Research suggests age-old stomach bug can protect children from asthma

Thursday, September 25th, 2008

A bacteria that causes peptic ulcers and stomach ulcers can actually reduce children’s vulnerability to asthma by up to 59%.
Research conducted by NYU Langone Medical Centre studied 7,000 people, and found that a microbial inhabitant of the stomach called ‘helicobacter pylori’, can prevent the development of asthma in children between the ages of 3 and [...]

Pregnant mother’s diet may affect child’s risk of allergic asthma

Friday, September 19th, 2008

Recent research strongly suggests a link between a pregnant woman’s diet and the child’s risk of developing allergic asthma.
The study, conducted by researchers at the National Jewish Health and Duke University Medical Centre used mice to investigate the effects of diets high in methyl-donor supplements such as folic acid.  They found that this group of [...]

Hopes for new breast cancer vaccine

Monday, September 15th, 2008

A US team of scientists have developed a new vaccine which eliminates a type of breast cancer.
The research focussed on breast cancer caused by excessive levels of the protein HER2 .  HER2 receptors promote normal cell growth, but in cases of HER2-positive, the breast cells have many more receptors which promote an aggressive cancerous tumour.  [...]