Men and women who themselves were delivered in breech presentation had more than twice the risk of breech delivery in their own first pregnancies compared with men and women who had been cephalic presentations. – A baby is twice as likely to be born bottom first if either or both the parents were themselves breech deliveries, according to a study published ahead of print on bmj.com. The results suggest genes are a contributing factor.
STMicroelectronics and Veredus Laboratories Launch Market?s First Lab-on-Chip for Rapid Molecular Flu Detection at Point of Need – Following the success of the evaluation trials conducted at the prestigious National University Hospital of Singapore, Veredus Laboratories and STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM) announced the commercial availability of VereFlu, a portable lab-on-chip application for rapid detection of all major influenza types at the point of need.
Healthy men who report lower levels of the nutrient folate in their diets have higher rates of chromosomal abnormalities in their sperm. – Healthy men who report lower levels of the nutrient folate in their diets have higher rates of chromosomal abnormalities in their sperm, according to a new study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
A traumatic event is much more likely to result in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adults who experienced trauma in childhood ? but certain gene variations raise the risk considerably. – A traumatic event is much more likely to result in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adults who experienced trauma in childhood ? but certain gene variations raise the risk considerably if the childhood trauma involved physical or sexual abuse, scientists have found. The research was conducted with funding from the National Institute of Mental Health, which is part of the National Institutes of Health, and others.
Cigarettes should be sold in plain, dull cardboard packs, with nothing but the health warning and the brand name allowed, researchers at the School of Public Health have argued in a major review published in the international research journal, Addiction. – Cigarettes should be sold in plain, dull cardboard packs, with nothing but the health warning and the brand name allowed, researchers at the School of Public Health have argued.
Illinois Governor Blagojevich announces Illinois Environmental Protect Agency to strengthen drinking water protections; Illinois EPA to assess presence of pharmaceuticals in water supplies and to promote disposal alternatives. – Following reports that found trace amounts of pharmaceuticals in the US’s drinking water, Illinois Governor Rod R. Blagojevich announced that the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) is expanding its current monitoring of water quality to include sampling to determine levels of pharmaceuticals that may be in Illinois waterways.
A short exposure to the diesel fumes can affect your brain. The study reveals that an hour of sniffing exhaust induces a stress response in the brain’s activity. – If the smell of diesel exhaust isn’t enough to make you avoid getting a lungful, new research now shows that even a short exposure to the fumes can affect your brain. The study reveals that an hour of sniffing exhaust induces a stress response in the brain’s activity.
Consuming more than 18 ounces, or a little over a pound, of red meat (pork, beef, lamb and goat) each week can significantly increase a person?s risks for developing colorectal cancer. – For most Americans, meals tend to center around meat. To significantly decrease a person’s risks of developing colorectal cancer, experts at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center suggest a new approach to meal planning that focuses more on fruit and vegetable dishes.
A small striped fish is helping scientists understand what makes people susceptible to a common form of hearing loss, although, in this case, it?s not the fish?s ears that are of interest. – A small striped fish is helping scientists understand what makes people susceptible to a common form of hearing loss, although, in this case, it’s not the fish’s ears that are of interest. In a study published in the Feb. 29 issue of the journal PLoS Genetics, researchers at the University of Washington have developed a research method that relies on a zebrafish’s lateral line-the faint line running down each side of a fish that enables it to sense its surroundings-to quickly screen for genes and chemical compounds that protect against hearing loss from some medications.
The United Nations has praised the “swift and comprehensive” measures taken by India to bring under control the “worst-ever” outbreak of bird flu. – The recent, worst-ever outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza in the Indian state of West Bengal seems to have been brought under control by the swift and comprehensive measures taken by the country’s authorities, though continued vigilance was crucial, the United Nations agricultural agency said.
