Scientists crack ancient bone disease

January 9th, 2012 No comments

Traces of a bone infection known as brucellosis were found in ancient skeletal remains, according to a genetic study.

Characterised by chronic respiratory illness and fever, brucellosis is acquired by eating infected meat or unpasteurized dairy products or by coming into contact with animals carrying the brucella bacteria.

David Foran, director of Michigan State Universitys (MSU) Forensic Science Program, and Todd Fenton, Michigan associate professor of anthropology, confrimed the existence of brucellosis.

Fenton said advanced DNA testing at the MSU allowed the researchers to confirm the existence of the disease in skeletons 1,000 years old, the American Journal of Physical Anthropology reported.

For years, we had to hypothesize the cause of pathological conditions like this.

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Categories: Fitness Advices Tags: Bone, Bone Disease

What Are the Side Effects of Probiotics?

January 8th, 2012 No comments

Probiotics which are also known as friendly bacteria are generally considered to be safe like other nutritional supplements but many a times they may also pose harmful side effects.

The live bacteria content of probiotic supplement can over colonize the intestine and cause infection which is one of the probiotic side effects. This type of risks generally occurs in newborns, elderly people and people having severely compromised immune system. Antibiotics may be needed in order to treat this type of infection. Thus proper care should be observed while taking large doses of probiotics.

One of the most common probiotic side effects is the gastrointestinal distress.

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New dental model at the Peninsula

January 6th, 2012 No comments

Liz Kay, dean of Peninsula Dental School, on sabbatical until later this month

The Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry is to be divided between two universities as Plymouth and Exeter Universities call a halt to a 10-year partnership.

Plymouth will retain all 64 dentistry students, and Exeter will get the bigger share of medical students, with a split of 125 to 75.

The Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry keeps the ‘Peninsula’ brand alive, and a new University of Exeter Medical School will be set up.

Exeter has invested £250 million in life sciences with another £150 million of investment coming over the next four years.

Existing dental students, including those entering the college’s programmes in 2012, will be taught under the terms of the current joint arrangements and will graduate with joint degrees of the two universities.

New students entering from 2013 will study for University of Exeter or Plymouth University degrees.

The two universities remain committed to working together to further the regional knowledge economy through their other existing joint ventures.

The changes are subject to the approval of the General Medical and Dental Councils, the Higher Education Funding Council for England and the NHS.

Professor Sir Steve Smith, Vice-Chancellor at Exeter University said: “The current partnership has worked well to get medical and dental education to its current strong position.

‘But we now require a different model to respond to the challenges of the future. Our j

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Categories: Fitness Consultant Tags: Peninsula

Working in Kazakhstan to end HIV stigma, discrimination

January 3rd, 2012 No comments

In this post on USAID’s “IMPACTblog,” Erin McKee, USAID mission director for the Central Asian Republics, recounts a discussion roundtable with people “on the front lines” in the battle against HIV/AIDS in Kazakhstan.She writes, “I was honored to share a morning with people in Kazakhstan who are bold advocates for HIV-positive groups in their country, and I look forward to a renewed partnership with them in the fight to end stigma and discrimination toward people living with HIV in Central Asia” (12/27).

    This article was reprinted from kaiserhealthnews.org with permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.

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    Categories: Fitness Advices Tags: Hiv, Hiv Stigma