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.
Landmark Policy Report: Many Cancers Could Be Prevented In the US and Across the Globe – A new global policy report estimates that approximately 45 percent of colon cancer cases and 38 percent of breast cancer cases in the US are preventable through diet, physical activity and weight maintenance.
Vitamin D deficiency may increase risk of colds, flu. Large-scale study supports potential role in boosting immune system. – Vitamin D may be an important way to arm the immune system against disorders like the common cold, report investigators from the University of Colorado Denver (UC Denver) School of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Children’s Hospital Boston.
Combined effect of health behaviors and risk of first ever stroke in 20,040 men and women over 11 years’ follow-up in Norfolk cohort of European Prospective Investigation of Cancer. – People who lead unhealthy lifestyles are more than twice as likely to suffer a stroke than those who eat and drink sensibly, don’t smoke, and take regular exercise, finds a study published on bmj.com today.
Research: Effect of tobacco smoking on survival of men and women by social position: A 28-year cohort study – A well-off professional who smokes has a much lower survival rate than a non-smoking low-paid worker of the same sex concludes new research published today on bmj.com.
Common gene variants increase risk of hypertension, may lead to new therapies – A new study has identified the first common gene variants associated with an increased incidence of hypertension ? a significant risk factor for heart attack, stroke and kidney failure.
New study provides insight into ways organ systems outside the brain may affect Alzheimer’s disease – In Alzheimer’s disease the brain accumulates a molecule called A-beta that can be quite toxic to brain cells. Many researchers believe that finding ways to clear A-beta may be a key to treatment or prevention of Alzheimer’s disease.
Research: Relation of study quality, concordance, take home message, funding, and impact in studies of influenza vaccines: Systematic review, BMJ Online – Industry-sponsored studies on influenza vaccines are published in journals with higher rankings (impact factors) and are cited more than studies with other sponsors, but this is not because they are bigger or better, finds a study published on bmj.com today.
First large scale study demonstrates link between exposure to passive smoking and cognitive problems in dementia and similar neurologic diseases. – Researchers from the Peninsula Medical School, the University of Cambridge and the University of Michigan have published the results of the first large-scale study to indicate that second-hand smoke exposure could lead to dementia and other neurological problems.
Home pregnancy tests can lead to better prenatal care, revealed by researchers. – The simple intervention of providing women who are having unprotected sex with a home pregnancy test could have a substantial impact on the health of potential newborns, according to a Michigan State University study.
Maternal obesity is associated with an increased risk of a range of structural anomalies, although the absolute increase is likely to be small. – For women who are obese during pregnancy there is an associated increased risk of certain birth defects, such as spina bifida and neural tube defects, although the absolute increase in risk is likely to be small.
New study evaluates role of clinic environment in health-care disparities – A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine may shed new light on why minority Americans have poorer health outcomes from chronic conditions such as hypertension, heart disease and diabetes.
Researchers revealed that first time mothers who give birth after the age of 35 are more than twice as likely as younger mums to suffer postpartum psychosis. – A study of risk factors associated with psychotic illness after childbirth, published this week in the open-access journal PLoS Medicine, shows that first-time mothers are at the greatest risk of developing psychosis in the month following the birth of their child ? even if they have never been treated in hospital for mental illness in the past.
