Medical Portal

The aromatherapy does not influence immunity, pain sensitivity and speed of wounds’ healing. Such is the conclusion of scientists from University of Ohio, who have studied influence of citric and lavender oils on healthy volunteers.

It was found out, that aromatherapy had no influence on level of hormones of stress and factors of immunity, it also did not quicken healing of wounds. The only positive effect, which was fixed - improvement of mood under influence of citric (but not lavender) oil.

«Human body is a complex mechanism, and if someone feels like better from aromatherapy, we are not going to make him or her change the mind. Nevertheless, we did not manage to reveal any physiological effects of aromatic oils», - informed Professor William Malarkey.

Results of the research have been published in magazine Psychoneuroendocrinology.

Biomedical engineers from Yale University have created artificial cells, which can considerably increase production of T-lymphocytes, responsible for immune response. Their application allows to stimulate an organism of the patient to struggle against cancer, and also certain infectious diseases, informs magazine Molecular Therapy.

Artificial cells have been created by Tarek Fahmy and Erin Steenblock. These cells were made from a substance of natural origin, which is used in manufacture of absorbable suture material and approved by FDA.

Use of artificial cells allows to simulate natural process of proliferation and stimulations of T-lymphocytes, in particular cytotoxic T-lymphocytes, vital in destruction of cancer cells. However this process accelerates and proceeds more effectively, has noted Fahmy.

Dirty hair, probably, carries out an important protective function, believe American scientists. On their data, sebiferous, which covers hair, intensively absorbs ozone - an active compound of oxygen, which in high concentration can serious harm health of the person.

Researchers from University of Missouri have exposed to ozone samples of dirty and clean human hair. As it was found out, within 24 hours of an experiment dirty hair absorbed on the average seven times more ozone, than clean hear.

Apparently, owners of dirty hair considerably reduce concentration of ozone around themselves in comparison with the general level in a room.

However, an extent of dirty hair’s protective effect is not clear: the additional researches carried out by scientists have shown that ozone’s reaction with dirty hair results in flying compounds, which also can cause irritation of respiratory tract.

Inability to control negative emotions increases time of healing - such are conclusions of employees of the State University of Ohio as a result of experiment with participation of 98 volunteers.

As it was found out, wounds on hands of irritable people healed much more slowly in comparison with easy-tempered participants. The researchers took into account such factors as duration of sleep, physical activity and drinking alcohol.

Authors of the research consider, the slowed down healing of wounds can be connected to the increased level of cortisol. Scientists mark also, that their data are proved to be true by results of the previous researches.

The report about an experiment is published in magazine The Brain Behavior and Immunity.

New American research has shown that there is connection between excess weight and depression in middle-aged woman.

Scientists have collected the information about growth, weight, diet and physical activity of 4641 women.

In result they have found out that women suffering from depression, twice more often suffer from excess weight, and women suffering from excess weight, twice more often are subject to a depression. Connection between excess weight and depression remained strong even taking into account marital status, education, smoking and taking antidepressants.

Depression and fatness are closely interconnected and inject each other, considers Gregory Simon, head of the research.

In Gregory Simon’s opinion, putting on the weight leads to depression, and being in depression it is more difficult to do something for growing thin. The stout label lowers self-respect and desire to grow thin.

The statement that intellectual faculties of the person depend on heredity has been ruthlessly denied. The group of American psychologists and doctors within several years studied influence of an environment upon development of person’s intellect.

In result they have found out, that excessive passion to watching various TV-programs, rigid diets, sedentary life and even relations with diffident people, reduce level of brain activity.

And rambling, going in for sports, classical literature and interesting work, on the contrary, stimulate work of the brain.

Existing today drugs can’t destroy HIV completely in human organism. The killing virus hides from drugs in various reservoirs, major of which is lymphoid tissue of intestines, have determined the American scientists.

Experts from the American National institute of allergy and infectious diseases in Bethesda (Maryland) have conducted research with participation of eight HIV-positive patients. All participants have taken anti-retroviral drugs within two to ten years, felt well and had low virus load (low contents of a virus in blood).

Nevertheless, studying samples of lymphoid tissue of intestines, scientists have revealed presence of HIV. Researches have confirmed similarity of virus’ DNA found in intestines, with DNA of HIV from leukocytes. It proved that both tissues have constantly infected each other after replication of the virus.

In scientists’ opinion, maximum early beginning of HIV treatment is very important, as it will allow reducing the sizes of the virus tank at patients. Results of the research have been published in Journal of Infectious Diseases.

Grapefruit compound, which gives grapefruit bitterish taste, slows down extension of hepatitis C infection in an organism, have established American scientists. In their opinion, the combination of this substance with traditional viricides can relieve disease and prevent chronic form of the disease, informs magazine Hepatology.

According to the head of the research Raymond Chung and his colleagues from Massachusetts hospitals, the main role belongs to nagenginin. Their experiments have shown that action of this derivative substance reduces production of the virus from infected cells by 80 %. It is also important, that medical concentration of this substance is not toxic for an organism, has noted Chung.

According to the statistics, more than 3 % of the planet’s population is infected with hepatitis C, and in overwhelming majority of cases illness passes to the chronic form. The chronic hepatitis C infection can lead to cirrhosis and liver carcinoma.

Using of tattoo technique at vaccination can considerably increase efficiency of some vaccines, believe German scientists. On their data, vaccines injected into an organism by tattoo method, stimulate immune system much better, than usual vaccinations.

According to the researchers, vaccination with the help of tattooing leads to 16-fold increase in production of antibodies to papilloma virus. Such significant effect is connected to the big area of injection, and also with injuring influence of a needle and inflammatory reactions which additionally stimulate immune system, explain scientists.

The new method of tattoo-vaccination can increase efficiency of some DNA- vaccines which have appeared unable to cause required immune answer. However, because of duration and soreness of the procedure, they can hardly be used for preventive vaccination, especially at children.

World Health Organization has published the annual report which says, that the illnesses connected to smoking, take a life of one person every six seconds, killing on the average 5,4 million people a year.

Authors of the report inform that the number of tobacco epidemic victims exceeds death-roll of any infectious disease, therefore unless decisive measures, this figure by 2030 will grow up to eight millions deaths.

“And in 21st century from tobacco can die almost 1 billion people, who have not managed to overcome the weakness for cigarettes, snuffy, hookahs, cigars and tobacco-pipes”, - is said in the report.

WHA has informed that none of the country in the world has completely fulfilled requirements of the International tobacco control convention, which obliges participants to forbid advertising of tobacco products, rise in the price and taxes for their manufacture and sale and forbid smoking in public places for the sake of non-smokers.