Flu Archives

Caffeine during pregnancy increases miscarriage risk

If you are pregnant and need caffeine to get you going, try keeping it to one cup or less a day. Avoiding it may be even better. – High doses of daily caffeine during pregnancy ? whether from coffee, tea, caffeinated soda or hot chocolate ? cause an increased risk of miscarriage, according a new study by the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research. The study controlled, for the first time, pregnancy-related symptoms of nausea, vomiting and caffeine aversion that tended to interfere with the determination of caffeine’s true effect on miscarriage risk.

Probiotics in yoghurt affect metabolism

Researchers find that treatment with probiotics has range of biochemical effects. The results of this study are highly promising to address personalized nutrition. – Probiotics, such as yoghurt drinks containing live bacteria, have a tangible effect on the metabolism. The research is the first to look in detail at how probiotics change the biochemistry of bugs known as gut microbes, which live in the gut and which play an important part in a person’s metabolic makeup.

Over 85,632 birds culled, bird flu in east India

The West Bengal Government on Saturday sent 79 more samples to the High Security Animal Diseases Laboratory at Bhopal to check samples for avian flu. – As per latest information received, a total mortality of 98,254 poultry birds has been reported from Birbhum, Dakshin Dinajpur, Murshidabad, Nadia, South 24 parganas, Burdwan and Bankura districts of West Bengal.

NEJM Antidepressant’s Publication study may discourage depressed people

Mental Health America response to New England Journal of Medicine Study, “Selective Publication of Antidepressant Trials and Its Influence on Apparent Efficacy”. – Mental Health America notifies the potential harm of the NEJM’s Selective Publication of Antidepressant Trials study that it may discourage people with depression from seeking appropriate care and evidence-based treatments that work for them. Mental Health America is one of America’s leading mental health advocacy groups.

Prodesse’s ProFlu+ Test for Respiratory Viruses receives FDA clearance

Prodesse’s ProFlu+ Test for Respiratory Viruses receives FDA clearance for Marketing Real-Time Test, detects four viruses, including influenza; results available in about 3 hours. – Prodesse, Inc., the leader in multiplex real-time PCR for infectious disease, announced that it received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market its ProFlu+? Assay.

Chromosomal abnormalities play substantial role in autism

Chromosomal abnormalities play substantial role in autism, revealed in a study. Noting this change would help early diagnosis for autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) – a kind of developmental disorder. – Genome-wide scans of families affected by autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have revealed new evidence that previously unknown chromosomal abnormalities have a substantial role in the prevalent developmental disorder, according to a report published online Jan. 17th in the American Journal of Human Genetics, a publication of Cell Press.

Bisexuality in women is a distinctive sexual orientation

10-year study of women helps establish bisexuality as distinct sexual orientation; debunks stereotype that bisexual women can’t commit to long-term relationships. – Bisexuality in women appears to be a distinctive sexual orientation and not an experimental or transitional stage that some women adopt “on their way” to lesbianism, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association.

Bird flu spreading in West Bengal, India

Bird flu continued to spread in West Bengal on Thursday as three more districts of the state reported poultry deaths. – As per latest information received, a total mortality of 61,075 poultry birds has been reported from Birbhum, Dakshin Dinajpur and Murshidabad districts of West Bengal, India.

Selective reporting of antidepressant trials may have adverse consequences

Evidence-based medicine is valuable to the extent that the evidence base is complete and unbiased. Selective publication of clinical trials ? and the outcomes within those trials ? can lead to unrealistic estimates of drug effectiveness and alter the apparent risk?benefit ratio. – Selective publication in reporting results of antidepressant trials exaggerates the effectiveness of the drugs, and may have adverse consequences for researchers, study participants, health care professionals, and patients, revealed in a new study.

Bird flu alert in West Bengal, India

Health officials in India are concerned there may be a possible major bird-flu outbreak after nearly 20000 chickens died in the past week. – Death of poultry birds has been reported from parts of Birbhum and South Dinajpur districts of West Bengal, India.

Protein may trigger insulin production in diabetic patients

University of Florida researchers have coaxed liver and pancreatic cells within diabetic mice into churning out insulin by injecting the animals with a naturally occurring protein called Pdx1, opening up a new research avenue that someday could lead to safer treatments for type 1 diabetes. Pdx1 activates the genes controlling the development of the pancreas cells that make and release insulin to maintain safe levels of glucose in the body. – If the human body were a stage, then proteins would rank among the lead actors in the play we call “Life.” These large biological molecules hold many starring roles, and their lines are dictated by information encoded in our genes. They are production powerhouses, regulating the basic processes of living and controlling countless functions. Many are enzymes that produce or use energy. Others regulate genes.

New test to detect and identify 12 respiratory viruses

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared for marketing a test – xTAG Respiratory Viral Panel, manufactured by Luminex Molecular Diagnostics, that simultaneously detects and identifies 12 specific respiratory viruses. – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new diagnostic test that detects 12 respiratory viruses, including strains of flu that have triggered epidemics.