An old-fashioned breathing and relaxation technique could help those with asthma, research suggests. In a trial of 85 people with mild asthma, the symptoms of those using the Papworth method alongside drugs were significantly eased, Thorax reports. The 1960s technique involves focusing on the diaphragm while breathing, and emphasises breathing through the nose, accompanied by relaxation training.
HRT may protect brain against effects of ageing
(Jun 26, 2007)
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may protect the brain cells of post-menopausal women from memory loss and other effects of ageing – if it is given early enough, a study in primates suggests. John Morrison at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, and colleagues gave injections of the hormone oestrogen to rhesus macaques – which have a menstrual cycle and menopause similar to humans.
Taking the herbal remedy echinacea can more than halve the risk of catching a common cold, US researchers say. They found it decreased the odds of developing a cold by 58% and the duration of colds by a day-and-a-half. The results in The Lancet Infectious Diseases conflict with other studies that show no beneficial effect.
Diabetes patients may soon be able to take a pill to control their condition instead of repeated injections. UK company Diabetology, with experts at Cardiff University, says it has solved a crucial problem with oral insulin. The capsule's special coating protects the drug from acids in the stomach, allowing it to pass into the small intestine where it is absorbed.
The child raised as the eldest in a family is likely to have a higher IQ than his or her siblings, work reveals. A Norwegian team found first born children and those who had lost elder siblings and had hence become the eldest, scored higher on intelligence. The link, reported in Science, was found by looking at more than 250,000 male Norwegian conscripts.
Rose-hips could offer a cheap and effective way of treating debilitating rheumatoid arthritis, research from Germany and Denmark has suggested. Seventy-four sufferers, mostly females, took part in the six-month trial. Just under half took the rose-hip remedy LitoZin while the others took a placebo. Both groups continued to take their usual medication.
Tiny, involuntary movements made by our eyes when we focus on something could be more useful than we might think, scientists have found. We may not be aware that our eyes are making these movements, but without them our vision fades. And scientists have now found that they could also be important in helping us to see very fine details.
Moulded connections could improve brain implants
(Jun 14, 2007)
A liquid that sets into a conducting web around brain cells might solve the problem of wiring up medical implants to nerves or the brain, US researchers say. Connecting electrodes to the nervous system is difficult because the tissue becomes inflamed when in contact with metal. This creates a layer of electrically insulating scar tissue that makes it harder to send or receive signals.
It may make the stomach turn, but scientists in Norway suggest that taking a spoonful of cod liver oil each day could stave off depression. In a study of almost 22,000 people aged over 40, those who regularly took the oil were less likely to suffer depression than those who did not. The study in the Journal of Affective Disorders also suggested the longer one took it, the less depressed one became.
A new generation of drugs could revolutionise treatment for people with rheumatoid arthritis, experts believe. Austrian researchers said trials show MabThera, Tocilizumab and Orencia slowed progression of the disease and reduced symptoms, the Lancet reported. They work by targeting the immune system, but have side effects, the Medical University of Vienna said.
A major advance in understanding the genetics behind several of the world's most common diseases has been reported. The landmark Wellcome Trust study analysed DNA from the blood of 17,000 people to find genetic differences. They found new genetic variants for depression, Crohn's disease, coronary heart disease, hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 and 2 diabetes.
Scientists working in Germany and the US say they have found a "fidget" molecule and if you have it in your genes you are less likely to be fat. Mice with the molecule are more likely to be primed athletic beasts, while those without laze around getting fat. It is the second time in recent months scientists have claimed to have located genetic material linked to body weight.
Low levels of testosterone may increase the risk of death in men over the age of 50, US research suggests. A study of 800 men over 50 found that those with low levels had a 33% increased risk of death over an 18-year period than those with higher levels. At a Toronto meeting of The Endocrine Society, researchers said they did not recommend taking supplements. Experts warn there could be side effects and say men should keep active to help maintain testosterone levels.
Exercising after meals can help promote weight loss by boosting hormones that suppress appetite, say UK scientists. Thanks to these hormones, active people feel less hungry immediately after exercise, and this carries through to their next meal, experiments suggest. Even when their meals were bigger, sporty people gained fewer calories overall because they burned off more.
Scientists are working on ways to cut the risk of blood clots following treatment to unblock clogged arteries. Stents, which are tiny tubes used to hold open the diseased blood vessels of heart patients, can themselves become blocked following treatment. A team from Germany reports success in The Lancet with a new biodegradable prototype. And an Irish team is to begin testing a new coating for stents.
Adding folic acid to their diet can cut a person's stroke risk by a fifth, cumulative evidence suggests. Food advisors have already recommended to ministers that the vitamin should be added to flour or bread. This is to benefit pregnant women and those trying to conceive, by protecting the unborn child against birth defects.
Caution: Some soft drinks may seriously harm your health
(May 27, 2007)
A new health scare erupted over soft drinks last night amid evidence they may cause serious cell damage. Research from a British university suggests a common preservative found in drinks such as Fanta and Pepsi Max has the ability to switch off vital parts of DNA. The problem – more usually associated with ageing and alcohol abuse – can eventually lead to cirrhosis of the liver and degenerative diseases such as Parkinson's.
Scientists have identified four more genes that increase breast cancer risk. Cancer Research UK scientists led an international team of experts in the world's first large-scale "whole genome search" for breast cancer genes. They sifted through the DNA of nearly 50,000 women, half of them breast cancer patients and half healthy. It is hoped their discovery, published in Nature journal, will lead to more genes being identified, and better testing to identify women most at risk.
A twice-weekly trip to the gym may not just give you stronger muscles – it may give you younger muscles as well. Research on over-65s has shown that regular resistance training appears to reverse signs of ageing in the muscles. Analysis of muscle tissue showed the molecular machinery powering muscle cells became as active as that in 20-year olds after exercise.
A cream containing vitamin A managed to reduce wrinkles significantly in elderly people, scientists report. Not only did the cream make skin appear more youthful, tissue samples from 23 people revealed it boosted levels of important skin repair chemicals. Michigan University Medical School experts described their findings in the journal Archives of Dermatology.
Hair loss in humans might not be irreversible, suggest scientists who have helped create new hair cells on the skin of mice. It was thought hair follicles, once damaged, could never be replaced. But a University of Pennsylvania team, writing in the journal Nature, says hair growth can actually be encouraged using a single gene.
Eating a Mediterranean diet halves the risk of serious lung disease like emphysema and bronchitis, a study says. Grouped under the umbrella term chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), they are expected to become the world's third leading cause of death by 2020. French researchers tracked almost 43,000 men for 12 years. The Thorax study suggests the key could be that the Mediterranean diet is rich in anti-oxidants, which reduce the risk of tissue inflammation.
The mystery of how eating less boosts longevity is closer to being solved. Studies have shown that severe calorie restriction markedly extends lifespan in mice and many other species – but the reasons for this remained elusive. But now US research on nematode worms, published in Nature, has uncovered a gene linked to this unusual effect.
