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Lowering cholesterol levels may help the body’s immune system to fight infections, British researchers said.

A study in mice conducted by researchers at the University of Edinburgh found a direct association between immune function and cholesterol levels.

“We discovered that a key immune hormone stimulated infection can lower cholesterol and thus depriving viral infections support they need to grow,” said Peter Ghazal, whose study was published in the journal Public Library of Science (Plops) Biology.

“Currently there are drugs to lower cholesterol levels, but the next step would be to see whether these drugs might also work to help strengthen our immune systems,” he added.
Doctors commonly prescribe stations such as Lipitor, Pfizer, Crestar, AstraZeneca and a generic called simvastatin to reduce LDL “bad” cholesterol, a risk factor for heart disease. These drugs are considered the most successful in preventing heart attacks and strokes.

Ghazal said there are still many years of research to which these results can be translated into treatments for humans, but in the future could be developed stating drugs such anti-infective purposes.

Today the fight viral infections with drugs that target the mechanism that allows the virus to multiply. Antibiotics are used to fight bacterial infections, but these manage to mutate and develop new strains that are resistant to drugs, causing a constant need for new and more powerful drugs.

Ghazal said his research team hopes to use his studies to figure out new ways to fight infections that may mimic such immune signals sent to reduce the production of cholesterol.

These treatments help to overcome the problem of drug resistance, he said, and would seek to strengthen the way the body responds to infection, rather than focusing on attacking the bacteria.

The nails may suffer from various ailments and diseases. Also, can reveal to an expert health disorders in other parts of the body, showing signs of a possible problem elsewhere in the body.

Many times we pay no attention, beyond the aesthetic to this part of our body and yet we tend to stay healthy and be alert to any changes that may occur in morphology, color or appearance. It is important to tell your doctor about any alteration. The specialist, dermatologist mainly through a small exploration of the nails may determine whether any health problem that affects one’s fingernails or, if on the contrary, there is a problem in another part of our body. While it is true that a change in the nails often do not have to be significant if it helps to sense some other problem, so they are very valuable tools in determining the overall health status.

Symptoms anomalous in our fingernails and before which we ask our doctor are: spots, dark spots, skin separation, peeling, thin white lines, bends, thinning, yellowing, stunted growth, rising end, bleeding, inflammation of the edges or pink bands at the edges.

It is very important, good hygiene and care of our nails and prevents problems which may affect them. It is very important to keep nails clean, dry and cut. We must avoid a common practice, which is cutting the cuticle, and that can benefit the development of infections.

Some of the problems of the nails are caused by the presence of bacteria, fungi, ingrown toenails, tumors or warts. But as we said, there are a number of signs or symptoms in our nails can indicate the presence of a general health problem:

- If our nail has a concave shape with rising on both sides, may be due to lack of iron in the body or anemia, heart disease, hypothyroidism or malnutrition.

- If there is some bleeding under the nail can be caused by trauma or an internal cause, so it is important to tell your specialist.

- Greater curvature of the nail and an overgrowth of connective tissue and swelling of the finger are all signs of any type of failure: lung, heart, liver, gastrointestinal and renal. Read the rest of this entry »

Vaccination of women has an important role in controlling diseases that are preventable. Not only does protect against infection risk, it prevents transmission to the unborn child.

Most live vaccines are contraindicated in pregnancy. Examples include measles, rubella and mumps.

Inactivated viral vaccines such as influenza, or developed from bacteria or their toxins, such as tetanus, can be applied during pregnancy or earlier.

Recommended vaccines before pregnancy

It is important to perform a blood test to see if women of childbearing age had rubella or not. If the result is negative, should receive the vaccine.

The blood test is also useful to determine if a woman is protected against measles, chickenpox and hepatitis B. The doctor may also evaluate the final implementation of the adult tetanus / Double (diphtheria-tetanus), or MMR.

If you have to apply the tetanus-diphtheria vaccine is preferred for bacterial cellular triple (diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough) because, at present, many people have lost the antibodies used in defense against this disease that could be severe in newborns or during the first months of life of the child.

It is important to remember that it is better to spend a month between the application of vaccines against rubella and chickenpox, and the beginning of pregnancy. In the case of immunization against hepatitis B and diphtheria-tetanus, there are no restrictions for conception.

A novel variant of swine flu emerged in Asia with a genetic adaptation that offers some resistance to Roche’s Tami flu and GlaxoSmithKline’s Elena, the two main drugs used to fight the disease.

Investigators said that over 30% of the samples of H1N1 influenza infection from northern Australia, and over 10% of Singapore, collected during the first months of 2011 had yielded a slightly reduced sensitivity to both drugs.

Meanwhile, there was a significant reduction in sensitivity to peramivir, which is an experimental medication BioCryst Pharmaceuticals.

This new variant of flu was also detected in other parts of the Asia-Pacific region, according to a report of the Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza World Health Organization (WHO) in Melbourne, published in Euro surveillance magazine.

Although this genetic mutation has been observed before in a small number of cases of seasonal flu and H5N1 avian influenza, not previously registered in the swine flu H1N1.

H1N1 was discovered in Mexico and the U.S. in March 2009 and expanded rapidly throughout the world. WHO believes that some 18,450 people died from the virus since its inception until August 2010, including many pregnant women and young people?

The WHO, which had declared the strain responsible for the first pandemic of the XXI century, determined the end of that cycle in August 2010, when the virus was incorporated into the so-called seasonal flu.

The seasonal influenza vaccine is currently offered throughout the world, manufactured by firms such as GlaxoSmithKline, Sarnoff and Novartis – includes protection against the H1N1 strain.

A German scientist named Michael Schemed, discovered a gene that determines the risk of asthma in children, as announced by the European Commission (EC) in a statement. The outcome of the investigation will be presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, which will take place next weekend in Washington.

The finding ORMDL3 gene, on chromosome 17, could evolve the knowledge we have about the disease and lead to implementation of new treatments.

The scientist responsible for the discovery, 33, began working at the University of Munich and now collaborates with Professor Michael Kibosh, allergy specialist genetics in the Medical School of Hanover.

“We have a first test of causal link between the presence of this gene on chromosome seventeen and the development of asthma, a disease that can be treated but not yet curable, “the researcher said in a statement.

Schedule has benefited from a Marie Curie Fellowship of the European Union that promotes research and has been part of the team of 220 researchers who have participated since 2008 in an exchange program between the EU and the U.S

25% of the tourists who went to the Atlantic coast of Buenos Aires, he was diagnosed hypertension and 13 diabetes, according to a survey conducted by the Ministry of Health of the Province of Buenos Aires, said a statement.

The head of the provincial health portfolio, Alejandro Collie said that “we see once again that a good portion of our population live with risk factors for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the country, both males and women. “

Between 1 January and 15 February, a survey on health history and behaviors to 20,031 tourists came to the tents set up in Mar del Plata, Miramar, Villa Giselle, Panama, Mar de Ago and Santa Tersest under SAT (Tourist Assistance System).

24.4% had history of episodes of hypertension, while 13.4% replied that he had diabetes. A similar percentage, 13.5% said they had high cholesterol levels while 24.3% turned out to be a smoker.

Collie said: “This year we will redouble our efforts of prevention and health promotion for reporting on risk factors and create opportunities for physical activity counseling in the community.”

A study by Prof. Dr. Ricardo Choose, Diquecito Sanatorium Medical director, says that two of every five people who diet become irritable with their environment. This report shows that 42.5% of people who perform weight-loss diets suffer behavioral disorders that increase dramatically the chances of dropping out of treatment in the medium term.

The study determines what the consequences in the mind that produce diets made for more than three weeks. It found that patients treated by increasing certain negative symptoms that affect not only mood but also jeopardize compliance with the diet, producing a high percentage of dropouts because of these side effects of the process.

These manifestations of caloric restriction on the behavior of individuals, commonly known as “psychological discomfort”, also highlight the anxiety, anguish and despair, among others. All this carries a high level of stress for the patient, which leads to despair and finally to abandon their treatment to improve their weight.

As with any treatment, it is very important medical intervention to detect and minimize the occurrence of these highly negative situations. It is also recommended that the family accompany the patient to medical appointments, because sometimes he minimizes what happens in your house and put no time the diet fails.

Once detected the situation, there are three main outputs of these psychological distress, that is, ways that can reduce irritability and help advance the process of weight loss. These are medication, physical activity or placement in specialized centers.

Finally, family support is very important. You have to understand that treatment is a difficult time where everyone is part of the problem and therefore created the same household as obese habits (now speaks of “Home obese” and not obese). Everyone has to put their two cents and make certain sacrifices for help who is going through the difficult time of the diet.

Syndrome Post-Holiday Stress can cause sadness, apathy, depression, and tachycardia, shortness of breath, blood, muscle aches and stomach problems and, as experts estimate, affects young adults between 25 and 40.

Patricia Hanson Gabby, director of Hem era, Centre for Studies on Stress and anxiety, said, “A syndrome is defined as a pathological condition associated with a series of concurrent symptoms, usually three or more.” Gabby of Hanson remarked that “post-holiday stress, as his words indicate, is the stress that comes after the holidays.”

“Although it is accepted as the major disease classifications, is being given increasing importance. Some authors think that this is just a temporary situation that disappears when the person passes the process of adapting to the new situation. For example again work and daily routines in the case of adults and children for back to school, “said the expert.

Also, the specialist said that when the adjustment process fails “generated a series of physical and psychological symptoms” and added that these symptoms, if they last over time, “can affect the quality of life of the sufferer.”

“This table insomnia with marked daytime sleepiness, poor concentration, apathy regarding the tasks that must be faced and anxiety. They can also appear sadness, apathy, depression, tachycardia, shortness of breath, blood, muscle aches and stomach problems, “he added.

Hanson Gabby emphasized that the main cause of this syndrome is the change in the daily rhythm disturbance of the biological clock “and that” during the holiday pace of life suffers a significant change. ““Generally we go to bed later and so does the time to get up. There is a total mess in our habits and our routine. The power varies as well as our social activity,” he said.

The specialist said, “Back to life every day means a sharp change for our organization.” “If we add to this lack of motivation at work or activities to be undertaken to return, the subjective experience can be very negative. The combination of both situations can lead to post-holiday syndrome,” he said.

The specialist said that the most exposed population is young adults “aged between 25 and 40 years.”

“Thumbelina Robles Ortega, a researcher at the University of Granada, said that 35% of Spanish workers have post-holiday syndrome,” he said.

In addition, the expert noted that the research recommends

- Divide the vacation time. It is better to go on vacation twice in 15 days instead of after 30 days.

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U.S. researchers studying the effects of stress on the intestines unexpectedly found a chemical compound that stimulates hair growth. By blocking a hormone linked to stress and hair loss, experts achieved in a group of mice genetically engineered to produce too much of this hormone to regenerate lost hair, a team reported in the online edition of the journal Plops One.

“Almost 100% of the mice responded. The hair grew back completely. It is a very dramatic effect,” said Mulugeta Million, University of California at Los Angeles, who worked on the study.

Mulugeta said the findings could open new areas of exploration on hair loss in humans, especially those in which the disorder is related to stress and aging.

The team, which included experts from the Veterans Administration and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in California, was conducting experiments with mice that had been genetically altered to produce an excessive amount of stress-related hormone called corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF for its acronym in English).

As these chronically stressed mice got older, his hair turned gray and finally fell. Mulugeta compared the effect observed with aging to see a U.S. president after the course of two terms of four years in the White House.

The team injected the mice to block the chemical stress called stressing-B “, which stops the action of CRF. The mice received daily injections for five days, then the team measured the effects of the drug on his colon and he replaced in their cages.

“When we returned three months later, his hair had grown back completely. I could not distinguish them from their peers who had not been genetically modified,” said Mulugeta. “It was totally unexpected,” he said.

The effect remained for four months, a relatively long time in the life of a mouse, said the author. Follow-up studies confirmed the findings.

The team also evaluated the compound in modified mice younger than even they had not lost his hair and found that stressing-B avoid becoming frayed.

Pregnant women who live or work with smokers face a higher risk of giving birth to a stillborn baby, having a child with low birth weight or with a smaller head, according to a Canadian study. It is considered that passive smoking exposes people to about 1% of smokers who inhale toxic assets, and the study adds further evidence that this secondhand smoke can harm an unborn baby.

“This information is important for women, their families and healthcare providers,” wrote Joan Crane, of Eastern Health in St. John’s, Canada, and BJOB: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. “The smoke emitted from the burning cigarette contains many harmful chemicals and in higher concentration than the smoke inhaled through a filter,” said the expert.

Crane and his colleagues indicated that these toxic harm to the fetus in several ways: for example, restricting blood flow and possibly damaging the placenta.

Through a database of pregnant women in the Canadian provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador, the team observed the rate of stillbirth deliveries as well as other results during the birth, such as fetal head circumference, which has been linked with delayed intellectual development in children.

Of the nearly 12,000 women in the database, 11% said they had been exposed to secondhand smoke. The birth rate of stillbirth in which the fetus dies during the third trimester of pregnancy, was 0.83% in passive smokers, compared with 0.37% in women who did not breathe smoke snuff.

This does not prove that the smoke itself is the culprit. Even when the researchers took into account other risk factors, including maternal age and alcohol consumption patterns and drug-passive smokers were still three times more likely to give birth to a stillborn child. In other words, if the poison is thus the culprit, he would die a baby in the womb of every 117 women exposed to passive smoking.

“This is huge,” said Hamisu Salihu, an expert on stillbirths of the University of South Florida in Tampa. Can now be added “to inform patients that secondhand smoke can lose your baby.” That relationship was not conclusively established until now, concluded the expert, who did not participate in the study.

Canadian researchers also found that babies born to passive smokers spend about 54 grams less than those whose mothers lived and worked in places “smoke-free.” Also, their heads were slightly smaller, with an average of 0.24 inches shorter.

Globally, the most common causes of infant death are birth complications during childbirth, infections during pregnancy such as syphilis, maternal health problems like hypertension or diabetes, fetal growth retardation, by which infants not grow at the appropriate rate, and birth defects.

A report by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank estimated that over 1,000 million people experience some form of disability and urged governments to “expand efforts to facilitate access to mainstream services.”

The document provides the first global estimates of people with these problems for 40 years, and a picture of the status of disability in the world, the WHO said. According to new research shows, “almost one fifth of the estimated global total of people living with disabilities, i.e. between 110 and 190 million people, face major difficulties.”

More efforts towards equity

the report highlights the lack of countries with appropriate mechanisms to respond to the needs of people with certain impossibilities. These barriers include stigma and discrimination, lack of health care and appropriate rehabilitation services and the inaccessibility of transport services, buildings and communication technologies.

As a result, health status, educational attainment and economic opportunities for people with disabilities are lower than those who do not, and their poverty rates are higher.

“Disability is part of the human condition,” said WHO Director General Margaret Chan. “Most of us have a disability, temporarily or permanently, at any time of life.

“We must try harder to break the barriers that segregate people with disabilities, which in many cases, the cornering on the margins of society,” said WHO director general. As Robert Zoë lick, president of the World Bank Group said that addressing the needs in health, education and employment and other aspects of the development of people with disabilities is critical to achieving the Millennium Development Goals. “

“We must help these people to get equitable access to opportunities to participate and contribute to the life of their communities. There is much that can offer if given a fair chance, “Zoë lick ended.

According to the latest edition of the journal The Lancet, which published the findings were the team that developed this table, and which consist of their characteristics, “the main potential of the method not only have to do with the fact that the new table is more accurate and easy to use, but also with the possibility of using both developing countries and in those of the first world or developed.”

This, according to experts, is very important because until economic situations and countries with very poor health were having to consider their babies with parameters corresponding to places with a very different situation. Thus, the novelty of the table developed by Dr. Rafael Mikolajczyk, Institute for Prevention Research and Social Medicine located in Bremen, Germany, is used for processing data from 24 countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia.

Measurements made with the table to identify or diagnose a possible fetal growth restriction as they pass through the weeks of gestation. This is the medical term used to refer to delayed fetal growth, which appears to be associated with an increased risk of neonatal mortality and disability as well as behavioral disorders, obesity, heart problems, hypertension and diabetes along his life.

In this regard, Dr. Rodrigo Latke, a member of the Obstetrics Hospital Durand and Institute Medico Halite’s commented that “the greatest risk to future carry babies is born with a kilo or a kilo and a half in weight. Also, it clarify that these children represent only 1% of live births, but in turn are those that hold greater risk of mortality. “

The specialist also recorded that, indeed, low birth weight affects the future development of degenerative diseases.

Also, in the days after birth, low birth weight increases the vulnerability of the child and also creates a risk due to the susceptibility to infections or respiratory symptoms.

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International Sleep Foundation recommend to adults sleep at least seven hours of sleep each night to be functional and productive during their waking hours. Once you can organize your day, and enough sleep, start your day full of energy to perform the necessary tasks

The work is one of the main reasons why people get up early in the morning. Some people start work early in the day, while others simply get up early to avoid problems such as heavy traffic in the morning because the traffic before rush hour is lighter and less stressful. Starting early often means having to leave early so the rise with time is essential to avoid social unrest and create a nuisance stressed and mentally throughout the remainder of the day.

Many people tend to get up early to go straight to the gym or run outdoors. If you exercise in the morning, you can start spending the day after the energy necessary to feel refreshed for all the rest of the day. Many experts say that with good practice early, sleeping at night much easier.

If an earlier breakfast means to awaken, so be it. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, because it is a push for metabolism. Breaking fasting also allows you to concentrate better in school or at work. Skipping breakfast is associated primarily related to problems of obesity and weight.

For parents or mothers with children, waking up early is almost inevitable, and that since the preparation of breakfast, to lay out clothes for children, a whole routine that instead of taking it as an obligation, seeing it as a family time, may be a good way to start the day and meet together.

Many studies claim that adults need to get seven to nine hours of sleep per day to be fully functional during their waking hours. But here’s the most common problem because many people do not sleep enough due to the demands of everyday life. In too many cases where you go to bed late and waking up too early is a daily routine for many. So we must learn well what are the risks of a bad break.

One of the consequences of poor sleep is the weight gain. If someone is trying to lose weight, getting enough sleep is essential to success as the hormones that regulate satiety and control hunger longer. Having lack of sleep, levels of grueling (a hormone that regulates appetite) increases, and levels of lepton which signal the brain satiety, diminish. Increased appetite to eat a person makes more than the body needs and certainly can lead to weight gain.

Mental performance is also one of the consequences of sleep deprivation, as the concentration is one of the first things to fail when a break is not adequate. You may notice a lack of sleep when performing simple tasks of any type or perhaps falling asleep at work or at home makes the mental performance of people who do not have a good routine of rest fail more than usual.

It is very common for people suffering from lack of sleep are often moody, irritable or even depressed and usually end up being less resistant to stress factors that can be found in any corner. Physical performance is also a matter to be considered as sleeping, your body regenerates and renews in order to start a day full of energy. Lack of sleep is also often linked to heart disease, diabetes or hypertension.