Review Article Describes Epidemiology, Characteristics and Prevention of West Nile Virus – Researchers conducted a review of the medical literature and national surveillance data to examine the ecology, virology, epidemiology, clinical characteristics, diagnosis, prevention, and control of West Nile virus.
Older age at retirement is associated with reduced risk of dementia – Some research has suggested that intellectual stimulation and mental engagement throughout life may be protective against Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. In a new study, researchers found that retirement at older age is associated with a reduced risk of dementia.
Study confirms link between omega-3 fatty acids and increased prostate cancer risk — Consumption of fatty fish and fish-oil supplements linked to 71 percent higher risk – A second large, prospective study by scientists at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center has confirmed the link between high blood concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids and an increased risk of prostate cancer.
Does being a bookworm boost your brainpower in old age? – New research suggests that reading books, writing and participating in brain-stimulating activities at any age may preserve memory. “Our study suggests that exercising your brain by taking part in activities such as these across a person’s lifetime, from childhood through old age, is important for brain health in old age,” said study author Robert S. Wilson, PhD, with Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.
Nutrition during first 1,000 days of life crucial for childhood and economic development – Over 3 million children die every year of malnutrition-accounting for nearly half of all child deaths under 5, revealed by researchers in Lancet series on maternal and childhood nutrition.
Air pollution and hardening of arteries — Long term exposure to air pollution may be linked to heart attacks and strokes by speeding up atherosclerosis – Long term exposure to air pollution may be linked to heart attacks and strokes by speeding up atherosclerosis, or “hardening of the arteries”. The researchers found that higher concentrations of fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) were linked to a faster thickening of the inner two layers of the common carotid artery, an important blood vessel that provides blood to the head, neck, and brain.
Increasing Access to Mental Health Services in US – This is the fact that in US 60 percent of people with mental health conditions and nearly 90 percent of people with substance use disorders don’t receive the care they need. That is why the Affordable Care Act is so important to mental health. The health care law, along with previous parity legislation, will expand mental health and substance use disorder benefits and parity protections for 62 million Americans.
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius Statement on National Public Health Week – As US celebrate the start of National Public Health Week, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius emphasised the benefits of the Affordable Care Act to advance the public’s health, which started 3 years ago in America under the leadership of US president Barack Obama.
Sugar-sweetened beverages may be linked to about 180,000 deaths in the world each year — American Heart Association Meeting Report – Sugar-sweetened sodas, sports drinks and fruit drinks may be associated with about 180000 deaths around the world each year. Sugar-sweetened beverages are consumed throughout the world, and contribute to excess body weight, which increases the risk of developing diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and some cancers.
Folic acid lowers risk of autism – Women who took folic acid supplements from four weeks before conception to eight weeks into pregnancy had a 40 per cent lower risk of giving birth to children with childhood autism (classic autism).
Coffee and tea during pregnancy affect fetal growth – Drinking just two cups of coffee a day is associated with the risk of low birth weight. Researchers at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, have conducted a study on 59,000 women in collaboration with the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
UMD study provides new clues to how flu virus spreads — Shows that using a surgical mask on flu patients can reduce the release of even the smallest droplets containing infectious virus – People may more likely be exposed to the flu through airborne virus than previously thought, according to new research from the University of Maryland School of Public Health. The study also found that when flu patients wear a surgical mask, the release of virus in even the smallest airborne droplets can be significantly reduced.
