He's seen disease outbreaks when conditions are too wet and lower yields when it's too dry.
The purring beast that seems to rule the roost we call our homes may be causing ill health.
The researchers who revealed this furry find snagged the Public health Prize. In one of their studies the team found that cat bites are associated with depression in humans particularly women.
Recent studies have suggested that this parasite may actually contribute to human psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and obsessive compulsive disorder as well as other brain pathologies they added.#
They did so by including revenue gained from prostitution illegal drug sales smuggling and all other unlawful financial transactions between willing participants according to a statement released by the Ig Nobel organizers.
Another group of creative thinkers was awarded the Medicine Prize. Turns out pork is not just good eating.
Researchers from the United states and India used strips of cured pork meat to treat uncontrollable nosebleeds in a 4-year-old with Glanzmann thrombasthenia a rare blood disorder that causes easy
bruising and nosebleeds. Cured salted pork crafted as a nasal tampon and packed within the nasal vaults successfully stopped nasal hemorrhage promptly effectively the researchers write in their study
which was published in 2011 in the journal Annals of Otology Rhinology & Laryngology. Bear masks:
One of the South dakota specimens shows bony healing suggesting trauma to the toe. Anzu wyliei is part of a group called oviraptorosaurs
This is a strong addition to the group where you have the anatomy clearly detailed. Follow Stephanie Pappas on Twitter and Google+.
Numerous medications can cause intrinsic stains. If children take the antibiotics tetracycline and doxycycline while their teeth are still developing (before the age of 8) their teeth may turn brownish-yellow.
During adulthood chlorhexidine an antiseptic used in prescription-strength mouthwash to treat gingivitis can cause discolorations.
Likewise the acne-fighting drug minocycline a derivative of tetracycline stains teeth. Even relatively common drugs such as antihistamines and blood pressure medications can sometimes yellow teeth.
Excessive fluoride ingestion and chemotherapy directed at the head and neck also result in intrinsic stains.
Aside from extrinsic and intrinsic stains two other factors can contribute to yellow teeth: genetics and aging.
Similar to your complexion or the color of your eyes you may simply be born with teeth that appear more yellow (or more white) than other people's teeth.
Part of this has to do with the thickness of your enamel which is semi-translucent. That is if you have thin enamel the true color of your naturally yellowish dentin will shine through.
It has long been a health mantra that too much saturated fat like cheese and butter contributes to higher cholesterol and an increased risk of heart disease.
But an editorial published in Open Heart suggests that saturated fats aren t as bad as we have been led to believe.
and an increased risk of degenerative heart disease was based on selective data from the 1950s that overstated the risk.
The association between fat calories and heart disease risk was made first by Ancel Keys in the 1950s who first suggested a correlation between between cholesterol levels and cardiovascular disease (CVD)
and a subsequent decrease in the incidence of obesity as well as diabetes and the metabolic syndrome#he said.
But turning to carbohydrates such as sugar and corn syrup has led to a parallel increase in diabetes and obesity in the US.
Instead there s a strong argument that the increase in the consumption of refined carbohydrates was the causative dietary factor for diabetes
and the obesity epidemic in the US#he said. The article concludes that while diets low in saturated fat can lower bad#LDL cholesterol switching to carbohydrates may increase another type of LDL cholesterol In a study that compared two low-calorie diets one low-fat and one low
Overall he argued no large observational studies have shown that low fat diets cut heart disease risk.
and heart disease risk while saturated fats (meat cheese) and artificial trans fats such as hydrogenated vegetable oil aren t so good.
and heart disease risk surfaced in 2010 after the authors of a meta-analysis of 21 studies
and nearly 350000 subjects concluded there was no significant evidence#that dietary saturated fat was associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease or cardiovascular disease.
Last October British cardiologist Aseem Malhotra published an article in the BMJ titled Saturated fat is not the major issue#.
#In it he called for a re-evaluation of how we view saturated fat s role in heart disease.
rocketing obesity and type 2 diabetes. We need people to go back to eating normal food
David Sullivan clinical associate professor at Sydney University said: This article and others like it slip between nonidentical terms to suit their argument.
and chooses endpoints to suit so-called#surrogates like blood test results weight CVD cancer and total mortality.#
#He said the 2010 meta-analysis (supported by the National Dairy Council) also found that evidence from studies was consistent in finding that the risk of coronary heart disease was reduced
#Tom Sanders head of diabetes and nutritional sciences in King s college London s School of medicine said: This article rubbishes the relationship with saturated fat
#oeit is beyond reasonable doubt that elevated LDL cholesterol is a major determinant of risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
Coffee or (other) drugs In Central america the dry season of 2011-2012 was unusually wet allowing coffee rust to spread unfettered according to the BBC.
because small growers and seasonal workers in places hard-hit by coffee rust are expected to turn to other sources of income namely cocaine and other illegal narcotics.
#Olive oil and Veggies May Combine to Lower Blood pressure Putting olive oil on your veggies may bring health benefits that aren't found
and prevent heart disease the researchers said. When olive oil and vegetables are digested together the conditions in the stomach provide an environment for the fatty acids to react with nitrogen compounds in the veggies
whether the compounds inhibited an enzyme that contributes to high blood pressure. The animals in the study had high blood pressure
and were given olive oil omega-6 fatty acids along with sodium nitrite to mimic components of a Mediterranean diet for five days.
and were resistant to the inhibitory effects on the enzyme were found to maintain their high blood pressure
which might increase the risk of heart disease the Mediterranean diet seems to prevent heart disease the researchers said.
which is developing drugs based on nitro fatty acids. The new findings suggest that the protective effect of the Mediterranean diet on the heart comes in part from the nitro fatty acids
#Ancient Parasite Uncovered in Mesopotamian Tomb Some of the earliest evidence of a human parasite infection has been unearthed in an ancient burial site in Syria.
We found the earliest evidence for a parasite that causes Schistosomiasis in humans said study co-author Dr. Piers Mitchell a biological anthropologist at the University of Cambridge in England.
That suggests that advances in farming technologies caused the rise of human infections with the waterborne worm Mitchell told Live Science. 7 Stunning Archaeological Sites in Syria Bloody worms Schistosoma parasites live in freshwater snails
and can lead to blood in the urine anemia and eventually bladder cancer while in Africa the flatworm typically infects the bowels where it causes bleeding and anemia as well.
The parasite can spread when eggs are shed in the feces or urine of infected people.
and dams are by far the most common reasons why people get Schistosomiasis Mitchell told Live Science.
Human-caused disease Although the centuries have wiped away any traces of irrigation technology at Tell Zeidan remnants of wheat
The findings were published today (June 19) in the journal Lancet Infectious diseases. Follow Tia Ghose on Twitterand Google+.
and don't pose any immediate health risks for most people. But these additives could be a serious problem for people with soy
or wheat allergies said Suzana Lucy Nixdorf a researcher at Universidade Estadual de Londrina in Brazil.
The health benefits of coffee are still unclear. As the demand for coffee increases high temperatures drought and a plant disease known as coffee rust are devastating Arabica coffee trees (Coffee arabica)
which produce one of the most popular kinds of coffee bean and are grown in high-altitude farms in Central and South america.
That doesn't mean caffeine addicts and coffee lovers should start hoarding coffee beans. Producers will likely be able to keep up with the growing demand
The trees also have been suffering from white pine blister rust a disease accidentally introduced via imported seedlings nearly a century ago
Deborah Herlax Enos is certified a nutritionist and a coach and weight loss expert in the Seattle area with more than 20 years of experience.
and read more tips on her blog Health in a Hurry H
#Prize for 480 New Varieties of Wheat This article was published originally at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Live Science's Expert Voices:
Rajaram s varieties are high-yielding yet resistant to diseases and stresses which allows them to thrive in a range of environments.
which maintain their yield under environmental and biological stresses. This will be the key to safeguarding our wheat crop in the years ahead.
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) American Medical Association (AMA) the World health organization (WHO) among others have found no health risks from consuming genetically modified foods on the market.
Nevertheless public concerns over health and ecology have led to GMO bans in some nations and a few localities in the United states most recently on the island of Hawaii.
The characters in the movie are based on some of these plaster casts. The lovers in the film are based on a cast of two people embracing (though in reality the pair may have been embracing in terror rather than love)
Cobra is the common name for a group of poisonous snakes in Africa and Southern Asia.
because they possess hoods poisonous fangs and the ability to raise the upper part of their body.
Cobras are Elapids a type of poisonous snake with hollow fangs fixed to the top jaw at the front of the mouth.
Many species have potent neurotoxic venom which attacks the nervous system of the prey leading to respiratory paralysis if untreated.
Humans attacked by these cobras may stop breathing within 30 minutes. If no antivenom is available lives can be saved by putting victims on an artificial respirator.
Some cobras including all spitting cobras have cytotoxic venom that attacks body tissue and causes severe pain swelling and possible necrosis (death of cells and tissue).
Spitting cobras also have the ability to shoot venom from their fangs directly into the eyes of the victim with terrifying accuracy.
Venom in the eyes can lead to blindness if not washed out well. These 18-footers are the longest of all venomous snakes.
Though there are other snakes with more potent venom the amount of neurotoxin that a king cobra can emit in one bite is enough to kill 20 people or one elephant.
and can be ingested toxic if e
#Can Animals Be Too Happy, or Have Too much Fun?(Op-Ed) Marc Bekoff emeritus professor at the University of Colorado Boulder is one of the world's pioneering cognitive ethologists a Guggenheim Fellow and cofounder with Jane Goodall of Ethologists for the Ethical
or harm because individuals play too hard with one another. Animals work hard to maintain fair play
and fair play may be related to individual reproductive fitness. Nonetheless young animals in particular engage in vigorous social and locomotor self-play during
and a fever or cold so be sure to take those aspects into consideration. Calendar method The calendar method requires a woman to record her menstrual cycle on a calendar for roughly eight to 12 months.
#7 Things You Need To Know About Cancer This article was published originally at The Conversation.
and progress in cancer care-a collaboration with the UICC (global cancer body) and Globalrt (a group that aims to increase global access to radiotherapy).
and challenges of global cancer care in low and middle-income nations as well as bring attention to the need for further investment in the prevention and treatment of this group of diseases.
I wanted to share some key facts and myths around cancer with you. Debunk some pervasive perennial misunderstandings on cancer globally
#When people think of cancer they usually think of rich people in rich nations. Actually the reality is that 70%of all cancer cases worldwide occur in low and middle-income nations posing an enormous public health and economic burden.
Now of course this is also where a majority of the world s population lives but the reality is still that millions of cases of cancer occur in healthcare systems least prepared to treat them
(and some would argue find them) and in communities and families least able to cope with the health and financial consequences.
A misunderstanding that not only affects local but also global prioritisation and funding for these conditions in development budgets philanthropic responses aid and national health expenditures.
Whatsmore as always it s not so simple. Because although the rates (age standardised per 100000 people) of cancer are still higher in the richest nations the types of cancer are different
and patients usually present later in poorer settings-with more advanced disease. For example worldwide the leading cause of cancer deaths in women is breast cancer but in many poorer nations it s cancer of the cervix.
A classic myth when it comes to cancer and particularly bowel cancer is that these are diseases of laziness.
Actually there are a myriad of causes -and many we still don t know or understand. Things like diet tobacco and alcohol;
infections and chronic inflammation; but also environmental pollutants; and genetics. Although I talk a lot about NCDS
-or noncommunicable diseases-some cancers are caused actually by infections. In fact about one-fifth of all cancers worldwide are caused this way-including cervical and liver cancers
which are paricularly common in poorer nations. The good news though is that the two viruses that cause these cancers are largely preventable by vaccine-Hepatitis b
and human pappiloma virus. Plain and simple tobacco is bad. Causing 22%of all cancer deaths worldwide the good fight against tobacco tobacco advertising
and the big corporations that make this carcinogen continues. Some good news many cancers can be prevented. 30%of cancers are preventable through not using tobacco having a healthy diet being physically active limiting alcohol use
and being vaccinated for the most common cancer-causing infections. These are largely the focuses of public health policies for cancer for
which prevention is better than cure#will always be a core mantra. Building on prevention early detection and early access to treatment is of paramount complementary importance-with treatments falling into three broad groups:
surgery chemotherapy and radiotherapy#Breast cervical and colorectal cancers for example can often be cured if found and treated in the early stages of disease
and are far less costly (in terms of health economic and social costs) if identified quickly. These challenges are magnified in a context of weaker health systems
and limited funding but it is important to remember that screening and early detection save money and lives-a driving argument for the continued work on ensuring universal prevention and care coverage.
Although a large number of cancers are preventable or curable through appropriate policies lifestyles screening and treatments-many are not.
For this reason it is also crucial that every person has access to pain relief and palliative care when dying of cancer.
But in reality many don t. This is one area where science has the answers -and it s not about a lack of technology or understanding just a lack of funding and global political will.
This is a gap that must be closed. Signing off from Lima I give you just a taste of the themes challenges
and ideas we will explore in the coming NCDFREE shortfilm. But for now take a moment to reflect on the myths-and realities-of cancer globally.
After all it is only through knowledge that we will inspire collective action on cancer a pressing global health challenge.
-This article is based on the World health organization s cancer fact sheet. For more on global health and to connect with Sandro on Twitter click here.
Alessandro R Demaio does not work for consult to own shares in or receive funding from any company
or organisation that would benefit from this article and has no relevant affiliations. This article was published originally on The Conversation.
Read the original article. Follow all of the Expert Voices issues and debates and become part of the discussion on Facebook Twitter and Google+.
+The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher.
This version of the article was published originally on Live Science
#Mysterious'Fairy circles'Not Explained by Termites, Study Suggests Fairy circles that form in the arid grasslands of Namibia have baffled scientists for decades.
As the report found Research comparing group housed sows to those in crates found that the animals unable to exercise due to stall confinement have lower bone strength muscle mass and decreased physical fitness and cardiovascular health.#
or fractures into the sandstone cubes could yield a diversity of shapes including arches pillars and pedestal rocks.
Evidence is emerging that specific wavelengths of light have distinct effects on crop yield quality and even pest and disease resistance.
#The Odd Way Tuberculosis Was brought to America When European explorers landed in The americas they brought tuberculosis (TB) and a wave of other deadly diseases with them.
However some strains of TB may have already been lurking in South america a new study finds.
In fact these strains may have been brought to The americas by seals and sea lions researchers say. A new analysis of three ancient Peruvian human skeletons that date to between A d. 1028 and 1280 well before Europeans landed on American shores shows evidence of tuberculosis including skeletal lesions
and curved spines. 8 Grisly Archaeological Discoveries It looked as though tuberculosis was present in the New world before European contact based on these skeletons said Kirsten Bos the study's lead researcher and a postdoctoral fellow
in paleogenetics at the University of TÃ bingen in Germany. However when the researchers reconstructed the genomes of the tuberculosis samples they found the strains didn't fit into any branches of the disease that are associated commonly with human infection.
Instead it was branching with the animals'strains of TB Bos told Live Science. The new study also suggests that the common ancestor of the M. tuberculosis complex is just 6000 years old
which is much earlier than the date suggested in a study published just last year.
The previous study whose authors included six of the same authors as the more recent study concluded that the most recent common ancestor of TB was 70000 years old according to the paper published in the journal Nature Genetics.
These dates are worked out by measuring the amount of genetic diversity among all known strains of TB bacteria
and then using a molecular clock based on the rate at which genetic changes occur during evolution to work out how much time was needed for all that diversity to evolve said Terry Brown a life sciences faculty member at the University of Manchester in England who was involved not in the study.
A popular theory suggests that tuberculosis started in Africa tens of thousands of years ago
Sebastien Gagneux an expert on modern tuberculosis at The swiss Tropical and Public health Institute suggested that the three Peruvians caught the disease from seals that had lived once in Africa
There have been previous speculations among archaeologists that this might have been a source of TB infections in coastal areas of South america where seals were hunted
But with only three human skeletons it's unclear whether the seal strains of tuberculosis infected many people or just an isolated few.
whether the strains transmitted from seals and sea lions were widespread in the early Americas experts agreed.
What's more the 6000-year-old birth date of tuberculosis needs further scrutiny researchers said.
Regardless of their age the marine tuberculosis strains appear to have been replaced completely by European strains following contact Bos said.
#Marijuana vs. Alcohol: Which Is Really Worse for Your Health? The question of whether alcohol or marijuana is worse for health is being debated once again this time sparked by comments that President Barack Obama made in a recent interview with The New yorker magazine.
As has been documented well I smoked pot as a kid and I view it as a bad habit
and a vice not very different from the cigarettes that I smoked as a young person up through a big chunk of my adult life Obama said during the interview.
While both are used intoxicants recreationally their legality patterns of use and long-term effects on the body make the two drugs difficult to compare.
Both alcohol consumption and pot smoking can take a toll on the body showing both short
-and long-term health effects though alcohol has been linked to some 88000 deaths per year according to the CDC
while for a number of reasons those associated with marijuana use are harder to come by.
And research into marijuana's health effects is still in its infancy compared with the rigorous studies looking at alcohol and human health.
Short-term health consequences Drinking too much alcohol can quickly kill a person. The inability to metabolize alcohol as quickly as it is consumed can lead to a buildup of alcohol in the brain that shuts down areas necessary for survival such as those involved with heartbeat
and respiration. 7 Ways Alcohol Affects Your Health You can die binge-drinking five minutes after you've been exposed to alcohol.
That isn't going to happen with marijuana said Ruben Baler a health scientist at the National Institute on Drug abuse.
The impact of marijuana use is much subtler. Of course subtle effects don't equate with no danger as is the case with smoking cigarettes
which is linked with 440000 deaths per year in the U s.)Marijuana affects the cardiovascular system increasing heart rate
Alcohol is more likely than marijuana to interact with other drugs. The way that alcohol is metabolized
or broken down in the body is common to many drugs that are taken for a variety of conditions said Gary Murray acting director of the Division of Metabolism and Health Effects at the National Institute on Alcohol abuse and Alcoholism.
This means that for people taking drugs or medications while drinking the alcohol can increase
or decrease levels of the active drug in the body. Those things can make it very hit
and miss whether you're getting an active dose of a medication Murray said. Still both drugs can affect health in indirect ways too.
Because marijuana can impair coordination and balance there is the risk of hurting oneself particularly if someone drives
or chooses to have unprotected sex while their inhibitions are lowered Baler said. These are two areas where people using marijuana could hurt themselves for the short and long term.
Long-term health consequences The long-term effects of drinking heavily are well known. Excess alcohol is going to lead to very severe consequences
and chronic excess alcohol is the most likely to lead to a lot of threatening issues Murray said.
Drinking can lead to alcoholic liver disease which can progress to fibrosis of the liver which in turn can potentially lead to liver cancer Murray said.
I emphasize'can'it's not even clear to the best scientists what are the triggers that allow that progression to happen he said noting that why some people have a higher risk than others of developing liver disease from drinking is understood not medically or biochemically.
Unlike alcohol Baler said the effects of chronic marijuana use are established not as well. Animal studies have indicated some possible impact on reproduction.
Additionally there is evidence marijuana can worsen psychiatric issues for people who are predisposed to them or bring them on at a younger age.
Finally Baler said because the drug is smoked typically it can bring on bronchitis coughing and chronic inflammation of the air passages.
But while early studies showed some evidence linking marijuana to lung cancer subsequent studies have debunked that association.
Baler said it's unclear why marijuana smoke does not have the same result as tobacco smoke on the lungs
but perhaps some beneficial compounds in the marijuana smoke cancel out the ill effects or perhaps the other health habits of marijuana smokers are different from those of cigarette smokers.
But cigarette smoking plays a complicated role in studying the impact of marijuana smoke Baler said.
Marijuana smokers tend to smoke much less than cigarette smokers as some may smoke one joint a few times a week.
It's a very tough epidemiological nut to break Baler said. Additionally researchers looking to study long-term marijuana use have had difficulty in finding people who regularly smoke marijuana
but don t also smoke tobacco cigarettes. And the illegality of marijuana has limited also research in this field.
For marijuana much of the concern is with young people who use the drug because the drug interferes with the development of the brain
while it is still maturing Baler said. 10 Facts Every Parent Should Know About Their Teen's Brain Smoking marijuana interferes with connections being made in the brain at a time
when the brain should be at a clear state of mind and accumulating memory and data and good experiences that should be laying out the foundation for the future Baler said.
How much you're impaired depends on the person and how much you smoke Baler said. Because some people are stoned a lot of the time
while others may use marijuana only on weekends the health effects become difficult to generalize.
You're cumulatively impairing your cognitive function. What's going to be the ultimate result nobody can say.
Benefits There is no known medical use for consumed alcohol but there are health benefits observed in moderate drinkers including lower rates of cardiovascular disease
and possibly fewer colds Murray said. We always counsel people to avoid drinking to excess
but moderate drinking is not something that's very dangerous he said. As for marijuana whose legalization for medical uses has been a matter of strong public policy debate for years there is ample evidence that beneficial compounds can be found in the plant.
Researchers are working around the clock to try to identify the ingredients in marijuana that have potential to benefit human health Baler said.
Once such chemicals are in a pure form and researchers understand their effects on the body then they could be put in clinical trials for use in cancer multiple sclerosis diabetes glaucoma
and other diseases he said. There are segments of the population that want to bypass the entire process grabbing this nugget of truth
#and claiming smoking marijuana can be good for your health and have medical uses Baler said.
Although for palliative care he said that would be a different realm of medicine in
which the goal is to drug a person so they do not feel pain. The year 2014 has brought with it the first legal sales of marijuana to people who aren't using the drug for medical reasons in the United states since the 1930s as voters in Colorado and Washington state brought about this policy change.
Public health researchers have said studying rates of injuries accidents mental illness and teen use in the wake of the new laws will lead to a better understanding of marijuana's public health effects.
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