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New York City Board of Health Oks nation's first ban of oversized sugary drinks

The mayoral-appointed panel outlawed the sale of sugary drinks in sizes larger than 16 ounces nearly everywhere, except in grocery and convenience stores.

15 Sep 2012

White House details the reach of automatic spending cuts

In a report issued today, the Obama administration outlined the budget accounts which would be touched by sequestration's automatic spending reductions. Although Medicare benefits are exempt, a 2 percent cut would be imposed on Medicare provider payments.

15 Sep 2012

Red Cross says more than 500,000 people need food, health care aid in northern Mali

"More than half a million people in northern Mali, occupied by Islamist fighters, need aid to cope with rising food prices, collapsed public services and a lack of health care, the International Committee of the Red Cross said on Thursday," Reuters reports.

15 Sep 2012

Researchers analyse data on diet, exercise and personality type of more than 7000 people

Researchers from the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research analysed data on the diet, exercise and personality type of more than 7000 people.

15 Sep 2012

FDA approves Lannett’s ANDA for Butalbital, Acetaminophen and Caffeine Tablets

Lannett Company, Inc. today announced that it has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of its Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for Butalbital, Acetaminophen and Caffeine Tablets, USP, 50mg/325mg/40mg.

15 Sep 2012

McDonald's to list calorie counts on menu boards

News outlets describe the fast-food restaurant's move to provide this menu information both in its restaurants and drive-thrus across the country as part of an effort to get ahead of federal menu-labeling requirements.

14 Sep 2012

Fortified foods program aims to alleviate malnutrition in Afghanistan

Noting the Copenhagen Consensus has stated that "large-scale micronutrient fortification is a proven and cost-effective intervention that can mitigate malnutrition in the form of vitamin and mineral deficiencies and enhance the well-being of millions."

14 Sep 2012

Humanitarian crisis in Syria grows as conflict continues, officials warn

"International relief officials reported an increasingly grim aid crisis stemming from the Syria conflict on Tuesday, with two million people there not getting desperately needed help, and a sudden acceleration of refugees overwhelming the ability of neighboring countries to absorb them," the New York Times reports.

14 Sep 2012

Humans could learn from how plants handle stress

Humans could learn from how plants handle stress. Federica Brandizzi, Michigan State University plant biologist, is using a grant from the National Institutes of Health to study how plants overcome stress as they grow. These pathways used to overcome stress are a key to growth. Without them plants, and animals, would die.

14 Sep 2012

Reading labels on food products can prevent obesity

An international team of scientists headed from the University of Santiago de Compostela ensures that reading the labels on food products is linked to obesity prevention, especially in women. According to the study which used data from the USA, female consumers who consult food labels weigh nearly 4 kilograms less.

14 Sep 2012

Dual role of ghrelin in anxiety behavior is context-dependent

Ghrelin is a hormone released by the lining of the stomach that promotes feeding behavior. Decreasing ghrelin levels could potentially help combat obesity -- in fact, a vaccine that lowers ghrelin levels in order to reduce appetite is being studied as a treatment for obesity.

14 Sep 2012

Hyperuricemia associated with more severe hepatic ATP depletion in response to fructose intake

Obese patients with type 2 diabetes who consume higher amounts of fructose display reduced levels of liver adenosine triphosphate (ATP)—a compound involved in the energy transfer between cells.

14 Sep 2012

Humanitarian situation better, still tenuous, in Zimbabwe as E.U. scales down assistance, IRIN reports

Though the number of people in Zimbabwe in need of food aid has dropped from seven million in 2002-2003 to one million currently, the number could still rise by 600,000 in 2013, IRIN reports in an analysis of the humanitarian and political situation in the country.

14 Sep 2012

New links between ghrelin and brain cells involved in development of alcoholism

Researchers at The Scripps Research Institute have found new links between a protein that controls our urge to eat and brain cells involved in the development of alcoholism. The discovery points to new possibilities for designing drugs to treat alcoholism and other addictions.

14 Sep 2012

Longer looks: The smells to treat PTSD; Nudging healthy choices; When a disabled daughter was shunned

On an Orlando college campus, veterans and active duty soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder inhale the unmistakable smell of burning tires, rotting garbage and Middle Eastern spices as part of a virtual reality treatment for the psychological wounds of war. Participants sit in a chair wearing a head-mounted display and video goggles connected to a computer system and a scent machine that puffs out the odors, recreating their memories of war.

14 Sep 2012

Low income and minority households more likely to have child with undiagnosed food allergy

More can be done to properly manage the care of American children with food allergies, especially when it comes to diagnostic testing and recognizing non-visual symptoms of severe allergic reactions, according to a new Northwestern Medicine study.

14 Sep 2012

Emmaus Medical to complete target enrollment in L-Glutamine Phase III trial for sickle cell disease

In conjunction with Sickle Cell Awareness Month, Emmaus Medical, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical and regenerative medicine technology company, announced that its U.S. Phase III clinical trial to study L-Glutamine as a treatment for sickle cell disease is nearing target enrollment completion, with investigation now underway at more than 30 clinical study sites throughout the U.S.

14 Sep 2012

Moderate exercise may help people cope with future anxiety and stress

Moderate exercise may help people cope with anxiety and stress for an extended period of time post-workout, according to a study by kinesiology researchers in the University of Maryland School of Public Health published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.

14 Sep 2012

Crizotinib may be effective treatment option for NSCLC subtype

Phase I trial results show that the chemotherapy drug crizotinib may be fast-acting and produce long-lasting treatment responses in patients with anaplastic lymphoma receptor tyrosine kinase-positive non-small-cell lung cancer.

13 Sep 2012

First Edition: Sept. 13, 2012

Today's headlines include news from the Census Bureau that, although record numbers of poor people persist, the number of uninsured Americans dropped by 1.3 million.

13 Sep 2012