Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.health From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: health Fri, Jul 24 1992 Date: Fri, 24 Jul 92 04:47:16 EDT Message-ID: 07-24 0000 DECISIONLINE: Health USA TODAY Update July 24-26, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network MAN AND WOMAN TRADE PLACES: Chinese surgeons have performed what is believed to be the world's first direct sex swap. Doctors say a 22-year-old woman received the testicles of a 30-year-old man, who received her ovaries during operations last week. Doctors constructed a false penis for the woman from her stomach lining. They replaced the man's penis with a vagina made of leather. EX-WOMAN COULD HAVE ERECTION: Further operations are necessary for an ex-woman to have a male erection in a recent sex change operation, but Chinese doctors are confident the ex-man would be able to have a complete sex life. Drawback: Neither patient will be able to have children. COCAINE CRAVING SAME AS FOOD: Researchers have pinpointed what makes people crave cocaine. Findings in an upcoming Journal of Neuroscience show brain circuits involved in the yearning for food may also be involved in an addict's intense craving for cocaine. Doctors say learning how to shut down these circuits could prevent addicts from relapsing after drug rehabilitation treatment. EXPERTS SKEPTICAL OF FINDING: Scientists at the International Conference on AIDS are promising to find out what's behind AIDS-like illnesses in people with no sign of HIV. Some are skeptical a California scientist has found a new virus in such patients. A doctor from Harvard University put the odds at less than five percent. Dr. Sudhir Gupta claims to have found signs of what he calls a retrovirus in nine patients. ILLNESS COULD BE HARMLESS: New York researcher David Ho says he has found possible signs of an as-yet-unidentified virus with AIDS-like illnesses in some patients. But he hasn't ruled out the possibility they are animal retroviruses that could be harmless. Dr. Sudhir Gupta says the scientists' skepticism is appropriate. "We are not claiming we have a new virus," he says. It's just "different from HIV." HERBS EASE SKIN DISEASE: British researchers have found that drinking a concoction of 10 Chinese medicinal herbs each day was more successful than a dummy solution at resolving atopic dermatitis, a skin disease. The authors, reporting in a recent issue of The Lancet, suggest the herbal treatment could be valuable if the concoction's taste is improved and safety assured. SUGAR SENSOR MAY HELP GROCERS: Purdue University scientists have invented a machine that uses magnetic fields to calculate the amount of sugar in produce, and hope to test it in supermarkets within a year. Vegetables contain up to 10% sugar; fruit, up to 25%. The device would help growers time harvest more precisely and enable supermarkets to grade produce or even put "best when eaten by" stickers on each piece. FETAL RESEARCH GOES PRIVATE: Despite a continuing ban on federal funding for research with most fetal tissue, some studies are going ahead with private funding. Researchers at the University of Louisville have proposed a study to use tissue from aborted fetuses in experiments to find a treatment for spinal cord injuries. CURING VACATIONTIME BLUES: Returning to work after an enjoyable vacation can lead to "post-vacation blues" for many workers. Many people can't handle dozens of phone messages waiting and a mountain of paperwork on their desk. "Everyone feels it," says Robert Morgan, a psychologist at Modesto (Calif.) Psychiatric Center. Suggestions: Leave your house semi-clean, don't abuse your credit card and return a day early. INJURY VICTIMS RALLY: Victims of lap-belt injuries from at least 12 states will be participating Friday, July 24, in a Rally to Promote Rear Lap-Shoulder Belts to be held at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. Goal: Retrofitting all cars with rear lap-shoulder belts. The American Coalition for Traffic Safety will present information about rear retrofit lap-shoulder belt systems. HOTLINE FOR HEALTH: There's help for osteoarthritis sufferers. They can get information and have their questions answered by calling the Arthritis Foundation's DIAL-OGUE on Osteoarthritis and Aspirin Friday. Arthritis Foundation information specialists will be taking calls from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. EDT. WORKOUT WITH CINDY CRAWFORD: People into workout videos won't have to wait much longer for Cindy Crawford's new addition. The supermodel plans to launch her exercise video Monday. It's called "Cindy Crawford Shape Your Body Workout." Health Editor: Michele Coleman. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM