Research

Marijuana linked to testicular cancer

Men who smoke a lot of marijuana, especially as teens, may significantly raise their risk. That’s according to a study conducted by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.

Researchers proposed the study to see if there was a link between an increase in the testicular cancer rates that coincides with a similar rise in the use of marijuana. In addition, biological receptors that interact with the active ingredient of marijuana are found in the testicles. The study included surveys of 369 men with testicular cancer and 1,000 men who do not have the disease.

Men who used marijuana one or more times a week, and those who had used it heavily in adolescence, have twice the risk of developing nonseminoma cancer.

Funding for the study also came from the National Cancer Institute, National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Old weapon, new enemy: Antibodies vs. the flu

Antibodies are the body’s own defense. Now they are being recruited to fight in a new way.

Researchers have engineered antibodies that will provide protection against many strains of the influenza virus. Among the strains for which protection is given: the infamous 1918 Spanish flu pandemic influenza that killed tens of millions worldwide, and the H5N1 bird flu that many fear can be as lethal.

This could lead to a flu vaccine that would not have to be changed each year to compact specific strains.

Clinical trials could begin in as few as three years.

For more information, see the New York Times story.

And the discovery is just in time.

There is a concern that the antiviral drug Tamiflu, which is the first line of defense against a pandemic flu, is becoming less effective. The influenza virus is becoming more resistant to Tamiflu.

Federal officials confirmed that Tamiflu has not worked against the dominant flu strain this season. Since October, nearly all of the H1N1 strain has shown resistance to Tamiflu.

The Los Angeles Times reported on this story in February.

Mediterranean diet good for the brain

A Mediterranean diet is high in vegetables, fruits and nuts, legumes, fish and cereals. It’s low in dairy products, meat and fat. It’s been shown to be good for the heart, among the best diets in the world for reducing risk of heart disease.

Now research shows that the Mediterranean diet reduces risk for mild cognitive impairment, a transition phase that can lead to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Moreover, study subjects who already had mild cognitive impairment but followed a Mediterranean diet more closely had a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s.

The study, reported in the Archives of Neurology, showed that those who more closely adhered to the Mediterranean diet had 28 percent less risk than those whose diets were most different from the Mediterranean diet.

Find out more about this study as reported by Reuters Health.

Nintendo’s Wii could prevent falls

Video games have been blamed for playing a role in the youth obesity epidemic. But could one of these games also play a role in improving the health of another portion of the population?

Researchers think that might be the case.

Nintendo Wii Fit could help improve the balance of the elderly, and reduce risks of falling, according to a study by the University of Aberdeen, Scotland and the United Kingdom’s National Health Service.

Wii Fit includes virtual sports, such as golf, tennis and bowling, in which players imitate the physical moves of the real sport.

Wii Fit includes a balance board that records movements and gives feedback on performance. Using this board might improve balance and confidence.

CNN reported more on this story.