WHSC News and 
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WHSC News Releases for July


July 31, 2002 Menopause Is A Normal Stage of Life; HRT Is Not Recommended to Prevent Heart Disease in Women, Says NIH International Expert Panel Headed by Emory Cardiologist
Most women today live long enough to become menopausal, and because they do, menopause should not be treated as a disease, but rather a normal physiologic event in a woman's life that offers physicians the opportunity to assess a woman's health and her need for health promotion and disease prevention measures, according to Nanette K. Wenger, M.D., professor of medicine in the Division of Cardiology at the Emory University School of Medicine, and chief of cardiology at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta.
FULL STORY

July 29, 2002 Emory Cardiologist Says Use The News To Take Control Of Your Heart Health
Are you a young person who thought you didn't have to worry about heart attacks for another 20 years -- until you heard the recent news that the American Heart Association (AHA) is now advising physicians to routinely evaluate the risk of heart attack and stroke in patients as young as 20? Or are you a woman going through menopause who believed taking daily pills containing hormone replacement therapy (HRT) would protect you from heart disease -- until research was announced declaring that it might increase your risk instead?
FULL STORY

July 26, 2002 Electronic Textbook Brings Fundamentals of Epidemiology to Life
Emory University epidemiologist David Kleinbaum, PhD, is introducing a new tool to teach the fundamentals of epidemiology. With the help of Data Description Inc., an educational multimedia development firm, Dr. Kleinbaum designed ActivEpi, the first interactive electronic textbook for epidemiology.
FULL STORY

July 25, 2002 Rebecca D. Pentz, Ph.D., Named to American Society of Clinical Oncology Ethics Committee
Rebecca D. Pentz, Ph.D., Professor of Hematology and Oncology Research Ethics at The Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University, recently was appointed to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Ethics Committee. Dr. Pentz received a recommendation for committee membership from Charles Bach, M.D., executive vice president and chief executive officer of ASCO.
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July 25, 2002 Emory Physician Recognized As Outstanding Young Public Health Researcher
Debra Houry, M.D., M.P.H., assistant professor, Emory University Department of Emergency Medicine, will be honored with the 2002 Jay Drotman Award from the American Public Health Association (APHA). The highly competitive award recognizes an outstanding young public health researcher under 30 years of age who has demonstrated potential in the health field by challenging traditional public health policy or practice in a creative and positive manner.
FULL STORY

July 25, 2002 Fadlo Raja Khuri, MD, Joins Winship Cancer Institute Faculty
Fadlo Raja Khuri, MD, has been named Associate Director for Clinical and Translational Research for The Winship Cancer Institute (WCI) at Emory University.
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July 25, 2002 Atlanta V.A. Medical Center Cancer Program Earns National Approval
The Atlanta Veteran Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) recently received accreditation from the American College of Surgeons (ACoS) as an approved cancer program. All approved programs must meet the standards set by the ACoS Committee on Approvals to ensure that they provide patients with a full range of diagnostic, treatment and supportive services either on-site or by referral.
FULL STORY

July 25, 2002 Casilda Balmaceda Joins Winship Faculty
Jonathon Simons, MD, Director of The Winship Cancer Institute (WCI) at Emory University, has announced the appointment of Casilda Balmaceda, MD, as Head of Neuro-Oncology.
FULL STORY

July 25, 2002 Researchers Discover Shift in Organisms Causing Early-Onset Sepsis in Low-Birth-Weight Infants
Although the overall rate of early-onset sepsis in low-birth-weight newborns has not changed significantly over the past decade, researchers have discovered a recent shift in the organisms responsible for the systemic infection — from primarily gram-positive bacteria to primarily gram-negative organisms, especially E. coli. The researchers, who believe further studies are needed to determine the reason for this change, consider it worrisome because of the high mortality rate associated with gram-negative infections. The study was reported in the July 25 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
FULL STORY

July 23, 2002 Emory Researchers Test the Effects of Valerian Root on Sleep Disturbances in Parkinson's Patients
Can the root of an "herbal compound" help improve sleep disturbances in patients suffering with Parkinson's disease (PD)? Emory researchers are taking a close look at this form of alternative medicine through a multi-million dollar grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
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July 23, 2002 Emory University's School of Public Health Welcomes New Chair of Epidemiology Department
Jack S. Mandel, PhD, MPH, has been named the new Rollins Professor and Chair of the Department of Epidemiology at Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health, effective August 1. Dr. Mandel also has a joint appointment in Emory's Winship Cancer Institute. He comes to Emory from Exponent, a nationally known consulting firm, where he served as group vice president of the Health/Epidemiology and Environmental Sciences Practices.
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July 19, 2002 Emory Brain Imaging Studies Reveal Biological Basis for Human Cooperation
Functional MRI scans have revealed a "biologically embedded" basis for altruistic behavior, with several characteristic regions of the brain being activated when players of a game called "Prisoner's Dilemma" decide to trust each other and cooperate, rather than betray each other for immediate gain, say researchers from Emory University. They report on their study in the July 18 issue of the journal Neuron, published by Cell Press.
FULL STORY

July 12, 2002 Alfred Brann, M.D., Leads New Low Birth Weight Program At Grady Memorial Hospital
A joint program being spearheaded by the Emory University departments of gynecology and obstetrics and pediatrics at Grady Memorial Hospital seeks to reduce the number of low-birth weight, premature infants in Georgia – especially those born year after year to the same at-risk women.
FULL STORY

July 12, 2002 'U.S. News' Ranks Emory Hospital Among Nation's Best Hospitals in Five Specialties
ATLANTA -- U.S. News & World Report has named Emory University Hospital one of America's Best Hospitals in five medical specialties including cardiology, where Emory is again included in the top 10 for the 12th time since the magazine's Best Hospital rankings began in 1990.
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July 11, 2002 Lower Degrees of "Social Capital" Predict Higher Rates of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, According to Emory University Study
BARCELONA— The amount of trust, reciprocity and cooperation among community members working together to achieve common goals — referred to as "social capital" by behavioral scientists -- is a predictor of sexually transmitted infectious diseases and risky sexual behaviors, according to research by Emory University investigators. The investigators found that lower amounts of social capital were associated with higher rates of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, as well as with higher rates of risky adolescent sexual behaviors. The research was reported Thursday at the 14th International AIDS Conference in Barcelona, Spain.
FULL STORY

July 10, 2002 Although Gender Response to HIV Therapy is Similar, Women Experience More Side Effects, According to Emory University Study
BARCELONA -- In a study of men and women treated for HIV at an inner city U.S. clinic, investigators from the Emory University Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) found that although gender did not affect the response to HAART therapy (highly active anti-retroviral therapy), women suffered significantly more side effects. Results of the study will be presented Wednesday at the 14th International AIDS Conference in Barcelona, Spain.
FULL STORY

July 5, 2002 Emory Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) Investigators Join Global Gathering at XIV International AIDS Conference
BARCELONA—A group of more than 20 scientists and clinicians from the Emory Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) will join 15,000 delegates from around the world at the XIV International AIDS Conference in Barcelona, Spain from July 7 through 12. The conference which occurs every other year, includes leading scientists and clinicians, health care workers, public health agencies, people living with AIDS, politicians, and the media.
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July 3, 2002 New Research: Hormone Replacement Therapy Doesn't Protect Hearts, Does Increase Risk for Blood Clots and Gallbladder Disease
Women with heart disease going through menopause who are taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in hopes of preventing future coronary problems will not take heart in new research reported in the July 3rd issue of JAMA (the Journal of the American Medical Association).
FULL STORY

July 2, 2002 Retiree Drug Costs Will Remain Steep Under House Plan, Emory Study Shows
Contrary to widespread expectations of substantial relief in the offing, Medicare beneficiaries, overall, will still have to pay 70 percent of the costs of their prescription drugs under the terms of the Medicare drug plan passed by the House of Representatives on June 28.
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July 2, 2002 Brain Cell Death in Huntington's Disease: Emory Researchers Study the Causes
Huntington's disease (HD) is a hereditary disorder of the central nervous system that develops in adulthood and can cause of a wide range of symptoms. A faulty gene which produces a protein called huntingtin causes HD. That faulty gene leads to damage of the brain cells or neurons, then gradual physical, mental and emotional changes follow.
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July 1, 2002 Emory Center On Health Outcomes and Quality Measures Rate of Hospitalizations During Pregnancy
Emory University researchers have concluded that nearly nine percent of women are hospitalized during their pregnancy with the majority of hospitalizations more common among younger women, women with multiple gestations, and women in the Northeastern United States. The findings will be being published in the July 1 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
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