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Of mice and (bald)
men
PHILADELPHIA
— At long
last, stem cells responsible for hair growth have been
identified, giving balding men everywhere cause to rejoice.
Scientists have found that bald mice can grow hair after
they're implanted with 'blank slate' stem cells. The
findings, published online in Nature Biotechnology,
have huge implications because the cells isolated also
make other skin cells that could be used to treat burns.
Don't toss the toupee yet — it may be 10 years
before the treatment is put into practice.
So sue me
HOUSTON
— The DoctorsKnow.US website, which listed
the names of patients who've sued doctors for malpractice,
closed in March after five months of operation. There
were complaints that the site was nothing more than
a blacklist and a mean-spirited database. It was welcome
news to the patients on the list, some of whom were
having a hard time finding a doctor. It's also had an
effect on their TV career — one patient's appearance
on "Good Morning America" was cancelled after the producers
found out the website was no more.
Get off that wagon
BOSTON
— Moderate drinking has protective qualities
for people who have hypertension, according to a study
published in the March 22 issue of The Archives of
Internal Medicine. The researchers say that the
results are significant since some doctors tell their
hypertensive patients not to drink any alcohol. Dr J
Michael Gaziano, lead author of the study, cautions
against having more than two drinks per day, since this
can counteract the benefits.
In that case, I'll
have another ouzo
PIRAEUS,
GREECE — Coronary stenting patients should
drink up, say Greek researchers. Several past studies
have shown that moderate alcohol intake can reduce the
risk of death due to heart disease because of its effect
on blood fat and platelets. Now research published in
the April issue of Heart states that alcohol's
effect may actually be mediated in part by an anti-inflammatory
mechanism.
Don't be scarred,
little lamb
BRISBANE
— Australian researchers have pinpointed
a protein present in unborn lambs that could be developed
to prevent scarring in burn victims. The researchers
found that a small burn inflicted under anesthetic on
lamb fetuses healed without a scar in about seven days
whereas similar burns scarred month-old lambs. Researchers
aren't releasing the name of the protein, also found
in humans, as they are looking to patent it. They hope
to develop a cream based on the protein.
"Step away from
the croutons, Dr Hope"
NOTTINGHAM,
UK — In an incident reminiscent of the 'Soup
Nazi' episode of Seinfeld, a brain surgeon at
Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham, UK has been disciplined
for helping himself to seconds of soup and croutons
at the hospital canteen. Apparently Dr Terence Hope
didn't pay for the extra servings and was suspended
in mid-March for the misdeed. He's since been reinstated,
but three of his brain operations had to be cancelled.
The British Medical Association described the incident
as "unprecedented."
Archaic bacteria
that just won't go away
GENEVA
— To mark World TB Day (March 24), the WHO
has released a report hailing the success of its Direct
Observation of Treatments (DOTS) scheme. In place for
10 years in 180 countries, it's had an 85% treatment
rate. But there's some rain on the parade: Médecins
sans FrontiÅres says testing methods, around since
the 19th century, need to be overhauled. Also, the AIDS
epidemic is helping to drive TB infections. TB kills
two million a year.
Wrap them in swaddling
clothes
BRISTOL,
UK — As we thaw after a long winter, research
emerges that babies born in cold weather are at higher
risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) in later life.
A study in the April issue of Heart of 4,286
British women found this result among those born in
the coldest month of the year. The researchers aren't
sure if the change occurs before or after birth, but
they speculate it could have something to do with fat
retention due to the cold weather.
Fits to a T
TORONTO
— Researchers from the University of Toronto
say they've discovered a way to grow a limitless amount
of T-cells in the lab by using embryonic stem cells
in mice. The technique could be used one day to replenish
depleted supplies of T-cells in cancer and HIV patients
when applied to human embryonic stem cells, but researchers
don't yet know how to carry this out. The study was
published online on March 21 in the journal Nature
Immunology.
The green light from on high
VANCOUVER
— Health Canada is planning to allow participating
pharmacies in BC to stock and sell government-certified
marijuana to approved patients without a doctor's prescription
later this year. There are now 78 users in Canada buying
Health Canada marijuana, who currently get their 30g
baggies sent directly to them or their doctors' offices
by courier. The pilot project, modelled after a one-year-old
program in the Netherlands, could increase the number
of authorized users — in a big way.
Doctor Dudley Do-rights
LONDON
— Trust for UK doctors is at a 20-year high
— no less than 92% of Britons surveyed said they
trust docs to tell them the truth. According to the
annual poll that looks at trust in the professions,
87% believe doctors are hardworking, 85% say they're
committed and 83% report they're helpful. Teachers come
in second earning 89% trust and professors get the bronze
with 80%. Journalists beat out politicians (22%) as
the least trusted at 20%.
The case of the killer curry
LONDON
— The UK's favourite dish, chicken tikka
masala, has been found to have illegal levels of potentially
dangerous food colouring additives. The three chemicals
— tartrazine (E102), sunset yellow (E110) and ponceau
4R (E124) — have been linked to hyperactivity in
children, allergies, asthma, migraines and even cancer.
Consumer watchdogs have found that 58 out of the 102
Indian restaurants surveyed have been serving the dish
with high levels of the chemicals.
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