Health News for November 20, 2008

Biomarkers of aging identified
In a first of its kind study, scientists at the Buck Institute for Age Research have uncovered biomarkers of aging, which can predict both chronological and physiological age. ANI

Alcoholics lie to their GPs about the amount they drink
In a survey carried out, about 40 per cent of heavy boozers have admitted that they lie to GPs about the amount they have had to drink. ANI

Health threat posed by California wildfires may have been underestimated
A new study has revealed that the health threat to city dwellers posed by Southern California wildfires may have been underestimated by officials. ANI

Virus link offers hope of vaccine for multiple sclerosis
A vaccine being trialled in Europe may help prevent the debilitating disease multiple sclerosis (MS). ANI

Individuals with very low birth weight at increased chronic kidney disease risk
Babies with very low birth weights are at an increased risk of developing chronic renal disease, called segmental glomerulosclerosis, in future, according to a new study. ANI

How a pet dog can help you lose weight!
Besides protecting house from burglars, a pet pooch can help you and your family shed extra flab - thats what the story of a Brit couple suggests. ANI

Rampant use of illicit alcohol adding to global disease burden, says report
A staggering amount of illicit alcohol is being produced, sold, and consumed across the globe and this, in turn, is significantly adding to the worldwide disease burden, reveals a new report. ANI

2 new compounds may help destroy breast cancer tumours
University of Central Florida researchers have uncovered two novel compounds that may help destroy breast cancer tumours. ssociate Professor James Turkson, who led the study leading to this advancement, says that the two compounds have been found to disrupt the formation and spread of breast cancer tumours in mice. ANI

Attending religious services cuts death risk by almost 20 percent
Attending religious services can reduce mortality risk by approximately 20 percent, a new study from Yeshiva University has revealed. ANI

Sops from drug companies influence medical journalists, says report
A team of Dartmouth researchers says that there is a need for greater scrutiny of the relationship between medical journalists and health care industrial sources, as pharmaceutical companies can influence the media by offering some sops. ANI

Garlic-based tablet can treat diabetes I and II
A tablet-form garlic-based drug can treat diabetes types I and II, according to a new study. ANI

ADHD drugs do not cause genetic damage in kids
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Duke University Medical Center have found that two of the most common medications used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) do not appear to cause genetic damage in children who take them as prescribed. ANI

Early testing, treatment dramatically prevents illness, death in HIV-positive babies
A new study has revealed that testing very young babies for HIV and giving antiretroviral therapy (ART) immediately to those found infected with the virus dramatically prevents illness and death. ANI

Marijuana can surprisingly improve age-related memory loss
A daily puff of a marijuana can help reduce memory loss in old age and fight Alzheimers Disease, a shocking new study has revealed. ANI

At-risk teens and young adults more likely to engage in anal intercourse
Teens and young adults, who recently had unprotected v*nal sex, have higher tendency to engage in heterosexual anal sex, says a new study. ANI

Ban on fast food TV ads can cut childhood obesity risk
Banning fast food ads on TV can cut the number of overweight children by as much as 18 percent, researchers from National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) suggest. ANI

Cancer drugs not the only cause of bone loss among survivors
Loyola University researchers have allayed some fear about the risk that certain medicines used for treating cancer may lead to bone loss, by finding out that breast cancer survivors may suffer this problem due to some other curable causes too. ANI

Personalised cancer treatment on the anvil
Researchers from University of Chicago have discovered a genetic signature that may help predict whether a patient will respond to cancer therapies - a finding that may pave way for personalised cancer treatment. ANI

Cure for Indian werewolf boy found
A cure for an Indian boy with werewolf syndrome, a condition which leaves the face and body of the sufferer covered in hair, has been found by Colombia University researchers in New York. ANI