Health News

Mechanism Determined Of One Of The Most Powerful Tumor-Suppressor Proteins, Chd5

Date: Jan-12-2013
A team of cancer researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) has solved the mystery of how one of the most powerful of the body's natural tumor-suppressing proteins, called Chd5, exerts its beneficial effects. The findings, published online in the journal Cell Reports, are important because Chd5 engages processes fundamental to cancer prevention. Conversely, when Chd5 is mutated or missing, an important door is opened to cancer initiation...

Flu Activity Spreads Across America, Reaches Epidemic Levels

Date: Jan-11-2013
As flu activity spreads rapidly across America, doctors are urging people to get a flu shot now, as well as taking other steps to protect themselves from influenza and some of its complications. Flu is now at "epidemic levels", say public health authorities. According to the CDC's FluView report this week, two children have died from influenza-related causes. One was infected with influenza A (H3) virus while the other had an influenza A virus for which the subtype was not determined...

Wait 1 Year To Get Pregnant After Weight-Loss Surgery

Date: Jan-11-2013
Women who undergo bariatric surgery (weight-loss surgery) should wait at least one year before trying to get pregnant. The finding came from a review, published in The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist (TOG), that examined prior research to evaluate the safety, benefits, and restrictions associated with bariatric surgery, and management of weight-loss surgery patients before, during, and after pregnancy. The prevalence of obesity among women of child-bearing age is anticipated to increase from about 24.2% in 2005 to an estimated 28...

Salmeterol May Worsen Asthma Symptoms In Some Children

Date: Jan-11-2013
Some children with asthma have a gene that makes them respond to the medication Salmeterol very badly. Researchers have found that for some, taking this drug can actually worsen their condition.  One in seven sufferers of Asthma have the arginine-16 genotype of the beta-2 receptor which makes them respond badly to the beta-receptor stimulant, Salmeterol. The researchers stress that in order to tackle this problem, it is crucial that children with asthma are tested to see whether they carry the genotype...

Artificial "Poop" Cures Gut Superbug C. Difficile

Date: Jan-11-2013
Few treatments exist for people infected with the nasty gut superbug C.difficile, although new approaches based on transplanting fecal matter taken from stools of healthy people are proving successful. Now a new study claims poop made artificially in the lab not only cures the infection more effectively, but is safer, more stable and adaptable, and overcomes the "yuck" factor that puts patients, and some medical professionals, off this type of treatment...

What Is The DASH Diet?

Date: Jan-11-2013
The DASH diet was promoted by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute for patients with hypertension to control their blood pressure. U.S. News & World Report ranked the DASH diet as number 1 in January 2013. DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. People on the DASH diet eat lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grain, low-fat dairy foods, as well as poultry, fish, meat, nuts and beans. The quantities of added fats, red meat, and sugar-laden drinks and foods are kept to a minimum...

Simple Breath Test Finds TB, Lung Infections

Date: Jan-11-2013
Bacteria that cause lung infections like tuberculosis (TB) release volatile organic compounds that end up in exhaled breath. Now scientists have identified the unique "chemical fingerprints" given off by different bacteria in the lungs in a way that potentially allows for the diagnosis of such lung infections via a quick and simple breath test. The researchers, from the University of Vermont in the US, write about their findings in the 10 January issue of the online Journal of Breath Research...

Emotions Cited As Top Obstacle To Successful Weight Loss In Poll Of Psychologists

Date: Jan-11-2013
When it comes to losing weight, a popular New Year's resolution for many, people often focus on eating less and exercising more. But results of a new survey of psychologists suggest dieters should pay attention to the role emotions play in weight gain and loss if they hope to succeed. The survey, conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center, asked more than 1,300 licensed psychologists how they dealt with clients' weight and weight loss challenges...

Link Between Passive Smoking And Dementia

Date: Jan-11-2013
An international study by scientists in China, the UK and USA has found a link between passive smoking and syndromes of dementia. The study of nearly 6,000 people in five provinces in China reveals that people exposed to passive smoking have a significantly increased risk of severe dementia syndromes.  Passive smoking, also known as 'second-hand' smoke or environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), is known to cause serious cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, including coronary heart disease and lung cancer...

Only A Specific Group Of Cord Blood Stem Cells Found To Be Efficient For Use In Regenerative Medicine

Date: Jan-11-2013
Scientists at the University of Granada and Alcala de Henares University have found that not all isolated stem cells are equally valid in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. In a paper recently published in the prestigious journal Tissue Engineering the researchers report that, contrary to what was thought, only a specific group of cord blood stem cells (CB-SC) maintained in culture are useful for therapeutic purposes. At present, CB-SCs are key to regenerative medicine and tissue engineering...