French scientists claim to have discovered a drug that could burn body fat though the person is on high - fat diet. A team from The University of Louis Pasteur has tested the drug on mice. They found that it protected mice against weight gain and insulin resistance.

The drug is still in the experimental stage and thus doesn't have a brand name. It's called SRT1720 as it targets the SIRT1 gene. It boosts the fat metabolism in mice in a similar fashion as in case of scarce calorie diet. 

Washington, Nov 5 : People who are prone to hip fracture can reduce its rate by 37.2 percent by adopting healthy bone programs, says a study conducted by Kaiser Permanente Southern California.

In fact, the hip fracture reduction rate can further go till 50 percent among those at risk.

The five-year study is the first of its kind to assess more than 625,000 male and female patients over the age of 50 in Southern California who had specific risk factors for osteoporosis and/or hip fractures.

The latest report of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS- 3, 2005-06) presents the grim picture for the state of Karnataka. The survey predicts that nearly 70 percent of women and 87 percent of men in Karnataka had never heard of HIV/AIDS.

The report released by Madan Gopal (Secretary of the Health Department) stated that most men and women supported the inclusion of HIV/AIDS in the school curriculum in Karnataka.

Researchers say increasing wait times for hernia surgery for infants and toddlers under two, not only leads to more emergency visits, but could also potentially damage testicles or ovaries

Inguinal hernia, a bulging tissue in the groin area that could also be present at birth, is one of the most common surgical childhood disorders responsible for vomiting, lack of bowel movements and other symptoms, leading to increasing number of emergency room visits.

A study to be published in Lipids reveals, a crop of genetically modified soya bean that could help prevent heart attacks, has successfully passed the first phase of testing in USA.  If approved, it will be the first genetically modified food to carry direct human health benefits. So far, bio-technology firms have tried to develop crops with increased yields, resistancy to pests and disease or the ability to thrive in harsh conditions.

A new study suggests post natal depression, an acuter form of ‘baby blues’ that could cost the life of a new mother or baby, is more due to nature than nurture.  This is in contrast to the findings of previous studies that claimed the serious mood disorders were related to the mother’s circumstances, personality and hormonal changes and which often went undiagnosed and untreated.  A long-lasting condition affecting 10 to 15% of women, it prevents mothers from bonding with their babies, causes suicidal thoughts and if untreated both not only the mother, but the child also suffers which affects the short or long-term development of the baby.