World Autism Awareness Day is being observed today across the world including Pakistan to increase people's awareness about people, especially children, with autism. The day often features educational events for teachers, health care workers and parents, as well as exhibitions showcasing work created by children with autism. World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) theme is "Autism: Early intervention is key "and slogan, "know the signs; Act now". … full story

Japanese scientists say they have found a link between consumption of vitamin E and the degenerative bone condition osteoporosis, in a study likely to shed new light on the use of supplements. Researchers found that giving mice increased doses of the vitamin to a level similar to that found in supplements caused the animals' bones to thin. The mice developed osteoporosis after eight weeks on the diet, which had levels of vitamin E significantly … full story

US scientists on Wednesday reported a new advance in using gene therapy to restore eyesight in people with a rare, inherited form of blindness. The therapy, which had been previously tried in just one eye of 12 people, worked well when injected into the other eye of three of the patients, offering a sign that the treatment is safe, effective and will not be rejected by the body. "Our concern was that the first treatment might cause a vaccine-like … full story

A genetic mutation appears to help survival rates in women who suffer from a common type of ovarian cancer, a new study released Tuesday found. The research appearing in the January 25 edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) showed the mutations were found in six percent to 15 percent of women with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Kelly Bolton of the National Cancer Institute, in Bethesda, Maryland and colleagues found … full story

Elderly people with higher levels of certain vitamins and omega 3 fatty acids in their blood score better on mental acuity tests than those who eat junk food, a new study has shown. The study published in Neurology, the journal of the American Academy of Neurology, also showed that eating better could help reduce the brain shrinkage commonly associated with Alzheimer's disease. "This approach clearly shows the biological and neurological activity … full story

Scientists have found a new way to deliver Alzheimer’s drugs directly to the brain, potentially opening the way to a more effective treatment for sufferers. Efforts to treat the disease have been hamstrung over 50 years by the difficulty of administering drugs to the brain to slow or halt its progression. But University of Oxford researchers switched off a gene linked to Alzheimer’s in mice brains by relying on tiny particles naturally released … full story

Seniors who take aspirin daily are twice as likely to have late stage macular degeneration, an age-related loss of vision, than people who never take the pain reliever, a new European study reports. The data do not show that aspirin causes vision loss. But the findings are of concern if aspirin somehow exacerbates the eye disorder, researchers say, given how many seniors take it daily for heart disease. (Reuters) full story

One day not long ago a 27-year-old woman was brought to the 
Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, sleepy and confused. Fani Andelman, a neuropsychologist at the center, and colleagues gave the woman a battery of psychological tests to judge her state of mind. At first the woman seemed fine. She could see and speak clearly. She could understand the meaning of words and recall the faces of famous people. She could even solve logic puzzles, including a … full story

Something as simple as sitting for long periods in one posture daily is fraught with grave risks, especially for women. Such women are two to three times more likely to develop a life-threatening blood clot in their lungs than more active women, according to a new study. This is the first study to prove that a sedentary lifestyle increases your risk of developing a pulmonary embolism – a common cause of heart disease. Pulmonary embolism develops … full story

Scientists have figured out why not cleaning your teeth can invite heart attacks. Until now nobody had been able to determine exactly why not brushing regularly might bring on a heart attack. A dental scientist has now discovered that a common bug that causes tooth decay and gum disease can infiltrate into the bloodstream and help blood clots to form, reports the Telegraph. Consequently, these clots can cause heart attacks and strokes, which together … full story