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Show lN8. THt Thursday, October 8, Study: Chiropractic care cIiowg little benefit r on average." AP Medical Editor I BOSTON Visiting a chibe little better ropractor may tfian reading a $1 pamphlet about back pain and is worthless against childhood asthma, two studies conclude. Asthma is one of many ills outside the traditional realm of aches and pains that some chi- attempt to treat. Allergies, high blood pressure, headaches, ear infections, colic and menstrual pain are also on ropractors the list. However, by far the most common complaint seen by chiropractors is back pain. 7 Several studies have found that their treatment can speed recovery from a sore back, but a rfeport in Thursday's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine concludes their effect iS surprisingly modest. "The back-paistudy was conducted on 321 people by Dr. n Daniel C. Cherkin and others from the of University in comSeattle. It Washington pared chiropractic manipula-Jiowith a form of physical therapy called the McKenzie Method for people with low fcack pain. This type of physical therapy emphasizes teaching people posture and exercises to minimize their pain. 2 The study found these people did only marginally better than those who received a $1 booklet about backaches. """Physical therapy and chiropractic care appear to be equally effective," said Dr. Richard A. Deyo, one of the researchers. "J3oth offer some benefit above alld beyond the usual care gnten by a family doctor, but n The asthma study, also published in Thursday's journal, was conducted on 80 children with mild to moderate symptoms. Chiropractors believe that some diseases, including asthma, result from lack of proper nerve function, and can be corrected by manipulating the spine. The children were seen by 1 1 chiropractors, who . gave them either standard chiropractic treatments or sham that were manipulations intended to feel like the real thing. All of the children got four months of treatment. While both groups got slightly better, no was there difference between them. Dr. Jeffrey Balon of Toronto, who directed the study, said he had hoped that chiropractic care would make a difference. Nevertheless, he said the experiment shows that "the is chiropractic profession We of are maturing. capable carrying on research at a high level and are not afraid to publish the results." Balon was a practicing chiropractor from 1982 to 1989 and then returned to college to become a physician. His study was financed by four chiropracmulti-disciplin- Associated from Idaho to Grand Canyon soaked up gold. The key was using a chemi- By MALCOLM RITTER AP Science Writer cal called ammonium to make the metal soluble in the soil, said Christopher W.N. Anderson, Robert R. Brooks and colleagues at Massey University in Palmerston North, New Zealand. They reported their findings in Thursday's issue of the journal Nature. The approach suggests that fields of crops could be used to extract gold from ore or mine thio-cyana- Scientists have found a way to make plants soak up gold from ore, suggesting a new way of mining the precious metal. This approach, called has been demonstrated before for recovering nickel. Scientists have also studied plants for removing pollutants like lead from soil; just last month, researchers said hybrid poplar trees might be useful for soaking up mercury. Indian mustard plants that grew in pots of ore for a week were harvested and dried, and analysis showed they contained gold at up to about 20 parts per million by weight. The yield was higher when they grew in sand mixed with gold. Other plants, including chicory, also phyto-minin- g, will be taken to St. George on Thursday. The condors will be By ADAM RUSH Associated Press Writer - Nine BOISE, Idaho California condors raised in captivity in Idaho and California were being flown to a site near the Grand Canyon this week, moving populations of the endangered bird another step closer to recovery. A plane provided by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management waste. However, David E. Salt of Northern Arizona University, who has studied the use of plants to remove lead from soil, left Wednesday for St. George, Utah, with six condors raised at The Peregrine Fund's World Center for Birds of Prey south of Boise. said his informal calculations suggest the approach would not make economic sense unless the plants soaked up much After delivering the birds, the plane was scheduled to continue to Los Angeles to pick up three other condors that more gold. released to the wild after spending six to eight weeks getting acclimated to the area boralong the Utah-Arizon- 1997 and Press Writer State RENO, Nev. midlife biologists are launching a study to determine jfhether deer or elk in Nevada liave been infected with a mal-a"d- y similar to "mad cow disthat has turned up in ease" other Western states. ",;We want to stress that there is nothing to indicate tfiat the disease is in Nevada," said Gregg Tanner, game Ifiufeau chief for the Nevada IEV5sion of Wildlife. "This is sfiUply a concerted effort to cSifirm that we do not have it heEause of its potential ramifi-cSEons- ." She infection, chronic wasting? disease, has been detected i&IWyoming, Colorado, South and Nebraska Datota, OHahoma. The disease is fatal. IIDeer infected with it show cKanges in behavior, including atlack of fear of humans. In later stages, the animals may wander aimlessly or spend unusual amounts of time with tESr ears and head drooping. n?lt is the wildlife version of mad cow disease," said Chris division wildlife Healy, sookesman. with a Mad cow disease technical name of bovine spongiform encephalopathy - includes four 1998, males, three females and two of unknown gender. r "After a absence, we are pleased to have gone from a population of zero to 23 California condors in Arizona in just two years," Peregrine William Fund President Burnham said. "The key is the habitat and community support provided in the Grand Canyon area." v g: y 'i .J: - - .1." j i (J tic groups. In an editorial in the journal, Dr. Paul G. Shekelle of the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center called Balon and his researchers "courageous" for putting this kind of chiropractic care to the i test. H r i M if 1 led European countries to ban C a der. There already are 14 condors in the wild in Arizona, The new group, hatched in 1996, e Deer, elk tested for infection similar to mad cow disease By SCOTT SONNER the importation of British cattle for several years. Like mad cow disease, chronic wasting disease is caused by a protein that can attack and change other proteins. Dr. Beth Williams of the Wyoming State Veterinary Lab found the first evidence of the debilitating disease 20 years ago when researching infected deer at a deer research near facility Wheatland, Wyo. She found tiny holes in the nerve cells of infected deer that made the tissue look like a "w - r- - -- f 1 lit f r . i V : little-understo- ' I J - ' i -- l.ia.r- ki ) " t i . ". " ) Jr ,V- - i V 1 ru P ; sponge. The disease has been confirmed in wild animals in Wyoming and Colorado and in captive elk at game farms in South Dakota, Nebraska and Oklahoma. Nevada biologists plan to analyze brain tissue samples from at least 500 deer and elk killed by hunters in the coming season. Wildlife officials said there is some concern that elk and deer might be able to transmit the disease to cattle but there is no evidence of that so far. Brain tissue samples will be collected at game meat processing plants, field contacts with hunters and hunter check stations. tit''" I W .1- - r ' K . - ' , ' r' " - .v ; .'K- ,1 3 B'J '? , 'j Scientists now know reasons why cranberries prevent urinary infections Scientists BOSTON (AP) believe they have figured out why cranberry juice helps prevent urinary infections. The secret, it seems, is concentrated tannins in the juice, also known as proanthocyanidins. j Urinary infections are a common problem, especially among women, and research has shown that drinking cranberry juice regularly can help prevent them. Amy B. Howell and others from Rutgers University conducted experiments to understand exactly what in cranberry juice does this. The study-wafinanced by Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc. and published j s 1 COP10 as a letter in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine. The test tube studies found that the concentrated tannins from cranberry juice prevent E. coli bacteria, the main culprit in urinary infections, from adhering to the cells that line the urinary tract. The scientists believe that the substance blocks the growth of the part of the bacteria that is necessary for them to stick to the walls of the bladder and kidney, a crucial step in infection. Blueberries also contain the concentrated tannins. But many other foods tested, including lemons, oranges, applies, bananas and carrots, do not. Page A23 Plants can remove gold from ore More California condors headed probably a fairly small benefit By DANIEL Q. HANEY DAILY HI RALD, Provo, Utah Shop mi stores Mow iwough Saturdw 10 .m 9 rm. (dcot Smj Lake Dwntwm mo ZCM 6 Order by phone: In Saj Lake, VWI Satihw 10 a.m.-- 7 rm. mo St. m Uth mo m the U.S. elsbmhere K M ftl bMMMl M VMUCfflLOM George Downttmm: Monow ihrough Smurow 10 m 6 pm.) |