A recent study found that people who are good at interpreting facial expressions have “mirror neuron” systems that are more active, say researchers. The finding adds weight to the idea that these cells are crucial to helping us figure out how others are feeling.  Mirror neurons are brain cells that fire both when you do something and when you watch someone else do the same thing.

Because they allow us to mimic what others are doing, it is thought that these neurons may be responsible for why we can feel empathy, or understand others’ intentions and states of mind. People with autism, for instance, show reduced mirror neuron activity during social cognition tasks. I guess it is true that we only understand about 15% of how the brain works.

For the first time in Britain, researchers at Newcastle University said they had created human-animal hybrid embryos, amid a political row over a disputed embryo research bill in parliament. According to the northern English university, the research, which was first presented at a lecture in Tel Aviv on March 25, has yet to be published or verified, with a spokesman for the university telling AFP that the institution “wouldn’t claim it to be final at all.”

The revelation comes with British MPs engaged in a fierce battle over the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, which allows the creation of human-animal hybrid embryos for medical research. Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s governing Labour Party conceded in March that its party lawmakers with moral or ethical objections would be allowed to vote against parts of the proposed legislation when it comes before parliament this year.

The embryos were created by injecting DNA taken from human skin cells into eggs derived from cow ovaries with almost all their genetic material stripped away, and lasted for three days in a laboratory. The Newcastle University spokesman said that the research would likely be published in “months rather than weeks”. At present, researchers wanting to create such embryos have to apply for a license from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, which currently regulates the practice in Britain, and hybrid embryos have to be destroyed after 14 days. The government says that the scientific advantages of allowing the creation of hybrid embryos for research purposes could help millions of people to recover from illness or disease.

Religious leaders, however, have argued against the bill, with the leader of Catholics in Scotland, Cardinal Keith O’Brien, using his Easter Sunday sermon to brand the bill a “monstrous attack on human rights, human dignity and human life” which will allow experiments of “Frankenstein proportion”.  Can flying people be just a few decades around the corner?

Corruption and poor oversight have undermined South Africa’s fight against HIV/ Aids, a new report says .  The authors, the Institute of Security Studies and Transparency International, say there has been a “potentially lethal cocktail of mismanagement”.

They blame South Africa’s president for questioning the link between HIV and Aids and say his stance has had an impact on the whole health system.  South Africa has the highest incidence of Aids in the world.  The report, titled A Lethal Cocktail, says 30% of the population is infected.

Politicisation of the disease has created numerous channels for abuse and is undermining attempts to counter it, the report says.  The authors conclude that it has become difficult to disentangle corruption from mismanagement and system failure as the root causes of the poor response to Aids.

Much of the responsibility is laid at the door of President Thabo Mbeki, whose well-known questioning of the link between the HIV virus and Aids has resulted in activists labelling him an “Aids denialist”.  The report says that his stand has had an impact throughout the health system, creating numerous channels for abuse.

The authors cite an example of a doctor dismissed for allowing a rape charity to use a disused hospital, because they were distributing anti-retroviral drugs.  Over-all it is a bad report for all of South Africa and brings up some glaring problems.

One of the hottest technologies for people using cannabis for medical conditions is a vaporizer. Vaporization is a technique used to avoid the irritating respiratory toxins found in marijuana smoke. This is achieved by heating cannabis to a temperature so that the psychoactive ingredients evaporate without causing combustion.

There are many types of vaporizers on the market and doing some research on what the best one for you budget is a good idea. When I looked I found many types including cheap lightbulb vaporizers and the more expensive volcano type vaporizer. This is a great technology for those needing to take medicinal cannabis.

Heavy smokers with knee arthritis may be experiencing an early sign of a difficult-to-treat lung cancer, research shows.   Researchers at Prato Hospital in Italy reviewed the case files of 296 patients with inflammation in one knee between 2000 and 2005.

In just under 2 percent of these patients, the mild knee arthritis was accompanied by non-small cell lung cancer. All patients were middle-aged men who had been heavy smokers for most of their lives. Once the cancer tissue was surgically removed, the knee pain cleared up as well.

About 85 percent of all lung cancers are non-small cell lung cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. Unless it is caught early, non-small cell lung cancer is difficult to treat. It spreads to the bones in one in five cases and is well advanced by the time it is diagnosed in half of all cases.  Writing in the September issue of The Annals of Rheumatic Diseases, the researchers noted that early warning signs such as knee pain could lead to earlier diagnosis and more successful treatments.  My knees have been hurting but I haven’t had a cigarette for almost 20 years!

Often forgotten about, your reproductive health is just as important as other aspects of your health. Gaining a better understanding of your reproductive system can help you gain a clearer picture of just how sensitive your reproductive organs are. How it Works will explain how your hormones and organs come together to produce your monthly cycle. And if you think that your diet doesn’t make much difference to your reproductive health, think again. Diet and the Reproductive System will explain just how the food you eat influences how your reproductive system works.

When your system is out of whack, not only can it affect your menstrual cycle, but it can also prevent you from getting pregnant. One way of making sure your system is in top shape is by getting regular pap smears. But what does it mean if you have an abnormal one? Read Abnormal Smear Test to find out. And if you have a retroverted uterus, don’t worry. This is normal and is unlikely to interfere with your ability to get pregnant.

While many women find it to be a bit of a pest, regular menstruation is actually a sign of positive reproductive health. However, different factors can throw your cycle off from time to time. Learn more about what can make your period late and if you’ve recently stopped taking the birth control pill, then check out No Pill, No Period to find out why your period may not return right away. Some women suffer from extremely painful periods, as is the case with dysmenorrhea. If you use tampons regularly, you’ll want to make sure you know all about toxic shock syndrome. Of course, eventually your period will stop coming altogether. Whether you’re looking forward to it or dreading it, menopause is a fact of life for all women. And if you’re wondering whehter herbs are effective for treating menopause symptoms, read our article on herbs and menopause.

A woman’s reproductive system can be affected by a variety of infections, such as yeast infections (or thrush) and bacterial vaginosis. While these can be unpleasant, they can be treated. Other infections include urinary tract infections (UTI) and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). While treatment is available for both of these discomforts, PID can lead to scarring and even infertility as well as increase your risk of an ectopic pregnancy if not looked after quickly.

Cancer can also damage your reproductive health. Aside from cervical cancer, women may also have to deal with uterine cancer or ovarian cancer. Other reproductive issues that are not uncommon for a woman to have to contend with include ovarian cysts, chronic pelvic pain and fibroids. In some cases, it may be necessary to have a hysterectomy in order to get rid of the cancer for good.

However, your reproductive health isn’t just centred around the pelvic region. Your breasts are also an important part of your reporductive system, allowing you to feed your children during their first few months or years. Developing breast cancer, though, can seriously impair your reproductive health, damaging your breasts and your fertility. Through breast cancer awareness and regular self-checks, you can keep your breasts healthy for a long time by ensuring early detection and treatment of breast cancer. There are various types of breast examinations that may be performed in order to detect the signs of breast cancer. Learn about some other conditions that are characterized by benign breast lumps.

Breast cancer research has attempted to address environmental factors that may be linked to the development of cancer. Read an article about recent studies that have attempted to address the possible link between breast cancer and anti-perspirant use. New genetic testing methods have also been developed that can help prevent breast cancer relapse.

Experiencing menopause or undergoing treatment such as a hysterectomy can result in changes to your reproductive system that can affect your sexual health. These changes can alter a woman’s sexual life and affect feelings of desire as well as a woman’s libido. Whether or not you have undergone these or other changes, you may want to read about recent studies attempting to solve female sexual dysfunction and issues surrounding women’s sexual health.

Women who have undergone a mastectomy can sometimes find it difficult to adjust to having one or no breasts. However, reconstructive surgery can make it possible to have breasts again. If your health insurance does not cover this procedure, it is possible to find cosmetic surgeon clinics cosmetic surgeon clinics that are affordable.

Your reproductive health and overall wellbeing may benefit from a natural health program. Get information on Migraine Prevention that may be related to other conditions affecting your health.