Health News

What are the health benefits of apples?

Date: Oct-12-2013
"An apple a day keeps the doctor away" is an old Welsh proverb that most of us are familiar with, but what makes this fruit so special? What health benefits are associated with eating apples? As one of the most cultivated and consumed fruits in the world, apples are continuously being praised as a "miracle food". In fact, apples were ranked number one in Medical News Today's featured article "What Are The Top 10 Healthy Foods?" Apples are extremely rich in important antioxidants, flavanoids, and dietary fiber...

Scientists discover new mechanism that preserves genomic integrity and is abnormal in the rare DiGeorge syndrome

Date: Oct-12-2013
An international team including GENYO centre researchers has described a molecular mechanism that defends human genome integrity against "bombarding" by mobile DNA sequences...

Fatal flaw found in 40 years of federal nutrition research

Date: Oct-12-2013
Four decades of nutrition research funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) may be invalid because the method used to collect the data was seriously flawed, according to a new study by the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina. The study, led by Arnold School exercise scientist and epidemiologist Edward Archer, has demonstrated significant limitations in the measurement protocols used in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)...

Visits to multiple HIV clinics linked to poorer outcomes

Date: Oct-12-2013
Patients who received care at multiple HIV clinics - as opposed to only one - were less likely to take their medication and had higher HIV viral loads, a new study published in the journal AIDS and Behavior of almost 13,000 HIV patients in Philadelphia from Penn Medicine found. The findings reinforce the notion that continuous care with one provider/clinic is optimal for outcomes and even reducing transmissions, and can help cut down on duplicative HIV services that contribute to higher health care costs...

Mathematician calculates the influence of peer pressure

Date: Oct-12-2013
A mathematician has calculated how peer pressure influences society. Professor Ernesto Estrada, of the University of Strathclyde's Department of Mathematics and Statistics, examined the effect of direct and indirect social influences - otherwise known as peer pressure - on how decisions are reached on important issues. Using mathematical models, he analysed data taken from 15 networks - including US school superintendents and Brazilian farmers - to outline peer pressure's crucial role in society...

Chemicals in marijuana 'protect nervous system' against MS

Date: Oct-12-2013
Chemical compounds found in marijuana can help treat multiple sclerosis-like diseases in mice by preventing inflammation in the brain and spinal cord, according to a study reported in the Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology. "Inflammation is part of the body's natural immune response, but in cases like MS, it gets out of hand," says Dr. Ewa Kozela of Tel Aviv University, Israel. "Our study looks at how compounds isolated from marijuana can be used to regulate inflammation to protect the nervous system and its functions." Dr...

Dogs' behavior monitored for insight into owners' health

Date: Oct-12-2013
One of the great things about owning a dog is knowing they are always by your side. And now, researchers are developing a monitoring system, worn on dogs' collars, that has the potential to provide a view into the health of elderly owners. The researchers, from Newcastle University in the UK, say that monitoring a dog's behavior and mood could serve as an early warning that an elderly owner's health is declining. To set a benchmark level for remotely monitoring dogs, Dr...

Healthier diets possible in low-income, rural communities in America

Date: Oct-11-2013
In the United States, children don't eat enough fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Instead, their diets typically include excessive amounts of sugars and solid fats, counter to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommendations, increasing the risk of obesity and diabetes. A team of investigators implemented a two-year intervention study in low-income, rural areas where a disproportionately higher risk of overweight and obesity habits among children persists, leading to increased risk of diabetes and heart disease in adulthood...

Well-child visits more likely when parents use online health tools

Date: Oct-11-2013
Young children whose parents used an integrated personal health record were more likely to attend six or more of the nationally recommended well-child care visits by 15 months of age, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published today in The Journal of Pediatrics. Using any Web-enabled device, PHRs allow patients to view parts of their medical record, including immunizations and after-visit instructions, manage appointments, refill prescriptions, check lab results, and securely communicate with their health care providers...

2nd Annual Patient Recruitment and Retention America Conference, 23rd - 24th October 2013, Philadelphia

Date: Oct-11-2013
Patient recruitment and retention, a�key determinant of the success of a�clinical trial, has become a�major challenge for pharmaceutical companies as well as for the clinical research organizations conducting these trials. The reason is the increased complexity of clinical trial design, stringent eligibility criteria, the lengthy nature of these trials, and the trend toward a more targeted patient population...