Health News for January 18, 2008

Hungarian PMs wife meets cancer patients
Hungarian Prime Ministers wife Klara Dobrev visited cancer patients in New Delhi on Friday. ANI

Buddhadeb describes bird flu situation in West Bengal alarming
West Bengal Government today described the outbreak of bird flu in the State as alarming. ANI

Panic in Ludhiana over bird flu
The bird flu outbreak in West Bengal has hit poultry traders in the northern parts of the country, and eggs and broiler chicken are being sold at throwaway prices. ANI

Benefits of drugs for pre-osteoporosis exaggerated, harms underplayed
The benefits of drugs to treat pre-osteoporosis or osteopenia have been exaggerated, and their harms underplayed, in a series of recent scientific publications, say experts. ANI

Polynesians share close genetic relationship with Asians: Study
A new comprehensive genetic study of almost 1,000 individuals has revealed that Polynesians and Micronesians closest genetic relationship is with Asians, specifically with Taiwan Aborigines and East Asians. ANI

HIV peptides possible pathway into cells identified
A pair of theoretical physicists at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has searched out a possible pathway that an HIV peptide takes to enter healthy cells. ANI

Altering brains lipid metabolism may help cut Alzheimers plaques
A study by researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has found that altering the brains lipid metabolism may help reduce Alzheimers plaques. ANI

Asthma subtypes identification opens the door to personalized therapy
Scientists have made a significant ascent towards the goal of personalizing asthma therapy by identifying different subtypes of the disease, which are based on distinct protein profiles. ANI

Why diet plans promote weight loss
Health gurus give out many diet plans based on the proportion of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats one ingests as a method to promote weight loss, but the effectiveness of these diet charts have never been brought into light. ANI