* * * Highlights * * * 

Smart underwear proven to prevent back stress with just a tap * * * History of gum disease increases cancer risk in older women * * * How a chemo drug can help cancer spread from the breast to the lungs * * * Marijuana associated with three-fold risk of death from hypertension * * * E-cigarette use accelerates effects of cardiovascular aging * * * A Drug Causes Hundreds of Deaths and Millions of ADEs * * * High sugar consumption gives rise to dental treatment costs in the billions  * * * Johns Hopkins findings serve as a warning: Physician-Assisted Suicide will only worsen Maryland’s prescription drug abuse epidemic * ** Dancing can reverse the signs of aging in the brain * * * New light on link between gut bacteria and anxiety * * * Oxytocin and social norms reduce xenophobia

 

Smart underwear proven to prevent back stress with just a tap

Unlike other back-saving devices, this one is mechanized and was tested with motion capture, force plates and electromyography.

History of gum disease increases cancer risk in older women

Postmenopausal women who have a history of gum disease also have a higher risk of cancer, according to a new study of more than 65,000 women.

How a chemo drug can help cancer spread from the breast to the lungs

The very same treatment that thwarts breast cancer has a dark side – it can fuel the spread of the disease to the lungs. Researchers found clues to why it happens, opening up the possibility of interfering with the medication’s downsides while preserving its cancer-fighting properties in breast tissue.

Marijuana associated with three-fold risk of death from hypertension

Marijuana use is associated with a three-fold risk of death from hypertension, according to research published today in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.1

E-cigarette use accelerates effects of cardiovascular aging

A  new study suggests that a single exposure to e-cigarette (e-cig) vapor may be enough to impair vascular function.

A Drug Causes Hundreds of Deaths and Millions of ADEs

FDA approvals do not necessarily mean that a drug will not later receive additional warnings. Actemra (tocilizumab), a medication for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), has recently been investigated for unlabeled side-effects that have allegedly led to hundreds of deaths.

High sugar consumption gives rise to dental treatment costs in the billions

Worldwide, people are eating far too much sugar. This has negative consequences for their teeth and for their purses: seen at the global level, the costs of dental treatment are currently running at around $172 billion (€128 billion).

Johns Hopkins findings serve as a warning: Physician-Assisted Suicide will only worsen Maryland’s prescription drug abuse epidemic

“If Marylanders are not properly storing and disposing of prescribed opioids, why would we want to introduce more dangerous drugs like the ones prescribed for PAS into the mix? Knowing these facts, would any citizen or member of the General Assembly think it’s a good idea to begin the practice of prescribing more of these highly addictive drugs? In Oregon, 35% of PAS prescriptions written in that state last year went unused. It is foolish and dangerous to worsen the crisis in our state knowing that many of these drugs can fall into the wrong hands.”

Dancing can reverse the signs of aging in the brain

Physical exercise has an anti-aging effect on the hippocampus region of the brain — an area that controls memory, learning and balance. A new study, comparing different forms of exercise — dancing and endurance training — undertaken by elderly volunteers for eighteen months, shows that both can have an anti-aging effect on the brain, but only dancing corresponded to a noticeable difference in behavior. This difference is attributed to the extra challenge of learning dancing routines.

New light on link between gut bacteria and anxiety

New research sheds new light on how gut bacteria may influence anxiety-like behaviors. Investigating the link between gut bacteria and biological molecules called microRNAs (miRNAs) in the brain; researchers found that a significant number of miRNAs were changed in the brains of microbe-free mice.

Romance and affection top most popular sexual behaviors

Researchers have published a new US nationally representative study of sexual behavior, the first of its kind to capture a wide range of diverse sexual behaviors not previously examined in the general population.

Ibuprofen associated with blood pressure rise in arthritis patients at cardiovascular risk

Ibuprofen is associated with increased blood pressure and hypertension compared to celecoxib(Celebrex) in patients with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis and increased risk of cardiovascular disease, according to new research.

Oxytocin and social norms reduce xenophobia

How can xenophobia be reduced and altruism strengthened? Researchers have shown in a new study that the bonding hormone oxytocin together with social norms significantly increases the willingness to donate money to refugees in need, even in people who tend to have a skeptical attitude towards migrants.