"A mosquito infected with Chikungunya viral disease has shown up in Brazil"

There were many cases of Chikungunya viral disease reported in Brazil in 2015 but until now the virus was not detected in any mosquitoes in the country.>>>Read More On EvoNews>>>

"NSAIDs may benefit colorectal cancer"

Researchers say that survival of sufferers of colorectal cancer is improved with the use of NSAIDs. Colorectal cancer presents serious challenges for effective treatment. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center reports that survival for certain patients suffering from colorectal cancer is improved with NSAIDs.>>>Read more on Evonews>>>

Deaths from liver cancer are surging

Liver cancer has emerged as a growing problem across the USA.  It has been reported by the American Cancer Society that liver cancer has become the fastest growing cause of deaths from cancer in the United States. Death rates for this cancer have doubled in the USA ever since the mid 1980s.

Variations in major risk factors along with inequalities in access to treatment have led to racial variances in liver cancer mortality which are significant. It has been estimated by the American Cancer Society that liver cancer will account for approximately 41,000 new cancer cases and 29,000 deaths from cancer  alcohol, which increases liver cancer risk by about 10% per drink per day, and tobacco use, which increases liver cancer risk by approximately 50% in the United States in 2017.

Incidence of liver cancer has been on the rise in the USA since at least the mid 1970s. This trend is anticipated to continue through at least the year 2030. A higher rate of hepatitis C virus among baby boomers has been noted to be one primary contributing factors in this trend.

It is also likely that an increase in obesity and type 11 diabetes over the past few decades has contributed to this trend. Alcohol, which increases liver cancer risk by approximately 10 percent per drink per day, and tobacco use, which increases liver cancer risk by about 50 percent, are also likely to have been contributing to this trend.

It has been noted that there is significant disparity in liver cancer death rates by race/ethnicity. This disparity ranges from 5.5 per 100,000 in non-Hispanic whites to 11.9 per 100,000 among American Indians/Alaska Natives.

The authors have written that most liver cancers can be prevented. It has been suggested that there should be improvements in hepatitis B virus vaccination and better screening and treatment of HCV. It has also been advised to maintain a healthy body weight, get high quality care of diabetes, and avoid excessive alcohol drinking and smoking.

This study has been published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. There is a high fatality rate associated with liver cancer. Efforts for the aggressive prevention of liver cancer are suggested.

Mars astronauts will be at increased risk for cancer

The idea to actually send astronauts to Mars is fascinating. However, there are health risks involved with such a venture which must be taken seriously. 

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas reports there will be an increased risk for cancer in Mars astronauts due to collateral damage from cosmic rays.  Researchers at UNLV have predicted a dramatic increase in cancer for these astronauts. There is heavy damage to cells from cosmic rays such as iron and titanium atoms because they have high rates of ionization.   

UNLV scientist Francis Cucinotta, who is a leading scholar on radiation and space physics, says that 900 days or more will be needed for Mars missions. The extensive time in deep space makes exposures to all energies of galactic cosmic ray heavy ions unavoidable. Exposure risks would just be moderately lowered with present levels of radiation shielding.

Cucinotta has said that a cell's nucleus can be devastated by galactic cosmic ray exposure and can cause mutations which can lead to cancer. It has also been observed that signals are sent from the damaged cells to surrounding, unaffected cells and this likely modifies the tissues. It seems these signals lead to mutations of healthy cells which leads to more tumors or cancers.

This study has been published in Scientific Reports. It has become clear risk of cancer is a vital concern for galactic cosmic ray exposures. Cucinotta has been right to point out that increasing acceptable risk levels for long-term space missions outside of the protection of the Earth’s geomagnetic sphere raises serious ethical flags. The true nature of the risks are not yet completely understood and so further investigations of this matter are necessary.

Feeling young at heart can help with a healthy sex life

            

University of Waterloo researchers say that the closer you are feeling to the age which you actually are the less likely you may be to be satisfied with your sex life. A healthy sex life is possible to maintain as you age. Leading a healthy lifestyle with good nutrition and a positive attitude can nurture a healthy sex life in your elderly years.

It has been reported by the University of Waterloo that your sex life may be only as old as you are feeling. The researchers say that it is not as likely you will be satisfied with your sex life if you feel very close to the age which you actually are. A better quality sex life was reported by those who did not feel as close to their chronological age.

Steven Mock, who is an associate professor in Recreation and Leisure Studies at University of Waterloo, said this research showed there was a large impact on how people felt about the quality of their sex life if they felt younger. This also influenced their interest in sex. It seems that for people who are middle aged and older feeling young at heart can actually make a significant difference in the bedroom.

This study has been published in The Journal of Sex Research. It has been observed that in older people the less positive their views of aging are, the less sexual activity was rated as enjoyable by them. Feelings of being older was also associated with less interest in sex. It seems that nurturing youthful feelings may actually pay off in a more satisfied sex life as you age.

Ending HIV is possible in the USA

New research from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Brigham and Women’s Hospital has revealed that within the next decade there may be dramatic steps towards ending the HIV epidemic in the USA. It has been said that with a good commitment, a path exists to end domestic HIV infection via the achievement of critical milestones, which specifically include decrease of annual new infections to 21,000 by 2020 and to 12,000 by 2025. Study co-author David Holtgrave, PhD, says these ambitious targets could be achieved with an intensified and sustained national commitment. Developments in antiretroviral therapy (ART), which are drugs that lower HIV transmission by decreasing the level of virus in the blood, means that HIV can now be a chronic disease which is manageable. 

This study has been published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. There is an ambitious, but significant, pathway to lower U.S. HIV incidence below 12,000 new infections by 2025. This would bring HIV incidence below mortality in 2025, which would mark a transition toward actually ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic. It certainly is worth the effort to help end the threat of HIV/AIDS in the USA.

Aggressive behavior is affected by media violence

It has been reported by Iowa State University that a cross-cultural study has found a link exists between aggressive behavior and media violence. There is compelling evidence that aggressive behavior is affected by media violence. This study was led by Craig Anderson, who is a Distinguished Professor of psychology at Iowa State University. In this study the researchers identified four primary findings as follows: 1) In all countries there was a positive and significant relationship between violent media and aggressive behavior. 2)There was increased aggressive thinking and decreased empathy with exposure. 3) Media violence remained significant even after other risk factors were accounted for. 4) There was a greater effect for media violence than all of the other risk factors, aside from peer delinquency. 

Anderson has commented the evidence is compelling that the primary psychological processes which cause repeated media violence exposure to lead to heightened aggressiveness are basically the same across different cultures, at least when considering normal times. It appears that local cultural and social conditions may have an influence on such processes when there are more extreme conditions. It has been explained by Anderson that in war-torn societies, media violence exposure may have increased effects due to the real violence which kids and teens experience everyday. It is the position of Anderson that the denialism which presently dominates news media stories dealing with media violence effects is very clearly contradicted by this study. 

This study has been published in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. Across nations the effect of media violence on aggression was significant. The serious problem of aggression being influenced by media violence should clearly be addressed.