HOUSTON, Jan. 21 (UPI) — Heart patients who can climb two flights of stairs or walk briskly without symptoms should be able to have sex, U.S. researchers say. Dr. Glenn Levine of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and colleagues, who worked on the scientific statement for the American Heart Association, said it is reasonable for patients diagnosed with cardiovascular disease to receive a comprehensive evaluation from their healthcare provider before resuming sexual activity. However, heart patients with unstable disease or severe symptoms should be stabilized before attempting sex, Medpage...

Women who go on a low carb diet just two days per week have a lower risk of developing breast cancer compared to those who follow a standard calorie-restricted diet every day of the week, in order to lose weight and lower their insulin blood levels. Long-term high blood insulin levels are known to raise cancer risk. These findings were presented by scientists from Genesis Prevention Center at University Hospital in South Manchester, England, at the 2011 CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. The researchers stressed that a larger, longer-term additional study is required. Michelle Harvie,...

Yellow markings on the eyelids are a sign of increased risk of heart attack and other illnesses, say researchers in Denmark. A study published on the BMJ website showed patients with xanthelasmata were 48% more likely to have a heart attack. Xanthelasmata, which are mostly made up of cholesterol, could be a sign of other fatty build-ups in the body. Cardiologists said the findings could be used by doctors to help diagnose at-risk patients. The research team at the Herlev Hospital in Denmark started following 12,745 people in the 1970s. At the start of the study, 4.4% of patients had xanthelasmata....

(Reuters) – A pioneering clinical trial to inject stem cells into the brains of patients disabled by stroke has been cleared to progress to the next stage after the treatment raised no safety concerns in the first three candidates. ReNeuron Group PLC, the British biotech behind the trial, said the independent Data Safety Monitoring Board had reviewed safety data from its ReN001 stem cell therapy and recommended the trial advance to the higher dose. “Data from the laboratory safety tests, neurological examinations and neurofunctional tests conducted thus far indicate that the ReN001...

The electrode, that staple of hospitals and medical dramas alike, may soon exit stage left. Researchers have designed a wireless electronic monitoring device so thin it can be applied to the skin like a temporary tattoo. It could one day be used to monitor heart, brain and muscle activity of patients without their even noticing. The research, released Thursday in the journal Science, could rid hospitals of the unwieldy, outdated monitoring systems, which often involve needles, webs of wires and conductive gels. “Such complicated wiring can be inconvenient and distressing for both patients...

People who claim to be addicted to tanning may be on to something according to new research that suggests brains of frequent tanners are similar to those of alcoholics and drug addicts. According to Dr. Bryon Adinoff, a professor of psychiatry at UT Southwestern Medical Center, “Using tanning beds has rewarding effects in the brain so people may feel compelled to persist in the behavior even though it’s bad for them.” The implication is, ‘If it’s rewarding, then could it also be addictive?’” The study, published in Addiction Biology, examined if addiction...

A group of scientists in Japan has been able to restore fertility in infertile mice, the Wall Street Journal reported. The scientists took early sperm cells, which were made from embryonic cells, and implanted them in infertile mice. The resulting sperm enabled the mice to father pups that were not only healthy, but also fertile. This is the first time that laboratory-created sperm has successfully created healthy animals. Mitinori Saitou, the team leader, reported that “the mouse babies are just fine and they’ve had normal, fertile babies of their own.” The team of scientists...

When it comes to sex, there’s no other month like August. Lingerie retailer Ann Summers reported a 40 per cent rise in sales last August as shoppers took advantage of the holiday period to boost their sex lives. Meanwhile, researchers from Boston State Hospital in the U.S. have found that summer sun at least doubles levels of the sex hormone testosterone, boosting a flagging libido. This is thought to be because the sun’s rays trigger vitamin D production, which in turn boosts production of the hormone. And if another excuse is needed, it’s well known that sex burns calories — just this...

Discs with shock-absorbing pads behave like real thing It is one of the most common causes of sick leave and long-term disability, causing misery for millions of people. But now, back pain could be solved by man-made spinal discs, which could be available within a decade. The ‘living’ discs are packed with shock-absorbing cells and, in preliminary trials, behaved just like the real thing when implanted into bad backs. So far, they have only been tested on animals using cells taken from sheep, but the U.S. research team believe the approach holds hope for people. Dr Lawrence Bonassar, a biomedical...

Smoking, drinking and eating fast food will not stop you living to a ripe old age – if you have the right genes. A study of hundreds of centenarians revealed they were just as likely to have vices as other people – and in some cases they indulged in them more. Some of them had smoked for 85 years, others got through more than two packets of cigarettes a day. They also exercised less than their shorter-lived counterparts but were less likely to become obese. The bad news is it is almost impossible to be sure if you are one of the lucky few blessed with the longevity genes. This means, say the...