Community Briefs

Women sought for ovarian cancer research

UCLA researchers are looking for women with ovarian cancer for a
study about whether a low-fat, high-fiber diet supplemented with
soy may slow the disease.

“Previous research has suggested that cancer is a result
of both genetic and environmental factors,” said Dr. Jonathan
Berek, principal investigator and professor of obstetrics and
gynecology at the School of Medicine. “This study will look
at whether a specific diet can cause changes in the blood stream
that may slow the growth of ovarian cancer cells.”

About 25,000 women each year are diagnosed with ovarian cancer
in the United States.

The study will involve women from the ages of 30 through 85 who
have been diagnosed with cancer in its advanced stage. Participants
can be either newly diagnosed or can have undergone surgery,
radiation or chemotherapy as treatment for their cancer. They may
also have completed treatment for their cancer.

For more information, please call Gail Thames at the UCLA Center
for Human Nutrition at (310) 206-8292.

UCLA to study effect of Ritalin on
pre-schoolers

The UCLA Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Program seeks
children ages three to five with ADHD to participate in the first
national research trial investigating the safety and effectiveness
of Ritalin in preschool children.

The disorder affects up to 5 percent of all children with
symptoms such as inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness.
In preschool children with ADHD, hyperactive and impulsive
behaviors are more common than inattentive behaviors.

The brains of individuals with ADHD typically lack the chemical
activity needed to focus on activities or control actions. Studies
show behavioral therapy and stimulants such as Ritalin can
effectively treat older children with the disease.

Despite the fact that no research is available on the
effectiveness of Ritalin on young children, a recent article in the
Journal of the American Medical Association estimated that 150,000
to 200,000 U.S. preschoolers are currently prescribed the
medication.

The new study, sponsored by the National Institute of Mental
Health, will recruit about 300 families with preschoolers diagnosed
with ADHD to establish the best Ritalin dose for this age group.
The UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute is one of six research centers
nationwide participating in the study.

Davis center to care for oil-damaged
wildlife

UC Davis opened a $2.7 million bird-rescue center Tuesday, the
newest facility in its network of emergency centers for wild
animals hurt in oil spills.

UC Davis veterinarian and network director Jonna Mazet said she
is relieved that the new San Francisco area center, located in
Cordelia, was finished before it was needed.

“Until we began developing the Oiled Wildlife Care Network
in 1994, we were using makeshift facilities. It’s been very, very
difficult. When major spills occurred, we often spent the first one
or two days setting up a rehabilitation center,” Mazet said.
“That’s like making sick people wait while an emergency
room is built.”

The $2.7 million San Francisco Bay Oiled Wildlife Care and
Education Center can care for up to 1,000 birds that have
swallowed, inhaled or been coated with oil. When it’s not
involved in an emergency, the facility will be used to train
veterinarians, staff and volunteers for oil-spill rehabilitation;
to care for some birds with non-oil-related injuries; and to teach
grade-school children and veterinary students about wildlife and
conservation.

Compiled from Daily Bruin wire reports.