Vaginal Suppository Derived from Seaweed May Be Used to Lower Spread of HIV and AIDS
Researchers from Penn State have developed a vaginal suppository made from carrageenan, a seaweed derived food product, and Tenofovir, an antiviral drug used to treat HIV positive patients. The combination may be one of the only woman-initiated drugs that can help stop the spread of HIV amongst heterosexual partners. Scientists say that while condoms have been proven effective in lowering the risk of the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, it is a solution that depends on compliance from the male partner.
Study Determines There is No Link Between Vitamin D Levels and Type 2 Diabetes
A recent study published in the Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology journal determines that there is no relationship between a person’s vitamin D levels and the development of type 2 diabetes. Previous studies suggested that higher amounts of vitamin D supplementation may prevent type 2 diabetes. Researchers assessed the genes that control blood levels of vitamin D. Not only did the study find no causal link to type 2 diabetes, but there was no evidence of other physiological traits of type 2 diabetes like glucose and glycated hemoglobin.
Size of the Tongue May Be a Predictor of Sleep Apnea in Obese Adults
A new study analyzing obese adults with obstructive sleep apnea finds that they have larger tongues with more fat content than obese adults who do not have the disease. Their tongues were greater in volume and percentage of tongue fat than obese patients without sleep apnea. Tongue size is one physical characteristic doctors should screen for when determining a patient’s risk for sleep apnea. Identifying sleep apnea early is also key to managing other chronic health issues associated with sleep apnea like high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and depression.
Eighty Percent of Bowel Cancers Can Be Treated with Medication
An international team of research scientists conclude that 80% of bowel cancers can be treated with existing drugs. The study reports that a group of medicines called JAK inhibitors stopped tumor growth in bowel cancers with a genetic mutation found in more than 80% of bowel cancers. JAK inhibitors are currently used, or are in the clinical trial phase, for other diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and various blood cancers.
