FYI: December 13, 2007
UCSF PRINT AND ONLINE COVERAGE
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Epilepsy Drug to Get Stronger Warning (<cite>Wall Street Journal</cite>)
The Wall Street Journal reports: "The Food and Drug Administration strengthened warnings on certain drugs used to treat epilepsy, bipolar disorder and nerve pain, discussing the possibility of rare skin disorders and recommending that patients with Asian ancestry undergo genetic testing before using the drugs." Dr. Robert Nussbaum, chief of medical genetics at the University of California at San Francisco, talks to The Journal about genetic testing.</li>
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'Brain gym' may exorcise Boomers' fears about aging (<cite>San Francisco Chronicle - Online</cite>)
The Chronicle reports: "Lisa Schoonerman and her life partner, Jan Zivic, have opened a 'brain gym,' called vibrantBrains, on Sacramento Street in San Francisco. 'Studies show that regular mental workouts are WD-40 for the brain,' Schoonerman said. ...Since the early '90s, studies like those of Dr. Michael Merzenich - of UCSF's Center for Integrative Neurosciences -- revealed the brain's plasticity, which means that it continually adapts. On the heels of such studies, the market for cognitive-training products emerged."</li>
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Internationally Recognized Diabetes and Atherosclerosis Researchers Join the Methodist Hospital Rese (<cite>News Blaze</cite>)
Newswise reports: "Dr. Willa Hsueh, from the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Medicine, and Dr. John D. Baxter, from the University of California, San Francisco, will bring their diabetes and cardiovascular research expertise and their teams to The Methodist Hospital Research Institute and The Methodist Hospital's Department of Medicine."</li>
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Hearing Aids can help Hearing Loss related Depression Posted (<cite>Article Dashboard.com</cite>)
An article posted on news aggregator "Article Dashboard" reports: "Listening and communication enhancement (LACE) was developed by leading audiologists at the University of California at San Francisco to improve listening and communication skills in those who are suffering from hearing loss. LACE is an interactive computerized training program designed to assist those suffering from hearing loss by helping them to adapt strategies for compensating when their current level of hearing is inadequate."</li>
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1st face transplant patient makes progress (<cite>Los Angeles Times</cite>)
"Isabelle Dinoire of France received a new nose, chin and lips in 2005. Her improvement -- she can manage a slight smile -- may boost the prospects for future transplant patients." reports the LA Times. "Dr. David M. Young, assistant professor of plastic surgery at UC San Francisco, who has been drawing up plans for a face transplant, said the French medical team 'has beaten the odds.'"</li>
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Hold the Chemicals, Bring On the Needles (<cite>New York Times</cite>)
The Times reports: "Cosmetic acupuncture has caught the attention of increasing numbers of women who want to slow signs of aging, but don’t want to undergo surgery or to inject chemicals." Dr. Richard G. Glogau, a clinical professor of dermatology at University of California, San Francisco, is quoted.</li>
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Incontinence will strike one in four adults (<cite>CTV Television Network.com -- Canada</cite>)
The Associated Press reports: "One in four U.S. adults will experience incontinence at some point, a surprisingly high toll, and the condition is so embarrassing that many suffer silently, a government panel said Wednesday." Dr. C. Seth Landefeld, geriatrics chief at the University of California, San Francisco, who led the panel, is quoted.</li>
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5 local scientists get slice of stem cell research pie (<cite>SignOnSanDiego</cite>)
The San Diego Union Tribune reports: "The state stem cell institute yesterday awarded a total of $13.2 million in grants to five San Diego scientists to help fund five years of research." UCSF is mentioned.</li>
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UCSF TELEVISION COVERAGE
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Congress Seeks More Data On Veterans' Suicide (<cite>CBS 5 Eyewitness News At 6 PM -- KPIX San Francisco</cite>)
The AP reports: "The parents of an Iraq war veteran who committed suicide and members of Congress on Wednesday questioned why there's not a comprehensive tracking system of suicide among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans." Karen Seal MD, UCSF VA Medical Center, tells CBS 5 that "National Guard members and Reservists are more likely to have mental health disorders... than enlisted or active duty soldiers." -- Air Time: 6 PM</li>
<li>Drug cure for addiction (<cite>FOX NEWS National -- Morning Show with Mike & Juliet</cite>)
Dr. Lori Karan, MD, in the department of psychiatry at UCSF, was interviewed on FOX News this morning about the addiction drug Prometa, marketed by Hythiam, that costs $15,000, has not received FDA approval and professes to be a "miracle cure" for treating meth, heroine, cocaine and alcohol addiction. Dr. Karan explains how the drug interacts with the body and discusses the drug's effectiveness. FOX News reporter: "And a drug development researcher with the University of California, San Francisco, Dr. Lori Karan. Let's start with you, please, in layman's term, why if you mix these three FDA-approved drugs [the Prometa cocktail] and inject it into our bloodstream why does that help stop meth addiction? Dr. Karan: "It turns out that one of the main problems in substance dependence is lack of function in the GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid ) system. Gamma amino acid is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter system in the brain. It's like the brakes, and each person is born with a different amount of genetic braking tone. Some people get Ford F-350 brakes, some end up with Fiat brakes. What happens is, people using can stop. They use, and they can stop. At certain point it gets harder to stop, and that's actually when most people quit. But for people who keep going, eventually it's like they can't stop. When the limbic part of the brain that motivates them to eat, sleep, have sex, go, keep using; the front part says stop, but they're not able to get it done. Unique pharmacologic action of the medical part of the Prometa treatment program works on the GABA system helping to restore dysfunctional GABA(A) alpha." Mike: stops your craving. Juliet: you have been using this on patients, people are calling it the miracle cure, would you call it a miracle? Dr. Karan: "I would say that the treatment is, some people call it a miracle for themselves. I, personally, would never use the word ‘cure’ and I think it's very important to understand that no matter how good the biologic intervention may be, if it's not coupled with psychologic, social, spiritual and nutritional changes, people are not going to have the best chance to not die from substance abuse." -- Air Time: 9 AM</li>
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UCSF HEADLINES
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Wanted: Donations to the San Francisco Food Bank (<cite>UCSF Today</cite>)
UCSF Today reports: "Faculty and staff are encouraged to bring in canned foods and staples such as beans, rice and pasta to help put food on the table for San Francisco’s hungry."</li>
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