Categories
Cardiovascular
Diagnostics
Endocrinology
Health Insurance
Medical Devices
Mental Health
Nutrition
Oncology
Public Health
Sexual Health
Popular Articles

Scientists Examine HIV's Effect On Immune System
A study by researchers from Duke University and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and published in PLoS Medicine has found that upon infection "three lines of attack by the immune system are quickly neutralized by HIV," findings they hope "will provide a better understanding of how to develop a vaccine to protect against the virus," the Raleigh News & Observer reports. The study, lead by Duke"s Barton Haynes, showed that HIV, "once considered a slow if stealthy invader, actually works incredibly fast at disarming key immune fighters in the body." Haynes said scientists still have a difficult task in developing a vaccine, adding, "It would have to be different than any other vaccine made" (Avery, 7/7).
generic viagra online
New Supplement May Help Slow Sight Loss In Elderly
Queen"s University Belfast academics have helped develop an antioxidant supplement which may slow down sight loss in elderly people.
News of the day
Recession Prompting Increase In Number Of People With HIV Seeking Public Services In California
The Los Angeles Times on Sunday examined how the recession is impacting people living with HIV in California. Brad Hare, medical director of University of California-San Francisco"s Positive Health Program at San Francisco General Hospital, said that people living with HIV who have lost their jobs and private health insurance are turning to public and nonprofit clinics for the first time and are responsible for a 12% increase this year in the clinic"s overall patient visits. He added that many of the patients he sees have gone months without receiving medical care. In addition, at the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center, which also provides HIV treatment, the number of new patients has doubled over the last year, Thomas Soule, a spokesperson for the center, said. The Times also profiled a client of the center (Lin, Los Angeles Times, 5/31).
Endocrinology

Healthier, Longer-Lasting Fish Filets With Edible Coating

Consumers may be able to eat longer-lasting, potentially healthier fish fillets if research at Oregon State University makes its way to the supermarket. That"s because OSU scientists have extended the shelf life of lingcod fillets and possibly made them more nutritious by dipping them into an edible, protective coating enriched with fish oil. "With this coating, you can easily keep the fillets in the display case for two to three more days," said OSU food science professor Yanyun Zhao, the lead researcher in the study. The liquid coating contained chitosan, which comes from crustacean shells and can be made into film for food wrapping to keep out bacteria and fungi and prolong storage life. What"s unusual about the OSU study is that fish oil was added to the chitosan coating, which wasn"t visible once it dried. After the coating was applied, some fillets were refrigerated for three weeks while others were frozen for three months. The study, which has been accepted for publication in the journal Food Chemistry and has been published on its Web site, found that the coating tripled the omega-3 fatty acids in the refrigerated and frozen fish when compared against the uncoated fish. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential nutrients, and research suggests that increasing them may have a number of health benefits. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says specific ones may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. But questions still remain about how these fatty acids might prevent or treat certain diseases. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in oily fish like salmon, mackerel and sardines, but lean fish such as cod, grouper, catfish and swordfish have lower amounts. Lingcod was chosen for the study because it"s a popular fish on the West Coast and doesn"t have much fat. In addition to increasing the omega-3 levels in the lingcod, the OSU study also found that the coating reduced lipid oxidation, which causes rancidity, in the refrigerated and frozen samples when compared with the uncoated fillets. The coating also kept the fish moister than the uncoated samples as the frozen ones were thawing. Additionally, the coating delayed the growth of microorganisms in the fresh fillets, and it prevented their growth in the frozen ones. The coating did not affect the color of the fillets. The study, which was conducted with help from OSU postdoctoral research associate Jingyun Duan and associate professor Gita Cherian, was funded by the Oregon Innovation Council through the Community Seafood Initiative. Yanyun Zhao Oregon State University


Add your comment:
Name:
Site address: http://
Your message:
Enter today\\\\'s date, 2 digits
(spam protection):

© Copyright 2009