Headlines (Scroll down for complete stories):
1. Watermelon May Have Effects Similar to Viagra
2. High Fat Intake Linked to Pancreatic Cancer
3. Use Fireworks Safely
4. Joystick Treats Lazy Eye Syndrome
5. Suicide Warning Ordered on Anti-Smoking Drugs

1. Watermelon May Have Effects Similar to Viagra

Herbie Hancock's 1962 jazz hit "Watermelon Man" takes on a whole new meaning from this little-known fact: One of its ingredients triggers production of a chemical that works similar to Viagra.

And the millions of watermelons being enjoyed across the nation this Fourth of July weekend just might help men get their groove back.

In fact, the ingredient, citrulline, might not only treat erectile dysfunction but also help prevent it. In the body, citrulline is converted to arginine, an amino acid known to improve the heart and circulatory system and to boost the immune system.

It helps erectile dysfunction by relaxing blood vessels, similar to Viagra's effect.

“The citrulline-arginine relationship helps heart health, the immune system and may prove to be very helpful for those who suffer from obesity and Type 2 diabetes,” says Dr. Bhimu Patil, director of Texas A&M’s Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center in College Station. “Arginine boosts nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels, the same basic effect that Viagra has, to treat erectile dysfunction and maybe even prevent it.”

“The more we study watermelons, the more we realize just how amazing a fruit it is in providing natural enhancers to the human body,” Patil says. “Watermelon may not be as organ-specific as Viagra, but it’s a great way to relax blood vessels without any drug side effects.

“We’ve always known that watermelon is good for you, but the list of its very important healthful benefits grows longer with each study,” he says.

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2. High Fat Intake Linked to Pancreatic Cancer

High intake of dietary fats from red meat and dairy products increases the risk of pancreatic cancer, according to a new study published in the online version of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

This study was undertaken because research relating fat intake to pancreatic cancer was inconclusive.

To examine the association, Dr. Rachael Z. Stolzenberg-Solomon of the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Md., and colleagues analyzed a cohort of more than 500,000 people from the National Institutes of Health — AARP Diet and Health Study. Participants completed a food frequency questionnaire in 1995 and 1996 and were followed for an average of six years to track a variety of health outcomes, including pancreatic cancer.

Men and women who consumed high amounts of total fats had 53 percent and 23 percent higher relative rates of pancreatic cancer, respectively, compared with men and women who had the lowest fat consumption. Participants who consumed high amounts of saturated fats had 36 percent higher relative rates of pancreatic cancer compared with those who consumed low amounts.

“We observed positive associations between pancreatic cancer and intakes of total, saturated, and monounsaturated fat overall, particularly from red meat and dairy food sources," the authors write. "We did not observe any consistent association with polyunsaturated or fat from plant food sources. Altogether, these results suggest a role for animal fat in pancreatic carcinogenesis."

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3. Use Fireworks Safely

Fourth-of-July fireworks always draw a crowd, but those beautiful bursts of color can lead to catastrophic injuries if not used with care.

This Independence Day, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons advises Americans to enjoy the spectacular celebrations, but urges adults and children to exercise extreme caution by leaving fireworks to the professionals.

Fireworks can be used safely by trained adults, but illegal firecrackers or ones that are used improperly present substantial risks," said Dr. James C. Krieg, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in trauma and spokesman for the academy. "If fireworks misfire or explode prematurely, the extreme amount of force can tear or destroy tissue, including bones and nerves, causing permanent damage."

In an effort to reduce the number and severity of firework-related injuries treated by orthopedic surgeons, the academy recommends the following safety guidelines for trained adults who choose to use fireworks:

• Check with your local police department to determine whether fireworks can be discharged legally in your area and, if so, which types.
• Never buy illegal fireworks. Their quality cannot be assured.
• Only adults should light fireworks.
• Never hold lighted fireworks.
• Never allow young children to play with or go near fireworks, including sparklers. Sparklers may seem harmless, but they can reach temperatures of more than 1,000 degrees.
• Never play with fireworks if you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

For other injury prevention tips, visit www.orthoinfo.org

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4. Joystick Treats Lazy Eye Syndrome

Traditional treatment for amblyopia — better known as the lazy eye syndrome — requires the use of an eye patch, often for months at a time.

The patch can lead to social stigma during a formative part of childhood, and worse, it's not 100 percent effective for the estimated 4 percent of children who have it.

But Dr. Uri Polat, an eye and brain specialist at Tel Aviv University, has developed a computer therapy that could spare kids from the ugly eye patch, letting them enjoy themselves during therapy.

The treatment, now available only for adults, corrects the activity of the neurons in the brain, which is the main controller of eye function

A leading expert in lazy eye syndrome found that 20 hours in front of Polat's computer treatment had the same effect as about 500 hours of wearing an eye patch, according to a recent review in Vision Research.

Polat and his research group at the Goldschleger Eye Research Institute also reported the treatment's effectiveness in a number of scientific publications, including the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

In the treatment, the appearances of special and random objects keep the patients constantly alert as they learn to expect the unexpected. A game version of the therapy is being developed for children.

"This is probably the first treatment that attempts to correct lazy eyes in adults, something that doctors had previously given up on," Polat said. "Doctors don't suggest intervention after the age of 9 because it usually doesn't work."

"You see these poor kids in kindergarten wearing the patch," Polat said. "Everyone hates it, especially the parents who know what it's doing to their kid's self-esteem."

The treatment has U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval, Polat said.

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5. Suicide Warning Ordered on Anti-Smoking Drugs

U.S. health officials ordered Pfizer Inc and GlaxoSmithKline PLC to add strong "black box" warnings on their anti-smoking drugs to highlight the risk of serious mental health problems, including suicidal thoughts.

The warnings, which must be added to Pfizer's Chantix and Glaxo's Zyban, follow more than 5,000 reports of depression, hostility, and other behavioral changes, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said.

The medications still are needed, said FDA officials, noting the dangers of smoking, such as lung cancer and heart disease.

"We don't want to scare people off from trying to use the medication to stop smoking," said Dr. Curt Rosebraugh, who oversees the FDA office that reviews smoking-cessation drugs. "We just want them carefully monitored."

Additionally, the FDA strengthened its caution about possible accidents and serious injuries with Chantix linked to loss of consciousness, mental confusion, dizziness, and muscle spasms. But it stopped short of adding it to the boxed warning, as some health advocates had urged.

Rosebraugh told reporters the FDA could not directly link the reported problems to the drugs, adding that withdrawal from nicotine in tobacco also can cause problems.

The agency also is requiring the companies to conduct additional clinical trials to help determine how serious a problem the mood disorders are, including among patients who already have depression or other similar conditions.

The agency received 4,762 reports of serious psychiatric events since Chantix's 2006 approval. For Zyban and its generic rivals, it received a total 527 reports, it said.

The tally included 98 reports of suicide and 188 reports of attempted suicide with Chantix, and 14 reports of suicide and 17 attempts with Zyban and related generics.

Copyright Reuters

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