Health News

Protein that triggers immune response to viruses identified

Date: Nov-27-2013
A study led by Massachusetts General Hospital in the US has identified a protein that is vital for triggering the immune system's first response to viral infection. The researchers hope the discovery will lead to new treatments for viruses that have evolved ways of stunting the body's immune response.Writing in the latest online issue of Nature Immunology, the scientists describe how they found the protein GEF-H1 plays a key role in helping macrophages - important cells in the innate immune system - react to viral infections like influenza.

Cervical cancer screening overused in some groups of women

Date: Nov-27-2013
For the past ten years, clinicians throughout the United States have been performing unnecessary Pap tests for cervical cancer screening in certain groups of women, according to a researcher from Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) at the University of Utah. The research results were published online in the Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine today (November 25th 2013). "Almost two-thirds (64.

Two-way traffic enable proteins to get where needed, avoid disease

Date: Nov-27-2013
It turns out that your messenger RNA may catch more than one ride to get where it's going. Scientists have found that mRNA may travel one way down a cell, then board another, aptly named motor protein, and head in the opposite direction to get where it ultimately needs to be. It's a pretty important journey, because mRNA determines which proteins a cell expresses, differentiating a brain cell from, say, a muscle cell, said Dr. Graydon B. Gonsalvez, cell biologist at the Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Regents University.

"Rare" ApoE gene variant now believed to be common in Africans and African descendants worldwide

Date: Nov-27-2013
Researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College have found that a genetic variation that is linked to increased levels of triglycerides - fats in the blood associated with disorders such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and stroke - is far more common than previously believed and disproportionally affects people of African ancestry. Investigators say their discovery, reported in the American Journal of Cardiology, reinforces the need to screen this population for high levels of triglycerides to stave off disease.

Eating sushi can increase risk of cardiovascular disease

Date: Nov-27-2013
A study published in the Journal of Risk Research suggests that regularly eating sushi can pose a significant risk to humans from increased mercury exposure. The study showed that tuna sashimi contains the highest levels of methylmercury in fish-sushi, based on samples taken from across the USA.The effects of methylmercury exposure in humans as a result of excessive fish consumption can include neurodevelopmental deficits, poorer cognitive performance and increased rates of cardiovascular disease.

Mutant corn could yield new ways to curb 'billion-dollar bug'

Date: Nov-27-2013
Purdue and University of Illinois researchers have discovered a novel corn mutant whose leaves are highly susceptible to attack by Western corn rootworm beetles, a pest that feeds primarily on corn silks and pollen.While Western corn rootworm beetles were previously thought to avoid corn leaves based on food-source preference, study of the mutant suggests that normal corn plants have an active defense mechanism that deters the beetles from feeding on their foliage.

FDA requires removal of certain restrictions on the diabetes drug Avandia

Date: Nov-27-2013
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced it is requiring the removal of certain restrictions on prescribing and use of the diabetes drug Avandia (rosiglitazone) to reflect new information regarding the cardiovascular risk of the medicine. Today's actions are consistent with the recommendations of expert advisory committees.

New online asbestos course for DIY renovators

Date: Nov-27-2013
Home renovators are being encouraged to extend their 'DIY' skills and take a free online course to help them identify and safely handle asbestos. Cancer Council and the Department of Health in WA have developed the course in the face of growing concern about a 'third wave' of people contracting the deadly disease, mesothelioma, from exposure to asbestos while doing their own renovations.

A healthy diet plays a vital role in the lives of people living with HIV and AIDS

Date: Nov-27-2013
The British Dietetic Association (BDA) is fully supporting World AIDS Day (01 December 2013), by highlighting the vital importance of good nutrition for those living with HIV and AIDS. The BDA also has a specialist group working in this field called Dietitians in HIV and AIDS (DHIVA). The BDA, founded in 1936, is the professional association for dietitians in the United Kingdom. It is the nation's largest organisation of food and nutrition professionals with over 7,000 members. DHIVA is the HIV/AIDS specialist group of the BDA, founded in 1993.

Improved pediatrician/parent communication could yield stronger adolescent health outcomes

Date: Nov-27-2013
Improved communication between pediatric providers and the parents and guardians of adolescents could lead to better health outcomes, a University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine study reports. The findings are available online in this month's Patient Education and Counseling.Between June and November of 2009, Aletha Akers, M.D.