Health News

Key role in HPV prevention played by vaccination of boys

Date: Jul-25-2013
Improving vaccination rates against the human papillomavirus (HPV) in boys aged 11 to 21 is key to protecting both men and women, says new research from University of Toronto Professor Peter A. Newman from the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. HPV has been linked to anal, penile and certain types of throat cancers in men. Since the virus is also responsible for various cancers in women, vaccinating boys will play a crucial role in reducing cancer rates across the sexes...

'Weightism' increases risk for becoming, staying obese

Date: Jul-24-2013
Weight discrimination may increase risk for obesity rather than motivating individuals to lose weight, according to research published July 24 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Angelina Sutin and Antonio Terracciano from the Florida State University College of Medicine. The researchers compared the height and weight of over 6000 participants, measured in 2006 and 2010. They found that participants who experienced weight discrimination earlier were 2.5 times more likely to become obese by the follow-up assessment in 2010...

Researchers reveal the clearest new pictures of immune cells

Date: Jul-24-2013
Scientists from The University of Manchester have revealed new images which provide the clearest picture yet of how white blood immune cells attack viral infections and tumours. They show how the cells, which are responsible for fighting infections and cancer in the human body, change the organisation of their surface molecules, when activated by a type of protein found on viral-infected or tumour cells. Professor Daniel Davis, who has been leading the investigation into the immune cells, known as natural killers, said the work could provide important clues for tackling disease...

Speaker's power to act on words influences listeners' brain response

Date: Jul-24-2013
A speaker's power to act on his words influences how a listener perceives the meaning of their message, according to research published July 24 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Ina Bornkessel-Schlesewsky from the University of Marburg, Germany, and colleagues from other institutions. For example, listeners are more likely to believe a political figure is capable of acting on the words "Tear down this wall!" than when an ordinary citizen makes the same statement...

Laser-controlled molecular switch turns blood clotting on, off on command

Date: Jul-24-2013
Researchers have designed tiny, light-controlled gold particles that can release DNA controls to switch blood clotting off and on. The results are reported July 24 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Kimberly Hamad-Schifferli and colleagues from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The two-way switch for blood clotting relies on the ability of two gold nanoparticles to selectively release different DNA molecules from their surface under different wavelengths of laser excitation...

Smoking during pregnancy linked to child conduct disorder

Date: Jul-24-2013
Mothers who smoke during pregnancy are more likely to have children with conduct disorder (CD), according to a study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry. The study, carried out by researchers at the University of Leicester in the UK, analyzed the relationship between smoking during pregnancy and the risk of the child developing CD. CD is a behavioral problem where a child can become highly aggressive, antisocial and defiant...

People who carry a particular gene allele APOE4 can be over 10 times more likely to develop late-onset Alzheimer's disease

Date: Jul-24-2013
The molecular pathway linking a genetic variant to the common, non-familial form of Alzheimer's disease is revealed in Nature this week. The study boosts our knowledge of the pathology of this neurodegenerative disease, and hints at new directions for therapy. People who carry a particular gene allele APOE4 can be over 10 times more likely to develop late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD)...

Fish brains gave us our hand gestures

Date: Jul-24-2013
We might have evolved a long way from the communication skills of fish, but it seems it is fish we should thank for the effectiveness of using hand gestures while talking. Andrew Bass, professor of neurobiology and behavior at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, has done research offering "evidence that the evolutionary origins of the link between speech and gesturing can be traced to a developmental compartment in the caudal hindbrain of fish...

What is Prozac (fluoxetine)? What are the side effects of Prozac?

Date: Jul-24-2013
Prozac (fluoxetine) is an antidepressant belonging to the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class of drugs. Prozac is mainly used for the treatment of major depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and panic disorder. The medication was first introduced to the American market by Eli Lilly in 1988, and within a few years of its approval Prozac became one of the most widely prescribed antidepressants in the country. It works by blocking the absorption of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain...

Menthol cigarettes more addictive, FDA to take action

Date: Jul-24-2013
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an announcement stating it will be investigating the use of menthol in cigarettes. The decision is based on a preliminary scientific evaluation of possible public health effects of menthol cigarettes, which reveals that menthol cigarettes are more highly addictive compared to standard tobacco. The FDA is requesting information to influence its decision about possible regulatory options, which could include "tobacco product standards, sale and distribution restrictions among other regulatory actions and considerations...