Risks of travelling

Journeys by plane, car or train that last more than five hours lead to an increase in the risk of venous thrombo-embolic disease, the formation of blood clots or air bubbles in blood vessels. Emile Ferrari from the Hopital Pasteur, Nice, France, studied 160 patients who suffered with the above-mentioned disease. Ferrari found that most patients had made a long journey of an average five hours. No specific clot location was associated with travel, although clots were found mostly in the lower limbs or thighs.

Only the lonely

People who live alone and have few friends are prone to early death as their hearts' responses to stress are altered, say Myriam Horsten and her colleagues at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. In a study conducted on 300 healthy women, the researchers found women who lived alone and had few friends had little heart rate variation. Heart rates that do not vary greatly have been linked to early death, particularly from heart disease ( New Scientist , Vol 161, No 2174).

The transfusion debate

Cutting back on blood transfusions for the critically ill can actually improve some patients' chances of survival, according to a study that may have a far-reaching impact on the treatment of the critically ill. After studying over 830 critically ill and anaemic patients in hospitals across Canada, Paul C Hebert and his team from the University of Ottawa question the common practice of giving critically ill patients red blood cells (RBCs) when they become mildly anaemic.

Brain booster

A study on mice shows that animals who run on an exercise wheel create more new cells in the hippocampus, the part of the brain involved in learning and memory. Now, scientists are trying to find out if the extra brain cells make mice smarter. Some mice got to use the running wheel when they wanted to. Others were trained to learn the location of a hidden underwater platform, and still others swam. An injected chemical marker identified newly created brain cells in the hippocampus for each group.

The unknown factor revealed

it has been immortalised in public memory by the Alfred Hitchcock thriller Vertigo . Yet only those who suffer from it know the feeling. Anything from the sound of the buzz on the telephone to music or cheering at a sporting event can give vertigo to some people. Vertigo is a sensation of whirling motion, tending to result in a loss of balance and, sometimes, consciousness.

A mutating monster

Super aspirin makes a debut

aspirin -- 'the wonderdrug' of the 20th century -- has been said to cure or prevent everything from headaches to heart attacks. March 1999 marks the 100th anniversary of the launch of aspirin. Simple to make and easy to administer, aspirin is one of only a handful of brands to have transcended cultures, borders and generations to enjoy almost universal recognition.

Treating cervical cancer

Drugged drink

Vexed vitamins