Category: Features
Female North Korean defectors prone to HPV
Female defectors from North Korea are at a higher-than-average risk of infection by human papillomavirus, or HPV, which can lead to cervical cancer, a recent study found. Almost 30 % of the women in the study, whose ages ranged from […]
The basics of sleep
“I feel like an astronaut,” says Mr Joshua Lye, a home tutor. Streaks of fine colourful wires, attached to his scalp and bunched up behind the 57-year-old, are plugged into a white box that looks like a Mastermind board game. […]
The psychology behind emoticons
When typing in a language other than their mother tongue, participants in a study used emoticons more often than they would normally, says research. Emoticons have become increasingly used – and increasingly accepted – in written correspondence and could have […]
HRT poses some risk of stroke
Women on HRT pills should be aware that there is a small chance of an increased risk of blood clots and possibly stroke, according to a study. The link was made by the international Cochrane group, which looked at medical […]
Raise legal age to 21 to reduce smoking: institute
If people could not get cigarettes until the age of 21, lives would be saved because fewer people would start smoking, said a report by the Institute of Medicine on Thursday. Most smokers begin their habit when they are young. […]
Stress contributes to jaw disorder in teens
Stressed teenagers in South Korea are vulnerable to temporomandibular disorders, a condition that affects the muscles and nerves surrounding the jaw, experts say. The condition is known for pain and restricted movement, and stress is thought to be a major […]
Delhi plans to ban on chewing on tobacco
The Delhi government is planning to ban sale of chewing tobacco with the idea of reducing oral cancer cases. Tobacco is freely available despite ban on other unhealthy products like gutka and paan masala. Gutka is a combination of arecanut, slaked lime, paraffin and katechu. […]
30, 000 chickens destroyed after discovery of bird flu
The Dutch government said on Thursday 30,000 chickens had been destroyed after bird flu was identified at a free-range farm near the eastern town of Barneveld. In a statement, the government said it was still in the process of determining […]
More people in Malaysia infected with dengue and flu
Clinics and medical centres around the country are reporting a rise in the number of patients suffering from flu and dengue. The Health Ministry says the increase in those seeking treatment for respiratory tract infections (RTIs) such as flu and […]
WHO and WFP combine expertise to eradicate Ebola
WHO and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) are combining their forces in a new partnership in the Ebola-affected countries of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The arrangement combines the logistics strength of WFP with WHO’s public health expertise […]
