Health News
Date: Aug-09-2012
Although many pregnant women experience hormonal mood swings, in some expectant mothers it is much more serious; one in five pregnant women experiences a major depression. A study featured in the journal Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice reveals pregnant women with major depression may benefit from an old recommended stress reliever, i.e. yoga...
Date: Aug-09-2012
A study published online in Molecular Psychiatry reports that researchers have discovered a new gene that is associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The findings suggest that retinoid-related orphan receptor alpha (RORA) is involved in protecting brain cells from the damaging effects of stress and that it could also play a role in developing PTSD. PTSD is a psychiatric disorder that is characterized by serious changes in behavioral, cognitive, emotional and psychological functioning after experiencing a psychologically traumatic event...
Date: Aug-09-2012
By controlling a hormone in fruit flies, researchers were able to manipulate levels of sugar in their bodies, opening the way to developing a "cure" that would reduce the need for insulin shots in human diabetics. The dramatic discovery may also lead to new weight-loss drugs that could, for instance, trick the body into thinking it was exercising. Neurobiologists at Wake Forest University in the US write about their discovery in a paper published online in July in the journal Genetics...
Date: Aug-09-2012
According to a new study presented at the American Psychological Association's 120th Annual Convention, individuals who are overweight or obese could gain ten years worth of health benefits by simply losing 20 pounds. In addition, the researchers examined data that suggests foods may have addictive properties if they contain high levels of sugar and fat. The study was presented by Rena Wing, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and human behavior at Brown University's Alpert Medical School and director of the Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center at The Miriam Hospital in Providence, R.I...
Date: Aug-09-2012
New research, published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, has found that adolescents' blood levels of various micronutrients are correlated with their performance in physical fitness tests. Although the results don't suggest any causes, they do show a new relationship between different measures of adolescent health. Most people acquire healthy habits in their adolescence that they will carry through adulthood, for example, they start choosing foods high in vitamins and minerals and developing a regular exercise routine...
Date: Aug-09-2012
The U.S. has registered the worst outbreak of whooping cough in over five decades this year, with many states reaching epidemic levels. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the numbers of reported cases is already double as high compared with 2011, and with children preparing to return to school, the number of those who will develop whooping cough or even be killed by the disease could continue to rise, if children are not vaccinated appropriately...
Date: Aug-09-2012
In the U.S., "patient dumping", i.e. turning away or transferring uninsured patients with emergency medical conditions, has been legally prohibited for the last 25 years. However, a study published in the August edition of Health Affairs reveals that uninsured Americans are still at risk. The study, which was conducted by a national team of researchers, indicates that hospitals are violating the law by continuing to practice "patient dumping...
Date: Aug-09-2012
Men who do weight training or resistance training on a regular basis may be able to lower their risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a new study published online this week. Weight training is a form of resistance training, where the aim is to develop strength in the skeletal muscles by resisting force through the use of free weights, for example dumbbells and barbells...
Date: Aug-09-2012
Even though chemotherapy kills tumor cells, it also causes damage to the rest of the body. However, a team of researchers from South Carolina's College of Pharmacy has now discovered a new class of drugs that can decrease the adverse effects that chemotherapy causes in cellular damage. The discovery seems to apply to various forms of cancers and can potentially improve the efficacy of chemotherapy and afterwards lengthen the remission time. There is also potential for the development of promising new treatments for diseases that are age-related like Alzheimer's...
Date: Aug-09-2012
Clavis Pharma ASA (OSE: CLAVIS), the Norwegian cancer drug development company, announces that a Phase I study of CP-4126 (CO-101) in combination with cisplatin in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been initiated by its partner Clovis Oncology. The first patient has now been dosed in this two-part study, which is being conducted at cancer centres in the USA and the UK. The combination of cisplatin and gemcitabine has been shown to be an effective regimen for solid tumours including NSCLC...