Flaxseed may not cool hot flashes - study
Over six weeks, more than one-third of the women in each
group had a 50 percent reduction in the frequency and severity
of their hot flashes.The similar results in both groups suggest a placebo effect
or some other explanation for the changes some women reported,
said researchers led by Debra Barton, whose findings were
reported in the journal Menopause.”What women should take from this study is that there is
little compelling information to try flaxseed if the objective
is to reduce hot flashes,” Barton told Reuters Health in an
email.In an earlier pilot study, Barton and her colleagues had
found that women who consumed flaxseed did see their hot flashes
wane, on average.But that study had no comparison group of women taking a
placebo, she noted.Flaxseed is high in compounds called lignans, a type of
phytoestrogen. These are plant chemicals structurally similar to
estrogen that may have a weak estrogen-like, and an
anti-estrogen, effect on the body.The most effective treatment for hot flashes is hormone
replacement therapy, but since hormones have been linked to
increased risks of heart disease, blood clots and breast cancer,
many women want alternate remedies.Some anti-depressants have been found to cool hot flashes by
as much as 80 percent. But Burton noted that “natural” products,
such as black cohosh, soy and now flaxseed, have failed to stand
up to clinical trials.The latest study included women with bothersome hot flashes,
such as those occurring at least an average of four times a day.
Half of them had a history of breast cancer, which would
generally make it inadvisable to treat the symptoms with
hormones.Barton’s team randomly assigned the women to eat either a
flaxseed bar or a placebo bar each day for six weeks. The
flaxseed bar contained fiber, protein and 410 milligrams of
lignans. The placebo bar provided fiber and protein.By the end of the study, 36 percent of women in both groups
had a 50 percent drop in their hot flash “scores”, which rank
symptoms and severity. One third of women in each group said
they thought their symptoms were moderately to “very much”
improved.Barton said there were several possible reasons.In general, hot flash studies have found a significant
placebo effect, with women feeling better because they expect
to. Overall, 20 percent to 30 percent of placebo users improve,
though some studies find even higher rates.On top of that, hot flashes naturally cool off over time for
some women, and they can be extremely variable since
environmental triggers, such as hot weather or stress, often set
them off.”This is why it’s important to perform randomized,
placebo-controlled trials to understand the potential risks and
benefits of interventions,” she said.
Bob Dylan blowin’ in the bagpipes
Dylan did not turn up at the centre’s shop himself but sent a representative to pick them up.”He’s always wanted to learn,” the spokesperson told Reuters. “It’s a lovely sound when they are played well, and something to be appreciated.”Dylan chose a set of R.G. Hardie pipes — one of the best makes — in the Piping Centre’s tartan along with a starter package including a chanter and a learning manual. She declined to say how much he paid.Dylan has often shown an affection for things Scottish. He has cited national poet Robert Burns as a big influence, has an honorary degree from St. Andrews University in Fife, and a number of his songs are rooted in Scottish folk tunes, including “The Times They Are A-Changing.”In a 1997 song “Highlands” he sang: “My heart’s in the Highlands wherever I roam, that’s where I’ll be when I get called home.”But for those who wince at the thought of Dylan’s raspy voice combining with the skirl of the pipes, it might a case of “There must be some way out of here”.
Australian court backs Merck’s Vioxx case on appeal
Peterson’s lawyers, Slater & Gordon , said at the
time that the move paved the way for similar claims from
hundreds of other Australians who had suffered heart attacks
after using the medicine.”The court’s decision (on Wednesday) does not foreclose all
rights available to class members other than Mr Peterson,”
Slater & Gordon said in a statement to the Australian stock
market. The firm represents Petersen on a no-win, no-fee basis.”Mr Peterson also has the right to seek special leave to
appeal today’s judgment to the High Court of Australia. The
parties may also decide to work towards a negotiated
settlement,” the statement said.The 93-page judgement would be analysed to decide whether
appeal rights available to Peterson should be pursued and how
the cases of the remaining class members should be advanced,
Slater & Gordon said.Merck’s local arm, MSD Australia, said after the court
ruling that it was “satisfied with this outcome”.Merck has set aside a $950 million Vioxx legal reserve amid
a probe by U.S. prosecutors in Massachusetts of how Merck had
marketed Vioxx — its onetime blockbuster arthritis drug that
was recalled in 2004 after being linked to heart risks.Merck agreed in 2007 to pay $4.85 billion to settle lawsuits
filed by former Vioxx users, who alleged they had been harmed by
the pill.
Peru, Repsol consider alliance to market natgas
LIMA Oct 11 (Reuters) - State-run Petroperu and Spain’s
Repsol-YPF are evaluating an alliance to market natural gas in
Peru, looking to boost consumption in a country that depends on
oil to generate power, the agency said on Tuesday.Peru started using natural gas some 10 years ago and began
exporting the fuel in 2010 but domestic consumption is still
very low because it is only used in large industries.Petroperu now exclusively refines, stores and markets
petroleum and petroleum derivatives and Repsol-YPF is
a competitor.The agency is also exploring a partnership with U.S.
company BPZ Resources that would enable it to start producing
natural gas.The alliance with Repsol “is extremely important because it
deals with one of the current objectives of the government
which is expanding natural gas usage,” said Petroperu’s head,
Humberto Campodonico in a statement.”We will work hard to polish all the details we need to and
have this agreement signed in the shortest time possible,” he
said.Repsol-YPF is an important partner in the consortium led by
Argentina’s Pluspetrol that operates the natural gas fields in
Camisea, in southeastern Peru. A pipeline through the Andes
mountains transports the fuel to the Peruvian coast.Leftist President Ollanta Humala’s government is
negotiating a new royalties scheme with the consortium. It
seeks to correct market distortions through the negotiations so
that royalties paid on exported fuel are always higher than
those paid on fuel used domestically.Petroperu also wants to raise its stake in Peru’s oil
sector to be more like its state-run counterparts Petrobras in Brazil and Ecopetrol in Colombia.
