Japan setting stricter safety guidelines for nuclear power plants. the government’s aim is to ease public concern about restarting reactors idled after last year’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. Facing a national power crunch, the government is anxious to restart two reactors in Fukui, western Japan, before the last operating reactor of the 54 in the country goes offline in May. the guidelines follow Thursday’s disclosure that water containing radioactive substances may have leaked into the ocean from the Fukushima site, the latest example of problems more than three months after the government declared conditions there stabilized. The Associated Press, The Wall Street Journal

Global fight against malaria is threatened by growing drug resistance. Experts say the potency of artemisinin-based compounds, once remarkably successful, is weakening among patients around the Thailand-Myanmar border. Doctors say the time could come when the drugs won’t work at all. Malaria parasite resistance to the drugs was previously identified in western Cambodia but it was hoped that tough controls would contain it. now scientists say the emerging problems must be tackled to keep resistance from spreading worldwide. An author of one of two new studies exploring the issue warned of a “public health disaster” if resistance emerges in sub-Saharan Africa. The Guardian, Time

San Francisco judge dismisses suit that sought to force McDonald’s to stop putting toys in Happy Meals. the proposed class-action suit was filed in 2010 by the consumer advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest and Monet Parham, a mother, to try to prevent the restaurant chain from using toys to entice children in California to eat its meals. the judge did not give a reason for his decision. The Center for Science in the Public Interest said it hasn’t decided whether to appeal, but called the McDonald’s toy giveaways a “predatory practice that undermines parents, causes rifts in families and harms kids’ health.”  Los Angeles Times, The Associated Press

California authorities accuse a state mental hospital of failing to protect employees from assault. the state’s workplace safety agency, known as Cal/OSHA, also charged Coalinga State Hospital with failing to have an adequate employee alarm system. the hospital, which is located in southwest Fresno County in Central California and mainly treats sex offenders deemed too dangerous for community release, faces possible fines of more than $20,000. the citations are similar to those imposed by Cal/OSHA since last year against the other four state mental hospitals. All told, regulators have called for fines of more than $200,000. Los Angeles Times, The Business Journal (Fresno)

Federal safety regulators seek $151,300 in fines against Ohio factory. the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration accused the Blanchester, Ohio plant run by American Showa of putting employees to work on electrified equipment without providing protective gear or proper training. OSHA accused the plant, an aluminum die-casting and auto parts manufacturing operation, of 13 violations.  that included two willful violations, the agency’s most serious offense. OSHA

Recalls: Chrysler Jeep Patriot and Compass SUVs and Town and Country and Grand Caravan minivans, Office Depot leather desk chairs, Public Bikes 2010-2012 bicycles, Los Olivos bread, Kypoyka Bisquits

Compiled by Stuart Silverstein

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Have Parkinson's symptoms and take lithium carbonate. These symptoms started about three months ago and I have been taking lithium for many years. Just have an idea this is the cause.

ScienceDaily (Jan. 25, 2011) — Physical activity improves symptoms in patients with IBS and is protective against symptom deterioration. This has recently been shown in a study from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

The study, which was conducted at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg and at Alingsås Hospital, included 102 IBS patients between the ages of 18 and 65. half the group was randomly allocated to increase their physical activity and the other half to maintain their usual lifestyle. Both groups received supportive phone calls from a physiotherapist. The active group increased their physical activity on their own, but with the advice and support from the physiotherapist. "they were advised to perform moderate to vigorous physical activity for 20 to 30 minutes three to five times a week," says Elisabet Johannesson, a registered physiotherapist and one of the authors of the article.

At the start of the study and after three months the participants in the study were asked to rate their different IBS complaints, such as abdominal pain, stool problems and quality of life. "The group with unchanged lifestyle had an average decrease of symptoms by 5 points. The active group on the other hand showed a symptom improvement with an average reduction of 51 points," says Riadh Sadik, a senior physician who has been responsible for the study.

The researchers also showed that the group with an unchanged lifestyle had deteriorating symptoms in 23% of cases, compared with the active group in which only 8% felt worse. The measurement of fitness in the study showed a slight increase in the activity group only. "This suggests that even a slight increase of physical activity may reduce symptoms and protect from deterioration," says Sadik.

The study is published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.

IBS

IBS is an abbreviation for irritable bowel syndrome. these very common disease affects about 10 to 15% of the world’s population. Both women and men are affected. The disease is characterised by abdominal pain or discomfort, constipation and/or diarrhoea and bloating. Patients may sometimes experience other symptoms such as palpitations, bouts of sweating, headaches and fatigue.

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The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by University of Gothenburg. The original article was written by Lena Mattsson.

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Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.