Here are some interesting developments from the world of health and medicine:
• Study Finds HPV Vaccine Safe, But It’s Not a Cure-All. The vaccine Gardasil, which prevents infection by many strains of the human papillomavirus, has been administered to approximately 25 percent of American girls between 13 and 17 since it was approved by the FDA 2.5 years ago. Marketed primarily as a vaccine to prevent cervical cancer, Gardasil has come under fire for not being a fully effective cancer preventative as well as for having serious, and potentially deadly, side-effects. Now, a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association concludes that, while Gardasil does not protect against all forms of HPV that can trigger cervical cancer, it does work effectively against four major HPV strains, and should be one of many tools doctors can use to fight this sexually transmitted disease. Also, while some side effects have been reported, most have not been serious and they’ve been in line with what pre-release research predicted. The study also notes that while 32 deaths have been reported in association with receiving Gardasil, it’s impossible to determine if these deaths resulted directly from the vaccine or were the result of something else.
• “Nanobees” Being Tested to Fight Cancer Tumors. Microscopic particles that can carry tumor-busting chemicals directly to cancer cells are currently being tested in mice. Smaller than 100 nanometers across—a nanometer is one-billionth of a meter—these particles are called “nanobees” because they carry an artificial form of melititin, a toxin produced by bees. Although an effective cancer-killer, melititin cannot be administered using normal intravenous methods because it also kills healthy cells. But riding a nanoparticle designed to be chemically attracted only to blood vessels surrounding cancerous tumors, the toxin can safely migrate through the bloodstream until it finds the tumor and then destroys the cancer cells from the inside. If the mouse experiments prove successful, human testing could begin in just a few years.
• Scientists ID Chemical That Kills Cancer Stem Cells. Another revolutionary approach to fighting cancer is being explored by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). After testing 16,000 different compounds, they discovered that a compound called salinomycin disables the stem cells that cause many forms of cancer to grow so rapidly. Salinomycin is apparently 100 times more effective than the FDA-approved drug currently being used by many cancer clinics to attack malignant stem cells. If further tests are positive, this compound could be yet one more way for doctors to fight tumors that resist normal chemotherapy.
• Stressful Times are Good for Making Life Changes. In times of stress, we naturally gravitate to “comfort foods” and other reminders of the familiar, right? Just the opposite, according to several recently published studies that tracked how hundreds of volunteers behaved during periods of high pressure or personal upheaval, such as during moves or job changes. The research revealed that during times of change and confusion, people are actually more—not less—open to trying new things, including new foods. This drive to test new waters is likely a survival mechanism that has allowed humans to rapidly adapt to changing environmental conditions, the researchers speculated. In other words, the more open you are to change, the more changes you can actually make, and the more successful those changes are likely to be.
• Popcorn is Really Good for You! In what is being characterized as a “first of its kind” study, research done by chemists at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania have discovered surprising health benefits in popcorn as well as many commercially available whole grain breakfast cereals Although nutritionists have long known that popcorn and cereals contain beneficial dietary fiber, the new research reveals that these “snack” foods also contain high amounts of polypenol, an anti-oxidant known to fight heart disease, cancer and other chronic diseases. However, the nutritional benefits of popcorn can be negated by how it’s popped. For example, most movie theaters pop their corn in tropical oils, which while rich in flavor, have been linked to heart disease.
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