February 2013

Sperm protein may influence AIDS vulnerability in female genital tissue

It’s generally known that women’s genital tissue is more susceptible to the HIV virus that causes AIDS.  Researcher are studying the various types of epithelial cells in the reproductive tract and the possible protective role of mucus to try to determine what makes women more vulnerable to the spread of this virus.  A new study supported by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NCHID) at the NIH found that an immune system protein normally found in semen may enhance the spread of HIV to tissue from the uterine cervix.  The protein interleukin 7 (IL-7) belongs to a family of proteins that regulates

Illinois makes progress on health insurance marketplace

During a visit with Illinois Governor Pat Quinn on February 13,  Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that Illinois has been conditionally approved to operate a State Partnership Marketplace (Exchange), which will be ready for open enrollment in October 2013. This partnership will allow Illinois to make key decisions and tailor the marketplace to local needs and market conditions.

New silicone gel-filled breast implant approved

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this month approved the Natrelle 410 Highly Cohesive Anatomically Shaped Silicone-Gel Filled Breast Implant to increase breast size (augmentation) in women at least 22 years old and to rebuild breast tissue (reconstruction) in women of any age. Natrelle 410 implants are manufactured by Allergan, Inc.

New study suggests diet soda may raise diabetes risk

A new study from France suggests that women who drink large amounts of diet soda are at increased risk for type 2 diabetes. The findings also support the previously documented association between high intake of regular sugar-sweetened beverages and the condition, report Guy Fagherazzi, from the Center for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health, Villejuif, France, and colleagues in a study published online January 30 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

New insight into why more women than men have arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) strikes three times more women than men and researchers in Europe may have found a clue.   Scientists at the Arthritis Research UK Epidemiology Unit at the U of Manchester have discovered 14 new genes that can lead to RA, adding to the 32 other genes that have already been identified.  The researchers latest study published in Nature Genetics, has reported genes that are specific to the female X-chromosome.  According to Professor Alan Silman, medical director at the Research Unit, “This is the first time that a genetic association has

Don’t let cancer trump diabetes!

When people with Type 2 diabetes are diagnosed with cancer – a disease for which they are at higher risk – they ignore their diabetes care to focus on cancer treatment, according to new Northwestern Medicine® research. But uncontrolled high blood sugar is more likely to kill them and impair their immune system’s ability to fight cancer.

Understanding Reproductive Coercion

In January 2013, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), which is the nation’s leading group in the field of obstetrics and gynecology, released an opinion on a lesser known form of abuse called reproductive coercion. Reproductive coercion occurs whenever a woman’s partner tries to stop her from making her own decisions regarding pregnancy.

FDA allows vending machine with emergency contraception on campus

FDA regulators announced they will not take action regarding a vending machine that dispenses emergency contraception on Shippensburg University’s campus in Pennsylvania, MSN News reports.

The machine is located in the school’s health center, which can only be accessed by students and employees, and offers Plan B One-Step for $25. Under federal law, individuals ages 17 and older may purchase EC without a prescription.