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Global food crisis and transport policy are linked

The world's food crisis will not be solved until there is greater recognition that transport policy is inextricably linked to food policy, according to an article in today's Lancet.

21 May 2008

When it comes to your teeth smoothies are roughies

Dentists are warning about the dangers of the currently popular fruit 'smoothies' and say they could lead to widespread tooth damage.

21 May 2008

Study debunks myths about teens and oral sex

According to a study which looked at teenage sexual practices, contrary to widespread belief, teenagers do not commonly engage in oral sex as a way of preserving their virginity.

21 May 2008

New program promises to solve puzzling medical cases

A new research program in the U.S. promises to provide some answers for people suffering from mysterious diseases that have defied diagnosis.

21 May 2008

Elderly sick with worry about money

According to a new annual report from the UK, poverty and loneliness are endemic among pensioners and 1 in every 4 are so worried about the future that it is making them ill.

21 May 2008

New clinical research and imaging centre for Bristol

The University and United Bristol Healthcare Trust (UBHT) are joining forces to establish a new state-of-the-art Clinical Research and Imaging Centre (CRIC) at St Michael's Hospital on St Michael's Hill

21 May 2008

Elderly too often malnourished and unnoticed in hospital

New research has revealed the shocking plight of some of Australia's most vulnerable citizens.

21 May 2008

Sleep deprived brain not to be trusted

Scientists are warning that sleep derivation affects how well the brain performs - they say any reliance on a sleep deprived-brain to perform well is potentially dangerous

21 May 2008

Patriarch Edward Kennedy stricken with malignant brain tumour

The tragic history of the men in the legendary Kennedy family in the U.S. continues with the news this week that the Democratic patriarch Senator Edward Kennedy is suffering from a malignant brain tumour.

21 May 2008

Michael Parkinson becomes a 'dignity' ambassador for the elderly

An initiative by the British Government to encourage more respect for older people in care has been given added impact by the recruitment of TV talk show host Sir Michael Parkinson as a "dignity ambassador".

21 May 2008

Glycemic stability may be important key to recovery from critical illness

Widely varying blood glucose levels may pose as great a threat, or possibly a greater threat, to critically ill patients as high, but steady, glycemic levels, according to researchers in Saudi Arabia, who will present their findings at the American Thoracic Society's 2008 International Conference in Toronto on Tuesday, May 20.

21 May 2008

Old age is the new middle age - Health Secretary Alan Johnson says

Health Secretary Alan Johnson today called on the NHS to rise to the challenge of providing more and better preventative care for older people.

21 May 2008

Boost for cancer research in Leicestershire

A new approach to pain relief, investigation of a gene that triggers colorectal cancer and the prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer are three research projects at the University of Leicester, which are to benefit from funding from the Leicestershire and Rutland charity Hope Against Cancer.

21 May 2008

Teenage blood donors have greater risk of donation-related complications

Sixteen- and 17-year olds who donate blood are significantly more likely to experience donation-related complications such as fainting and bruising than older blood donors, according to a study in the May 21 issue of JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association.

21 May 2008

Babies born preterm more than twice as likely to have major birth defects as full-term infants

Preterm birth, live birth before 37 completed weeks gestation, is a growing national health crisis, according to the March of Dimes. More than a half million babies are born too soon each year, and the rate continues to rise. Birth defects and preterm birth are the leading causes of infant death.

21 May 2008

Discovery of a molecular scaffold that guides connections between brain cells

Brain cells known as neurons process information by joining into complex networks, transmitting signals to each other across junctions called synapses. But "neurons don't just connect to other neurons," emphasizes Z. Josh Huang, Ph.D., "in a lot of cases, they connect to very specific partners, at particular spots."

21 May 2008

Researchers map iron transport protein - may help people suffering from blood iron disorders

Montana State University scientists in the Department of Chemistry and Bio-chemistry published new research this week that could one day affect the lives of millions around the world who suffer from blood iron disorders.

21 May 2008

Having a cat may protect children from developing asthma

A study released by researchers at the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health (CCCEH) at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, shows that cat ownership may have a protective effect against the development of asthma symptoms in young children at age five.

20 May 2008

New blood test reveals risk for metabolic syndrome

University of Minnesota researchers have discovered that people with high oxidation levels of the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particle that carries cholesterol throughout the blood are much more likely to develop metabolic syndrome - which can lead to a considerably increased risk of developing heart disease.

20 May 2008

Noninvasive ventilation eases final hours, days for lung cancer patients

For patients with end-stage lung cancer, noninvasive ventilation (NIV) may be more effective at reducing breathing difficulty than standard oxygen therapy, and has the added advantage of reducing patients' reliance on morphine, thus improving lucidity in their final days, according to research presented at the American Thoracic Society's 2008 International Conference in Toronto on Tuesday, May 20.

20 May 2008