Recent Trends in Obesity-related Research in Medicine

By Dr. In-ae Lee
Düsseldorf, Germany

Obesity is a phenomenon becoming more prevalent around the world that has reached epidemic proportions in Westernized cultures, and the diseases associated with it (including insulin resistance, type II diabetes mellitus, hepatic steatosis, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases) have become major public health problems [1].

Obesity-related research has been conducted on multiple levels, from molecular to socio-environmental, showing that obesity results from the interaction of cellular factors with social factors. Potential biological drivers of obesity include neurobiological mechanisms, epigenetic gene-environment interactions and gut microbiota [2]. Read more…

Health Effects of the Japanese Nuclear Accident

By Justin H. Joe, Ph.D.
Mount Kisco, NY

The news from Japan of the recent nuclear crisis induced by a record breaking earthquake of magnitude of 9.0 on the Richter scale and subsequent tsunami struck fear into the hearts of people in Japan as well as the citizens of surrounding nations such as China and Korea. Common perception associates radiation exposure, and more specifically radioactivity, with cancer and other untreatable and long-lasting illnesses. Read more…

Chronic Constipation – The Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

By Dr. Namhyun Kim
General Surgery
European Society of Hemato-Centric Medicine
Düsseldorf, Germany

Constipation is the most common digestive complaint in the United States according to survey data [19]. Chronic constipation is a common condition that affects up to 27% of the population [1] and is twice as common in women than in men [2]. More than four million Americans have frequent constipation, accounting for 2.5 million physician visits a year. Constipation-related healthcare costs total $6.9 billion in the U.S. each year [20], with another $725 million spent on laxative products [21]. Read more…