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Grassroots Efforts In India Fight Spread of HIV Reported June 19, 2008 After a prolonged back-and-forth between diverse agencies over actual HIV/AIDS statistics in India, the figure that India's National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) has settled on is an estimated 2.5 million people who are living with the virus in the country, accounting for … [Read more...]

Menopause More Kind To Japanese Women 3 November, 2007 Japanese women experience far fewer difficulties with menopause than their North American counterparts, reports the Center for the Advancement of Health. Most notably, reports of symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats are significantly lower among a … [Read more...]

Concept 1010 for daily fitnessReported June 13, 2008 A new fitness facility, Concept 1010, has no entertainment system or mirrors. Yet it promises results by eliminating distractions and maximising intensity. Stephen Snowball reports. "Cardio is a waste of time at best, and fitness clubs are more club than fitness. If you want strength and fitness, but don't have the time … [Read more...]

Sleep Apnea Patients May Suffer Memory Loss Reported June 12, 2008 People with sleep apnea are more likely to suffer brain injury and disrupted memory and thinking, new research by the University of California, Los Angeles reveals. Sleep apnea is caused by a blockage of the airways, usually when the tissue in the rear of the throat collapses and closes during sleep. … [Read more...]

Study says artificial blood may carry risksReported November 07, 2007 A national two-year study of an experimental blood substitute in critically injured patients, including 19 in San Antonio, found that those transfused with the artificial blood were more likely to die, and more likely to suffer a nonfatal heart attack, than those who received saline solution instead, … [Read more...]

High blood sugar can hamper memory   Reported February 01, 2008 In the journal Diabetes a research team from Umeå University and Stockholm University in Sweden presents findings that indicate that elevated levels of blood sugar may have a negative impact on the memory function. It was previously known that patients … [Read more...]

First lung transplant operation raises hopesReported March 27, 2009 ISTANBUL - Simge Nur Etci, 13, died in a traffic accident in Konya and her family decided to donate her organs, giving life to five different people, including her lung, which is expected to save the life of Eyüp Üstün, father of two children. Just a few hours after the organ-transplant team at Süreyya … [Read more...]

UK prepares for swine flu threatReported April 29, 2009 UK preparations for the possibility of a swine flu pandemic are covered in Wednesday's papers. The Daily Express reports growing fears that "Britain is ill-prepared", with the government reportedly struggling to order sufficient protective face-masks. "32 million flu masks please," says the Sun's front page headline. … [Read more...]

H1N1 flu virus spreads to prison in California Reported May 04, 2009 LOS ANGELES, May 3 (Xinhua) -- California health authorities confirmed the first case of influenza A/H1N1 at a state prison on Sunday, indicating the continuing spread of the virus. As a result, visiting hours and other activities at the Centinela State Prison, some 130 miles (about 200 km) southeast of … [Read more...]

Breastfeeding Recommended to Protect Infants During Swine Flu OutbreakReported May 01, 2009 (HealthNewsDigest.com) - Washington, DC - As the nation monitors the intensifying "swine flu" outbreak, the United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC) recommends breastfeeding as a critical strategy to prevent infection. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued … [Read more...]

Alcohol brain injury 'crisis' looms August 06, 2007 MORE than 200,000 Australians are living with undiagnosed permanent brain damage caused by drinking alcohol. And a further two million people - one in eight adults - are at serious risk of joining them due to the amounts they consume, health experts warn. Yet the country is … [Read more...]

Canada's swine flu cases jump to 13, all mildReported April 29, 2009 VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Reuters) - The number of confirmed cases of swine flu in Canada increased to 13 on Tuesday, as Canadians were urged to avoid unnecessary travel to Mexico and tour operators postponed flights between the countries. Ontario, the country's most populous province, confirmed its … [Read more...]

Third Canadian Influenza A (H1N1) Victim DiesReported June 02, 2009 Toronto, Ontario (AHN) - Influenza A (H1N1) claimed a third Canadian victim over the weekend. According to Ontario Ministry of Health spokesman Andrew Morrison the third fatality to have died of swine flu is an Ontario man who has been confined at a hospital for quite some time and has other medical … [Read more...]

Persistent cough could be a sign of COPD November 11, 2007 BANGALORE: Smokers beware! You may be aware that smoking leads to lung cancer and heart disease. But do you know it also leads to serious respiratory condition in which the airways get blocked? More than 13 million Indians are victims of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), … [Read more...]

Japan premier says government responsible for hepatitis from tainted blood December 24, 2007 TOKYO - The Japanese government bears the ultimate responsibility for hepatitis C infections caused by tainted blood products, Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said Monday. "Pharmaceutical matters are the responsibility of … [Read more...]

Spinal cord research shows promiseReported November 13, 2007 MONTREAL - Montreal researchers have identified what may be a pivotal first step toward regenerating injured spinal cords using the body's own stem cells. The repair mechanism that works well in a developing or embryonic nervous system seems to work in reverse in adults following injury, explained … [Read more...]

Areas in the brain size up competition Reported November 01, 2007 ATLANTA: Humans spend a lot of time sizing each other up a fact long known to social scientists. But a new study has pinpointed the brain areas that appear to be involved in this process of social comparison. The study, led by Caroline Zink, a postdoctoral fellow at the National Institute of Mental Health, … [Read more...]

Alcohol brain injury 'crisis' looms August 06, 2007 MORE than 200,000 Australians are living with undiagnosed permanent brain damage caused by drinking alcohol. And a further two million people - one in eight adults - are at serious risk of joining them due to the amounts they consume, health experts warn. Yet the country is … [Read more...]

Brazil to provide free sex-change operations Reported November 17, 2007 RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - Brazil’s public health system will begin providing free sex-change operations in compliance with a court order, the Health Ministry said Friday. Ministry spokesman Edmilson Oliveira da Silva said the government would not appeal Wednesday’s ruling by … [Read more...]

More teenage girls saying no to sexReported June 01, 2009 OTTAWA - Despite living in a seemingly more sex-crazed society, fewer Canadian teenagers - particularly girls - are having sex compared to their counterparts a decade ago, according to data released Wednesday by Statistics Canada. The surprising findings found that 43 per cent of youth aged 15 to 19 said they had … [Read more...]

B-cell Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (B-CLL) December 10, 2007 The European Commission has granted marketing authorization to MabCampath® (alemtuzumab) for the treatment of patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) for whom fludarabine combination chemotherapy is not appropriate. … [Read more...]

Health alert declared across country to guard against Swine Flu infectionsReported April 28, 2009 New Delhi, April 28: Government has put on high alert all international airports and ports for identifying persons with suspected infection of swine flu. Those traveling to affected areas have also been advised to defer their non essential travel. Official sources said that … [Read more...]

New HIV/AIDS cases in Japan reach record high 13 August, 2007 The number of people newly diagnosed with HIV and those who developed AIDS in Japan in 2006 reached record highs of 914 and 390, respectively, according to preliminary data released Wednesday by the Japanese AIDS Surveillance Committee, the … [Read more...]

Stress fractures: an invisible enemy Reported January 14, 2008 THE adage "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" doesn't always apply to distance runners. Promising running careers can be interrupted or cut short -- and training goals derailed -- by overuse injuries known as stress fractures. Repeated pounding causes these tiny breaks in bones in the feet, legs and … [Read more...]

How's Your Health, San Antonio?Reported November 09, 2007 How healthy are San Antonians? What are the biggest risks we face? Much of the report by Metro Health focused on the link between poverty and a child's health. The report identified 10 zip codes near the Downtown area where some of the highest health risks are, and the rate immunizations is still low . One of the … [Read more...]

HIV Carriers Keep Virus a Secret   Reported November 26, 2007 Those carrying HIV often hide the illness from people close to them, finds a survey by NordPol, a Nordic umbrella organization for HIV positive persons. Under half of the respondents said they had told their parents about being HIV positive. In the work … [Read more...]

Health concerns, income determine drinking water choices among TurksReported March 22, 2009 A rapid increase in immigration from rural areas to cities as a result of industrialization has inevitably led to more densely populated cities in Turkey. The fact that the existing water infrastructure in many urban areas is insufficient to meet the resulting increase in demand, … [Read more...]

Refusing to have sex on the first date 'increases the chance of finding a good man' Reported January 13, 2009 Prolonging the mating courtship increases a woman's chance of finding a "good" man, mathematicians have found. A new study shows that refusing to sleep with a partner on the first date could be one of the keys to making a successful … [Read more...]

Women's mental health hit by recessionReported May 02, 2009 WASHINGTON -- A majority of U.S. women polled indicate the sagging economy has negatively affected their mental health, a survey indicates. A survey by the American Psychiatric Association examines the impact of the economic crisis on the mental well-being of women nationally and in Clinton County, Ohio, where air … [Read more...]

Australia Tests 89 for Swine Flu, Raises SurveillanceReported April 29, 2009 April 29 (Bloomberg) -- Australia is testing 89 people for swine flu and the government has increased surveillance, detention and disinfection powers to combat any outbreak, Health Minister Nicola Roxon said. Some 89 passengers showing flu symptoms have been detained through airport medical checks … [Read more...]