Health and Medical News

Allergic disorders reduces the risk of cancer

2010-07-16T03:18:00.000-07:00

Allergic disorders reduces the risk of cancer
Allergic disorders such as asthma or eczema, can improve the body's ability to remove malignant cells, say researchers. The fact that these diseases are associated with overactive immune system, the scientists write in the journal of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI). Thus, the above-mentioned diseases can reduce the risk of cancer.

Scientists conducted a study in Montreal (Quebec), wrote The Times of India. During the 7 years they have seen 3300 patients with cancer of men and a control group of 500 people.

Odds ratio were calculated for the relationship between asthma or eczema and over 20 types of cancer combined and for each of the 8 common cancers (stomach, colon, rectum, lung, prostate, bladder, skin and lymph nodes), separately.

"In our study, people with asthma had lower chances of getting stomach cancer, and in patients with eczema had a lower risk of lung cancer, compared with the other" - said Dr. Mariam Al-Zayn, one of the leading authors of the study.

"We can not fully explain how allergies can reduce the risk of cancer, but this study is promising. We hope that future studies continue to explore this connection and the role of the immune system in reducing the risk of developing cancer," - said researcher ACAII, MD Sciences, an allergist Bernstein.

The risk of pancreatic cancer depends on the waist

2010-07-16T03:16:00.001-07:00

The risk of pancreatic cancer depends on the waist
The risk of cancer of the pancreas in obesity depends on where localized excess weight. For people who have dominated the fatty deposits in the abdominal area - especially women - the risk above.

This is the conclusion the authors of the study, whose results were published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine "(Archives of Internal Medicine). In addition, the study confirmed that the risk of pancreatic cancer increases with body mass index (BMI).

Speculation on the relationship of obesity with the risk of pancreatic cancer were expressed earlier, but the findings were contradictory. To clarify them, Dr. Alan A. Arslan and his colleagues from the School of Medicine at New York University, analyzed data from 2,170 patients with pancreatic cancer and 2,209 healthy people participating in the project PanScan National Cancer Institute, USA. The project was launched in 2006 and is aimed at finding disease genes and the role of other factors, including lifestyle and environment.

For all study participants revealed a positive relation between BMI and the risk of pancreatic cancer: for a quarter of the subjects with the greatest risk of BMI was higher by 33% than that for the quarter with the lowest BMI. Moreover, for women who are overweight the risk was 31% higher for women with obesity - a 61% higher than for women with normal weight.

Increased ratio of waist circumference (WC) to hip circumference (OB) also increased the risk of pancreatic cancer, especially among women. For women with the highest ratio of ON to the risk increased by 87%.

"Complementing the data from previous studies, our results confirm the role of obesity in the development of pancreatic cancer", - said Dr. Arslan.

According to the American Society for the fight against cancer, the risk of pancreatic cancer for the average person is 1,4%.

Cocoa recognized as the best drink for recovery after sport

2010-07-11T10:23:00.001-07:00

Cocoa recognized as the best drink for recovery after sport
American scientists have found that cold cocoa (chocolate milk) restores muscle after exercise faster than the special drinks designed for athletes, according to The Daily Telegraph. The results of the specialists James Madison University (James Madison University) were represented at the conference of the American College of Sports Medicine (American College of Sports Medicine).

Scientists have conducted four studies in which they compared the rate of recovery of muscles after prolonged physical exertion at the use of different drinks. Evaluating the data obtained, the researchers found that after eating cocoa muscle athletes recover more quickly than when using other fluids.

According to the authors of the study, cocoa contains necessary for the recovery of muscle protein and carbohydrates, which fill the energy supply of muscle tissue. In addition, the use of milk fills supply of water and various ions (potassium, calcium and magnesium), which are allocated sweat glands in physical activities.

Earlier, Australian researchers found that consumption of sweet coffee as well helps to restore muscle. Caffeine helps muscles to absorb glucose and significantly increases the rate of replenishment of glycogen in the muscles after heavy exercise. In addition, the results of other studies also suggest the usefulness of milk for athletes.

Regular consumption of yogurt protect children's teeth from caries

2010-07-11T10:22:00.001-07:00

Regular consumption of yogurt protect children's teeth from caries
Regular consumption of yogurt may reduce the risk of dental caries in children, scientists say. Kids who eat dairy products for at least four times a week, complained of problems with their teeth for 22% less likely than those who did so less frequently than once a week, showed a study in Japan.

Experts Fukuoka University and the University of Tokyo examined more than two thousand children under the age of three years. They also interviewed parents, in order to know that children usually eat. Then the dentists assessed the health of teeth of each of the children. The results showed a clear link between the consumption of yogurt and a lower prevalence of caries, writes The Daily Mail.

At the same time, other similar products such as butter, cheese and milk, does not affect the state of the teeth. Scientists suggest that this is related to proteins that are found only in yoghurt. They "seal" the surface of the tooth enamel and protect it from exposure to harmful acids.

This study confirmed the results of the experiment carried out earlier by specialists from Australia. They studied the effect of yogurt on the teeth that were removed from patients. It turned out that yogurt protects teeth from decay. At the same time, dentists from the UK warned: some yogurts contain sugar, and therefore the risk of caries in their use may increase.

Canadian and Australian scientists develop new method to combat leukemia

2010-03-24T09:48:00.000-07:00

Canadian and Australian scientists develop new method to combat leukemia
A new method for combating leukemia developing Canadian and Australian experts. They were able to create artificial antibodies that destroy the specific protein - C-D-123, part of the membranes cancerous stem cells.

This method may prove to be very promising, since the previous stage of research, this group of scientists has shown that cancerous stem cells are not amenable to chemotherapy. In addition, as reported by researchers in the latest issue of the journal Cell and Stem Cells ", new antibodies do not have a negative impact on" normal "blood cells.

From a Canadian research team led by Senior Research Fellow Cancer Institute, Ontario, John Dick, with an Australian - Adjunct Professor, Institute of Pediatric Oncology Richard Locke. Now, after the pilot phase, scientists are ready to test the effectiveness and safety of a new method in clinics.

WHO has endorsed a second vaccine against cervical cancer

2010-03-24T09:45:00.000-07:00

WHO has endorsed a second vaccine against cervical cancer
World Health Organization (WHO) approved the drug for a second vaccination against cervical cancer, reports AP. Recommendations to the widespread use of the drug was "Cervarix", produced by GlaxoSmithKline.

This medicine is sold in 97 countries. Approval received from the WHO, indicates that the various UN agencies and charities will be able to begin formal delivery of the drug to vaccinate populations in developing countries.

Charitable Organization World Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) in the last year established a priority in the procurement of drugs for the vaccination of the population 73 poorest countries from cervical cancer. According to company representative Dan Thomas (Dan Thomas), first of all immunizations needed in those countries where the population is unable to undergo early diagnosis of disease.

The first vaccine against cervical cancer, approved by WHO, has become the drug "Gardasil" company Merck. According to representatives of the organization, the use of two drugs will help save tens of thousands of lives.

According to WHO, each year from cervical cancer kills about 280 thousand women. More than 80 percent of them are women living in developing countries.

New genes that influence blood pressure

2009-10-21T19:14:00.001-07:00

Scientists have discovered several new genes that influence blood pressure
An international team of scientists from the U.S., the Netherlands and Iceland has discovered several new genes that influence blood pressure. According to a press release distributed by the National Institutes of Health in the U.S., it could open new avenues of research aimed at prevention and treatment of hypertension.

The press release states that the work was based on the basis of several large-scale medical projects, covering a total of observations over more than 29 thousand people. For comparison, used even larger database - to 34 thousand patients.

The result has been found "substantial relationship" with the level of arterial blood pressure of 11 genes: four - for systolic blood pressure, six - for diastolic and one - for hypertension. One of the leaders of the study, director of cardiology Framingemskogo project, Dr. Daniel Levy said that the key eight of these genes are still not part of whose short list of key suspects in the effects on blood pressure. "

The authors suggest that high blood pressure - a hereditary disease, but previous attempts to identify specific genes that are associated with it were only "partially successful". According to their data, in the whole world from cardiovascular and other diseases associated with abnormal blood pressure, die every year more than 7 million people. In the U.S. pressure increased roughly one in three adult residents of the country, ie approximately 72 million people.

The effects of formaldehyde on man increases the risk of cancer

2009-10-21T19:13:00.001-07:00

The effects of formaldehyde on man increases the risk of cancer
Industrial workers who deal with the chemical formaldehyde, are at high risk of death from cancer of the blood or lymphatic vessels.

These are the results of research conducted by a team of American scientists from the National Institute of Health, which were published in the National Cancer Institute.

High level of exposure to formaldehyde increases the risk of human disease lymphogranulomatosis, multiple myeloma and myeloid leukemia - a kind of cancer, the occurrence of which is associated with chemicals.

Following four decades of observations for more than 25 thousand workers of enterprises for the production of formaldehyde and formaldehyde rubber researchers found that employees who feel duty-bound high impact chemicals, risk of death from cancer increased by 37% compared with counterparts with low impact.

Formaldehyde is widely used in American industry as a protective coating and disinfectant. According to the Office of Occupational Safety and Health United States, as of 1995 more than two million factory workers are exposed to formaldehyde.

Women's immune system is stronger male

2009-10-21T19:10:00.001-07:00

Women's immune system is stronger male
If the assumptions of scientists are correct, men may be the weaker sex. The men appeared justified querulousness about colds and cough: how scientists found, the immune system of men can indeed be weaker than the female.

These are the results of a study conducted by researchers from Montreal's McGill University. According to data obtained by the experts, the cause of greater resistance to disease is the hormone estrogen, present in large quantities in women.

As part of the experiment, scientists studied the reactions of laboratory mice for the enzyme Caspace-12, which is able to block the inflammatory processes and is a defensive reaction of the body of viruses and bacteria.

Having selected mice with the lack of the enzyme, the researchers introduced him to the body in both sexes. But it turned out that after the introduction Caspace-12 male mice were more susceptible to infection than females.

The activity of the immune system

The researchers concluded that the females of estrogen produced by the body blocks the action of the enzyme. According to study leader Maya Saleh, "this proves that a woman's immune system is actively fighting men with inflammatory processes." Although the experiments were conducted on laboratory mice, scientists believe that these findings apply to humans.

If the hypothesis of Canadian scientists are correct, it could help the development of methods for stimulating the immune system using gene correction. At the same time, reporting on its findings in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Canadian researchers ask: Do men want to be treated with female hormones.

Vitamins reduce the benefits of exercise

2009-10-21T19:08:00.000-07:00

Vitamins reduce the benefits of exercise
If you do physical exercises to improve metabolism and prevent diabetes, you better refrain from antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, says the newspaper The New York Times, citing figures from the study.

It is known that physical exercise brings many health benefits, in particular, affect the susceptibility to insulin. Doctors often advise people, prone to diabetes, do more exercise, noted author Nicholas Wade.

But physical exercise to the same cause muscle cells metabolize glucose by combining carbon with oxygen and removing energy. In the process, some highly active oxygen molecules are released and commit chemical attack on all the tissues in its path.

These active compounds of oxygen known detrimental effects on the fabric, the article says. The number of oxygen damage in the body increases with age, and, according to the theory of aging is the main cause of decay of the body.

The body has its own defense system to combat the destruction of oxygen, but it is not enough. So antioxidants, which block the reactive oxygen compounds, could be a solution.

Scientists led by Dr. Michael Ristou, a nutritionist from the University of Jena in Germany, tested this hypothesis on a group of young people who do physical exercises. Half of them received moderate doses of vitamins C and E.

They found that in class, take vitamins, has not improved sensitivity to insulin and the mechanism of natural protection the body from oxygen damage is practically not enabled.

According to scientists, the reason is that the active oxygen compounds - an inevitable product of exercise - are a natural trigger to start the mechanism. Vitamins, destroying active oxygen, blocking the natural reaction of the organism.

"If you exercise for health, you should not take a large number of antioxidants," - noted Ristou. In addition, antioxidants in general, cause the reaction, which hinder the positive effect of exercise, diet and other interventions.

"If people do exercise, it blocks the effect of insulin in the metabolic response", - added study co-author, Dr. Ronald Kahn of Joslin Diabetes Research Center in Boston, speaking of the impact of vitamins.

The study is published in the issue of The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Air pollution - one of principal causes of heart troubles

2009-10-06T12:15:00.000-07:00

Air pollution - one of principal causes of heart troubles
Physicians frequently consider that the reasons of heart troubles are genetic factors or a way of life. Now the American experts have defined that air which we daily inhale in a city, also can serve one of the main reasons of development of warm problems.

Ecologists of University of Louisville and Michigan university have fixed that increase of concentration in air of polluting substances is connected with growth of cases of warm death and heart attacks. Research was spent in 250 cities worldwide in which result it has been established that in places with high indicators of substances polluting air people died earlier, in most cases because of heart diseases. Growth of concentration of harmful substances in air was directly proportional to growth of number of heart attacks. The most vulnerable group were cores and older persons, and also sick of a diabetes, women and the people suffering from adiposity.

According to cardiologists, microscopic particles of polluted air get to lungs and then get into a blood-groove, breaking work of cardiovascular system. Most of all harm can cause ozone, nitrates, sulphates, metals and aldehydes, experts have concluded. In particular it has been proved that aldehydes - the toxic class of chemical substances containing in the majority of kinds of a smoke, including cigarette and in exhaust gases of cars, - raises cholesterol levels in blood and activates enzymes which form plaques and blood clots on the blood vessels, blocking arteries and promoting heart attack. Within 15 minutes after inhalation ultrathin particles arterial pressure, therefore bad ecology of air quickly raises can bring the negative contribution and to increase in sphere of action of a hypertension. Doctors explain that blood vessels react on Air pollution, making the inflammatory answer at activity of extraneous substances. Clinical physicians recommend to inhabitants of megacities to try not to happen in the street in rush hours near to motorways and highway and to go in for sports in the closed premises, where air is filtered to avoid additional loading on heart.

Depression and nervousness during pregnancy

2009-10-06T12:14:00.001-07:00

Depression and nervousness during pregnancy leads in the future to an uneasy dream of the child
Babies will wake up more possibly among night at the age of 6-12 months if their mums during pregnancy suffered from the depression, raised anxiety or were nervous much.

Various psychological and nervous breakdowns during pregnancy mention quality of a children's dream in the first year of a life, on 23 % increasing risk of an uneasy dream at newborns in 6 months and by 22 % - at the age of 12 months. The bad dream at kids serves as a clinical risk factor of problems of a dream in three-year age that, in turn, further leads to behavioural problems and harms to training, pediatrists speak. Besides, frequent awakening of the child interrupts at night a parent sleep, worsening mood, causing weariness and stress.

874 women participated in research of the American academy of medicine of a dream at the age from 20 till 34 years. Psychologists have considered signs of depression and uneasiness at pregnant women, and then have analysed quality of a dream of their babies. Number of children which are elderly about one year woke up, at least, once at night, was above at women with nervous breakdowns: 52 % of newborns at the age of 6 months and 46 % at 12-month's age.

According to doctors, children's problems with a dream can become chronic and lead to serious consequences for mental well-being both the kid, and mum as mental problems at the women deprived of a normal dream and already subject depression, will become aggravated.

Components of coffee improves glucose tolerance

2009-10-06T12:13:00.001-07:00

Components of coffee improves glucose tolerance
Chlorogenic acid and trigonelline, which are present in coffee may improve glucose tolerance, according to a randomized crossover study, reported in the online edition «Diabetes Care» of 26 March.

"In the prospective cohort studies of higher coffee consumption was associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes" - the scientists say (Institute for Health Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, in the Netherlands). "Associations were similar for caffeinated coffee and decaffeinated coffee, suggesting that components of coffee other than caffeine have beneficial effects on glucose homeostasis. "Coffee - the main source of chlorogenic acid and precursor of vitamin B3 trigonelline, which, as shown by the results of animal studies, reduced the concentration of blood glucose.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of coffee without caffeine, chlorogenic acid and trigonelline in glucose tolerance in 15 men with obesity. During the 2-hour oral test for glucose tolerance authors studied the effect on the concentration of glucose and insulin, 12 g of decaffeinated coffee, 1 g chlorogenic acid, 500 mg of trigonelline, and placebo (1 g mannitol).

Compared with placebo reception chlorogenic acid and trigonelline were associated with a significant decrease in concentrations of glucose (-0,7 μmol / L and -0,5 μmol / L, respectively) and insulin (-73 pmol / L and -117 pmol / L, respectively ) 15 minutes after receiving glucose. However, the area under the curve values for insulin and glucose during the oral test for glucose tolerance were similar for each type of therapy against a placebo.

Limitations of the studies included are multiple tests that were conducted at different times, increasing the likelihood of random outcomes, and the difficulty of comparing treatment effects, as well as in 12 grams of coffee without the caffeine contained significantly less chlorogenic acid and trigonelline than the doses taken separately.

"Chlorogenic acid and trigonelline reduced the early response of glucose and insulin during the oral test for glucose tolerance" - the paper says. "This finding is consistent with the hypothesis that these compounds may underlie the beneficial effects of coffee on the development of type 2 diabetes.

The risk of colorectal cancer increases with cancer of the endometrium

2009-10-06T12:11:00.000-07:00

The risk of colorectal cancer increases with cancer of the endometrium
Endometrial cancer is associated with increased risk of colorectal cancer but not breast cancer, according to a study published in the April issue of «Obstetrics & Gynecology».

The study found that age-standardized incidence of colorectal cancer in women with endometrial cancer was 0.7%, which corresponds to lower risk, but significantly higher than the risk to 0.2% observed in the general population, said Dr. Janice C . Kwon (Janice S. Kwon) (University of British Columbia, Canada) and colleagues.

The results also showed that the frequency of diagnosis of colorectal cancer during the screening, as well as breast cancer was approximately two times higher in women with endometrial cancer, compared with other women.

To evaluate the occurrence of secondary malignant neoplasms during the observation period in women with endometrial cancer history, the team analyzed the data of Dr. Kwon 3473 women who were diagnosed with malignant tumors in Ontario, Canada, from 1996 to 2000. None of the women had no history of breast cancer or colon cancer.

The frequency of five-year relapse rate and overall survival in the cohort were 15.0% and 79.3%, respectively. Follow-up is usually provided by family physicians.

Although the probability of developing colorectal cancer was higher in the patients included in the study than in the general population, the risk of breast cancer was not increased. Age-standardized prevalence of rule of breast cancer in both groups (with a history of endometrial cancer and without) were identical, 0,5%.

Frequency of screening for breast cancer and colorectal cancer in the studied group was 64.0% and 30.0%, respectively, compared with the norms of 31,0% and 15,0% in the general population.

White wine forms stains on tooth enamel

2009-10-06T12:07:00.000-07:00

White wine forms stains on tooth enamel
Stomatologists know for a long time that red wine causes stains on a teeth. Now physicians of the New York university have established that white wine possesses the same negative consequences for appearance of tooth enamel.

Testings were spent on cows the tooth surface at which reminds a structure of a human tooth, with the help spectrophotometer - the tool measuring intensity of colour and estimating level of colouring. Tooth immersing in white wine was regarded at one o'clock as the use of a drink during a supper - it has appeared that in this time a teeth starts to darken quickly.

As the American dentists, the acids containing in fault explain, form roughnesses and small cracks which allow chemicals in other drinks, such as coffee and tea, more deeply to get into a tooth. Nevertheless, in comparison with white wine, red wine is much more harmful to enamel as after its consumption the shown stains on a tooth are much more dark and, except that, this grade of wines contains highly pigmented substance under the name chromogen. The best way to prevent dimness of enamel from wine - to use a tooth-paste with bleaching agents, doctors speak.