How Cannabis Causes ‘Cognitive Chaos’ in the Brain
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111025172633.htm
Cannabis use is associated with disturbances in concentration and memory. New research by neuroscientists at the University of Bristol, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, has found that brain activity becomes uncoordinated and inaccurate during these altered states of mind, leading to neurophysiological and behavioural impairments reminiscent of those seen in schizophrenia.
Increased Tanning Bed Use Increases Risk for Deadly Skin Cancers
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111024172646.htm
Researchers confirmed an association between tanning bed use and an increased risk for three common skin cancers — basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma, according to results presented at the 10th AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research, held Oct. 22-25, 2011.
High Fizzy Soft Drink Consumption Linked to Violence Among Teens
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111024213401.htm
Teens who drink more than five cans of non-diet, fizzy soft drinks every week are significantly more likely to behave aggressively, suggests research published online in Injury Prevention. This includes carrying a weapon and perpetrating violence against peers and siblings.
Psychological Traumas Experienced Over Lifetime Linked to Adult Irritable Bowel Syndrome
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111031115101.htm
The psychological and emotional traumas experienced over a lifetime–such as the death of a loved one, divorce, natural disaster, house fire or car accident, physical or mental abuse — may contribute to adult irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), according to the results of a study unveiled at the American College of Gastroenterology’s (ACG) 76th Annual Scientific meeting in Washington, DC.
Adolescent Amphetamine Use Linked to Permanent Changes in Brain Function and Behavior
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111103120446.htm
Amphetamine use in adolescence can cause neurobiological imbalances and increase risk-taking behaviour, and these effects can persist into adulthood, even when subjects are drug free. These are the conclusions of a new study using animal models conducted by McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) researcher Dr. Gabriella Gobbi and her colleagues. The study, published in The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, is one of the first to shed light on how long-term amphetamine use in adolescence affects brain chemistry and behaviour.
Continuous Use of Nitroglycerin Increases Severity of Heart Attacks, Study Shows
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111102161143.htm
When given for hours as a continuous dose, the heart medication nitroglycerin backfires — increasing the severity of subsequent heart attacks, according to a study of the compound in rats by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
Autistic People Superior in Multiple Areas: Scientists Must Stop Emphasizing Autistics’ Shortcomings, Expert Urges
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111102161045.htm
We must stop considering the different brain structure of autistic individuals to be a deficiency, as research reveals that many autistics — not just “savants” — have qualities and abilities that may exceed those of people who do not have the condition, according to a provocative article published November 2 in Nature by Dr. Laurent Mottron at the University of Montreal’s Centre for Excellence in Pervasive Development Disorders. “Recent data and my own personal experience suggest it’s time to start thinking of autism as an advantage in some spheres, not a cross to bear,” Mottron said.
Chantix Unsuitable for First-Line Smoking Cessation Use, Study Finds
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111102190026.htm
The poor safety profile of the smoking-cessation drug varenicline (Chantix™) makes it unsuitable for first-line use, according to a study published in the Nov. 2 edition of the journal PLoS ONE, an online publication of the Public Library of Science.
More Years to Life and Life to Years Through Increased Motivation for an Active Life
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111101171042.htm
Regular physical activity is associated with a lower risk of suffering depression in old age. This is shown by one of the largest studies on elderly Europeans to have been carried out, by researchers at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, among others. Research also shows that self-determined motivation and perceived competence are important factors in persuading elderly people to exercise more.
Looks Do Matter in Job Interviews, According to New Study
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111109115820.htm
People with birthmarks, scars and other facial disfigurements are more likely to receive poor ratings in job interviews, according to a new study by researchers at Rice University and the University of Houston.
What Employers Look for of Those Re-Entering the Workforce
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110923170350.htm
Finding a job in today’s economy is difficult in the best of circumstances, but many women are facing an even bigger challenge: returning to the workforce after a long absence. Researchers recently looked at the characteristics on older women’s resumes that received the most success in securing job interviews. The top characteristic that resulted in job interviews for middle-aged women seeking an entry level job was vocational or computer training, according to the study in the Journal of Career Development (JCD).
Elderly Lose Ability to Distinguish Between Odors, Researcher Finds; Smells Blend Together, Pose Hazards
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111110130104.htm
Scientists studying how the sense of smell changes as people age, found that olfactory sensory neurons in those 60 and over showed an unexpected response to odor that made it more difficult to distinguish specific smells, putting them at greater risk from dangerous chemicals and poor nutrition.
Women See Naked Men Differently, Too
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111110142100.htm
For both men and women, wearing revealing attire causes them to be seen as more sensitive but less competent, says a new study by University of Maryland psychologist Kurt Gray and colleagues from Yale and Northeastern University.
Ugly Truth About One Night Stands: Men Less Choosy Than Women
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090811080749.htm
Men are far more interested in casual sex than women. While men need to be exceptionally attractive to tempt women to consider casual sex, men are far less choosy. These findings1 by Dr Achim Schützwohl, from the Department of Psychology at Brunel University in the UK, and his team are published online in Springer’s journal Human Nature.
Elderly Emergency Patients Less Likely to Receive Pain Medication Than Middle-Aged Patients
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111111152206.htm
A new study finds that people 75 years old or older are less likely to receive any pain medication in hospital emergency departments than middle aged people — those between 35 and 54 years old.
Can Fetus Sense Mother’s Psychological State? Study Suggests Yes
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111110142352.htm
As a fetus grows, it’s constantly getting messages from its mother. It’s not just hearing her heartbeat and whatever music she might play to her belly; it also gets chemical signals through the placenta. A new study, which will be published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, finds that this includes signals about the mother’s mental state. If the mother is depressed, that affects how the baby develops after it’s born.
Benefits of Nut Consumption for People With Abdominal Obesity, High Blood Sugar, High Blood Pressure
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111102125348.htm
For the first time, scientists report a link between eating nuts and higher levels of serotonin in the bodies of patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS), who are at high risk for heart disease. Serotonin is a substance that helps transmit nerve signals and decreases feelings of hunger, makes people feel happier and improves heart health. It took only one ounce of mixed nuts (raw unpeeled walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts) a day to produce the good effects.
Farmed Fish Fed Vegetable Matter May Have Residual Pesticides
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111108094342.htm
Today, half of all the fish we eat comes from fish farms. The problem is that these fish are increasingly being fed vegetable matter, which could lead to a build-up of residual pesticides in them. A new test shows how high the risk of contamination really is.
Farmed Fish Fed Cheap Food May Be Less Nutritious For Humans
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080226164105.htm
When the diets of farmed fish are altered, the food we ingest also changes. For his doctorate, Sverre Ludvig Seierstad investigated the biological consequences of exchanging the fish oils commonly used in fish feed with vegetable oils. What consequences might this have on both fish and human health? The research project “Fjord til bord (Fjord to table)” has been a collaboration between the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, the National institute for Nutrition and Seafood Research (NIFES), Nutreco ARC and Ullevål University Hospital.
Flu shots
Think twice before getting a flu shot?
Turning a Blind Eye to the Obese
http://physiciansmoneydigest.com/your-practice/Turning-a-Blind-Eye-to-the-Obese
A recent move by Florida ob-gyn physicians to begin turning away overweight patients on the grounds that they were too risky might be the beginning of a new trend. According to Michael Nusbaum, MD, FACS, the health reform bill’s Accountable Care Organizations essentially de-incentivize physicians from taking on morbidly obese patients.
Wells Fargo: 80 Is the New 65 for Many Retirees
http://www.moneynews.com/StreetTalk/Wells-Fargo-80-65/2011/11/17/id/418358%20?s=al&promo_code=D896-1
The age of 80 has become the new 65. The magic retirement age, long considered to be at 65, has become irrelevant thanks to rising healthcare costs, mortgage obligations and other debts. About a quarter of middle class Americans — earning $25,000 and $99,000 a year — see 80 as a good age to shoot for when it comes to retirement, a Wells Fargo study shows.
Nanoparticles Used as Additives in Diesel Fuels Can Travel from Lungs to Liver
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111117141157.htm
Recent studies conducted at Marshall University have demonstrated that nanoparticles of cerium oxide — common diesel fuel additives used to increase the fuel efficiency of automobile engines — can travel from the lungs to the liver and that this process is associated with liver damage.
Training in ‘Concrete Thinking’ Can Be Self-Help Treatment for Depression, Study Suggests
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111117202935.htm
New research provides the first evidence that depression can be treated by only targeting an individual’s style of thinking through repeated mental exercises in an approach called cognitive bias modification.
Future-Directed Therapy Helps Depression Patients Cultivate Optimistic Outlook
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111020025423.htm
Patients with major depression do better by learning to create a more positive outlook about the future, rather than by focusing on negative thoughts about their past experiences, researchers at Cedars-Sinai say after developing a new treatment that helps patients do this.
Neurological and Executive Function Impairment Associated With Breast Cancer
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111114173955.htm
Women who survive breast cancer show significant neurological impairment, and outcomes appear to be significantly poorer for those treated with chemotherapy, according to a report in the November issue of the Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Serotonin System in Women’s Brains Is Damaged More Readily by Alcohol Than That in Men’s Brains, Study Finds
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111115175354.htm
After only four years of problem drinking, a significant decrease in the function of the serotonin system in women’s brains can be seen. This is the system that regulates such functions as impulse control and mood. It takes 12 years before a corresponding decrease is seen in men. This is the conclusion of multidisciplinary research carried out at the Department of Psychology and the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
U.S. Population On Track to Getting Even Fatter
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111116132920.htm
In 2020, the vast majority of adults in America will be overweight or obese and more than half will suffer from diabetes or pre-diabetic conditions, according to projections presented by Northwestern Medicine researchers at the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions on Nov. 16, in Orlando, Florida.
Is a Stranger Trustworthy? You’ll Know in 20 Seconds
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111115103510.htm
There’s definitely something to be said for first impressions. New research from the University of California, Berkeley, suggests it can take just 20 seconds to detect whether a stranger is genetically inclined to being trustworthy, kind or compassionate.
Contraceptive Pill Associated With Increased Prostate Cancer Risk Worldwide, Study Finds
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111114221021.htm
Use of the contraceptive pill is associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer around the globe, finds research published in BMJ Open. Excess estrogen exposure is known to cause cancer, and it is thought that widespread use of the Pill might raise environmental levels of endocrine disruptive compounds (EDCs) — which include by-products of oral contraceptive metabolism. These don’t break down easily, so can be passed into the urine and end up in the drinking water supply or the food chain, exposing the general population, say the authors.
Climate Sensitivity to Carbon Dioxide More Limited Than Extreme Projections, Research Shows
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111124150827.htm
A new study suggests that the rate of global warming from doubling of atmospheric carbon dioxide may be less than the most dire estimates of some previous studies — and, in fact, may be less severe than projected by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report in 2007.
Abnormal Levels of Caffeine in Water Indicate Human Contamination
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111122112023.htm
Researchers led by Prof. Sébastien Sauvé of the University of Montreal’s Department of Chemistry have discovered that traces of caffeine are a useful indicator of the contamination of our water by sewers. “E coli bacteria is commonly used to evaluate and regulate the levels of fecal pollution of our water from storm water discharge, but because storm sewers systems collect surface runoff, non-human sources can contribute significantly to the levels that are observed,” Sauvé explained.
Do You Really Know What You Want in a Partner?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111114111822.htm
So you’re flocking to online dating sites with a wish list of ideal traits that you desire in a mate. Not so fast!
Evidence Supports Ban On Growth Promotion Use of Antibiotics in Farming
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111115103514.htm
In a review study, researchers from Tufts University School of Medicine zero in on the controversial, non-therapeutic use of antibiotics in food animals and fish farming as a cause of antibiotic resistance. They report that the preponderance of evidence argues for stricter regulation of the practice. Stuart Levy, an expert in antibiotic resistance, notes that a guiding tenet of public health, the precautionary principle, requires that steps be taken to avoid harm.
Erectile Dysfunction Study Shows High Prevalence of Peripheral Neuropathy
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111115073936.htm
Spanish researchers have uncovered clear links between erectile dysfunction (ED) and peripheral neuropathy, according to a paper in the December issue of the urology journal BJUI.
Too Much Undeserved Self-Praise Can Lead to Depression
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111020024846.htm
People who try to boost their self-esteem by telling themselves they’ve done a great job when they haven’t could end up feeling dejected instead, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association.
Excellent collection of relevant articles.