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Snail
speeds pace of drug advances
SALT LAKE CITY,
UT — A venomous, ocean-dwelling, cannibal
snail might just hold the key to developing drugs to
treat a variety of diseases. Researchers from the University
of Utah's discovery of a new snail toxin was published
August 25 in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
The unusual toxin binds to the same neurotransmitter
receptors as nicotine, and may be able to control the
release of dopamine, which could potentially help patients
with a wide range of problems, including nicotine and
alcohol dependency, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, depression
and schizophrenia.
FDA
allows OTC Plan B sale in US
ROCKVILLE —
Over-the-counter Plan B will be available to Americans,
the FDA has announced after a fierce, three year long
debate. It took multiple high profile resignations,
and the threats of two senators, but the agency finally
approved the sale of the morning-after pill to people
18 and older. Anyone younger still needs a prescription
and pharmacists will require ID before handing over
the controversial pill. The influential conservative
lobby Focus on the Family issued a statement condemning
the FDA decision, calling it "an invitation for adult
men to pressure underage girls to have sex with the
promise of an easily accessible magic pill to prevent
or abort a pregnancy."
Simmer
down or die say researchers
BOSTON —
A new study suggests anger and hostility deteriorate
lung function in older men. The research, published
online August 30 in Thorax, showed a greater
decrease in FEV1 (expiration power, a measure of lung
function) in angry men than in calmer chaps. The men
were studied for an average of eight years and had their
lung function measured three times. Anger, the authors
explain, alters neurological and hormonal processes
and has been associated with CVD, asthma, chronic inflammation
and even death.
Pope
Benedict XVI hints at embrace of intelligent design
theory
ROME —
The Vatican's expected to change its stance on evolution.
Pope Benedict has chosen the topic for this year's meeting
of the Schulerkreis — a gathering of philosophers
and intellectuals to take place at the Pontiff's summer
house outside Rome. Vatican insiders say Pope Benedict
will embrace the anti-Darwinian theory of "intelligent
design," which holds that the world is too complex to
be explained by natural selection. If it comes to pass,
this new stance would herald a major shift in Catholic
doctrine — a decade ago, John Paul II said Darwin's
theories were "more than a hypothesis."
West
Nile virus goes on and on ...
GRAND FORKS, ND
— Half of those who suffer from West Nile
illness will still feel the effects a year after they
get nipped, according to a study published in Clinical
Infectious Diseases on September 15. About 80% of
those infected with the West Nile virus show no symptoms.
But researchers from University of North Dakota School
of Medicine found that among those who do get sick —
usually from the flu-like West Nile fever but sometimes
from more serious complications like meningitis or encephalitis
— about half face a chance of suffering chronic
problems like fatigue, headaches, depression and tremors.
"We didn't appreciate how much ongoing morbidity there
is for West Nile fever," lead author Dr Paul Carson
said in a press release.
Research
unlocks fibre's mysteries
AUGUSTA, GA —
Ever wonder why high-fibre foods keep you regular? It
seems roughage breaks up the outer membrane of cells
lining the gut, causing them to release mucus as they
heal, according to a study published online in the Public
Library of Science Biology. Researchers also found
that mucus helps food slip easily along the digestive
tract. The latest dietary guidelines recommend getting
14 grams of fibre for every 1,000 calories consumed.
Prostate
drug complicates cataract surgery, experts warn
WASHINGTON —
Patients taking alpha-blockers to treat an enlarged
prostate face a higher risk of complications from cataract
surgery, according to a joint statement by the American
Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Society of Cataract
and Refractive Surgery and the American Urological Association.
Potential problems include slower recovery time and
minor post-operative complications, but there's no known
risk of vision loss.
Doctor
shortages pinned on provinces
OTTAWA —
Provinces need to stop recruiting foreign doctors and
let more Canadians into med school, according to a Fraser
Institute Report released on August 28. Author Nadeem
Esmail said Canada enjoyed the second highest physician-to-population
ratio in the developed world back in the 70s, but government-imposed
restrictions on the number of new doctors being trained
have led us where we are today. "The provinces need
to get out of the business of deciding how many physicians
are going to be trained and they need to let the market
do that," said Mr Esmail in an interview with CanWest.
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