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Link between deprivation and bowel cancer deaths in men

Deprived men are more likely to die from bowel cancer than men from the most affluent section of society, new research presented at the NCRI Cancer Conference in Liverpool this week shows.

7 Nov 2011

Exercise, vegetarian diet reduce risk of diabetes in African Americans

New research shows that following a vegetarian diet and exercising at least three times a week significantly reduced the risk of diabetes in African Americans, who are twice as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes when compared to non-Hispanic whites.

4 Nov 2011

Moderate alcohol consumption during adult life, drinking patterns and breast cancer risk

A well-done analysis by Chen WY et al, published in JAMA assesses the association of moderate alcohol consumption during adult life, drinking patterns, and breast cancer risk. The authors use prospectively collected data from the 105,986 women enrolled in the Nurses' Health Study followed up from 1980 until 2008 with an early adult alcohol assessment and 8 follow ups.

4 Nov 2011

Impulsive men have lower levels of GABA in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex

Impulsive individuals tend to display aggressive behavior and have challenges ranging from drug and alcohol abuse, to problem gambling and difficult relationships. They are less able to adapt to different social situations. Impulsivity is also a common feature of psychiatric disorders.

4 Nov 2011

Ten rules for good sleep

Generally, it is always easier to stay up an hour later than to go to sleep an hour earlier, so most people have relatively little problem setting the clocks back in the Fall. This is because our basic circadian rhythm (the "body clock") actually seems to be programmed for a longer than 24 hour day: it runs a little slow.

4 Nov 2011

Breakdown of unsaturated fats can induce complications in obese patients with acute pancreatitis

The toxic byproducts produced by the breakdown of unsaturated fats lead to a higher likelihood of severe inflammation, cell death and multi-system organ failure among acute pancreatitis patients who are obese, say researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

3 Nov 2011

Study assesses value of current scenario-based training programs for firefighters

Current training programs may not effectively prepare firefighters for the range of scenarios they are likely to encounter, according to human factors/ergonomics researchers Michael R. Baumann, Carol L. Gohm, and Bryan L. Bonner.

3 Nov 2011

Galectin Therapeutics forms Liver Fibrosis Clinical Trials Advisory Board

Galectin Therapeutics Inc., the leader in developing carbohydrate-based therapeutic compounds to inhibit galectin receptors, today announced the formation of its Liver Fibrosis Clinical Trials Advisory Board comprised of key opinion leaders from Emory Hospital and School of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard School of Medicine, University of Michigan Hospital and School of Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital and School of Medicine, and University of Wisconsin Hospital and School of Medicine.

3 Nov 2011

Nicotine might prime the brain to enhance behavioral effects of cocaine

A landmark study in mice identifies a biological mechanism that could help explain how tobacco products could act as gateway drugs, increasing a person's future likelihood of abusing cocaine and perhaps other drugs as well, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health. The study is the first to show that nicotine might prime the brain to enhance the behavioral effects of cocaine.

3 Nov 2011

Weight gain as freshman a myth: Study

A new study finding suggested this Tuesday that it is a myth that freshmen gain an average of 15 pounds in their first year of school. The average is really between 2.4 pounds for women and 3.4 pounds for men.

2 Nov 2011

Alcohol consumption in earlier and later adult life associated with increased risk of breast cancer

Consumption of 3 to 6 alcoholic drinks per week is associated with a small increase in the risk of breast cancer, and consumption in both earlier and later adult life is also associated with an increased risk, according to a study in the November 2 issue of JAMA.

2 Nov 2011

Study identifies a group of middle school students at high risk for alcohol use

Research led by University of Southern California (USC) professor Mary Ann Pentz, Ph.D., shows that black middle school students whose close friends drink alcohol are more likely to drink alcohol in high school than their white classmates.

2 Nov 2011

Vitamin D does not confer benefits against mortality in postmenopausal women

Doctors agree that vitamin D promotes bone health, but a belief that it can also prevent cancer, cardiovascular disease and other causes of death has been a major health controversy. Consistent with advice issued last fall by the Institute of Medicine, a new study finds that vitamin D did not confer benefits against mortality in postmenopausal women after controlling for key health factors such as abdominal obesity.

2 Nov 2011

Obama gets clean bill of health

President Barack Obama is in excellent health and tobacco free, his doctor said Monday in the results of the president’s second physical exam since taking office.

1 Nov 2011

Study looks into how family doctors' own drinking habits affect their advice to patients

Doctors who drink more themselves are more liberal in their advice to patients on alcohol consumption. They set higher thresholds for what is harmful, and while men who are heavy drinkers get to continue drinking, women are often advised to stop altogether, reveals a thesis from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

1 Nov 2011

Teen study reveals unhealthy and concerning trends

An alarming trend shows that girls as young as primary-school age are increasingly troubled by their self-image, with more than a third of those aged between 10 and 11 eager to lose weight and adopting drastic methods to pursue their ideal body shape.

31 Oct 2011

Limited alcohol consumption can cause gastrointestinal problems

Just one drink per day for women -- two for men -- could lead to small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and subsequently cause gastrointestinal symptoms like bloating, gas, abdominal pain, constipation and diarrhea, according to the results of a new study unveiled today at the American College of Gastroenterology's (ACG) 76th Annual Scientific meeting in Washington, DC.

31 Oct 2011

Cigarette smokers at risk of compromised digestive function

Cigarette smoking appears to impair pancreatic duct cell function--even for those who quit--putting all smokers at risk of compromised digestive function regardless of age, gender and alcohol intake, according to the results of a study unveiled today at the American College of Gastroenterology's (ACG) 76th Annual Scientific meeting in Washington, DC.

31 Oct 2011

Scientists pinpoint brain circuitry linked to decision-making

What drives addicts to repeatedly choose drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, overeating, gambling or kleptomania, despite the risks involved? Neuroscientists at the University of California, Berkeley, have pinpointed the exact locations in the brain where calculations are made that can result in addictive and compulsive behavior.

31 Oct 2011

WSU researcher to learn more about links between stress and drug use

A Wayne State University researcher is using a three-year, $1.55 million grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health to learn more about the links between stress and drug use by applying behavioral economics.

27 Oct 2011