Laser technique shows women’s skin ages faster than men’s
According to German researchers women’s skin ages faster than men’s - so men become distinguished women just look older!
The German team discovered this by using a new laser-based technique to measure damage from sun exposure and aging.
The technique involves shining pulses of infrared laser light on the skin to look at the deeper layers of the skin allowing the measurement of the amount of damage from sun exposure and measure aging.
Scientists Make World Breakthrough
A team of scientists from the University of Adelaide, Monash University and the United States has made a world breakthrough in understanding how bacterial toxins cause severe gastrointestinal diseases.
The scientists, led by Dr Adrienne Paton from the University of Adelaide’s School of Molecular and Biomedical Science, have discovered that a highly potent bacterial toxin kills cells by inactivating an essential component in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The latter is part of the cell that is essential for packaging newly-synthesized proteins.
The toxin, called subtilase cytotoxin, is produced by certain strains of E. coli bacteria responsible for severe gastrointestinal disease in humans. Dr Paton discovered the toxin in 2003 in a bacterium responsible for an outbreak of haemolytic uraemic syndrome (severe food poisoning) in South Australia. Subtilase cytotoxin is so potent that it is a potential bio-terrorism agent.
2007 Medicare prescription drug plans
Private health insurers that market Medicare prescription drug plans in 2007 will offer more plans, several of which will have lower premiums and more of which will provide coverage during the so-called “doughnut hole,” Bush administration officials said on Friday, the New York Times reports.
Health insurers on Sunday began to market 2007 Medicare prescription drug plans, and the six-week open enrollment period for the 2007 plan year begins on Nov. 15. In 2007, all states except Alaska and Hawaii will have more than 50 Medicare prescription drug plans available, and 23 states will have at least 55 plans available. Most states in 2006 had 40 Medicare prescription drug plans available (Pear, New York Times, 10/1). Seventeen health insurers will market nationwide Medicare prescription drug plans in 2007, compared with nine in 2006, administration officials said (Zhang/Fuhrmans, Wall Street Journal, 9/30). Almost none of the health insurers that marketed Medicare prescription drug plans in 2006 will end participation in the program in 2007 (Lopes, Washington Times, 9/30).
Another bird flu outbreak in China
China’s Ministry of Agriculture says scientists have confirmed an outbreak of bird flu has killed 1,000 domestic poultry in a village in China’s northwest.
The news comes just one day after another reported outbreak in a neighbouring region.
Nearly 1,000 chickens and ducks reportedly died suddenly in a poultry farm in Xincheng Village of Jiuyuan District of Baotou City last week and as a result authorities have quarantined the infected area along with the farmer and his wife and anyone who had close contact with them.
