Monthly News Archives



		Drugmakers, Doctors Get Cozier Despite efforts to curb drug companies' avid courting of doctors, the industry is working harder than ever to influence what medicines they prescribe, sending out sales representatives with greater frequency and plying physicians with gifts, meals and consulting fees, according to several new papers. Early Exposure Fungus Molecules May Protect Infants Against Future Allergies Environmental health scientists at the University of Cincinnati (UC) say they have confirmed what other scientists have only suspected: early-life exposure to certain indoor fungal components (molecules) can help build stronger immune systems, and may protect against future allergies. How Does Decision Making Change As We Age? The human brain's ability to process information declines with age, but knowledge about the world through experiences tends to rise over time. So how do these shifts affect a person's ability to make sound decisions? Back Pain Linked To Short-Term Memory Deficits Patients with chronic back pain have significant impairments in short-term prospective memory compared with people without pain, according to the findings reported in the February/March issue of Psychosomatic Medicine. Antidepressants Don't Help Depression The swings in mood from depression to mania that afflict people with bipolar disorder can be tempered with drugs such as lithium, but adding an antidepressant drug to ease the depression component is not helpful, new research suggests. Intelligence No Requirement For Wealth It doesn't take a rocket scientist to make a lot of money, according to new research. No Link Between Self-Weighing And Depression In Women Frequent self-weighing is not associated with depression in women, according to researchers at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. Public 'Unaware Of Stroke Risk' Nearly one in four people are at risk of a stroke because of undiagnosed high blood pressure, a charity says. The Power Of Speaking Ladylike Does gender make a difference in the way politicians speak and are spoken to?�This is the question posed in a new from Florida International University published this week in the Journal of Psycholinguistic Research.� School Environment Can Moderate Student Aggression The culture of a school can dampen; or exacerbate; the violent or disruptive tendencies of aggressive young teens, new research indicates. Food Preparation Plays An Important In Role Chronic Disease How your food is cooked may be as important to your health as the food itself. Researchers now know more about a new class of toxins that might soon become as important a risk factor for heart disease and metabolic disorders as trans fats. Siblings Of Autistic Children At Risk For Developmental Problems Younger siblings of children with autism are at risk to suffer from delayed verbal, cognitive and motor development in their early childhood years. Mother's Puberty Can Help Predict Obesity Of Children The age at which a woman had her first period can help predict her children's risk of obesity, say UK researchers. Man-made Chemicals Detected In Newborns An analysis of nearly 300 umbilical cord blood samples led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health shows that newborn babies are exposed to perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) while in the womb. Alcohol Damages Women's Brains Faster Than Men's The brain-damaging effects of alcohol strike women more quickly than men, a new study conducted in Russia confirms. Migraines Linked With Increased Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease Men with migraine headaches may be at an increased risk for major cardiovascular disease and especially heart attacks, according to a report in the April 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Hot flashes: How Are Genes, Obesity And Alcohol Linked Many women in the menopausal transition experience hot flashes: unpredictable, sometimes disruptive, periods of intense heat in the upper torso, neck and face. Although generations of physicians have prescribed hormones to reduce these symptoms, very little research has focused on the underlying causes of hot flashes. A Single High-Fat Meal Is Detrimental For Your Health So much for the adage, �All things in moderation.� Researchers at the University of Calgary have found that people who consume a single, high-fat meal are more prone to suffer the physical consequences of stress than those who eat a low-fat meal. Low Vitamin D Levels Linked To Poor Physical Performance In Older Adults Older adults who don't get enough vitamin D -- either from their diets or exposure to the sun -- may be at increased risk for poor physical performance and disability, according to new research from Wake Forest University School of Medicine and colleagues. Diets Fail In The Long Run, Study Says Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, examining 31 weight-loss studies found long-term dieting doesn't keep the pounds off. While people can lose weight initially, many relapse and regain the weight they shed. Professor Isolates Roots Of Some Violence A Purdue University communication expert says incivility is on the rise because people are lonely from lacking the basic relationships and friendships that are essential to human beings. Strong Link Between Breast Cancer And Hormone Replacement Therapy Found An extended analysis of cancer rates reinforces a strong association between use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and increased breast cancer incidence, according to research led by scientists at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Green Tea May Help Prevent Autoimmune Diseases Green tea may help protect against autoimmune disease,�Medical College of Georgia researchers say. Hormone Replacement Therapy Linked To Ovarian Cancer Risk A large UK study has found hormone replacement therapy significantly increases the risk of ovarian cancer. Changing To A Low-fat Diet Can Induce Stress Changing one's diet to lose weight is often difficult. There may be physical and psychological effects from a changed diet that reduce the chances for success. Apples During Pregnancy Protects Baby From Asthma A new study suggests that women who eat apples while pregnant may protect their child from developing asthma and related symptoms. Teach Patients About Lifestyle To Prevent Disease To what extent does lifestyle cause or contribute to disease and disability? And what exactly is a healthy lifestyle anyway? There is much confusion about what type of diet or exercise is best, not to mention how much sleep, stress or sex is ideal. Nor is it clear how best to motivate people to change their habits. Balance Of Simple Fats Increases Your Health The imbalance of fatty acids in the typical western diet could be associated with the sharp increase in heart disease and depression seen over the past century, a new study suggests. Researcher Focuses on Pros, Cons of Antioxidants Researcher Dr. Susanne Mertens-Talcott of Texas A&M University is looking into how plant-based phytochemicals, including antioxidants and herbal supplements, can be useful in the promotion of health and prevention of chronic diseases. More Evidence That Pollutants Play A Major Role In Obesity Emerging evidence suggests that pollutants stored in body fat may be contributing to the ongoing rise of type 2 diabetes. Red And Processed Meat Linked To Breast Cancer Women who eat a lot of meat, particularly red or processed meats, may be more likely to develop breast cancer, according to a large study of British women. Childhood Obesity Has Risen Significantly, Especially Among Girls Four-year-old girls are six times more likely to have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of more than 30 than they were 20 years ago and ten-year-olds are five times more likely, according to research published in the April issue of Acta Paediactrica. Blame The Brain For High Blood Pressure The controversial idea that one cause of high blood pressure lies within the brain, and not the heart or blood vessels, has been put forward by scientists at the University of Bristol, UK, and is published this week in the journal Hypertension. Tai Chi Boosts Immunity to Shingles Tai Chi, a traditional Chinese form of exercise, may help older adults avoid getting shingles by increasing immunity, according to a new study published in print this week in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 90% of Elementary School Kids Are Bullied Nine out of 10 elementary school kids have been subjected to physical or psychological bullying by their peers, while six in 10 have been bullies themselves, according to a new study. Most Dieters Ending Up Gaining More Weight Than They've Lost In Five Years Dieting is unlikely to lead to long-term weight loss and may put a person's health at risk, a study says. How Stress Strains The Heart The centres of the brain responsible for learning, memory and emotion may play a key role in putting the heart under strain in times of stress. Consuming Shrimp Shell Lowers Cholesterol Levels Shrimp-lovers take note -- research has shown that a chemical called chitosan, derived from shrimp shells, might be useful in the fight against obesity and high cholesterol. Milk Beats Soy For Muscle Gain Got milk? Weightlifters will want to raise a glass after a new study found that milk protein is significantly better than soy at building muscle mass. World's Food Still Far Too Salty The world’s food is still far too salty and too many countries are still ignoring the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) guidelines on what should be a healthy level of salt in our daily diet according to Professor Franco Cappuccio of the University of Warwick’s Warwick Medical School. Arsenic In Chicken Feed Poses Human Health Risk Pets may not be the only organisms endangered by some food additives. An arsenic-based additive used in chicken feed may pose health risks to humans who eat meat from chickens that are raised on the feed. Fat Counters The Benefits Of Vitamin C The presence of fat in the stomach may override the anti-cancer effects of vitamin C, research suggests. Good Behavior, Religiousness May Be Genetic And Environment A new study in Journal of Personality shows that selfless and social behavior is not purely a product of environment, specifically religious environment. Glycemic Load Makes A Difference In Long-Term Weight Loss The first phase of a caloric restriction study in human subjects Tufts University found evidence suggesting that calorie-restricted diets differing substantially in glycemic load can result in comparable long-term weight loss. Dieting Does Not Work Will you lose weight and keep it off if you diet? No, probably not, UCLA researchers report in the April issue of American Psychologist, the journal of the American Psychological Association. Alzheimer's Patients Are Dying Early Because Of Controversial Drugs Many Alzheimer's patients are dying earlier because of sedatives they are being prescribed, according to new groundbreaking research from the Alzheimer's Research Trust. Are Drugs And Chemicals In Your Drinking Water? Residues of birth control pills, antidepressants, painkillers, shampoos and a host of other compounds are finding their way into waterways, and they have public health and environmental officials in a regulatory quandary. Depression Criteria Too Broad: Guidelines Encompass Many Who Are Just Sad Up to 25 percent of people in whom psychiatrists would currently diagnose depression may only be reacting normally to stressful events such as a divorce or losing a job, according to a new analysis that reexamined how the standard diagnostic criteria are used. The HPV Vaccine: Prevention We Just Don't Need There is active legislation in the United States that is currently mandating girls to be inoculated with the new HPV vaccine, Gardasil, by the sixth grade. Parents and health professionals are very hesitant to accept such legislation for good reason. Reducing Carcinogen Potential In Foods Reduced cooking times and temperatures can help to decrease cancer causing chemicals such as acrylamide, but scientists are trying to tackle this problem from its source by investigating how to reduce the precursors of acrylamide in cereal plants.� Red Meat Increases Breast Cancer Risk Eating red meat significantly increases a post-menopausal woman's chance of breast cancer, research suggests. Babies Who Have Poor Response Prone To Developmental Disorders, Including Autism Year-old babies who do not respond when their name is called may be more likely to be diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder or other developmental problem at age 2. Disease Mongering Engine Generates Fictitious Disease Names (Satire) An online tool recently published allows users to instantly generate humorous and fictitious disease descriptions based on terminology commonly used in describing psychiatric or behavioral disorders. Targeting Tumors The Natural Way By mimicking Nature's way of distinguishing one type of cell from another, University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists now report they can more effectively seek out and kill cancer cells while sparing healthy ones. Weight Gain During Pregnancy Linked To Overweight Kids Pregnant women who gain excessive or even appropriate weight, according to current guidelines, are four times more likely than women who gain inadequate weight to have a baby who becomes overweight in early childhood. Fat People Are 50 Percent More Likely To Get Asthma For overweight and obese individuals, the incidence of asthma increases by 50 percent, as compared to those of normal weight, according to a meta-analysis of seven studies on severe asthma involving 333,102 patients. Sleep Affects Testosterone Levels The amount of sleep older men get can affect their testosterone levels, according to a University of Chicago study. Helping Teens Manage Emotions Is Crucial in Prevention of HIV Transmission A new study reveals that helping adolescents manage their emotions may be just as important as providing them with information on the practical side of safe sex in order to prevent HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.