Gene Therapy, AIDS Virus Combined To Combat Immunodeficiency Syndrome
48 out of 50 children given the experimental therapy developed a working immune system after being born without one. In other news, reduced Alzheimer's risk is linked to a Mediterranean diet and a connection is found between osteoporosis and heart disease in women.
AP:
AIDS Virus Used In Gene Therapy To Fix 'Bubble Baby' Disease
A gene therapy that makes use of an unlikely helper, the AIDS virus, gave a working immune system to 48 babies and toddlers who were born without one, doctors reported Tuesday. Results show that all but two of the 50 children who were given the experimental therapy in a study now have healthy germ-fighting abilities. (Marchione, 5/11)
Fox News:
Mediterranean Diet Could Reduce Alzheimer's Risk, Study Suggests
Following a Mediterranean-like diet could help reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's, suggest the findings of a new study. The study, published May 5 in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, concluded that eating a Mediterranean-like diet — one that is rich in fish, olive oil, fruits and vegetables, and low in dairy and red meat, can have a "cleansing" effect on the brain, helping to rid the organ of proteins that are linked to memory loss. For the study, researchers analyzed more than 500 seniors with an average age of 69. About 343 of the 512 participants were considered high risk of developing Alzheimer’s, per the study. (Farber, 5/11)
NBC News:
Prescription Sleep Pills Not Likely To Help Women In The Long Run, Study Finds
Prescription sleep medications can help women struggling with occasional insomnia but probably won't help with chronic sleep problems, new research finds. Two years of data from nearly 700 middle-age women showed that long-term use of medications such as Ambien, Lunestra or some anti-anxiety prescriptions didn't help women sleep better in the long run compared to women who didn't use prescription pills, according to the report published Tuesday in BMJ Open. (Carroll, 5/11)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
New Research Points To How Women Can Lower Heart Disease Risk
A strong link has been found between thin, brittle bones and women’s risk of heart disease, new research shows. In particular, thinning of the lower spine, top of the thigh bone and hip are indicative of an increased risk for heart attack and stroke. The findings come from research published in the specialist journal Heart in April. Being over 50 and menopausal are two of the uncontrollable risk factors for osteoporosis, a condition in which the bones become weak and brittle. There’s also a greater risk of bones breaking. (Willis, 5/11)
Axios:
Employees Grapple With Re-Entry Anxiety As Jobs Call Them Back
Pandemic-related anxieties are entering a new phase as more employers start to call vaccinated workers back into their offices. Some employees simply don't want to go back to the office; some are desperate to. Some are struggling to rearrange their routines yet again; some don't have that flexibility. And everyone — employers and employees alike — is figuring out on the fly how to make it work. (Reed, 5/12)
AP:
Emergency Program To Give People $50 Off Internet Bill
Americans can begin applying for $50 off their monthly internet bill on Wednesday as part of an emergency government program to keep people connected during the pandemic. The $3.2 billion program is part of the $900 billion December pandemic-relief package. The government is increasing spending on broadband as the pandemic made stark that millions of Americans did not have access to, and could not afford, broadband at a time when jobs, school and health care was moving online. (Arbel, 5/12)
