Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is an infectious disease of birds and mammals caused by an RNA virus of the family Orthomyxoviridae, the influenza viruses. In people, common symptoms of influenza are fever, sore throat, muscle pains, severe headache, coughing, and weakness and fatigue.
Air Pollution Exposure at Schools Linked to Childhood Asthma – Living near major highways has been linked to childhood asthma, but a new study led by researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of USC suggests that traffic-related pollution near schools is also contributing to the development of asthma in children.
New gene associated with increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease – Researchers have identified a gene that appears to increase a person’s risk of developing late-onset Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of Alzheimer’s disease.
Adolescent drinking adds to risk of breast disease, breast cancer – Girls and young women who drink alcohol increase their risk of benign (noncancerous) breast disease, says a study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Harvard University.
FDNY rescue workers show lasting lung damage from 9/11 World Trade Center dust — 7-year follow-up shows persistent lung function decline with no meaningful recovery – A study of nearly 13,000 rescue workers from the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) shows that the significant proportion who suffered acute lung damage after exposure to World Trade Center (WTC) dust have not recovered normal lung function in the years since the September_11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Real-world health nuts: First evidence that walnuts may help fight prostate cancer — Walnuts slow prostate tumors in mice. – Scientists in California are reporting for the first time that walnuts – already renowned as a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids that fight heart disease – reduce the size and growth rate of prostate cancer in test animals.
Omega 3 curbs precancerous growths in those prone to bowel cancer — Eicosapentaenoic acid reduces rectal polyp number and size in familial adenomatous polyposis – A purified form of an omega 3 cuts the number and size of precancerous bowel growths (polyps) in people whose genetic make-up predisposes them to bowel cancer, finds research published ahead of print in the journal Gut.
Drug resistant tuberculosis now at record levels, says WHO – World Health Organization – In some areas of the world, one in four people with tuberculosis (TB) becomes ill with a form of the disease that can no longer be treated with standard drugs regimens, a World Health Organization (WHO) report says.
Panel questions ‘VBAC bans,’ advocates expanded delivery options for women — Parents’ preferences and risk factors should be weighed when choosing whether to pursue a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) or plan a repeat cesarean delivery – An independent panel convened this week by the National Institutes of Health confronted a troubling fact that pregnant women currently have limited access to clinicians and facilities able and willing to offer a trial of labor after previous cesarean delivery because of so-called VBAC bans.
Weight loss diets significantly reverse arterial clogging — Ben-Gurion University study — 2-year study reveals that carotid artery atherosclerosis reduction is due to weight loss-induced decline in blood pressure from either low-carbohydrate, low-fat or Mediterranean diets – A two-year study led by researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) found that healthy, long-term weight loss diets can significantly reverse carotid (main brain artery) atherosclerosis, a direct risk factor for strokes and heart attacks.
Acupuncture lessens depression symptoms during pregnancy, Stanford study shows – Acupuncture appears to be an effective way to reduce depression symptoms during pregnancy, according to a first-of-its-kind study from Stanford University School of Medicine researchers.
Virus hybridization could create pandemic bird flu – Genetic interactions between avian H5N1 influenza and human seasonal influenza viruses have the potential to create hybrid strains combining the virulence of bird flu with the pandemic ability of H1N1, according to a new study.
Personalizing cancer: Creating biomarkers from tumor DNA – Researchers have developed a new technique for tracking cancer by identifying personalized biomarkers from tumor DNA, reports a new study in the 24 February 2010 issue of the journal Science Translational Medicine, published by AAAS, the nonprofit science society.
