Infertility affects one in six couples

One in six couples worldwide has some type of infertility problem. Leading scientists and fertility doctors concluded this at a meeting in Copenhagen last week, while discussing the status of the problem all over the world. According to studies presented at the meet, 40 per cent of infertility cases are linked to men and an equal share are linked to women. In 20 per cent of cases there is a problem with both the male and female partner. Low sperm count or poor sperm shape or swimming ability are the major problems in male infertility. Hormonal disorders, damaged or blocked fallopian tubes and endometriosis, a condition in which the tissue that normally lines the uterus is found elsewhere in the body, are common causes of female infertility. However, the burden of most of infertility treatments are borne by women.

TV confuses kids about diet

A study has found that the more television kids watch, the more confused they get about which foods are ? and which aren’t ? going to help them grow up strong and healthy. “When they were presented with choices like Diet Coke vs orange juice and fat-free ice cream vs cottage cheese, they were more likely to pick the wrong answer ? the diet and fat-free foods ? than when they were presented with choices without these labels, for example, spinach vs lettuce,” said Kristen Harrison, a professor of speech communication at Illinois. Foods marketed as aiding weight-loss were problematical for the kids who equated the words “diet” and “fat-free” with being nutritious .

Abortion drug elevates mood

A short course of mifepristone ? better known as the abortion drug RU486 ? leads to a significant improvement in patients with major depressive episodes with psychotic features, the findings of a small clinical trial suggest. In many cases, because of the extreme danger of harming themselves, people with psychotic depression have to be hospitalised and given electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), also known as shock therapy. Previous studies indicated that mifepristone may have rapid antidepressant effects in these circumstances, say Dr George M. Simpson of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, and colleagues. They, however, add that the results were clouded by patients taking other drugs simultaneously.

Michelangelo’s ‘body’ code

Two Brazilian doctors ? who also are art lovers ? believe they have uncovered a secret lesson on human anatomy by the Renaissance artist Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling in Vatican. The pictures hide images of body parts ? reflecting the artist’s secret interest in human anatomy.