With $2.5 million in new support from the National Institute of Mental Health, researchers from the Regenstrief Institute, Inc., Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and Adult and Child Mental Health Center, Inc. are evaluating the effectiveness of Assertive Community Treatment. [click link for full article]

“Recurrences and Second Primary Breast Cancers in Older Women With Initial Early-Stage Disease,” Cancer: Ann Geiger, an associate professor of public health sciences at Wake Forest University, and colleagues looked at the records of 1,837 patients with stage I or stage II breast cancer for 10 years to determine the effect of radiation, lumpectomy and mastectomy on the risk of recurrence or a new tumor, [click link for full article]

Antibodies that selectively bind and destroy cancer cells represent some of the most promising cancer therapy approaches being developed today. Several of these antibodies have reached the market, including cetuximab (Erbitux®, ImClone Systems), which targets the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) protein. [click link for full article]

From your lungdiseases guide, Stacey Lloyd: Did you know that the air quality in your home could be aggravating your lung disease, and in some cases it could actually be…

A recent study by a Saint Louis University researcher confirms findings that about half of the U.S. population has a version of a gene that causes them to metabolize food differently, putting them at greater risk of developing diabetes.Edward Weiss, Ph.D., assistant professor of nutrition and dietetics at Doisy College of Health Sciences at Saint Louis University, looked at a relatively common version of a gene called FABP2, which is involved in the absorption of fat from food. [click link for full article]

Mary Daniel, who developed breast cancer after taking Prempro, a hormone-replacement drug, was awarded $1 million in compensatory damages, while her husband, Tom Daniel was awarded $500,000. A jury also found Wyeth, the makers of Prempro, guilty of acting with malice - this could pave the way for further punitive damages.Mary had been taking Prempro for the treatment of hot flashes. After radiation and chemotherapy treatment, she no longer has cancer. [click link for full article]

Three new studies by a University at Buffalo psychologist offer the first known evidence that some people anxiously expect that they will be rejected by others because of their physical appearance, and that this sensitivity, if not mitigated, has serious implications for their mental and physical health.”Appearance-based Rejection Sensitivity: Implications for Mental and Physical Health, Affect, and Motivation” by Lora Park, Ph.D. [click link for full article]

New York state on Feb. 1 will begin covering Barr Laboratories’ emergency contraceptive Plan B purchased without a prescription up to six times per year by women ages 18 and older who are Medicaid beneficiaries, the Albany Times Union reports (Benjamin, Albany Times Union, 1/25). [click link for full article]

Women tend to survive longer than men if infected with the liver-destroying hepatitis C virus (HCV) — but if they drink heavily, that survival advantage completely disappears, according to a new study.”Previous studies indicated that alcohol use is a risk factor for HCV disease progression, but they seldom examined the effect on women and men separately,” said lead author Chiung Chen. “Even fewer studies were able to examine the effect of alcohol on HCV mortality. [click link for full article]

Up to 26% of babies born vaginally may experience tiny hemorrhages in the brain, say researchers from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. The researchers say these hemorrhages are mostly a normal part of being born and do not lead to any damage or complications. They stressed mothers should not choose to have Cesarean sections as a result of reading this news.You can read about this new study in the journal Radiology.Dr. [click link for full article]