Health News

Protein Disappears And Reappears To Save Nerve Cells From Damage

Date: Jun-02-2012
A protein produced by the central nervous system's support cells seems to play two opposing roles in protecting nerve cells from damage, an animal study by Johns Hopkins researchers suggests. Decreasing its activity seems to trigger support cells to gear up their protective powers, but increasing its activity appears to be key to actually using those powers to defend cells from harm. Seth Blackshaw, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Solomon H...

Patients With History Of Skin Infection At Increased Risk Of Surgical Site Infections

Date: Jun-02-2012
People with a past history of just a single skin infection may be three times more likely to develop a painful, costly - and potentially deadly - surgical site infection (SSI) when they have an operation, according to new Johns Hopkins research. The increased risk, described online in the Annals of Surgery, suggests there are underlying biological differences in the way individuals respond to skin cuts that need to be better understood in order to prevent SSIs, the researchers say...

Healthy Eating By Parents Sets A Good Example To Their Children

Date: Jun-02-2012
If lower-income mothers want kids with healthy diets, it's best to adopt healthy eating habits themselves and encourage their children to eat good foods rather than use force, rewards or punishments, says a Michigan State University study. The study, which appears in a recent issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, is one of a few that focuses on the eating habits of low-income families...

Cancer Rates Expected To Increase 75% By 2030

Date: Jun-01-2012
According to French researchers, the incidence of cancer is expected to increase by more than 75% by the year 2030 in developed countries, and over 90% in developing nations. The study is published Online First in the Lancet Oncology. The researchers, led by Dr Freddie Bray of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in Lyon, France, set out to determine how the current and future patterns of incidence and mortality of different types of cancer vary between nations with different levels of development, as measured by their Human Development Index (HDI)...

In Flight Stop Smoking Campaign 'Takes Off'

Date: Jun-01-2012
Smoking has been banned by most major airlines for more than two decades, however nicotine addicts are still risking flight safety by sneaking a washroom smoke. Talk to aircrew and they will tell you about these secret smokers. "We often catch them by smell, you develop a keen nose for a whiff of tobacco smoke," British Airways Stewardess Anne, told me. "The Russian and Japanese routes are the worst. It's quite an event when the lavatory smoke alarms trigger, because the whole cabin can hear them," she added...

Scientists Engineer Living Cells As "Logic Gates"

Date: Jun-01-2012
In a step that brings closer the day of cellular computers, a team of US scientists from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the US has engineered living cells to behave like logic gates, or simple biological computational units that produce certain outputs in response to certain combinations of inputs...

New Skin Transplant Method For Vitiligo Patients

Date: Jun-01-2012
In the United States, approximately 1 in 200 are affected by vitiligo - a skin disease that causes the skin to lose color and develop white patches. Now dermatologists at Henry Ford Hospital state that skin transplant surgery is safe and effective for restoring skin pigmentation caused by the disease. The study is published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. The team followed 23 patients who underwent the surgery for six months after the procedure. They found that, on average, the treated area of skin regained 43% of its natural color...

Cancer Problems Look Set To Nearly Double

Date: Jun-01-2012
The occurrence of cancer looks set to double over the next 15+ years with researchers predicting a 75% rise in cancer incidence by 2030. In poorer countries, the number is closer to 90%. The article published in the Lancet Oncology was prepared by Dr Freddie Bray of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in Lyon, France. The aim of his work was to look at current and future patterns of incidence and mortality. They also looked at how different types of cancer vary between countries, using the Human Development Index to group and classify them...

Osteoarthritis Patients May Benefit From Drinking Tart Cherry Juice

Date: Jun-01-2012
Tart cherries have the highest anti-inflammatory content of any food, according to researchers, and may help individuals suffering from osteoarthritis manage their disease. The study, conducted by researchers from Oregon Health and Science University, involved 20 women aged 40-70 with inflammatory osteoarthritis. The study was presented May 30th at the American College of Sports Medicine Conference (ACSM) in San Francisco, California...

Curry Ingredient Curcumin May Increase Protein Levels In Immune System

Date: Jun-01-2012
The cooking spice turmeric is not only a vital ingredient in many curries, it has also been used for 2,500 years as a medicinal compound in the Ayurvedic system of medicine in India. Now, researchers have discovered that a compound found in the spice called curcumin can increase the levels of a protein known to be vital in the "innate" immune system. Cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide (CAMP) is a major component in the immune system that helps our bodies fight off various viruses, bacteria or fungi...