| U of M Alumni Association | U of M Twin Cities |
 |
| ||
| |||
|
11/5/2008Alarming Native Cancer Rates American Indians in Minnesota and the surrounding Northern Plains have significantly higher cancer rates and tend to be diagnosed in later stages of the disease than non-Hispanic whites, according to the first large-scale national study of cancer rates among that population and Alaska Natives. The research was conducted at the Masonic Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota. American Indians in the region were found to have a 39 percent higher rate of colorectal cancer—the second most common cause of cancer death in the United States behind lung cancer—as well as a 197 percent higher rate of liver cancer, 135 percent higher rate of stomach cancer, and 148 percent higher rate of gallbladder cancer. For all cancers combined, rates were 50 percent higher than the rates for non-Hispanic whites. Causes of the higher rates are not clear, but researchers said probable factors include diet, genetic makeup, use of tobacco for non-ceremonial purposes, higher incidence of diabetes, and environmental factors. Researchers called for creating culturally sensitive programs aimed at decreasing risk factors and expanded screening. Researchers investigated the medical records of nearly 29,000 American Indians throughout the country and Alaska Natives diagnosed with cancer between 1999 and 2004. They noted the type of cancer each individual was diagnosed with, the stage of the cancer at the time of diagnosis, the treatment received, and the outcome. They then compared the data to the same information on non-Hispanic whites. Another Piece to the HIV Puzzle Researchers in the University of Minnesota Medical School have answered a key question as to why antiretroviral therapy doesn’t work in restoring the immune system in people infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. The U’s study shows that once a person is infected, fibrosis, or scarring, occurs in the lymph nodes, where T cells that fight infection reside. The scarring prevents the T-cells from returning to immune tissues. In the study, seven HIV-infected patients were treated very early after infection and experienced a greater degree of immune reconstitution than patients treated later. The discovery suggests that patients should begin therapy earlier than current guidelines recommend. Language of Luxury Consumers in bilingual countries respond differently to advertising depending on the language it is in, according to research at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. Researchers conducted a study in India, where much of the population is fluent in both English and Hindi, and found that consumers responded more favorably to ads for necessities, such as laundry detergent, that were in Hindi. Ads for luxury items did better when they were in English. Researchers concluded that consumers associated the local language with belonging, closeness, and familiarity, while English was associated with sophistication and was better at promoting luxury items such as chocolate and expensive automobiles. The findings suggest that advertising by multinational firms is most effective when it utilizes more than one language. Negative Attitude = Poorer Health Gay and bisexual men who feel negative about their sexuality are more likely to have poorer mental and sexual health than men who feel positive about homosexuality, according to a study at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. For more than 150 years, scholars and educators have debated whether homosexuality is a disorder or whether social prejudice, not homosexuality itself, leads to elevated rates of depression, drug use, and other health concerns. The study tested both theories by surveying 422 Midwestern gay and bisexual men about their attitudes toward homosexuality and a range of mental and sexual health variables. In all cases, what researchers termed internalized “homonegativity”—not the fact of being homosexual—predicted poorer mental health, particularly increased depression, and poorer sexual health. Conversely, positive attitudes toward homosexuality among gay and bisexual men were associated with better mental and sexual health. Cerebral Malaria a Long-Term Problem Cerebral malaria, one of the deadliest forms of malaria, is related to long-term brain injury in one in four children who survive the disease, according to researchers at the University of Minnesota Medical School. Malaria, an infectious disease transmitted through mosquitoes, is a leading cause of death for children in sub-Saharan Africa, where it affects 750,000 children annually. Cerebral malaria, which directly affects the brain and results in coma, seizures, or other neurological abnormalities, is the most common and severe complication of the disease. The study is the first to assess what happens to survivors’ cognitive abilities in the months and years following their recovery. It assessed attention, working memory, and tactile learning ability in children ages 5 to 12 years old—first at six months after onset, and again after two years. The findings suggest that cognitive impairment may begin to manifest itself months after the initial episode. The area most dramatically impacted among affected children was attention. The findings have significant public health implications; researchers noted that if one-quarter of affected children have long-term cognitive impairments, more than 200,000 children per year may have significant long-term brain injury. Dogged Research Pays Off Researchers at the University of Minnesota’s College of Veterinary Medicine have identified the gene mutation that is responsible for the syndrome exercise-induced collapse (EIC) in Labrador retrievers. The syndrome, which typically affects young dogs, causes a loss of control in the hind legs following intense hunting or retrieving exercise. Most dogs recover within 25 minutes of the episode, but the syndrome can be fatal. An estimated 3 percent to 5 percent of Labradors have the condition, but researchers determined that up to 30 percent are carriers of the mutation. The discovery is important because it is the first naturally occurring mutation of the gene identified in any mammal, and it could offer insight into both normal and abnormal neurobiology in animals and humans. Researchers also developed a genetic test to indicate whether dogs have the normal or mutated form of the gene. Owners can have their dogs tested through their veterinarian by submitting a blood sample to the U’s Diagnostic Laboratory. —Edited by Cynthia Scott | |||||||||||||
|
Last modified on 11/6/2008 11:40:03 AM ©2009 by the University of Minnesota Alumni Association. The University of Minnesota Alumni Association is an equal opportunity educator and employer. | Trouble seeing the text? | Contact Alumni Association | Privacy |
Print View