New Alzheimer's drug gives hope

A new drug called rember appears to slow cognitive decline by 81%, it work by acting on a brain protein called tau which becomes entangled and causes brain cell eath in people wih dementia.

Research suggests rember reduces tau tangles.

angiotensin receptor blockers and dementia

People taking angiotensin receptor blockers may have up to a 40% less chance of having Alzheimer's, slowing the progression of the disease,cutting admission to nursing homes and deaths.

There are plans to examine medical records of about 3 million people to confirm whether these drugs' effects are genuine.

It is possible that these drugs protect nerve cells in the brain.

Walking can help keep diabetes under control

Diabetics with type 2 diabetes who walk an extra 45 minutes or an extra 4,000 more footsteps a day improved their body's ability to store sugar in muscles and burn fat.

Drug gives hope to men with prostate cancer

Abiraterone disables an enzyme that produces testosterone and other hormones that encourage tumour growth.

In a study of 8 men, in 5 men, the tumours shrank, levels of prostate-specific antigen in the blood fell 30% in most of the 8 men.

If a future study is successfull,Abiraterone should be avaible in about two years time.

Soya-based food may damage male fertility

A study has found a connection between eating more than two portions of soya-based foods a week and male infertility, such men had on average 41m fewer sperm per millilitre of semen than men who don't eat soya-based products.

Soya-based products can be found in biscuits,bread,pasta and sweets.

Soya-based foods are probably not a good idea for those with low sperm counts.

Climate change and kidney stones

Temperatures rises could increase the number of people who get kidney stones the US by about 2 million.

It is recommended people should drink more waer.

Breast self-examination doing more harm than good

Doctors have raised oubts about self-exasmination after a study of over 388,000 women found that there was no evidence that self-examination reduced deaths from breast cancer.

Those who self-examined had twice the number of biopsies, but no reduction in the death rate from breast cancer.

Women shouldn't eat too many nuts during pregnancy

Scientists have warned that eating a lot of nuts during pregnancy might increase the child's chances of having asthma later on in life.

The study involved over 4,000 pregnant women, asking about their daily intake of fruit,veg,fish,eggs,nilk and nuts during last month of pregnancy.

Children aged 8,whose mothers had consumed nut,or products like peanut butter daily during pregnancy were 47% more likely to have asthma,42% more likely to have wheezing, and 52% more likely to have shortness of breath.

Flatfish missing links found

Modern flatfish eyes are asymmetrically placed whereas ancient flatfish had symmetrically placed eyes.

Now intermediate forms have been found in fossils,one called Amphistium,the other Heteronectes.

In these fossils,the eyes were slightly asymmetrically placed.

Fertility news;10 July 2008

Doctors have warned that obese men should lose weight after research linked a fall in sperm quality to obesity.

In a study,records of over 2000 men with details of their body mass index attending Aberdeen Fertility Centre were examined.

Obese men produced 60% less seminal fluid and 40% higher levels of abnormal sperm than men with a healthy BMI.

Diabetes can also damage fertility.

Researchers in Brazil are looking into whether stem cells from human teeth is possible.

Some people however believe it is unlikely to work.

Travellers to Africa carrying deadly form of malaria back to Britain

Many travellers to Africa, often africans themselves are not taking antimalarial pills,believing that having malaria in their early years, meant they were immune to malaria

This misconception can be fatal, leading to up to 16 deaths a year in Britain.

Shunk smokers more at risk of psychosis

A study suggests that shunk,a more powerful form of cannabis, is 18 times more likely to psychosis in those who smoke it.

This may be because recently shunk has contained 16-18% THC(Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol,a chemical which is held responible for psychotic symptoms.

Enangeered species could be dying out 100 times faster than feared

Some scientists have warned that methods used to predict which species will become extinct are seriously flawed, underestimating the speed of extinction which some species face,which could be months instead of years.

These scientists say that mathematical models failed to take into account such factors as male tofemale ratio and differences in individual reproductive success, these factors can increase the risks of extinction.

gas used in flat-screen tv linked to global warming

A chemical called nitrogen trifluoride used to make flat-screen tvs may be contributing to greenhouse emissions, so Michael Prather of the University of California has warned .

It is potentially 17,000 more potent than carbon dioxide, and if all were released into the atmosphere, equivalent to 67 million tonnes of CO2.

Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology says they used pure fluoride, zero greenhouse gas emissions are claimed.

Pregnant women shouldn't eat junk food, study suggests

The study was carried out on rats.

The study suggests that baby rats whose mothers eat junk food are more at risk of being overweight and prefer to eat junk food.

The baby rats were also more at risk of heart disease and diabetes.