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Study Finds Evidence Of Malaria Origins, Could Lead To Vaccine Development
"Malaria may have jumped to humans from chimpanzees much as AIDS did, U.S. researchers reported on Monday in a [Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences] study they hope could help in developing a vaccine against the infection," Reuters reports. The researchers found evidence the Plasmodium falciparum parasite that "causes most cases of malaria is a close genetic relative of a parasite found in chimpanzees," the news service writes (8/4).

Impact Of DNA Damage In The Developing Brain Tracked By Scientists
Switching off a key DNA repair system in the developing nervous system is linked to smaller brain size as well as problems in brain structures vital to movement, memory and emotion, according to new research led by St. Jude Children"s Research Hospital scientists.
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White House Submits Sotomayor's Questionnaire To Senate Judiciary Committee
The Senate Judiciary Committee"s vetting of Judge Sonia Sotomayor, President Obama"s nominee for the Supreme Court, officially began Thursday when the White House delivered her written responses to a comprehensive questionnaire designed by the committee"s leadership, Roll Call reports. The questionnaire -- developed by Committee Chair Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and ranking member Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) -- will be used as part of preparations for Sotomayor"s as-yet-unscheduled round of confirmation hearings (Stanton, Roll Call, 6/4).Sotomayor disclosed a large amount of information in the questionnaire, such as her net worth and a timeline for when she learned that she was under consideration by the White House as a potential replacement to retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter (Perine, CQ Today, 6/4). According to Roll Call, Sotomayor"s responses might offer members of both parties "fodder to support or oppose her nomination."Leahy, who has the authority to schedule the confirmation hearings, said in a statement that Sotomayor "has advanced the confirmation process by promptly complying with this Senate requirement, and now the Senate should promptly schedule hearings to fairly consider her nomination to our highest court," adding, "The unfair attacks that have been leveled at her from outside the Senate are all the more reason to give her the chance to respond." Earlier this week, he said that he would announce a start date for the hearings after Sotomayor"s responses were received (Roll Call, 6/4). Meanwhile, Sotomayor on Thursday continued another round of private meetings with senators on Capitol Hill, including a few GOP senators who earlier had expressed concerns about her past comments and actions, CQ Today reports (CQ Today, 6/4).Questions Over Sotomayor"s Position on Abortion-Rights Issue RemainIn related news, USA Today on Friday examined how Sotomayor in the past 17 years as a federal judge "has left no clear footprints revealing" her position on abortion-rights issues. This week, some Democratic senators in private meetings with Sotomayor attempted to seek answers, while advocates on both sides of the debate are urging senators to question her about her views on Roe v. Wade during the expected confirmation hearings. On Wednesday, following a meeting with Sotomayor, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said that she believes Sotomayor has respect for judicial precedent. Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, said, "I don"t have concerns about this nominee in the sense that I think there is something on the record (against abortion rights)," adding, "We just think it"s important for Supreme Court nominees to say where they stand." Charmaine Yoest, president of Americans United for Life, agreed, noting the lack of a definitive position on abortion rights in Sotomayor"s record. Feinstein also said that she will persist on abortion-rights issues. "I remember what it was like when abortion was illegal, and the lives of young, desperate women were in jeopardy," she said, adding that she is concerned "Americans no longer appreciate what it would mean if (abortion rights) were taken away" (Biskupic, USA Today, 6/5).
Cardiovascular

Elder Self-Neglect And Abuse Associated With Increased Risk Of Death

Elderly individuals who have a report of self-neglect or abuse submitted to a social service agency have an associated increased risk of death, according to a study in the August 5 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on violence and human rights. Elder self-neglect and abuse are serious, common and underrecognized public health issues in the U.S., and a 2000 survey from social service agencies suggests that these cases are increasing, according to background information in the article. But the association of either elder self-neglect or abuse with an increased risk of death has been unclear. XinQi Dong, M.D., of Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, and colleagues investigated the risk of death associated with reported elder self-neglect or abuse in a large and sociodemographically diverse group and across different levels of cognitive and physical function. The study included residents living in three adjacent neighborhoods in Chicago who were participating in the Chicago Healthy and Aging Project (CHAP; a population-based, epidemiological study of residents age 65 years or older). A subset of these participants had suspected elder self-neglect or abuse reported to social services agencies. The 9,318 CHAP participants had an average age of 73 years. About 40 percent were men, 63 percent were black, and the average education was 12.2 years. The 1,544 cases reported as elder self-neglect and the 113 cases reported as elder abuse tended to be older, female, black, and have a lower income and education. There were 4,306 deaths (46 percent) during the 14 years of follow-up. In the fully adjusted analysis, reported self-neglect was associated with a significantly increased risk of death within 1 year. The mortality risk for reported and confirmed cases after 1 year was lower, but remained increased (nearly twice the risk). White participants and men had a higher risk of death relative to others. "This mortality risk is especially alarming during the first year after the report of elder self-neglect. These findings may have direct implications for health care professionals and social services agencies to promote early identification of elder self-neglect and prompt interventions after the discovery of self-neglect," the authors write. Analysis also indicated that reported elder abuse was significantly associated with increased risk of overall mortality (about 40 percent). Confirmed elder abuse was associated with about a two times higher risk of death. Increased mortality risks associated with either elder self-neglect or abuse were not restricted to those with the lowest levels of cognitive or physical function. "ò€¦ this study is the first, to our knowledge, to demonstrate increased mortality risk for reported and confirmed elder self-neglect across different levels of cognitive and physical function, challenging a belief that self-neglect and the potential for adverse health outcomes are confined to those with the most impaired cognitive and physical function. Rather, our findings suggest that even among those individuals with milder levels of cognitive and physical functional impairment, elder self-neglect is associated with substantially increased risk of death." "These results may be useful not only in informing future research efforts into elder self-neglect and abuse, but also to inform relevant clinical, social, and policy guidelines developed to treat and prevent elder self-neglect and abuse on a national level," the researchers conclude. JAMA. 2009;302[5]:517-526. Journal of the American Medical Association


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