Health News

How cancer prevention drives aging
For the first time, researchers have found how cellular senescence, the well-known mechanism for preventing cancer, can trigger aging and age-related disease by changing the local tissue environment. ANI

Scientists unveil genes vital to vital to adult heart function
In a study on fruit fly Drosophila, scientists at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research (Burnham) have found that genes involved in embryonic heart development are vital to adult heart function in both fruit flies and humans. ANI

Psychiatric disorders common among college-aged
A new study has revealed that psychiatric disorders appear to be common among 18- to 24-year-olds, with overall rates similar among those attending or not attending college. ANI

Health News for October 9, 2008

Elephantiasis may become history by 2020
A painful and disfiguring disease called elephantiasis may be wiped out by 2020, say experts. ANI

Cocaine addicts have abnormalities in brains cerebral cortex
Experts at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have uncovered abnormalities in the cortex, the outer surface of the brain, among cocaine addicts that seem to correlate with dysfunction in areas responsible for attention and for reward-based decision-making. ANI

One dose of EPO can limit amount of damage to the heart following attack
After a heart attack, two things happen - necrosis (normal cell death) and apoptosis (programmed cell death) - and both are bad. Now, a group of scientists has found that a single intravenous dose of the hormone erythropoietin (EPO) immediately after the incident can limit the amount of damage to the heart. ANI

Exercise during pregnancy cuts complication risk
Moderate exercise during pregnancy does not contribute to low birth weight, premature birth or miscarriage, according to a new study, which claims that physical activities during the period may actually reduce the risk of complications. ANI

Studying body movements can give insights into autism, terrorism
Researchers at Rutgers University in Newark are examining how people are able to identify the emotional state and intent of others by watching their body movements, such as extending an arm forward to shake hands or raising it higher to protect the face. ANI

Double flu jab recommended against bird flu pandemic
Vaccination will be the best way to protect people in the event of the next influenza pandemic - but each person would need two doses, suggests an international study led by University of Leicester researchers. ANI

Natural protein may soon make pain history
A team of scientists has identified a particular nerve cell protein that appears to be eight times more effective at suppressing pain than morphine. ANI

Scientists decode genome of parasite behind malaria relapse
Scientists at a New York University have decoded the complete genetic sequence of the parasite Plasmodium vivax - the leading cause of relapsing malaria - and compared it with the genomes of other species of malaria parasites. ANI

A sigh of relief for pepperoni pizza sufferers
Scientists have identified the reason behind pelvic pain, which is caused among women after they have a piece of pepperoni pizza. ANI

Education-exercise combo proves beneficial for arthritis patients
Adults with arthritis who receive exercise interventions, which include educational components, significantly increase patients activity levels and they experience improvements in pain and physical functioning, says a new study. ANI

Simple leg blood clot detecting method as effective as complex one
In a comparison between two diagnostic methods used to detect deep vein thrombosis (DVT; a blood clot in a deep vein in the leg or thigh), scientists have found that the simpler tool was as effective as the complex one. ANI

Stem cells derived from human testicles set to revolutionise treatments
Potentially therapeutic stem cells have successfully been derived from adult human testicles by German researchers. ANI