Health Update

WHO sets safe limit of melamine consumption for humans

According to WHO, taking 10 mg melamine a day is not harmful for a person who weighs 50 kg. International experts added that melamine is a contaminant that should not be in food. However, sometimes it is unavoidable. 

Chen Junshi, a senior researcher with the National Institute for Nutrition and Food Safety said that WHO's daily limit is a guideline for all countries to control their melamine standards.

DOH(Department of health) spokesman Wang Je-chau said the WHO’s suggestion [of a melamine TDI] is important for us. But to set up a TDI in Taiwan, we need to take into consideration the eating habits of Taiwanese ... and the quantity of food consumption.

Moderate Wine Helps Heart – A Study

Moderate Wine Helps Heart – A StudyAccording to a European study, moderate wine intake may be good for the heart as it is associated with higher level of omega-3 fatty acids that are considered protective against the coronary disease and sudden cardiac arrest.

FDA Panel Recommends ‘Eyelash-Boosting Drug’

FDA Panel Recommends ‘Eyelash-Boosting Drug’ A FDA advisory panel recommended approving the drug ‘Latisse’ to promote longer, thicker, darker eyelashes. Latisee is derived from the glaucoma drug Lumigan, which is approved by FDA since 2001, as an eye drop. The drug company Allergan Inc., studied the drug to know how it promoted eyelash growth, thickness, and darkness when used as an eye liner at the roots of the eyelashes on the upper eyelid.

Poverty Has An Impact On Children's Brains

Poverty Has An Impact On Children's Brains     A new study suggests that poverty afflicts children’s brain. Researchers from University of California, Berkeley, have shown that the brains of poor children work differently from the brains of wealthy children, affecting language development and ‘executive function’ or the ability to plan. The Scientists reported that normal 9- and 10- year’s old children, differing only in socioeconomic status have detectable differences in the response of their prefrontal cortex, the brain’s part that is critical for problem solving and creativity.

Study claims that male science 'nerds' are most likely to be virgins

It has been discovered through an Australian study that looked into the sexual history of 185 students at the University of Sydney, that the students who are least likely to have had sexual intercourse are the science "nerd" males.

On the other hand, the female art students ranked as the most sexually active.

"Males in the study were less likely to have had sex as a group, compared to the group of females in the sample," said the study of 16 to 25-year-olds, published in the journal, Sexual Health.

It added, "Science students were also less likely to have had sex compared to their counterparts in other faculties."

Intelligence affects sperm quality

Intelligence affects sperm qualityRecent research has shown that intelligent men produce better quality sperm. The research was carried out to asses the idea that intelligence is favored by natural selection.

Research team at King's College London analysed data from 4,462 former US soldiers who had served during the Vietnam War. The soldiers took several intelligence tests and underwent a detailed medical examination. Semen samples were also provided by 425 soldiers. Data analysis showed small but statistically significant correlation between intelligence and three measures of sperm quality.

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