Contact: Andrea Matyas
amatyas@genomecanada.ca
613-751-4460 x231
Genome Canada

$11 million investment will help researchers maximize the utilization of data collected through genomics research for the benefit of Canadians

This press release is available in French.

Ottawa, ON, April 25, 2013 New Canadian bioinformatics and computational biology research projects will help manage, analyze and interpret vast amounts of genomics data to accelerate advances in personalized medicine, public health and other areas of importance to Canadians and the economy.

“Our government is investing in the technological solutions needed to advance genomics to its full potential for the benefit of Canadians and their families,” said the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology). “These leading-edge research projects will put Canada at the forefront of innovation globally in the specialized fields of bioinformatics and computational biology.”

Through Genome Canada’s 2012 Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Competition, a partnership with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), 17 projects across the country will receive funding.

The mix of large-scale applied and small-scale innovative projects will produce new tools and methodologies to enhance genomics data management and analysis, contributing to improving cancer treatments, quicker responses to infectious disease outbreaks, improved food production, and more. Bioinformatics expands the use of genomics data through the research, development or application of computational tools and approaches. It enables better ways to acquire, store, organize, archive, analyze and visualize data. Computational biology helps make sense of genomics data through computational analysis, modelling, and prediction.

“Managing and analyzing the huge amounts of data generated by genomics technologies is a major challenge. These new projects will offer much-needed innovations that will address this dilemma so that the data can translate into useful genomics applications such as disease treatments, breeding strategies for agriculture, forestry management, bioenergy and aquaculture,” said Pierre Meulien, President and CEO of Genome Canada.

“Technological advances in genomics and in high-resolution imaging promise to drastically improve the precision and efficacy of Canadian health care. However, the development of strategies to handle the enormous amounts of data generated from these technologies is essential for us to achieve their full potential. We are proud to be working together with our partners at Genome Canada and the regional Genome Centres in this new initiative in

bioinformatics and computational biology that will facilitate research in this critical area,” said Paul Lasko, Scientific Director for CIHR’s Institute of Genetics.

The Harper Government’s investment in these projects is approximately $6.4 million ($5 million from Genome Canada and another $1.4 million from CIHR). The balance of funding is secured by regional Genome Centres from provincial governments, the private sector and other partners, bringing the total value of these projects to almost $11 million.

To build on Genome Canada’s achievements to date, Economic Action Plan 2013 proposes to provide $165 million in 2014 to support Genome Canada’s multi-year strategic plan.

Since 2006, the Harper Government has provided more than $9 billion in new funding for initiatives to support science, technology and the growth of innovative firms, helping to foster a world-class research and innovation system. Economic Action Plan 2013 builds on this strong foundation, helping to position Canada for sustainable, long-term economic prosperity and a higher quality of life for Canadians.

###

A complete list of the successful projects is available on Genome Canada’s website at http://www.genomecanada.ca.

Genome Canada is a not-for-profit organization that invests in genomics research to generate economic and social benefits for Canadians. Genome Canada builds bridges between government, academia and industry to forge a genomics-based public-private innovation enterprise focused on key life science sectors. It develops these partnerships to invest in and manage large-scale research and translate discoveries into commercial opportunities, new technologies, applications and solutions. For more information, visit http://www.genomecanada.ca.

http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca. Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is the Government of Canada’s health research investment agency. CIHR’s mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to enable its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened Canadian health care system. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to more than 14,100 health researchers and trainees across Canada.

For further information, please contact:

Andrea Matyas
Director of Communications
Genome Canada
Tel: 613-790-0106, amatyas@genomecanada.ca
David Coulombe
Media Relations
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Phone: 613-941-4563
mediarelations@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 25-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Andrea Matyas
amatyas@genomecanada.ca
613-751-4460 x231
Genome Canada

$11 million investment will help researchers maximize the utilization of data collected through genomics research for the benefit of Canadians

This press release is available in French.

Ottawa, ON, April 25, 2013 New Canadian bioinformatics and computational biology research projects will help manage, analyze and interpret vast amounts of genomics data to accelerate advances in personalized medicine, public health and other areas of importance to Canadians and the economy.

“Our government is investing in the technological solutions needed to advance genomics to its full potential for the benefit of Canadians and their families,” said the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology). “These leading-edge research projects will put Canada at the forefront of innovation globally in the specialized fields of bioinformatics and computational biology.”

Through Genome Canada’s 2012 Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Competition, a partnership with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), 17 projects across the country will receive funding.

The mix of large-scale applied and small-scale innovative projects will produce new tools and methodologies to enhance genomics data management and analysis, contributing to improving cancer treatments, quicker responses to infectious disease outbreaks, improved food production, and more. Bioinformatics expands the use of genomics data through the research, development or application of computational tools and approaches. It enables better ways to acquire, store, organize, archive, analyze and visualize data. Computational biology helps make sense of genomics data through computational analysis, modelling, and prediction.

“Managing and analyzing the huge amounts of data generated by genomics technologies is a major challenge. These new projects will offer much-needed innovations that will address this dilemma so that the data can translate into useful genomics applications such as disease treatments, breeding strategies for agriculture, forestry management, bioenergy and aquaculture,” said Pierre Meulien, President and CEO of Genome Canada.

“Technological advances in genomics and in high-resolution imaging promise to drastically improve the precision and efficacy of Canadian health care. However, the development of strategies to handle the enormous amounts of data generated from these technologies is essential for us to achieve their full potential. We are proud to be working together with our partners at Genome Canada and the regional Genome Centres in this new initiative in

bioinformatics and computational biology that will facilitate research in this critical area,” said Paul Lasko, Scientific Director for CIHR’s Institute of Genetics.

The Harper Government’s investment in these projects is approximately $6.4 million ($5 million from Genome Canada and another $1.4 million from CIHR). The balance of funding is secured by regional Genome Centres from provincial governments, the private sector and other partners, bringing the total value of these projects to almost $11 million.

To build on Genome Canada’s achievements to date, Economic Action Plan 2013 proposes to provide $165 million in 2014 to support Genome Canada’s multi-year strategic plan.

Since 2006, the Harper Government has provided more than $9 billion in new funding for initiatives to support science, technology and the growth of innovative firms, helping to foster a world-class research and innovation system. Economic Action Plan 2013 builds on this strong foundation, helping to position Canada for sustainable, long-term economic prosperity and a higher quality of life for Canadians.

###

A complete list of the successful projects is available on Genome Canada’s website at http://www.genomecanada.ca.

Genome Canada is a not-for-profit organization that invests in genomics research to generate economic and social benefits for Canadians. Genome Canada builds bridges between government, academia and industry to forge a genomics-based public-private innovation enterprise focused on key life science sectors. It develops these partnerships to invest in and manage large-scale research and translate discoveries into commercial opportunities, new technologies, applications and solutions. For more information, visit http://www.genomecanada.ca.

http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca. Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is the Government of Canada’s health research investment agency. CIHR’s mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to enable its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened Canadian health care system. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to more than 14,100 health researchers and trainees across Canada.

For further information, please contact:

Andrea Matyas
Director of Communications
Genome Canada
Tel: 613-790-0106, amatyas@genomecanada.ca
David Coulombe
Media Relations
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Phone: 613-941-4563
mediarelations@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-04/gc-nrp042513.php

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If the FAA furloughs air traffic controllers and a plane full of passengers sits on the tarmac for 3 or more hours, should the Department of Transportation (DOT) ding the carrier for violating the government?s three-year-old rule against extended tarmac delays?

The airline industry says ?no? and two industry trade groups ? Airlines for America (A4A) and the Regional Airline Association (RAA) ? have filed a motion asking DOT to suspend the rule in the event such violations are a result of the sequestration-related furloughs that went into effect Sunday.

?We believe granting this exemption serves the best interests of the flying public by providing airlines with the operating flexibility necessary to focus on responding to the FAA?s projected delays in ways that minimize and avoid worsening the disruption and inconvenience to our passengers,? said A4A spokesperson Katie Connell via email.

The request seeks to spare airlines from the fines laid out under the rule that was first put in place in April 2010 as a response to several high-profile cases in which passengers were stuck on grounded airplanes for up to 9 hours.

Under the rule, carriers that violate the rule are subject to fines of up to $27,500 per passenger. In August 2011, the rule was extended to include international flights, which can incur the same penalties if they don?t offer passengers the opportunity to disembark after 4 hours.

Although bitterly opposed by the airline industry when the rule was first proposed, it has led to a drastic decline in the number of extended tarmac delays. The most recent incident involved 34 planes operated by US Airways and its partners that were stranded during a mid-February snowstorm in Charlotte, N.C., an incident DOT is currently investigating.

For proponents of the tarmac delay rules, the industry motion represents a case of d?j? vu all over again: ?The airlines are rehashing the same arguments they used before,? said Paul Hudson, president of the consumer group FlyersRights.org. ?Their request is for 90 days or the length of the sequester and there?s no doubt they will try to extend it indefinitely.?

For Hudson, the issue should be considered a ?non-starter? because the rule includes language that releases the airlines from liability for situations that are out of their control.

?The DOT already has the discretion not to fine them,? he told NBC News. ?There are provisions that if there are air traffic control or security reasons that prevent planes from getting back to the gate then the airlines are relieved of the obligation.?

In the meantime, both the furloughs and bad weather have led to an uptick in delays in recent days. According to FAA, there were 1,200 delays in the system on Monday that were attributable to staffing reductions with 1,400 additional delays caused by weather and other factors.

Similar, albeit fewer, delays were reported on Tuesday with wind, weather and staffing issues leading to late-afternoon delays in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York. The worst delays were at Newark (weather/wind) and LaGuardia (staffing), both of which were reporting delays of 115 minutes.

Obviously, such delays aren?t long enough to trigger the tarmac delay rule although they?re plenty long enough to inconvenience passengers. Travelers who wish to weigh in the issue of fines, furloughs and who?s responsible for the current situation have until 5 p.m. Friday to send their comments to DOT.

Rob Lovitt is a longtime travel writer who still believes the journey is as important as the destination. Follow him on Twitter.

Public release date: 24-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Souri Somphanith
onepress@plos.org
41-562-412-17199
Public Library of Science

Researchers identify Nipah, related viruses in fruit bats on both sides of Wallace’s line

An invisible barrier separates land animals in Australia from those in south-east Asia may also restrict the spillover of animal-borne diseases like avian flu, but researchers have found that fruit bats on either side of this line can carry Nipah virus, a pathogen that causes severe human disease. The findings are published April 24 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Andrew Breed from the University of Queensland, Australia and colleagues from other institutions.

Previous studies have suggested that this biogeographic boundary, named Wallace’s line, may have played a role in protecting Australia from the spread of the avian flu H5N1. In the current study, researchers assessed whether this boundary could restrict the distribution of Nipah virus, which has caused severe outbreaks of human and domestic animal disease in the past.

“We found evidence that Nipah Virus occurs on the eastern side of Wallace’s Line and much closer to Australia than previously recognized,” says Breed. “We also found that the epidemiology of Nipah virus, and related viruses, is complex and these viruses are not restricted to flying-foxes (Pteropus bats) in this region.”

They found that fruit bats from regions on both sides of the line tested positive for Nipah virus and other related viruses called henipaviruses. Only certain species of fruit bats carried Nipah virus but even in their absence, other bat species could still carry these related viruses. Henipaviruses were also detected in some species not previously known to carry these viruses. Based on these results, the authors conclude that Wallace’s line is not a restricting factor for the transmission of Nipah virus. Their results also extend the known regions where Nipah virus has been detected by over 2500 km, to the island of Timor.

###

Citation: Breed AC, Meers J, Sendow I, Bossart KN, Barr JA, et al. (2013) The Distribution of Henipaviruses in Southeast Asia and Australasia: Is Wallace’s Line a Barrier to Nipah Virus? PLoS ONE 8(4): e61316. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0061316

Financial Disclosure: The authors acknowledge support from the Australian Biosecurity CRC for Emerging Infectious Disease; the Henipavirus Ecology Research Group (HERG), funded in part by an National Institutes of Health/National Science Foundation ”Ecology of Infectious Diseases” award from the John E. Fogarty International Center R01-TW05869; and the European Commission Seventh Framework Programme under ANTIGONE with project number 278976. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Competing Interest Statement: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

PLEASE LINK TO THE SCIENTIFIC ARTICLE IN ONLINE VERSIONS OF YOUR REPORT (URL goes live after the embargo ends): http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0061316

Disclaimer: This press release refers to upcoming articles in PLOS ONE. The releases have been provided by the article authors and/or journal staff. Any opinions expressed in these are the personal views of the contributors, and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of PLOS. PLOS expressly disclaims any and all warranties and liability in connection with the information found in the release and article and your use of such information.

About PLOS ONE: PLOS ONE is the first journal of primary research from all areas of science to employ a combination of peer review and post-publication rating and commenting, to maximize the impact of every report it publishes. PLOS ONE is published by the Public Library of Science (PLOS), the open-access publisher whose goal is to make the world’s scientific and medical literature a public resource.

All works published in PLOS ONE are Open Access. Everything is immediately availableto read, download, redistribute, include in databases and otherwise usewithout cost to anyone, anywhere, subject only to the condition that the original authors and source are properly attributed. For more information about PLOS ONE relevant to journalists, bloggers and press officers, including details of our press release process and our embargo policy, see the everyONE blog at http://everyone.plos.org/media.

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 24-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Souri Somphanith
onepress@plos.org
41-562-412-17199
Public Library of Science

Researchers identify Nipah, related viruses in fruit bats on both sides of Wallace’s line

An invisible barrier separates land animals in Australia from those in south-east Asia may also restrict the spillover of animal-borne diseases like avian flu, but researchers have found that fruit bats on either side of this line can carry Nipah virus, a pathogen that causes severe human disease. The findings are published April 24 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Andrew Breed from the University of Queensland, Australia and colleagues from other institutions.

Previous studies have suggested that this biogeographic boundary, named Wallace’s line, may have played a role in protecting Australia from the spread of the avian flu H5N1. In the current study, researchers assessed whether this boundary could restrict the distribution of Nipah virus, which has caused severe outbreaks of human and domestic animal disease in the past.

“We found evidence that Nipah Virus occurs on the eastern side of Wallace’s Line and much closer to Australia than previously recognized,” says Breed. “We also found that the epidemiology of Nipah virus, and related viruses, is complex and these viruses are not restricted to flying-foxes (Pteropus bats) in this region.”

They found that fruit bats from regions on both sides of the line tested positive for Nipah virus and other related viruses called henipaviruses. Only certain species of fruit bats carried Nipah virus but even in their absence, other bat species could still carry these related viruses. Henipaviruses were also detected in some species not previously known to carry these viruses. Based on these results, the authors conclude that Wallace’s line is not a restricting factor for the transmission of Nipah virus. Their results also extend the known regions where Nipah virus has been detected by over 2500 km, to the island of Timor.

###

Citation: Breed AC, Meers J, Sendow I, Bossart KN, Barr JA, et al. (2013) The Distribution of Henipaviruses in Southeast Asia and Australasia: Is Wallace’s Line a Barrier to Nipah Virus? PLoS ONE 8(4): e61316. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0061316

Financial Disclosure: The authors acknowledge support from the Australian Biosecurity CRC for Emerging Infectious Disease; the Henipavirus Ecology Research Group (HERG), funded in part by an National Institutes of Health/National Science Foundation ”Ecology of Infectious Diseases” award from the John E. Fogarty International Center R01-TW05869; and the European Commission Seventh Framework Programme under ANTIGONE with project number 278976. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Competing Interest Statement: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

PLEASE LINK TO THE SCIENTIFIC ARTICLE IN ONLINE VERSIONS OF YOUR REPORT (URL goes live after the embargo ends): http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0061316

Disclaimer: This press release refers to upcoming articles in PLOS ONE. The releases have been provided by the article authors and/or journal staff. Any opinions expressed in these are the personal views of the contributors, and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of PLOS. PLOS expressly disclaims any and all warranties and liability in connection with the information found in the release and article and your use of such information.

About PLOS ONE: PLOS ONE is the first journal of primary research from all areas of science to employ a combination of peer review and post-publication rating and commenting, to maximize the impact of every report it publishes. PLOS ONE is published by the Public Library of Science (PLOS), the open-access publisher whose goal is to make the world’s scientific and medical literature a public resource.

All works published in PLOS ONE are Open Access. Everything is immediately availableto read, download, redistribute, include in databases and otherwise usewithout cost to anyone, anywhere, subject only to the condition that the original authors and source are properly attributed. For more information about PLOS ONE relevant to journalists, bloggers and press officers, including details of our press release process and our embargo policy, see the everyONE blog at http://everyone.plos.org/media.

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-04/plos-bbt041913.php

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Associated Press

Associated Press Sports

updated 5:41 p.m. ET April 21, 2013

TORONTO (AP) – Ivan Nova is struggling to be consistent, and he’s not happy about it.

J.P. Arencibia hit a two-run homer, Melky Cabrera had three hits and the Toronto Blue Jays rallied for an 8-4 victory over the New York Yankees on Sunday after Josh Johnson walked in the tying and go-ahead runs.

Nova saw his ERA rise from 5.59 to 6.14 after allowing four runs and seven hits in five-plus innings.

“I still lack command, I’m not throwing strikes and that kind of makes me mad,” Nova said. “I know I can do better than this and I’m not happy.”

Seeking his first road win since beating Toronto last Aug. 11, Nova walked a season-high four and struck out five.

“I don’t think he really got a feel for any pitch consistently,” catcher Chris Stewart said. “One hitter it would be there, the next hitter it wouldn’t.”

Nova insisted his mechanics are fine but said he’s still having difficulty repeating pitches, a problem he said has plagued him since the second half of last season.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi was more kind, saying deep counts hurt Nova more than hard-hit balls.

“The first four hits he gives up, only one of them is centered,” Girardi said. “I thought he threw the ball OK, it was just the long counts that got him.”

Arencibia hit his seventh homer, tying him with Baltimore’s Chris Davis for the AL lead, as the Blue Jays avoided their first three-game sweep against New York since the opening series of the 2003 season.

“Maybe today is something that’ll get us going,” Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said.

Brett Cecil (1-0) worked 1 1-3 innings for the win as the Blue Jays capped a seven-game homestand on a winning note.

“We know what this team is capable of,” Arencibia said. “We just have to continue to put at-bats together and when you have an opportunity, try to rally behind it.”

Esmil Rogers worked 1 1-3 innings and Darren Oliver pitched the ninth for Toronto.

Stewart hit a solo homer for the Yankees, who had won nine of their previous 11.

“Our goal is to take every series and if you can do that, you’re going to be in good shape come September,” Girardi said. “It’s not the way you want to leave but we won two out of three here.”

Toronto opened the scoring in the first. Munenori Kawasaki reached on an infield single, went to third on Cabrera’s base hit and scored on a throwing error by Eduardo Nunez as the Yankees failed to turn a double play.

Colby Rasmus hit a leadoff double in the second and later scored on Kawasaki’s sacrifice fly, but the Yankees cut the gap in half on Stewart’s leadoff homer in the third, his first.

A superb defensive play by Vernon Wells kept Toronto from adding to its lead in the fourth. Jose Bautista singled to open the inning and Edwin Encarnacion followed with a drive to deep left. But the former Blue Jays outfielder made a leaping catch at the top of the wall and Bautista, who had already made the turn at second, was doubled off first on a relay throw from Robinson Cano.

New York took the lead with two runs in the fifth, capitalizing on some wildness by Johnson. Singles by Stewart, Cano and Wells loaded the bases before Johnson issued consecutive two-out walks to Lyle Overbay and Nunez.

“It seems like it happens a couple of times a year where all of a sudden you can’t find the zone for whatever reason,” Johnson said.

The Yankees added one more in the sixth. Jayson Nix hit a leadoff single, went to second on a wild pitch and advanced on Stewart’s sacrifice. Cecil replaced Johnson before Nix scored on Brett Gardner’s sacrifice fly.

Johnson allowed four runs and eight hits in 5 1-3 innings to remain winless in four starts. He walked three and struck out four.

Toronto chased Nova and reclaimed the lead with a four-run sixth against a Yankees bullpen that has a 5.09 ERA. In contrast, New York’s starters have a 3.44 ERA.

Adam Lind walked and Arencibia doubled, bringing Boone Logan (0-1) out of the bullpen. Rasmus scored Lind with a broken bat single to center and David Phelps replaced Logan, but gave up a two-run double to Brett Lawrie, whose liner down the third base line stayed fair by inches. Two outs later, Cabrera capped the rally with an RBI single to right.

Lind drew a one-out walk off Phelps in the seventh and Arencibia followed with a drive to center, his second homer of the series.

“They have guys up and down that lineup that can hurt you,” Wells said. “They don’t have to piece together single after single, they have guys who can leave the ballpark in a hurry.”

NOTES: Twelve of Arencibia’s 18 hits this season have been for extra bases. … Lind matched a team record with four walks. It’s the 16th time in Blue Jays history a player has walked four times in a game. … Bautista returned to right field after two starts at DH. He missed four games last week with a sore back, and had not been expected to play the outfield again until Monday’s game at Baltimore. … Buffalo Bills running back C.J. Spiller attended the game.

? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

advertisement

Buck’s seventh blast powers Mets past Nationals

NEW YORK (AP) – John Buck hit his seventh home run of the season, Dillon Gee earned his first win and the New York Mets beat the Washington Nationals 2-0 on Sunday to take two of three games from the NL East champions.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/51614574/ns/sports-baseball/

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NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Singing or playing womb-like sounds in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) may help slow the heart rate and improve sleep and eating patterns of premature babies, a new study suggests.

Researchers found infants who had respiratory distress or sepsis tended to do better while listening to their parents sing a lullaby or to sounds mimicking a mother’s heartbeat or fluid in the womb.

“We are learning from the literature and studies like this that premature infants do not necessarily grow best tucked away in an incubator,” said Joanne Loewy, head of the Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York.

“Neurologic function can be enhanced with music; vital signs can be enhanced through interactive sounds and music therapy,” she told Reuters Health.

Her new study included 272 preemies being treated at 11 NICUs that had music therapists.

At different times over two weeks, babies’ parents sang to them or therapists used one of two devices meant to simulate womb sounds for 10 minutes. Loewy and her colleagues compared preemies’ vital signs during those periods, as well as their eating and sleeping, to times when no sounds were played.

They found the babies’ heart rates dropped by one or two beats per minute, on average, while they listened to the lullaby and heartbeat sounds and just after they’d heard other womb-like sounds.

“The singing is extremely important because it represents familiarity – the baby heard the mother and father’s voice as early as 16 weeks,” Loewy explained, “plus you have melody and rhythm in song.”

Sucking rates sped up with the heartbeat sounds, in particular, and there was a longer-term improvement in sleep patterns tied to the womb-like fluid noises, the researchers reported Monday in Pediatrics.

Previous research into the soothing effects of music has found mixed results among both babies and, for example, adults on ventilators in intensive care (see Reuters Health articles of September 16, 2009 here: http://reut.rs/m1JBau and December 8, 2010, here: http://reut.rs/eZ1lk5).

There were no babies in the new study who were exposed only to silence or quiet talking in the NICU, so the researchers can’t say how these preemies would have compared to a no-music group – only that they did better while hearing music.

They said the sounds used in these NICUs can be replicated by parents without the help of a music therapist, if one isn’t available.

“The wonderful thing about these instruments is that the body can take it over,” Loewy said.

“We teach (parents) to hold the baby over the heart, to hold them skin-to-skin, to make ?ahh’ sounds to enhance that womb-like atmosphere.”

Loewy said she and her colleagues especially encourage parents to sing songs that are important to their family and culture, which can ease their stress as well.

SOURCE: http://bit.ly/cxXOG Pediatrics, online April 15, 2013.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/lullabies-other-music-may-help-sick-preemies-043649663.html

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