Ruling, Reaction
According to the AP/Star, the court gave no reason for its ruling in a one-sentence order signed by Chief Justice Kay McFarland. "There could be various reasons the court decided not to hear the case at this point," Peter Brownlie, president and CEO of PPKM, said, adding, "We will be continuing our efforts to protect patients' privacy and their rights." Kline and Fox News both said they were happy with the ruling. "These motions were without legal basis and the decision is appropriate," Kline said (AP/Kansas City Star, 11/30).
"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
четверг, 28 июля 2011 г.
Kansas Supreme Court Declines Abortion Clinics' Request To Appoint Special Prosecutor, Seize Records Given To AG Kline
The Kansas Supreme Court on Thursday declined a request by two abortion clinics in the state to seize from state Attorney General Phill Kline (R) the medical records of 90 women and girls who underwent late-term abortions and appoint a special prosecutor to investigate whether Kline released the records to Bill O'Reilly of Fox News, the AP/Kansas City Star reports (Hanna, AP/Kansas City Star, 11/30). Kline in 2004 subpoenaed the records of the women and girls who in 2003 received late-term abortions at Comprehensive Health, which is operated by Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri in Overland Park, Kan., and Women's Health Care Services in Wichita, Kan., saying there is probable cause that each record contains evidence of a felony. The original subpoena asked that the records include each patient's name, medical history, birth control practices, psychological profile and sexual history and asked for the records of all women and girls who sought abortions at or after 22 weeks' gestation. The clinics in March 2005 filed a brief with the state Supreme Court requesting that the court block Kline's subpoena, and the court in February ruled that Kline can seek access to the records but that he must return to Shawnee County, Kan., District Court Judge Richard Anderson and present his reasons for seeking the subpoenas. Anderson turned over the records to Kline's office last month after removing information that would identify individuals. O'Reilly on Nov. 3 on his show, "The O'Reilly Factor," said he had obtained information from a source that physician George Tiller, who owns Women's Health Care Services, had performed late-term abortions on women because they were depressed (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 11/30).
четверг, 21 июля 2011 г.
Discovery Of Genetic Links To Age Of First Menstrual Period And Menopause
Newly identified gene variants associated with the age at which females experience their first menstrual period and the onset of menopause may help shed light on the prevention of breast and endometrial cancer, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease.
In a new study, researchers from Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), National Cancer Institute (NCI), and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT report that they have identified 10 genetic variants in two chromosomal regions associated with age at menarche (the first menstrual period), and 13 genetic variants in four chromosomal regions associated with age at natural menopause. The paper, "Genome-wide association studies identify loci associated with age at menarche and at natural menopause," was published online in Nature Genetics on May 17, 2009 (nature/ng/journal/vaop/ncurrent/index.html ).
Menarche and natural menopause are two important physiological events in a woman's life. An early onset of menarche and later menopause are well-established risk factors for the development of breast cancer and endometrial cancer, the researchers explain. On the other hand, early menopause increases risk of osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease.
Previous studies have suggested both menarche and menopause may be partially under genetic control. To identify common genetic variants influencing these states, the researchers analyzed more than 317,000 gene variants in a total of 17,438 women from the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and the Women's Genome Health Study (WGHS) based at BWH.
"At these newly identified loci, fine mapping or sequencing might lead to identification of the causal variants, and thus expand our knowledge of the underlying physiology and biological regulation of these traits," said lead author Chunyan He, who was a doctoral student in the HSPH Department of Epidemiology while conducting the research. "Insights into the genetic factors in?¬‚uencing the timing of menarche and natural menopause might shed light on normal reproductive function and the prevention of the diseases associated with these two traits."
Daniel Chasman, Director of Computational Biology in the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention at BWH, said: "The collaboration of the WGHS and the NHS represents a great example of how large cohorts with genome-wide data can complement each other. While only one locus reached near genome-wide significance in the NHS alone, the meta-analysis of combined data had much more statistical power and revealed a total of two loci for timing of menarche and four for timing of menopause." Chasman, also an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, added, "Of the loci for timing of menopause, three were already strong but not proven candidates in the NHS; these loci reached genome-wide significance in the WGHS alone, supplementing the meta-analysis by a second mode of validation through replication. The remaining locus, for timing of menopause, would not have been identified, even as a candidate, without the joint power of these two cohorts working together. Future collaborations will hopefully continue to leverage the combined power of the two cohorts for association studies directed at other clinical characteristics."
The NHS was begun in 1976 to investigate the potential long term consequences of the use of oral contraceptives. The studies were soon expanded to include diet and nutrition, in recognition of their roles in the development of chronic diseases. The research continues today with more than 116,000 women enrolled in the study.
The WGHS was announced in 2006 as a survey of genetic differences among 28,000 initially healthy American women who had already been tracked for over a decade for the development of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other common health disorders. Stored genetic samples from each participant undergo a fully confidential "genome-wide scan" evaluating more than 317,000 potential genetic differences.
"Genome-wide association studies identify loci associated with age at menarche and at natural menopause," Chunyan He, Peter Kraft, Constance Chen, Julie Buring, Guillaume Pare??, Susan Hankinson, Stephen Chanock, Paul Ridker, David Hunter, and Daniel Chasman, Nature Genetics, online May 17, 2009.
The Women's Genome Health Study (WGHS) is supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Cancer Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Foundation and the Fondation Leducq, with collaborative scientific support and funding for genotyping provided by Amgen. The Nurses' Health Study (NHS) is supported by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The NHS genome-wide association study was performed as part of the Cancer Genetic Markers of Susceptibility initiative of the NCI.
Source:
Christina Roache
Harvard School of Public Health
In a new study, researchers from Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), National Cancer Institute (NCI), and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT report that they have identified 10 genetic variants in two chromosomal regions associated with age at menarche (the first menstrual period), and 13 genetic variants in four chromosomal regions associated with age at natural menopause. The paper, "Genome-wide association studies identify loci associated with age at menarche and at natural menopause," was published online in Nature Genetics on May 17, 2009 (nature/ng/journal/vaop/ncurrent/index.html ).
Menarche and natural menopause are two important physiological events in a woman's life. An early onset of menarche and later menopause are well-established risk factors for the development of breast cancer and endometrial cancer, the researchers explain. On the other hand, early menopause increases risk of osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease.
Previous studies have suggested both menarche and menopause may be partially under genetic control. To identify common genetic variants influencing these states, the researchers analyzed more than 317,000 gene variants in a total of 17,438 women from the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and the Women's Genome Health Study (WGHS) based at BWH.
"At these newly identified loci, fine mapping or sequencing might lead to identification of the causal variants, and thus expand our knowledge of the underlying physiology and biological regulation of these traits," said lead author Chunyan He, who was a doctoral student in the HSPH Department of Epidemiology while conducting the research. "Insights into the genetic factors in?¬‚uencing the timing of menarche and natural menopause might shed light on normal reproductive function and the prevention of the diseases associated with these two traits."
Daniel Chasman, Director of Computational Biology in the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention at BWH, said: "The collaboration of the WGHS and the NHS represents a great example of how large cohorts with genome-wide data can complement each other. While only one locus reached near genome-wide significance in the NHS alone, the meta-analysis of combined data had much more statistical power and revealed a total of two loci for timing of menarche and four for timing of menopause." Chasman, also an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, added, "Of the loci for timing of menopause, three were already strong but not proven candidates in the NHS; these loci reached genome-wide significance in the WGHS alone, supplementing the meta-analysis by a second mode of validation through replication. The remaining locus, for timing of menopause, would not have been identified, even as a candidate, without the joint power of these two cohorts working together. Future collaborations will hopefully continue to leverage the combined power of the two cohorts for association studies directed at other clinical characteristics."
The NHS was begun in 1976 to investigate the potential long term consequences of the use of oral contraceptives. The studies were soon expanded to include diet and nutrition, in recognition of their roles in the development of chronic diseases. The research continues today with more than 116,000 women enrolled in the study.
The WGHS was announced in 2006 as a survey of genetic differences among 28,000 initially healthy American women who had already been tracked for over a decade for the development of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other common health disorders. Stored genetic samples from each participant undergo a fully confidential "genome-wide scan" evaluating more than 317,000 potential genetic differences.
"Genome-wide association studies identify loci associated with age at menarche and at natural menopause," Chunyan He, Peter Kraft, Constance Chen, Julie Buring, Guillaume Pare??, Susan Hankinson, Stephen Chanock, Paul Ridker, David Hunter, and Daniel Chasman, Nature Genetics, online May 17, 2009.
The Women's Genome Health Study (WGHS) is supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Cancer Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Foundation and the Fondation Leducq, with collaborative scientific support and funding for genotyping provided by Amgen. The Nurses' Health Study (NHS) is supported by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The NHS genome-wide association study was performed as part of the Cancer Genetic Markers of Susceptibility initiative of the NCI.
Source:
Christina Roache
Harvard School of Public Health
четверг, 14 июля 2011 г.
Arizona Senate Approves Bill To Permit Pharmacists To Refuse To Dispense Contraceptives for Moral, Religious Reasons
The Arizona Senate on Wednesday approved 17-11 a bill... (SB 1485) that would allow pharmacists, health professionals and anyone employed by a health professional to decline to dispense prescription contraceptives, including emergency contraception, or drugs prescribed for sterilization or abortion if they oppose their use for moral or religious reasons, the AP/Arizona Republic reports (AP/Arizona Republic, 4/6). Under the measure, which is sponsored by state Sen. Dean Martin (R), health professionals would have to state their moral objections in writing and would be exempt from any disciplinary action as a result of their refusal to provide certain services or medications. Current state law exempts health professionals from participating in abortion procedures if they are morally opposed, but the law does not explicitly apply to pharmacists (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 2/16). The state House voted 35-24 to approve the measure in February. The bill now goes to Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano (D), who supports abortion rights and believes the bill is a "way to deny legal drugs to consumers," according to the AP/Republic. "You can safely say I view a refusal-to-sell bill with great skepticism," Napolitano said (AP/Arizona Republic, 4/6).
"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at www.kaisernetwork/dailyreports/repro The Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at www.kaisernetwork/dailyreports/repro The Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
четверг, 7 июля 2011 г.
Study Focuses On Ancestral Origin Of Placenta
Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have uncovered the first clues about the ancient origins of a mother's intricate lifeline to her unborn baby, the placenta, which delivers oxygen and nutrients critical to the baby's health.
The evidence suggests the placenta of humans and other mammals evolved from the much simpler tissue that attached to the inside of eggshells and enabled the embryos of our distant ancestors, the birds and reptiles, to get oxygen.
"The placenta is this amazing, complex structure and it's unique to mammals, but we've had no idea what its evolutionary origins are," said Julie Baker, PhD, assistant professor of genetics. Baker is senior author of the study, which will be published in the May issue of Genome Research.
The placenta grows inside the mother's uterus and serves as a way of exchanging gas and nutrients between mother and fetus; it is expelled from the mother's body after the birth of a baby. It is the only organ to develop in adulthood and is the only one with a defined end date, Baker said, making the placenta of interest to people curious about how tissues and organs develop.
Beyond being a biological curiosity, the placenta also plays a role in the health of both the mother and the baby. Some recent research also suggests that the placenta could be a key barrier in preventing or allowing molecules to pass to the unborn baby that influence the baby's disease risk well into adulthood.
"The placenta seems to be critical for fetal health and maternal heath," Baker said. Despite its major impact, almost nothing was known about how the placenta evolved or how it functions.
Baker and Kirstin Knox, graduate student and the study's first author, began addressing the question of the placenta's evolution by determining which genes are active in cells of the placenta throughout pregnancy in mice.
They found that the placenta develops in two distinct stages. In the first stage, which runs from the beginning of pregnancy through mid-gestation, the placental cells primarily activate genes that mammals have in common with birds and reptiles. This suggests that the placenta initially evolved through repurposing genes the early mammals inherited from their immediate ancestors when they arose more than 120 million years ago.
In the second stage, cells of the mammalian placenta switch to a new wave of species-specific genes. Mice activate newly evolved mouse genes and humans activate human genes.
It makes sense that each animal would need a different set of genes, Baker said. "A pregnant orca has different needs than a mouse and so they had to come up with different hormonal solutions to solve their problems," she said. For example, an elephant's placenta nourishes a single animal for 660 days. A pregnant mouse gestates an average of 12 offspring for 20 days. Clearly, those two pregnancies would require very different placentas.
Baker said these findings are particularly interesting given that cloned mice are at high risk of dying soon after the placenta's genetic transition takes place. "There's obviously a huge regulatory change that takes place," she said. What's surprising is that despite the dramatic shift taking place in the placenta, the tissue doesn't change in appearance.
Understanding the placenta's origins and function could prove useful. Previous studies suggest the placenta may contribute to triggering the onset of maternal labor, and is suspected to be involved in a maternal condition called pre-eclampsia, which is a leading cause of premature births.
Baker intends to follow up on this work by collaborating with Theo Palmer, PhD, associate professor of neurosurgery; Gill Bejerano, PhD, assistant professor of developmental biology, and Anna Penn, MD, PhD, assistant professor of pediatrics. Together, the group hopes to learn how the placenta protects the growing brain of the unborn baby, a protection that seems to extend into adulthood.
The work was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the March of Dimes and Stanford's Medical Scientist Training Program.
Stanford University Medical Center integrates research, medical education and patient care at its three institutions - Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford Hospital & Clinics and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford. For more information, please visit the Web site of the medical center's Office of Communication & Public Affairs at mednews.stanford.edu/.
Source: Mitzi Baker
Stanford University Medical Center
The evidence suggests the placenta of humans and other mammals evolved from the much simpler tissue that attached to the inside of eggshells and enabled the embryos of our distant ancestors, the birds and reptiles, to get oxygen.
"The placenta is this amazing, complex structure and it's unique to mammals, but we've had no idea what its evolutionary origins are," said Julie Baker, PhD, assistant professor of genetics. Baker is senior author of the study, which will be published in the May issue of Genome Research.
The placenta grows inside the mother's uterus and serves as a way of exchanging gas and nutrients between mother and fetus; it is expelled from the mother's body after the birth of a baby. It is the only organ to develop in adulthood and is the only one with a defined end date, Baker said, making the placenta of interest to people curious about how tissues and organs develop.
Beyond being a biological curiosity, the placenta also plays a role in the health of both the mother and the baby. Some recent research also suggests that the placenta could be a key barrier in preventing or allowing molecules to pass to the unborn baby that influence the baby's disease risk well into adulthood.
"The placenta seems to be critical for fetal health and maternal heath," Baker said. Despite its major impact, almost nothing was known about how the placenta evolved or how it functions.
Baker and Kirstin Knox, graduate student and the study's first author, began addressing the question of the placenta's evolution by determining which genes are active in cells of the placenta throughout pregnancy in mice.
They found that the placenta develops in two distinct stages. In the first stage, which runs from the beginning of pregnancy through mid-gestation, the placental cells primarily activate genes that mammals have in common with birds and reptiles. This suggests that the placenta initially evolved through repurposing genes the early mammals inherited from their immediate ancestors when they arose more than 120 million years ago.
In the second stage, cells of the mammalian placenta switch to a new wave of species-specific genes. Mice activate newly evolved mouse genes and humans activate human genes.
It makes sense that each animal would need a different set of genes, Baker said. "A pregnant orca has different needs than a mouse and so they had to come up with different hormonal solutions to solve their problems," she said. For example, an elephant's placenta nourishes a single animal for 660 days. A pregnant mouse gestates an average of 12 offspring for 20 days. Clearly, those two pregnancies would require very different placentas.
Baker said these findings are particularly interesting given that cloned mice are at high risk of dying soon after the placenta's genetic transition takes place. "There's obviously a huge regulatory change that takes place," she said. What's surprising is that despite the dramatic shift taking place in the placenta, the tissue doesn't change in appearance.
Understanding the placenta's origins and function could prove useful. Previous studies suggest the placenta may contribute to triggering the onset of maternal labor, and is suspected to be involved in a maternal condition called pre-eclampsia, which is a leading cause of premature births.
Baker intends to follow up on this work by collaborating with Theo Palmer, PhD, associate professor of neurosurgery; Gill Bejerano, PhD, assistant professor of developmental biology, and Anna Penn, MD, PhD, assistant professor of pediatrics. Together, the group hopes to learn how the placenta protects the growing brain of the unborn baby, a protection that seems to extend into adulthood.
The work was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the March of Dimes and Stanford's Medical Scientist Training Program.
Stanford University Medical Center integrates research, medical education and patient care at its three institutions - Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford Hospital & Clinics and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford. For more information, please visit the Web site of the medical center's Office of Communication & Public Affairs at mednews.stanford.edu/.
Source: Mitzi Baker
Stanford University Medical Center
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