Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Mysterious DNA Loops Common In Cancer Cells Could Unlock Key Information About How Our Bodies Work
The New York Times: Scientists Are Just Beginning To Understand Mysterious DNA Circles Common In Cancer Cells
There’s no image in biology more iconic than our chromosomes — all 23 pairs of DNA bundles arrayed in a genetic lineup. But in a surprising number of cases, this picture leaves out something very important. In some cells, extra circles of DNA float alongside the regular chromosomes. Scientists first noticed this so-called extrachromosomal DNA five decades ago. But for years they weren’t exactly sure what to make of it. (Zimmer, 11/20)
Stat: Study: Measles Immunity Passed To Babies May Erode Quicker Than Thought
Measles antibodies passed by pregnant women to their babies in the womb, protecting infants early in life, actually disappear quicker than had been previously recognized, leaving babies vulnerable to the sometimes fatal infection for much of their first year of life, according to a new study. The authors say their findings underscore the importance of widespread immunization against measles, which produces a phenomenon known as “herd immunity” — whereby measles viruses brought into the country by sick travelers can’t get to the vulnerable because so many people are protected. In the case of measles, that’s particularly important for infants; in babies, the risk of complications from the illness and of death is higher than in older children. (Branswell, 11/21)
The New York Times: Sleeping Fewer Than 5 Hours A Night Tied To Bone Problems
Sleeping too little may increase the risk for osteoporosis. A study of menopausal women has found that sleeping less than five hours a night is associated with significantly increased low bone mineral density. The report, in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, compared 1,080 women who slept less than five hours with 4,025 who slept the recommended seven hours. (Bakalar, 11/20)
NPR: Brain Uses Loudness Of Vowels To Process Speech Into Syllables
When we hear a sentence, or a line of poetry, our brains automatically transform the stream of sound into a sequence of syllables. But scientists haven't been sure exactly how the brain does this. Now, researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, think they've figured it out. The key is detecting a rapid increase in volume that occurs at the beginning of a vowel sound, they report Wednesday in Science Advances. (Hamilton, 11/20)
Kaiser Health News: Efforts To Move The Needle On Flu Shot Rates Get Stuck
It’s free and available everywhere. Yet most Americans skip the annual flu shot ― with the number of dispensed vaccines barely changed in the past decade, despite government removal of cost and access obstacles. “We are kind of spinning our wheels trying to reach a larger portion of the population,” said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious-disease specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn., and medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. (Galewitz, 11/21)
