Cuts to adult mental health services in England have started damaging the quality of care given to patients, a report suggests. Continue reading
Mental Health Cuts ‘Put Lives at Risk’
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Most Deaths in Young People are Preventable: WHO study
GENEVA – Most of the 2.6 million deaths of young people each year are preventable, according to a new study supported by the World Health Organization and released in Geneva Friday.
The main causes of deaths in the 10-24 age group were road traffic accidents, complications during pregnancy and child birth, suicide, violence, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis.
The study, to be published in the Lancet, a medical journal, found that 97 percent of these deaths were taking place in low and middle-income countries.
“Young people … often fall through the cracks,” said Daisy Mafubelu, WHO’s expert for family and community health.
She said it was important to improve their access to information and services “and help young people avoid risky behaviors that can lead to death”.
There are an estimated 1.8 billion people that fall into this age group, accounting for 30 percent of the world’s population.
Road traffic accidents could be avoided through more appropriate speed limits, strict enforcement of drunk-driving laws and by the use of helmets and safety belts, the WHO said.
Moreover, young people need sex education, condoms and other contraceptives, the ability to perform safe abortions, access to antenatal and obstetric services and testing and care for HIV/AIDS.
The study also led the researchers to conclude that suicide and other violence could be prevented through life-skills training and positive parental involvement in young people’s lives.
Furthermore, the WHO recommended that access to lethal means of all kinds, including guns and toxins, should be reduced, along with limiting the consumption of alcohol.
There also needed to be better care and support for those exposed to child abuse, youth violence, and sexual assault, to help young people deal with the immediate and long-term consequences of these traumatic events.
Nationwide Survey Shows Americans Oppose A Cosmetic Tax
WASHINGTON DC – A majority of Americans oppose the inclusion of a five percent tax on cosmetic medical procedures, according to a survey released today. Survey respondents oppose the cosmetic tax by a 52% – 43% margin.
According to the survey, a large majority of respondents, by a 64% – 34% margin, agree that the cosmetic medical procedures tax has no place in health care reform, since these procedures and treatments are not covered by health insurance and the tax will disproportionately impact middle class women.
“It is clear from these results that Americans disagree with this proposed tax,” said
The tax on cosmetic medical procedures was not included in any of the five health reform bills developed and debated in Senate and House Committees. According to the Congressional Budget Office, it is projected to raise approximately $5.8 billion over ten years toward the $856 billion price tag for the proposed Senate health reform bill. However, a similar tax in New Jersey has realized less than one-third of the anticipated revenue and an independent audit of the New Jersey system found that it took $3.39 in expenditures just to collect a single dollar in tax — making a cosmetic tax not only a bad idea but an unreliable way to fund health reform.
According to the survey, there is no significant difference between men and women in their opposition to the proposed tax. On the other hand, respondents over the age of 45 are much more likely to oppose the tax, with opposition increasing among older respondents.
The survey further demonstrates that, by a 49% – 30% margin, respondents were more likely to oppose the tax once informed that sixty percent of all people planning to have cosmetic medical procedures report a household income of between $30,000 and $90,000.
“These numbers confirm what ASPS has been saying all along, that many people mistakenly believe that this is a luxury tax,”
This survey was conducted by Opinion Research Corporation among a national probability sample of 1,014 adults comprising 506 men and 508 women 18 years of age and older, living in private households in the continental United States. Interviewing was completed during the period December 3-6, 2009.
Source
American Society of Plastic Surgeons
Now a Molecular GPS’ to Help Probe Aging and Disease Processes
DETROIT – Michigan researchers have developed a powerful new GPS-like tool to identify proteins that are affected by a chemical process that is key to aging and disease development.
The probe, which works like a GPS or navigation system for finding these proteins in cells, could lead to new insights into disease processes and identify new targets for disease treatments, according to the researchers.
It is believed that a diet rich in antioxidants, which are abundant in fruits and vegetables, may help cease this cell-damaging process by blocking the accumulation of these molecules, also known as reactive oxygen species (ROS).
However, to date, scientists have not found any proper tools to study the effects of these molecules in detail.
Thus, the researchers developed a new molecule called DAz-2, which, according to them, functions like a tiny GPS device for quickly finding specific proteins that are affected by ROS.
The molecules do this by chemically “tagging” sulfenic acid, which is formed in cells and indicates that a protein has undergone a type of reaction – called oxidation – caused by ROS.
In lab studies using cultured cells, the scientists identified more than 190 proteins that undergo this reaction.
The researchers said that the study could lead to better strategies for fighting the wide range of diseases that involve these excessive oxidation reactions.
The study will be published in ACS Chemical Biology, a monthly journal
Malaria Parasite Infects Gorillas, Not Just Humans
YAOUNDE – Gorillas carry the parasite that causes malignant malaria in humans, a finding that could help in efforts to develop a vaccine for malaria, researchers say.
Malaria is a sometimes fatal disease, usually contracted from mosquitoes, most commonly in areas such as sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. People who contract malaria typically develop flu-like symptoms with high fevers and chills, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In the new study, researchers analyzed fecal samples from 84 gorillas in Cameroon and blood samples from three gorillas in Gabon and found the parasite Plasmodium falciparum, which was previously believed to only infect humans. P. falciparum causes 85 percent of malignant malaria infections in humans and nearly all deaths from malaria.
The scientists also found that the gorillas carried two closely related species of malaria parasites: Plasmodium GorA and Plasmodium GorB.
The discovery of P. falciparum in gorillas complicates efforts to eradicate malaria, according to the study published in this week’s issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
“Hundreds of billions of dollars are spent each year toward ridding humans of malignant malaria. But success may be a pyrrhic victory, because we could be re-infected by gorillas — just as we were originally infected by chimps a few thousand years ago,” study co-author Francisco Ayala, a biologist at the University of California, Irvine, said in a university news release.
Along with potentially aiding in the development of a malaria vaccine, this finding helps improve understanding of how infectious diseases such as HIV, SARS and bird and swine flu can be transmitted from animals to humans, the researchers noted.
Each year, malaria sickens about 500 million people worldwide and causes 2 million infant deaths. Four kinds of malaria parasites can infect humans: P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, P. malariae. Infection with P. falciparum, if not promptly treated, may lead to death, according to the CDC.
Soon, Robo-Bees that Mimic Bees Behavior
Soon, Robo-Bees that Mimic Bees Behavior
Biology professor
The project will draw on the knowledge of computer scientists, engineers, and biologists to construct an electronic nervous system, a supervisory architecture and a high-energy source to power the innovative robots.
“This project will integrate the efforts and expertise of a diverse team of investigators to create a system that far transcends the sum of its parts. We expect substantial advances in basic science at the intersection of these seemingly disparate disciplines to result from this effort,” said Ayers.
Inspired by the biology of the bee and the insect’s colonial behaviour, the project aims to advance miniature robotics and the design of compact high-energy power sources.
The project would also spur innovations in ultra-low-power computing and electronic “smart” sensors that mediate biomimetic control.
In addition, it would refine coordination algorithms to manage multiple, independent machines.
Ayers is widely known for his work in biomimetics- the science of adapting the control systems found in nature to inform design of engineered systems to solve real-world problems-including the development of RoboLobster and RoboLamprey.
The autonomous, biomimetic underwater robotic models emulate the operations of the animals’ nervous systems using an electronic controller based on nonlinear, moving models of neurons and synapses.
“Animals have evolved to occupy every environmental niche where we would hope to operate robots, save outer space. They provide proven solutions to problems that confound even the most sophisticated robots, and our challenge is to capture these performance advantages in engineered devices,” said Ayers.
What is Lupus?
What is Lupus?
Lupus is an autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system becomes hyperactive and attacks normal, healthy tissue. This results in symptoms such as inflammation, swelling, and damage to joints, skin, kidneys, blood, the heart, and lungs.
Under normal function, the immune system makes proteins called antibodies in order to protect and fight against antigens such as viruses and bacteria. Lupus makes the immune system unable to differentiate between antigens and healthy tissue. This leads the immune system to direct antibodies against the healthy tissue – not just antigens – causing swelling, pain, and tissue damage.
(* An antigen is a substance capable of inducing a specific immune response.)
What are the different types of lupus?
Several different kinds of lupus have been identified, but the type that we refer to simply as lupus is known as systemic lupus erythematosus or SLE. Other types include discoid (cutaneous), drug-induced, and neonatal.
Patients with discoid lupus have a version of the disease that is limited to the skin. It is characterized by a rash that appears on the face, neck, and scalp, and it does not affect internal organs. Less than 10% of patients with discoid lupus progress into the systemic form of the disease, but there is no way to predict or prevent the path of the disease.
SLE is more severe than discoid lupus because it can affect any of the body’s organs or organ systems. Some people may present inflammation or other problems with only skin and joints, while other SLE sufferers will see joints, lungs, kidneys, blood, and/or the heart affected. This type of lupus is also often characterized by periods of flare (when the disease is active) and periods of remission (when the disease is dormant).
Drug-induced lupus is caused by a reaction with certain prescription drugs and causes symptoms very similar to SLE. The drugs most commonly associated with this form of lupus are a hypertension medication called hydralazine and a heart arrhythmia medication called procainamide, but there are some 400 other drugs that can also cause the condition. Drug-induced lupus is known to subside after the patient stops taking the triggering medication.
A rare condition, neonatal lupus occurs when a mother passes autoantibodies to a fetus. The unborn and newborn child can have skin rashes and other complications with the heart and blood. Usually a rash appears but eventually fades within the first six months of the child’s life.
Who is affected by lupus?
According to the Lupus Foundation of America (LFA), 1.5 to 2 million Americans have some form of lupus. The prevalence is about 40 cases per 100,000 persons among Northern Europeans and 200 per 100,000 persons among blacks. Although the disease affects both males and females, women are diagnosed 9 times more often than men, usually between the ages of 15 and 45. African-American women suffer from more severe symptoms and a higher mortality rate.
Other risk factors include exposure to sunlight, certain prescription medications, infection with Epstein-Barr virus, and exposure to certain chemicals.
What causes lupus?
Although doctors are do not know exactly what causes lupus and other autoimmune diseases, most believe that lupus results from both genetic and environmental stimuli.
Since lupus is known to occur within families, doctors believe that it is possible to inherit a genetic predisposition to lupus. There are no known genes, however, that directly cause the illness. It is probable that having an inherited predisposition for lupus makes the disease more likely only after coming into contact with some environmental trigger.
The higher number of lupus cases in females than in males may indicate that the disease can be triggered by certain hormones. Physicians believe that hormones such as estrogen regulate the progression of the disease because symptoms tend to flare before menstrual periods and/or during pregnancy.
Certain environmental factors have been known to cause lupus symptoms. These include:
* Extreme stress
* Exposure to ultraviolet light, usually from sunlight
* Smoking
* Some medications and antibiotics, especially those in the sulfa and penicillin groups
* Some infections, such as cytomegalovirus (CMV), parvovirus (such as fifth disease), hepatitis C infections, and the Epstein-Barr virus (in children)
* Chemical exposure to compounds such as trichloroethylene in well water and dust
What are the symptoms of lupus?
Since no two cases of lupus are exactly alike, there is a wide range of symptoms that are known to affect many parts of the body. Sometimes symptoms develop slowly or appear suddenly; they can be mild, severe, temporary, or permanent. Most people with lupus experience symptoms in only a few organs, but more serious cases can lead to problems with kidneys, the heart, the lungs, blood, or the nervous system.
Lupus episodes, or flares, are usually noted by a worsening of some of the following symptoms:
* Achy joints (arthralgia), arthritis, and swollen joints, especially in wrists, small joints of the hands, elbows, knees, and ankles
* Swelling of the hands and feet due to kidney problems
* Fever of more than 100 degrees F (38 degrees C)
* Prolonged or extreme fatigue
* Skin lesions or rashes, especially on the arms, hands, face, neck, or back
* Butterfly-shaped rash (malar rash) across the cheeks and nose
* Anemia (oxygen carrying deficiency of red blood cells)
* Pain in the chest on deep breathing or shortness of breath
* Sun or light sensitivity (photosensitivity)
* Hair loss or alopecia
* Abnormal blood clotting problems
* Raynaud’s phenomenon: fingers turn white and/or blue or red in the cold
* Seizures
* Mouth or nose ulcers
* Weight loss or gain
* Dry eyes
* Easy bruising
* Anxiety, depression, headaches, and memory loss
Lupus can also lead to complications in several areas of the body. These include:
* Kidneys – serious kidney damage is a primary cause of death for lupus sufferers.
* Central nervous system – lupus can cause headaches, dizziness, memory problems, seizures, and behavioral changes.
* Blood and vessels – lupus causes an increased risk of anemia, bleeding, blood clotting, and vessel inflammation
* Lungs – noninfectious pneumonia and difficulty breathing due to inflammation of the chest cavity are more likely with lupus
* Heart – heart muscle and artery inflammation are more likely with the disease, and lupus increases the chances of cardiovascular disease and heart attacks.
* Infection – lupus treatments tend to depress the immune system making your body more vulnerable to infection.
* Cancer – lupus increases the risk of cancer, especially of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, lung cancer, and liver cancer
* Bone tissue death – a lower blood supply to bone tissue leads to tiny breaks and eventual death of bone. This is most common in the hip bone.
* Pregnancy – lupus increases the risk of miscarriage, hypertension during pregnancy, and preterm birth.
How Infant Pain Has Repercussions in Adulthood
How Infant Pain Has Repercussions in Adulthood
ATLANTA – Researchers at Georgia State University have thrown light on how pain in infancy alters the brain’s ability to process pain in adulthood.
The study has now indicated that infants who spent time in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) show altered pain sensitivity in adolescence.
The results have profound implications, and highlight the need for pre-emptive and post-operative pain medicine for newborn infants.
The study sheds light on how the mechanisms of pain are altered after infant injury in a region of the brain called the periaqueductal gray, which is involved in the perception of pain.
For the study, graduate student
Endogenous opioid peptides, such as beta-endorphin and enkephalin, function to inhibit pain and they are also the ‘feel good’ substances that are released following high levels of exercise or love.
As these peptides are released following injury and act like morphine to dampen the experience of pain, the researchers tested to see if the rats, who were injured at birth, had unusually high levels of endogenous opioids in adulthood.
Thus, they gave adult animals that were injured at the time of birth a drug called naloxone, which blocks the actions of endogenous opioids.
The researchers observed that after animals received an injection of naloxone, they behaved just like an uninjured animal.
Using a variety of anatomical techniques, the investigators showed that animals that were injured at birth had endogenous opioid levels that were two times higher than normal.
Interestingly, while there is an increase in endorphin and enkephalin proteins in adults, there is also a big decrease in the availability of mu and delta opioid receptors, which are necessary in order for pain medications, such as morphine, to work.
This means that it takes more pain-relieving medications in order to provide relief as there are fewer available receptors in the brain. Studies in humans are reporting the same phenomenon.
The number of invasive procedures an infant experienced in the NICU is negatively correlated with how responsive the child is to morphine later in life.
Thus, the researchers concluded that the more painful procedures an infant experienced, the less effective morphine is in alleviating pain.
The study has been published online in the journal Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience.
The Pill Bottle Gets a Cell Phone, to Remind You to Take Your Medicine
The Pill Bottle Gets a Cell Phone, to Remind You to Take Your Medicine
CAMBRIDGE – “Hi! This is your aspirin bottle calling. I haven’t seen you in a while. Why don’t you come see me soon? I’m good for the heart, you know.”
That’s the spirit, if not the wording, of the calls that will come from new pill bottle caps that connect to AT&T Inc.’s wireless network.
A Cambridge, Mass.-based startup called Vitality Inc. was set to announce the pill-bottle system Thursday, saying it helps solve one of the biggest problems in medicine: that people don’t consistently take the drugs they’re prescribed.
That costs the U.S. $290 billion in added medical spending each year, according to a study published in August by the New England Healthcare Institute. Mortality rates are twice as high among diabetes and heart disease patients who don’t take their pills properly, it said.
With Vitality’s system, when a pill-bottle cap is opened, it uses a close-range wireless signal to tell a base station in the home. That station, which looks like a night light, essentially has a cell phone inside that can send messages through AT&T’s network.
If the bottle isn’t opened at the appointed time, the cap and night light start blinking to remind the owner to take the medication. If that doesn’t serve as enough of a hint, they start playing jingles as well. If the bottle stays unopened, the night light will send a message to Vitality’s system, which can then place an automated phone call or send a text message with a reminder.
That points to another possibility opened by the wireless bottle cap: making the pill-taking routine more than just a matter between the patient and the bottle. Vitality’s system can be set to alert a relative if someone isn’t taking medicine.
“The social aspect of this is important,”
A price for the new system hasn’t been disclosed. Vitality hopes insurance and drug companies will get on board with the system and cover the cost.
Vitality has been selling an earlier version of the product in small numbers from its Web site for $99. In that version, the night light doesn’t contain a cell phone. Instead it connects to a third piece of hardware, a “gateway” plugged into a home’s Internet router. But not all homes have routers, and configuring them can be tricky. The AT&T-powered night light simplifies the installation.
The Best Commercial Bread To Buy
BEVERLY HILLS – US Tele-Medicine, the operators of this blog, rarely recommends any product because there are always opposing viewpoints with respect to ingredients, integrity or manufacture. There are no perfect products manufactured by man. There are close exception to that understanding. This is one of them.
Wheat is a mainstay of many peoples and national diets around the world. Wheat itself is quite healthy and beneficial source of carbs and fibers. Wheat becomes less healthy when we add yeasts, preservatives, enhancers and flavors, in any baked goods. This is not to mention the sugars, syrups, fruits, emulsifiers and binders, added to the wheat by most mass- market commercial bakeries. This is when wheat becomes toxic.
All commercial brands of breads have some other “natural” product added to the wheat, which always disturbs the structure of the beneficial fibers and confuses the body looking for clean carbs. Except one.
In our opinion, the BEST commercial bread is found at Trader Joe’s Markets and branded as “Pain Pascal Organic Demi Miche.” The ingredients: Organic Whole Wheat Flour, Filtered Water, and Sea Salt.
The texture is incredibly soft, dense like a European country bread and very moist. The taste is superb and especially aromatic lathered with some good Irish or Danish butter. It toasts very heartily and the full crispy-on-the-outside, moist- on- the- inside effect is always there.
It is delicious, hearty, attractive, and very healthy for you to eat. Bon appetite.
Breast Tissue Feature Could Predict Woman’s Cancer Risk
ROCHESTER – Certain structural features within breast tissue can indicate a woman’s individual cancer risk, say Mayo Clinic researchers.
The findings appear in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
The study shows that acini (AS-ih-nye), the small milk-producing elements in breast lobules, can be counted in sample biopsies. The percentage of acini present per lobule at a given age indicates cancer risk.
“Aside from the predictors of heredity, there is no effective independent predictor of risk of breast cancer,” says
“This risk estimate model based on novel tissue in each individual may provide a reliable strategy,” the expert added.
To reach the conclusion, researchers studied the tissue structures in 85 patients with breast cancer and examined earlier, noncancerous breast biopsies from the same women. They compared them to 142 age-controlled samples from Mayo’s Benign Breast Disease Cohort, a bio repository of benign biopsy tissues. Then, researchers developed the model and tested a risk prediction for each patient.
For the same women, they used the existing
“Women who were more likely to develop breast cancer had larger lobules with more acini,” explains
As women age, especially as they approach menopause, the risk of breast cancer declines because the lobules and acini disappear. This natural process, called involution, is at the core of this risk factor.
This twofold approach led to development of accurate metrics on which to base individual risk. The team hopes this new model, combined with other patient information and assessments, will greatly improve a physician’s ability to predict cancer risk for individual patients.
Index of Posts through December 31, 2009
Index of Posts through December 31, 2009
TO FIND ANY POST, SIMPLY ENTER SOME KEY WORDS IN THE SEARCH BOX
1 in 5 U.S. kids found deficient in vitamin D
3-D Structure of Human Genome Deciphered
8 Million Americans Seriously Consider Suicide Annually
A Mind That Touches the Past
Active Elders Live Longer: Study
Acupuncture, herbal medicine become more popular in U.S.
Adding Flaxseed to Juices, Salads, Jellies Fight Prostate Cancer
Alcoholism Affects Sleep During Sober Periods
Aligning Your Chakras
Alternative Supplements Can Now Be Claimed on Your Insurance and Get a Cash Refund
Alzheimers Risk Linked to Level of Appetite Hormone
Ancient Surgeries – Trepanation and Nose Jobs
Animals Using One Side of their Brains are More Successful
Anti-Ageing Creams Could Cause Cancer
Antifungal Effects of Pumpkin Protein
Antioxidant in Melon Relieves Stress
Ants Can Count
Anxiety, Depression Much More Common Than Thought
Appealing Health Insurance Denials
Are There Toxins in Your Herbs?
Are You Unwittingly Practicing Alternative Medicine?
Artificial Sweeteners Linked to Kidney Decline
Aspirin Is Only for Heart Patients
Aura’ Migraines a Stroke Risk
Aussie Scientists Find HIV Reservoir in Brain
Autopsy Reveals Ancient Egyptian Mummy Died of TB
Bacteria Can Transform Minerals Electrically
Bad Drug Reactions, Side Effects – 500,000 US Kids to Doctor Each Year
Basic Hygiene More Effective Against Swine Flu than Drugs
Being Too Optimistic could Harm Weight Loss Efforts
Best Vitamins for Women
Better Ventilation May Ease some Asthma
Bike Rides for Women Over 50 Can Cut 16 Years off Age
Binge Drinking Weakens Body’s Ability to Fight Infections
Biodynamic the New Organic?
Bionic Eye May Help Blind See: Retinal Prosthesis Shown To Restore Partial Vision
Blueberries Keep Brain Active In the Afternoon
Brain Function of Earthquake Survivors Acutely Affected
Brain Prods You Into Gorging on Good Food
Brain’s Face Processing Ability does Reduce with Age
Brains Can be Trained
Breakdown of Who Lacks Health Insurance by State
Breast Milk Best if Consumed as Soon as it is Expressed
Breathalyzer Screening may Help Spot Lung Cancer Early
Breathing Technique can Reduce Asthma Severity
Brit Men Having Boob Jobs on the Rise
Broken Heart ‘Ups Heart Attack Risk’
Brown University Study Of Marijuana Use In Head And Neck Cancer
California’s Real Death Panels: Insurers Deny 21% of Claims
Calorie Restriction Reduces Disease and Extends Life
Cancer patients and their experiences of using the Internet
Cannabis Helps Sleep Apnea
Cannabis in The Old Testament
Celiac Disease and Osteoporosis Link Brings Possible Treatment
Cherry Juice May Help Ease the Pain of Sore Muscles
Childhood Physical Abuse Linked To Arthritis, Study Finds
Chilling Brains Aids in Cardiac Care
Chinese Herbal Medicines For Preventing Diabetes In High Risk People
Chinese herbs may hold back diabetes
Chlorophyll Compounds may Help Treat Cancer
Cholesterol Crucial to Brain Development
Chronic Rhinosinusitis Patients Going for Alternative Medicine
Chyawanprash: Ancient Indian Elixir
Cities, Human Brains Evolved in Similar Ways
Cocktail with real snake venom has bite
Coffee Can Give Kids Sleepless Nights, Breathing Problems
Coffee May Stop Liver Disease
Cola Drinking Linked to Diabetes in Pregnancy
Color Therapy
Combination Heart Device Cut Chances of Heart Failure by 41 Percent
Common Abbreviations Used in Nutrition
Common Attitudes About Personal Pain
Complementary Therapies for Eczema
Comprehensive Eating Disorders Dictionary for Parents
Consciousness is Brains Wi-Fi Network
Controlling Your Breathing Helps Sea Sickness
Could Chinese Herb Be a Natural Viagra?
Could This Forbidden Medicine Eliminate the Need for Drugs?
Cup of Aloe Nutritious Shake, Herbal Tea make for a Healthy Breakfast
Cup of Mint Tea is an Effective Painkiller
Curry Compound Kills Cancer
Curry Spice ‘Kills Cancer Cells’
Depressed Teens Higher Risk of Mental Health Problems in Later Life
Depression Leads to Protein Linked to Heart Disease
Determining the Quality of your Supplements.
Dietary Fiber Can Keep Diseases at Bay
Different Anxiety Disorders
Dimensions of the Most Attractive Face
Dioxin In Your Daily Life Causes Cancer
Disease-Detecting Device Vibrates with Potential
Do Multivitamins Curb Kids Allergy Risk?
Doctors Unable to Restrain Mentally Ill From Smoking
Does Acupuncture Help Your Back?
Don’t Spank Your Kids if You Want Them to be Intelligent
Don’t Watch Your Wife Give Birth or You May Get Divorced
Drinking Coffee During Midlife May Reduce the Risk of Dementia in Later Life
Dung of the Devil Plant Roots may Offer Swine Flu Cure
Eat the Butter: Study Finds Fatty Foods Help Pilots on Mental, Flying Tests
Eating Walnuts Cuts Cholesterol
Efforts to Promote Breast Feeding Urged
Egyptian Mummies Had Clogged Arteries
Elderly Women Sleep Better Than They Think, Men Nap Worse
EU Grants Nearly $2.25M For Complementary Medicine Research
Exercise can Cut Heart Disease Deaths by 60 per cent
Exercising in the Heat may Help You Eat Less
Experts Map the Body’s Bacteria
External therapy Cannabinoids Effective in Reducing Pain Patients with Herpes Zoster
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil may Help Prevent, Treat Alzheimer’s
Facebook May Boost your Brain’s Working Memory
Face-to-Face Medical Care over the Internet?
Fake Blood-Clotting Products to Heal Wounded Soldiers
Fashion and Beauty Trends in Fall Takes Toll on Health
Fibromyalgia: Treatable With Chiropractic Care and Reimbursable Through GE
Fighting Infection With Manuka Honey
FIRST-OF-ITS KIND HEALTH CARE PLAN REIMBURSES USERS OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA
Flaxseed May Lower Cholesterol
Flickering Bright Colors Likely To Trigger Epileptic Fits
Flower Essence Therapy
For Patients Suffering With Chronic Rhinosinusitis
Forgotten Memories Still Exist in the Brain
Four Major Food Groups for a Healthy Life
Four Things You Didn’t Know About Natural Medicine
Frequent Nasal Irrigation May Increase Infections
Genetic Link Between Psychosis and Creativity Revealed
Gingko Biloba May Protect From Radiation
Glucosamine Effectiveness
Glucose Could Potentially Power Our Gadgets, Cars
Green Spaces ‘Improve Health’
Green Tea may Help Improve Bone Health
Hand Size–Not Sex–Determines Sense of Touch
Having a Pet Can Help You Stay Healthy
Health Canada Warns of Health Risks Posed by Rating Raw Bean Sprouts
Health insurance Premiums Rose Modestly in 2009
Healthy Foods that Contain Vitamin A
Heartburn Drugs Safe for Fetuses, says Israeli Study
HERBAL MEDICINES IN YOUR BACKYARD
Herbal Supplements: What to Know Before You Buy
Here is Why Evolution is Irreversible
Here’s How Exposure to Diesel Fumes Causes Cancer
Here’s What Causes Arteries To Clog Up
Here’s Why Sugar in Green Tea is a Healthy Idea
Here’s Why Wine is Good for Health
High Dose Folate And B Vitamin Supplements Increase Uterine Cancer Risk
High-Fat Diet Harms Muscle Health in Pre-Diabetic Teens
High-Fructose Diet Increases Blood Pressure Risk
High-Protein Diets Shrink the Brain
Hippocampus Governs How We Devise Concepts in the Brain
History of Homeopathy
HIV Outwits Yet Another Microbicide
Home Remedies Series – Allergies
Home Remedies Series – Amnesia
Home Remedies Series – Anorexia
Home Remedies Series – Anxiety
Home Remedies Series – Arthritis
Home Remedies Series – Athletes foot
Home Remedies Series – Belching
Home Remedies Series – Burns
Home Remedies Series – Colitis
Home Remedies Series – Conjunctivitis
Home Remedies Series – Cracked Heels
Home Remedies Series – Dandruff
Home Remedies Series – Dark Circles
Home Remedies Series – Depression
Home Remedies Series – Diarrhea
Home Remedies Series – Dizziness
Home Remedies Series – Edema
Home Remedies Series – Hair
Home Remedies Series – Insomnia
Home Remedies Series – Intestinal Worms
Home Remedies Series – Kidney Stones
Home Remedies Series – Obesity
Home Remedies Series – Razor Burns
Home Remedies Series – Varicose Veins
Home Remedies Series – Vertigo
Honey Sends Virility-Seeking Men to the ER
How Addictive Drugs Influence Learning and Memory
How Color Plays Musical Chairs in the Brain
How Proximity to Convenience Stores Promotes Child Obesity
How Silver is Used in Wellness
How Some People Maintain Weight Loss, Others Don’t
How the Brain Encodes Memories at a Cellular Level
How to Eliminate and Prevent Cancer
How to Get Your Medical Insurer to Cover Alternative Medicine Treatments, If you are Not USTM Patient
How to Make Antibiotics More Effective at Lower Doses
How To Relieve Pain Without Medicine
India Suggests Therapeutic Cloning
India, Nigeria, Congo Account for 40 percent Child Deaths
Individual Reactions to Traumatic Stress
Indoor Plants Can Reduce Toxic Ozone Levels
Innovative, Low-Cost Medical and Diagnostic Tests
Introducing – Aloe Vera
Introducing – Bee Propolis
Introducing – Bilberry
Introducing – CoQ10
Introducing – Devil’s claw
Introducing – DHEA
Introducing – Ephedra
Introducing – Feverfew
Introducing – Ginger
Introducing – Guarana
Introducing – Licorice Root
Introducing – Melatonin
Introducing – Milk Thistle
Introducing – Milk Thistle
Introducing – Multivitamins
Introducing – Omega-6 Fatty Acids
Introducing – Policosanol – The Natural Statin
Introducing – Saw Palmetto
Introducing – St. John’s Wort
Introducing – Tribulus
Introducing –
Introducing – Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
Introducing – Vitamin C
Introducing – Vitamin E
Introducing – Vitamin K
Introducing – White Willow Bark
Introducing – Zinc
Iodine Must for Developing Kids’ Intellect
It’s Not a Tumor, It’s a Brain Worm
Keep the Body Alkaline for Optimum Health
Key Mechanism in Development of Nerve Cells Found
Know the Difference between Cold and Swine Flu Symptoms
Lack of Sunshine Vitamin Linked to High BP in Women
Laptop Save Student From Dropping Dead
Large Thighs May Protect Heart
L-Arginine is wonderful for Blood Pressure, Erectile Dysfunction, Wound Healing
Lesser Known Chinese Herbal Remedies
Light, Photosynthesis Harmful to Fresh Produce
Living Proof – A Man’s Unusual Prescription for Bone Cancer
Long Lasting Weight Loss
Loss of Loved One make Grievers Vulnerable to Heart Attacks
LSD and Cannabis Less Harmful than Alcohol, says UK Drug Expert
Lupus News
Lychee Fruit for Metabolic Syndrome
Male and Female Chromosomes do Communicate with Each Other
Males Experience Loss of Libido During Hepatitis-C Therapy
Man ‘Allergic’ to His Wife
MDs Could Learn From African Healers
Measles Vaccine Inhaler Shows Promise
Meat Linked to Prostate Cancer
Mechanism Related to Onset of Genetic Diseases Identified
Meddling in Mosquitoes Sex Life Could Cut Malaria
Medical error is a lot more dangerous than homeopathy
Melatonin Improves Mood In Winter Depression
Memory Test Spots Pre-Dementia
Men More Vulnerable to Mental Illness,
Mid-Life Obesity Cuts Women Chances of Healthy Survival
Mobile Microscopes Illuminate the Brain
More good news about bad times: the Great Depression increased US life expectancy
More On Life Saving L-Arginine – Heart Health
More On the Great L-Arginine – Improves Blood Flow and Exercise Capacity
More People Rely On Alternative Medicine
More Women Opting to Remove Healthy Breast After Cancer Diagnosis
Most Babies Born This Century Will Live to 100
Nanotechnology and Resveratrol
Native American Herbal Remedies No. 1
Native American Herbal Remedies No. 2
Natural Compounds in Vegetables Make Chemotherapy More Effective
Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy
Natural Hydrogel May Boost Spinal Cord
New Aircraft Air Filter System Destroy 99.9% of Bugs
New Approach to Wrinkles Could Replace Botox
New Biomarker Can Bring Rapid Relief from Major Depression
New Chip Can Detect Cancer Early
New Drug Kills Cancer Like a Stealth Slayer
New Evidence That Marijuana is Safe, Effective
New iPhone Apps to Study Human Body in 3-D
New Microchip-Based Device Can Put an End to Painful Biopsies
New Patsari Stove Smproves Women’s Lung Health
New Weight-Loss Fad Uses Tongue Patches Make Eating Painful
No Pain, No Gain Applies to Happiness too
Noisy Roads Ups High Blood Pressure Risk
Non-Invasive Way of Diagnosing Sleep Apnea
Normal Ranges for the Two Types of Cholesterol
Not All Expert Advice is the Right Advice – Medical Myths
Novel Cancer Therapy Found by TA Researchers
Novel Minimally Invasive Technique to Treat Snoring
Novel Treatment Helps Paralyzed Rats Walk Again After Spinal-Cord Injury
Obese Kids Aged 12 Early Signs of Heart Disease
Obese Women have Less Chances of Enjoying Old Age
Obesity Spurs a Tide of Cancer in Europe
On-Off Fasting Helps Obese Adults Shed Pounds
ORPHCAM Project first to look at GP-CAM interface in rural areas
Oxidized Form of Vitamin A May Treat Bowel Diseases
Oxygen Therapy Can Help Cluster Headaches
Parkinson’s – A Novel Therapeutic Target
Patients in Vegetative State Can Learn, say Researchers
Peculiar Pageant Focuses on Surgically Enhanced Beauties
People Having Social Groups Stay Healthy
People Susceptible to Colon Cancer Cut their Risk in Half with Aspirin
Pervasive E-health services using communication technology
Phobias – 540 Common Phobias
Physically Active Boys Are Smarter
Pig bristles latest cure for eye problems
Pituitary Tumor Caused World’s Tallest Man’s Gigantism
Port Wine Birthmarks Now Easy to Remove with Laser Therapy
Preservation of Antibiotics
Preventing Hepatitis
Prevention In Getting H1N1 Flu
Prospects for Brain Regenerative Medicine
PROTECT YOURSELF TOXIC CHEMICALS IN PERSONAL CARE AND SKIN CARE PRODUCTS
Protecting Your Virtual Privacy – Health Information
Qwest’s Connections Power Colorado Telehealth
Radon Gas the Second Leading Cause of Lung Cancer
Reduce the Side Effects of Antibiotics
Regular Exercise Cuts Prostate Cancer Risk
Remains of World’s Oldest Human Brain Found in Armenia
Researchers Find a Way to Block Fat Consumption
Researchers Test Smart Bandage for Wireless Vitals Monitoring
Researchers tout cheap eHealth alternative
Resynchronization Cuts Down Risk of Heart Failures
Retinal Implant Could Help Restore Part of Vision
Right Dose of Omega-3 Fatty Acid May Be Identified
Santa Should Get Off His Sleigh, Give Up
Scientists Create World’s Tiniest Laser Squeezing Light
Scientists Develop Tiny Sensor to Sniff Toxins
Scientists Identify Another Step in Memory Formation
Scientists Identify Bacterium That Helps in Formation of Gold
Scientists Map How White Blood Cells Repair Wounds
Scientists Show Blue Light Can Help Reset Sleep Cycle
Scientists Trying to Identify Sanjivani Herb
Secrets of Anti-Aging Adaptogenic Herbs
Sexually Satisfied Women Experience Greater Vitality
Sexually Satisfied Women Experience Greater Vitality
Shame Is Essential, But You Can Get Out Of It
Shockwave Therapy Shows Promise for Erectile Dysfunction
Short-Term Stress Boosts Anti-Tumor Activity
Skinny Friends with Big Appetites Bad for Weight Watching
Sleep Loss may Lead to Alzheimer’s
Soccer Better Than Running for Womens Fitness
Social Isolation Speeds Up Breast Cancer Growth
Sodium bicarbonate helps to save countless lives every day
Some Colors Offer Better Sun Protection
Soon, Booster Broccoli to Keep Diseases at Bay, Control Weight
Soon, Chip on the Shoulder to Remind Patients to Take Pills
Soybean Compounds Could Prevent Heart Disease, Cancer
Soybeans May Sub for Fish Omega-3
Statin Use Reduces Heart Attacks, Deaths After Surgery on Blood Vessels
Still Alive and Well – Confirmed Bicarbonate Cancer Cure
Stressed? Dark Chocolate Might Help, Scientists say
Student Study Shows Energy Drinks Don’t Boost Performance
Study Finds Women Happier than Men, While Youth Most Distressed
Study: Alternative medicine use on the rise in U.S.
Sudoku Can Make You Fat
Sunlight May Help Cancer Patients Survive
Sunshine States Really are Happiest
Superhero Comics to Help Kids Understand Diseases, Treatments
Supplement May Offer a Statin Alternative For Some
Surgical Masks Offer No Protection Against a Pandemic
Sweeteners Make Sweet Life But Promise Cancer Instead
Swine Flu Prompts Calls for Kissing Strike in Spain
Tai Chi Relieves Osteoarthritis Knee Pain: Study
Tanning Linked to Moles in very Light-Skinned Children
Teddy Bear-Shaped Nurse Robot Developed
Teen Internet Addicts More Apt to Self Harm
Teen-Age Good at Reasoning but Lack Emotional Maturity
Teenage Hormones – Watch Out
Teens Who Smoke Marijuana But Not Tobacco Are Different From Other Teen Groups
TELE-MEDICINE SERVICE OVER SATELLITE NETWORK.
Testimonies document the medicinal properties of cannabis and its derivatives
Testosterone Spray May Help Post-Menopausal Women Fight Dementia
The Cause and Treatment of Heart Disease
The Connection Between Acne and Gluten
The Dietary Supplements Labels Database
The Emergence of E-Patients
The Immunity Herb –
The Importance of Potassium
THE LIFE SAVING BUDWIG PROTOCOL
The Origins of Tidiness
The Purpose of Sneezing
The Truth About the Composition of Different Fats – Oils We Eat
The Wireless Revolution in Medical Devices
Thinking of Cryogenics? Here Are Some Sources
Too Many Chocolates- Mental Problems Linked to Acne in Teens
Too Much Liquorice During Pregnancy may Affect Child’s IQ and Behavior
Topical Cream for Erectile Dysfunction could Prove Safer
Touching Toes May Indicate Heart Risk
Traumatic Childhood Might Take Years Off Adult Life
Treating Multiple Sclerosis with Diet
Trouble Thinking? Better See the Dentist
Truth About RGBH Milk Hormone – Again
Two-Thirds of World’s Blind are Women: Study
Types of Holistic Healing Therapies and Treatments
UAE uses SMS to Raise Awareness about Swine Flu
Understanding Amino Acids and Proteins
US Tele-Medicine – Our Philosophy
Vitamin B6 Tied to Better Prostate Cancer Survival
Vitamin C can Help Protect DNA Damage of Skin Cells
Vitamin D Helps Improve Survival From Bowel And Skin Cancer
Vitamin D may save your life from swine flu
Vitamin Supplements Lowers Risk of Heart Disease
Vitamin-Like Substance Could Slow Down
Vitamins and Minerals for Healthy Blemish-Free Skin
Want To Boost Your Confidence – Sit Straight!
War Talks Can Boost Older Adults’ Mental Health
Warning Pictures on Cigarettes
What about Cholesterol?
What Are Nutraceuticals?
What Does Anti-Aging Mean?
What Emotions Do
What Holistic Healing Means
What is Bipolar I Disorder?
What is Blood Pressure?
What is Neurogenesis?
What is Shamanic Smudging?
What is Tele-Medicine?
What Men Should Know About Low Testesterone
What You Need to Know to Save on Out-of-Pocket Health Care Costs
Which Diet Makes You Happy?
Whisky Hangover Worse Than Vodka, Study suggests
White Wine,
White Wines ‘Bad for the Teeth’
WHO head backs role of traditional medicine Two Years Ago – So what happened?
Whole Grains May Help Blood Pressure
Why Frequent Blinking is Essential for Healthy Eyes and Optimal Vision
Why Use Bioidentical Hormones
Why We Can Remember 7 Digits In the Brain
WORLD WIDE MEDICAL CANNABIS NEWS
World’s Oldest Surviving “Medicine” System Gets Government’s OK
Yolks May Reduce Risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Young Adults Likely to Outgrow Bipolar Disorder in Later Life
Your Weird Body Explained
A Mind That Touches the Past
Spatial-sequence synesthesia is one of several types of synesthesia, neural conditions in which senses combine in unusual ways. Grapheme-color synesthetes, for example, associate letters and numbers with colors; the number six might always look red to them. In other types of synesthesia, the word “cat” may create the taste of tomato soup, or the sound of a flute may appear as a blue cloud.
Recently, scientists have wondered if synesthesia–especially spatial-sequence synesthesia–might be linked to a superior ability to form memories. So psychologist
The findings, reported in the November-December issue of Cortex, also suggest a link between spatial-sequence synesthesia and hyperthymestic syndrome–a condition in which individuals can recall events from any point in their life with perfect clarity. And that may mean, says Simner, that anyone who visualizes timelines may remember historical events better than others.
The study jibes with our knowledge of how memory works, says neuroscientist
Controlling Your Breathing Helps Sea Sickness
PITTSBURGH – If you get seasick easily, you may prepare for boat rides with pressure-point bracelets, ginger, or a prescription skin patch. Now there’s one more remedy: timing your breathing to counteract the nauseating motion. The technique presumably works because it helps control gravity sensors in the abdomen–a lesser-known input to our fine-tuned balance system.
The brain is traditionally thought to sense body position in three ways. The inner ears sense motions of the head; the eyes see where the head is; and tiny sensory organs in muscles and tendons sense where the rest of the body is. More recently, researchers have realized that sensors in many other parts of the body also play a role: in the abdomen, the lower organs, and even blood vessels. As long as all of these sensors send matching signals to the brain, we feel oriented. But if one or two don’t match up, the brain gets confused and we become nauseated.
Scientists knew the most sickening motions closely match the rate of natural breathing; they also knew that people naturally tend to breathe in time with a motion. In fact, Navy seamen in World War II discovered that they could use certain breathing tricks to combat motion sickness. But no one had ever tested whether breathing out of time with a motion could prevent nausea.
Researchers from Imperial College London enlisted 26 volunteers to sit in a tilting, rocking flight simulator and coordinate their breathing in various ways with the motion. The tests lasted up to 30 minutes, or until subjects felt moderately sick. The natural tendency was for volunteers to inhale on every backward tilt, in rhythm with the rocking. But if the subjects exhaled on every backward tilt, they didn’t get sick as quickly. They felt even better if they breathed slightly faster or slower than the cyclic heaving of the chair; using that technique, the time until onset of nausea was 50% longer than during normal breathing.
So why do these tactics work? Abdominal sensors are known to send motion signals to the brain more slowly than those in the inner ear because they’re farther away from the brain and because abdominal organs have more mass, which means they resist movement a tiny bit longer. The time lag between the two types of sensors creates a mismatch that builds up in the brain and makes us gradually sicker, the researchers say. But if the diaphragm opposes gravity-induced stomach motions with controlled breaths, there is less sensory conflict and less nausea. “This technique is very good for mild everyday challenges,” says medical research scientist Michael Gresty, a member of the study team. “It’s completely safe, and it’s not a drug.” The results appear in the December issue of Autonomic Neuroscience.
“It’s a carefully designed study that shows there’s some modest effect of controlled respiration on motion sickness,” says neuroscientist Carey Balaban of the otolaryngology department at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania. But, he says, more controlled experiments are needed to confirm the proposed mechanism.
How to Make Antibiotics More Effective at Lower Doses
NEW YORK – Researchers at the NYU School of Medicine say that they have gained significant insights into a mechanism that plays an important role in making human pathogens like Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus anthracis resistant to numerous antibiotics.
Writing about their work in the journal Science, they have said that their study provides evidence that Nitric Oxide (NO) is able to alleviate the oxidative stress in bacteria caused by many antibiotics, and that it also helps to neutralize many antibacterial compounds.
Lead researcher Evgeny A.
A study Nudler led a few years ago had shown that bacteria mobilize NO to defend against the oxidative stress.
The new study supports the radical idea that many antibiotics cause the oxidative stress in bacteria, often resulting in their death, whereas NO counters this effect.
Based on this work, the researchers have come to the conclusion that scientists may use commercially available inhibitors of NO-synthase, an enzyme producing NO in bacteria and humans, to make antibiotic resistant bacteria like MRSA and ANTHRAX more sensitive to available drugs during acute infection.
“Developing new medications to fight antibiotic resistant bacteria like MRSA is a huge hurdle, associated with great cost and countless safety issues. Here, we have a short cut, where we don’t have to invent new antibiotics. Instead, we can enhance the activity of well established ones, making them more effective at lower doses,” says Nudler.
“We are very excited about the potential impact of this research in terms of continuing to push the boundaries of research in the area of infectious diseases,” said Dr. Vivian S. Lee, vice dean for science, senior vice president and chief scientific officer of NYU Langone Medical Center.
“With the emergence of drug resistant bacteria, it’s imperative that researchers strive to find conceptually new approaches to fight these pathogens,”
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