London, Feb 17 : Paralytic patients often end up losing control of many facial features, including the movement of eyelids, but now scientists have found the solution to this problem- artificial polymer muscles.

Influenced by the success of bionic limbs, surgeons Craig Senders and Travis Tollefson of the University of California, Davis, have got the idea of using artificial polymer muscles to reanimate the facial features of people suffering from severe paralysis.

"The face is an area where natural-appearing active prosthetics would be particularly welcome," New Scientist magazine quoted them as writing in a recent patent application.

Recent study has revealed the first common gene variants associated with an elevated risk of hypertension. Research team led by Christopher Newton-Cheh of the Massachusetts General Hospital's Center for Human Genetic Research studied the DNA of nearly 30,000 people.

The research team studied variants of two genes for these peptides -- atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP). Study showed clear relationship between three variants and higher levels of the peptides and, therefore, to lower blood pressure.

The number of children suffering from asthma is increasing continuously. Recent study has shown that pre-natal exposure pollution leads to some genetic changes in children which increase their risk of developing asthma.

Research team led by Dr Shuk-mei Ho, director of the Center for Environmental Genetics at the University of Cincinnati studied umbilical cord blood from 56 children. Study revealed "reprogramming" of a gene associated with exposure to compounds in traffic fumes.

London, Feb 15 : Four out of 10 Brits don't know that eating a poor diet increases the risk of cancer, a new study has revealed.

The study of almost 2,000 people found that 41 percent were unaware of the link between their diet and the disease.

And only one in three people knew processed meat increased cancer risks, while 44 percent did not know being overweight was another risk factor.

But 42 per cent of those questioned knew that not taking enough exercise or being physically active increased their risk of cancer.

Washington, Feb 14 : After reporting excess calcium as an indicator of prostate cancer, researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and the University of Wisconsin have now identified an even more accurate biomarker of the life-threatening disease-high levels of ionised serum calcium.

The new finding can help provide some direction for men diagnosed with prostate cancer, about whether their cancer is likely to be fatal or not.

"Scientists have known for many years that most prostate cancers are slow-growing and that many men will die with, rather than of, their prostate cancer," said Dr. Gary G. Schwartz, senior author of the study.

Hanoi - Vietnamese media and consumers Thursday criticized government authorities over a food safety scandal in which milk products with falsified protein content were sold for months after inspectors discovered the fraud.

Health authorities in Ho Chi Minh City revealed Friday that dozens of Vietnamese-made and foreign dairy products they had tested beginning in October, including infant formula, contained almost no protein, despite advertising high protein levels on their packaging.

Nutrition officials said up to half of the products tested contained less than 2 per cent protein, far below the 11-14 per cent required for basic nutrition for small children. But authorities did not begin removing the products from stores until last week.