Health Update

Chronic infections target stromal cells in lymphoid organs to evade immune response

Washington, September 19: A new study on mice by an Emory-led team of scientists has found an important way by which chronic viral infections escape the immune response.

Chronic infections are able to suppress the immune T-cell response over time, whereby it poses one of the biggest challenges to treating infectious diseases and developing preventive vaccines.

Rapid prenatal test for Down syndrome developed

Washington, Sept 19: Researchers at Stanford University have developed a method that might help give the results of pre-natal tests within just a few hours instead of two weeks, thus making the early detection of Down syndrome and other birth defects that involve an abnormal number of chromosomes possible.

Scientists in California reported the advancement and the report has been published in Oct. 1, 2007 issue of ACS’ journal Analytical Chemistry.

Depression in teenage mums may make babies more vulnerable to stress

Different races have varying misconceptions about Alzheimer’s

Washington, Sept 19:  Researchers at the University of Michigan School of Public Health have found that a lot of misconceptions exist about Alzheimer's among people of different races.

From the "Public opinion about Alzheimer's disease among Blacks, Hispanics, and Whites" survey, the scientists also found that a large percentage of people have no knowledge about the treatments available to reduce the disease’s symptoms.

Good eating habits associated with lower heart disease risk

Washington, Sept 19: A new research has revealed that good eating habits help lower the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Children with cancer are emotionally resilient

Washington, Sept 19: A new study by St. Jude psychologists has revealed that children with cancer are emotionally well adjusted and most do not suffer depression or anxiety.

The study that analysed depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress and quality of life also found that children with cancer do as well as, and often better, than their healthy peers.

“We see them as a flourishing population that has adapted to the stress of having cancer and undergoing treatment,” said Sean Phipps, Ph.D., a member of the St. Jude Division of Behavioural Medicine.

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