Saliva Can Help Diagnose Heart Attack
Early diagnosis of a heart attack may now be possible using only drome. They found that not only were biochemicals associated
a few drops of saliva and a new nano-bio-chip. A multi-institu- with these processes in higher concentrations in saliva of heart at-
tional team with clinical leadership at the UK College of Den- tack victims, but specihc salivary biochemicals are as accurate in
tistry and College of Medicine and clinical scientists at the the diagnosis of heart attack as those found in serum using EDA-
University of Louisville and the University of Texas Health Sci- approved instruments.
ence Center at San Antonio, and chemistry leadership at the Uni- The nano-bio-chip test could someday be used to analyze a pa-
versity of Texas at Austin, reported this Hnding at a recent meeting tient’s saliva on board an ambulance, at the dentist’s office or at a
ofthe American Association of Dental Research. neighborhood drugstore, helping save lives and prevent damage
The Kentucky researchers tested the saliva from 56 persons who from cardiac disease. The device is the size of a credit card and can
had a heart attack and 59 healthy subjects for 32 proteins associ- produce results in as little as 15 minutes.
ated with atherosclerosis, thrombosis and acute coronary syn-
Good Cholesterol May Mass Media
Not Be Good For Diabetics Campaigns Useful
Researchers and the general public have long thought that levels Two researchers in the UK College of Communications and
of so called “good cholesterol” — high-density lipoprotein (HDL) Information Studies have learned that targeted mass media
— were heart healthy. However, a groundbreaking new study from campaigns alone can be effective in convincing high sensation-
UK researchers argues that “good cholesterol” actually increases seeking, impulsive decision-making young adults to adopt
the risk of heart disease in diabetics. safer sex practices.
In a study published in the most recent edition ofthe American This study, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health,
joiirnai {Physiology, Eric Smart, a biochemist and vice chair of re- shows that mass media campaigns crafted from sophisticated de-
search in the UK College of Medicine, and a team of UK re- sign principles can be effective in changing health behaviors, at
searchers conclude high levels of HDL actually can increase the least in the short-term, and that a reoccurring campaign presence
risk of both heart disease and diabetes. may be necessary to sustain these safe behaviors. UK professor
The researchers found that in people with diabetes, HDL mole- Rick Zimmerman is the lead researcher of the study and a center
cules bind with a natural compound called myristic acid, which director in Louisville for the Pacihc Institute for Research and
somehow causes the HDL to inhibit the body’s natural produc- Evaluation (PIRE). Philip Palmgreen, professor of communica-
tion of nitric oxide, a substance known to protect against cardio- tion at UK, was the co-principal investigator on the study
vascular disease. Myristic acid is a long-chain fatty acid suspected The 21-month-long study assessed the impact of a televised pub-
of increasing cardiovascular risk. HDL in diabetics may reverse its lic service announcement (PSA) campaign on changing safer sex
usual role, becoming a potential threat rather than a protectant, beliefs and behaviors. The study found that the campaign effec-
the study indicates. tively increased condom use among high-risk young adults, on av-
erage, by 13 percent. Similar effects were found on intentions to
use condoms in the future and in perceived ability to use con-
Fa   ng can   uce doms. Impact analysis suggests that the campaign may have re-
, , sulted in 181,224 fewer occasions of unprotected sex among the
B ra I I`I'I nj u ry I m pa ct targeted population than would have occurred normally without
UK researchers have found that fasting can help reduce the im- CXPOSLHC to the PSAS‘
pact of a moderate traumatic brain injury. The team reported its
Hndings in the joiirnai {Neuroscience Research.
Easting within the Hrst 24 hours ofthe injury reduces the levels
of several biomarkers of mitochondrial dysfunction and cellular Compiled from news reports
damage that cause a breakdown of brain tissue, according to the about research at UK_
research team, led by Patrick Sullivan ofthe UK Spinal Cord and _ _
Brain In'ur Research Center . The researchers found si niHcant For more mformatlon about
1 Y g ·
recovery of tissue sparing and cognitive function in test subjects rgsélarch takmg place at UK'
who fasted for 24 hours following a moderate brain injury. Vlslt WWW'r€S€a rclmu kyedu
www.uka|umni.net 9 ((