Mood:  a-ok

Emerging cancer screening methods could soon be as simple as asking your best furry friend if you have the disease. Japanese researchers have published a study in the British Medical Journal which claims that cancer cells actually emit some kind of unique scent from the body, and that dogs can be trained to detect it.

Dr. Hideto Sonoda from Kyushu University explains that a "specific cancer scent does indeed exist and that cancer-specific compounds may be circulating throughout the body." Such a scent can be present in a person's breath or even in his or her feces, both of which can be detected by dogs.

Sonoda and his team presented a labrador retriever with various breath and stool samples from over 300 volunteers. Forty-eight of the volunteers had known bowel cancer, and certain others had previously recovered from the disease. The double-blind test revealed that 95 percent of the time, the dog was successfully able to identify cancer in the breath samples. And 98 percent of the time, it was able to detect cancer in the feces.

"We used the excellent ability of dogs to distinguish between different scents to examine whether odor material can be used in the diagnosis of colorectal cancer," said Sonoda. "This study represents the first step towards the development of an early detection system using odor materials from patients with colorectal cancer."

Sonoda says that the dog's ability to detect the cancer samples with high accuracy proves that a unique odor compound is definitely present in cancer patients. He and the team's next step is to identify that compound and work on improved detection methods, including potentially using trained dogs at medical facilities. But he admits that a substitute cancer detection sensor similar to the type found in dogs is likely a more feasible approach.

Article Source - NaturalNews.com

Posted by Neil Bartlett DHyp M.A.E.P.H at 17:00 MEST

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

Mood:  d'oh

A Toronto couple are defending their decision to keep their infant's sex a secret in order to allow the child to develop his or her own gender identity.

Kathy Witterick and David Stocker have been widely criticised for imposing their ideology on four-month-old Storm.

The family were the subject of a recent profile in the Toronto Star newspaper.

In an e-mail, Ms Witterick wrote that the idea that "the whole world must know what is between the baby's legs is unhealthy, unsafe, and voyeuristic".

Ms Witterick, 38, and Mr Stocker, 39, have also been criticised for the manner in which they are raising their two sons Jazz, five, and Kio, two.

Full Story from the BBC

Posted by Neil Bartlett DHyp M.A.E.P.H at 11:25 MEST

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

Mood:  a-ok

Advice is like snow; the softer it falls, the longer it dwells upon, and the deeper it sinks into the mind.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge (21 October 1772 – 25 July 1834)

Posted by Neil Bartlett DHyp M.A.E.P.H at 01:01 MEST

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

Mood:  lyrical

VietNamNet Bridge - Hundreds of households in Binh Dong Commune of Binh Son District in Quang Ngai are living in panic after mysterious footprints were seen on the sand and loud roaring sounds heard in the area.

According to Cao Tan Son, police chief of the Binh Dong Commune, these mysterious incidents have been occurring since May 7 at the foot of Dinh Mountain in Son Tra Commune.

However, no one has seen the strange creature that could have caused such large footprints measuring almost 12-15cm. Over 20 dogs have also been killed in the area and now around 280 households of the commune are living in panic.

Full Story from vietnamnet.vn

Posted by Neil Bartlett DHyp M.A.E.P.H at 17:07 MEST

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

Mood:  not sure

The sun beams down on a warm Dutch spring morning, and the Iceman's students look wary as they watch him dump bag after bag of ice into the tub of water where they will soon be taking a dip.

The plan is to try to overcome the normal human reaction to immersion in freezing slush: gasping for air, shivering uncontrollably, and getting back out again as soon as possible.

Instead, under the direction of "Iceman" Wim Hof, the group of athletes is going to stay in the water for minutes practicing his meditation techniques, seeking possible performance or health benefits.

Full Story from aol.com

Posted by Neil Bartlett DHyp M.A.E.P.H at 11:06 MEST

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

Mood:  a-ok

Diseases of the soul are more dangerous and more numerous than those of the body.

Marcus Tullius Cicero (January 3, 106 BC – December 7, 43 BC)

Posted by Neil Bartlett DHyp M.A.E.P.H at 01:01 MEST

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

Mood:  chatty

A 91-year-old Californian woman who sells kits to help people end their lives says her home has been raided by federal agents.

Sharlotte Hydorn said they took away her computers, sewing kits and boxes of what she calls "exit kits", the Associated Press reported.

The kits contain a plastic hood that closes around the neck and clear tubing to hook up to a tank of gas.

She made headlines after a man from Oregon took his life using a kit.

The death of the 29-year-old in December outraged Oregon lawmakers who are now working on a bill to outlaw such devices.

Full Story from the BBC

Posted by Neil Bartlett DHyp M.A.E.P.H at 19:05 MEST

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

Mood:  a-ok

Pope Benedict XVI has shut down a famous monastery in Rome, Italian media reports say.

The Santa Croce in Gerusalemme church is being closed because of rumours of a lack of liturgical, financial and moral discipline, La Stampa reports.

It is understood the few remaining Cistercian monks will be transferred to other communities in Italy.

The basilica's abbot, a flamboyant former Milan fashion designer, was moved two years ago.

Full Story from the BBC

Posted by Neil Bartlett DHyp M.A.E.P.H at 12:37 MEST

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink