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New Test to Predict Success of Stem Cell Transplants in Leukemia

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A study by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai could reveal which patients will respond to treatment for graft versus host disease (GVHD), an often life-threatening complication of stem cell transplants (SCT) used to treat leukemia and other blood disorders. Patients with fatal blood cancers like leukemia often require allogenic SCT for survival. Donor stem cells are transplanted to a recipient, but not without the risk of developing GVHD, a major ...

New Genetic Anomalies Discovered in Lung Cancer

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Patients whose tumors contained a large number of gene fusions had worse outcomes than patients with fewer gene fusions, according to researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center who analyzed the DNA and RNA of lung cancers. Gene fusions are a type of genetic anomaly found in cancers that occurs when genes get rearranged and fuse together. Researchers also identified several new genetic anomalies that occur in lung cancer, including in patients with ...

Health Care Sector Faces 17 Percent Cut in the Budget

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The finance ministry has indicated a cut of 17 per cent in the revised estimates for the health care sector. The MoF has reduced the budget of various ministries to the tune of one lakh crore. Apparently, the MoF took the decision in view of the fiscal deficit. Sources in the ministry pointed out several social sector ministries were also facing a cut in their budget. The health ministry officials are disappointed, however, this is not the first time ...

Christmas Feast, It's always Grand with Cake and Wine

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Christmas is celebrated as a religious and cultural festival by billions of people around the world.

'Right Motivation' Required for Obese Teens to Lose Weight

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Overweight teens lose weight easily if they are motivated in the right way, reveals a new study. Chad Jensen, a psychologist at Brigham Young University, which conducted the study, said that parents should help to focus their teen on healthy behaviors for the sake of being healthy more than for social acceptance. Researcher found that more than 60 percent of obese or overweight teens described their health as the primary motive, and 43 percent explained ...

Less Popular Persons on Facebook Raise More Money for Charity

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People with fewer friends on Facebook raise more money for charity than those with lots of connections, reveals a new study. The study by an economist at the University of Warwick found a negative correlation between the size of a group and the amount of money given by each donor - with the average contribution by each person dropping by two pence for every extra connection someone had on Facebook. According to the researcher, the phenomenon of 'free-riding' ...

Diverse Gene Mutation Linked to Differences in Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder

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Autism researchers at Columbia University Medical Center have identified hundreds of genes that, when mutated, likely increase the risk of developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The variability among people with ASD is thought to stem from the diversity of underlying genetic changes, including the specific genes mutated and the severity of the mutation. Senior author Dennis Vitkup, PhD said, "If we can understand how different mutations lead to different features ...

Stress Relief With Rewarding Guilty Pleasures Not Really Satisfying

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Indulging in guilty pleasures due to stress may not be as satisfying as the same treat taken just for pleasure without stress, found a new study. Lead author Eva Pool, MS, a doctoral student at the University of Geneva said that most people experience stress that increases craving for rewarding experiences, such as eating a tasty bar of chocolate, and though it could make one invest considerable effort in obtaining the object of our desire, it does not necessarily ...

Resveratrol in Red Wine Mimics Tyrosine for Its Anti-aging Effect

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The magical effect of the compound, resveratrol in red wine has proved to protect cells against damage from aging. These findings may be good news for red wine drinkers. Resveratrol is an organic compound found in dark grapes used to make red wine. Previous studies have shown it can extend life in obese mice. The effects of this chemical on human health have been disputed over the years, but it has been reported to extend lifespan, provide cardiovascular, ...

Threat of Terrorism can Elevate Resting Heart Rates

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Long term exposure to the threat of terrorism can elevate people's resting heart rates and increase their risk of dying, according to analysts at Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Israel has been subjected to the repeated stress of multiple wars and terror attacks over the past 60 years which has had a major impact on the entire society. 17,000 healthy Israelis were part of the study and were examined for factors affecting their basal (resting) heart rates. Researchers ...

Gold Nanorods Found to Reduce Cervical Cancer Cell Growth

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For the first time, it has been proved that gold nanorods can effectively stop the growth of cervical cancer cells by the researchers at the Swinburne University of Technology, Australia. The well-known HeLa cell lines were used in the laboratory study of attaching the nanorods to their cell receptors. The gold nanorods, with growth factors attached to their tips,stopthe clustering of the cell receptors and stop the progress of cell growth. The reason why ...

Winter Care Tips For Pets

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Winter is a time when mercury drops and the chill in air becomes unbearable. It is time to protect our four legged pets. Here are some tips to follow. Keep pets protected: Pets are very sensitive to cold weather. It is best to keep them indoors with your family. Never expose them to cold breeze. Some dogs like being outdoors. For those, you can provide a draft-free shelter that is big enough to allow the dog to sit and lie down. Cats Need ...

Prosthetic Arms Come to the Rescue for Amputees

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A double-amputee, with arms missing at shoulder level, received two prostheses. It is the world's first and he is able to control the arms with impulses with from his mind and manipulate different joints to control a total of 30 degrees of motion. Prosthesis is a device designed to replace a missing part of the body or to make a part of the body to work better. Prosthetic devices commonly replace diseased or missing eyes, arms, hands, legs, or joints. in ...

Obama Administration Will Investigate Insurers to Check Bias Against People With Costly Chronic Conditions

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The Obama administration will investigate prescription drug coverage and other benefits offered by health insurance companies to check any discrimination against people with AIDS, mental illness, diabetes or other costly chronic conditions. The administration had come know that some insurers discouraged people from enrolling due to age or medical conditions. The administration officials said that a health plan could be engaging in unlawful discrimination if its list ...

Biological Process Trigerred by Light, Heat, and Electricity

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Researchers are using disguised biomaterials containing peptide signaling molecules to be injected into living animals. The research represents the first time biological signals presented on biomaterials have been activated by light through the skin of a living animal, and could provide a broader platform technology for launching and controlling biological processes in living animals. "Many biological processes involve complex cascades of reactions in ...

New Hair Growth System: iGrow Available Over-the-counter

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US Food and Drug Administration has given clearance for iGrow, a new, innovative hair growth system over-the-counter. This system not only helps men with Androgenetic Alopecia to regrow lost hair but also aids hair growth in women. The equipment has undergone a decade of research and development. A team of doctors, scientists and medical engineers have taken the initiative to develop something of this type. The Low-Level Laser Technology invigorates cells inside the low-production ...

Worst 'Coral Bleaching' in 20 Years

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The worst coral bleaching ever set to happen in 20 years is expected to be recorded in the Pacific soon, state the researchers. Now, more than 16 years later, global warming appears to be doing what it used to require a super El Nino to do, push ocean temperatures so high across the Pacific Ocean that it sets off a major coral bleaching event, the Mashable reported. In 1998, one of the most powerful El Nino events on record sent Pacific Ocean temperatures ...

Use of Smartphones Changes Our Brains

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Use of a Smartphone shapes the part of the brain that controls our finger movement in a similar way as learning to play violin, reveals a new study. Arko Ghosh from the Institute of Neuroinformatics of the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich decided to investigate the impact that the finger dexterity of Smartphone users has on the brain and discovered that the day-to-day plasticity of the human brain could be researched based on our Smartphone usage. The ...

Jesus Not Born in Manger, Claims Scholar

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The entire story of Jesus being born in a stable may be based on a misreading of the New Testament, claims an evangelical scholar, adding that he was not, in fact, born there. Rev Ian Paul recently took to his blog claiming that Jesus wasn't born in a stable, and, curiously, the New Testament hardly even hints that this might have been the case, the Guardian reported. Paul, who is a theologian and former Dean of Studies at St John's theological ...

Father Christmas Would Have Been Laid to Rest in Essex 450 Years Ago

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Evidence hinting that Father Christmas died on May 30, 1564, and was buried in Essex, have been found. He was laid to rest in a churchyard in the village of Dedham, Essex, Daily Express reported. An entry in the parish record for that month, reads: "The 30th Day, Father Christmas was buried." A spokesperson for Essex Records Office confirmed it was no joke and that careful research had uncovered a whole host of Christmas family members living in Essex. ...

Reports Showing India's Declined Birth Rate

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A new study shows that India's birth rate has considerably declined in the last two decades due in part to rising female literacy. However, experts have warned against complacency in the country of 1.2 billion. According to the official figures released on Monday, the Total Fertility Rate, which is the number of children an average woman will have in her lifetime, based on current trends has fallen to just 2.3 last year from 3.6 in 1991. The report ...

DNA Mutations can be Traced

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Researchers have developed a new technique to find out which DNA mutations cause disease. A Canadian research team at the University of Toronto led by professor Brendan Frey has developed the first method for 'ranking' genetic mutations based on how living cells 'read' DNA, revealing how likely any given alteration is to cause disease. They used their method to discover unexpected genetic determinants of autism, hereditary cancers and spinal muscular ...

Using Multivitamins During Pregnancy Lead to Healthier Babies in South Asia

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Taking daily dose of multivitamins during pregnancy results in longer pregnancies and bigger and healthier babies, found a new study. According to the large randomized trial conducted by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, supplements containing 15 vitamins and minerals given daily to pregnant women in rural Bangladesh reduced pre-term births, increased infant birth weight and resulted in healthier babies overall. The findings, suggest that ...

Decades-old Ban on Gay Men Donating Blood Finally Removed by the FDA

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Taking a major stride towards ending what many had viewed as a national policy supporting discrimination, the Food and Drug Administration, on Tuesday, announced that the decades-old law prohibiting blood donation by gay and bisexual men would be scraped. However, a move that frustrated the rights groups that were pushing for the ban to be removed utterly was the agencies decision to continue to ban those men who have had had sex with a man in the last year, saying that ...

Deeper or Longer Duration Cooling Did Not Reduce Risk of NICU Death

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Receiving deeper or longer duration cooling did not reduce risk of neonatal intensive care unit death when compared to usual care, among full-term newborns with moderate or severe hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, according to scientists at the Wayne State University, Detroit. Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy i.e. damage to cells in the central nervous system from inadequate oxygen, is an important cause of childhood neuro-developmental deficits among infants born at full-term. ...

Homosexual Males can Donate Blood After a Year of Abstinence

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The US Food and Drug Administration has reviewed its blood donor policy for homosexual males and will now allow them to donate blood after a year of abstaining from sexual activity. Opponents of the ban say that this restriction is outdated and dates to a time when the AIDS epidemic was spreading quickly in the gay community, sparking widespread fear about the deadly infection, which was then poorly understood. It also stigmatizes homosexuals. Medical and legal experts ...

5 Food Safety Mistakes in the Kitchen

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A study was done to check food safety measures commonly practised at home by video recording food preparations. FT Spokesperson and food safety expert, Christine Bruhn, PhD, CFS, Former Director of the Center for Consumer Research, University of California, Davis and her team videotaped 120 consumers as they prepared a chicken and a salad in their home. They found that while many felt confident about their food safety skills, many were making critical ...

Reduce Tummy Fat: Take Weight Training

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Adding weight training to daily exercise regime helps reduce tummy fat. Particularly, age related belly fat and weight gaining can be avoided by combining aerobic activities to resistance or weight training. This can help in preserving the muscles. "Because aging is associated with sarcopenia, the loss of skeletal muscle mass, relying on body weight alone is insufficient for the study of healthy aging," said study author Rania Mekary, a researcher at Harvard's ...

Hair Growth Activation

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A deeper understanding of how to activate hair re-growth using skin cells has been provided by a new study. A group from the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) has discovered an unexpected link between the body's defense system and skin regeneration. It turns out that macrophages are involved. These are cells from the immune system that are in charge of devouring invading pathogens, a process called phagocytosis. The authors ...

Vaccinating for Flu is Necessary

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Getting a flu vaccine has never been easier and more convenient as there is more concern to control flu. The flu vaccine, which can be administered by syringe or by a nasal mist spray, can be obtained at a doctor's office, or at almost any grocery store or drugstore in the area. Many parents opt to not have their children immunized despite the scientific facts that show a direct correlation between getting the flu vaccine and a decline in the spreading of the ...

Ebola Laws and Their First Conviction

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The first person to be jailed under laws aimed at preventing the spread of the Ebola virus is a village chief, in Sierra Leone, court officials and lawyers said. Amadu Kargbo was sentenced to six months in jail by a court in the southwestern city of Moyamba for secretly burying the dead and failing to report a sick patient, court official Foday Fofanah told AFP. He was also fined one million leones ( (Dollar) 235) and ordered to spend 21 days in quarantine before ...

Breast Reconstruction Surgery: Keep Away The Myths

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A fresh review tells us that cancer survivors are hesitant in getting a breast reconstruction. Misconceptions and myths are keeping them at bay. The study's author suggests we may need more awareness on this front. The surgery can improve their lifestyle standards. On reviewing previous studies of breast reconstruction, Schneider and co-author Dr. Babak understood that less than 40 percent of women who have undergone mastectomy for cancer undergo a breast reconstruction ...

Two Doctors Get Suspended for Ridiculous Use of Cycle Pump in Surgery

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The nation was shocked when more than three weeks ago, a cycle pump was used to inflate the abdomen of 58 women during sterilization surgery at a camp in Angul district. In a swift action, the state government has suspended two doctors on Tuesday. The district Collector Sachin Ramachandra Jadhav said additional district medical officer (family welfare) Shankar Lal Agarwal and Banarpal community health centre in-charge Deepak Patnaik have been suspended. Mr. ...

FDA Officials Open to Complaints from Consumers

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The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, covers various aspects of adulteration and categorises them into various segments. The Act came into effect on August 5, 2011 and focuses on safe food, food not of the nature or substance or quality demanded, extraneous but harmless matter, misbranded items and unsafe for consumption. An adulterant is a substance that is not permitted within other substances like food, beverages, fuels, for legal or other reasons. ...

UN Must Learn Lessons from Ebola Crisis and Prepare for the Next Outbreak of Deadly Disease

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After returning from a visit to Ebola-hit countries, the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that the UN must learn lessons from the Ebola crisis and begin preparing now for the next outbreak of deadly disease. Ban has also called for scaling up the recovery efforts in West Africa to rebuild shattered economies, get children back to school and begin caring for Ebola orphans. He also cited the need to trace the virus in remote areas of West Africa and looking ...