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Study examines effect of unhealthy food outlets on adolescent junk food consumption

Got lots of fast food restaurants and other outlets that sell junk food in your neighborhood? Then your teen is more likely to nosh regularly on burgers and fries and wash them down with a soda.

28 Jul 2011

Study finds link between parental smoking and COPD

Studies have shown that family history is a risk factor for COPD, but have not accounted for family history of smoking. Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital, the University of Colorado, and National Jewish Health compared 821 COPD cases with 776 control smokers from the COPD Gene Study, capturing parental smoking and COPD histories, along with environmental tobacco smoke exposure.

28 Jul 2011

Mitochondrial genome undergoes random reorganisation during reprogramming

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells) are truly talented multi-taskers. They can reproduce almost all cell types and thus offer great hope in the fight against diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. However, it would appear that their use is not entirely without risk: during the reprogramming of body cells into iPS cells, disease-causing mutations can creep into the genetic material.

28 Jul 2011

New study finds home setting nurtures better food choices

Can a cozy dining table and nice music prompt people to reach for the greens and go light on dessert? So suggests a new study probing why people tend to eat more-nutritious meals at home than away from home. The findings, based on data from 160 women who reported their emotional states before and after meals, add to mounting evidence that psychological factors may help override humans' wired-in preference for high-fat, sugary foods.

28 Jul 2011

Chronic psychological stress linked to increased risk of Alzheimer's

Chronic psychological stress throughout a lifespan might increase an individual's risk for Alzheimer's and dementia later in life, according to research from the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services at Utah State University.

28 Jul 2011

Cognitive behavioral therapy and self-help may improve unexplained symptoms of pain, fatigue

A new type of therapy may help people with symptoms such as pain, weakness, or dizziness that can't be explained by an underlying disease, according to a study published in the July 27, 2011, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

28 Jul 2011

PCMA President releases statement on new Medicare Part D study

Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) President and CEO Mark Merritt released the following statement today on a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that found "implementation of Medicare Part D was followed by a significant reductions in nondrug medical spending, particularly on acute and post acute care, for elderly Medicare beneficiaries with limited prior drug coverage".

28 Jul 2011

Latinos less likely to spend for health care than whites

New research out of UCLA has found that Latinos living in the United States - particularly those who were born outside the country - are far less likely to spend for health care and are more likely to pay out-of-pocket when they do spend than the white population.

28 Jul 2011

Deciding what to eat can be influenced by shifting attention towards healthy side of life

You're trying to decide what to eat for dinner. Should it be the chicken and broccoli? The super-sized fast-food burger? Skip it entirely and just get some Rocky Road?

28 Jul 2011

University of Pittsburgh to honor Synthetic Genomics CEO with Dickson Prize

The scientist-entrepreneur who led efforts to map the first draft of the human genome as well as the complete diploid genome and to construct the first synthetic bacterium has been named this year's recipient of the University of Pittsburgh's Dickson Prize in Medicine.

28 Jul 2011

New application process for SAMHSA's major block grant programs

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced a new application process for its major block grant programs - the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant and the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant. The change is designed to provide states greater flexibility to allocate resources for substance abuse and mental illness prevention, treatment and recovery services in their communities.

28 Jul 2011

Researchers draw on ontology to define pain

All over the world, patients with chronic pain struggle to express how they feel to the doctors and health-care providers who are trying to understand and treat them. Now, a University at Buffalo psychiatrist is attempting to help patients suffering from chronic pain and their doctors by drawing on ontology, the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature of being or existence.

28 Jul 2011

New study shows high prevalence of gout in the U.S.

A new study shows the prevalence of gout in the U.S. has risen over the last twenty years and now affects 8.3 million (4%) Americans.

28 Jul 2011

U.S. Judge approves federal funding for embryonic research

Federal funding of human embryonic stem cell (hESC) research is now legal in the United States. Chief judge of the US District Court for the District of Columbia Royce Lamberth has ruled on the case Sherley et al. v. Sebelius, in favor of hESC research. This overturns an existing law that prohibits the government from funding research that destroys the embryo.

27 Jul 2011

No link between cell phone use and increased risk for brain cancer: European study

A new study that looked at cell phone users under the age of 20 found no link between cell phone use and an increased risk for brain cancer. Researchers from the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute in Basel, Switzerland, studied data collected in Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland.

27 Jul 2011

Virtual reality study to address alcohol abuse issues in veterans

The spoils of war for returning veterans may include addictions, injury and the constant images of horrific events they witnessed. Now a University of Houston joint study funded by the Veterans Health Administration Rehabilitation Research and Development service looks to address these issues through the use of virtual reality.

27 Jul 2011

Teens with military parents more likely to engage in risky habits

When military deployments call for their parents to serve abroad, adolescents have a tough time adjusting, and a new study shows their moods often lead to risky behavior.

27 Jul 2011

Early detection critical in preventing vision loss among Baby Boomers

Probably the most worrisome health concern for Baby Boomers as they age is the increased possibility of visual impairment or vision loss. For this reason, early detection is critical in successfully preventing and treating eye conditions such as macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, before they lead to major visual changes.

27 Jul 2011

New Penn Center for Orphan Disease Research and Therapy

The Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania announces the launching of a first-of-its-kind interdisciplinary center focused on discovering novel treatments for orphan diseases.

27 Jul 2011

Athletic trainers and coaches bear major responsibility for preventing deaths

Colleges and high schools must follow an active strategy to preventing deaths among student athletes from exertional heat stroke (EHS) and other causes, according to an editorial in a recent issue of The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, official research journal of the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

27 Jul 2011