Nut consumption linked to lower pancreatic cancer risk in women

Nut consumption linked to lower pancreatic cancer risk in women: Frequent consumption of nuts may be associated with a lower risk of developing pancreatic cancer in women, according to new findings.

A handful of nuts a day reduces major disease risk: Review

A handful of nuts a day reduces major disease risk: Review: Eating at least 20 grams of nuts a day could cut the chances of dying from respiratory disease by about a half and diabetes by nearly 40%, researchers say.

Can magnesium protect against heart disease and diabetes?

Can magnesium protect against heart disease and diabetes?: A magnesium-rich diet could help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2DM), heart disease and stroke, according to results from a meta-analysis.

Urgent research shift needed to fight dual threat of malnutrition & obesity

Urgent research shift needed to fight dual threat of malnutrition & obesity: Leading researchers and experts in nutrition policy have come together to propose a global research agenda that aims to shift the focus and find solutions to global issues of food security and under nutrition.

The Chinese veterinary medicine(TCVM) and sport horses.

Chinese herbal medicine is a relatively new treatment among equine veterinarians in the western world, but Palm Beach Equine Clinic veterinarian Dr Janet Greenfield-Davis has incorporated the use of herbs and herbal treatments as an integral part of her alternative therapy options for patients. Greenfield-Davis specialises in both acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. As humans adapt to using all-natural methods to treat illness, herbal medicine for animals also uses ancient Chinese formulas aimed at treating the underlying causes of a disease or illness to help the body heal itself, rather than only temporarily treating the presented symptoms. “There is a herbal product for anything,” said Dr Greenfield-Davis, who found herbal medicine six years ago when she started specialising in acupuncture, which joins Chinese herbal medicine as two of the most common forms of TCVM therapies. “Herbals treat a variety of ailments from sore muscles to problems affecting the liver, heart, kidneys, joints, and more. I pair the herbals with my acupuncture, which is traditionally the ancient Chinese way.” In TCVM, once a symptom of disharmony in the body or disease is identified, treatment proceeds through four possible branches, including acupuncture, food therapy, a form of Chinese medical massage called Tui-na, and Chinese herbal medicine. From topical treatments, including salves and powders, to edible treatments; Chinese herbal medicine not only draws on natural products, but also on the natural tendencies of the horse itself. Being herbivores, horses ingest herbs found in the wild while they are grazing. continue

The impact of veterinary medicine on the health of man and animals.

The impact of veterinary medicine on the health of man and animals cannot be underestimated as its known that 65% of infectious diseases in man stem from animals. The increased interaction between man and and animals has presented a platform for cross infection as in zoonotic diseases. The good-news about this is that since they share common causative agents ,research into prevention and treatment are often carried out using animal models which will eventually translate to use in man after clinical trials. e.g Dogs develop cancers with many similar characteristics to human cancers hence animal studies/trials are advancing management protocols.see The one health approach to diagnosis and treatment is borne out of the understanding that animal health is human health as such the National Institutes of Health just awarded a $1.5 million grant—to a veterinary lab. to find a cure for a bacterial infection that kills 30,000 Americans annually. Scientists at North Carolina State University's College of Veterinary Medicine will use that funding to study how the Clostridium difficile bacteria affects animals, with the hope that what they discover will apply to humans, too. That's the nature of medical progress—where insights gleaned from research in one species apply to others, including humans. Holistic approaches to health—ones that take into account human, animal and ecosystem health—could be the key to understanding and eventually defeating the diseases of the our modern age. Many diseases are transmitted from animals to humans. Mosquitoes carry Zika, malaria and West Nile virus. The Ebola outbreak that reached U.S. shores in 2014 was traced back to a diseased bat. Up to 60,000 Americans get rabies vaccinations each year after coming in contact with potentially rabid animals. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that over 75 percent of infectious diseases originate in animals. Studying and treating diseases in animals often leads to advances in human medicine. One gene therapy for blindness in dogs proved so promising that researchers are now testing it on people. Veterinarians have discovered a protein that helps animals' broken bones heal quicker—and it works for humans, too. By studying the animals that transmit these diseases, health professionals can prevent epidemics. Consider the University of Pennsylvania veterinary school's "geographic information system," which monitors chicken populations for avian flu. The system helped identify and contain an avian flu outbreak in Pennsylvania before it could spread to other flocks—or humans. Losses totaled just $400,000. By contrast, an outbreak in Virginia led to $100 million in damages—and risked giving the disease time to mutate and infect people—because such surveillance technology wasn't employed.Mammals and humans also suffer from some of the same non-communicable diseases. Horses, for example, can develop cardiovascular disease. Dogs develop cancers with many similar characteristics to human cancers.Studying and treating diseases in animals often leads to advances in human medicine. Studying animals can even help us diagnose disease in humans. For example, dogs can smell cancerous masses. Doctors and engineers are now exploring whether it's feasible to develop an electronic system that can mimic dogs' sense of smell in order to accurately and efficiently diagnose cancer in patients. Given the links between human and animal health, it makes sense to tear down the walls between human and veterinary medicine. Some universities are doing just that.Tufts University offers a joint doctor of veterinary medicine/master of public health degree. During their first summer, students spend eight weeks in the field volunteering with a health organization, where they put both their veterinary and human health training to work.continue

Airselfie drone takes snapshots in mid-air.

Forget Selfie Sticks this Drone Captures Photos and Videos in Midair,Instead of extending your arm or using a selfie stick to snap shots of you and your crew, you could use a new pocket-size drone — dubbed the "AirSelfie" — to help you remotely capture aerial photos and videos. This AirSelfie drone takes snapshots in mid-air. The AirSelfie is the brainchild of Italian entrepreneur Edoardo Stroppiana, who came up with the idea in 2014. "AirSelfie is specifically designed and produced for people who used to think drone cameras are extremely complicated to use — too expensive and bulky," Stroppiana said. The AirSelfie is equipped with a 5-megapixel camera that can shoot full high-definition (HD) 1080p video, as well as a 4GB microSD card. Using the AirSelfie, people, groups and companies can take pictures of themselves, their backgrounds and their projects from distances, heights and angles that they never could using their arms or a stick, Stroppiana said. The drone's four rotors help it fly up to 65 feet (20 meters) in the air. The flying camera measures only about 3.72 by 2.65 by 0.42 inches (9.45 by 6.73 by 1.07 centimeters) — "smaller than a smartphone," Stroppiana said — and weighs 1.83 ounces (52 grams).continue