From the monthly archives:

February 2012

Higher Death Risk With Sleeping Pills

February 28, 2012 Insomnia Research

People are relying on sleeping pills more than ever to get a good night’s rest, but a new study by Scripps Clinic researchers links the medications to a 4.6 times higher risk of death and a significant increase in cancer cases among regular pill users.

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The Latest Flu Season In Nearly Three Decades Finally Begins

February 28, 2012 Colds & Flu

Thought you were spared? Flu season is hitting California — finally. The United States is experiencing its latest flu season in nearly three decades, and California is one of two states now reporting widespread activity with the typical sore throats, stuffy noses, nagging coughs and achy muscles.

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Research Offers Insight To How Fructose Causes Obesity And Other Illness

February 28, 2012 Diabetes Research

A group of scientists from across the world have come together in a just-published study that provides new insights into how fructose causes obesity and metabolic syndrome, more commonly known as diabetes. In this study which was performed in lab animals, researchers found that fructose can be metabolized by an enzyme that exists in two forms.

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Low Levels of Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Cause Memory Problems

February 28, 2012 Cognitive Function

A diet lacking in omega-3 fatty acids, nutrients commonly found in fish, may cause your brain to age faster and lose some of its memory and thinking abilities, according to a study published in the February 28, 2012, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Omega-3 fatty acids include the nutrients called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).

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How Vitamin D Inhibits Inflammation

February 27, 2012 Inflammation

Researchers at National Jewish Health have discovered specific molecular and signaling events by which vitamin D inhibits inflammation. In their experiments, they showed that low levels of Vitamin D, comparable to levels found in millions of people, failed to inhibit the inflammatory cascade, while levels considered adequate did inhibit inflammatory signaling. They reported their results in the March 1, 2012, issue of The Journal of Immunology.

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Neurotoxins in Shark Fins: A Human Health Concern

February 27, 2012 Cognitive Function

Sharks are among the most threatened of marine species worldwide due to unsustainable overfishing. They are primarily killed for their fins to fuel the growing demand for shark fin soup, which is an Asia delicacy. A new study by University of Miami (UM) scientists in the journal Marine Drugs has discovered high concentrations of BMAA in shark fins, a neurotoxin linked to neurodegenerative diseases in humans including Alzheimer’s and Lou Gehrig Disease (ALS).

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Aspirin As Good As Plavix For Poor Leg Circulation: Study

February 23, 2012 Hypertension

Aspirin works as well as Plavix in patients with blocked leg arteries, a new European study finds. People with the condition, called peripheral artery disease, often suffer from intermittent claudication, which is pain while walking because of decreased blood supply to the legs.

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Scientists Discover Likely New Trigger For Epidemic of Metabolic Syndrome

February 23, 2012 Diabetes Research

UC Davis scientists have uncovered a key suspect in the destructive inflammation that underlies heart disease and diabetes. The new research shows elevated levels of a receptor present on leucocytes of the innate immune response in people at risk for these chronic diseases. The receptors are the body’s first line of defense against infectious invaders, and they trigger a rush of cytokines, the body’s aggressive immune soldiers, into the bloodstream.

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First US Ship To Trade With China Included 30 Tons Of Ginseng

February 22, 2012 Articles

Carrying a full load of goods, including 30 tons of ginseng, and finally free of the ice that had choked the harbor for weeks, the Empress of China set out from New York on February 22, 1784 for China. Just months after the British had finally evacuated the city after the Revolutionary War, American merchants were seizing the opportunity afforded by independence to enter the China trade.

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Heart Disease May Be A Risk Factor For Prostate Cancer

February 22, 2012 Cardiovascular Research

In a large analysis of men participating in a prostate drug trial, researchers at the Duke Cancer Institute found a significant correlation between coronary artery disease and prostate cancer, suggesting the two conditions may have shared causes.

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Erratic Heart Rhythm May Account For Some Unexplained Strokes

February 22, 2012 Cardiovascular Research

Occasional erratic heart rhythms appear to cause about one-fifth of strokes for which a cause is not readily established, according to research presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2012.About one-third of survivors leave the hospital with the cause of their stroke still undetermined.

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Newly Identified Oral Bacterium Linked To Heart Disease And Meningitis

February 22, 2012 Cardiovascular Research

A novel bacterium, thought to be a common inhabitant of the oral cavity, has the potential to cause serious disease if it enters the bloodstream, according to a study in the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. Its identification will allow scientists to work out how it causes disease and evaluate the risk that it poses.

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