HEALTH

Did You Know.....

Doctors have called for a thorough and independent review of the ban on NHS patients paying to top up their care.  Anyone in the UK who pays any form of private treatment can be barred from the normal package of NHS care.  In a debate which split the British Medical Association annual conference, doctors voted for a motion calling for so-called co-payments to be allowed.  They called for a Royal Commission review - but stopped short of demanding an immediate end to the current ban

The parents of a baby girl have thanked a teenage ambulance controller who talked them through her home delivery.  The arrival of the baby girl was the first birth Chloe Mansel, 19, had dealt with on her own in six months on the job

Controlling blood pressure from middle-age onwards may dramatically reduce the chances of developing dementia, researchers have said.  Two studies support a link between high blood pressure and dementia risk - with one by an Imperial College London team suggesting treatment could cut this.  This study, published in the Lancet Neurology journal, found blood pressure drugs reduce dementia by 13%

TV chefs are setting a bad example by failing to follow basic hygiene standards, public health chiefs say.  Dr Layla Jader, of the National Public Health Service for Wales, raised the issue at the British Medical Association conference in Edinburgh

A new test checks the chemical “fingerprint” of the fluid which surrounds IVF embryos to identify those most likely to implant successfully.  The US developers told a European fertility conference it may improve IVF pregnancy rates by up to 15%

The Benefits of Green Tea

The steady stream of good news about green tea is getting so hard to ignore that even java junkies are beginning to sip the deceptively delicate brew.  You’d think the daily dose of disease-fighting, inflammation-squelching antioxidants - long linked with heart protection - would be enough of an incentive, but there’s more!!

CUT YOUR CANCER RISK

Study after study has found that people who regularly drink green tea reduce their risk of breast, stomach, oesophagus, colon, and/or prostate cancer.  Several polyphenols - the potent antioxidants green tea is famous for - seem to help keep cancer cells from gaining a foothold in the body by discouraging their growth and then squelching the creation of new blood vessels that tumours need to thrive.

SOOTHE YOUR SKIN

Soak a cotton pad for cuts, scrapes or bites.  The tea is a natural antiseptic that relieves itching and swelling.  It is also good for inflamed breakouts and blemishes, sunburn and even puffy eyelids.  That’s not all.  In the lab, green tea helps block sun-triggered skin cancer, whether you drink it or apply it directly to the skin - which is why you’re seeing green tea in more and more sunscreens and moisturisers.

STEADY YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE

People who sip just half a cup of green tea a day are almost 50% less likely to wind up with hypertension than non-drinkers.  This is again due to the polyphenols that help keep blood vessels from contracting and raising blood pressure.

PROTECT YOUR MEMORY

Green tea may also keep the brain from turning fuzzy.  Older adults who drink at least 2 cups a day are half as likely to develop cognitive problems as those who drink less.  It appears that the tea’s big dose of antioxidants fights the free-radical damage to brain nerves seen in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

STAY YOUNG

The younger and healthier your arteries are, the younger and healthier you are.  So fight plaque build-up in your blood vessels, which ups the risk of heart disease and stroke, adds years to your biological age and saps your energy, too.  How much green tea does this vital job take?  About 10 ounces a day, which also deters your body from absorbing artery-clogging fat and cholesterol.

LOSE WEIGHT

It turns out that green tea speeds up your body’s calorie-burning process.  In the every-little-bit-counts department, this is good news!

Did You Know .......

Immune cells grown from umbilical cord blood may one day be used to improve leukaemia treatment, researchers say.  A team took natural killer (NK) cells from cord blood and multiplied them 30-fold in the laboratory.  When given to mice with aggressive human leukaemias, the NK cells cut the circulating cancer cells by 60-85%, the University of Texas team reported

Juices made from apples or purple grapes - and the fruit themselves - protect against developing clogged arteries, a study suggests.  Researchers fed hamsters the fruit and juice or water, plus a fatty diet.  The animals who were fed grape juice had the lowest risk of developing artery problems

A small molecule may have a big role in making the body clock tick, say Cambridge University researchers.  Studies in mice have shown cAMP - a common signalling molecule - is involved in keeping the body clock ‘rhythms’ going.  The team hope to develop drugs that target cAMP to help shift workers, frequent flyers or those with sleep disorders reset their body clocks

Surgeons who can carry out routine child operations at local hospitals may be in short supply in the future, experts have warned.  A survey found a third of NHS hospitals offer no paediatric surgery at all, as cases are sent to specialist centres

Chemotherapy treatments which aim to prolong patients’ lives and reduce suffering from asbestos-related cancer do not work, UK researchers suggest.  Mesothelioma, caused by asbestos exposure, is usually incurable, but some specialists hope chemo could delay death and improve quality of life.  The study in the Lancet found hundreds of patients saw no benefit

Did You Know .......

An “unprecedented” clinical trial on a high street anti-ageing cream may change the face of the skin care market, dermatologists say.  At present there is a lack of clinical data to prove which creams really do slow down the skin’s ageing process.  Industry is thought to have shied away from major trials in part for fear products, if effective, could then be deemed medicines and tightly regulated.  But the trial on a Boots moisturiser may prove if these fears are founded

A drug widely used to treat cancer may cause brain damage, with the effects lasting for years after the end of treatment, research suggests.  The drug, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), is used, alongside others, to treat cancers of the breast, ovaries, colon, stomach, pancreas and bladder.  Tests on mice showed it destroys vital cells in the brain that help to keep nerves functioning properly

A ‘bionic’ eye may hold the key to returning sight to people left blind by a hereditary disease, experts believe.  A team at London’s Moorfields Eye Hospital have carried out the treatment on the UK’s first patients as part of a clinical study into the therapy.  The artificial eye, connected to a camera on a pair of glasses, has been developed by US firm Second Sight

A common cause of menstrual disorders in women may offer a significant advantage to some athletes, according to a Swedish scientist.  Some leading female athletes have either no periods or irregular periods, normally thought to be due to tough training regimes and restricted diets.  But in some cases polycystic ovary syndrome may be the cause said Magnus Hagmar, of the Karolinska Institute.  This raises male sex hormone levels and may help sufferers in sport, he said

Did You Know .......

Experimental drugs are to be given to terminally ill cancer patients in a bid to halve the amount of time it takes to develop new medication.  The Department of Health has given approval for a new unit at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, where patients with no other hope of recovery will be given drugs previously untested on humans

Middle aged women who regularly drink large glasses of wine are at an increased risk of developing breast cancer.  The warning comes as a £10m advertising campaign is launched to raise awareness of the dangers of binge drinking.  The adverts feature images such as two glasses with no stems - to resemble women’s breasts.  The campaign has been sparked by a Department of Health report which found that women who drank more than 14 units per week were 50% more likely to get breast cancer

Jane Tomlinson’s widower has accused the government of “stonewalling” over access to cancer drugs.  Mrs Tomlinson, 43, had to travel from her home in Leeds to Nottingham to receive the life-extending drug Lapatinib because the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust had not taken part in the access study of the treatment.  She lost her seven-year battle with cancer last September, after raising more than £1.75m for charity in gruelling endurance events, including three London Marathons

Plans to allow researchers to create part-human, part-animal embryos for experiments are “monstrous” and should be banned, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland said.  Cardinal Keith O’Brien attacked the new Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill after its opponents in the House of Lords failed to include a ban on such research in the proposed law

Did You Know .......

Baby milk manufacturers have won a High Court battle to delay introducing stricter labelling rules.  The Food Standards Agency and the UK government wanted tighter rules on marketing and promoting all formula milks brought in last month.  But manufacturers said that did not give them enough time to re-label existing stocks.  The new rules are now set to come into force from 2010 - but the government has been given leave to appeal

The NHS in England is facing problems recruiting locum hospital doctors, a leaked government memo shows.  The document, obtained by the Health Service Journal, said that some trusts were even having difficulties getting applicants to attend interviews.  The problem seems to have been caused by changes in junior doctor training as young medics are generally used to fill the locum posts

Thalidomide, the drug blamed in the 1950s for causing birth defects, is now showing promise as a safe and effective treatment for women with recurrent ovarian cancer, according to a study led by a University of Minnesota Cancer Centre researcher.  Levi Downs Jr MD, has published the findings of research study in the current issue of the journal Cancer.  He is an assistant professor and a researcher of gynaecologic oncology at the University of Minnesota Medical School and Cancer Centre

A scientist shows that mind may indeed affect matter.  After the surgical removal of a malignant tumour, the chance that cancer will re-appear in a different location of the body remains high.  But new research from Tel Aviv University may prevent those cancer cells from taking root again - and the key to the treatment is stress

Did You Know .......

A study of four-year-old twin girls has identified a rogue cell which is the root cause of childhood leukaemia.  The finding could mean more specific and less intensive treatments for all children with the blood cancer.  Both twins were found to have the “pre-leukaemic” cells in their bone marrow, although to date only one has developed leukaemia

Regulators in the UK have given scientists the green light to create human-animal embryos for research.  The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority granted permission after a consultation showed the public were “at ease” with the idea.  Experts said it was vital for research into life-threatening diseases.  Two centres, King’s College London and Newcastle University, will now be able to begin their work under one-year research licences

Playing computer games such as the Nintendo Wii can improve a surgeon’s performance in the operating theatre, a US study shows.  Only certain games are effective - those requiring delicate movements.  The fine hand controls required to play these games acts as a warm up and hones scalpel skills the Banner Good Samaritan Medical Centre team claim

Smoking rates have more than doubled in Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union, researchers say.  The Bath University-led team said “aggressive targeting” of women by tobacco firms was behind the rise

Daily pain from sickle cell disease may be far more common - and severe - than previously thought, research suggests.  Virginia Commonwealth University researchers asked 232 sickle cell patients to keep diaries.  The Annals of Internal Medicine study found many experienced daily pain - but many tried to cope with it at home, rather than seek medical help

Many maternity units in England are failing to provide top quality care, an independent review suggests.  The Healthcare Commission found huge variation in quality of care across England with women in London receiving the worst service.  The report also highlighted problems with staffing and inadequate screening checks in some trusts

Radon, an invisible radioactive gas that seeps into homes through foundation cracks, causes 100 times more deaths than carbon monoxide poisoning, say the US Environmental Protection Agency.  Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer behind smoking, and about 20,000 people in the US will die this year due to breathing too much radon without even knowing it, the EPA say

If you have allergic asthma, rhinitis, conjunctivitis or stinging insect allergies, you may be a good candidate for allergy shots, also known as immunotherapy.  That is the recommendation of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.  Patients who receive immunotherapy are injected with increasing amounts of an allergen until the target therapeutic dose is reached, in an effort to build up resistance to specific allergens

A consumer rights group has petitioned US regulators to bolster health warnings on Botox, the toxin used by millions around the world to smooth wrinkles.  Advocacy group Public Citizen, founded by former presidential candidate Ralph Nader, urged the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to immediately increase its warnings….about the use of botulinum toxin because of serious adverse reactions, including deaths, linked to the drug

The Indian state of West Bengal, battling the country’s worst outbreak of deadly bird flu, appealed to the federal government to send “all possible help to defeat” the virus.  The call by state animal resources minister Anisur Rahaman came as authorities struggled to stop the disease spreading beyond the 12 out of 19 state districts already affected

A study of the new anti-clotting drug idraparinux for preventing strokes was stopped early because of excess bleeding, a problem that has plagued the medication.  But the researchers said the trial could open the way to at least limited use of the drug

Did You Know .......

More than 100 hospital wards across the UK had to close their doors to new patients in a bid to slow the spread of the vomiting bug norovirus.  Doctors estimated that more than 100,000 people a week were catching the bug at the beginning of January

The switch to energy-saving light bulbs may put thousands at risk of painful skin reactions, health charities warned.  Fluorescent bulbs can exacerbate skin rashes in people with photosensitive skin conditions, experts said.  The government is planning to prevent the sale of conventional bulbs by 2001 to cut carbon dioxide emissions.  Several groups including the British Association of Dermatologists called for exemptions to allow those affected to continue using traditional bulbs

A single jab that could give lifelong protection against all types of flu has produced promising results in human trials.  The vaccine, made by Acambis, should protect against all strains of influenza A - the cause of pandemics.  Currently, winter flu jabs have to be regularly re-designed because the flu virus keeps changing.  The new vaccine would overcome this and could be stockpiled in advance of a bird flu outbreak, say experts

Heart attack patients in the US are far more likely to receive a blood transfusion than patients in other countries with the very same condition, but the outcome of their treatment is no better, according to Duke University Medical Center researcher

Executives from GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), AstraZeneca and Eli Lilly could be interviewed by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) as part of its investigation into allegations that British companies paid bribes to Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq.  The drugs groups confirmed that they had received requests from the SFO for documentation in connection with its inquiry into the United Nations Oil-For-Food programme, under which medicines were supplied to Iraq in 2003

Targets intended to cut long waits in hospital Accident and Emergency units have cost the NHS in England £2 billion over the past 5 years, an assessment of healthcare information has concluded.  The extra costs come from patients who are in danger of having to visit more than 4 hours in A&E - the target limit - and are admitted to hospital “just in case”.  Many are later discharged the same day, suggesting they had no real need to be admitted, with Xmas Eve having the highest proportion of patients sent out on the day of admissio

Treating severe pneumonia in children at home with oral antibiotics works just as well as treating them with intravenous drugs at a hospital as advised by the World Health Organisation, scientists have said.  Pneumonia is one of the world’s leading child killers, particularly in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.  The researchers said their findings in this study of 2,037 children aged 3-5 in Pakistan should prompt the UN health agency to change its recommendations on treating severe childhood pneumonia

Up to 70,000 deaths could be avoided every year if Britons followed healthy eating guidelines, a wide-ranging government report says.  The nation’s poor diet costs the economy £10 billion, of which £7.7 billion comprises NHS treatment that could be avoided with a healthier die

In a study of nearly 3,000 healthy British adults, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, Dr Andrew Steptoe, of University College London, found that those who reported upbeat moods had lower levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that, when chronically elevated, may contribute to high blood pressure, abdominal obesity and dampened immune function

Did You Know .......

Patients taking anti-obesity drugs lose only “modest” amounts of weight, and many remain significantly obese or overweight, research reveals.  Fat pills reduce weight by less than 5kg (11lbs) which guidelines say makes their use unjustified.  Experts say the Canadian work in the British Medical Journal shows pills are no substitute for healthy living.  Eating less and exercising more is essential, they sai

Scientists say they may be on the brink of translating into words the thoughts of a man who can no longer speak, after a pioneering experiment.  Electrodes have been implanted in the brain of Eric Ramsay, who has been “locked in” - conscious but paralysed - since a car crash 8 years ago.  These have been recording pulses in areas of the brain involved in speech.  Now, New Scientist magazine reports, they are to use the signals he generates to drive speech software

A vaccine which protects infants against four types of meningitis has shown promise in clinical trials.  Current vaccines against A, C, W-135 and Y strains do not work in children under the age of 2 years.  Data presented at the World Society for Paediatric Infectious Diseases Congress suggests the new vaccine is protective from 6 months.  Infants in North America, Africa and Eastern Europe would benefit most from the vaccine, said experts.  Most cases of meningitis in the UK are caused by meningitis C or B

UN health experts say they remain mystified by an unidentified disease in Angola that has killed 4 people.  About 200 other victims are in hospital suffering from symptoms which include fever and extreme drowsiness.  A team of specialists spent 2 weeks studying the outbreak at a clinic in a northern suburb of the capital.  The World Heath Organisation said it was important “people do not panic” and report to hospital if they have such symptoms

A key symptom of muscular dystrophy has been reversed by scientists in the lab.  They identified a compound that eliminated the prolonged muscle tensing known as myotonia in mice bred with a common form of the condition.  The researchers say the discovery raises hopes myotonia could be reversed in muscular dystrophy patients even after it has become well established.  The University of Rochester study is published online by the Journal of Clinical Investigation

A hospital at the centre of a Clostridium difficile outbreak which caused 33 deaths will not face criminal proceedings, safety officials say.  The Health and Safety Executive ruled there was not enough admissible evidence to prosecute Stoke Mandeville Hospital bosses in Buckinghamshire.  But the HSE said there were areas where the hospital could have done more

A woman who claims she was told she was too fat for surgery in the UK has undergone a second hip replacement operation in Malta.  The woman, from Scotland, needed the surgery due to arthritis pain.  The 15-stone woman said NHS doctors told her to lose 2 stones before she would be considered for surgery.  Some experts say overweight patients have a higher risk of complications

The only realistic way of preventing deaths and severe complications arising from chickenpox is to routinely vaccinate children against the disease, concludes research published in Archives of Disease in Childhood.  Vaccination programmes for children have been introduced in several countries including the USA, Canada, Australia and Finland

Most people spend most of the day sitting with relatively idle muscles.  Health professionals advise that at least 30 minutes of activity at least 5 days a week will counteract health concerns, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity that may result from inactivity

Stroke ....... Remember the first 3 letters- S.T.R

This is important.  Please take the time to read and consider printing out this page for future reference.  This was posted on Murcia Expat Yahoo Group and I thought it would be a good idea to print it in the magazine & on the web site.

STROKE IDENTIFICATION:

During a BBQ, a friend stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) and just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes.  They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food - while she appeared a bit shaken up, she went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening.  Her husband called later saying that his wife had been taken to the hospital (at 6pm, she passed away).  She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ.  Had the people known, perhaps she would still be alive today.  Some don’t die.  They end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead.  It only takes a minute to read this….

A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours, he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke.  He said the trick was getting a stroke recognised, diagnosed and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough.

RECOGNISING A STROKE

Thank god for the sense to remember the “3” steps, STR.  Read and learn!  Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify.  Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster.  The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognise the symptoms of a stroke.  Now doctors say a bystander can recognise a stroke by asking three simple questions:

S Ask the individual to SMILE

T Ask the person to TALK to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (coherently) i.e. It is sunny out today

R Ask the person to RAISE BOTH ARMS

Another ‘sign’ of a stroke is this: Ask the person to ‘stick’ out their tongue.  If the tongue is ‘crooked’, if it goes to one side or the other, that is also an indication of a stroke.  If the person has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call the emergency services IMMEDIATELY and describe the symptoms to the operator.

Did You Know? ..............

US researchers say they’ve found a gene that plays a crucial role in the ability of breast cancer cells to respond to oestrogen.  The finding may lead to improved therapies for hormone-responsive breast cancer and may help explain differences in the effectiveness of current treatments

Where you live may affect the type of asthma you develop.  The international study found that youngsters in affluent developed countries had more allergy-triggered asthma symptoms than did children in poorer, less developed countrie

The traditional doctor’s white coat is to be changed as part of government plans to tackle hospital infections.  The new style clothing will have short sleeves under guidance to come into effect at the start of next year.  Doctors would also not be allowed to wear long-sleeve shirts, jewellery or watches as part of the measures.  The Department of Health says cuffs are likely to be “very contaminated” and that other forms of protection such as plastic aprons would be introduced

Chronic fatigue syndrome (also known as ME), is linked to a stomach virus, suggests new research.  The researchers base their findings on 165 patients with ME, all of whom were subjected to endoscopy because of long-standing gut complaints

Oil spill volunteers who helped in the clean-up effort after the 2002 Prestige oil spill off the Galician coast of Spain exhibit prolonged respiratory symptoms resulting from their exposure, say researchers from Spain in the first study to examine the long-term effects of such exposures on workers’ respiratory health

Children could have their cholesterol levels tested at about 15 months of age to prevent heart disease later in life, say doctors in a study published in the British Medical Journal website.  High cholesterol which runs in families is known as familial hypercholesterolaemia.  It affects about two in every 1000 people and causes very high levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad cholesterol” in the blood

Dutch researchers found that about 50% of antibiotics prescribed by primary care physicians for respiratory tract infections are unnecessary

Scientists in California are reporting an advance toward rapid testing for pre-natal detection of Down syndrome and other birth defects that involve an abnormal number of chromosomes.  In a study, it is pointed out that most existing pre-natal tests depend on a technique termed karyotyping and requires a two-week wait for anxious parents, while cells taken with amniocentesis or chronic villus sampling are grown in laboratory culture and analysed

Whether it’s a mugger or a friend who jumps out of the bushes, you’re still surprised.  But your response - to flee or to hug - must be very different.  Now, researchers have begun to distinguish the circuitry in the brain’s emotion centre that processes surprise from the circuitry that processes the aversive or reward “valence” of a stimulus.

What makes one smell pleasant and another odious?  Is there something in the chemistry of a substance that can serve to predict how we will perceive its smell?  Scientists in the USA have now discovered that there is indeed, such a link, and knowing the molecular structure of a substance can help predict whether we will find its smell heavenly or malodorous

Did You Know? ..............

Scientists have discovered a new protein that may offer fresh insights into brain function in mad cow disease.  The study was conducted jointly by the University of Toronto, University of Alberta, Case Western Reserve University in Ohio and the McLaughlin Research Institute in Montana.  The team has defined a second prion protein called ‘Shadoo’ that exists in addition to the well-known prion protein calld ‘PrP’

One in three people exposed to whiplash trauma is at risk of developing delayed TMJ  (temporomandibular joint) symptoms, according to research published in the August issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association

Mayo Clinic researchers have identified the first immune molecule that appears to play a role in prostate cancer development and in predicting cancer recurrence and progression after surgery

Too many people are being diagnosed with depression when all they are is unhappy, a leading psychiatrist says.  Professor Gordon Parker claims the threshold for clinical depression is too low and risks treating normal emotional states as illness.  Writing in the British Medical Journal, he calls depression a “catch-all” diagnosis driven by clever marketing

High blood pressure is out of control around the world, with the number of sufferers expected to exceed a billion within 20 years, experts warn.  One in four adults already has the condition, which increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and death

Cancer survival in the UK is below the European average despite recent improvements, a report says.  Five year survival rates in lung, breast, prostate and colorectal cancer were lower in the UK compared with everywhere except eastern Europe

The compounds which give certain fruit and vegetables their dark colour may contain powerful cancer fighting properties, US research suggests.  Studies on rats and human cells found anthocyanins - which colour red, purple and blue fruits - notably slowed the growth of colon cancer cells

Researchers have found middle-age spread occurs in two distinct phases - casting doubt on the merits of using weight as a guide to health.  They found a thickening waistline in early middle age is accompanied by a rise in weight.  But although waists continue to expand with age, weight gain levelled off in later years as muscle turned to fat

A little girl’s love of all things pink may not be entirely due to marketing by clothes and toy firms say researchers.  A University of Newcastle study found that women naturally opted for redder shades when given a choice.  Experts say it may have helped women gather ripe fruit or pick healthy mates

Scientists believe a virus may play a role in obesity, raising the possibility that medication could be used to tackle the condition.  A team at Louisiana’s Pennington Centre found that a common virus could cause stem cells to change into fat cells in lab experiments

US scientists may have discovered why long nerve cells do not break when you move or stretch your limbs.  Experiments in worms showed that when a protein called beta spectrin is missing, nerve cells are brittle and break, leading to paralysis.  The finding may help to explain why people with a condition called spinocerebellar ataxia progressively lose co-ordination and movement.

Did You Know? ..............

Many NHS trusts in England are failing to follow government guidance to fund one full round of IVF treatment, a Department of Health survey has found.  The poll found fewer than half of NHS trusts fund the freezing of spare embryos created during treatment, and their implantation if required.  The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence says this should be part of NHS-funded care

Hip replacements that have come loose could be revealed by a machine that vibrates the leg then listens to the sound made by the bone.  A quarter of the people who have new hip joints will suffer pain because the fixing cement is failing.  University of Bath engineers placed a device on the knee, then used an ultrasound receiver to measure the different sound waves produced.  An orthopaedic surgeon said it might help spot those needing new operations

A third of Britons find talking with a new partner about condoms so embarrassing it puts them off using one at all, a survey has suggested.  Yet a third of the 2,169 adults polled by the Family Planning Association said they regretted not using a condom with a new partner in the past

US scientists have genetically modified mice to exhibit both the anatomical and behavioural defects associated with the complex condition schizophrenia.  Previous studies that rely on drugs can only mimic the symptoms of the disease, such as delusions and paranoia.  But the new work, base on a key genetic change, could aid a much greater understanding of the disease

Many hardcore sunbathers who plan to get burnt on the beach this summer are fully aware it will cause permanent skin damage, research shows.  The charity Cancer Research UK polled almost 400 sun worshippers and found 90% were aware of the health risks.  40% thought burning their skin was simply an inevitable part of the tanning process

A scientist who faked his research may have actually made a groundbreaking advance - without even realising it.  South Korean Woo Suk Hwang became famous after claiming to have extracted the world’s first stem cells from a cloned embryo.  It emerged he had lied about his work, and the source of the cells.  But analysis in the journal Cell Stem Cell reveals he may have produced stem cells from human eggs alone - potentially even more useful

The South African government says that for the first time, there may be signs of a reduction in the prevalence of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.  A government survey found that HIV prevalence among pregnant women across the country had dropped by one percentage point.  South Africa has one of the world’s worst infection rates, with an estimated 5.5million people HIV-positive

Poor UK regulation of cosmetic treatments is turning the public into “guinea pigs” warn campaigners.  Which? Magazine claims that companies are testing cosmetic fillers in the UK before applying for a US licence under more stringent rules.  Only 7 fillers - injectable substances used to reduce wrinkles - containing hyaluronic acid are licenced in the US compared with 65 in the UK

Did You Know? ..............

Cancerous brain tumours appear to respond favourably to the drug temozolomide when used as primary chemotherapy after surgery, and the treatment appears to work best in people missing a certain gene, according to a new study

Treating skin wounds with a concentrated topical gel of the patient’s own blood platelets may result in faster healing, according to a researcher at the University of Cincinnati in America

People infected with hepatitis C can be cured with existing treatments, researchers have found.  Standard therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin removed all detectable virus in 99% of patients for upto 7 years

Viagra could be used to help people flying eastwards recover from jetlag.  A team of Argentine scientists found the drug helped hamsters recover up to 50% faster

A knee implant designed specifically to fit women is now available in the UK.  Surgeons believe it could help reduce the pain suffered by some women after the operation and improve mobility

A company that has developed a device for predicting the onset of labour weeks in advance of childbirth hopes to attract international investment.  Inverness-based IVMD also aims to draw the interest of large biotech companies to its products at a BioEquity Europe conference being hosted in Glasgow

Many people who have recovered from cancer are refused travel insurance or are charged more for it.  Macmillan Caner Support said two in five people were quoted higher premiums than if they had had no history of cancer

A cream containing vitamin A managed to reduce wrinkles significantly in elderly people, scientists report.  Not only did the cream make skin appear more youthful, tissue samples from 23 people revealed it boosted levels of important skin repair chemicals

A study is being launched to investigate possible links between diet and Alzheimer’s disease.  Researchers at the Alzheimer’s Society will look at the effects of fruit juice, red wine and oily fish on the incidence of mental illness.  They will analyse data from new and existing studies to see if a healthy “Mediterranean diet” could reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s

Steroid use may be more than twice as common as official figures suggest.  According to the British Crime Survey there are 42, 000 regular anabolic steroid users in the UK.  A drugs expert said there could be as many as 100,000 - on a par with heroin users

Children of mothers who eat plenty of apples during pregnancy are less likely to develop asthma, research suggests.  The University of Aberdeen project quizzed 2,000 mothers-to-be on their eating habits, then looked at their child’s health over 5 years.  They found that those who ate four or more apples a week were half as likely to have an asthmatic child compared with those who ate one or fewer

The conditions in which females are brought up could affect their fertility later in life, researchers suggest.  Researchers at University College London monitored hormone levels in women who migrated to the UK from Bangladeshi at different stages in life.  Women who had spent their childhood in the healthier conditions of the UK had higher levels of reproductive hormones than those brought up in Bangladesh

Did You Know? ..............

A new drug under investigation shows a reduction in disease activity in multiple sclerosis (MS), according to 2 studies.  Both studies involved people with the relapsing-remitting form of MS, where symptoms flare up and then subside.  By 24 weeks, treatment with the drug rituximab reduced the number of areas of brain damage, or lesions, in people with MS and the number of relapses, or times when symptoms flare up, compared with a placebo

New research indicates that young children with autism have a difficult time recognising ordinary words and more of their brains are occupied with this kind of task compared to typically developing youngsters

With the summer approaching in the northern hemisphere, many people will be taking advantage of the hot weather to sunbathe and relax in the hot weather.  But avoiding direct sunlight and wearing clothes which stop the harmful UV rays from reaching the skin, rather than sunscreen, are the best ways of avoiding skin cancer and the aging effects of the sun

A simple spit test designed to detect pre-eclampsia in the early stages is being trialled in a UK hospital.  The test, which is designed to be used at home, will allow mums-to-be to check for themselves whether they are at risk of the condition, which can be symptomless in the early stages but kills 1000 babies in the UK every year

A new study in The American Journal of Gastroenterology suggests that smoking may determine which part of the intestinal tract is attacked in those who suffer from Crohn’s disease.  Where the disease is located often determines whether the patient will eventually require surgical treatment

Scientists provide new information about HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, enters the nucleus of an infected cell.  This study could devise a new way to fight AIDS.  When HIV infects a cell, it carries its DNA into the nucleus of the cell and then the viral DNA mixes with the cell’s DNA.  The combined DNA produces proteins that make new viruses, which spread to the neighbouring cells.  The mechanism by which HIV’s DNA enters the nucleus is not yet fully understood and may offer new ways to fight HIV

A new study reveals 2 distinct patterns in the recent breast cancer rates in US women; a downturn in the incidence rates in almost all age groups above 45 years beginning in 1998/1999, consistent with a levelling off of mammography utilisation, and a sharp fall in the rates between 2002 and 2003 in the age groups 50-69 years, likely reflecting the early benefit of the reduced use of HRT

Parkinson’s disease is well-known for its progression of motor disorders: stiffness, slowness, tremors, difficulties walking and talking.  Less well known is that Parkinson’s shares other symptoms with narcolepsy, a sleep disorder characterised by sudden and uncontrollable episodes of deep sleep, severe fatigue and general sleep disorder.  A team of researchers think they know why - the 2 disorders share something in common.  Parkinson’s disease patients have severe damage to the same small group of neurons whose loss causes narcolepsy.  The findings suggest a different clinical course of treatment for people suffering with Parkinson’s that may ameliorate their sleep symptoms

TOP 10 HEALTH MYTHS

When I was a child, everyone used to say that if you swallowed gum it would take your digestive system 7 years to digest it.  Well, it appears that this is just a myth, along with some others.  Take a look….

POOR DIET AND NOT WASHING CAUSES ACNE

It is a common misconception that what you eat and how often you wash your face leads to spots and acne.  In fact, acne is caused by the production of hormones and the effect these have on the sebaceous glands.  Washing your face too often, meanwhile, may in fact make your skin worse as your body produces more oils to replace what you have washed away.

SOME FRUIT AND VEGETABLES ARE FATTENING

I have heard (and believed) that bananas are high in calories.  Bananas in fact contain around half a gram of fat and the vast majority of other fruits and vegetables are also extremely low and good for you.

CRACKING YOUR KNUCKLES LEADS TO ARTHRITIS

Knuckle cracking isn’t just extremely irritating; it can also damage the health of your hands.  It won’t give you, however, arthritis.  One study, which monitored 300 knuckle crackers, found that the participants who regularly cracked their knuckles were no more likely to get arthritis than those who didn’t.  However, research has shown that cracking knuckles does leave you more vulnerable to hand swelling and reduced grip strength.

GUM TAKES 7 YEARS TO DIGEST

A playground favourite for years, swallowing gum definitely does not take 7 years to digest.  Something so small will, in fact, travel through your system at a regular pace.

YOU CAN CURE HICCUPS

Nobody is really sure what causes hiccups, which occur when the diaphragm spasms involuntarily, though certain foods, drinks and actions may trigger an attack.  There is no surefire cure, though most people seem to have a favourite remedy of their own, such as giving someone a fright, drinking water upside down from a cup and holding your breath.  There are some medications available for persistent hiccupping, which can last for hours.  Regular hiccups are perfectly harmless.

WHEN YOU SNEEZE, YOUR HEART STOPS

When you sneeze, the pressure in your chest increases as you inhale and then drops when you exhale, so your heart rate is affected, but you do keep breathing!

WE ONLY USE 10% OF OUR BRAINS

In truth, most people do in fact use the majority of their brains.  A study using electrical stimulation on live human brains found that there were no dormant areas of the brain, a fact which makes England manager Steve McLaren’s tactical decisions even harder to explain!

LOTS OF SIT-UPS GETS YOU THE PERFECT 6 PACK

All men have a six-pack but many are hiding it under a wobbly layer of fat.  You need to do lots of cardiovascular exercise to get rid of the stomach and the abs will take care of themselves.

IT’S OK TO SKIP BREAKFAST

It’s not.  It is the most important meal of the day as it stabilises blood sugar levels.  Skipping breakfast slows down your metabolism and makes it more likely you will turn to snacking.

YOU CAN PREDICT THE SEX OF YOUR UNBORN CHILD

There is no accurate way of predicting the sex, unless you are scanned and can see it.  Scientists at John Hopkins University carried out a study on 104 women and found that the gender of the children were in no way connected to the shape of the women’s stomachs during pregnancy.

DID YOU KNOW?

An extract from the bark of a South American tree might lead to better treatment for a rare but deadly childhood eye cancer called retinoblastoma.  American researchers have tested the extract in a laboratory and found that it significantly blocked rapid cell growth of human tumour cells

Patients are buying an experimental drug over the internet.  The drug, called DCA, has been shown to shrink tumours in rats but tests on humans are years away.  Nature magazine reports some terminally ill patients are taking the drug and UK cancer experts warned patients there was no evidence DCA was beneficial and said it could cause harm

For the first time, Europe’s largest drug company, GSK, is starting the registration process for a vaccine from which it never expects to make money.  Globorix will only be used in Africa to prevent meningitis at prices that may never cover its research costs.  Millions of people in Africa are at risk from meningitis, which can kill a child in 6 hours

Scientists have revealed details of the world’s only known case of “semi-identical” twins.  The journal Nature says the twins are identical on their mother’s side but share only half their genes on their father’s side.  They are the result of 2 sperm cells fertilising a single egg, which then divided to form 2 embryos - and each sperm contributed genes to each child

A tropical worm disease that has plagued people since ancient times could be eradicated in less than 2 years, experts predict.  The World Health Organisation said Guinea worm disease, or dracunculiasis, now only affects around 25,000 people in 9 countries.  In the early 1980s an estimated 3 million people were infected in over 20 countries.  The worm causes crippling leg ulcers, sometimes the size of tennis balls and they burst, releasing a spaghetti-like parasitic worm that can be 0.8m long.  The pain is excruciating

A drug-free treatment has helped people control their asthma symptoms for up to a year, a study has found.  Bronchial thermoplasty uses radio frequency currents to reduce the amount of smooth muscle in the airways, stopping the narrowing seen in asthma

Drinking green tea could help in the fight against HIV, research suggest.  Scientists found a component called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) prevents HIV from binding to immune system cells by getting there first.  Once EGCG has bound to immune system cells, there is no room for HIV to take hold in its usual fashion.  However, experts said the joint UK and US work, which appears in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, was at a very preliminary stage

Scientists have produced evidence to suggest that Europe was right to ban the beef industry from using growth promoters to increase yield.  A US study has linked use of the chemicals to damage to human sperm.  The University of Rochester found men whose mothers ate a lot of beef during pregnancy had lower sperm counts

Frequent air travellers, such as cabin crew who repeatedly take long-haul flights, risk ill health, a study says.  As well as the obvious jet lag, an out-of-kilter body clock can trigger psychotic and mood disorders.  The researchers say disrupted sleep and hormone patterns are largely to blame

EXPATRIATE OSTOMATES OF SPAIN (EOS)

Ostomists are those who have undergone surgery on the digestive or urinary tract, involving the creation of an opening through the abdominal wall.  This opening is called a ‘stoma’ (from Greek meaning ‘mouth’) and is required when the normal systems for expelling waste material from the body are not functioning due to disease, most commonly cancer.  In the Valencian Region it is estimated that 90% of all ostomy surgery follows bowel cancer, but it may also be performed on the very young because of birth defects such as spinabifida, or following injury.

The stoma is a life line and we are eternally grateful to the surgeons who perform these essential operations.  Depending on the site of the initial disease, a subsequent ‘reversal’ operation may be possible, but otherwise the continued life of the ostomist is one of dependency on appliances (prostheses) and - particularly in the first years - on the care that both the family and the specialist can give.  In certain circumstances, with the surgeon’s permission, a patient can be taught to practice irrigation via the stoma.  Specialist associations like EOS exist to give advice and support to people who have had or are about to have ostomy surgery, complementing the work of the surgeon and stoma care nurse.

Expatriates can have a difficult time settling into Spain and, if they are so unfortunate as to have a serious illness here, such support is certainly needed.  There are excellent surgeons and hospital nurses here but a totally inadequate supply of aftercare.  EOS is working with Spanish ostomy associations for the improvement of after care and for other basic rights.  Our office in Jávea has a well-stocked reference library with literature in several languages.  We offer impartial advice on ostomy-related matters for those facing surgery and for those needing to be updated on available equipment and how to obtain it in Spain.  Although dedicated primarily to expatriates resident or visiting Spain, we aim to assist all ostomists.  Naturally calls to our dedicated Helpline are treated as strictly confidential.  Having joined the Association, the ostomist is known as an ‘ostomate’ - a friend!

DID YOU KNOW?

> Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disorder in the developed world, characterised by altered bowel function, abdominal discomfort and pain.  However, there are few effective treatments for IBS, in part because the molecular mechanisms underlying the disease symptoms have not been well defined.  But now, researchers from the University of Calgary have provided evidence that serine proteases and PAR2 might provide new therapeutic targets for the treatment of IBS

> Patients who have gone blind are a step closer to perhaps one day regaining some of their sight.  Researchers have announced the next step to advance technology that hopefully will help patients with retinitis pigmentosa and macular degeneration regain some vision using an implanted artificial retina

> Á nice cup of the right kind of cocoa could hold the promise of promoting brain function as people age.  Medical researchers are seeing more cases of dementia and are looking for ways to make brains work better.  One potential source of help may be flavonols - an antioxidant found in cocoa beans that can increase blood flow to the brain

> The opiate drug, morphine, is effective in easing long-standing coughs, as doctors suspected, a study shows

> Viagra has been used by doctors on Tyneside as a last resort to save the life of a premature baby.  The drug opened up tiny blood vessels in the baby’s lungs and he is now at home with his parents

> A bionic eye implant that could help restore the sight of millions of blind people could be available to patients within 2 years.  US researchers have been given the go-ahead to implant the prototype device in 50 to 75 patients.  The Argus II system uses a spectacle-mounted camera to feed visual information to electrodes in the eye.  Patients who tested less-advanced versions of the retinal implant were able to see light, shapes and movement

> Eating fish and seafood during pregnancy has long-lasting benefits for the child, a UK study has suggested.  Children of mothers who had eaten lots of fish during pregnancy had better communication and social skills at seven years old, the Lancet paper says

> Chronic back pain is linked to physical changes in the brain, according to researchers in Germany.  A team found patients with the condition also had microstructural changes in the pain-processing areas of their brains.  The scientists said the work provided evidence that the condition was real and it could aid treatment research

> A four-year study is set to test if treatment for tuberculosis can be speeded up.  Current treatment takes 6 months which can be problematic in developing countries