Health Report

THE GOOD NEWS

British scientists have managed to deactivate cancer cells in mice. They moved a gene from a bacterium into the tumor cells; once inside, the gene forced the cells to produce a toxic protein that then shut off the tumor cells' ability to reproduce and spread.

Israeli researchers have found a brain chemical called anandamide that is chemically similar to THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, and binds to the same receptors on nerve cells. They hope it can lead to drugs that have pot's medically valuable qualities -- it controls pain, stimulates appetite and reduces nausea -- without getting patients high.

A Scottish study says drinkers of coffee -- especially instant -- have less chance of heart disease than nondrinkers.

THE BAD NEWS

Women who nurse their babies for nine months can temporarily lose up to 5% of their bone mass even if they eat properly. The loss can be even greater for undernourished women or for teenage mothers who are still growing.

A form of strep bacteria usually found in newborns and pregnant women is pushing further into the general population; in Atlanta, for example, the incidence of so-called Group B strep has doubled in six years. It usually strikes people already suffering from other illnesses, and it can be deadly.

A survey of 22 published studies argues that heavy coffee drinkers face a 40% greater risk of heart attack than moderate or nondrinkers.

[TMFONT 1 d #666666 d {Sources: American Journal of Diseases of Children; Journal of Experimental Medicine; Journal of the American Medical Association; Epidemiology; New England Journal of Medicine}]