(June 10, 2008 - Insidermedicine) From Hong Kong - According to Hong Kong's information services department, the H5N1 strain of avian influenza has been reported at a poultry market. The H5N1 virus was detected in five chicken dropping samples, and officials have ordered that all 2,700 birds at the market be destroyed. Hong Kong has not had a major poultry outbreak in over a decade, when 18 people were hospitalized with H5N1 infections in 1997.

From the Netherlands - The use of bright lighting in elderly group care facilities has been linked to improvement in the symptoms of dementia. In a study of 189 facility residents, whose average age was 86, researchers found that by installing bright light fixtures and leaving them on during the day, cognitive deterioration was lessened by 5%, and depressive symptoms were lessened by 19%.

And finally, from London - According to a study of 1,500 students, dyscalculia, a learning impairment which affects a person's ability to recognize or use numbers, may be more common than dyslexia. The study found that between 3 and 6 percent of children suffer from dyscalculia, while 2.5 to 4.3 percent of children suffer from dyslexia. However, dyscalculia is not a recognized disability, and sufferers cannot be given special consideration in exams or job applications.

For Insidermedicine in 60, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.