Health

Young adults who consume high levels of mercury increase their risks for type 2 diabetes later in life by 65 percent, a new study has found.

The study, led by Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington epidemiologist Ka He, paints a complicated nutritional picture because the main source of mercury in humans comes from the consumption of fish and shellfish, nearly all of which contain traces of mercury.

Fish and shellfish also contain lean protein and other nutrients, such as magnesium and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which make them important to a healthy diet.

Drinking before and after diagnosis of breast cancer does not impact survival from the disease, a new study has found.

In fact, a modest survival benefit was found in women who were moderate drinkers before and after diagnosis due to a reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, a major cause of mortality among breast cancer survivors.

Washington, April 9 (ANI): Exposure to tobacco smoke could negatively impact kidney function in adolescents, according to a new study.

A team of researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Johns Hopkins Children”s Center examined the association between exposure to active smoking and kidney function among U.S. adolescents and found the effects of tobacco smoke on kidney function begin in childhood.

Washington, April 9 (ANI): Young adults who consume high levels of mercury increase their risks for type 2 diabetes later in life by 65 percent, a new study has found.

The study, led by Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington epidemiologist Ka He, paints a complicated nutritional picture because the main source of mercury in humans comes from the consumption of fish and shellfish, nearly all of which contain traces of mercury.

Washington, April 9 (ANI): Pregnant women living under sustained stresses are at an increased risk of miscarriage, a new study has revealed.

Several studies have examined the impact of stress on a pregnancy — both chronic stress, such as workload, and acute stress associated with traumatic events like the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

They concluded that stress could lead to adverse birth outcomes, including miscarriage and premature birth.

Newborn babies` immune system development and levels of vitamin D have been found to vary according to the month in which they were born, according to a new research co-authored by an Indian-origin researcher.

The new research, from scientists at Queen Mary, University of London and the University of Oxford, provides a potential biological basis as to why a person`s risk of developing the neurological condition multiple sclerosis (MS) is influenced by their month of birth.

Researchers from MIT`s Koch Institute of Integrative Cancer Research including two of Indian origin have presented a novel approach to developing a dengue therapy using mutated antibodies.

Certain genetic traits may predispose people to being more or less motivated to exercise and remain active, a new research from the University of Missouri has suggested.

Frank Booth, a professor in the MU College of Veterinary Medicine, along with his post-doctoral fellow Michael Roberts, were able to selectively breed rats that exhibited traits of either extreme activity or extreme laziness. They said these rats indicate that genetics could play a role in exercise motivation, even in humans.

“We have shown that it is possible to be genetically predisposed to being lazy,” Booth said.

The gene at the root of a human blood group that has remained a mystery for the past 60 years has been finally uncovered.

Researchers showed that a genetic deletion on this gene is responsible for the lack of this blood group in some people.

With the discovery of the gene behind the Vel blood group, medical scientists can now develop a more reliable DNA test to identify people who lack this group. This will reduce the risk of severe, and sometimes life threatening, destruction of the Vel-positive donor red blood cells in patients with antibodies against Vel.

The World Health Organisation has said that there is no proof that the H7N9 bird flu virus is being transmitted between people in China.

China said over a week ago that the virus had been found in humans for the first time.

Michael O`Leary, the WHO`s representative in China, told a news conference in Beijing that although they do not know the source of infection, at this time there is no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission, the Herald Sun reports.

In a mouse model of human ovarian cancer, a newly engineered T cells showed potent anti-cancer activity against tumours while minimizing reactivity against normal tissues.

Tumour antigens, unique proteins on the surface of a tumour, are potential targets for a normal immune response against cancer.

Identifying which antigens a patient`s tumour cells express is the cornerstone of designing cancer therapy for that individual. But some of these tumour antigens are also expressed on normal cells, inching personalized therapy back to the original problem.

Aroma of essential oil from the herb rosemary could help improve memory in healthy adults, researchers have claimed.

The researchers from Northumbria also said the smell may also enhance the ability to remember events and to remember to complete tasks at particular times, the Independent reported.

For the study, a group of 66 people were given memory tests in either a rosemary-scented room or another room with no scent.

Scientists have identified seven new genome regions linked to obesity and found that the genetic mechanisms that cause extreme obesity are similar to those that lead to milder forms of the condition.

An international research team studied more than 260,000 people to identify new genes that increase the risk of
obesity, and also to compare genetic factors that cause extreme obesity with those that are linked to rest of the Body Mass Index (BMI) range.

We know from experience that genetic factors are important for the emergence of both milder and more extreme

A long-held belief that whitening of skeletal muscle in diabetes is harmful has been busted.

In fact, the white muscle that increases with resistance training, age and diabetes helps keep blood sugar in check, researchers in the Life Sciences Institute at the University of Michigan have revealed.

In addition, the insights from the molecular pathways involved in this phenomenon and identified in the study may point the way to potential drug targets for obesity and metabolic disease.

By thinking about past stressful events, people basically recreate a stressor in their mind, a study has revealed.

Study author Peggy Zoccola from the department of Psychology of Ohio University said that stress can lead to changes in people`s body, their heart rate, blood pressure, or cortisol levels and thinking about a stressful circumstance can activate that same set of responses in the body, Fox News reported.

A compound that is abundant in red meat and is added as a supplement to popular energy drinks has been found to promote atherosclerosis – or the hardening or clogging of the arteries, a new study has revealed.

The study showed that the bacteria living in the human digestive tract metabolize the compound carnitine, turning it into trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), a metabolite that in a previous study was found to promote atherosclerosis in humans.

Your skin can be a crucial early-warning system for a range of health problems, according to doctors.

They said signs of brittle bones, diabetes and vitamin deficiencies may surface on skin before other symptoms appears, the Huffington Post reported.

A study of 114 recently postmenopausal women found that deep wrinkles on the face and neck could indicate an increased risk for broken bones.

The reason is that women with such wrinkles were more likely to have lower bone density in areas like the hips, spine and heels.

Researchers have found that male smokers with low levels of the yellow-tinged chemical bilirubin in the blood are at a higher risk for lung cancer and dying from the disease.

A team led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reported its findings at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2013 in Washington.

Our study indicates male smokers with low levels of bilirubin are a high-risk group that can be targeted with

Chocolate is known as a healthy treat when enjoyed in moderation, but it could become even more salubrious if manufacturers embraced new technology for making “fruit-juice-infused chocolate,” a new study has concluded.

Stefan A. F. Bon, Ph.D., who led the research, explained that the technology would allow manufacture of chocolate with fruit juice, vitamin C water or diet cola replacing up to 50 percent of the fat.

For the first time scientists have established a link between arsenic exposure in youngsters and development of Type 2 diabetes.

A new study found that higher levels of mercury exposure in young adults increased their risks for Type 2 diabetes later in life by 65 percent.

The study, led by Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington epidemiologist Ka He, is the first to establish the link between mercury and diabetes in humans.

Scientists of the Life Sciences Institute at the University of Michigan have shown that growth of white muscle due to exercise can help keep blood sugar level in check.

Researchers have challenged a long-held belief that whitening of skeletal muscle in diabetes is harmful.

In fact, the white muscle that increases with resistance training, age and diabetes helps keep blood sugar in check.

The sensation of hunger itself may protect against Alzheimer’s disease, a new study on mice has suggested.

Interestingly, the results of this study suggest that mild hunger pangs, and related hormonal pathways, may be as important to the much-discussed value of “caloric restriction” as actually eating less.

Nearly 1.5 million people die every year in south-east Asia due to high blood pressure, a World Health Organisation (WHO) statement said here Sunday.

“High blood pressure or hypertension is the leading risk factor for deaths claiming 1.5 million lives each year. One in three adults has high blood pressure. Males have a slightly higher prevalence of high blood pressure than females in almost all countries,” the statement said.

WHO’s theme for this year’s World Health Day (April 7) is hypertension, or high blood pressure.

WHO added that India is not safe from this crisis.

Those who are overweight starting in early adulthood (ages 26 or 36 years) may be twice as likely to have chronic kidney disease at age 60 to 64 years than those who are not overweight, according to a new study.

Larger waist-to-hip ratios (“apple-shaped” bodies) during middle age are also linked with chronic kidney disease at age 60 to 64 years.

The findings emphasize the importance of excess weight as a risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD).

American researchers have for the first time isolated adult stem cells from human intestinal tissue.

The accomplishment provides a much-needed resource for scientists eager to uncover the true mechanisms of human stem cell biology. It also enables them to explore new tactics to treat inflammatory bowel disease or to ameliorate the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation, which often damage the gut.