Women's Health Research e-Newsletter

Visit the SWHR Web Site http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/R?i=Cxne0hrD9cXzxMNsgRYEgA.. Tell-a-Friend http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/R?i=CWy0l-x1aIUwXAokFWk9zQ.. Subscribe to e-Newsletter http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/R?i=-5f2v1adOwUrgZ88Lxf0eg.. August 14, 2008 This is a pivotal time in multiple sclerosis (MS) research and the Society for Women's Health Research needs your support to advocate on behalf of women and for research funding. http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/R?i=mlJRhQiWr4wc39BGQVHkpg.. We already know an individual's genetic history and environment are contributing factors in developing MS. In 2007, researchers identified a genetic marker for MS. A number of medications and therapies exist to manage the affects of MS, and a number of drugs are in development. More needs to be done, including: * Research on sex differences in drugs: As women are more likely to be diagnosed with MS, it is imperative that research is conducted on how the drugs prescribed to these patients may affect women and men differently. * Increase funding for sex-based research: Federal health agencies must be fully funded to ensure research to explain differences between women and men continues at increasing levels. Act now to help us advocate for MS research funding. http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/R?i=joR_8Iucz658x_H337Y99g.. Society News SWHR Online Moderated Discussion Living with Multiple Sclerosis http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/R?i=kP864E5BV-iyZUkX8hBJww.. Friday, August 22, 2008 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm ET Approximately 400,000 people in the United States have multiple sclerosis (MS) and 200 new patients are diagnosed every week. Thanks to new therapies developed over the past 15 years and continued efforts to establish even more effective treatments, the outlook for people with MS is becoming brighter. John R. Richert, M.D., executive vice president for Research and Clinical Programs at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, will answer questions about MS, management of the disease and what research is on the horizon. Find out more information or submit a question. http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/R?i=h-02scFDy0f8gbkhq5nReg.. Benefit the Society by Buying the Book: Volunteering Around the Globe: Life-Changing Travel Adventures Suzanne Stone, J.D., Society vice president of finance & administration, is the author of the new book, Volunteering Around the Globe: Life-Changing Travel Adventures http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/R?i=vmZjU1NCIrRKL0FyG-f8ew.. . This book tells 35 firsthand accounts of volunteer travel adventures by people who've had life-changing experiences. From the Australian wilderness to a peace center in Ireland, from a school in a remote Tanzanian village to a micro enterprise in Costa Rica, from a Romanian school to the Amazon forest--each personal account reveals what the experience was really like, what was good and what was bad, who was met, and why the volunteer can't wait to do it again...or not. Suzanne has arranged for sales of this book to benefit the Society, which will receive $2.00 for each book purchased on our Web site. Be adventurous: Buy the book now! http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/R?i=Vwles3-eSQQUSel1mZqBIg.. News Bites Group B Strep Infection: A Lurking Danger for Unborn Babies Most women will take the necessary precautions to protect the health of their newborn babies. They will consume prenatal vitamins, curtail certain behaviors like smoking and drinking and eat healthy foods. But other risks exist, and some women may not even be aware of them. Read more... http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/R?i=Nzow1ki2ifj529Cmfz5JZA.. Minorities Less Likely to Know about Breast Cancer Options Nearly half of women treated for breast cancer did not know that their odds of being alive after five years are roughly the same whether they undergo mastectomy or breast conserving surgery. Minority women were even less likely to be aware of this important factor of their treatment decision, according to a study from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. Read more... http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/R?i=wwS7etE5N6-AFZyfyrwKJQ.. Perceived Discrimination Affects Screening Rates Minority men and women who perceived discrimination from their health care providers were less likely to be screened for colorectal or breast cancer, according to a report in the August issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention. Read more... http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/R?i=koyh-kZ-XJUphgCSytCUKw.. Most Important Choice--Schedule a Colorectal Exam For many women, scheduling a screening for a colorectal cancer isn't on the radar. Some mistakenly believe it's a man's disease. Read more... http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/R?i=YvwpqzK8wHXCUxj9VAppjw.. Investigating Why Women Live Longer Than Men Tom Perls, founder of the New England Centenarian Study at Boston University, answers why women still live 5 to 10 years longer than men. Read more... http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/R?i=GzswxqPXYvNQxEhUZYb_GQ.. Hip Bone Density Helps Predict Breast Cancer Risk Measuring a woman's bone mineral density can provide additional information that may help more accurately determine a woman's risk of developing breast cancer. That is the conclusion of a new study published in the September 1, 2008, issue of CANCER. The study's results suggest that incorporating bone mineral density tests with current risk assessments might significantly improve physicians' ability to predict breast cancer risk in older, postmenopausal women. Read more... http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/R?i=pu90RMl9gQiS3ImZwhXZcA.. Gene May Put Women with Migraine at Increased Risk of Heart Disease and Stroke Women who experience migraine with aura appear to be at an increased risk of heart disease and stroke if they have a certain gene, according to a study published in the July 30, 2008, online issue of Neurology. Read more... http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/R?i=CfFByo0p9O7GnsO1oM5c2g.. Ways to Avoid Blood Pressure Increase at Menopause Before menopause, women have a blood pressure advantage. Women's blood pressure starts out lower than men's, but the advantage doesn't last. The August issue of Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource offers insights on blood pressure changes in women and steps to avoid high blood pressure. Read more... http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/R?i=J_7moTLFrAqzrp1ZPN0fIA.. Testosterone Predominance Increases Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome During the Menopausal Transition As testosterone progressively dominates the hormonal milieu during the menopausal transition, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome increases according to a new study by researchers at Rush University Medical Center. The study suggests this may be a pathway by which cardiovascular disease increases during menopause. The study is published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Read more... http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/R?i=R17Vz3tBemvFKsdceRZbgQ.. Inheritance of Hormonal Disorder Marked by Excessive Insulin in Daughters Elevated levels of insulin could be an early sign that girls whose mothers suffer from polycystic ovary syndrome--or PCOS--may also be susceptible to the disease, according to gynecologists who have found evidence of insulin resistance in young children. Read more... http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/R?i=nsbKOizg_VCLb1pfECoEdA.. Thyrotropin Levels Associated with Alzheimer's Disease Risk in Women Women with low or high levels of the hormone thyrotropin, which affects thyroid gland function and thyroid hormone levels, appear to have a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, according to a report in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Read more... http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/R?i=gVoMGIvG1JaDXjiTvMg4tA.. New Study Shows Compounds from Soy Affect Brain and Reproductive Development Two hormone-like compounds linked to the consumption of soy-based foods can cause irreversible changes in the structure of the brain, resulting in early-onset puberty and symptoms of advanced menopause in research animals, according to a new study by researchers at North Carolina State University. Read more... http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/R?i=G7fpVRAZiQbJz-tBn2O1tQ.. Alcohol Is Associated with Risk of Perennial Allergic Rhinitis There is a link between alcohol consumption and increased risk of perennial allergic rhinitis, according to a recent Danish study of 5,870 young adult women. The study, published in the July issue of Clinical and Experimental Allergy, found that the risk increased 3% for every additional alcoholic drink per week. In contrast, the authors did not observe any increase in risk of seasonal allergic rhinitis according to alcohol intake. Read more... http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/R?i=ys6gs680CGZAH6Lk-vpnHg.. Current Exercise Recommendations May Not Be Sufficient for Overweight Women to Sustain Weight Loss In addition to limiting calories, overweight and obese women may need to exercise 55 minutes a day for five days per week to sustain a weight loss of 10 percent over two years, according to a report in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Read more... http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/R?i=3-Pjq_nZSB9cJNXxAIEZEQ.. Society Calendar SWHR Online Moderated Discussion Living with Multiple Sclerosis http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/R?i=K0OBYB22CKnTxHtrLNUU0g.. Friday, August 22, 2008 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm ET Approximately 400,000 people in the United States have multiple sclerosis (MS) and 200 new patients are diagnosed every week. Thanks to new therapies developed over the past 15 years and continued efforts to establish even more effective treatments, the outlook for people with MS is becoming brighter. John R. Richert, M.D., executive vice president for Research and Clinical Programs at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, will answer questions about MS, management of the disease and what research is on the horizon. Find out more information or submit a question. http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/R?i=wEDEjQa9rHjFnbUq_aOriw.. What a Difference an X Makes: The State of Women's Health Research Friday, October 3, 2008 Washington, D.C. The goal of this meeting is to showcase the work of the Society in advancing sex differences research, and it will update national leaders on current research findings and provide direction for the future. E-mail eileen@womenshealthresearch.org for more information. Register now. http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/R?i=uV8s765Q0v0T6m8qSZ7WwA.. 2008 Corporate Advisory Council Annual Meeting Wednesday, November 19, 2008 Mandarin Oriental Hotel 1330 Maryland Ave., SW Washington, D.C. This year's CAC meeting will focus on the topic of "Post-Marketing Adverse Events Reporting and Safety Issues." Please save the date, and plan to join us. Meeting registration will begin in September. Non-Society News and Events NIH Helps Advance Women in Biomedical Research Careers In an effort to advance talented women in leadership positions, including those from underrepresented backgrounds, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) published a Request for Applications (RFA) to support research on causal factors and interventions that promote and support the careers of women in biomedical and behavioral science and engineering. The initiative will provide $2 to $3 million to fund up to eight R01 awards in fiscal year 2009. Learn more... http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/R?i=nB-yL5aj9ouvm-td_35ssg.. Disclaimer: Although the SWHR e-newsletter may include links providing direct access to other Internet sites, SWHR has not participated in the development of those other sites, does not monitor such sites, and does not exert any editorial or other control over those sites. SWHR, therefore, takes no responsibility for the content or information contained on those other sites, or reliability, security, or privacy policies of those other sites. ~To ensure that you continue to receive important news and updates on women's health, please add our email address to your safe senders list.~ You are currently using womenshealth.3898@pnn.com to subscribe to this e-newsletter. Tell-a-Friend | Contact Us | Unsubscribe | Update Profile http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/R?i=LqDzH1xX_xCtyDS2S9rTVg.. http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/R?i=q9tJMTOpIbHxi65ltR-3FA.. http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/CO?i=6vg27UaXgOr1HJl2rSXMGMyZN-uT3nih&cid=1026 http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/R?i=_KxVRFcH8vPwoPtXwCAuhA.. 2008 Society for Women's Health Research http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/R?i=hfih0II56_sKhkFHUp7ZVw..