Health News

Unmarried women 'more likely to die from heart disease'

Date: Mar-12-2014
It seems unlikely that marital status could influence the risk of death from heart disease, but new research from the University of Oxford in the UK has found that unmarried women are more likely to die from heart disease than women who are married.This is according to a study recently published in the journal BMC Medicine.Past research has found that married men have a lower risk of death from heart disease than unmarried men, but the research team, led by Sarah Floud, says that there have not been many large-scale studies that assess this link among women.

USPSTF publishes recommendations on preventing drug abuse among children and teens

Date: Mar-12-2014
The United States Preventive Services published its final recommendation statement on primary care interventions to prevent or reduce illicit drug and nonmedical pharmaceutical use in children and adolescents in Annals of Internal Medicine. The USPSTF conducted a systematic review of published evidence on interventions to help children and adolescents who have never used drugs to remain abstinent and interventions to help children and adolescents who are using drugs but do not meet the criteria for a substance use disorder to reduce or stop their use.

Whole genome sequencing 'not ready for widespread clinical use'

Date: Mar-12-2014
Both the technical barriers associated with human DNA sequencing and the costs involved have been decreasing for some time. A new study investigates the benefits and drawbacks of whole genome sequencing in clinical applications.The first sequencing of a human genome began in 1990 and was completed in 2003 at a cost of $2.7 billion. Now, whole genome sequencing (WGS) can cost as little as $1,000, with the procedure taking just days.When sequencing an organism's DNA, the order of DNA nucleotides is documented by machines.

Whether a couple cohabitate or marry may be influenced by personal characteristics

Date: Mar-12-2014
When it comes to romantic relationships, attributes such as health, kindness, and social status have been shown to be important qualities in choosing a partner. It may be surprising to learn, however, that certain personal traits predispose a person towards either getting married or forming a cohabitating relationship.

Risk of prostate cancer death decreased by PSA-testing and early treatment

Date: Mar-12-2014
Mortality in prostate cancer is lower in areas with frequent use of PSA testing compared with areas with little testing shows a study published online in Journal of the National Cancer Institute by researchers from Umeå University, Sweden and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.The study is based on data from nation-wide, population-based registers in Sweden including the Cancer Register, The Cause of Death Register and the National Prostate Cancer Register (NPCR) of Sweden.

Widespread discrimination against stammerers by employers

Date: Mar-12-2014
Employers are routinely discriminating against people who stammer, rejecting them because of concerns about possible negative reactions from customers or team members, new research suggests.A study by Dr Clare Butler, of Newcastle University Business School, published in the journal Work, Employment and Society says that people who stammer experience widespread prejudice in the jobs market.Thirty-six men from England and Wales, ranging in age from 21 to 65 years, were interviewed and all reported routine discrimination.

Risk of early-onset dementia increased by lower IQ and poorer cardiovascular fitness in teen years

Date: Mar-12-2014
Men who at the age of 18 years have poorer cardiovascular fitness and/or a lower IQ more often suffer from dementia before the age of 60. This is shown in a recent study encompassing more than one million Swedish men.In several extensive studies, researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, have previously analyzed Swedish men's conscription results and were able to show a correlation between cardiovascular fitness as a teenager and health problems in later life.Increased risk for early-onset dementiaIn their latest study, based on data from 1.

Study of mechanical force effects on cells and proteins using biomolecular tweezers

Date: Mar-12-2014
A new type of biomolecular tweezers could help researchers study how mechanical forces affect the biochemical activity of cells and proteins. The devices - too small to see without a microscope - use opposing magnetic and electrophoretic forces to precisely stretch the cells and molecules, holding them in position so that the activity of receptors and other biochemical activity can be studied.Arrays of the tweezers could be combined to study multiple molecules and cells simultaneously, providing a high-throughput capability for assessing the effects of mechanical forces on a broad scale.

Higher risk of cardiac arrhythmia and death with azithromycin and levofloxcin, compared with amoxicillin

Date: Mar-12-2014
Following the 2013 Food and Drug Administration warning on azithromycin use and the risk of potential fatal heart rhythms, researchers in South Carolina evaluate a national cohort of veterans receiving care at the Department of Veterans Affairs to investigate whether cardiac arrhythmia and mortality risks are observed in older male patients receiving azithromycin, amoxicillin and levofloxacin. Analysis of more than 1.

Raw milk does not reduce lactose intolerance

Date: Mar-12-2014
Some sour news for lactose-intolerant people who hoped that raw milk might prove easier to stomach than pasteurized milk: A pilot study from the Stanford University School of Medicine shows little difference in digestibility between the two.The study was small - it involved 16 participants - but the lead investigator said the results were highly consistent among all the participants and deflate some of the claims surrounding raw, or unpasteurized, milk.