among women who had visited a doctor in the last year, but who had not had a recent Pap test, about 87 percent reported that their doctor had not recommended a Pap test in the last year. They cited this lack of a physician recommendation as a leading reason for not having the test in the last year. Other reported reasons for not receiving a Pap test included "no reason/never thought about it," "didn't know I needed this type of test," "put it off," "too expensive/no insurance," and "don't have doctor." More

Older couples are better at picking their battles
Older people are less likely than younger people to react aggressively when problems come up in their relationships, University of Michigan research shows. "Older people appear better able than younger people to pick their battles," said Kira Birditt, a researcher at the U-M Institute for Social Research (ISR), the world's largest academic survey and research organization. "When they're upset with others, older people are more likely to do nothing or to wait and see if things improve. Younger people, on the other hand, are more likely to argue and yell." More

Before 6/10/2005

When parent has a bad day, the child may have one too

Had a blue Monday? Don't be surprised if your child misbehaves on Tuesday. A new study finds that the day after a mom acts angry or sad in front of her kids, they're more likely to be defiant and inattentive. The best way to stop a chain reaction: "Admit that you're cranky or having a bad day, and then explain how you're going to deal with it," says Dr. Susan Rosenthal, a pediatric psychologist at UTMB and fellow in the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Women's Health. More

Testosterone patch will test FDA's decision-making
The Food and Drug Administration has granted a fast track review of testosterone patches for women with low sex drive, despite concerns about insufficient data and potentially misleading marketing by their manufacturer Proctor & Gamble, claim two articles. More

Surgeon general's report encourages promotion of bone health

Pardee Foundation pledges $150,000 to cervical cancer research

The Elsa U. Pardee Foundation has pledged $150,000 to support the research of a UTMB faculty member and CIRWH fellow who is seeking to develop a more effective and less invasive screening for cervical cancer. Dr. Concepcion Diaz-Arrastia, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology, hopes a few drops of blood from a woman’s finger will reveal signs of potential cervical cancer development.  More

Genetic variant may cause women to have MS more than men