classonecolfixctr,key,keys us,keysaustin,disney http://www.keysaustin.com/article An oral anti-diabetic drug, pioglitazone, has been shown to reduce clogging of arteries, lowered blood pressure, raised good cholesterol and improved on other cardio-vascular risk factors. In the study presented at the recent 57th annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology in Chicago, it was discovered that pioglitazone caused a regression of coronary atherosclerosis. It also improved blood pressure, raised high-density lipoprotein (HDL) by 16%, and lowered triglycerides by 15% and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein by some 45%. This double-blind study was conducted by world renowned heart specialist Dr Steven Nissen, of Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, in the US. google_protectAndRun("ads_core.google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);It was carried out from August 2003 till March 2006, across 97 hospitals in North and South America. The study covered 543 diabetic patients who also have heart disease. Datuk Dr Khoo Kah Lin, the director of the National Heart Foundation (Yayasan Jantung Malaysia), said that Type 2 diabetics constantly faced life-threatening conditions such as stroke, coronary heart disease and kidney failure due to complications arising from diabetes. He said the outcome of the study has given diabetics new hope in managing their cardio-vascular risk factors. The study, titled Pioglitazone Effect on Regression of Intravascular Sonographic Coronary Obstruction Prospective Evaluation (Periscope), compared insulin-sensitiser pioglitazone with insulin secretagogue, glimepiride, over an 18-month period. The result of the Periscope study indicated that, while glimepiride therapy showed a 0.73% rise in plaque (a deposit of fatty material on the inner lining of an arterial wall, which can lead to clogged arteries), pioglitazone, instead, had a 0.16% drop in plaque volume. Khoo said: “This is the first time an oral medication has shown such an ability to reduce the clogging of coronary arteries. “It clearly shows that with daily intake of pioglitazone, Type 2 diabetics have a lower chance of developing heart disease. This obviously a very significant result that offers diabetics a new lease in life. “We must always be aware that Type 2 diabetes does not have a known cure but with the inclusion of pioglitazone in a diabetic heart patient, it can help prolong life.” He added that the Periscope results showed pioglitazone did not have any ill cardio-vascular side effect that other drugs of its class had. More importantly, it had benefited Type 2 diabetics beyond controlling their blood sugar levels by reducing mortality and diseases arising from diabetic complications and preserving quality of life. http://www.keysaustin.com/article/article/Hope_for_Diabetic_Heart_Patients.htm 29th Dec,2009 A new study by German researchers has found conclusive evidence that vitamin D really does reduce the risk of breast cancer in women, confirming anecdotal evidence. The just-released findings of a long-term study involving 1,394 breast cancer patients and an equal number of healthy women after menopause were surprisingly clear. Women with a very low blood level of vitamin D have a considerably increased breast cancer risk. The effect was found to be strongest in women who were not taking hormones for relief of menopausal symptoms. A connection between vitamin D level and the risk of developing breast cancer has been implicated for a long time, but its clinical relevance had not yet been proven. Sascha Abbas and colleagues from the working group headed by Dr. Jenny Chang-Claude at the German Cancer Research Centre, collaborating with researchers of the University Hospital in Hamburg Eppendorf, have now obtained clear results for the first time. google_protectAndRun("ads_core.google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);While previous studies had concentrated mainly on nutritional vitamin D, the researchers have now investigated the complete vitamin D status. To this end, they studied 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25(OH)D) as a marker for both endogenous vitamin D and vitamin D from food intake. However, the authors note that, in this retrospective study, diagnosis related factors such as chemotherapy or lack of sunlight after prolonged hospital stays might have contributed to low vitamin levels of breast cancer patients. In addition, the investigators focused on the vitamin D receptor. The gene of this receptor is found in several variants known as polymorphisms. The research team of the DKFZ and Eppendorf Hospitals investigated the effect of four of these polymorphisms on the risk of developing breast cancer. They found out that carriers of the Taql polymorphism have a slightly increased risk of breast tumours that carry receptors for the female sex hormone estrogen on their surface. No effects on the overall breast cancer risk were found. A possible explanation offered by the authors is that vitamin D can exert its cancer-preventing effect by counteracting the growth- promoting effect of estrogens. Apart from its cancer-preventing influence with effects on cell growth, cell differentiation and programmed cell death (apoptosis), vitamin D regulates, above all, the calcium metabolism in our body. Foods that are particularly rich in vitamin D include seafi sh (cod liver oil), eggs and dairy products. However, the largest portion of vitamin D is produced by our own body with the aid of sunlight. http://www.keysaustin.com/article/article/Expert_Vitamin_D_does_reduce_risk_of_breast_cancer.htm 29th Dec,2009 JOHOR BARU: Two people have died after eating the poisonous puffer fish or ikan buntal, believed to be the first such reported cases in the country.State Health department director Dr Mohd Khairi Yakub said a 54-year-old woman from Kota Tinggi and another 83-year-old woman from Kulai died from eating the fish on May 7 and June 4 respectively. He added that 34 others from various places in the state, including here, Batu Pahat and Pontian, suffered food poisoning from eating the fish, between May 6 and June 10. “The 34 have recovered fully,” he said here yesterday, adding that no more such cases were reported after June 10. Although this was the first time such cases were reported, he did not rule out the possibility this may have happened before as the fish had been sold in the state over the past few years. The puffer fish contains tetrodotoxin, a natural and lethal poison, and if the fish is not correctly cut or prepared, is very dangerous to eat. The toxin causes numbness in the mouth and attacks the nervous system, causing respiratory problems, and sometimes results in death. Dr Mohd Khairi said the Health Ministry was warning the public not to buy or eat puffer fish, which has been mostly sold in night markets across the state. It is believed that supply of the fish came from Kuantan. “We seriously caution people from eating the fish, and have circulated posters and fliers warning people about eating it. “Our officers are monitoring premises and markets in the affected areas, and we are stopping the sale of the fish anywhere it is found,” Dr Mohd Khairi added. He advised those who fell ill after eating the fish to seek immediate medical treatment. Those with information on the sale of the fish were urged to contact the department or nearest health offices. http://www.keysaustin.com/article/article/Malaysia_Deadly_puffer_fish_meal.htm 29th Dec,2009 A compound found in dehydrated tomatoes may help quash prostate cancer tumours, new animal research suggests. Past studies have come to conflicting conclusions as to whether tomatoes or lycopene, an antioxidant found in tomatoes, might offer prostate cancer protection, with one recent study finding no correlation between men’s blood levels of lycopene and their risk of prostate cancer. However, the new findings, reported in the journal Cancer Research, suggest that the processing of the tomato may be a key factor. Researchers found that a form of carbohydrate called FruHis, found in dehydrated tomatoes, appeared to protect rats from developing prostate tumours. The greatest protection came from dehydrated tomatoes that had been rehydrated into tomato paste and supplemented with additional FruHis. google_protectAndRun("ads_core.google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);The findings could aid in developing new, less toxic cancer therapies, said lead researcher Dr Valeri V. Mossine, of the University of Missouri in Columbia. Mossine and his colleagues divided rats into four groups: one group was fed a diet of normal chow, while the other three groups were given chow supplemented with tomato powder, tomato paste, or tomato paste with added FruHis. All of the animals were treated with chemicals designed to induce prostate tumours. Rats on the high-FruHis diet lived longer than the other three groups. What’s more, the researchers found prostate tumours in only 18% of these animals after death, compared with 63% of rats given normal chow, and 43% and 39% of animals given tomato powder and standard tomato paste, respectively. Looking at FruHis activity in the lab dish, the researchers found that it might work in two ways. First, the compound seemed to act like an antioxidant, protecting cells’ DNA from oxidative damage that can lead to cancer. Then, when combined with lycopene, FruHis was able to kill off prostate cancer cells. So in theory, Mossine explained, FruHis may inhibit the initial development of prostate tumours and, in concert with lycopene, hinder the growth and spread of such tumours. It’s too soon, however, for men to start eating tomato paste in the hopes of thwarting prostate cancer. “The most important next step would be conducting trials on humans,” Mossine said. Further lab work, he added, could also shed light on whether there are other compounds in dried vegetables or fruits that “work along” with FruHis. “In my opinion, this study will make the cancer research community aware of a novel type of potential antioxidant and chemo-preventive agent that may arise as a result of food processing,” Mossine said. “Hopefully, it will help to attract more attention and support to the prostate cancer prevention research area.” – Reuters http://www.keysaustin.com/article/article/Tomato_Protection_Quash_Prostate_Cancer_Tumours.htm 29th Dec,2009 The U.S Food and Drug Administration adviser on Wednesday said that Drugs designed to control type 2 diabetes should be subjected to more through safety reviews to ensure they don’t raise the risk of heart problems.The panel of outside experts voted 14-to-2, at the end of a two-day meeting, to recommend that all makers of these drugs conduct long-term cardiovascular trials, even if the drugs show no signs of heart problems in initial trials. Majority of the panel members also recommended that trials assessing cardiovascular risk should be carry out before a drug is approved for the market; these could be a part of a phase III trial to rule out any significant heart risk. Long-term trials could follow once the drugs was on the market, the adviser said. Currently, the FDA only requires that drugs for type 2 diabetes lower blood sugar, which is thought to protect diabetics from the debilitating side effects of the disease. google_protectAndRun("ads_core.google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);Although the FDA is not required to follow its advisory panels’ recommendations, it usually does. The panel’s vote comes less than a year after the FDA was harshly criticized for its handling of the type 2 diabetes drug Avandia (rosiglitazone), made by GlaxoSmithKline. The drug was approved in 1999, but the FDA added a “black box” warning about an increased risk of heart attack last November. And the agency decided to keep Avandia on the market because it concluded that the risk of heart attack wasn’t any higher than that associated with similar medications. Dr. Steven Nissen, chairman of the Cleveland Clinic’s department of cardiovascular medicine, first raised concerns about Avandia and heart attack risk in a study published last year. He said in November that he welcomed “the addition of a black box warning for the risk of heart attack from Avandia,” but would have preferred a warning “written with greater clarity,” like the one used by Health Canada, the FDA’s counterpart in Canada. The Canadian label says Avandia is not to be used as the sole medication for type 2 diabetes except for patients who can’t take metformin, another drug that also lowers blood sugar. The label also states that Avandia is not to be used by any patient with heart failure. The controversy over Avandia started in May 2007, when a study by Nissen and colleague Kathy Wolski, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found a 43 percent increased risk of heart attack among patients taking the drug. Nissen said he uncovered the risk after poring over data from 42 studies of Avandia. On Tuesday, Nissen told the FDA advisers that the agency should make companies demonstrate that their type 2 drugs do not increase risks of cardiovascular disease before being approved, the Wall Street Journal reported. “Merely lowering blood-glucose levels in diabetes is too simplistic,” Nissen told the panel. “We must reduce the complications of diabetes, including cardiovascular disease.” Should the agency adopt the panel’s recommendation, the additional clinical trials could add years and millions of dollars to the development of any new type 2 diabetes drug. Companies such as Bristol-Myers Squibb and AstraZeneca are currently working on such drugs, the Journal reported. About 20.4 million Americans have type 2 diabetes, which the complications can lead to blindness, kidney failure and heart disease. About 75% of diabetics die from cardiovascular disease. Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, is investigating the FDA’s approval of Avandia and the cholesterol-lowering drug Vytorin, which did not reduce the build-up of plaque in the arteries. Recently, the FDA denied approval of another cholesterol-lowering drug from Merck and Co. The denial sparked speculation that the agency has tightened its approval standards for these medications. However, the FDA hasn’t said whether changes in its approval process are being considered, the Associated Press reported. SOURCES: July 2, 2008, teleconference, U.S. Food and Drug Administration; The Wall Street Journal; Associated Press http://www.keysaustin.com/article/article/FDA_panel_calls_for_more_testing_of_diabetes_drugs.htm 29th Dec,2009 KUALA LUMPUR: Former teacher Abdollah Amat was wheeled into the Trauma and Emergency Unit of a public medical centre here in the wee hours of the morning a fortnight ago after complaining of numbness in his hands and feet. The 62-year-old city dweller also had tingling sensation on his skin along with fatigue, nausea and chest discomfort. A blood test revealed that his blood potassium level was 7.2 mmol/l. The permissible level for a person is 3.5-5.5 mmol/l. “The doctors who attended to me said I could have suffered a heart seizure any time,” said Abdollah, who is also a kidney failure patient. He was diagnosed as having hyperkalemia, a condition where the blood potassium level surpasses the maximum tolerable point. “The doctors advised me to watch my diet, especially on consuming less ‘ulam’, my favourite food,” he said. A senior medical science officer at the University Malaya Medical Centre, Kan Chok On, said potassium is a mineral found naturally in food. It plays a crucial role in normal muscle and nerve activity, particularly the heart. “It is a mineral necessary for normal muscle and heart function. However, for some people, high levels of potassium is dangerous,” said Kan, who works at the centre’s nephrology unit. “The kidneys remove excess potassium. People with kidney failure have reduced ability to remove excess potassium, causing accumulation of potassium in the blood.” Kan, who has more than two decades of experience dealing with haemodialysis patients, said excessive potassium is flushed out from the body system via the kidneys. “Any damage to the kidneys, or when these organs are not working properly, may cause an increase in the potassium level, leading to hyperkalemia,” he said. “Ulam, like petai, and the various green pucuk like pucuk paku, pucuk ubi, daun selom, ulam raja and other green leafy vegetables contain high levels of potassium. “So do fruits like banana, orange, kiwi, papaya, durian and honeydew as well as coconut and prune juices. You have to exercise caution and limit your consumption of vegetables like bayam (spinach), kangkung (water spinach) and sawi (Chinese mustard). http://www.keysaustin.com/article/article/Too_much_ULAM_bad_for_heart.htm 29th Dec,2009 WASHINGTON: Eating or drinking a lot of products containing soy and isoflavones can result in reduced sperm count among men, a Harvard School of Public Health study has shown. “There has been a lot of interest on whether soy affects fertility because many studies in animals suggest that this is the case, but there are very few studies in humans,” said researcher and lead study author Jorge Chavarro. “This is only the third study to look at whether soy food has a relationship with fertility in humans and the first one to find an association in agreement to the animal studies,” he said. Soy contains isoflavones, an organic compound which acts like female hormones and appears to impede a man’s ability to produce sperm. “Isoflavones are structurally similar to estrogen and can mimic the action of estrogen in the body,” said Chavarro. “Soy is expected to have estrogen-like activity in many organs and tissues which can be beneficial for some things but it’s certainly not beneficial for sperm production, at least that’s what animal models suggest.” The Harvard study examined the soy intake of 99 men, determined to be part of couples experiencing fertility difficulties, over the course of three months. – AFP http://www.keysaustin.com/article/article/Study_says_soy_reduces_sperm_count.htm 29th Dec,2009 WASHINGTON: US health authorities acknowledged on Saturday that they have substantially underestimated the number of new HIV infections in the country, in a study showing that the epidemic is worse than previously thought. About 56,300 people were infected with the virus that causes AIDS in 2006, a figure 40% higher than the previous estimate of 40,000 new infections a year, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said. “This new picture reveals that the HIV epidemic is – and has been – worse than previously known and underscores the challenges in confronting this disease,” Kevin Fenton, director of the CDC’s National Centre for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention. google_protectAndRun("ads_core.google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);The CDC said new technology allowed it to establish a more precise estimate of the epidemic. “These data, which are based on new laboratory technology developed by CDC, provide the clearest picture to date of the US HIV epidemic, and unfortunately we are far from winning the battle against this preventable disease,” said CDC Director Julie Gerberding. “We as a nation have to come together to focus our efforts on expanding the prevention programmes we know are effective,” she said. The study found that the annual number of new infections was never as low as 40,000. While new infections increased in the last 1990s, they have been roughly stable since then. “While the level of HIV incidence is alarming, stability in recent years suggests that prevention efforts are having an impact,” said Richard Wolitski, acting director of the CDC’s Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention. The study also found that gay and bisexual men as well as African American men and women are the groups most affected by HIV. The new estimate found that 53% of new infections occurred in gay and bisexual men, while heterosexuals accounted for 31% of them and intravenous drug users for 12%. African Americans, who make up 13% of the US population, accounted for 45% of the new infections in 2006. The infection rate among blacks was seven times higher than among whites – 83.7 out of 100,000 people compared to 11.5 out of 100,000. The study found some encouraging signs of progress as new infections have dropped among both intravenous drug users and heterosexuals. – AFP http://www.keysaustin.com/article/article/US_HIV_infections_rate_higher_than_estimate.htm 29th Dec,2009 MEXICO CITY: Leaders in the quest for a vaccine against HIV acknowledged on Monday that their mission was dogged by many problems and cautioned that any breakthrough lay years in the future. In a workshop at the International AIDS Conference, they said the AIDS pandemic would only be defeated by a preventative vaccine, rather than treating people who are already infected. But they admitted there have been many setbacks in crafting such a shield, and some advocated a return to fundamentals, and said it is time to draw lessons from failure. “Vaccine science is still more of an art than a science,” said Tachi Yamada, executive director of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Global Health Programme, a major donor to the vaccine effort. google_protectAndRun("ads_core.google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);Yamada pointed to fundamental gaps in knowledge about how the stealthy human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) subverts the immune system. Meanwhile, Yamada said funding, collaboration and cooperation urgently had to be stepped up to avoid wasted or duplicated efforts. He said the arena must be opened up to smart, revolutionary ideas, and a new generation of vaccine researchers must be groomed. “We need big investments for the future not only in the basic science of HIV prevention, but also in clinical trials for an HIV vaccine,” Yamada said. “We have to be unafraid to fail. The road to success begins with setbacks.” Alan Bernstein, director of the Global HIV Vaccine Initiative, said the hunt was “at a critical crossroads” and any success could only be viewed as “long term.” More than 25 million lives have been claimed by AIDS and 33 million people are estimated to have HIV. A safe, effective primer of the body’s defences – the frontline antibody troops and the heavy artillery of the immune cells – remains far out of reach, however. Out of the 50 candidates that have been evaluated among humans, only two vaccines have made it through all three phases of trials, and both were rejected as quite ineffective. In the past year, one major vaccine trial was halted after early results showed that it appeared to place volunteers at greater risk of HIV infection. Another vaccine in planning phases, involving tests among 8,500 subjects, was scrapped after a similar formula, tested in 2007, was found to be largely ineffective. Researchers also urged governments and health communities to ramp up male circumcision to prevent HIV infection, particularly in vulnerable countries in eastern and southern Africa. Three studies were cut short in 2006 after they showed strong evidence that male circumcision could prevent HIV infection, but very little effort has been made to push for more men to go under the knife, they said. “This is a call to action… to call for male circumcision. It’s been two years and still there is not enough money, focus to scale up effort and more needs to be done,” said Dvora Joseph, head of the HIV department at Population Services International, a US-based non-profit organisation. http://www.keysaustin.com/article/article/Back_to_basics_in_search_for_HIV_vaccine.htm 29th Dec,2009 When it comes to safe sex, both men and women are responsible for ensuring that they use the right kind of contraception correctly. Condoms are one of the most common and easy to use forms of contraception to protect against unplanned pregnancies and certain sexually transmitted diseases. It is also one of the most affordable and accessible methods as you do not have to go clinic or get a prescription. However, certain myths and misconceptions about condoms prevail, causing some people to avoid using them or use them incorrectly. For birth control The condom is really nothing more than a very thin piece of latex or polyurethane that fits over the penis. It blocks semen from entering the vagina, as well as the exchange of bodily fluids that may carry infection. Condoms – if used consistently and always correctly have a 98% efficacy in preventing pregnancies. However, the problems lies in the way people use condoms. If condoms are not correctly or not with every sexual intercourse, then ‘accidents’ are bound to occur. One way to increase the efficacy of condoms is to use contraceptive foams, creams, jellies, films, or suppositories that kill the sperm if condom breaks. Some condoms are even coated with a spermicide to provide this extra protection. google_protectAndRun("ads_core.google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);For protection agains STDs Latex condoms protect against sexually transmitted diseases by bodily fluids that may contain infections. They are known to protect against HIv, chlamydia, syphilis, chancroid and vaginitis caused by trichomoniasis. Condoms also offer some protection – although not completely – against other sexually transmitted infections, like HPV, hepatitis B virus and herpes simplex virus (causing genital herpes). Using condoms correctly Firstly, heed this reminder: a man should always use a condom every time he has any form of sexual intercourse be it vagina, oral or anal. This is unless both partners have confirmed that they are free of any STDs, are monogamous and in a long term relationship together, and have agreed that unplanned pregnancies will not be a problem. The condom should be put on before any genital contact, because pre-ejaculation can also cause pregnancy. When unwrapping the condom, be careful not to tear it. Pinch the air out of the tip with one hand. Then, unroll the condom over the penis and roll it all the way down to the base. Smooth out any air bubbles. If necessary, apply a water-based lubricant, such as KY jelly, on the condom. Do not use oil-based lubricants because they can destroy the latex. One should withdraw immediately after ejaculation. To avoid semen from spilling, hold the condom against the base of the penis while pulling out. Then remove the condom, tie a knot at the top, wrap it in some tissue paper and throw it away in the bin. If a condom breaks during sex, quickly pull out and replace it. Wash any semen that has leaked out with soap and water. If semen has leaked into the vagina, you must consider the strong possibility that pregnancy may occur. Here are some further tips on handling condoms: Handle condoms gently and store them in cool, dry place so they don’t break. Do not keep condoms for too long in your back pocket, wallet, or car. Do not use condom that is too small or too large for you. Do not flush condoms down the toilet. Do not use condoms that have passed the expiry date. Do not reuse condoms! Some common ‘complaints’ about condoms I’m allergic to latex. While it is true that some people are allergic to latex, this should not be an excuse to ignore birth control completely. Try using another type of condom, one that is made from polyurethane (a type of plastic).Condoms dull the sensation during sex. Adding a drop of lubricant inside the tip of condom can help to enhance sensation Condoms interfere with spontaneity. Yes, it may be a little awkward to stop the ‘action’ midway and bring up the subject of birth control. Talk to your partner beforehand about practising safe sex – condoms should become a routine part of your sexual relationship, such that you do not notice any break go your rhythm.Condoms always break. This is untrue. Condoms only break 2% of the time, and even then, it is due to human error. When used carefully and correctly, condoms should not fail.It’s too troublesome/We always forget. What’s more troublesome than a painful and potentially life-threatening STD? Or an unplanned pregnancy? The best thing about condoms is that they are cheap and easily available. Use them with some other contraceptive method to ensure better birth control. Of course, the surest way to avoid transmission of STDs is to abstain from sex, or to stay in a long-term, mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who is free from STDs. http://www.keysaustin.com/article/article/A_matter_of_safe_sex.htm 29th Dec,2009 Washington: Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to 26% greater risk of death in men and women, according to a study published on Monday that appears to confi rm the importance of this essential nutrient. google_protectAndRun("ads_core.google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);Researchers from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, in Baltimore, Maryland, studied 13,000 initially healthy men and women from 1994 to 2000, comparing the mortality rate between those with low and normal levels of vitamin D in the blood. They found that of the 1,800 people who died by Dec 31, 2000 – 700 from cardiovascular diseases – 400 were deficient in vitamin D, which translated to a 26% increased risk of death. The number of heart disease related deaths was insufficient to establish a cause-and-effect link to vitamin D defi ciency, the researchers said in the study published in the the Archives of Internal Medicine. However, the study “does highlight a trend, with other studies linking shortages of vitamin D to increased rates of breast cancer and depression in the elderly.” Doctors recommend a 10-15-minute daily exposure to the sun for adequate levels of vitamin D, which is also found in fatty fishes. – AFP http://www.keysaustin.com/article/article/Lack_of_vitamin_D_linked_to_higher_death_risk_Study.htm 29th Dec,2009 Soya bean, a perennial Asian staple, reduces the risk of breast cancer among Chinese women, a published study said on Tuesday. Conducted by the National University of Singapore (NUS), the University of Southern California and the University of Minnesota, the study tracked more than 34,000 Chinese women in Singapore aged 45 to 74 for a decade. google_protectAndRun("ads_core.google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad); Women who consumed Soya proteins in amounts more than in a serving of soya bean curd or a glass of soya bean milk were 18% less likely to develop breast cancer than those who ate less, said the findings in The Straits Times. Eating a serving of soya bean curd or drinking a glass of the milk every day reduces the risk, the study said. “Our study shows that the amount of soya needed is not high, and is easily achievable in a typical Asian diet,” NUH associate professor Koh Woon Puay was quoted as saying. Post-menopausal women, those with a higher body mass index and those who had consumed soya for longer, experienced the greatest reductions in risk, the study found. The results are similar to those of eight other studies conducted on Asians. One in Japan showed an average 12% reduction in breast cancer risk for those who eat the soya bean. Studies on Caucasian women have been inconclusive, possibly because of the low levels of soya involved, the report said. Koh cautioned against consuming too much soya, which could lead to conditions such as gout. NUS’ Centre for Molecular Epidemiology is planning a 10-year study of 12,000 Chinese, Malay and Indian women, with and without breast cancer, to fi nd out how genetic and lifestyle factors interact to determine breast cancer risks. http://www.keysaustin.com/article/article/Soya_bean_cuts_breast_cancer_risk_among_Chinese_women.htm 29th Dec,2009 Women have puzzled over it for years-why the heck do men do the things they do? Why do they profess their love for you one minute, then ignore you the next (say, when an Attila the Hun special turns up on TV)? Why can they not remember our birthdays? Let science explain some of these conundrums-and help you rev up your relationships! Be patient with his memory The hippocampus, where initial memories are formed, occupies a smaller percent of the male brain than the female brain. If on your first date he can’t remember where you work, even though you told him all about it when you met, just remember that size matters … hippocampus size, that is. Don’t take it personally. (Oh, and don’t be surprised when, months down the line, he has no clue you’ve just changed your hair.) google_protectAndRun("ads_core.google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);Don’t expect him to get hints Have a crush on him? You may have to put it out there, because men aren’t as skilled at women at reading subtle emotional cues. As Dr. Larry Cahill of the University of California at Irvine puts it, “We have been assuming that the ways in which emotions are organized in the brain are essentially similar in men and women,” but they aren’t. Parts of the limbic cortex, which is involved in emotional responses, are smaller in men than in women. Additionally, scientists at McMaster University have found that guys have a smaller density of neurons in areas of the temporal lobe that deal with language processing. That’s why it’s probably a good idea to tell him straight-up how you’re feeling (”I’m kind of hurt that you forgot I hate sushi”). Expecting him to infer from your hints could leave both of you scratching your heads. Don’t take conversation lulls personally Fact is, guys in general just aren’t as verbally adept as women are. Large parts of the cortex – the brain’s outer layer that does a big part of recognizing and using subtle language cues – are thinner in men than they are in women. A study led by Dr. Godfrey Pearlson of Johns Hopkins University has shown that two areas in the frontal and temporal lobes that play an important role in language processing are significantly smaller in men. Using MRIs, the Johns Hopkins scientists measured gray matter volumes in several brain regions in 17 females and 43 males. Women had 23 percent more volume than men in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and 13 percent more volume than men in the superior temporal cortex. “Women,” explains Dr. Cahill, “excel in being able to come up with appropriate words, given cues.” Men – not so much. Don’t expect him to chatter with you on dates with the skill of a girlfriend, and don’t assume he’s not interested in you if he occasionally lets the conversation lapse. Think of it this way: He’s simply basking in moments of quiet companionship. Appreciate his naturally upbeat nature Does he seem to be “up” most of the time? It’s not your imagination: Male brains produce 52 percent more serotonin (the chemical that influences mood) than female brains, according to a study done at McGill University. And studies show that fewer men than women suffer from depression. Guys may also have an easier time rolling with life’s big stresses. If he tells you he recently lost his golden lab or suffered a job loss and doesn’t get all teary, it doesn’t mean he’s heartless; rather, he has healthy stores of serotonin. Don’t expect his take on your relationship history to match yours He may be incapable of seeing your shared past the way you do. Brain images have started to show that men and women use their brains in vastly different ways. For example, women use the left part of the amygdala – the part of the brain that creates emotional reactions to events – to put memories in order by emotional strength, meaning that something emotionally important to them (like a great first date a couple of months ago) will be ordered in front of what they ate for breakfast yesterday. Men, however, use the right part of the amygdala to put memories in order. Traditionally, the right hemisphere of the brain is associated with the central action of an event, while the left hemisphere is associated with finer details. Translation: You’ll both remember your first date, but he might not remember the color of your sweater or the light rain that was falling that night. It doesn’t mean he was checked out; it just means he’s a guy. Remember his brain is his largest sex organ In males of several species including humans, the preoptic area of the hypothalamus is greater in volume, in cross-sectional area and in the number of cells. In men, this area is more than two times larger than in women, and it contains twice as many cells. And what, say you, does this have to do with the horizontal mambo? Plenty. This area of the hypothalamus is in charge of mating behavior. This small structure connects to the pituitary gland, which releases sex hormones. So if your bf wants to get intimate all the time and you feel like Ms. Low Desire, remember: You’re just experiencing normal, brain-based differences. Laura Schaefer is the author of Man with Farm Seeks Woman with Tractor: The Best and Worst Personal Ads of All Time. For the other side of this story, read The Female Brain, Explained. http://www.keysaustin.com/article/article/Laura_Schaefer_explained_the_Male_Brain.htm 29th Dec,2009 A vaginal yeast infection is one of the most irritating yet common conditions that affect women.In fact, it is so common that about 75% of women will have a yeast infection at some point in their lives. With almost half will have recurrent infections, meaning two or more infections later on in life. What is a yeast infection? Yeast infection is also called candidiasis, and is due to the fungus Candida albicans that infects the vagina. You must be wondering why yeast would grow in the vagina. In fact, it is natural to find small amounts of yeast living in the vagina under normal conditions. However, the natural acidity of the vagina can be unbalanced, causing the yeast to overgrow and cause an infection. The infection will then cause irritation of the vagina and the vulva. This may cause you to suffer extreme itchiness in and around the vagina. This may be accompanied by a thick, white, odourless vaginal discharge that has the texture of cottage cheese. You may also notice other symptoms like burning, redness and swelling of the vagina and vulva, pain upon urinating, and pain or discomfort during sex. What causes it? Vaginal yeast infections are usually caused by a weakened immune system that can lead to changes in the acidity of the vagina. The various conditions that can lower a woman’s immune defences are stress, lack of sleep, sickness, poor diet, extreme intake of sugary foods, pregnancy, menstruation and disease such as poorly-controlled diabetes and HIV infection. google_protectAndRun("ads_core.google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);You may also find that taking certain medications can increase your risk of getting a yeast infection, such as birth control pills, antibiotics and steroid medicines. What about sex? Some women believe that they can get yeast infections through sexual intercourse with their partners. However, this is actually very rare. A woman could be at higher risk if she has unprotected intercourse with a partner who has a yeast infection, but this condition is rare in men. There is a slightly higher risk following oral sex given by men who carry yeast organisms in their mouth. Nonetheless, yeast infections are not likely to be transmitted from partner to partner. Having said that, however, other infections can be contracted sexually, and women should always practise safe sex with their partners. Don’t be shy to consult doctor! It can be embarrassing to admit that you have symptoms of a vaginal infection. However, it is important that you overcome your shyness and see your GP or gynaecologist. Sometimes, the signs of a yeast infection are similar to that of sexually transmitted diseases, such as chlamydia and gonorrhoea. Getting a medical check-up could help you determine whether you have a yeast infection or something more serious. A yeast infection is easily diagnosed. Your doctor will examine you to look for swelling and discharge. He or she may also take a sample from your vagina and examine that under the microscope to look for yeast organisms. Treatment is often in the form of antifungal creams, tablets, ointments or suppositories (inserted into the vagina). Do not attempt to treat the infection yourself – always get your doctor’s advice, even if you want to use over-the-counter medicines. Taking antifungal medications when you don’t have a yeast infection could make your condition worse and increase your risk of getting a resistant strain of infection in the future. Avoiding repeat infections It is very common for women to develop recurrent yeast infections, even several in one year. Here are some tips to prevent another yeast infection from occurring: Don’t use douches.Avoid scented hygiene products like bubble bath, sprays, pads and tampons.Change tampons and pads frequently when you are menstruating.Don’t wear clothing or underwear that are tight in the crotch.Wear cotton underwear or pantyhose with a cotton crotch.Change out of wet swimsuits and exercise clothes as soon as possible.Keep your vaginal area clean.After a shower or bath, dry the vaginal area completely before getting dressed.After using the toilet, always wipe from front to back.Avoid sharing towels with others.Don’t take antibiotics unless prescribed by your doctor.Eat a diet high in vegetables, protein and grains, and avoid processed foods, sugars and alcohol.Abstain from sex while undergoing treatment for a yeast infection.If you are experiencing chronic yeast infections and are using birth control pills, consider changing your birth control method. Finally, see your doctor for more advice about avoiding repeat yeast infections. Ignoring it won’t make it go away. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. http://www.keysaustin.com/article/article/Yeast_in_the_vagina.htm 29th Dec,2009 The AIDS virus is especially hard to fight because few people develop antibodies to neutralize it, but U.S. researchers said on Thursday they have found an immunity gene that may offer a new way to fight back.They said the gene Apobec3 helps mice develop antibodies against an HIV-like virus, and they think the same gene in humans could lead to a potent vaccine against the human immunodeficiency virus or HIV. “This gene is central to HIV biology,” Dr. Warner Greene of the Gladstone Institutes at the University of California, San Francisco, said in a telephone interview. So far, efforts to make a vaccine against HIV have failed. google_protectAndRun("ads_core.google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);In humans, HIV devotes one of its 9 genes to disabling Apobec3 proteins, which may help explain why people with HIV rarely make antibodies against the virus, he said. HIV is a retrovirus, which means it copies bits of its own genetic code into the DNA of the host. “If we could prevent HIV from destroying this key pivotal host factor, we might allow HIV-infected patients to develop neutralizing antibodies like they do in mice,” he said. “It’s a translation from mice to men. That’s the challenge now,” said Greene, whose study appears in the journal Science. Green’s lab and others have been hunting for the gene in mice that allows them to fight off the Friend virus, a retrovirus similar to HIV. Working with a team at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the researchers conducted a series of experiments in which they genetically engineered mice to lack the Apobec3 gene. “Sure enough, when we knocked out the Apobec3 gene, they lost their ability to recover from Friend virus infection,” Greene said. He said the discovery of Apobec3’s role in retroviral immunity is exciting because genes in this region are active in people who resist HIV infection, suggesting they are making effective antibodies against the virus. “Blocking this degradation of Apobec3 is probably the most promising new drug target in HIV biology,” Greene said. Antibodies are key to warding off viral infections, and most vaccines against viral diseases stimulate the body to make antibodies against the target virus. Greene said efforts at developing an HIV vaccine have largely focused on building up a kind of immune cell called a T-cell to attack the virus. “Those types of approaches are not proving adequate. We are desperately seeking better approaches to creating neutralizing antibodies,” he said, adding, “Maybe this will help us.” The AIDS virus infects an estimated 33 million people globally and has killed about 25 million since the pandemic started in the 1980s. There is no cure but drugs can suppress the virus and allow patients to lead a near-normal life. Without treatment, the virus destroys the immune system, leaving patients susceptible to infections and cancer. http://www.keysaustin.com/article/article/Gene_the_key_to_neutralizing_HIV_U_S_study.htm 29th Dec,2009 BEIJING (Sept 16, 2008): The number of Chinese infants found threatened by toxic milk powder is likely to rise as the search for victims spreads, state media reported yesterday, as the government faced growing public anger over the safety crisis.More than 1,200 children have been diagnosed with kidney illness after drinking adulterated milk powder produced by the Sanlu Group. Two infants have died and more than 50 are in a serious condition from kidney stones caused by a banned chemical, melamine, added to raw milk before processing in an apparent bid to fool inspectors. “Their number could rise as the search for more infants fed Sanlu milk food spreads across the country’s rural areas,” the China Daily reported. “…The number could rise sharply in coming days as more parents take their children for medical check-ups,” it added, citing Health Minister Chen Zhu. Melamine is rich in nitrogen, an element often used to measure protein, and so can be used to disguise diluted milk. China is the world’s second biggest market for baby milk powder, and Sanlu has been the top-selling company in the sector for 15 years, with 18.3% of sales in 2007. Sanlu dominates in poorer rural areas, where farmer and migrant workers often find milk powder is easier than breast-feeding, and sometimes believe it is also healthier. The central government has called the poisonings a “Level 1and#8243; food safety incident and formed an emergency team to grapple with the fall-out, the official Xinhua news agency reported. But public anger has grown over claims the company and officials failed to act sooner. Sanlu, 43% owned by New Zealand dairy giant Fonterra, last week halted production after investigators announced they had found the problem. Local Chinese officials acted last week only after the New Zealand government contacted Beijing, New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark said on Monday. But according to Fonterra chief executive Andrew Ferrier, Sanlu started its own recall from suppliers from Aug 2. But last year, Sanlu was lauded by a Chinese state television programme, “Weekly Consumer Report”, as a model of good quality. In past days, Chinese internet sites have filled with bitter criticisms claiming the broadcaster was more interested in boosting companies than protecting consumers. “Weekly Consumer Report changes from an attacker of fake and sub-standard products into their protector,” said one. – Reuters http://www.keysaustin.com/article/article/China_toxic_milk_victim_count_expected_to_rise.htm 29th Dec,2009 BEIJING: China said on Wednesday a third infant had died from drinking milk contaminated with toxic melamine and 6,244 infants were sick as four officials were sacked amid a widening scandal.The number of infants diagnosed with “acute kidney failure” had risen to 158, Health Minister Chen Zhu told a news conference carried live on state television. Four city officials and a company boss have been sacked in the health scare which has seen thousands of parents in southern China flood into Hong Kong to buy foreign-made milk powder. China has been beset by scandals about toxic and unsafe food and other products in recent years. In 2004, at least 13 babies died after drinking fake milk powder that had no nutritional value. Facing alarm at the latest food safety scandal, the government sacked four officials in Shijiazhuang, capital of Hebei province in north China and base of the Sanlu Group, the dairy company first linked to the toxic milk. The sackings included the vice mayor in charge of agriculture, Zhang Fawang, and the director of the city’s food and drug watchdog, Zhang Yi, as well as chief officials for animal husbandry and quality inspection. http://www.keysaustin.com/article/article/Three_die_in_China_baby_powder_scandal_thousands_sick.htm 29th Dec,2009 Melamine is an organic compound, a base with chemical formula C3H6N6. It is has a molecular mass of just over 126, forms a white, crystalline powder, and is only slightly soluble in water. It is used as a fi re retardant additive in polymer resins because its high nitrogen content is released as flame-stifling nitrogen gas when the compound is burned or charred. Indeed, it is this high nitrogen level – 66% nitrogen by mass – in melamine that gives it the analytical characteristics of protein molecules. google_protectAndRun("ads_core.google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad); Melamine can also be described as a trimer of cyanamide, three cyanamide units joined in a ring. It is a rather harmful compound. Harmful if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through the skin. Chronic exposure may cause cancer or reproductive damage. Previously, melamine was found in exported pet food last year and blamed for killing thousands of cats and dogs in the US. Bloomberg also reports that analysis of samples of ice cream produced by Yili have also revealed the presence of melamine. http://www.keysaustin.com/article/article/What_is_Melamine.htm 29th Dec,2009 South Korean authorities have found trace amounts of melamine in milk products imported from New Zealand that were used in baby formula and banned their import, its food safety agency said on Thursday.The Korea Food and Drug Administration said in a statement that the product, lactoferrin, was produced by Tatua Cooperative Diary Company of New Zealand. South Korea was banning all other products made by the company pending further tests, it said. No trace of the chemical has been found in 19 baby formula products tested, presumably because the additive makes up less than 0.1% of the final product, the agency said. No comment was immediately available from Tauta, which on Monday had suspended exports of lactoferrin because of the melamine find. The company was also checking where its product had been exported to and trying to trace the source of the melamine contamination. “There’s quite a lot of sensitivity around melamine even at low levels,” chief executive Paul McGilvary told the NZ Press Association at the time. He said the New Zealand Food Safety Authority had found fewer than four parts per million of melamine in the Tatua product, and found there was no contamination of the company’s milk supply. South Korea has banned the imports of Chinese milk powder and rice cookies produced in China. It has also recalled tainted products from store shelves. A growing list of Chinese milk and milk-related products have been taken off shelves around the world in recent weeks after they have been found to be contaminated with the industrial chemical melamine, sickening tens of thousands and killing four children. http://www.keysaustin.com/article/article/Melamine_in_milk_products_from_New_Zealand.htm 29th Dec,2009 Melamine is a chemical used to produce plastic products. However, when melamine was mixed with watered-down milk it make it appears richer in protein than it actually is. http://www.keysaustin.com/article/article/Why_was_melamine_used_in_milk_products.htm 29th Dec,2009 HAMBURG: Faced with strict German laws banning the use of human embryos, a team of German scientists came up with a radical new “ethical” source for stem cells – men’s testicles. The scientists believe their breakthrough may offer a whole new range of treatments for diseases like Parkinson’s and diabetes and for spinal cord injuries involving use of men’s own stem cells to replace damaged or diseased cells in their own bodies. The researchers from the Universities of Tuebingen and Cologne in Germany, and King’s College London, say routine biopsies of men’s testicles could provide a new source of stem cells which could be as good as embryonic stem cells for researching and developing treatments for a range of diseases, but without the ethical and legal problems of embryonic stem cells. Writing in the online edition of Nature, Professor Thomas Skutella, who leads an experimental embryology group at Tuebingen University, says, “Thegeneration of human adult germline stem cells from testicular biopsies may provide simple and non-controversial access to individual cell-based therapy without the ethical and immunological problems associated with human embryonic stem cells.” Stem cells are the new hope for treatment development because they carry the potential of personalised therapy – using a person’s own cells to create stem cells that can then repair and replace damaged tissue, such as in Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and cancers. This way the big problem of immune system rejection is overcome because the implants have the same DNA as the host. The drawback, however, is that using stem cells from male testes,the treatment would only work on men. Stem cells from embryos have the potential to become any cell in the body, after all, a whole person grows from a single fertilised egg. But getting stem cells from embryos is fraught with ethical problems since it involves the destruction of embryos. In Germany, stem cell research involving embryos is prohibited by federal law. For years, scientists in Germany have been working to find legal alternative ways to make stem cells with the same ability to become any cell in the body as the embryonic stem cell. – dpa http://www.keysaustin.com/article/article/Testicles_new_source_of_stem_cells_Scientists.htm 29th Dec,2009 Does smoking affect a person’s seasoning, memory and other cognitive abilities? A study involved 1964 generally healthy people (average age, 56); about 21% smoked, 44% were former smokers and 35% never had smoked. At the start of the study, smokers scored lower on average than people who never had smoked on all tested aspects of cognition, except memory; those scores were about the same. During a five-year span. smokers’ scores in all areas, including memory, declined about twice as fast as non-smokers’ did. The more cigarettes smokes, the greater the decline. google_protectAndRun("ads_core.google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);Who may be affected? People who smoke. Smoking causes lung cancer and several oterh types of cancer and is associated with heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive lung disease, cataracts and an array of reproductive and early childhood problem. In the US, one of every five deaths each year has been linked to smoking. Cautions: Smoking status was determined by participants’ responses on a questionnaire. http://www.keysaustin.com/article/article/Smoking_s_Harm.htm 29th Dec,2009 Tom Mammone, executive director of Clinique Research and Development, talks about how stress affects aging and the benefits of Clinique’s latest product, Superdefense SPF 25/ PA+++ Age Defense Moisturizer.Does stress really affect aging? When your body is under stress, it releases hormones including adrenaline and cortisol. These stress hormones can cause irritation and loss of immune function in the skin and the effects of this are very similar to what happens during the natural aging process. When skin is irritated it can lead to a compromised barrier function. A strong barrier keeps moisture in and external aggressors and irritants out. When the barrier is damaged, moisture evaporates more rapidly and irritants can get in more easily, both of which cause damage to the skin. google_protectAndRun("ads_core.google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);In addition, when the immune function of skin is compromised, its ability to fight off external invaders and suppress damaged cells before they multiply is also compromised. Why did you choose to approach age prevention this way? We have had anecdotal evidence for a long time that psychological stress can affect skin. One of the best examples is to look at pictures of politicians that have had to deal with particularly stressful times during their terms. The difference between the pictures before they held office and after can be dramatic. This topic is one that has long been of interest to us so when the opportunity for Clinique scientists to do targeted research on the subject came about, we took it. The findings from our study confirmed that emotional or psychological stress can damage skin’s natural defences. In addition, the research led us to have a clearer understanding of how psychological stress can damage the skin and armed with this knowledge, we were able to look into ways to combat this visible damage topically. What makes this product so special? This product is our first to address the damaging visible effects of physiological and emotional stress on the skin. It boosts skin’s ability to protect against the visible effects of internal stress. It also includes ingredients to fight external stress anddamage, and it is a great moisturizer that helps keep skin’s barrier in the best possible health. When you have a strong barrier, your skin is able to retain the moisture it needs to function optimally and defend against the external aggressors that can cause the damaging affects that lead to premature ageing. Who should use this product? This product is designed to fight off the visible signs of ageing. Depending on whether your main skin concern is prevention or repair, we’ll help you select the best regimen for your skin needs and type. Superdefense SPF 25/PA+++ Age Defense Moisturizer is a great choice if your main skin goal is to maintain skin’s health and strength as well as prevent the signs of premature aging. http://www.keysaustin.com/article/article/Stress_affect_aging.htm 29th Dec,2009 In the study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, it was found that HIV positive individuals have an increased risk of fractures of the hip, vertebra, wrist and combined fractures. Data from 8525 HIV positive and more than two million non-HIV patients were collected from two hospitals in the United States. Incidentlally, this study is among the first to indicate a high risk of bone fractures among HIV positie individuals. Previous studies only pointed to a decrease in bone density among this group. http://www.keysaustin.com/article/article/HIV_Increase_Risk_of_Bone_Fractures.htm 29th Dec,2009 HONG KONG (Reuters) – Scientists in China and Hong Kong have established for the first time in a study that consuming the plastic-making chemical melamine can cause kidney stones in people. At least six children died and 290,000 fell ill in China last year after consuming milk formula tainted with melamine, which was added to cheat protein tests. But the causal link between melamine and kidney problems the children suffered was never scientifically established until now. The experts studied urine samples of 15 mainland Chinese toddlers with kidney stones and compared those taken from 20 children in Hong Kong who also consumed tainted milk but who did not develop stones. google_protectAndRun("ads_core.google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);“We proved that melamine alone can cause stones … Our conclusions are that the higher the concentration of melamine in the urine, the bigger the stones,” said Lawrence Lan, associate consultant at the paediatrics surgery deparment in Hong Kong’s Queen Mary Hospital. The experts also found what they considered to be a “safe level” of melamine in urine, above which the person may be prone to develop kidney stones. “Everyone with stones had melamine levels above that level, and those without stones had melamine concentrations below that level,” Lan said. The study was published in the International Journal of Clinical Chemistry and Diagnostic Laboratory Medicine. The milk scandal battered already dented faith in China-made goods and prompted massive recalls of dairy and other food products around the world. Melamine is used to make fertilisers, plastics and other industrial goods. Rich in nitrogen, it later found its way into food products to fool tests for protein. It has also been detected in eggs, chocolates, ice creams, yoghurts and other foods. China has suffered other food additive scandals in the past, including the use of carcinogenic chemicals as food colourings. http://www.keysaustin.com/article/article/Experts_draw_link_between_tainted_milk_kidney_stones.htm 29th Dec,2009