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(China Daily)
Updated: 2011-01-12 07:59

Swine flu boon to vaccine search

People who recovered from the H1N1 "swine flu" pandemic have developed unusual antibodies that protect against a variety of different flu strains, US researchers say.

Experts were surprised to find that patients' immune response to a new flu could boost the search for a universal vaccine against a series of strains that have existed for decades, says the study in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.

Researchers in the United States examined nine patients who fell ill in 2010, and found antibodies that when tested in mice could protect against a lethal dose of at least three other strains of flu, including bird flu.

"The result is something like the Holy Grail for flu-vaccine research," says study author Patrick Wilson, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Chicago.

"It demonstrates how to make a single vaccine that could potentially provide immunity to all influenza," he says. "The surprise was that such a very different influenza strain, as opposed to the most common strains, could lead us to something so widely applicable."

Death risk doubles for couch potatoes

People who spend more than two hours per day of leisure time watching television or sitting in front of a screen face double the risk of heart disease and higher risk of dying, a new study says.

Researchers say the effect was seen regardless of how much people exercised, indicating that how we choose to spend our free time away from work has a huge impact on our overall health.

"It is all a matter of habit. Many of us have learned to go back home, turn the TV set on and sit down for several hours - it's convenient and easy to do," says Emmanuel Stamatakis, expert in epidemiology and public health at University College London.

"But doing so is bad for the heart and our health in general," says Stamatakis, who along with the other study authors is advocating public health guidelines to warn of the risks of being inactive during non-work hours.

Such warnings are urgent, "especially as a majority of working age adults spend long periods being inactive while commuting or being slouched over a desk or computer", says the study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Tips for a good night's sleep

It's easy to get a healthy and relaxing night of sleep if you end the day peacefully.

"Always avoid strenuous activities, stress, frustration or excitement just before bedtime," says Heike Hofmann of the German Academy for Prevention and Health Management/BSA Academy in the German city of Saarbruecken.

She recommends paying attention to one's diet and having smaller and lighter meals just before bedtime. It's also a good idea to avoid alcohol and caffeine in the evening.

The layout of one's bedroom also plays a role. It should be set up to promote sleep, says the psychologist and lecturer. That means the bed should only be used for sleeping; not smoking, eating, drinking or watching TV.

"Ban everything from your bedroom that disturbs you, like a ticking clock or things that remind you of your job or everyday stress," she says.

Additionally, one should only go to bed when one is really tired.

Meningitis symptoms are easy to test

Headache, a stiff neck, cold fingers and toes despite a fever, and vomiting are among the symptoms of meningitis. A method known as the "Glass Test", however, can indicate whether a child has contracted the disease, according to Ulrich Fegeler from Germany's Association of Pediatricians.

Fegeler says small dark-red, blue or brown spots on the skin can be an indication that a child has fallen ill with the meningococcal form of meningitis. These symptoms are the same as in blood poisoning.

"The rash of spots can quickly spread in a case of blood poisoning. If you press the base of a glass against the spots, they remain visible - that's not the case if your child has measles," the doctor says.

This particular form of meningitis is caused by meningococcal bacteria. Most children who are infected with the bacteria go on to develop meningitis but 10 percent develop blood poisoning.

The rate of infection increases toward the end of winter and at the beginning of spring. The faster an infected child is treated with antibiotics, the better the chances of avoiding the consequences of contracting the disease that include limb amputation, neurological damage or death.

DPA - AFP