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Without funding, thousands of malnourished Somali children at risk of death, UNICEF warns

UNICEF on Wednesday "warned that thousands of acutely malnourished children in Somalia are at risk of death because little money is available to help them," VOA News writes, adding, "UNICEF said it has received only 12 percent of its $289 million emergency appeal for humanitarian operations this year."

4 May 2012

Reuters examines challenges related to estimating number of undernourished people worldwide

"Calculating the number of hungry people around the world at any given moment, let alone predicting how that number is likely to change in the future, is no easy task," Reuters reports in an article examining the numerous challenges of estimating the number of undernourished people worldwide and noting the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is expected to release new data and methodology in October "as part of its annual report on food insecurity."

4 May 2012

WFP, UNHCR concerned about food, water insecurity in border areas between Sudan, South Sudan

The U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) "has warned clashes along the border between Sudan and South Sudan threaten to plunge the region into widespread hunger" and "said it is scaling up its humanitarian operation in South Sudan to assist a growing number of refugees and displaced people," VOA News reports.

4 May 2012

GOS prompts body's natural killer cells to ward off colon cancer

Researchers at Michigan State University have shown a prebiotic may help the body's own natural killer cells fight bacterial infection and reduce inflammation, greatly decreasing the risk of colon cancer.

4 May 2012

Affymetrix total revenue decreases to $65.2 million

Affymetrix, Inc., today reported its operating results for the first quarter of 2012. Total revenue for the quarter was $65.2 million, as compared to total revenue of $73.7 million for the same period of 2011.

4 May 2012

Hypoxia may be a primary cause of uncontrollable tumor growth in cancers

Low oxygen levels in cells may be a primary cause of uncontrollable tumor growth in some cancers, according to a new University of Georgia study. The authors' findings run counter to widely accepted beliefs that genetic mutations are responsible for cancer growth.

4 May 2012

FDA issues Complete Response Letter to Alexza’s ADASUVE NDA

Alexza Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that it has received a Complete Response Letter (CRL) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding its New Drug Application (NDA) for ADASUVE (loxapine) inhalation powder, 5 mg and 10 mg.

4 May 2012

At least 1M children at risk of death in Sahel drought crisis; European Commission donates over $20M to UNICEF appeal

"At least one million children are at risk of dying of malnutrition in the central-western part of Africa's Sahel region due to a drought crisis, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said Wednesday, adding that more resources are urgently needed to help those in need," the U.N. News Centre reports.

4 May 2012

E coli detection in contaminated meat to be ‘sped up’ says USDA

The government is gearing up to speed up the process for tracking E. coli in meat, a move that will help authorities more quickly find the source of bacteria outbreaks and hasten recalls of contaminated food.

3 May 2012

FDA recommended to continue monitoring drugs' safety after approval

Pharmaceutical drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) but later re-called from the market-such as the antidiabetic drug Avandia and pain-reliever Vioxx-were the impetus for an Institute of Medicine committee report released yesterday, recommending that the FDA take proactive steps to continue monitoring drugs' safety after initial approval and throughout their time on the market.

3 May 2012

AIDS, health groups submit comments to FDA prior to agency's review of PrEP

"In public comments submitted this week, a group of 14 leading HIV/AIDS and health organizations stated their support for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate [TDF/FTC] ... as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV infection in adult men and women," a press release from AVAC: Global Advocacy for HIV Prevention states.

3 May 2012

Reuters examines cancer in Africa

Reuters examines cancer in Africa, writing, "Most of Africa's around 2,000 languages have no word for cancer. The common perception in both developing and developed countries is that it's a disease of the wealthy world, where high-fat, processed-food diets, alcohol, smoking and sedentary lifestyles fuel tumor growth."

3 May 2012

Symposium at EuroPRevent 2012 highlights benefits of oily fish consumption

Most people, whether healthy or having cardiovascular disease (CVD), would benefit from regular consumption of oily fish, concluded speakers at the EuroPRevent 2012 meeting. While eating whole fish undoubtedly offers the optimum approach for increasing omega-3 intakes in both primary and secondary prevention, delegates heard, supplements have a major role to play in increasing omega-3 intakes for people who do not like fish.

3 May 2012

HSPH introduces Obesity Prevention Source website

What is causing the obesity epidemic-and how can we stop and reverse this worldwide weight problem? A new website offers authoritative answers to these pressing questions and sheds light on one of the most challenging public health threats of our time.

3 May 2012

WFP, Syrian government work to address food insecurity, rising prices

"Hundreds of thousands of people are struggling to feed their families in the parts of Syria hardest hit by violence, activists and aid workers say, with access to food cut off by ruined infrastructure, rocketing prices and, say some, security forces who steal and spoil food supplies," the Washington Post reports.

3 May 2012

UNICEF stresses need for higher breastfeeding rates in East Asia

UNICEF "has voiced alarm at the decline of breastfeeding across East Asia, stressing the need for mothers to understand its long-term benefits for the survival and development of their children," Bernama reports.

3 May 2012

Europe becoming 'hotspot' for emerging infections, study suggests

"Europe is becoming a 'hotspot' for emerging infections as those typically confined to tropical climates are making their way north, according to research that links climate change to the global spread of disease," the Financial Times reports.

3 May 2012

Study explains beneficial fat-fighting effects of black pepper

A new study provides a long-sought explanation for the beneficial fat-fighting effects of black pepper. The research, published in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, pinpoints piperine - the pungent-tasting substance that gives black pepper its characteristic taste, concluding that piperine also can block the formation of new fat cells.

3 May 2012

High fructose intake may increase risk of NFALD in obese people

Obese people who consume increased amounts of fructose, a type of sugar that is found in particular in soft drinks and fruit juices, are at risk for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NFALD) and more its more severe forms, fatty inflammation and scarring.

3 May 2012

Digital breast tomosynthesis plus 2D mammography reduce patient recall rates by 40%

Adding digital breast tomosynthesis to 2D mammography screening results in a 40% reduction in patient recall rates compared to routine screening mammography alone, a new study shows.

3 May 2012