Parenting & Healthcare

Diabesity threatens to become biggest world epidemic.

2012-02-10T20:20:00.000-08:00

No headache tonight pills doesn't work?

2012-02-01T05:23:00.000-08:00

Contraceptive pill recalled in US

Women are being told to speak to their doctor

Around one million packets of birth control tablets are being recalled in the US, as they might not prevent pregnancy.

The pharmaceutical company Pfizer said a "packaging error" meant the doses were not correct.

It said the tablets did not pose any health dangers, but there was a risk of "unintended pregnancy".

Pfizer is advising women affected to use non-hormonal forms of contraception immediately.

Fourteen lots of Lo/Ovral-28 tablets and 14 lots of Norgestrel and ethinyl estradiol tablets have been recalled. The lot numbers have beenpublished on the company's website.

Throughout the month women would take 21 tablets containing active ingredients and seven which were inert.

The correct dose is essential for preventing pregnancy, however, the drug maker said: "The daily regimen for these oral contraceptives may be incorrect and could leave women without adequate contraception, and at risk for unintended pregnancy."

Women affected have been advised to tell their doctor and return the tablets to their pharmacy.

1 February 2012 | BBC for full News here:

Science decodes 'internal voices'

2012-02-01T03:03:00.000-08:00

By Jason Palmer | Science and technology reporter, BBC News

The studies focused on a part of the brain associated with sounds called the superior temporal gyrus

Researchers have demonstrated a striking method to reconstruct words, based on the brain waves of patients thinking of those words.

The technique reported in PLoS Biologyrelies on gathering electrical signals directly from patients' brains.

Based on signals from listening patients, a computer model was used to reconstruct the sounds of words that patients were thinking of.

The method may in future help comatose and locked-in patients communicate.

Several approaches have in recent years suggested that scientists are closing in on methods to tap into our very thoughts.

In a 2011 study, participants with electrodes in direct brain contact were able to move a cursor on a screen by simply thinking of vowel sounds.

A technique called functional magnetic resonance imaging to track blood flow in the brain has shown promise for identifying which words or ideas someone may be thinking about.

By studying patterns of blood flow related to particular images, Jack Gallant's group at the University of California Berkeley showed in September that patterns can be used to guess images being thought of -recreating "movies in the mind".

BBC full news

Skin transformed into brain cells.

2012-01-30T22:54:00.000-08:00

Skin cells have been converted directly into cells which develop into the main components of the brain, by researchers studying mice in California.

The experiment, reported in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, skipped the middle "stem cell" stage in the process.

The researchers said they were "thrilled" at the potential medical uses.

Far more tests are needed before the technique could be used on human skin.

Stem cells, which can become any other specialist type of cell from brain to bone, are thought to have huge promise in a range of treatments. Many trials are taking place, such as in stroke patients or specific forms of blindness.

One of the big questions for the field is where to get the cells from. There are ethical concerns around embryonic stem cells and patients would need to take immunosuppressant drugs as any stem cell tissue would not match their own.

An alternative method has been to take skin cells and reprogram them into "induced" stem cells. These could be made from a patient's own cells and then turned into the cell type required, however, the process results in cancer-causing genes being activated.

Direct approach

The research group, at the Stanford University School of Medicine in California, is looking at another option - converting a person's own skin cells into specialist cells, without creating "induced" stem cells. It has already transformed skin cells directly into neurons.

full report here :

Some think that this is the answer to prosperity?

2012-01-30T15:22:00.000-08:00

Can ultrasound be used in male contraception?

A dose of ultrasound to the testicles can stop the production of sperm, according to researchers investigating a new form of contraception.

A study on rats published in Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology showed that sound waves could be used to reduce sperm counts to levels that would cause infertility in humans.

Researchers described ultrasound as a "promising candidate" in contraception.

However, far more tests are required before it could be used.

The concept was first proposed in the 1970s, but is now being pursued by researchers at the University of North Carolina who won a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

They found that two, 15-minute doses "significantly reduced" the number of sperm-producing cells and sperm levels.

It was most effective when delivered two days apart and through warm salt water.

In humans, the researchers said men were considered to be "sub-fertile" when sperm counts dropped below 15 million sperm per millilitre.

The sperm count in rats dropped to below 10 million sperm per millilitre.

Lead researcher Dr James Tsuruta said: "Further studies are required to determine how long the contraceptive effect lasts and if it is safe to use multiple times."

The team needs to ensure that the ultrasound produces a reversible effect, contraception not sterilisation, as well as investigate whether there would be cumulative damage from repeated doses.

Dr Allan Pacey, senior lecturer in andrology at the University of Sheffield, said: "It's a nice idea, but a lot more work is needed."

He said that it was likely that there would be recovery of sperm production, but the "sperm might be damaged and any baby might be damaged" when sperm production resumed.

"The last thing we want is a lingering damage to sperm," he said.

Original news here

Blood pressure 'should be measured in both arms'

2012-01-30T04:12:00.000-08:00

Measuring blood pressure in both arms should be routine because the difference between left and right arm could indicate underlying health problems, says a study review.

The Lancet research found that a large difference could mean an increased risk of vascular disease and death.

Although existing guidelines state that blood pressure should be measured in both arms, it is not often done.

But a heart charity said it was too early to judge the findings.

The arm with the higher pressure can vary between individuals, but it is the difference between arms that counts, the study suggests.

Dr Christopher Clark and colleagues, from the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Exeter, reviewed 28 previous study papers looking at this area.

Most people in the study had an elevated blood pressure risk and about one-third had a normal level of risk.

The study concluded that a difference in systolic blood pressure of 10 millimetres of mercury (mm Hg) between arms could identify patients at high risk of asymptomatic peripheral vascular disease.

full report

Over-hygienic parents could be cause of diabetes.

2012-01-13T11:40:00.001-08:00

Published on 13 Jan 2012 by Euronews - http://www.euronews.net/ Insulin-dependent diabetes is on the rise all around the world, but the cause of this disease remains unclear.There is a theory, however, that kids need a bit of dirt to build up their defences against this and other autoimmune diseases.

Improving living standards with sterile environments, urban lifestyles and industrialised food are weakening people's immune systems.

'Upside down mum' gives birth.

2011-12-21T16:57:00.000-08:00

Published on 21 Dec 2011 by itnnews - Coventry mum Donna Kelly has given birth to a healthy baby girl after spending three months upside down in hospital to prevent a miscarriage.

Food consumption according to Sunnah imam hasan khalil.

2011-12-10T07:23:00.001-08:00

Uploaded by shaykha on 10 Dec 2011:

sperm exposed to the laptop showed DNA damage:

2011-12-02T00:59:00.001-08:00

A serious warning to all the guys who love to put laptop on their lap while turning the Wi-Fi on.

"

The study, published in the journal Fertility and Sterility, collected sperm samples from 29 healthy men, aged 26 to 45. Each of the samples were then separated into two pots.

One set of samples was placed beneath a laptop connected to the internet via Wi-Fi as it downloaded information, while the other set was stored under identical conditions - including temperature - but away from the computer.

Around 25 per cent of the sperm in samples exposed to the laptop stopped swimming compared with 14 per cent of those kept away from the computer.

Similarly around nine per cent of the sperm exposed to the laptop showed DNA damage compared with three per cent in the control samples.

"

Yes friends, if you seriously thinking about having a child or adding more children, you should really think about putting the laptop on the laps again.

Source : UK Yahoo News

Study: Vitamin B12 Deficits in Older Adults Linked to Brain Decline

2011-10-25T09:07:00.001-07:00

Uploaded by VOAvideo on 24 Oct 2011 - A new study says deficiencies of Vitamin B12 might be responsible for declining brain function in older adults. Although people normally get plenty of B12 from fish, meat and dairy products, as well as fortified cereals and supplements, their ability to absorb the essential nutrient can be blocked by a number of factors. Those include excessive alcohol consumption, anemia and various digestive-system disorders. As VOA's Vidushi Sinha reports, health experts say regular screening and heightened public awareness.can help avoid those potentially brain-wasting deficits.

Will Nanotechnology overtakes Computers Sciences in the near future?

2011-10-09T13:04:00.000-07:00

8th Asia Nanotechnology Forum kicks off in Tehran

Uploaded by presstvmobile on 9 Oct 2011.

The Deleterious Effects of Fluoride on The Body

2011-09-30T04:27:00.000-07:00

with Dr. Paul Connett : Uploaded by TheAlexJonesChannel on 30 Sep 2011

Dr. Paul Connett talks with Alex about the deleterious effects of fluoride on the body. Connett will also talk with Alex tomorrow about the numerous victories in the ongoing war against the poisoning of the American people with the industrial toxin.

Foods with added nutrients: Are they better?

2011-09-29T18:21:00.000-07:00

Published on 29 Sep 2011 by CBS - Food and drinks with added nutrients are becoming more popular, but are they the best way to get more vitamins? Registered dietitian Keri Glassman discusses the pros and cons of so-called functional foods.

Scientists discover cause of Rheumatoid Arthritis, a lack of the P21 Protein

2011-09-27T11:35:00.000-07:00

New bouncer molecule halts rheumatoid arthritis – Protective protein prevents immune system from ravaging joints and bones. According to the US Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Research Service, Zinc helps increase the levels of the P21 Protein, therefore helps against Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Researchers at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine have discovered why the immune cells of people with rheumatoid arthritis become hyperactive and attack the joints and bones. The immune cells have lost their bouncer, the burly protein that keeps them in line the same way a bouncer in a nightclub controls rowdy patrons.

The Feinberg School team has identified this bouncer, a protein called P21, which prevents immune cells from launching into their destructive rampage through the cartilage and bone. When the scientists developed and injected an imitation of the protein into an animal model of rheumatoid arthritis, the disease process was halted.

“The bouncer molecule stopped the immune cells from going crazy,” said lead author Harris Perlman, associate professor of rheumatology at Northwestern’s Feinberg School. “Imagine destructive customers in a bar, and the bouncer says, ‘You are going to behave!’ That’s P21. This discovery opens up a new avenue for future therapies, which are greatly needed for rheumatoid arthritis.”

read full report : The EU Times - 26Sept 2011

Shelf life secrets.

2011-09-22T02:19:00.000-07:00

Published on Sep 21, 2011 by CBS - Sue Perry, Deputy Editor for ShopSmart Magazine, tells what items to enjoy now and what can be saved for later.

French doctors produce quality Red blood.

2011-09-03T04:30:00.000-07:00

Published on 3 Sep 2011 by Euronews - French researchers say they have successfully injected red blood cells produced from stem cells into a patient for the first time.It is seen as a step towards a long-term goal of producing blood in large quantities.For now donors are still in demand: their numbers are declining despite an ever-increasing need for blood transfusions....

Cholesterol-lowering Foods May Prove Healthier

2011-09-02T10:10:00.000-07:00

Uploaded by VOAvideo on Sep 2, 2011 - A new study out of Canada could potentially save millions of lives. Research shows that, by eating certain foods, people can significantly reduce their cholesterol and improve their chances of avoiding heart disease or stroke.

The Nuts of Health.

2011-09-02T10:08:00.000-07:00

Uploaded by BereanBeacon on Jul 2, 2010 :-

Ask It Early: belly fat, migraines, and chronic lung issues.

2011-09-02T10:05:00.000-07:00

Published on Sep 2, 2011 by CBS - Dr. Jennifer Ashton answers questions about getting rid of excess belly fat, stemming chronic migraines, and tips for chronic lung issues.

Breastfeeding Secrets.

2011-08-26T08:26:00.000-07:00

Published on 25 Aug 2011 by CBS - Laura Kalehoff (Western View), Executive Editor of American Baby Magazine, discusses all you need to know if you decide to breastfeed.

Aspartame the most dangerous food additive in the market.

2011-08-17T17:24:00.000-07:00

Uploaded by DrTuttleDC on Feb 9, 2010 - Dangers of Aspartame / Nutri-Sweet In the European Union, it is codified as E951. Aspartame is a methyl ester of the aspartic acid/phenylalanine dipeptide. It was first sold under the brand name NutraSweet; since 2009 it also has been sold under the brand name AminoSweet. It was first synthesized in 1965 and the patent expired in 1992.

A Mercedes bionic arm for a teen:

2011-08-16T20:05:00.000-07:00

Mercedes give teen a new bionic armPublished on Aug 16, 2011 by itnnews - A teenager has received a new bionic arm, paid for by the Mercedes Formula One team.

Making students financially literate.

2011-08-16T10:54:00.000-07:00

Aug 16, 2011 by CBS - Chris Wragge talks with author and personal finance expert Carmen Wong Ulrich about how parents can help their college students become financially savvy.

"Cyber-loafing" - will you allow your kids during designated prep hours.

2011-08-16T10:37:00.000-07:00

"Cyber-loafing" yields productivity, report shows

Aug 16, 2011 by CBS - A recent report shows that "cyber-loafing," or browsing the Internet at work, makes workers more productive. Jeff Glor reports.

The Empathy Ceiling:

2011-08-14T12:00:00.000-07:00

The Rich Are Different — And Not In a Good Way, Studies Suggest
The 'Haves' show less empathy than 'Have-nots'

Psychologist and social scientist Dacher Keltner says the rich really are different, and not in a good way: Their life experience makes them less empathetic, less altruistic, and generally more selfish.

Lissette Gutierrez chose a pair of $1,495 Christian Louboutin shoes at Bergdorf Goodman in Manhattan. An article called “Social Class as Culture: The Convergence of Resources and Rank in the Social Realm,” published this week in the journal Current Directions in Psychological Science, argues that rich people are more likely to think about themselves. Because the rich gloss over the ways family connections, money and education helped, they come to denigrate the role of government and vigorously oppose taxes to fund it. (Deidre Schoo for The New York Times) In fact, he says, the philosophical battle over economics, taxes, debt ceilings and defaults that are now roiling the stock market is partly rooted in an upper class "ideology of self-interest."

“We have now done 12 separate studies measuring empathy in every way imaginable, social behavior in every way, and some work on compassion and it’s the same story,” he said. “Lower class people just show more empathy, more prosocial behavior, more compassion, no matter how you look at it.”

In an academic version of a Depression-era Frank Capra movie, Keltner and co-authors of an article called “Social Class as Culture: The Convergence of Resources and Rank in the Social Realm,” published this week in the journal Current Directions in Psychological Science, argue that “upper-class rank perceptions trigger a focus away from the context toward the self….”

In other words, rich people are more likely to think about themselves. “They think that economic success and political outcomes, and personal outcomes, have to do with individual behavior, a good work ethic,” said Keltner, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley.

Common Dreams.Orgs : read full report

Corn, Cow Digestion and E. coli O157

2011-08-13T16:46:00.000-07:00

Most cows in America are corn-fed. A simple statement made more complex by the variety of ways corn is processed for feed: steam flaked, dry rolled and high moisture.

It has been found in a host of studies that there is a distinct link between corn processing method and E. coli O157:H7prevalence in a beef cattle herd. Of the methods examined, a majority of studies found that feeding steam flaked corn resulted in a greater amount of E. coli O157:H7 fecal shedding by beef cattle than when feeding dry rolled corn.

An article today in Farm & Ranch Guide

On behalf of the people who have been sickened by beef contaminated with E. coli, we urge beef cattle producers to consider using dry rolled corn or whole corn. Eating a hamburger should never cause kidney failure, brain damage, stroke or death.

The purple sweet potato: The latest in a long line of potential ‘Superfoods’.

2011-06-21T05:59:00.000-07:00

The purple sweet potato, the latest food item presented to the general public as a potential superfood

We have seen it before with a number of different berries: the white cranberry, the pomegranate, and most recently with the Acai berry. Even beyond just the simple berries: a whole slew of fruits, vegetables and whatnots that all have been the subject of vigourous claims of being the latest and greatest ‘Super Food’. Well now a strain of purple sweet potato is being developed and tested as the new superfood, and it already has scientists saying that the vegetable may actually stop people from getting cancer. Wow, that is apretty heavy claim to make about any item from any food group. The belief here is that the designer sweet potato, grown for its purple anti-cancer pigment, is also supposed to contain within it some anti-ageing and antioxidant chemicals. A crop-development expert in the United States has developed this new variety of purple sweet potato with a thicker purple skin and flesh to increase its inherent cancer-fighting properties. Soyoung Lim, a researcher from Kansas State University, said that it differed from purple sweet potato varieties already found in most grocery outlets because both the newer potato’s flesh and skin were purple.

Lim said the potato’s colouring contained the chemical anthocyanin, which is known to lower the risk of cancer and could even possibly slow down certain types of the disease.

What Happens To Your Body Within An Hour Of Drinking A Coke.

2011-05-27T11:19:00.000-07:00

Don’t drink cola if you want to be healthy. Consuming soft drinks is bad for so many reasons that science cannot even state all the consequences. But one thing we know for sure is that drinking Coke, as a representative of soft drinks, wreaks havoc on the human organism. What happens? Writer Wade Meredith has shown the quick progression of Coke’s assault.

The main problem is sugar. It’s an evil that the processed food industry and sugar growers don’t want people to know about. Even dietitians, financially supported by sugar growers and sugary product manufacturers, are loathe to tell us the truth.

Don’t believe that dietitians are influenced by huge corporate concerns that feed people sugar, drugs and other health-defying ingredients? Go to their official website and check out the sponsors yourself. They are right there in plain sight: http://www.eatright.org/corporatesponsors/

When somebody drinks a Coke watch what happens…

Nutrition Research Center | read full article

In Malaysia, UNICEF equity programme enables undocumented children to enrol in school .

2011-05-16T13:40:00.000-07:00

16 May 2011 - UNICEF's Steve Nettleton reports on a UNICEF-supported education centre for migrant children in Malaysia.

UN: Chronic, Non-Communicable Disease Is World's Leading Killer

2011-05-12T10:10:00.000-07:00

9 May 2011 - Chronic, non-communicable diseases such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes are on the rise and are taking a significant toll on the economies of low- and middle-income countries. This is according to a new report from the World Health Organization.

Iran-Russia healthcare ties

2011-04-30T22:09:00.000-07:00

PressTVGlobalNews on Apr 30, 2011 - Iran's Minister of Health is in Moscow to attend an international conference on healthcare. She is also slated to hold talks with Russian officials on cooperation in the health sector.

Press TV's Svetlana Tikhomirova reports from Moscow.

Bionic Arm Moves and Feels

2011-04-15T23:20:00.000-07:00

VOAvideo on Apr 15, 2011 - Scientists are developing an entirely new type of prosthetic arm and hand that allows a patient to regain not only movement, but also the sense of touch.

A FIRST: Scientists Successfully Grow Urethras Using Boys' Own Cells

2011-03-09T02:21:00.000-08:00

LONDON — Doctors have created urethras using patients' own cells for the first time – another example that scientists may be able to grow replacement body parts one day

"It's not so much science fiction anymore to think we can grow replacement organs," said Patrick Warnke, a tissue engineering expert at Bond University in Australia.

American doctors made the urethras for five boys in Mexico, aged 10 to 14, after they were injured in accidents.

The urethra is a thin tube that carries urine out of the body from the bladder; cells from both organs are very similar. Tissue grafts are normally used in such cases, but there's a less than 50 percent success rate.

After removing a postage-size piece from the boys' bladders, scientists put the cells into a special mixture in a laboratory to speed their growth. They then fashioned a tiny mesh tube out of the same material used for dissolvable stitches in surgeries to act as a scaffold.

Read full report :

Japan: It's nursing time on Twitter!

2011-02-20T14:44:00.000-08:00

Fledgling mummies and daddies cannot give in when their baby cries or needs to be changed. Often they seek for advices and who is a better adviser than other parent fellows? These days parenthood 101 is taught and learnt on Twitter, where they communicate with each other through hashtags like #ikuji (child rearing), #junew (read as junyuu, that means breast-feeding),#oyabaka (stupid parents) and many others.

By Flickr user Yto, CC License.

An expecting mother, @hana_tachibana, announced to her followers that she just found out the sex of her baby:

Global Voices | 20 Feb 2011 - read full post

WHO Study Finds Many with High Cholesterol Go Untreated.

2011-02-05T15:25:00.000-08:00

VOAvideo | February 05, 2011 - A major study by the World Health Organization shows that most people with high cholesterol levels around the world are not getting the treatment they need, to avoid such serious diseases as heart attacks and strokes. And the authors of the study - the largest ever undertaken - say the problem is especially serious in the developing world.

Diabetes and virus link confirmed.

2011-02-03T19:01:00.000-08:00

Continue reading the main story

Do viruses play a role in childhood diabetes?

Children with Type 1 diabetes are nearly 10 times as likely to also have a viral infection than healthy children, Australian research suggests.

Childhood diabetes has been linked to enteroviruses, which can lead to cold, flu and even meningitis.

However the review of 26 existing studies by a group in Australia, published in the BMJ, does not prove that the virus causes diabetes.

Diabetes UK said more research was needed to pinpoint the cause of Type 1.

The illness typically appears in childhood, when the pancreas stops producing the hormone insulin and the body cannot control the level of sugar in the blood.

More common

The number of cases has been increasing, without explanation, across the globe.

BBC News | 4 Feb 2011 - read full report

* A BMI over 25 is deemed overweight and greater than 30 is obese.

2011-02-03T16:12:00.000-08:00

Obesity increases heart disease risk

Obesity 'epidemic' turns global

BBC News recycle : Tuesday, 23 October 2007

People are getting fatter in all parts of the world, with the possible exception of south and east Asia, a one-day global snapshot shows.

Between half and two-thirds of men and women in 63 countries across five continents - not including the US - were overweight or obese in 2006.

The Circulation journal study included over 168,000 people evaluated by a primary care doctor.

Experts said the findings were deeply worrying.

Excess body weight is pandemic

Lead researcher Beverley Balkau

People who are overweight have a higher risk of heart disease, Type II diabetes and other diseases including some cancers.

The International Day for the Evaluation of Obesity (IDEA) study looked at two measures of fatness - waist circumference and a calculation called body mass index or BMI.

Read full report :

One in eight women will get breast cancer, charity say

2011-02-03T15:12:00.000-08:00

Continue reading the main story

Breast cancer rates are rising, figures show, but survival rates are also improving too

A woman's risk of developing breast cancer has risen to one in eight from one in nine, according to Cancer Research UK.

The charity's figures show that breast cancer rates in the UK have increased by 3.5% in 10 years, from 42,400 in 1999 to 47,700 in 2008.

Women aged between 50 and 69 have seen the biggest rise in breast cancer rates of 6%.

Exercising and eating healthily can reduce the risk, cancer charities say.

Cancer Research UK figures suggest that breast cancer is by far the most common cancer in women, accounting for almost a third of cases.

Bowel cancer is the second most common, followed by lung.

Almost half of breast cancer cases in 2008 (48%) were in women aged between 50 and 69.

BBC News - 4 Feb 2011 read full report

You Best Chance of Surviving a Stroke is Here.

2011-02-02T09:38:00.000-08:00

VOAvideo | February 02, 2011 - A new study finds chances of survival increase when patients are taken to certified stroke centers (This is in America).

US Issues New Dietary Guidelines.

2011-02-01T08:11:00.000-08:00

VOAvideo | February 01, 2011 - Americans are being urged to cut back on salt, sugar and fatty meats and to eat more fish and whole grains. The recommendations are part of new dietary guidelines issued January 31 by the U.S. government, and are designed to help the majority of Americans who are overweight or obese. The World Health Organization says obesity is really a global problem, and nutrition experts say these guidelines are flexible enough to reflect international cultural and religious differences. Melinda Smith reports.

Inflexible and stressful work 'harming families'

2011-01-16T10:41:00.000-08:00

Fathers are working longer hours and becoming "disengaged" from their children, the report says

Inflexible and stressful jobs are leaving parents racked with guilt and increasingly distant from their children, according to a Demos report.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, who has promised to do more for hard-pressed working families, will launch the think tank's study on Monday.

It wants the government to do more to encourage flexible working practices.

And it says more action is needed at a community level to give struggling and isolated parents greater support.

Long hours

Demos polled 1,017 parents for the Home Front report. It found:

a third of fathers in the UK work more than 48 hours a week, compared with a quarter of men without children
one-in-eight fathers work more than 60 hours a week, and typically, fathers increase their hours after their youngest child reaches the age of six
the number of working mothers has tripled from one in six in 1951 to two in three now, with 6% working more than 48 hours and 3% more than 60

Many parents surveyed said they felt guilty about working so much, a feeling that got worse as children got older, and felt they were less effective parents to their second or third child than their first

BBC News | 16 January 2010 - Read full report :

Twins born on different years after New Year's Eve birth.

2011-01-03T23:40:00.000-08:00

American twins born minutes apart have birth dates on different years. Madisen Karin Lewis was delivered on New Year's Eve and her brother Everette Lewis was delivered in the first moments of 2011.

The twins' mother, Ashley Fansler, agreed to a Caesarean section that would allow the babies to be born on different years.

BBC News | 4 january 2011 - full report & watch Video

Facebook: Should parents 'friend' their children?

2010-12-10T07:23:00.000-08:00

When Facebook was entirely dominated by people under the age of 25, things were simple. But now an important social question has arisen - should you "friend" your child, or accept a parent as a "friend"?

For a generation brought up on social networks, your "friends" can range from closest confidants to someone you met at a conference.

People you've "friended" for networking purposes are afforded equal status to your sister.

Your friends on social networks might also be your 20-something son who's travelling round Thailand or your 13-year-old daughter.

These are tricky waters for a parent to navigate, unsure of security settings and wary of others on the internet. If you are on Facebook, should you be friends with your kids?

BBC News : read full post - 10 Dec 2010

Malaysia ranks 6th in obesity survey:

2010-12-09T06:40:00.000-08:00

thestaronline | December 08, 2010 - Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai says early education is necessary for the public to make healthy choices.

Surgery gives hope to cataract patients.

2010-12-08T00:32:00.000-08:00

AlJazeeraEnglish | December 07, 2010 - An estimated 45 million people around the world are blind.

For half of them, the cause is cataracts - a whitening of the eyes. But one doctor has pioneered a very simple, and quick, surgical technique to reverse the effects of the impairment.Cost 20 to30 USD complete with lens.

As Subina Shrestha reports from remote Dharding in Nepal, his efforts have restored sight for millions. Warning - this report contains graphic images of eye surgery.

Combination of Weights, Aerobics Works Best for Diabetics

2010-12-01T23:48:00.000-08:00

VOAvideo | December 01, 2010 - The World Health Organization says diabetes is a major threat to global public health that is rapidly growing worse. But the most common form of the disease, Type Two, can be managed by a healthy diet and more physical activity. A recent study shows that by combining aerobic exercise and resistance training, Type Two diabetics can improve their blood sugar levels and lose weight.

watch video diabetes typr 1 & type 2

The Challenges of Breastfeeding :

2010-12-01T00:33:00.000-08:00

CBS | April 20, 2010 - Breastfeeding is one of the most important things a mother can do for her baby and for herself, but it's not always easy. Dr. Jennifer Ashton talks with lactation consultant Freda Rosenfeld about how to resolve common challenges.

Stem Cell Therapy Gaining Ground in Asia.

2010-11-27T01:10:00.000-08:00

VOAvideo | November 26, 2010 - Asians are beginning to warm up to the idea of using their own stem cells to treat a host of illnesses such as heart disease, cystic fibrosis or leukemia. Some parents are preserving their babies' umbilical cords, hoping that as technology advances their children can use the umbilical blood to cure future illnesses. Heda Bayron reports from Hong Kong.

Role of mobile phones in healthcare.

2010-11-22T23:04:00.000-08:00

Health Experts Say Cell Phones Save Lives in Developing Countries ::

Another ConDem broken promise - ' midwife pledge '

2010-11-22T07:09:00.000-08:00

Ministers 'broke midwife pledge'

Click to play

Cathy Warwick: "The government is not delivering on its pre-election pledge...we are incredibly disappointed"

The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has accused the government of backing down on a pre-election pledge to increase midwife numbers in England.

It says mothers and babies will suffer unless the 3,000 extra midwives it says were promised are delivered by 2014.

RCM general secretary Cathy Warwick will tell its annual conference there are too few to cope with a rising birth rate and increasingly complex births.

The Tories said the rise was now not needed as the birth rate was stable.

Speaking ahead of Wednesday's conference in Manchester, Ms Warwick told BBC Radio 5 live ministers had gone back on their word.

Read full report :

New More Effective Cholesterol Drug

2010-11-19T20:36:00.000-08:00

New Cholesterol Drug Called More Effective Than Statins :

VOAvideo | November 19, 2010 - Millions of people around the world at risk for disease are taking a statin drug to help lower bad cholesterol, known as LDL [Low Density Lipoprotein]. But statin drugs are not as effective in raising HDL [High Density Lipoprotein], the good cholesterol in the blood that helps fight disease. Now doctors are excited about a new drug that dramatically increases those HDL levels. But as VOA's Melinda Smith reports, patients may still have to wait a few years before the drug is available to the public.

Fast food, fat profits.

2010-11-18T09:34:00.000-08:00

AlJazeeraEnglish | November 18, 2010 - Obesity in America has reached a crisis point. Two out of every three Americans are overweight, one out of every three is obese. One in three are expected to have diabetes by 2050.

Minorities have been even more profoundly affected. African-Americans have a 50 per cent higher prevalence of obesity and Hispanics 25 per cent higher when compared with whites.How did the situation get so out of hand?

On this week's episode of Fault Lines, Josh Rushing explores the world of cheap food for Americans living at the margins. What opportunities do people have to eat healthy? Who is responsible for food deserts and processed food in American schools?

Fault Lines finds food revolutions taking place and speaks with the people that are fighting back.

CT Scans Reduce Lung Cancer Deaths.

2010-11-08T22:49:00.000-08:00

VOAvideo | November 08, 2010 - Lung cancer caused by smoking is one of the major causes of death around the world. Most people who get lung cancer usually do not survive, and more than 5 million people die each year from tobacco use - many of them in developing countries.

Now, a study in the United States shows that screening smokers using CT scans, instead of traditional chest X-rays, can help reduce lung cancer deaths. VOA's Deborah Block has the story.

Diabetes: the Developing World's Scourge

2010-11-07T13:09:00.000-08:00

As Asia Sentinel reported on Sept. 24, an Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development study showed that 29 percent of Chinese are overweight, with 1 percent – 2.6 million people – obese. In Indonesia 26 percent are overweight, 1 percent obese. India reports that 16 percent of its people are overweight, 1 percent obese, G Choudhuri, Professor and Head of the Department of Gastroenterology, Sanjay Gandhi Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences in Lucknow told the Citizen News Service that "The age of onset of diabetes is decreasing, and it is occurring at a younger age these days. Diabetes has a strong genetic component but gets unmasked with disorganized lifestyle and eating habits.

The two important lifestyle issues of concern are increased body weight and lack of exercise. Increasingly, authorities say, urban Indians are leading sedentary lifestyles, with nearly 20 percent of school children overweight or obese and in danger of developing diabetes, according to CNS.

The World Health Organization presented a seriously distressing series of statistics on the disease, pointing out that more than 70 percent of people with diabetes live in low and middle-income countries, varying from 10.2 percent in the Western Pacific to 2.8 percent in Africa.

Fewer than half of those with the affliction are ever even diagnosed, the WHO said. Some 80 percent of type 2 diabetes is preventable by changing diet, increasing physical activity and improving the living environment.

Read full report :

Watch video on 2 types of diabetes :

Early Detection Still the Best Defense Against Breast Cancer.

2010-11-02T08:58:00.000-07:00

VOAvideo | October 31, 2010 - This year 1.5 million women around the world will be told they have breast cancer. Experts say there is now a 98 per cent rate of survival if the cancer is detected early. They also say a disproportionate number of dealths will be in the developing world where breast cancer is not normally diagnosed until late in the course of the disease.

Affordable heart surgeries in the offing.

2010-10-28T07:53:00.000-07:00

thestaronline | October 28, 2010 - A joint venture between AriyaDana Equities Sdn Bhd and Narayana Hrudayalaya Pvt Ltd of India will enable Malaysians to better yet affordable heart surgeries. The centre is set to open in September next year. Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai witnessed the signing ceremony, Thursday.

School Stress - Europe

2010-10-27T16:35:00.000-07:00

journeymanpictures | October 25, 2010 - Across the Western world education has become big business, as parents clamour to prepare their child for today's competitive society. With babies being taught to read, has common sense gone out the window?

6-year-old Courtney shows off her reading skills: "I like the word 'ubiquitous'. It means everywhere". At the 'crème de la crème' nursery, toddlers study hard at their computers. As over-protective parents hover ever closer over their offspring, the phenomenon of 'helicopter parenting' is out of control. Leonore Skenazy was lambasted in the American press for letting her son travel to school unattended: "If you google me, I'm officially 'America's Worst Mother'". With playtime being halved in a bid to maximise learning time, and parents attempting to make their babies literate, experts warn the consequences could be devastating: "You can train a dog to recognise the word 'ball'. That dog won't go to Harvard".

Maternity & mortality

2010-09-21T09:18:00.000-07:00

AmnestyUSA | September 20, 2010

September 20-22 world leaders are gathering in New York to chart a course forward on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - the framework that will guide the fight against global poverty through 2015.

The one goal aimed at decreasing maternal deaths has fallen far short of where it needs to be to meet the MDG target of cutting maternal deaths by 75% by the target date.

http://www.amnestyusa.org/maternaldeaths

UNICEF: 'Alarming' malnutrition levels in Lao PDR

2010-09-15T11:41:00.000-07:00

unicef | September 14, 2010 - VIENTIANE, Lao People's Democratic Republic, 14 September 2010 -- UNICEF and partners have joined forces with the Ministry of Health in Lao PDR to address worrying levels of malnutrition among children living in remote areas of the country.

An assessment conducted in May and June by the National Institute of Public Health, in collaboration with the Department of Statistics and UNICEF, reported a poor-to-critical state of acute malnutrition among children living in nine provinces affected by floods in 2008 and by Typhoon Ketsana last year.

"We found extremely high levels of malnutrition among children" said Dr. Dalaphone Sithideth, the survey team's physician. In Attapeu, one of three southern provinces covered by the survey, 18.9 per cent of children aged 6 to 59 months were found to suffer from acute malnutrition. This figure is almost 4 per cent above the international definition for an emergency situation.

In response to the assessment, the government and its international partners have devised a 12-month strategy of urgent interventions targeting around 200,000 children. This strategy includes the dispatch of therapeutic feeding kits to severely affected areas and training of health staff and volunteer community workers, who will carry out a screening and assessment of the most severely malnourished children.

For its part, UNICEF will accelerate the distribution of micronutrient powder for children aged 6 to 23 months and promote zinc supplements for children with diarrhoea. Simultaneously, a campaign to promote exclusive breastfeeding for at least the first six months of life is using education and community participation to tackle some of the inappropriate feeding practices found in the most affected areas.

Edible Insect Farming In Laos

2010-09-14T18:21:00.000-07:00

AlJazeera | September 14, 2010 - According to the United Nations some 40 per cent of children under the age of five are severely undernourished in Laos, because of a lack of protein in their diets.

But food charities are hoping that a move towards insect farming in the country could help overcome the problem.

The UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation, which is supporting efforts in Laos, says bugs contain a high protein and vitamin content.

Al Jazeera's Charles Stratford reports from Vientiane.

FAIR USE NOTICE: This video may contain copyrighted material. Such material is made available for educational purposes only. This constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 of the US Copyright Law.

Cell Phones Killing American Teens

2010-06-27T13:35:00.000-07:00

June 25, 2010 | Car accidents are the number one killer of teenagers in the United States. Government data show that every year, over 4,000 teens lose their lives in collisions caused mostly by "distracted driving" - a term that includes everything from having too many noisy passengers in the car, to using a cell phone while driving. VOA's Julie Taboh has more on efforts being made to raise awareness of these dangers, and to lower the tragic death toll among the nation's youngest drivers.

China's 1 child policy?

2010-06-23T01:59:00.000-07:00

China's one-child policy creates massive gender imbalance and other issues.

June 20, 2010 — The Chinese government says its so-called "one-child policy" has succeeded in reining in its population.But more than three decades after the policy's implementation, China is dealing with some challenging consequences.

In a country where families often value sons over daughters and $20 can get you an illegal gender ultrasound test, there is a massive gender imbalance.Combined with the country's economic development, this has left an entire generation of men unable to find wives. Video below:

Al Jazeera's Melissa Chan reports from Hainan in the country's south, women, it appears, are nowhere to be found.

China's ageing population.

June 21, 2010 — More than three decades after China introduced policies aimed at controlling its population, the country is having to cope with increasing demographic imbalances.

One effect is the growing ratio of older to younger people, in turn placing huge pressures on single children to care for their aging parents and grandparents.

Al Jazeera's Melissa Chan reports from Beijing.

Exemptions in China's 'one-child policy'.

June 22, 2010 — China says its restrictive family planning policy commonly known as the one-child policy, affects less than 40 per cent of its population.

But the government continues to promote the benefits of having just one child to all its citizens.

Some automatically fall under the exemptions but choose to have only one child anyway.

Al Jazeera's Melissa Chan reports.

Trafficking in Foreign Women Rises in China:

VOAvideo | July 07, 2010 - More than three decades after it began, China's one-child population control policy has some unintended consequences. Because of a traditional preference for boys, thousands of couples abort female fetuses, and the Chinese government says that last year, 119 boys were born for every 100 girls. The shortage of young women is pushing some families turn to human traffickers to find wives for their sons. The traffickers often go to neighboring Burma, Mongolia, Vietnam, Laos and North Korea to buy or kidnap women. Henry Morton recently visited Nabang, just inside China's border with Burma and has this story.

Child labour thrives.

2010-06-12T04:20:00.000-07:00

AlJazeeraEnglish — June 12, 2010 — Tens of millions of children around the world are forced to work in dangerous conditions for very little money.

Boys and girls as young as 5-years-old are deprived of education, and instead made to toil for long and gruelling hours.

While the world is transfixed on the World Cup - the International Labour Rights Forum has revealed a startling report on how the world cup balls are actually made.

Pakistan, India, China and Thailand, are the top four exporters.

And the balls are made by children working long hours in difficult conditions - never seeing the big money made from the sale of their handiwork.

In India, children as young as 6-years-old stitch footballs.

The US is a major importer, having snapped up $31m worth of footballs stitched by children in China, and more than $11m from Pakistan, and $4m from India.

To mark Child Labour Day, Al Jazeera's Imran Khan reports from Pakistan.

ILO : The World Day against Child Labour will be celebrated on 12 June 2010

Counterfeit Medicines Grow as Global Threat.

2010-06-08T08:05:00.000-07:00

VOAvideo — June 08, 2010 — Last month, representatives from all over the world discussed the dangers posed by counterfeit medicines at the World Health Assembly in Geneva. The problem is growing. The World Health Organization [WHO] warns that more than half of all medicines bought online are counterfeit. U.S. experts say there is no one solution. VOA's Vidushi Sinha reports on the severity of this global problem.

Child Labour: A Day in the Life

2010-05-14T04:15:00.000-07:00

ILOTV — April 15, 2010 — Vulnerable children are open to exploitation that knows no borders. The huge wage gap between Eastern and Western Europe has led to increased migration and a rise in trafficking.

However change is on its way. This reality may be bleak but improvements have been made. With enough time, effort, and the will to succeed these children can look forwards to a brighter future.

Produced in 2006.

What to do if stroke occurs.

2010-04-26T12:53:00.000-07:00

NSF1231 — September 22, 2009 — A brief video re-enactment produced by the National Stroke Foundation, www.strokefoundation.com.au, which shows the signs of stroke and what to do if you see these signs.

Blackburn, UK Islamic school rated outstanding.

2010-04-26T10:49:00.000-07:00

IBNA news - 24 April 2010 | TAUHEEDUL Islam Girls High School has been rated outstanding by education watchdogs Ofsted.

It is the only school in Blackburn with Darwen to hold the top rating at present.

The school has improved on its 2006 inspection when it was rated good.

The Bicknell Road school, which is attached to the neighbouring mosque, has been given grade one, or outstanding rating, by the Government monitoring body.

Ofsted praised the headteacher’s ‘culture of high expectations’ and the ‘exceptional high levels of attainment’ which are reached by the pupils.

The report also noted that many students started the Blackburn school with below average attainment levels.

Inspector Susan Wareing revealed there had not been a single exclusion at the school in the past three years.

She said: “The school's strong spiritual ethos is palpable and permeates all that the school does.

“The principal and senior leaders have established a culture of high expectations and the school does excellent work, in collaboration with a very wide range of partnerships, to support students' outstanding achievement and personal and spiritual development.

“The culture of continuous improvement established by the principal and senior leaders places great emphasis on promoting professional development and improving classroom practice.”

Tauheedul Islam Girls School is one of six local education authority maintained schools the country.

It joined the local authority in 2006 and gained specialist humanities status in June 2008.

It has 425 pupils aged 11 to 16.

Chair of the governing body, Kam Kothia said: “There are only a small percentage of schools in the country that receive such a glowing tribute and we are delighted to have received such positive comments and feedback from the inspector."

Mr Patel, principal and chief executive of the school, said: “Being recognised as an outstanding school is always nice. "However, the most important driver for everyone at Tauheedul is a commitment to not just achieving excellence, but to sustaining it.

The Challenges of Breastfeeding.

2010-04-25T21:15:00.000-07:00

CBS — April 20, 2010 — Breastfeeding is one of the most important things a mother can do for her baby and for herself, but it's not always easy. Dr. Jennifer Ashton talks with lactation consultant Freda Rosenfeld about how to resolve common challenges.

US community learns about rural healthcare from Iran.

2010-04-24T05:18:00.000-07:00

AlJazeeraEnglish — April 24, 2010 — The United States and Iran have not had official ties since the 1979 Islamic Revolution but Americans and Iranians often have similar problems.

Doctors in both countries, for example, often struggle to bring quality healthcare to their patients in rural areas.

Now, a Mississippi delta neighbourhood is learning from the Iranians on how they have successfully run a rural healthcare plan.

Al Jazeera's Rosiland Jordan reports from the rural town of Greenwood, Mississippi

Rewards as effective as drug in ADHD

2010-04-22T10:09:00.000-07:00

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 | PressTV

The brains of kids with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD) respond to instant rewarding in the same way as they do to medication, a new study says.

ADHD, characterized by being inattentive, hyperactive or impulsive, may lead to behavioral disorders such as impulsive actions, poor attention span, and consequently problems in the academic and social progress.

Stimulant drugs including Ritalin are commonly prescribed in severe cases to normalize the activity of the brain regions involved in attention and behavior.

According to the study published in Biological Psychiatry, rewarding positive behavior can help improve brain activity in ADHD children, only if delivered on the spot.

Incentives and Ritalin both help normalize similar components of brain function and improve performance; the latter, however, is reported to be more effective.

"Although medication and behavior therapy appear to be two very different approaches of treating ADHD, our study suggests that both types of intervention may have much in common in terms of their effect on the brain," said lead researcher Chris Hollis.

Scientists hope the combination of drugs and incentives would lower the need for stimulating drugs in ADHD children while maintaining control of their behavior.

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ADHD drugs increase sudden death risk

Chemical change behind ADHD discovered

Mixed handedness, ADHD linked

Stroke Warning Signs

2010-04-19T09:20:00.000-07:00

CBS — April 19, 2010 — Dr. Jennifer Ashton discussed stoke warning signs to look for and how to act quickly.

Surgery May Not Be The Answer To An Aching Back

2010-04-07T03:39:00.000-07:00

Back Pain Explained | NPR - 6 April 2010

Ruptured disc, spinal stenosis or degenerating spinal joints?

See three common and chronic spine problems.

Too many complex back surgeries are being done and people are suffering as a result, according to a study in the current issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. The general tendency noted in the study — that many patients and doctors think more medical care is always better — has implications for the new health overhaul law.

Back pain associated with aging can be treated in one of numerous ways: rest and physical therapy, surgery to remove the bony growths that can push on nerves, fusing two vertebrae together, or fusing many vertebrae together.

In the past few years, several studies have failed to show a big advantage for surgery — especially for complex surgery. Researchers from Oregon Health and Science University and several other places looked at Medicare billing records to see whether the rates or type of back surgeries went down as a result.

They found the number of surgeries has gone down very slightly. But when they looked specifically at complex surgeries, they found a big difference.

"The most complex type of back surgery has increased dramatically between 2002 and 2007, with a 15-fold increase," says co-author Richard Deyo. In 2002, the rate of complex surgery was 1.4 per 100,000 people in Medicare. It jumped to 19.9 per 100,000 just five years later.

Deyo and his colleagues also checked the rate of complications. "This more complex form of surgery is associated with a higher risk of life threatening complications," he says. Among people who just had the bony growths removed (a surgery called decompression), 2.3 percent had problems associated with their treatment, such as a heart attack, stroke or pneumonia. The complication rate was 5.6 percent among people who had multiple vertebrae fused together.

Deyo says there's no reason to think people suddenly started developing the spinal deformities that justify the complex surgeries. He offers several possibilities for the upswing. "Many surgeons genuinely believe that the more invasive procedures offer some benefits," he says. "But certainly there are important financial incentives at play as well." Surgical fees for simple decompressions are about $600 to $1,000. The complex surgeries earn surgeons as much as 10 times more. He says another possible factor is the tendency for both doctors and patients to go for a new, more expensive approach just because it sounds better.

Orthopedist Eugene Carragee, a professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, wrote an editorial accompanying the research, saying that financial incentives are part of the problem. There's also a problem with how new technologies are introduced, he says. In surgery, someone can just introduce a new procedure.

"The burden of proof in the system as it is now is that researchers have to go out to try and prove that what this guy wants to do doesn't work, and that's a backwards kind of thinking," he says.

It's far better to have to prove that something works before it becomes common practice, he says.

JAMA study researcher Deyo would like his study to alter the practice of medicine. "The effect I would hope it would have is to have surgeons and patients choose the least invasive procedure that would accomplish the surgical aim," he says. But he's pessimistic about it, unless there's a change in the financial incentives.

James Weinstein is also calling for a rejiggering of financial incentives. Weinstein is an orthopedic surgeon and the director of the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice. He did some of the original studies showing that most back surgeries make a minimal difference, if any. He says Deyo's study shows one thing clearly. "The practice of medicine doesn't always follow the best evidence," he says.

The new health overhaul law sets up a new institute that would do studies like Deyo's, comparing the risks and benefits of various treatments for various conditions. The law explicitly says the information can't be used by insurers or government to set reimbursement policies, but Weinstein says the institute could make a big difference.

"I think if patients were well informed, they would choose the right thing," Weinstein says. "We've done lots of studies with shared decision-making. Where patients are given good information they generally choose the least invasive, less risky procedure."

He says health overhaul plans need to go beyond what's in the new law. "Right now we have health insurance reform," he says. "We need health care delivery reform, we need to change how we're delivering practice and how we're reimbursing for it." What he'd like to see is a system that pays doctors and hospitals based on overall patient care, not separately for individual procedures.

Living with autism

2010-04-03T10:37:00.000-07:00

AlJazeeraEnglish — April 02, 2010 — Countries around the world are marking Autism Awareness Day in a bid to increase understanding of the condition.

In the UK, Jennie Donnelly, the mother of Eric, an autistic child, tells Al Jazeera about her experiences.

Successful Surgery Conducted on Elderly, Hit by Parkinson’s Disease.

2010-03-16T10:09:00.000-07:00

Nithin Belle | 10 March 2010, MUMBAI —

A 74-year-old US citizen, Mohammad Walji, who was suffering from advanced Parkinson’s disease, successfully underwent surgery at a Mumbai hospital and is now back on his feet.

Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre, a leading facility here, on Tuesday announced the successful treatment of the patient. Walji had frequent off-periods and motor fluctuations for the last 10 years and medication did little to control the symptoms.

Most doctors in the US were also hesitant to undertake surgery because of his advanced age. “Despite taking large doses of medicine he could independently function for only a few hours in the day and rest of the period was spent in bed or in an incapacitated manner,” Dr Paresh Doshi of Jaslok, told reporters here on Tuesday. “Surgical treatment was the only option for a better quality of life, although his age was of concern.”

Jaslok Hospital has been performing deep brain stimulation surgery since 1997 and has a cumulative experience of more than 350 electrode implants in over 175 cases.

Dr Doshi suggested the patient to undergo bilateral subthalamic nucleus DBS surgery.

Siddika, the patient’s daughter, said her father has now gained a majority of his motor skills, which has helped him immensely in regaining his independence. “He is the same old person that we knew,” she said.

Parkinson’s disease affects the central nervous system and symptoms include mild to violent tremors, muscle stiffness and loss of reflexes, among others. Though the disease is incurable, the symptoms can be controlled through surgery, medication or a combination of both, says Dr Doshi.

Deep brain stimulation is a surgical procedure used to treat a variety of disabling neurological symptoms, most commonly the debilitating symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, such as tremors, rigidity, stiffness, slowed movement and walking problems.

DBS uses a surgically-implanted, battery-operated medical device called a neurostimulator similar to a pacemaker, to deliver electrical stimulation to targeted areas in the brain that control movement, blocking the abnormal nerve signals that cause tremor and Parkinson’s symptoms.

Study Says High Calorie Snacks Are to Blame for Obesity Epidemic.

2010-03-09T13:50:00.000-08:00

VOA | March 09, 2010 - Childhood obesity continues to spread in the U.S. and elsewhere. A new study finds excessive snacking is the main culprit. VOA's Vidushi Sinha has a report, narrated by Carol Pearson.

International Women's Day in Afghanistan : Maternal Death Rate Overshadows

2010-03-09T10:53:00.000-08:00

VOA | March 09, 2010 - March 8th marks International Women's Day. Hundreds of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate their achievements. The United Nations says the theme of this year's celebration is "Equal rights, equal opportunities: Progress for all." From Kabul, VOA Correspondent Sean Maroney examines the state of women in Afghanistan - what they have overcome and what challenges still remain.

Missing Millions Put Kenya's Public Education System in Jeopardy

2010-03-06T14:29:00.000-08:00

March 05, 2010 | VOA Video - Investigations are continuing into the alleged theft of more than a million dollars from a government program that funds Kenya's Free Primary Education initiative. As a result of the scandal surrounding the case, both the British and American governments have suspended funding for the program. And that raises fears that primary schools will go without essential materials and services in the near future. Cathy Majtenyi reports for VOA from Nairobi.

Unhealthy snacking causes childhood obesity

2010-03-03T16:38:00.000-08:00

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 | PressTV

A study says the increased tendency toward unhealthy snacking should be blamed for the rapidly growing number of obese children worldwide.

"Our study shows that some children, including very young children, snack almost continuously throughout the day," said lead researcher Barry M. Popkin, stressing that children snack almost three times per day on candy, salty chips, sugar-heavy fruit juices and sweetened sports energy beverages, all of which are rich in calories.

According to the study published in Health Affairs, snacking accounts for more than 27 percent of a kid's daily calorie intake.

It is also responsible for an extra 168 calories in the daily routine of kids since 1977.

The largest increase in caloric intake from snacks was found in kids aged between 2 and 6, who ate 182 more calories per day in snacks, the study found.

"Such findings raise concerns that more children in the United States are moving toward a dysfunctional eating pattern, one that can lead to unhealthy weight gain and obesity," concluded Popkin.

Scientists urged parents to limit snack time to once a day, adding that commonly used unhealthy snacks should be replaced with apple slices, carrots, and other healthy fruits and vegetables.

PKH/HGH

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Secondhand smoke causes atherosclerosis in kids

2010-03-03T08:34:00.000-08:00

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 | PressTV

Exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke can place children as young as 13 at an increased risk of blood vessel hardening and future heart disease, a new study finds.

"Although previous research has found that passive smoke may be harmful for blood vessels among adults, we did not know until this study that these specific effects also happen among children and adolescents," said lead researcher Katariina Kallio.

These children were also reported to do worst on brachial artery flow-mediated dilation, a test used to measure the flexibility of blood vessels and the risk of heart disease.

Higher blood levels of bad cholesterol were also reported in these children.

According to the study published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, young children with high blood levels of cotinine, a byproduct of nicotine found in the blood of secondhand smokers, are more likely to suffer from thickened arteries or atherosclerosis.

Scientists concluded that the damage caused by secondhand smoke starts in childhood, stressing that "children should not face exposure to tobacco smoke at all."

Related Stories:

Thirdhand smoke can cause cancer: Study

Secondhand smoke harmful for smokers: Study

Exposure to secondhand smoke ups breast cancer risk

Lessons in life: German sex education controversy

2010-03-01T07:05:00.000-08:00

Russia Today | February 27, 2010 - Deciding the right time to start telling children about the birds and the bees is tricky. Germany is having trouble with it right now, as sex education has become compulsory for pupils from the age of eight. Some parents are angry they're no longer involved in teaching their own kids about such an important part of growing up.

Stroke risk : Studies

2010-02-28T00:30:00.000-08:00

Drinking coffee lowers risk of stroke: Study
Sat, 27 Feb 2010 - PressTV

Apart from various benefits named for coffee, a new study says that drinking just one cup of coffee per day can reduce the risk of stroke.

Previous studies had reported that regularly drinking coffee can protect individuals against type 2 diabetes and impaired cognition.

According to the study presented at the American Stroke Association's 2010 International Stroke Conference, drinking a single cup of regular or decaffeinated coffee every day reduces the risk of stroke by 30 percent.

"In middle aged and older men and women, coffee intake was associated with about a 27 percent lower risk of stroke. The association was independent of other established risk factors for stroke," the authors concluded.

Higher consumption, on the other hand, does not improve the protective properties of coffee, the study found.

Compared to women, men are believed to benefit more from the beverage.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Chocolate cuts stroke risk: Study

Sun, 14 Feb 2010 - PressTV

Eating chocolate not only lowers the risk of developing stroke but also improves survival rate in those affected with the condition, a new study finds.

Previous studies had found that the high flavonoids content of dark chocolate has protective properties against cardiovascular disorders such as heart disease, heart attack and stroke. It is also linked to improved vascular function and decreased blood pressure.

According to the study to be presented at the 62nd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, those who eat one serving of chocolate per week are 22 percent less likely to experience stroke.

It also boosts the survival chance in those already suffering from the condition, the study found.

Eating chocolates, however, was not associated with a reduced risk of stroke-related death.

"I would be cautious about making any kind of connection," said Joseph Broderick, chair of the neurology department at the University of Cincinnati, adding that more studies are needed to confirm this association.

Health officials urge individuals to follow a healthy diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol and high in fiber, maintain a healthy weight, exercise and quite smoking to prevent strokes.

Zimbabwe education system in crisis

2010-02-27T13:25:00.000-08:00

AljazeeraEnglish | February 27, 2010 - Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe's president, was once hailed as the man who made his country's education system a success.

In spite of political and economic problems in the country, Zimbabwe has one of the highest literacy rates in Africa and once boasted some of the finest public schools on the continent.

But Zimbabwe's education system is now in crisis and its poorly paid teachers are leaving government-run schools in the thousands.

As Al Jazeera's Haru Mutasa reports, many parents are now searching for alternative resources to educate their children

Humour therapy can ease cancer pains

2010-02-27T08:52:00.000-08:00

February 27, 2010 | staronline - PETALING JAYA: As the old saying goes, "laughter is the best medicine." And doctors are encouraging cancer patients to try it.

Medical expert Dr Alvin Chong said on Saturday cancer patients were encouraged to engage in humour therapy to reduce the stress they were having due to the illness.

He said several studies had revealed that humour therapy could ease the pain suffered by cancer patients as the laughter could prevent the cancer cell from multiplying and spreading to other areas of the body.

"When you make a person happy, it's like a natural mechanism in the body. The immune system will be boosted.

"Nowadays, there are many theories saying the reason why certain people develop certain types of cancer is because their immune systems are weak as a result of stressful lifestyles."

He said this after the launch of Cancerlink Foundation's silver jubilee celebration by former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi here on Saturday.

Dr Chong, who is also a volunteer at the foundation, said the humour therapy was mostly conducted by humour experts as part of the effort to cure cancer patients.

Earlier in his speech, Abdullah also advised cancer patients to be strong in fighting the illness and engaged themselves in outdoor activities.

He also shared his experience on seeing how his first wife, the late Datin Seri Endon Mahmood, had lived her life to the fullest even after she was diagnosed with third-stage breast cancer.

"Throughout her last five years of living with breast cancer, Endon was more active than usual. She did not give any hint to the public that she was in pain. She just lived her life like nothing happened," he said. Endon succumbed to cancer on Oct 20, 2005.

Meanwhile, the Cancerlink Foundation also received a donation of RM80,008 from Sime Darby Foundation to implement its cancer awareness programmes.

Cancerlink Foundation was established in 1986 with the aim of providing cancer-related information as well as emotional and practical support for cancer patients and their families and friends. - Bernama

Laughology

The cost of raising a child in UK,

2010-02-25T10:43:00.000-08:00

.....is now £200,000... and that doesn't include private school fees

23rd February 2010 - Every parent knows that bringing up a child is an expensive business.

But it may still come as a surprise to learn the cost has broken the £200,000 barrier.

Despite three quarters of parents claiming to have cut back during the recession, a survey published yesterday found average spending per child rose 4 per cent last year.

Childcare remains the biggest single expenditure, with parents forking out £55,000 on nursery fees, after-school clubs and holiday clubs during each child's youth.

Parents will spend at least £200,000 raising a child, with nursery fees, education and food proving the most costly

Education comes second. The average child clocks up £52,881 in university fees and school costs until the age of 21. And that doesn't include private school fees.

A state education can cost families thousands in equipment, uniform and school trips. It is followed by food at £17,490, clothing at £14,035 and holidays at £13,207.

The amount of pocket money a child receives has crept up by almost 5 per cent this year to an average of £4,338. Parents spend £9,000 in the first year of raising a child, the survey found.

The annual bill rises to £13,000 for toddlers and peaks at £13,677 a year during university days between 18 and 21.

The national average stands at £201,000 but parents in outer London spend the most on raising a child - on average £220,769. Yorkshire and Humber is the least costly area, at £177,706.

Half of parents said they had cut down on holidays and family days out because of the economic downturn. The same number said they had slashed the amount spent on clothes.

A third said they had started buying clothes second hand and 37 per cent said they had tried to raise cash by selling unwanted items online, in local newspapers or at car boot sales. Seven out of ten families said they had started buying food from cheaper, 'value' ranges or switched to a lower-cost supermarket.

Recent research has also shown that the tax burden on the average working family in Britain is a third higher than average for developed nations.

And despite the recession the cost of nursery fees is now higher than ever, rising 5.1 per cent. The average parents now spend £4,576 per year on childcare.

The survey of almost 4,000 adults, by insurance and investment group LV, the former Liverpool Victoria, has been running since 2003.

LV Group chief executive Mike Rogers said: 'Every parent will know how expensive it can be. But I suspect many new and prospective mums and dads will be a little shocked to see the potential financial burden ahead of them.'

IT COSTS £201,809 TO RAISE A CHILD. HERE’S HOW...
Expenditure	Dec 2009 costs	Jan 2009 costs	2003 costs*
* First year of survey
Would you be better off without a job? Try our childcare calculator
Childcare	£54,696	£53,818	£32,853
Education	£52,881	£50,240	£32,593
Food	£17,490	£17,205	£14,918
Clothing	£14,035	£13,281	£11,360
Holidays	£13,207	£11,920	£11,458
Babysitting	£11,003	£10,826	£6,760
Hobbies & Toys	£10,780	£10,313	£8,861
Leisure and Recreation	£7,772	£7,415	£6,366
Pocket money	£4,338	£4,144	£3,386
Furniture	£2,770	£2,366	£2,074
Personal	£1,107	£1,037	£925
Other (includes driving lessons, first car, birthday and Christmas presents)	£11,731	£11,207	£8,845
Total	£201,809	£193,772	£140,398

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Green tea fights glaucoma: Study.

2010-02-21T17:45:00.000-08:00

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 - PressTV

Apart from several health benefits reported for green tea, a new study finds the tea to be effective in treating glaucoma and eye diseases.

Previous studies had reported that green tea is heart tonic and can fight heart diseases and cancer due to its high content of catechins.

According to the study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, catechins, commonly found in green tea, can penetrate into the eye tissue, protecting it from glaucoma and other eye diseases.

Different parts of the eye absorb varying amounts of catechins, the study found. The retina, the part of the eye responsible for sensing the light, has the highest concentration of the antioxidants, while the least amount was found in the cornea, the outer layer of the eye.

"Our results indicate that green tea consumption could benefit the eye against oxidative stress," said lead researcher Chi Pui Pang, stressing that its effects may last for up to 20 hours.

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Green tea fights lung cancer: Study

Alternative medicine: Tea

Green tea tackles colorectal cancer

Philippines' failing schools.

2010-02-21T04:14:00.000-08:00

Al JazeeraEnglish - February 21, 2010 | State-run schools in the Philippines are suffering from years of neglect and a lack of government investment.

Even though primary education is mandatory in the country, on average more than 40 per cent of students are expected to drop out before they finish high school. For those who do stay in school, there is often not enough teachers, classrooms or books.

The Philippines spent just $138 on average for each of its school children in 2008.

As the lack of support for education unravels, the group Education Network is pushing harder for reform.

Al Jazeera's Marga Ortigas reports on how the declining school system is trapping many Filipinos in a cycle of illiteracy and poverty.

Happy individuals less prone to heart disease

2010-02-20T09:41:00.000-08:00

Sat, 20 Feb 2010 | PressTV

In line with previous researches, a new study found that being happy, enthusiastic and positive can ward off cardiovascular diseases.

Previous studies had found that negative emotions such as depression, anger and hostility are important risk factors contributing to heart attack and stroke.

According to the study published in the European Heart Journal, the most anxious and depressed are at the highest risk of experiencing heart disorders.

Happy individuals are, however, at a 22 percent lower risk of developing the condition as they sleep better, adopt a healthier life style, are less stressed and are able to move on from upsetting experiences.

Scientists believe happiness can also reduce the risk of heart diseases through cutting the blood levels of stress hormones.

While the study was not able to prove happiness is protective, scientists stressed that individuals should enjoy themselves in order to lower their risk of heart disease.

"Essentially spending a few minutes each day truly relaxed and enjoying yourself is certainly good for your mental health and may improve your physical health as well," said lead researcher Karina W. Davidson.

She added that apart from controlling major risk factors such as blood cholesterol levels and blood pressure values, individuals can lower their risk for heart disease by simply changing their positive affect levels.

Antibiotics In Your Food Maybe Hazardous To Your Health!

2010-02-10T00:42:00.001-08:00

Childhood Obesity Is Worldwide Epidemic..

2010-02-04T19:48:00.000-08:00

February 04, 2010 | The World Health Organization says childhood obesity is a growing epidemic and is not restricted to industrialized nations. In fact, the WHO reports the rate of increase is greater in developing countries than in the developed world. VOA's Vidushi Sinha has more.

On living longer.

2010-01-01T07:51:00.000-08:00

Excerpt from the documentary "How to live to 101". Study based on Okinawa Centenarian.

Nutritional Health : How to Eat a Heart-Healthy Diet.

2010-01-01T05:47:00.000-08:00

A heart-healthy diet is low in saturated fat but high in soluble fiber, which helps to lower LDL cholesterol but raise HDL cholesterol. Eat well for a healthy heart with advice from a licensed dietitian and nutritionist in this free video on healthy eating.

How to Live a Long Healthy Life.

2009-12-29T09:33:00.000-08:00

Living to 101 - BBC Horizon (Part 3 of 5)

Horizon looks at how to stay healthy, active and live long (Living to 101). A scientific review on the logevity hotspots of the planet. Genes vs. attitude, what defines health and ultimately a long life (Part 3 of 5).

Ovodda, Sardinia (continued), a longevity hotspot that is not a result of diet. A faulty gene on the X-chromosome that produces an Enzyme (G6PD), results in an increased resistance to diseases such as malaria, but its role in longevity is still poorly understood.

Loma Linda, California. Longevity in California partly due to exercise, nutrition and belief. Evidence in e.g. Adventists reveals lower levels of stressors. Coping with stress is the one only factor linking the worlds longest living communities together.

Okinawa, Japan. Stress resistant personalities are an integral part of this society and their culture.

Inherited Disorders and Birth Defects - G6PD?

2009-12-29T06:38:00.000-08:00

Question:

My child is a G6PD deficient. I was wondering if it really runs in the family? How did it occur in my child when in fact none in both of our families with my husband had that condition? I read some articles which states that women often are carriers while men are affected. Thank you.

Answer:

As you know, G6PD deficiency (Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency) is a genetic disorder that is caused by a defect in the gene that codes for an enzyme (called G6PD) that leads to red blood cells being broken down too soon and the person has anemia.

It is an X-linked genetic disorder - that is, the gene change (mutation) in the gene G6PPD, is located on the X chromosome. It affects boys more often because boys only have one X chromosome, which they inherit from their mothers. Boys inherit a Y chromosome from their fathers. Mothers are carriers for this gene mutation. Mothers are usually not affected because they have 2 X chromosomes, one X chromosome has a normal G6PD gene while the other has the changed gene (mutated gene). The normal G6PD gene functions enough so that mothers do not have any problems. Problems happen when there is a boy because he has only 1 X chromosome (he is a boy because of the Y chromosome).

Because you mentioned that there were no other family members affected on your side of the family, it could be that the gene change occurred in your son for the first time. However, you could be a carrier for G6PD deficiency and would not know it. It would be important to know if you are a carrier in case you decide to have more children. If you are a carrier, then there is a 1 out of 2 chance (50%) that a son could be affected. Also, you would have a 1 out of 2 chance (50%) to have a daughter who is a carrier like you.

G6PD deficiency is very common among African Americans. It is also more common in people with Mediterranean and Asian ancestry.

Muslim Leaders Grapple with How to Protect Their Youth

2009-12-25T21:05:00.000-08:00

At one of the largest mosques in the United States, Muslim leaders are trying to create a safe haven for young people to learn Islam's lessons about peace. But can those leaders protect their youth from the doubts that lurk within them? VOA'S Laurel Bowman has the story of Muslim leaders' renewed efforts following the arrest of five American Muslims in Pakistan who allegedly tried to join terrorist groups using the Internet.

Channeling Emotions

2009-12-23T01:14:00.000-08:00

emotional intelligence - channeling emotions.

Breast-Feeding Protects Women's Hearts: Study

2009-12-22T05:18:00.000-08:00

LOS ANGELES, Dec 22 09 | Bernama

-- Women who breast- feed their babies may have a healthy heart, a new study suggests, reported China's Xinhua news agency.

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh examined 297 women who had had at least one baby.

At the time of the study, they were 45 to 58 years old, had never been diagnosed with heart disease and had no known symptoms of heart disease.

The researchers used two imaging techniques -- electron beam tomography and ultrasound -- to assess the health of the women's blood vessels.

They found that 32 percent of the women who had not breast-fed had coronary artery calcification, compared with 17 percent of the breast-feeding moms, Xinhua cited the study as saying.

For those who had not breast-fed, 39 percent had calcifications in the aortas, versus 17 percent of the women who had.

The researchers also found plaque deposits in the carotid artery of 18 percent of the women who had not breast-fed and 10 percent of those who had.

After adjusting the data for socioeconomic status, family history and lifestyle factors, heart disease risk factors and body mass, the researchers concluded that women who had not breast-fed were five times more likely to have aortic calcifications than women who consistently breast-fed.

The researchers suspect that the apparent benefit from breast-feeding on later heart health stems from how a woman's body stores fat and how that fat is released -- or not released -- after pregnancy.

"A woman's body expects to go through pregnancy and then lactation," said the study's lead author, Dr. Eleanor Schwarz, an assistant professor at the university's Center for Research on Health Care.

"During pregnancy, a woman's body stores fat that it expects to release during lactation. If women don't breast-feed, then the body has to deal with excessive fat."

The bottom line is that it is really important to try to breast-feed, she said. "If you can breast-feed for three months after each pregnancy, your blood vessels are likely to be in better shape down the road."

Results of the study were published by HealthDay News on Monday.

Experts Warn Of Cancer Linked To Certain Herbs

2009-12-22T05:15:00.000-08:00

HONG KONG, Dec 22 09 | Reuters -

The consumption of popular Chinese herbal products containing aristolochic acid is associated with an increased risk of urinary tract cancer, a study in Taiwan has found.

Aristolochic acid, known as Mu Tong in Chinese, is found naturally in some herbs that are used in Chinese herbal products to treat hepatitis, urinary tract infection, rhinitis, dysmenorrhea and eczema.

While studies in the past have linked urothelial cancer to the use of aristolochic acid, this is the first study to see if the same association can be made between cancer and herbal products containing aristolochic acid.

In the new study, researchers in Taiwan analysed the medical history of 4,594 patients with urinary tract cancer and compared the findings with those of 174,701 other people without the disease.

In a paper published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, the researchers said those who consumed Mu Tong had a far higher risk of developing urinary tract cancer, and the level of risk rose the higher the dosages prescribed.

Led by Jung-Der Wang at the Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene in National Taiwan University, the researchers called for a ban on products containing Mu Tong.

"In addition to a ban on products that contain any amount of aristolochic acid, we also recommend continued surveillance of herbs or Chinese herbal products that might be adulterated with aristolochic acid-containing herbs," they wrote.

"Finally, patients with a history of aristolochic acid nephropathy or consumption of Mu Tong or Fangchi before they were banned should be monitored regularly for urinary cancer."

The Journal of the National Cancer Institute is published by Oxford University Press.

Education provides hope for Colombia's children

2009-12-20T19:52:00.000-08:00

BOGOTA, Colombia, 16 December 2009 For over 40 years, Colombia has been a nation not only in the throes of conflict, but one consistently hit by natural disasters.

In the northern city of Medellín, a strong partnership has been formed around the 'Esculea Busca al Niño(a)' (EBN) ('School Going to the Child') Initiative. Clara Serna has been involved with EBN since its inception and manages the program.

"We go to the neighborhoods, we find children that are not in school and we evaluate them. Then we start to talk to the family to find out why they are not in school and then when we find out why, then we start to resolve the problem their own specific problems," she said.

Across Columbia, people, parents, teachers, government and non-governmental organizations have consistently seen education as a long-term approach to mitigating violence and better preparing for natural disasters.

Tangible solutions that can help heal and restore the country are deeply dependent upon an educated and strong generation of young people. These partnerships and programmes are providing a lifeline to Colombia's children, the lifeline of education.

GENETICS OF G6PD DEFICIENCY

2009-12-17T15:40:00.000-08:00

It is important to learn about the genetics of G6PD deficiency since this determines whether someone will be affected by this condition. In humans, there are 23 pairs of chromosomes which direct various physical and metabolic traits. One of the 23 pairs of chromosomes is the X and Y- chromosome pair (also known as the sex chromosomes) which determine what sex an individual will be, among other things. The X-chromosome is especially important because it carries genes that are critical to human survival. An important gene located on the X-chromosome is the gene for the G6PD enzyme (Scriver et al., 1995). The general location of the G6PD gene on the X-chromosome is shown in figure 1 ; it is located at the q28 locus (Pai et al., 1980).

Any gene located on the X-chromosome is called an X-linked gene (Pai et al., 1980). All X-linked genetic conditions, such as G6PD deficiency, are more likely to affect males than females. G6PD deficiency will only manifest itself in females when there are two defective copies of the gene in the genome. As long as there is one good copy of the G6PD gene in a female, a normal enzyme will be produced and this normal enzyme can then take over the function that the defective enzyme lacks. When a certain heritable trait is expressed in such a manner, it is a called a recessive trait. In males, however, where there is only one X-chromosome, one defective G6PD gene is sufficient to cause G6PD deficiency.

G6PD deficiency is known to have over 400 variant alleles, or different forms of the same gene (Beutler et al., 1990). Ernest Beutler, one of the leading researchers on G6PD deficiency, provides an up-to-date list of all known G6PD variants in the journal which he edits: Blood, Cells, Molecules, and Diseases(BCMD). A mutant G6PD enzyme may be different from person to person; mutations can be in the form of point mutations or can range from one to several base pair deletions as well as replacements in the DNA (Scriver et al., 1995). Different populations have different types of mutations, but within a specific population, common mutations are usually shared. For example, in Egypt there exists only one type of allele, called the "Mediterranean" variant, among the population, whereas in Japan there is a different variant with a different type of mutation prevalent within that population, this one called the "Japan" variant (Scriver et al., 1995).

With regards to the demographics of G6PD deficiency, figure 2 shows that most of the affected individuals reside in Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. African Americans and some isolated tribes in Africa and Southeast Asia exhibit the highest frequency of incidence for any given population; a defective enzyme can be found in as many as one in four people among these populations (Scriver et al., 1995).