Health

Washington, January 01: Earlier bedtimes may help protect adolescents against depression and suicidal thoughts, says a new study.

Published in the Jan. 1 issue of the journal Sleep, the research found that adolescents with bedtimes that were set earlier by parents were significantly less likely to suffer fromdepression and to think about committing suicide, suggesting that earlier bedtimes could have a protective effect by lengthening sleep duration and increasing the likelihood of getting enough sleep.

New York, January 01: Scientists in the U.S. have developed a rapid and automated swine flu testing method that will enable quick and effective diagnosis decisions.

Researchers from the Wisconsin Medical College and Children’s Hospital have developed a rapid and automated system to differentiate strains of influenza, Journal of Molecular Diagnostics reported.

New Delhi, January 01: At least 21 Swine Flu deaths were reported from across the country, taking the death toll in India to 919. Four deaths were reported on Thursday, while others occurred earlier, but tested positive for A H1N1 later.

The fresh Swine flu deaths occurred in Delhi, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Gujarat. The other 17 deaths occurred earlier – 11 in Gujarat, 2 each in Delhi, Rajasthan and Maharashtra.

Washington, December 31: In a discovery that would help understand the nervous system of psychiatric patients, researchers have found “scrambled connections” between the brain cells which process fear and emotion and other regions of the brain lead to anxiety disorders.

Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine found that connectivity between amygdala, a pair of almond-sized bundles of nerve fibres in the middle of the brain, and its other regions could be the hallmark of common anxiety problems like Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD).

London, December 31: Despite the general belief, the percentage of calories gained by eating fat, as opposed to protein or carbohydrates, does not influence the weight gain process.

Dietitians generally recommend individuals to confine their fat intake to 20 to 35 percent of the total daily calories, urging them to substitute saturated and trans-fats by eating fish, nuts and vegetable oils as they contain healthy fats.

Washington, December 31: One of the most comprehensive and accurate studies of clinical data on vitamin E shows that indiscriminate use of the antioxidant does more harm than good.

‘There were so many conflicting reports about vitamin E and its effect on various diseases, particularly heart disease, that we wanted to set the record straight, says Dov Lichtenberg, professor at the Tel Aviv University (TAU) Sackler School of Medicine.

Chandigarh, Dec 31: Five more deaths due to the influenza A (H1N1) virus were reported in this union territory (UT), taking the toll to 55, officials said on Thursday.

“Five deaths were reported in Chandigarh hospitals yesterday (Wednesday) evening. The deceased were identified as Chandigarh resident Rajan Kumar, 52, Ganga Ram, 65, from Bilaspur in Himachal Pradesh, Ritu Gulati, 34, from Ambala in Haryana and Lajwanti, 66, and Pooja, 20, both from towns in Punjab,” H.C. Gera, UT nodal officer for swine flu, said.

London, December 31: Scientists had, sometime back, discovered a promising cancer drug in a mushroom which is commonly used in Chinese cooking, and now it can be made more effective thanks to an extensive research which has led experts to understand how the medicine actually works.

The research, funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, was successfully carried out at The University of Nottingham.

Washington, Dec 31: Researchers have come up with an improved alternative therapy for hypertension, using an enzyme called ACE2.

Existing therapies like ACE inhibitors block the formation of angiotensin II, a protein that causes blood vessels to constrict and drives blood pressure up, says Daniel Batlle, professor of medicine at the Feinberg School of Medicine (FSM) and nephrologist.

But the approach with ACE2 is novel because it focuses on breaking down angiotensin II already in the system. ‘This therapeutic approach can also be superior to existing therapies,’ said Batlle.

Apples may prove to be a winner when it comes to reducing the risk of heart disease, says a new study of more than 34,000 women. Women of all ages are encouraged to consume more fruit and vegetables, including apples and apple products, for a healthy heart. However, this study focused on postmenopausal women, a group becoming more aware of the risk for heart disease.

Hamburg, December 30: Air pollution, long known for its effects in aggravating inflammation in asthmatic patients, reduces the effectiveness of rescue inhalers, a new study finds.

According to the study published in Chest, certain air pollutants lower the efficacy of inhalers used to provide quick relief for asthma symptoms.

Nitrogen dioxide and ozone lowers not only the efficacy of these medications but also the responsiveness of children to them.

London, December 29: British scientists have developed a tiny device, of the size of a match box, that they believe could be a revolutionary cure for snoring.

The device, which would be implanted in the chest, works by stimulating the heart muscles responsible for keeping the airways open during sleep.

The high-tech device — Apnex System — can also be programmed to switch itself on or off at the time patient goes to bed or wakes up. The user is also provided a switch to regulate it, incase they want to stay-up till late or lie-on.

Panaji, Dec 29: Goa records an average of three cases of HIV every day, which has stonewashed government’s effort to control this infection, a senior official said here on Tuesday.

“Goa records one thousand new cases (of HIV) every year which means on an average three cases a day, which is alarming,” Pradeep Padwal, Director, Goa State Aids Control Society (GSACS), said at a function organised by an NGO here.

Mr. Padwal, who heads the government body to control the spread of HIV, said the efforts are not targeted towards vulnerable groups like youths.

New York, Dec 29: US researchers have discovered two genes reported to be responsible for the development of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer.

According to a study published in Nature, C/EPB and Stat3 are active in about 60 percent of patients suffering from glioblastoma, the most lethal human malignancy that rapidly invades the normal brain and produces inoperable tumors.

“When simultaneously activated, they work together to turn on hundreds of other genes that transform brain cells into highly aggressive, migratory cells,” said lead researcher Antonio Iavarone.

Geneva, Dec 29: Different types of cancer can protect individuals against the debilitating effects of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and vice versa, a new study finds.

According to the study published in Neurology, dementia and cancer have protective effects against one another.

Alzheimer’s sufferers are 69 percent less likely to develop different types of cancer. Cancer victims, on the other hand, had a 43 percent lower tendency to develop AD.

Abnormal cellular behavior is reported to be the main reason contributing to both conditions, the study found.

Washington, Dec 29: US researchers have discovered that a molecular switch can prevent the development of the fatal Huntington’s disease in mice.

Huntington’s disease is a neurological condition caused by the mutation of a gene that codes a brain protein known as huntingtin.

The condition starts in midlife and impairs an individual’s ability to walk, talk and think properly in a gradual form. There is no cure for the illness, indicating that the treatment only focuses on the symptoms.

London, Dec 29: Minute balance organs located deep within the inner ear are reported to directly alter blood flow to the brain, a new study finds.

Previous studies had reported that balance control is the main role of the inner ear comprised of the semi-circular canals, utricle and saccule.

The Harvard Medical School team, however, reported that these organs also affect the brain blood flow.

According to the study published in BMC Neuroscience, utricle and saccule directly affects brain blood flow regulation, independent of other factors such as blood pressure.

Mumbai, December 29: Driven by sheer desperation caused by an unprecedented water crisis, residents in Shivajinagar, Deonar, Trombay and Mankhurd, have resorted to digging illegal wells in their own backyard and drinking poisonous water — almost 70 per cent of which is contaminated with the deadly enterovirus which causes polio.

The polio-causing virus passes from infected faecal matter, contaminates ground water and finds its way into humans though the mouth.

Shimla, Dec 29: A 31-year-old man died due to swine flu in Shimla, taking the toll in the state to 15, a health official said today.

“The victim was a resident of Jubbal Kotkhai (in Shimla district). He died at the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital here today. He was admitted to the hospital in the morning,” swine flu nodal officer Vinod Mehta told media.

He said that so far 15 people have died due to the H1N1 virus in the state.

“Till now 41 people have tested positive for the disease,” he added.

–IANS

London, Dec 29: Scientists claimed to have developed a slimming pill that can burn off as many calories as 80 minutes of walk or a 25-minute jog, while you sit.

The pill — Capsiplex — which is made from hot peppers and capsicum, utilises the weight-loss potential of red-hot peppers.

Chilli and capsicum help speed up the metabolism, thus, helping people lose weight more rapidly. However, consuming these chillies or their extract in large quantities causes irritation as these are unbearably hot.

Berlin, Dec 29: A combination of poorly designed chairs and lack of activity can soon lead to back pain, according to a spinal health association in Germany.

People who spend long hours without distraction before a monitor or TV are candidates for back problems, reports AGR, an organization devoted to improving spinal health. That’s why customers need to be sure when they buy upholstered furniture that they take their individual needs into account.

Patna, December 26: Repeated strikes by Bihar doctors in the last four years have claimed the lives of 511 patients, but the state government has no plans to cancel the licences of agitating doctors despite a recommendation by the state human rights commission (SHRC).

“The doctors have gone on strike nine times in the state during the last four years,” official sources said. The reasons ranged from demanding a hike in the stipend to protesting over a fight withpatients’ relatives.

New Delhi, December 26: it is reprieve for the capital that no death reported by swine flu, which has registered 95 fresh cases of which 40 were children, and the toll remained at 64, health authorities informed.

“No more death due to swine flu was reported. A total of 94 fresh cases were reported and 40 of them are children. These numbers are tentative and could go up as we have not received reports from two private labs due to the holiday,” Anjana Prakash, deputy nodal officer in charge of swine flu in Delhi, told news agency.

Washington, Dec 25: In what’s being claimed as a new hope for victims of heart attack, scientists claim to have found a “key trigger” for cardiovascular disease in a form of cholesterol which is not influenced by diet.

A team at Oxford University has found that the lipoprotein(a) — or Lp(a) –causes furring of the arteries, the ‘New England Journal of Medicine’ reported.

The discovery confirms what doctors have suspected for some time and means patients can be treated with drugs as simple as aspirin. This could help cut the number of people suffering from cardiovascular disease.

London, Dec 25: Vitamin C, an essential nutrient for humans, could be used to overcome hurdles in creating stem cells for treating diseases, say scientists.

An international team has discovered that the vitamin boosts the reprogramming of adult cells only to give them the properties of embryonic stem cells, a finding which paves the way for creating the reprogrammed cells – induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs),reported.