The Benefits of Garlic

Garlic is one of the most powerful foods on the planet, known for its pungent aroma, its strong taste and its healing power. The plant we know as garlic has been cultivated for more than 5000 years, and garlic has long played a role in natural healing and traditional medicine.
Garlic is thought to play a role in providing natural protection against some forms of cancer, and the compounds in this herb continue to be studied as possible cancer treatments. It is thought that many of the compounds found in garlic have the ability to neutralize many cancer causing compounds, and that the compounds found in garlic may even be able to slow the growth of tumors.
In particular, many of the sulfur compounds found in garlic are thought to be of particular value, and choosing the most fragrant and aromatic cloves of garlic at the supermarket is one of the best ways to ensure a strong sulfur content. Many shoppers feel that organically grown garlic contains a higher sulfur concentration than its non-organic competition, thereby providing a greater healing power.
While garlic is certainly a safe food, some people are sensitive to the herb, and excessive consumption of garlic may result in short term digestive issues. For those unaccustomed to cooking with garlic, the best advice is to start out slowly and increase the amounts gradually.
It is also important to realize that garlic acts as a natural blood thinner, so those scheduled for surgery should cut back on their garlic consumption in the days and weeks prior to any scheduled surgical procedures.
Garlic is available in many forms, including natural cloves, garlic powder and garlic paste. In addition, garlic supplements are available in convenient pill form, offering all the benefits of garlic, with none of the unpleasant aroma. Garlic supplements are widely available in health food stores, grocery stores and on the internet.

Men's Fashion Tips: Develop Your Own Individual Style

Men’s fashion and style interest men more today than ever as they realize that looking good is an asset in every aspect of their lives: business, personal, or social.
The fact is that a well-groomed man will get a second look. Your personality may be great, but first impressions count.
If you are serious about making the right impression, you need to check out men’s fashion and adapt it to your own personalized style.

Get a stylish look you’re comfortable with
Some men feel confident enough to do this for themselves; for those who are less confident an image consultant can be employed to give help and advice.

Fashion and style
In today's world, to stay one step ahead, it's important to look your best. That means developing your own sense of style and this does not simply mean following fashions and trends. There is a big difference between being stylish and just following the latest men’s fashion trends for the sake of them. A fashion victim is someone who wants to follow all the latest men’s fashion trends regardless of whether they suit his body shape, looks, or age.
Looking your best does require a certain amount of effort, but ultimately, your clothes have to fit right and suit your style, image, and personality. Keep in mind, it's not about the clothes you wear it's about how you wear them.
The most important aspect of developing your own style is remaining true to yourself. Just because something looks great on a model doesn't necessarily mean it's for you! There are enough styles out there so that everyone can be comfortable finding his own

Be yourself
Wear what you think looks good, not what others believe is trendy.
You should always feel comfortable with what you're wearing, so stick to items that suit your personality and style, while keeping the occasion and setting in mind. David Beckham may be able to get away with wearing a sarong but this probably is not the best look for you! The key to men’s fashion is always to match it to your personality, age, and personal features.

Don’t overdo it
Don’t try and make so much of an effort to look fashionable that you end up overdoing it.
By all means buy fashionable pieces if they suit you. Mix and match them with the basics in your wardrobe. But you don't have to wear every single trendy item you own all at once.

Maintain balance

Keep a good balance of basic and fashionable clothes in your wardrobe.
As a rule of thumb, not more than half of your wardrobe should consist of trendy clothes, or worse, clothes that are out of style.

Don't be a slave to the media and brands
Don't base your look solely on what you see in magazines and on TV. Celebrities and models often overdo trends for attention and media exposure, and their look will not necessarily work well in the real world or for you.
Finally, don’t be influenced by brand names. Just because a brand has a great reputation doesn’t mean it will look good on you.

Health and Beauty Tips

Healthy Eating: Eating for Life
Eating correctly is essential, and no matter how old we get, many of us still don’t know what we should be eating.




High Blood Pressure Linked to Impatience
After following more than 3,000 men and women for 15 years, researchers found that impatient people are two to three times.



Anti-Aging Skin Care
The aging of your skin may be inevitable. But why rush it? There are ways to aslow down sagging nd wrinkles.




Benefits of Body Massage
What is a Body Massage?
The holistic application of physical touch to affect the systems of the body.




Body Fat and Age
With each decade above age 25, the body loses about 4% of its metabolically active cells, says Dr. Brian J. Sharkey in his book Fitness and Health.




The Importance of a Good Breakfast
Since 1962, researchers at the Human Population Laboratory of the California Department of Health had studied the relationship of health to various behaviors or habits.




Fashion Tips for Women
With so many designers and trends targeting the svelte body of the twenty-something, is it possible to look fashionable as the years.




How You Can Get Flawless Skin
Everybody wants flawless skin. The good news is you don't have to go to extremes to achieve it. We show you how…




First Aid for Bone Injuries
There are, broadly speaking, two types of bone injuries that concern a first-aider. The one is a fracture, the other a dislocation.





First Aid for Heart Problems
The heart is a muscular pump. Each heartbeat is the result of an electrical stimulation that originates from within the heart.




Men's Fashion Tips: Develop Your Own Individual Style
Men’s fashion and style interest men more today than ever as they realize that looking good is an asset in every aspect of their lives: business, personal, or social.





The Benefits of Garlic
Garlic is one of the most powerful foods on the planet, known for its pungent aroma, its strong taste and its healing power.



Rote Learning Improves Memory in Seniors
A new study offers older adults a simple way to combat memory loss: memorization.

First Aid for Heart Problems

The heart is a muscular pump. Each heartbeat is the result of an electrical stimulation that originates from within the heart. The most common cause of heart disease is a reduction in the amount of oxygen-carrying blood reaching the heart. This is mainly due to a narrowing of an artery or arteries.
ANGINA
Angina is a cramp-like pain caused by a reduction in oxygen reaching the heart. It is usually brought on by exercise or excitement. For a relatively large number of people, angina is an ongoing problem that has a familiar pattern. Casualties usually respond well to rest and medication.You may notice:
Crushing chest pain.
Pain may spread to the jaw, arms and hands.
A feeling of weakness.
Shortness of breath.
A tightening sensation in the jaw, arms and hands.
A sensation of heaviness in the arms. Treatment:
Sit the casualty down on the spot.
Assist the casualty to take his medication.
Allow the casualty to rest until he has completely recovered. When to call an ambulance:
This is the casualty's first angina.
The pain is more severe and extensive than the casualty normally experiences.
The pain does not respond to the casualty's medication.
The pain starts when the casualty is resting.
HEART ATTACK
Heart attacks usually occur because a part of the heart is suddenly starved of oxygen. It is usually due to a blood clot blocking an artery.You may notice:
Central chest pain, often described as a tight band around the chest, or intense pain under the breastbone.
Abdominal discomfort, often mistaken as indigestion.
Breathlessness.
Pale, cold and clammy skin.
Faintness or dizziness.
Rapid, weak pulse that's often irregular. Treatment:
Treat the casualty immediately.
Make the casualty comfortable in a semi-sitting position; ensure good support.
Dial emergency services.
Never leave the casualty unattended and always be ready to start resuscitation.
If the casualty has no objections and isn't allergic, give him an aspirin tablet to CHEW.
Constantly be aware of the casualty's overall condition, particularly if he seems to 'doze off'. Very often, collapse into cardiac arrest is sudden and unremarkable.

First Aid for Bone Injuries

There are, broadly speaking, two types of bone injuries that concern a first-aider. The one is a fracture, the other a dislocation.
When a bone injury occurs, it is not just the bone that is affected; the surrounding tissue and their functions are also affected.

FRACTURES

A fracture is a break or crack in a bone. Adult bones require considerable force to break, but children's bones are more flexible and supple. These young bones sometimes split instead of breaking. This is called a greenstick fracture.
The elderly's bones aren't as resilient as they used to be and are prone to breaking more easily. The elderly usually break the head of the femur (the upper leg bone) where it connects with the hip.
A fracture where the bone protrudes through the skin is called an open fracture. A fracture without a surface wound is a closed fracture.
Fractures are caused by either direct or indirect force. Direct force is a blow that affects the bone under its impact, causing it to break. Indirect force is when the impact caused a fracture at a distant point, e.g. a twisting action in the ankle breaks a bone in the lower leg or, by falling on outstretched arms you break the collar bone.
Priorities:
If the casualty is unconscious, ensure that the casualty's airway is open, that the casualty is breathing and that there is a carotid pulse.
Control bleeding, but do not apply direct pressure. Press firmly next to the fracture, this is called indirect pressure. Never touch the bone, because this could lead to severe infection.
Immobilize the fracture.
You will notice:
Discomfort around the fracture.
You may notice:
Swelling and bruising.
Pain.
Shortening of the affected limb.
Unusual shape to the affected area.
A grating sound if the bone ends move.
Difficulty and discomfort in movement.
With fractures of the small bones in the hands and feet, there may be normal movement accompanied by severe discomfort, but little visible signs of injury.
Note:
With fractures of bones that protect the body's organs (skull, ribs, pelvis etc.) always suspect underlying organ injuries.
DISLOCATIONS
Following a strong wrenching force or a violent contraction of muscles, it is possible for a bone to become displaced at a joint. It most commonly happens at the shoulder, finger, thumb and jaw.
You will notice:
Swelling.
Discomfort.
You may notice:
Pain.
An unusual shape to the affected joint.
Bruising. Treatment:
Do not try to force the dislocated part back in its socket.
Put a cold compress on the affected area.
Seek medical attention. FRACTURES
A fracture is a break or crack in a bone. Adult bones require considerable force to break, but children's bones are more flexible and supple. These young bones sometimes split instead of breaking. This is called a greenstick fracture.
The elderly's bones aren't as resilient as they used to be and are prone to breaking more easily. The elderly usually break the head of the femur (the upper leg bone) where it connects with the hip.
A fracture where the bone protrudes through the skin is called an open fracture. A fracture without a surface wound is a closed fracture.
Fractures are caused by either direct or indirect force. Direct force is a blow that affects the bone under its impact, causing it to break. Indirect force is when the impact caused a fracture at a distant point, e.g. a twisting action in the ankle breaks a bone in the lower leg or, by falling on outstretched arms you break the collar bone.
Priorities:
If the casualty is unconscious, ensure that the casualty's airway is open, that the casualty is breathing and that there is a carotid pulse.
Control bleeding, but do not apply direct pressure. Press firmly next to the fracture, this is called indirect pressure. Never touch the bone, because this could lead to severe infection.
Immobilize the fracture.
You will notice:
Discomfort around the fracture.
You may notice:
Swelling and bruising.
Pain.
Shortening of the affected limb.
Unusual shape to the affected area.
A grating sound if the bone ends move.
Difficulty and discomfort in movement.
With fractures of the small bones in the hands and feet, there may be normal movement accompanied by severe discomfort, but little visible signs of injury.
Note:
With fractures of bones that protect the body's organs (skull, ribs, pelvis etc.) always suspect underlying organ injuries.
DISLOCATIONS
Following a strong wrenching force or a violent contraction of muscles, it is possible for a bone to become displaced at a joint. It most commonly happens at the shoulder, finger, thumb and jaw.
You will notice:
Swelling.
Discomfort.
You may notice:
Pain.
An unusual shape to the affected joint.
Bruising. Treatment:
Do not try to force the dislocated part back in its socket.
Put a cold compress on the affected area.
Seek medical attention.

How You Can Get Flawless Skin

Everybody wants flawless skin. The good news is you don't have to go to extremes to achieve it. We show you how…
Not only does clean, healthy skin make you look and feel better, but it is also an indicator that you are in good health. While there are a lot of products out there to rejuvenate, hydrate or clear the skin, nothing is as important to healthy skin as a good, clean, nutritious diet.
Unfortunately, there is no treatment for aging skin, but taking care of your skin today will no doubt help it to look better, more radiant and above all healthier. Stock up on lots of fruit and veggies and eliminate all processed foods from your diet. Fish such as salmon and haddock have been associated with good skin while nuts are great snack-sized bites that contribute to healthy, more radiant skin.
In addition to eating good, clean foods, water is essential in maintaining that healthy, glowing skin. Water helps to flush out the toxins in your body; some of these, such as acne, may appear on the face. Water also helps to hydrate the skin, making it feel and look years younger. Ideally, you should consume a minimum of eight glasses of water a day.
Another sure-fire way to get the skin looking great is to invest in a quality skincare range, ideal for your skin. Whether you have dry skin, oily skin, normal skin or combination skin, using the product that works for your skin is an absolute must. The bigger, more reputable skin companies will be able to advise you on which product is best. However, before you buy, ensure you try the product for a few days to see how your skin reacts to it. Ask your beauty consultant for a trial-sized cleanser, toner and moisturizer. If they refuse to give these to you, try another house.
In closing, if you are following a good diet and taking care of you skin, but are still not seeing the results, consult with your dermatologist for a more professional opinion.

Fashion Tips for Women

With so many designers and trends targeting the svelte body of the twenty-something, is it possible to look fashionable as the years pass and your body begins to tell the tale?
Absolutely!
In fact, with a little ingenuity and sleight-of-hand, it's easy to be fashionable and stylish regardless of how many candles are on your birthday cake.
Now let's be frank: unless you work out religiously, you probably don't have the same body at 40, 50, or 60 that you had at 25. Time, gravity, and pregnancy all take their toll on the female body, as does menopause. And when you mix a mature body with fashions obviously made for a younger person, it can lead to self-doubt, frustration, and confusion.
But it doesn't have to be that way. Getting older also means getting wiser, and like a fine bottle of wine, you're improving with age. So you don't have the same body as those twenty-somethings you see in magazines or on TV. So what? Would you REALLY trade everything you've learned since your twenties for the body you had back then? Probably no sooner than you'd like to re-live puberty, thank you very much.
So how can you be fashionable without wearing all those body-conscious clothes so en vogue these days? By remembering the “3 C's” when you dress: clean, classic, and coverage.
CLEAN
Clean lines create a clean silhouette which makes the body appear more youthful by skimming the trouble spots instead of calling attention to them. Complicated cuts, seams, and details usually call for a killer body to pull off, so if you haven't got it, steer clear of those styles.
CLASSIC
Classic styles are called classic because they remain in style year after year. Why? Because they look good on so many bodies! Sheathes, A-line skirts, flat front pants — all tend to flatter a variety of shapes. What's more, because they remain in style year after year, classics are easier on the budget than trends.
COVERAGE
Covering appropriately is the key to aging gracefully. If your upper arms, thighs, and décolletage have all seen better days, it's time to cover them up a bit instead of sharing the wear-and-tear with the world. Now I'm not talking about draping yourself in a tent for the rest of your life. Far from it. I'm talking about wearing short sleeves instead of going sleeveless, Capris instead of shorts, and modest necklines instead of plunging necklines.
Now I know that covering up the parts that used to turn heads and draw envy can be tough to take for some women. Which is precisely why beautiful jewelry and fine fabrics are the revenge tools of choice for many well-dressed mature women.
So your bustline isn't as perky as your twenty-something daughter or granddaughter. So what? Add a beautiful necklace and draw envious glances from women of all ages. Don't have the same backside you did as a teen? Encase it in a fine fabric and see how many men go out of their way to hold the door open for you. People will look where you focus their attention, so use that knowledge to redirect their interest to the parts you want them to see.
Or, as actress Cybil Shepard once said, “I like to flaunt what I have left.”
Don't flip through fashion magazines and bemoan the fact that you don't look like the models. Instead, look at the various fashion elements to determine what will and what won't work for you. Are printed scarves all the rage this year? Grab a few and be trendy. Are mini skirts the style of choice? Pass and bank your money.
See how easy this is?
“A woman has the age she deserves,” Coco Chanel once said. You don't have to go under cover and dress “like a little old lady” just because that's what your mother or grandmother did. You're your own person.
If you remember to dress in clean lines and classic styles and cover appropriately, you can still be fashionable — AND draw long, lingering glances from handsome men — whatever your age. And if THAT doesn't make you feel like a blushing girl again, then honey, nothing I can say will!

The Importance of a Good Breakfast

• Since 1962, researchers at the Human Population Laboratory of the California Department of Health had studied the relationship of health to various behaviors or habits. Health and longevity are associated with the following:

Adequate sleep (7 to 8 hours per day)
A good breakfast
Regular meals avoid snacks
Weight control
Not smoking cigarettes
Moderate alcohol consumption
Regular exercise

In the California study, individuals who ate breakfast almost every day experienced better health than those who ate breakfast only some of the time.
Furthermore, a good breakfast may be a prerequisite to good performance in work and sport, says Dr. Brian J. Sharkey in his book Fitness and Health. Breakfast often comes 12 hours after the evening meal, so you can see why it is important for energy and cellular metabolism.
A few researchers suggest that breakfast should be the largest and most important meal, and everyone agrees that it should include more than a cup of coffee and a donut.

Body Fat and Age

With each decade above age 25, the body loses about 4% of its metabolically active cells, says Dr. Brian J. Sharkey in his book Fitness and Health. "If the diet remains relatively unchanged during a 10-year period, weight will be gained, since the total energy expenditure has declined. This means that the adult should either exercise more or eat less in order to maintain a desirable weight.
"Individuals who can claim that their weight has not changed since college should be congratulated," says Dr. Sharkey. "However, they should also know that the loss of metabolically active cells with age usually means a decline in lean body weight. Therefore, the maintenance of body weight usually indicates an increase in the percentage of body fat. Body weight alone is not sufficient evidence that you are winning the battle of the bulge."

Benefits of Body Massage

What is a Body Massage?

The holistic application of physical touch to affect the systems of the body the muscular, skeletal, elimination, digestive, circulatory, respiratory, endocrine, lymphatic, emotional, mental and nervous systems is called body massage. Body massage is the manipulation of the soft tissues of the body with the hands for healing, therapeutic, pleasurable and relaxing effects. Body massage is the loving touch of the heart expressed through the hands. Professional therapeutic massage originated in China, is an age-old healing art, which can alleviate mental, physical and emotional ailments.
Let us study the healing powers of body massage.
STRESS
Body massage helps release stress and tension in our bodies by increasing oxygen flow and blood circulation in the body. Excessive unresolved tension and stress in our daily lives could cause continuous muscular tension. This type of mental tension or stress diminishes the flow of oxygen and blood to the muscles and organs causing pains and aches, feelings of fatigue, symptomatic heaviness, tightness of muscles and stiffness. This can even increase the chance of strains and injuries. Tension creates a tendency for a build up of toxins in the body, and reduces the flow of the more subtle energy or life force (Prana or Chi). Muscular stress also deforms the skeletal anatomy, which further compounds present problems and develops new ones.
OTHER BENEFITS OF BODY MASSAGE
1. Assists weight loss;

2. Improves and increases blood circulation and the flow of tissue fluid (lymph)

3. Nourishes the skin (with the right oils);4. Soothes and relaxes nerves;

5. Assists in removal of deposits of tissue;

6. Releases emotional and mental tension;

7. Creates a feeling of well-being;

8. Gives pleasure.
If you have any illness it is always advisable to inform a doctor before you go for a body massage.

Anti-Aging Skin Care

The aging of your skin may be inevitable. But why rush it? There are ways to slow down sagging and wrinkles. Using skin creams and treatments may already be a part of your daily grooming regimen. However, topical creams cannot be expected to work alone for full efficacy. The best way to start your anti-aging effort is on the inside.
First of all, are you drinking enough water? There are varying opinions about how much water an individual actually needs for good health, but the general consensus remains that you probably aren't drinking enough. If you're thirsty, your skin is thirsty too which means dryness and wrinkles. Hydrate your skin by drinking water regularly.
Drink water but avoid alcohol and soft drinks. The contents of these beverages alcohol and caffeine dehydrate skin, wreaking havoc on its structure. An acceptable alternative to water is green tea, which is low in caffeine (but enough for a pick-me-up). Green tea, as you probably already know, is loaded with antioxidants that destroy free radicals, which cause aging.
A multivitamin is always a good idea, but our bodies most easily absorb nutrients from food. Include plenty of fruits and vegetables in your diet. In addition to vitamins and minerals, you're fortifying your body with more antioxidants. Blueberries are one of nature's “super foods,” having one of the highest antioxidant values.
Exercise! Exercise helps keep us from aging by keeping weight down, working the heart, toning muscles, and getting the blood flowing (to the skin!). People who exercise look younger and feel younger. It's a most beneficial habit to get into.
People who look younger than their age repeatedly reveal one vital secret: getting enough sleep. If you aren't, find ways to work it in. Instead of sitting up in front of the television, turn it off at a reasonable time and take a book to bed. This quiet practice can lead to an easier time getting to sleep sometimes the colors and movement of the television keep our brains working even after we've begun to relax.
You may feel that you don't have the time to take care of your skin, but keep in mind: by the time you do “have time,” it will be too late. The time to protect your skin is now! Years later, you'll be thanking yourself for it and not only will you look younger, you'll feel younger too.

High Blood Pressure Linked to Impatience

After following more than 3,000 men and women for 15 years, researchers found that impatient people are two to three times more likely than their more laid-back counterparts to develop high blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease.
Noteworthy was the relatively young age (18 to 30) of the volunteers when the study began in 1985, meaning that a hurry-up attitude in your youth could lead to high blood pressure before middle age.


Amazing Facts About the Heart and Blood

1.) The heart is not really 'heart'-shaped. It is more like a squashed pear lying on its side.
2.) The heart is about the size of its owner's clenched fist.
3.) When the body is relaxed, each heartbeat in an adult pushes 75 ml of blood out into the blood vessels. So a heart would fill a bathtub in 35 minutes.
4.) If the body was as big as a large city like London or New York, its main blood vessels would be like motorways 150 metres across, and its tiniest vessels would be about the width of a pencil.
5.) If all the blood vessels in the body could be joined end to end, they would go around the world more than twice.
6.) A drop of blood as big as this letter 'o' contains 25 million red cells.
7.) Capillaries are the smallest of a body's blood vessels. A capillary is so thin that even the smallest cells in the body, blood's red cells, have to pass along them in single file.

Healthy Eating: Eating for Life

Eating correctly is essential, and no matter how old we get, many of us still don’t know what we should be eating. Generally, we all know that fast food is bad for you, but what exactly is good eating? Does it mean eating bland and boring food all the time?
Good eating means finding a balance of protein, carbs, fats and eating them in the correct proportions needed by the body in order to function at its peak. By following a healthy eating plan for life, you will never have to go on another diet ever again. You will feel energized, fit and fabulous and all it takes is a quick crash course in learning how to eat.

First of all, forget the theory that to eat healthy you must have breakfast, lunch and supper. Three big meals a day is not the path towards optimal eating. Instead, break those three meals down into six smaller meals a day. By eating smaller meals more often, you will be giving your body the nutrients it needs at a steady pace instead of forcing it to process big meals.
Once that is done, you need to learn how to fill your plate. Instead of piling it with your favorite food, rather fill it with the correct combinations of foods needed by the body. Here’s how: Take your plate and divide it up into three quarters. Fill one quarter with lean protein. This includes lean cuts of meat, chicken, fish and so on. In the second quarter add some low Glycemic carbohydrates such as brown rice, sweet potato or whole-wheat pasta and fill the last quarter of your plate with vegetables. Remember to also add in a bit of good fats such as olive oil, olives, avocado etc. Fats should make up about 10% of your total calories.
Remember to combine this eating plan with regular exercise and drink at least two liters of water a day. You will notice an improvement in your moods, your health and your physical shape.

'Enjoy'.

Autumn babies at greater risk of asthma: study

CHICAGO Babies born four months before the peak cold and flu season have a 30 percent higher risk of developing asthma, U.S. researchers said on Friday, suggesting that these common infections may trigger asthma.
"All infants are exposed to this and it is potentially preventable," said Dr. Tina Hartert, director of the center for Asthma Research at Vanderbilt University, whose study appears in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
She said it has been known for some time that infants in the

Northern Hemisphere born in the fall are at higher risk of developing asthma, but the study is the first to tie this trend to peak viral activity in the winter months.
Hartert and colleagues studied the medical records of 95,000 infants and their mothers in the state of Tennessee. They found that all babies in the study were at increased risk if they had bronchiolitis, a lung infection usually caused by respiratory syncytial virus or RSV. But autumn babies were at the highest risk. "What we were able to show was the timing of birth and the risk of developing asthma moves in time almost to the day with the peak of these viral infections each winter," she said. While genetic risk factors predispose a child to develop asthma, Hartert thinks environmental exposure such as winter viral infection, and particularly RSV infection, may activate those genes. Nearly every child is infected with RSV early in life, with infections occurring most often between the ages of 3 and 6 months. The virus usually clears up without serious complications. Hartert said the task now is to prove that preventing such infections could keep infants from developing asthma. "That is where we are now. We need to prove that preventing this infection prevents this lifelong chronic disease," she said.
The easiest way to do that would be a vaccine, but so far, none exists. Vaccine makers GenVec Inc, AstraZeneca's MedImmune unit and others are working on RSV vaccines.

European patent office restores breast cancer gene patent

PARIS The European Patent Office on Wednesday restored on appeal a controversial patent for a breast cancer gene that had been withdrawn from a US biotech firm, but granting it in a more restricted form than before.
The final decision brings an end to a 14-year court battle in Europe pitting Myriad Genetics against an ad hoc consortium of research institutes supported by national governments.
Backed by pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, Myriad obtained nine US patents in the mid-1990s on two genes -- BRCA1 and BRCA2 strongly associated with hereditary forms of breast and ovarian cancer in women.
Scientists estimate that about ten percent of breast cancers are hereditary. Women who carry the BRCA1 gene face a 10-fold increased risk of contracting the disease by age 70.
The company created different kinds of diagnostic test kits, marketing them first in United States and then in Canada.
In Europe, they were granted three patents related to the
BRCA1 gene in 2001, one covering cancer-related mutations, another different methods of testing for those mutations, and a third the gene itself.
Some European researchers worried that the patents were too broad, while public health officials objected to licensing agreements requiring that blood samples be sent back to Utah for the expensive tests.
"Governments, hospitals and researchers feared that Myriad's patents would stop research, drive up health costs and deprive women of appropriate care," said Richard Gold, a professor at McGill University in Canada and director of the Centre for Intellectual Property Policy.
Gold described the ruling Wednesday which defines the scope of the patent applying to diagnostic testing as a "partial victory" for Myriad that restores their exclusive rights, but only over half of the cancer-related mutations originally covered.
The decision handed down Wednesday said the patent only applies to diagnostics tools designed to find so-called "frame shift" mutations showing a predisposition for breast and ovarian cancer.
A frame shift mutation occur when there are too few or too many DNA building blocks, or nucleotides, in a genetic sequence, throwing off the ability of a gene to produce proteins.
"The problem in the Myriad case is not that they have a patent, but that they abused their monopoly," commented Dominique Stoppa-Lynnet, a professor of genetics at the Institut Curie in Paris who launched the legal challenge against the company in 2004.
"We would have preferred that the patent remain revoked. But the outcome is better than having the patent the way it was delivered in 2001," she told .
Messages left with Myriad headquarters in Salt Lake City requesting comment were not returned. For Gold, whose Centre has published a case study on Myriad, the patent office's decision "sends the right signal." "The court is saying 'we will grant the patent, but it is going to be narrowly related to what it is you discovered'," he said by phone.
Biotech companies first began patenting genes and genetic material in the 1980s. More than 20 percent of the 24,000 human gene patents granted since then have been in the United States.
A gene inside the human body cannot be patented. But once it is identified, removed and isolated, a company can apply for exclusive rights to exploit it for commercial purposes.

Some women unaware of risks of delaying motherhood

NEW YORK Many women may not be fully aware of the potential consequences of waiting until later in life to have a baby, a UK study suggests.
The study, of 724 women who were either pregnant or having trouble getting pregnant, found that nearly all were aware that age affects the chances of conceiving. However, they often did not know that older age increases the risk of certain pregnancy complications, and many had too much faith in the success of in-vitro fertilization.
The decision to delay childbirth is a complex and personal one, the researchers note in a report in the journal Fertility & Sterility.
The point, they say, is that women should be fully aware of all the possible benefits and risks of their decision.
"The results of this and other studies suggest that women should be provided with the appropriate information on the possible outcomes of a decision to delay motherhood," write Dr. Abha Maheshwari and colleagues at the University of Aberdeen in England.
They analyzed questionnaire responses from 362 women getting prenatal care and 362 women seeking fertility counseling at the university medical center. The researchers found that 85 percent of women with fertility problems and 76 percent of pregnant women were aware that fertility declines between the ages of 30 and 40.
Most women in both groups were also aware that pregnancy complications become more common with age. Still, fewer than half in each group knew that age increases the risk of pregnancy-related diabetes and the need for a cesarean section. Only about one-fifth of each group knew that age boosts the chances of having twins.
When it came to IVF, Maheshwari's team found that women tended to be overly optimistic about its success rates.
Only 53 percent of women with fertility problems knew that the chances of conceiving via IVF decline between the ages of 30 and 40. What's more, 85 percent of them thought that fertility treatment can "overcome the effect of age."
In reality, the researchers note, only 25 percent to 30 percent of women in their 20s and 30s give birth after IVF treatment. Among women older than 40, the success rate is closer to 10 percent.
Yet many people may not realize that IVF frequently fails, Maheshwari's team writes -- possibly because much of what they hear about IVF comes in the form of media stories on older women who have successfully conceived through fertility treatment.
"Many women are currently choosing to delay motherhood in the interests of personal and professional development," the researchers write. "Although starting a family is a personal preference, free choices cannot be made without full knowledge of their consequences."

Doctors to be on guard for meningitis in kids

WASHINGTON U.S. health officials asked doctors on Thursday to be alert for possible cases of meningitis and other illnesses in children caused by Hib bacteria amid an ongoing vaccine shortage.
Officials are most concerned about bacterial meningitis and sepsis, a bloodstream infection, caused by Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b) in children under age 5 because of the high risk of death or serious complications, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention epidemiologist Mike Jackson said.
Meningitis is the inflammation of the tissue surrounding the brain and spinal cord, and can be caused by viral or bacterial infections. Before the vaccines, Hib was the most common cause of bacterial meningitis.
Merck & Co Inc last year recalled its Hib vaccines because production equipment may not have been properly sterilized. Merck initially said the PedvaxHIB and COMVAX vaccines would return to the U.S. market late this year, but in October said they would not do so until mid-2009.
Hib vaccine made by Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi-Aventis, remains available. But because of the absence of the Merck vaccines, the CDC has asked doctors to postpone the routine Hib vaccine booster doses typically given at age 12- to 15 months until the vaccine supply improves.
Because of the Sanofi supply, Jackson said there is enough vaccine to give children the primary vaccine series -- doses at 2, 4 and 6 months of age -- but not the booster doses.
With the vaccine shortage, children who otherwise might be fully protected against Hib could be vulnerable. Jackson said the CDC wants doctors to notify local health departments if they come across cases of Hib disease in children and get a clinical specimen for confirmation of the illness.

Japanese mobiles to offer psychotherapy sessions

TOKYO A Japanese professor on Wednesday launched what he said was the world's first web-based psychotherapy sessions available via mobile phone, as the country grapples with a


growing problem of depression.
The interactive service offers cognitive therapy sessions that identify a person's level of depression by asking questions about his or her sleeping and eating habits, weight change, and emotional well-being.
Using their mobile phones which are also widely substituted in Japan as wallets, train tickets, books, and television people can easily access the service.
"I think this can be helpful for people in times of need or when they feel a little blue, as a form of daily prevention against depression," Keio University Professor Yutaka Ohno, who launched the project, told .
"For those who are already following medical treatment, it may act as a supplement," said Ohno, who spearheaded Cognitive Therapy in Japan, a type of psychotherapy first developed by American psychiatrist Aaron Beck in the 1960s.

Spain to test vaccine to treat cocaine addiction

MADRID Researchers in Spain, which has the highest rate of cocaine use in the European Union, will test a vaccine next year that they hope will help addicts break free of their addiction to the

drug, health officials said Thursday.
The vaccine will be tested on 164 people at a dozen hospitals during the first half of next year, Carmen Moya Garcia, an
epidemiologist who heads the health ministry's National Plan on Drugs, told a news conference.
It does not eliminate the craving for cocaine but will stop addicts experiencing a high when they take it.
The vaccine causes protein molecule to be attached to cocaine molecules, which stimulates the body's immune system to produce antibodies that recognize the drug and prevent it from reaching the brain, said psychiatrist Carlos Alvarz Vara.
"Patients do not feel anything when they consume the drug and become frustrated that they spent their money for nothing," he said.
The clinical trial, which was approved by the European Medical Agency, could be extended to other European countries.
Last year 22,000 Spaniards requested treatment for their addiction to cocaine from hospitals and doctors.
The treatment of cocaine addiction now mostly involves psychiatric counseling and 12-step programs.
Experts say that the typical addict is a young professional male, between the ages of 15 and 34 years old. Spain is Europe's main entry point for cocaine from South America, mostly from its former colony Colombia, the world's top producer of the drug.
Law enforcement officials say the country has also become a key European money laundering center for Colombian cocaine cartels.
Over 8,000 people were jailed in Spain last year in Spain for cocaine trafficking.
The clinical tests will last for some two years, covering a total of 70 adults at 10 hospitals. Prior to the current project, the University of Tokyo Hospital implanted CT Bone in 10 adults, who showed promising results.
The researchers expect to put it into practical use in three to four years.
The same technology has been used to make prototypes of industrial products.
"But it is the first time in the world to use materials that can and were implanted into the human body," said Chung Ung-il, a University of Tokyo bioengineering professor who is also part of the project.
Chung said previous studies showed the implants are replaced with regenerated real bone after one or two years, depending on the extent of the defects.
Takato said the host bone serves as "an incubator" that helps replace artificial bone as cells invade the implant in what could be called "in-body tissue engineering".
As ceramic implants are brittle, surgeons often have to scrape the patient's host bone instead to help conventional implants fit better, Takato said.
Doctors also often take bone from elsewhere in the body, particularly the hip, for conventional transplants.
"Nearly half of it is often wasted in the process of making an implant that fits. It is very good to be able to reconstruct bone without taking a piece from elsewhere," Takato said.
Takato hopes to use CT Bone for children if the clinical tests go well.
"Even if I want to treat their skeletal damage or development abnormality, I can't take bone from children for grafts. This technology should benefit children," Takato said.
Children usually have excellent bone growth. "Implants would be quickly replaced with their own bone, which would grow as the child grows," he said.
The technology also has narrow holes running through the artificial bones, inviting blood vessels and cells to come and help regenerate bone.
The research team is also working on a second-generation CT Bone, which contains materials that facilitate bridging between the artificial and real bone.
Experiments with implanting it in the skulls of Beagle dogs are underway with good results, he said.
The ultimate goal is to be able to construct bone from the living cells of patients, allowing them to take in larger pieces.

Gene link seen to psoriasis

PARIS Scientists in the United States have pointed the finger at seven genes that appear to play a role in psoriasis, a study published on Sunday says.
The work could unlock new drug targets and tailored treatments for this painful, disfiguring skin disease, they said.
Researchers led by James Elder, a professor of dermatology at the University of Michigan, cast a net through the genetic codes of 1,409 people with psoriasis and 1,436 healthy counterparts of European ancestry, looking for telltale variations in key genes.
They then expanded the study to look at 21 of the most interesting DNA "hotspots" among an additional 5,048 cases of psoriasis and 5,041 "controls."
Variations in at least seven genes point to the risk of an uncontrolled immune response that leads to psoriasis, the paper says.
Some of the highlighted genes are already targeted by effective psoriasis therapies, but others could become targets for treatments of the future, according to the research, published online in the journal Nature Genetics.
Psoriasis causes sore, red, scaly skin, and may also lead to psoriatic arthritis, in which the joints become badly inflamed.

Philippines pig farm worker infected with Ebola strain: WHO

MANILA A Philippine pig farm worker has tested positive for a strain of the Ebola virus that is not deadly to humans, the World Health Organisation and the government said Friday.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque said the farm worker's blood carried antibodies of the Ebola-Reston virus, which was first detected in laboratory monkeys in 1989 and has recently spread to pigs.
"Otherwise, he is healthy and has no sign of any sickness," Duque said at a joint news conference with a WHO mission.
Duque said health authorities were still trying to find out how the farmer contracted the virus and could not be certain it had spread from pigs.
He said there was no cause for public alarm, noting that pork is safe to eat as long as it is properly handled and thoroughly cooked, and that the latest incident presented a "negligible risk to human health."
WHO expert on infectious diseases Julie Hall said the antibodies indicated the worker had been infected between six and 18 months ago, but that he had not suffered any serious illness in the past year.
She said the case was still under investigation pending results of tests carried out on samples sent to the US Centres for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia.
Ebola-Reston was first detected in 1989 in laboratory monkeys sent from the Philippines to Reston, Virginia, in the United States. Unlike its African counterparts, it has not proved deadly.
The worker is not the first human case of the Ebola-Reston virus, although he is the first person found to have been infected in the latest outbreak.
Twenty five people who came into contact with the infected laboratory monkeys in 1989 tested positive for the virus. Only one showed signs of sickness, suffering from flu-like symptoms, but quickly recovered.
The government quarantined farms in the northern Philippine towns of Pandi and Talavera after the Ebola-Reston virus was discovered in pigs in July 2008.
Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said the quarantine remained in place and the Philippines had banned the export of pig products.
He also said authorities were widening their monitoring to include all farms that had reported unusual incidences of sickness in swine.
Duque said only four of the 6,000 pigs tested had contracted the virus since it was first detected.
Fifty people from two affected pig farms have been tested and examined, the official said.
The identity and age of the infected worker and the location of the farm were not disclosed.

630 million dollars commited to fight polio

WASHINGTON The Gates Foundation, Rotary International, Germany and Great Britain announced Wednesday they have committed more than 630 million dollars for the fight against polio.
"I am urging everyone to redouble their commitment to see eradication through to the end," Bill Gates told reporters in a conference call.
"Children and other ones will benefit when we will succeed on this but every delay, of course, increases the cost maintaining these intense campaigns," he said.
The donors urged others to pledge more funds and support a push to eradicate the disease, which still afflicts children in parts of Africa and Asia.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation said it was awarding 255 million dollar challenge grant to Rotary, which the group would match with 100 million dollars to be raised by its members over the next three years, the two groups said in a joint statement.
Britain is giving 150 million dollars (100 million pounds), and Germany is giving 130 million dollars, contributions that will go over the next five years to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI).
"Complete elimination of the polio virus is difficult and will continue to be difficult for a number of years," said Gates Foundation co-chair Bill Gates, as he praised the "phenomenal commitment" already made by Rotarians, health professionals and others in helping stamp out polio.
"We are on the brink of eradicating one of the most feared diseases in the world" with help from the Gates Foundation, said Rotary Foundation Chair Jonathan Majiyagbe.
The shared commitment from the Rotary and the Gates Foundation "should encourage governments and non-governmental organizations to ensure that resources and the will of the world are available to end polio once and for all."
The virus responsible for polio has been eliminated around the world except for Afghanistan, India, Nigeria and Pakistan.

Spike in dengue cases could hit Malaysian economy: report

KUALA LUMPUR Malaysia's health minister says the doubling of dengue fever cases could hit the country's economy with 4,221 cases and 12 deaths in the first three weeks of the year, reports said Sunday.
Liow Tong Lai told the Star daily there were only 2,223 people infected by the mosquito-borne virus and five deaths for the same period last year.
"The increase is worrying. The high number of cases can affect productivity, the tourism industry and, ultimately, our economy," he told the paper.
"I hope everyone will cooperate with us to get the situation under control," he added.
Liow said many of the cases occurred in the capital Kuala Lumpur, which recorded 409 cases and two deaths in the first three weeks of the year compared to 270 cases for the same period last year.
Officials said the high number of cases was attributed to an increase in mosquito breeding grounds such as abandoned housing projects and even occupied homes.
"It is also occurring more in adults than in children," the health ministry's top official Ismail Merican told the paper, saying the public also had to chip in to eradicate mosquito breeding grounds as spraying pesticides, known as fogging, would not solve the problem entirely.
"We are just fighting the mosquitoes and still losing the bigger war. People think if they inform the ministry and fogging is done, they can sleep easy. But fogging will only kill adult mosquitoes. The larvae is still there," he said.
Dengue fever is endemic in Southeast Asia with Malaysia seeing cases surge since 2003.
Last year there were 49,335 cases in Malaysia with 112 deaths, compared to 48,846 cases with 98 deaths the previous year.

Men face 1 in 5 risk of developing alcohol disorder: study

PARIS Men in developed countries face a more than one-in-five risk of alcohol dependence or abuse in the course of their life, according to a review published online on Monday by the British health journal The Lancet.
For women, the risk is put at 10 percent or less.
The problem is "common in all developed countries," where as many as 80 percent of men and 60 percent of women drink at some time during their lives, according to the study, authored by Marc Schuckit of the University of California at San Diego.
In developing countries, rates of the disorder are "lower, but still substantial," it warns.
The period of heaviest drinking is usually between 18 and 20, and alcohol abuse and dependence often begin in the early to mid-20s.

Italian clinic says ready to help woman die

ROME An Italian clinic said Thursday it would take in a woman in a coma for 17 years whose family is seeking to have her life ended, as the Roman Catholic Church kept up pressure to keep her alive.
The clinic in the northeastern Udine region said it would allow Eluana Englaro to spend her last days there, following a request from her family, ANSA news agency reported.
A court in Milan, near where Englaro is hospitalised, ruled on November 13 that her life support could be withdrawn but the local authorities barred hospitals under their control from carrying out the decision.
The governor of Piedmont, Mercedes Bresso, a member of the centre-left Democrat Party, said Wednesday her region, west of Milan, was ready to help enforce the court ruling because of "the lengthy legal battle followed by the disrespect of the father's rights".
Several other regions in predominantly Catholic Italy had offered to accommodate Englaro during her final days but changed their minds, apparently under pressure from Health Minister Maurizio Sacconi.
Sacconi warned state-subsidised hospitals last month of "unimaginable consequences" if they were to suspend Englaro's nutrition.
Italy's Roman Catholic Church has come out strongly against any form of mercy killing and warned against stopping artificially feeding the 37-year-old woman.
The archbishop of Turin, capital of Piedmont, Severino Poletto, told Thursday's La Repubblica daily that doctors should search their consciences before agreeing to end Englaro's life.
Poletto repeated the Church's view that stopping the young woman's nutrition would be "an act of euthanasia", and "against the law of God".
Piedmont leader Bresso hit back, saying on Radio 24 that "We are not living in a republic of ayatollahs where religion overrules law."
But she agreed that conscientious objection, allowed by legislation authorising abortion, should also be respected in this case if a doctor invoked it.
Englaro fell into a coma after a car accident and her father has been seeking an end to her life support since 1999.
The Milan court said that Englaro, when fully conscious, had stated her preference to die rather than being kept alive artificially.
Italy's Catholic Church refused to allow a religious funeral for poet and writer Piergiorgio Welby in 2006.
Welby, who suffered from muscular dystrophy, died after being taken off an artificial respirator.

Hong Kong finds H5N1 bird flu virus on chicken farm

HONG KONG Hong Kong's government confirmed Thursday that the deadly H5N1 virus was found at a poultry farm, the first outbreak on a farm here in nearly six years.
"We have identified the virus as H5N1 this afternoon following a series of tests," a spokeswoman for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department told AFP.
The government announced Tuesday that bird flu was found at the farm near the border with China, and ordered the slaughter of more than 90,000 chickens by end of this week.
Initial tests revealed the H5 virus and the results of follow-up tests announced Thursday identified it as the H5N1 strain. Authorities said they have not found any positive sample from the other farms they have tested so far.
The World Health Organization said Thursday it would monitor the outbreak.
"We are watching it very carefully," Peter Cordingley, a spokesman for WHO's Western Pacific regional office, told AFP.
Cordingley said they were not surprised by the outbreak because the virus is very versatile and tended to be more active in winter.
The origin of the outbreak remains unclear. The government on Wednesday said it had commissioned scientists to find out if the vaccine they have been using since 2003 to protect chickens against bird flu remains effective, after acknowledging the virus has "changed slightly".
Some experts have criticised the government for not having considered the problem of mutation earlier, Chinese newspapers reported Thursday.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong Poultry Wholesalers Association said that the outbreak could be linked to the illegal smuggling of fertilised eggs from China containing infected chicken embryos.
"There is a very big connection between the outbreak and smuggled fertilised eggs," Tsui Mingtuen, the association chairman, told AFP following a meeting with his members Thursday.
Tsui claimed he had evidence and witnesses to support his allegation.
York Chow, the city's Secretary for Food and Health, said they had not detected any smuggling of fertilised eggs but that it could be a possible reason for the outbreak.
"I think theoretically this can happen, but we do not have any evidence so far. I would appeal to the trade to give us any evidence if they can actually provide information," Chow said in a statement issued Thursday.
Wong Yeechuen, owner of the farm where the outbreak occurred, denied having smuggled any fertilised eggs from China and asked the association for evidence to substantiate its allegation.
"The allegation is ridiculous," he told Cable TV.
"There is no chance for a chicken to survive after hatching from infected embryos. If their allegation is true, how come some of the infected chickens in my farm were as old as 40 to 50 days?" he said.
Hong Kong was the scene of the world's first reported major H5N1 bird flu outbreak among humans in 1997, when six people died.
The last outbreak in a poultry farm took place in 2003, since when the government has required farmers to vaccinate their birds against the flu.
The deadly virus has killed about 250 people worldwide since late 2003.

Inuits top lung cancer rates: study

MONTREAL Inuits have the highest lung cancer rates in the world, largely attributed to widespread smoking among the population, researchers said Friday.
Inuits native to Canada, Greenland and Alaska were shown to have lung cancer rates twice as high as those found among Caucasians in the United States, according to the study published in the latest issue of the International Journal of Circumpolar Health.
Over the past 35 years, lung cancer rates doubled for Inuit men and quadrupled for Inuit women, with higher rates found amongst the population living in Canada's North.
"Lung cancer is rapidly increasing in incidence (especially in Canada), such that the rate in both Inuit men and women is the highest in the world," researchers found.
"The most logical reason is the high smoking rate among Inuits," study co-author Kue Young, a public health professor at the University of Toronto, told AFP during an Arctic science summit.
Statistics Canada, the country's national statistical agency, says that 58 percent of Canadian Inuits smoke on a daily basis, more than three times the average population, with 17 percent of all adults in Canada smoking every day.
The Inuits are at far greater risk than whites for several cancers rare among other populations -- such as colon, liver and nasopharyngeal cancer -- but have lower rates for more common cancers, such as breast and prostate cancer.
Rates for nasopharyngeal cancer -- which ferments behind the nose -- were 24 times greater for Inuit men and 37 times higher for women than American Caucasians.
But the study also stressed that "overall, with all sites combined, the risk of cancer among Inuit men and women is not significantly different from US whites."
The researchers compared rates for different types of cancers among the Inuit population between 1969 and 1973 and during a second period spanning 1999 to 2003.
According to the last national census in 2001, the Inuit population is experiencing a population boom that has boosted its numbers by 26 percent in the past decade to some 50,000 people.

India battles bird flu as farmers resist cull

GUWAHATI, India Officials fighting the spread of bird flu in northeast India stepped up surveillance on Saturday as poultry farmers resisted the slaughter of chickens in affected areas, a minister said.
Veterinary experts from New Delhi visited affected areas in Assam state to supervise the culling exercise and brief local officials on how to check the spread of the infection, the government said.
More than 250,000 poultry have been slaughtered so far and an estimated 150,000 more have been ordered to be killed.
But officials were facing difficulties as farmers were unwilling to hand over their birds.
"We have increased the compensation from 50 rupees (about a dollar) to 90 rupees per chicken," local health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters.
Five teams of medical experts were also going door-to-door to look for people with symptoms of avian influenza after nearly 150 people developed some symptoms of the deadly H5N1 virus.
All the affected people have been treated and no human cases have been found so far, the minister said.
The virus has spread in the past two weeks across six Assam districts, where an estimated 300,000 people live in the affected areas.
The government was worried about the infection spreading to humans, as authorities may not be able to cope, minister Sarma said earlier this week.
The sale of poultry and poultry products has been banned in most parts of the state.
India reported its worst outbreak of bird flu early this year in the eastern state of West Bengal.
The WHO says the H5N1 strain has killed nearly 250 people, mostly in Southeast Asia, since 2003.

One year after ban, French smoke just as much

PARIS One year after a ban on smoking in cafes and restaurants, French people still smoke as much as ever, the agency charged with stopping them complained Thursday.
Annual tobacco sales have remained steady since 2004 -- when the French smoked 54 billion cigarettes -- despite measures to severely penalise anyone caught lighting up in bars and certain public spaces.
"Measures to prevent passive smoking have not had any effect on active smoking," warned the French Office for the Prevention of Smoking. "2008 will be the fourth consecutive year when smoking has not decreased in our country."
The tobacco ban has been largely respected inside French bars and bistros, which often have large crowds of smokers gathered outside in the street or huddled around heaters on street-side terraces.
Restaurateurs and bar owners, however, complain that the measure has hit their custom and could force hundreds of businesses, especially small cafes in remote villages, to close their doors.
The anti-smoking agency called on the government to increase the tax on tobacco, arguing that a 10-percent price rise could cut sales by four percent and reduce the amount spent on health care for smokers.

Zimbabwe warns against hand-shaking to curb cholera spread

Zimbabwean authorities have warned residents against shaking hands at weddings and funerals to curb spreading a cholera outbreak which has already claimed nearly 600 lives, state media said Monday.
"People should watch out for weddings, funerals and other social gatherings which are agents of the spread of cholera," Health Minister David Parirenyatwa said on Sunday, according to The Herald newspaper.
"We should avoid shaking hands and uphold high standards of hygiene," he said.
He was speaking when he received a consignment of drugs worth 1.7 million Namibian dollars (165,000 US dollars, 130,000 euros) donated by Namibia to help tackle the cholera outbreak.
The consignment, delivered by Namibian Health Minister Richard Kamwi, included malaria treatment drugs, antibiotics, needles and drips, the Herald said.
Namibia has become the first Southern African Development Community (SADC) country to respond to Zimbabwe's call for international assistance in fighting the water-borne disease, it said.
A South African official delegation is scheduled to travel to Zimbabwe on Monday to assess how it can aid the nation stricken by a food crisis and cholera outbreak.
Zimbabwe on Wednesday appealed for international aid after declaring the cholera epidemic a national emergency.
Parirenyatwa also spoke against politicising the cholera outbreak.
"Cholera affects everyone and it does not chose between ZANU-PF and MDC supporters," he said, referring to President Robert Mugabe's party and the Movement for Democratic Change led by his rival Morgan Tsvangirai.
"We should work together to bring the outbreak under control," he said.
The disease has spread to neighbouring countries of South Africa, Mozambique and Botwana.
At least eight people, mostly Zimbabweans, have died of the disease in a hospital in Musina, a South African border town, health officials said.

WFP warns food crisis adds to difficulty in fighting AIDS

DAKAR The global food crisis is an added difficulty for the fight against HIV/AIDS as millions of Africans living with the virus can no longer afford basic food stuffs, weakening their defences against the disease, a UN agency official warned Friday.
The food crisis has an "impact on the real income of poor people, that will go down in relative or in absolute terms because the prices go up," said Martin Bloem, an expert on nutrition and HIV/AIDS from the World Food Programme (WFP).
Poor people already spend 60 to 70 percent of their income on food, he told participants of the 15th ICASA conference on HIV/AIDS in Africa on Friday.
High prices force them to cut costs for instance by cutting expensive animal products like meat and eggs from their diet.
"As a result of that they will increase the mineral deficiencies (that) already (exist in) their families," said Bloem.
The immune systems of the people will be affected, especially in children and vulnerable groups, the nutritionist warned.
"You will see an increase in tuberculosis and a deterioration in people living with HIV," Bloem said.
Tuberculosis is an opportunist infection which often occurs in people whose immune system is weakened by HIV/AIDS.
Besides this direct effect of the food crisis there are also many indirect effects which weigh on AIDS patients, studies have shown.
People cut in their expenses by visiting clinics less often and sometimes end their treatment because the trip to get medicine, even if it is given out for free, is long and they cannot make it because they cannot afford the fare or simply because they are physically weakend by hunger, Bloem explained.
The WFP sees another worrying trend where women swap sex for food and often have sex without using condoms.
"Women sometimes want to maintain the income for their family and go into sex work, the risk behaviour can change because people are so hungry," according to Bloem.
"If they don't do it there will be nothing to eat in the house. Everything has become so expensive," Olivia, who works for a anti-AIDS NGO in the Central African Republic, said.
"They do not have the strength or the courage to cultivate land or start a little street stall. They have to sell their bodies to feed their families," Olivia, not her real name, said.
"They live from day to day. If we find food today we eat, tomorrow we'll see what happens."
Her co-worker Petula, also not her real name, told AFP that the rising cost of living "boosts prostitution" among young people.
"The parents agree to it. When the girl goes out at night and comes back with 5,000 or 10,000 CFA francs (7.50 or 15 euros, 9.50 or 19 dollars) she gives it to the family," she said.
"Her father is glad to see his child bring home money every day."
Sub-Saharan Africa is home to 22 million people living with HIV, which translates into an average of five percent of the population.
From country to country HIV prevalence varies widely. Swaziland has the highest percentage of HIV infections, 26 percent of the adult population. Neighbouring South Africa houses the biggest absolute number of infected people with 5.7 million.
For the fight against AIDS in Africa "the food crisis has an impact on prevention, treatment, care and support" for patients, said Peter Atekyereza, a Ugandan sociologist who studies the impact of the food crisis on the AIDS pandemic.
According to studies done in Botswana, Swaziland and Tanzania high food prices have driven people to risky sexual conduct, like prostitution, to get food, and sometimes to migrate.
"High food prices (work against) efforts for effective management of risks of HIV/AIDS," Atekyereza said.

Health News

Gene link seen to psoriasis
PARIS Scientists in the United States have pointed the finger at seven genes that appear to play a role in psoriasis, a study published on Sunday says.



Philippines pig farm worker infected with Ebola strain: WHO
MANILA A Philippine pig farm worker has tested positive for a strain of the Ebola virus that is not deadly to humans, the World Health Organisation and the government said Friday.

630 million dollars commited to fight polio

WASHINGTON The Gates Foundation, Rotary International, Germany and Great Britain announced Wednesday they have committed more than 630 million dollars for the fight against polio.

Men face 1 in 5 risk of developing alcohol disorder: study
PARIS Men in developed countries face a more than one-in-five risk of alcohol dependence or abuse in the course of their life, according to a review published online on Monday by the British health journal The Lancet.

Italian clinic says ready to help woman die
ROME An Italian clinic said Thursday it would take in a woman in a coma for 17 years whose family is seeking to have her life ended, as the Roman Catholic Church kept up pressure to keep her alive.

Spike in dengue cases could hit Malaysian economy: report

KUALA LUMPUR Malaysia's health minister says the doubling of dengue fever cases could hit the country's economy with 4,221 cases and 12 deaths in the first three weeks of the year, reports said Sunday.

Hong Kong finds H5N1 bird flu virus on chicken farm
HONG KONG Hong Kong's government confirmed Thursday that the deadly H5N1 virus was found at a poultry farm, the first outbreak on a farm here in nearly six years.



Inuits top lung cancer rates: study
MONTREAL Inuits have the highest lung cancer rates in the world, largely attributed to widespread smoking among the population, researchers said Friday.



India battles bird flu as farmers resist cull
GUWAHATI, India Officials fighting the spread of bird flu in northeast India stepped up surveillance on Saturday as poultry farmers resisted the slaughter of chickens in affected areas, a minister said.


One year after ban, French smoke just as much
PARIS One year after a ban on smoking in cafes and restaurants, French people still smoke as much as ever, the agency charged with stopping them complained Thursday.



WFP warns food crisis adds to difficulty in fighting AIDS
The global food crisis is an added difficulty for the fight against HIV/AIDS as millions of Africans living with the virus can no longer afford basic food stuffs.



Zimbabwe warns against hand-shaking to curb cholera spread
Zimbabwean authorities have warned residents against shaking hands at weddings and funerals to curb spreading a cholera outbreak which has already claimed nearly 600 lives, state media said Monday.


Spain to test vaccine to treat cocaine addiction
MADRID Researchers in Spain, which has the highest rate of cocaine use in the European Union, will test a vaccine next year that they hope will help addicts break free of their addiction to the drug, health officials said Thursday.


Japanese mobiles to offer psychotherapy sessions
TOKYO A Japanese professor on Wednesday launched what he said was the world's first web-based psychotherapy sessions available via mobile phone, as the country grapples with a growing problem of depression.


Doctors to be on guard for meningitis in kids
WASHINGTON U.S. health officials asked doctors on Thursday to be alert for possible cases of meningitis and other illnesses in children caused by Hib bacteria amid an ongoing vaccine shortage.


Some women unaware of risks of delaying motherhood
NEW YORK Many women may not be fully aware of the potential consequences of waiting until later in life to have a baby, a UK study suggests.



European patent office restores breast cancer gene patent
PARIS The European Patent Office on Wednesday restored on appeal a controversial patent for a breast cancer gene that had been withdrawn from a US biotech firm, but granting it in a more restricted form than before.


Autumn babies at greater risk of asthma: study
CHICAGO Babies born four months before the peak cold and flu season have a 30 percent higher risk of developing asthma, U.S. researchers said on Friday, suggesting that these common infections may trigger asthma.


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