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Gradual smoking cessation may be key for quitting

Smoking is harmful in almost every respect. Cancer, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases are just a small part of a well-documented portfolio of serious consequences of smoking.

29 Jan 2015

Researchers receive $2.2M grant to study links between depression and cardiovascular disease in HIV patients

Jesse Stewart, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology in the School of Science at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, and two colleagues have received a $2.2 million National Institutes of Health grant to investigate the links between depression, depression treatment and cardiovascular disease in adults with HIV.

29 Jan 2015

Loyola psychiatrist offers tips to cope with football withdrawal symptoms

When the football seasons with the final play of Sunday's Super Bowl, some fans may begin to feel withdrawal symptoms.

29 Jan 2015

Scientists publish catalog of genetic mutations found in head and neck cancers

Scientists have published the first comprehensive catalog of genetic mutations and other abnormal changes found in 279 cancers of the head and neck, and have identified several broken molecular pathways that might be targeted by existing and future cancer drugs.

28 Jan 2015

Researchers one step closer to identifying how lung cancer cells metastasize

Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer, and it is estimated that more than 159,000 people in the United States died from the disease last year. Most of these deaths were because the cancer had spread to other organ sites. Following their recent discovery of a protein pathway, Moffitt Cancer Center researchers are one step closer to understanding how lung cancer cells metastasize.

28 Jan 2015

Combating pre-pregnancy obesity helps both mother and child

Before a woman gets pregnant it is very common for her to plan and prepare for her child's arrival to ensure that the baby will benefit from the healthiest, most comfortable life possible. Sometimes, these preparations may be financial or they may involve taking such important healthcare steps as quitting smoking. Now, according to data from the Swedish Medical Birth Register, one of the best things that a mother can do for the health of her child is to ensure that she is at a healthy weight.

28 Jan 2015

UofL study investigates safety, effectiveness of EBV for treating emphysema symptoms

The University of Louisville has launched a research trial to study an investigational medical device designed to aid patients with emphysema by shutting off the diseased part of the lung. UofL is the only site in Kentucky among 14 nationwide testing the device.

28 Jan 2015

Plymouth researchers awarded grant to evaluate pulmonary rehabilitation programme in East Africa

Chronic lung disease is a growing and debilitating health issue for countries in East Africa. Resulting from respiratory infections such as TB and HIV, and lifestyle problems such as tobacco smoking and poor nutrition, chronic lung disease affects one in five adults in Africa and is a major threat to health.

28 Jan 2015

Tackling preventable blindness: a House of Commons reception review

“Macular degeneration is not life threatening, but it is life changing,” these were the words of Michael Valenzia, of the Macular Society at the recent House of Commons Reception held by AMD Alliance International.

27 Jan 2015

High cholesterol in mid-life can impact heart health later

Most young adults might assume they have years before needing to worry about their cholesterol.

27 Jan 2015

Alcohol drinking pattern influences risk of cirrhosis

Approximately 170,000 people die from alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver in Europe every year. Although alcohol is the most important risk factor, less is known about the significance of different patterns of drinking. Currently scientists believe that cirrhosis is a function of the volume of alcohol consumed irrespective of patterns of drinking. Investigators have now established that alcohol drinking pattern has a significant influence on the risk of cirrhosis and that daily drinking increases that risk compared with drinking less frequently.

27 Jan 2015

Study uses 'systems genetics' approach to identify potential target for epilepsy

A single gene that coordinates a network of about 400 genes involved in epilepsy could be a target for new treatments, according to research.

23 Jan 2015

Inherited factors linked to head and neck cancers in young adults

An article published online today in the International Journal of Epidemiology pools data from 25 case-control studies and conducts separate analyses to show that head and neck cancers (HNC) in young adults are more likely to be as a result of inherited factors, rather than lifestyle factors such as smoking or drinking alcohol.

23 Jan 2015

Twitter can indicate community's psychological well being, predict rates of heart disease

Twitter has broken news stories, launched and ended careers, started social movements and toppled governments, all by being an easy, direct and immediate way for people to share what's on their minds. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania have now shown that the social media platform has another use: Twitter can serve as a dashboard indicator of a community's psychological well being and can predict rates of heart disease.

22 Jan 2015

Minnesota continues to make progress in reducing tobacco use

Findings from the latest Minnesota Adult Tobacco Survey (MATS) show that Minnesota is continuing to make progress in reducing tobacco use. Minnesota's adult smoking rate has declined to 14.4 percent, the lowest rate ever recorded in the state and a significant decrease from 2010, the last time the rate was measured.

22 Jan 2015

New American Lung Association report calls on California to reduce tobacco-caused death and disease

Once a national leader in tobacco control efforts, progress is at a standstill in California as advances in statewide tobacco control policies have stagnated. These were the findings of the 13th annual American Lung Association State of Tobacco Control 2015 report released today.

21 Jan 2015

People hospitalized for pneumonia at greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease

Your chance of having a heart attack or stroke increases significantly if you have been hospitalized for pneumonia, according to a paper published today in the influential JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association).

21 Jan 2015

Couples who decide to get healthy together have more successful outcomes

People are more successful in taking up healthy habits if their partner makes positive changes too, according to research published in JAMA Internal Medicine today (Monday).

20 Jan 2015

Tiny lumps of calcium phosphate may trigger age-related macular degeneration

New research from scientists at the University of Maryland School of Medicine has found that tiny lumps of calcium phosphate may be an important triggering factor for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a degenerative eye disease that can cause severe vision loss and blindness.

20 Jan 2015

Moderate drinking may reduce heart failure risk

Evidence already exists for the beneficial effects of drinking moderate amounts of alcohol on the risk of developing a number of heart conditions; however, the role it plays in the risk of developing heart failure has been under-researched with conflicting results.

20 Jan 2015