SUMC in the News (08/21/07)

Press releases

Study provides hope that some transplant patients could live free of anti-rejection drugs, Packard/Stanford researchers say
People with organ transplants, resigned to a lifetime of anti-rejection drugs, may now have reason to hope for a respite, according to researchers at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital and Stanford.

Stanford study highlights cost-effective method of lowering heart disease risks
A new Stanford study shows that a case-management approach helped a diverse group of patients reduce their overall risk of heart disease by roughly 10 percent, and did so in a cost-effective way. The study was led by Randall Stafford, associate professor of medicine at the Stanford Prevention Research Center.

Print media coverage

New York Times, 08/21/07
Criticism of a gender theory, and a scientist under siege
This article discusses a controversial book about the biology of sexual orientation and gender written by J. Michael Bailey, a psychologist at Northwestern University. Ben Barres, professor of neurobiology, developmental biology and of neurology and neurological sciences, provides comment here.

Ronald Bracewell, 86, radio telescope pioneer, dies
Ronald Bracewell, professor emeritus of electrical engineering, died Aug. 12. His work led to advances in medical imaging.

Newsday (New York), 08/21/07
A different prescription for seniors
The American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association recently released a report recommending 30 minutes of exercise, five days a week. The guidelines also included a separate set of recommendations for seniors. William Haskell, professor of medicine, emeritus, provides comment in this article.

Asbury Park Press (Asbury Park, N.J.), 08/21/07
Carsickness easier to prevent than treat
Lisa Chamberlain, assistant professor of pediatrics at Packard Children's, discusses ways to prevent carsickness. The story originally appeared in USA Today.

Stamford Advocate (Stamford, Conn.), 08/21/07
Hormones seemed like the answer for Nancy Adams when hot flashes began... (No online version available)
This article discusses the confusion many women have over hormone therapy. A recent analysis of the federally funded Women's Health Initiative suggests that hormone therapy affects younger women differently than women age 60 and older. Marcia Stefanick, professor of medicine at the Stanford Prevention Research Center and chair of the national steering committee for the WHI study, provides comment here.

Hartford Courant (Hartford, Conn.), 08/21/07
Ghana trip opens eyes
This article discusses a 16-year-old's volunteer work in Ghana over the summer. The trip was organized by Unite for Sight, a nonprofit organization that helps the blind and homeless. The organization was founded by medical student Jennifer Staple, who is quoted here.

Tucson Citizen (Tucson, Ariz.), 08/20/07
Fast-food marketing tactics works well on kids
Asked to sample two identical foods from McDonald's, children in a Stanford/Packard Children's study preferred the taste of the version branded with the restaurant's familiar "Golden Arches" to one extracted from unmarked paper packaging. The study was led by Thomas Robinson, associate professor of pediatrics and of medicine and director of the Center for Healthy Weight at Packard Children's, who is quoted in this article. The study is also discussed in an editorial in the Las Vegas Sun.