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Popular Articles

University Of Queesnland's Speech Pathology Students Teach The Art Of Smooth Talking, Australia
A group of UQ speech pathology students recently ran an intensive treatment program for people who stutter.

Lack Of Happiness Hormone Serotonin In The Brain Causes Impaired Maternal Behavior In Mice
A lack of serotonin, commonly known as the "happiness hormone", in the brain slows the growth of mice after birth and is responsible for impaired maternal behavior later in life. This was the result of research conducted by Dr. Natalia Alenina, Dana Kikic, and Professor Michael Bader of the Max DelbrÃøck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch, Germany. At the same time, the researchers discovered that the presence of serotonin in the brain is not crucial for the survival of the animals. Furthermore, they were able to confirm that there are two strictly separate pathways of serotonin production: One gene is responsible for the formation of serotonin in the brain, another gene for the production of the hormone in the body (PNAS, June 23, 2009, Vol. 106, No. 25, pp 10332-10337)*.
News of the day
Perceived Cancer Risks May Not Reflect Actual Risks Or Prevention Needs
Working with a population of individuals at risk for gastrointestinal cancers, researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center have learned that many people misjudge their actual degree of cancer risk and, therefore, their true need for prevention support. Strategies for accurately assessing cancer risk are critical for appropriately targeting educational, counseling, and diagnostic res to prevent cancer in as many individuals as possible, the investigators say.
Mental Health

Dental Health Advocates Want To Sink Teeth Into Health Care Reform

The Washington Post reports many oral health professionals worry that dental issues have "a tenuous place at best in the national debate" regarding an overhaul of the health care system. Still, they emphasize that dental health is an integral part of health care and note the special burden untreated dental issues have on poor children. The paper also notes that "closing the gap between the worlds of dental care and medical care, with their separate histories and cultures, and their separate finance and delivery systems would be a formidable task." The paper reports on the inclusion of several dental provisions in the 615-page first draft of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee"s health care reform bill. "The draft includes dental care in a list of benefits that children should receive and cites the importance of disease prevention and surveillance, safety net programs, and changes in the dental workforce and public-health infrastructure. Advocates aren"t focusing solely on the Senate bill, as there are other, competing bills still to come. Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., who has emerged as a leading congressional proponent of oral health, is working to keep the issue visible as the House of Representatives crafts its own version." The Washington Post also highlights the 2007 death of a 12-year-old named Deamonte Driver who died from an untreated dental abscess that allowed an infection to spread to his brain. Driver"s case was influential: "The death spurred congressional hearings and gave lawmakers and the public new insights into failings within the Medicaid system charged with providing dental care to millions of poor children. The revelations led to reforms of the system in Maryland.... [and] lead to a successful fight for the inclusion of a dental entitlement for the children of the working poor under the reauthorization of the State Children"s Health Insurance Program, or S-CHIP. The bill, vetoed twice by then-President George W. Bush, was signed into law this year by President Obama" (Otto, 6/23). This information was reprinted from kaiserhealthnews.org with kind permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives and sign up for email delivery at kaiserhealthnews.org. © Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.


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