New Test Allows Individualized Profiles of Cigarette Smoking

ScienceDaily for August 25, 2010 reported on detection
of chemicals in cigarette smoke.

A test for one of the thousands of chemicals in cigarette smoke has the potential for more accurately estimating smokers' mouth level exposure and may have applications for developing custom-tailored quitting approaches for the more than 43 million people in the United States who still smoke, and hundreds of millions elsewhere, scientists say.

Distant Star's Sound Waves Reveal Cycle Similar to the Sun's

ScienceDaily for August 27, 2010 reported on sound waves from a distant star.

In a bid to unlock longstanding mysteries of the Sun, including the impacts on Earth of its 11-year cycle, an international team of scientists has successfully probed a distant star. By monitoring the star's sound waves, the team has observed a magnetic cycle analogous to the Sun's solar cycle.

School-Based Intervention Successfully Lowers Drinking Rates in at Risk Children

ScienceDaily for August 31, 2010 reported on drinking rates of children.

The coming weeks mark the return to school for many of our youngest citizens. Sadly the satisfaction of making new friends and obtaining good test scores may be overshadowed by the prospect of substance abuse for some school-aged adolescents. The previous decade has witnessed a two-fold increase in both alcohol consumption and intoxication by adolescents age 12 to 17.

Cinnamon Extracts May Reduce Risk of Diabetes and Heart Disease, Study Suggests

The study demonstrated that the water-soluble cinnamon extract improved a number of antioxidant variables by as much as 13 to 23 percent, and improvement in antioxidant status was correlated with decreases in fasting glucose, according to Anderson.

Fluoride in Water Prevents Adult Tooth Loss, Study Suggests

ScienceDaily for August 28, 2010 reported on fluoridation of water and teeth-loss.

Pollick said that roughly 75 percent of people served by public water systems have fluoride added. The process uses small amounts of the naturally occurring mineral to increase concentrations to no more than one part per million typically.

Secondhand Smoke May Provoke Inflammatory Response in Lungs

ScienceDaily for August 27, 2010 reported on secondhand smoke.

Second-hand smoke is associated with a number of diseases and conditions, including cancer,
heart disease, and emphysema. It is an irritant to lung tissue and blood vessels, but the processes through which the body reacts to second-hand smoke comprise a mystery scientists are only beginning to unravel.

Smoking Can Increase Depressive Symptoms in Teens, Study Finds

ScienceDaily for August 27, 2010 reported on smoking by teenagers and depression.

While some teenagers may puff on cigarettes to 'self-medicate' against the blues, scientists at the University of Toronto and the University of Montreal have found that smoking may actually increase depressive symptoms in some adolescents. Published in the journal Addictive Behaviors, the findings are part of the long-term Nicotine Dependence in Teens (NDIT) study based at the University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre.

Moms Who Don't Breastfeed More Likely to Develop Type 2 Diabetes, Study Finds

ScienceDaily for August 27, 2010 reported on breastfeeding and cancer.

"We have seen dramatic increases in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes over the last century," said Eleanor Bimla Schwarz, M.D., M.S., assistant professor of medicine, epidemiology, and obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at the University of Pittsburgh. "Diet and exercise are widely known to impact the risk of type 2 diabetes, but few people realize that breastfeeding also reduces mothers' risk of developing the disease later in life by decreasing maternal belly fat."

Baby's First Full Diaper Can Reveal Mother's Smoking

ScienceDaily for August 27, 2010 reported on a method of determining if a mother smoked or inhaled secondary smoke during her pregnancy.

Meconium, the dark and tarry stools passed by a baby during the first few days after birth, can be used to determine how much the mother smoked, or if she was exposed to tobacco smoke during pregnancy.

Vitamin A Increases the Presence of HIV in Breast Milk, Studies Suggest

ScienceDaily for August 27, 2010 reported on vitamin A and breast milk.

Vitamin A and beta-carotene supplements are unsafe for HIV-positive women who breastfeed because they may boost the excretion of HIV in breast milk -- thereby increasing the chances of transmitting the infection to the child, a pair of new studies suggest.

Chronic Drinking Can Disrupt Circadian Rhythms

ScienceDaily for August 25, 2010 reported
on chronic drinking and our Circadian Rhythms.

Circadian rhythmicity is regulated by circadian clock genes, and animal studies have shown that chronic drinking can alter expressions in these genes. A new study has found that significantly lower levels of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) -- a molecule of RNA that helps to manufacture proteins -- in circadian clock genes in alcohol-dependent (AD) patients support a relationship between circadian clock gene dysregulation and drinking in humans.

Alcohol Dependence Damages Both Episodic Memory and Awareness of Memory

ScienceDaily for August 25, 2010 reported on damage to memory from alcohol.

Alcohol dependence (AD) has negative effects on cognitive processes such as memory. Metamemory refers to the subjective knowledge that people have of their own cognitive processing abilities, such as their monitoring and control of memory. A new study has found that AD has a negative impact on both episodic memory as well as metamemory.

BPA and Testosterone Levels: First Evidence for Small Changes in Men

ScienceDaily for August 26, 2010 reported on BPA and Testosterone levels in men.

Researchers analysed data from the InCHIANTI study, an Italian population sample. The team measured the amount of BPA excreted per day in urine samples. 715 adults aged between 20 and 74 years were studied. The study aimed to measure the daily BPA loads excreted by adults, and to examine statistical associations between the amount of BPA exposure and serum estrogen and testosterone concentrations.

Nicotine Binding to Receptor Linked to Breast Cancer Cell Growth

ScienceDaily for August 24, 2010 reported on vitamin D and our health.

While smoking is a well-known risk factor for a broad range of cancer types, non-nicotine components of tobacco have generally been thought to be the carcinogens, so little is known about how nicotine acts on cells to promote cancer cell growth. For breast cancer in particular, some large epidemiological studies have suggested that smoking is related to increased breast cancer risk, but they have not been accompanied by molecular biology studies on how that actually works.

Vitamin D Found to Influence Over 200 Genes, Highlighting Links to Disease

ScienceDaily for August 24, 2010 reported on vitamin D and our genes.

It is estimated that one billion people worldwide do not have sufficient vitamin D. This deficiency is thought to be largely due to insufficient exposure to the sun and in some cases to poor diet. As well as being a well-known risk factor for rickets, there is a growing body of evidence that vitamin D deficiency also increases an individual's susceptibility to autoimmune conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS), rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes, as well as certain cancers and even dementia.

Moderate Drinking: Health Benefits or Not?

ScienceDaily for August 24, 2010 reported on moderate drinking and mortality.

While moderate drinking -- one to less than three drinks per day -- is linked to a decrease in mortality in middle-aged and older adults, there is also concern that the health benefits of moderate drinking have been overestimated. A new study of the association between drinking and mortality during a 20-year period, which controlled for confounding factors such as previous problem drinking, confirms an association of moderate drinking and reduced mortality among older adults.

Minor Kidney Damage in People With Type 1 Diabetes Leads to Increased Mortality

ScienceDaily for August 25, 2010 reported on kidney damage and Type 1 Diabetes.

People with type 1 diabetes who have early and asymptomatic kidney damage, as indicated by small amounts of protein in the urine, are six times more likely to die compared to the general population, say researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health. Their study, being presented at the 70th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association, also found that when kidneys remained normal over time, people with type 1 diabetes had no greater risk of death than their healthy counterparts.

Better Way to Grow Stem Cells Developed

ScienceDaily for August 23, 2010 reported on a new way to grow stem cells.
Human pluripotent stem cells, which can become any other kind of body cell, hold great potential to treat a wide range of ailments, including Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injuries. However, scientists who work with such cells have had trouble growing large enough quantities to perform experiments -- in particular, to be used in human studies. Furthermore, most materials now used to grow human stem cells include cells or proteins that come from mice embryos, which help stimulate stem-cell growth but would likely cause an immune reaction if injected into a human patient.

Eating Berries May Activate the Brain's Natural Housekeeper for Healthy Aging

ScienceDaily for August 24, 2010 reported on the eating of berries and healthy aging.

Scientists have reported the first evidence that eating blueberries, strawberries, and acai berries may help the aging brain stay healthy in a crucial but previously unrecognized way. Their study, presented at the 240th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS), concluded that berries, and possibly walnuts, activate the brain's natural "housekeeper" mechanism, which cleans up and recycles toxic proteins linked to age-related memory loss and other mental decline.

New Evidence on How Cranberry Juice Fights Bacteria That Cause Urinary Tract Infections

ScienceDaily for August 25, 2010 reported
on cranberry juice and urinary-tract infections.

"A number of controlled clinical trials -- these are carefully designed and conducted scientific studies done in humans -- have concluded that cranberry juice really is effective for preventing urinary tract infections," said Terri Anne Camesano, Ph.D., who led the study. "That has important implications, considering the size of the problem and the health care costs involved."

Solar System Similar to Ours? Richest Planetary System Discovered

ScienceDaily for August 24, 2010 reported on an exoplanet system of 5 planets orbiting a star.

"We have found what is most likely the system with the most planets yet discovered," says Christophe Lovis, lead author of the paper reporting the result. "This remarkable discovery also highlights the fact that we are now entering a new era in exoplanet research: the study of complex planetary systems and not just of individual planets. Studies of planetary motions in the new system reveal complex gravitational interactions between the planets and give us insights into the long-term evolution of the system."

Young People Identify With an Online Community Almost as Strongly as With Their Own Family

ScienceDaily for August 23, 2010 reported on relationships among teenagers.

An international study of the users of teenage online community Habbo reveals that users identify more strongly with the online community than with their neighbourhood or offline hobby group. The study is based on a survey with 4299 respondents from United Kingdom, Spain and Japan. All three nationalities yielded similar results.

Drink Water to Curb Weight Gain? Clinical Trial Confirms Effectiveness of Simple Appetite Control Method

ScienceDaily for August 23, 2010 reported on the use of water to help one lose weight.

Has the long-sought magic potion in society's "battle with the bulge" finally arrived? An appetite-control agent that requires no prescription, has no common side effects, and costs almost nothing? Scientists report results of a new clinical trial confirming that just two 8-ounce glasses of the stuff, taken before meals, enables people to shed pounds. The weight-loss elixir, they told the 240th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS), is ordinary water.

Diabetes Can Cause a Sugar Coating That Smothers Body's Immune Defences, Researchers Find

ScienceDaily for August 23, 2010 reported on sugar and our immune system.

Research led by the Warwick Medical School at the University of Warwick has found that unhealthy glucose levels in patients with diabetes can cause significantly more problems for the body than just the well-known symptoms of the disease such as kidney damage and circulation problems. The raised glucose can also form what can be described as a sugar coating that can effectively smother and block the mechanisms our bodies use to detect and fight bacterial and fungal infections.

Alcohol Intake Increases Certain Types of Breast Cancer, Study Finds

ScienceDaily for August 23, 2010 reported on alcohol and breast cancer.

Although alcohol intake is an established risk factor for overall breast cancer, few studies have looked at the relationship between alcohol use and breast cancer risk by subtype of breast cancer. While some studies have shown alcohol use is more strongly related to risk of hormone receptor-positive (estrogen receptor and/or progesterone receptor-positive) breast cancer, not many have looked at breast cancer risk by histology, or whether a tumor is ductal -- in the milk ducts -- or lobular -- in the milk-producing lobules.

Eating Berries May Activate the Brain's Natural Housekeeper for Healthy Aging

ScienceDaily for August 24, 2010 reported on the eating of berries and aging.

Scientists have reported the first evidence that eating blueberries, strawberries, and acai berries may help the aging brain stay healthy in a crucial but previously unrecognized way. Their study, presented at the 240th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS), concluded that berries, and possibly walnuts, activate the brain's natural "housekeeper" mechanism, which cleans up and recycles toxic proteins linked to age-related memory loss and other mental decline.

Green Leafy Vegetables Reduce Diabetes Risk, Study Finds

ScienceDaily for August 20, 2010 reported on food and diabetes.

The results reveal that eating one and a half extra servings of green leafy vegetables a day reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes by 14%. However, eating more fruit and vegetables combined does not significantly affect this risk. Only a small number of studies were included in the meta-analysis and the benefit of fruit and vegetables as a whole for prevention of type 2 diabetes may have been obscured.

Italian Youths Who Drink With Meals Are Less Often Adult Problem-Drinkers

ScienceDaily for August 20, 2010 reported on drinking by youths.

In a paper published in the journal Addiction, Research and Theory,a research team led by Lee Strunin, PhD, a professor of community health sciences at BUSPH, detailed their study of the drinking patterns and histories of 160 Italian adolescents and young adults who identified themselves as regular or heavy drinkers. The authors concluded that the introduction of a moderate amount of alcohol in a family setting could prevent young people from binge drinking and nurture healthier drinking behaviors.

Cigarette Smoke Causes Harmful Changes in the Lungs Even at the Lowest Levels, Study Finds

ScienceDaily for August 20, 2010 reported on effects of cigarette smoke on our lungs.

"The genetic effect is much lower than those who are regular smokers, but this does not mean that there are no health consequences," says Dr. Crystal. "Certain genes within the cells lining the airways are very sensitive to tobacco smoke, and changes in the function of these genes are the first evidence of 'biological disease' in the lungs or individuals."

Headaches in Teens Tied to Overweight, Smoking and Lack of Exercise

ScienceDaily for August 19, 2010 reported on health of teenagers.

Teens who are overweight, get little exercise or who smoke may be more likely to have frequent headaches and migraines than teens with none of these factors, according to a study published in the August 18, 2010, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Even Modest Weight Gain Can Harm Blood Vessels, Researchers Find

ScienceDaily for August 19, 2010 reported on weight-gain.

Mayo Clinic researchers found that healthy young people who put on as little as 9 pounds of fat, specifically in the abdomen, are at risk for developing endothelial cell dysfunction. Endothelial cells line the blood vessels and control the ability of the vessels to expand and contract.

Stress in Middle Age Could Contribute to Late-Life Dementia

ScienceDaily for August 19, 2010 reported on stress and Dementia.

Psychological stress in middle age could lead to the development of dementia later in life, especially Alzheimer's disease, reveals research from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. Based on data from a study which followed women for 35 years, this is the first research in Sweden to indicate a link between stress and dementia.

Overweight American Children and Adolescents Becoming Fatter

ScienceDaily for August 19, 2010 reported on weight-gains in children.

Overweight American children and adolescents have become fatter over the last decade, according to researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and National Institute on Aging (NIA). They examined adiposity shifts across socio-demographic groups over time and found U.S. children and adolescents had significantly increased adiposity measures such as body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and triceps skinfold thickness (TST).

Moderate Drinking, Especially Wine, Associated With Better Cognitive Function

ScienceDaily for August 19, 2010 reported on drinking and cognitive functions.

A large prospective study of 5033 men and women in the Tromsø Study in northern Norway has reported that moderate wine consumption is independently associated with better performance on cognitive
tests. The subjects (average age 58 and free of stroke) were followed over 7 years during which they were tested with a range of cognitive function tests.

Smokers Trying to Give Up: Don't Stop Thinking About Cigarettes

ScienceDaily for August 18, 2010 reported on attempts to stop smoking.

Dr Erskine and his team set out to test whether smokers experienced behavioural rebound -- the phenomenon where trying not to think about something leads to an increase in the behaviour. Their previous research into eating behaviour and thought suppression showed that people trying not to think about chocolate subsequently ate much more than people who were deliberately thinking about it. However, previous studies only examined behavioural rebound over a period of five minutes, rather than days and weeks.

Brain Connections Break Down as We Age, Study Suggests

ScienceDaily for August 19, 2010 reported on aging effects on the brain.

It's unavoidable: breakdowns in brain connections slow down our physical response times as we age, a new study suggests.

Vitamin D May Treat or Prevent Allergy to Common Mold

ScienceDaily for August 18, 2010 reported on vitamin D and mold.

Research conducted by Dr. Jay Kolls, Professor and Chair of Genetics at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, and colleagues, has found that vitamin D may be an effective therapeutic agent to treat or prevent allergy to a common mold that can complicate asthma and frequently affects patients with Cystic Fibrosis. The work is scheduled to be published online August 16, 2010, ahead of the print edition of the September 2010 issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Choosing Healthier Protein-Rich Foods Instead of Red and Processed Meats May Reduce Heart Disease

ScienceDaily for August 18, 2020 reported on red meat and heart disease.

Eating more fresh red meat, processed red meat and high-fat dairy carried an increased risk of heart disease in the study. Women who had two servings per day of red meat compared to those who had half a serving per day had a 30 percent higher risk of developing coronary heart disease.

UV-B Treatment May Improve Psoriasis and Vitamin D Levels

ScienceDaily for August 17, 2010 reported on UV-B treatment for low vitamin D levels and for Psoriasis.

Psoriasis affects 1.5 percent to 3 percent of the population, according to background information in the article. Abnormalities
in vitamin D metabolism may be partly responsible for the development and worsening of this skin condition. "Most vitamin D is obtained by skin production following exposure to solar UV-B, while less than 15 percent is obtained from dietary sources such as oily fish and fortified foods," the authors write.

Moderate Chocolate Consumption Linked to Lower Risks of Heart Failure, Study Finds

ScienceDaily for August 17, 2010 reported on chocolate and heart failure.

The nine-year study, conducted among 31,823 middle-aged and elderly Swedish women, looked at the relationship of the amount of high-quality chocolate the women ate, compared to their risk for heart failure. The quality of chocolate consumed by the women had a higher density cocoa content somewhat like dark chocolate by American standards. In this study, researchers found:

SPF on Your Plate: Researcher Connects the Mediterranean Diet With Skin Cancer Prevention

ScienceDaily for August 17, 2010 reported on food and skin cancer.

The sun's rays damage both the skin and the immune system by penetrating the skin and causing photo-oxidation, she explains, affecting both the cells themselves and the body's ability to repair any damage. Her prescription is to "go Greek" with foods such as olive oil, fish, yogurt and colorful fruits and vegetables to fight the oxidizing effect of the sun, as well as regular applications of sunscreen and appropriate body coverings such as hats, beach coverups, and other sportswear.

'Mitochondrial Eve': Mother of All Humans Lived 200,000 Years Ago

ScienceDaily for August 17, 2010 reported on the age of "Mitochondrial Eve".

The most robust statistical examination to date of our species' genetic links to "mitochondrial Eve" -- the maternal ancestor of all living humans -- confirms that she lived about 200,000 years ago. The Rice University study was based on a side-by-side comparison of 10 human genetic models that each aim to determine when Eve lived using a very different set of assumptions about the way humans migrated, expanded and spread across Earth.

Scientists Successfully Use Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells to Treat Parkinson's in Rodents

ScienceDaily for August 16, 2010 reported on the use of iPSCs to treat Parkinson's in rodents.

Human iPSC's are a "hot" topic among scientists focused on regenerative medicine. "These cells are reprogrammed from existing cells and represent a promising unlimited source for generating patient-specific cells for biomedical research and personalized medicine," said Zeng, who is lead author of the study. "Human iPSCs may provide an end-run around immuno-rejection issues surrounding the use of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) to treat disease," said Zeng. "They may also solve bioethical issues surrounding hESCs."

Childhood Abuse, Adversity May Shorten Life, Weaken Immune Response Among the Elderly

ScienceDaily for August 16, 2010 reported on child abuse and its effect in ones later life.

"What happens in childhood really matters when it comes to your immune response in the latter part of your life," explained Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, professor of psychology and psychiatry at Ohio State University. She explained her work at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association in San Diego.

Certain Vena Cava Filters May Fracture, Causing Potentially Life-Threatening Complications

ScienceDaily for August 12, 2010 reported on failure of certain Vena Cava filters.

Venous thromboembolism, or the formation of blood clots in the veins, occurs in more than 200,000 Americans per year, according to background information in the article. Anti-clotting medications are the standard therapy for patients with this condition. However, some patients cannot take these drugs and others may continue to develop clots despite taking medications. Vena cava filters, devices placed in the vena cava, the large vein returning blood to the heart from the lower body, are designed to trap clots before they travel to the lungs and have been used as an alternate therapy in these patients. Complications associated with these devices include erosion through the wall of the vena cava, along with migration, obstruction and additional clotting of the filter.

Larger Waist Associated With Greater Risk of Death

ScienceDaily for August 10, 2010 reported on waist-circumference and risk of death.

Having a large waist circumference has previously been associated with inflammation, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, abnormal cholesterol levels and heart disease, according to background information in the article. This may be because waist circumference is strongly correlated with fat tissue in the viscera -- surrounding the organs in the abdomen -- which is thought to be more dangerous than fat tissue under the skin.

As Crops Wither in Russia's Severe Drought, Vital Plant Field Bank Faces Demolition

ScienceDaily for August 9, 2010 reported on the likelihood of the destruction of an important crop-bank in Russia.

At issue is an effort by residential real estate developers to build houses on land occupied by Pavlovsk Station. The take-over would involve bulldozing Pavlovsk's field collections amassed over the last century -- collections that contain thousands of varieties of apples, strawberries, cherries, raspberries, currants and other crops -- 90 percent of which are not found anywhere else in the world.

Autism: Lack of Evidence for Antidepressants, Study Concludes

ScienceDaily for August 9, 2010 reported on Autism and antidepressants.

Autistic spectrum disorders are difficult to treat because of the range of symptoms experienced by patients, including difficulties with social interactions and communication. SSRIs are among the most commonly prescribed medications, although none have been specifically approved by any drug authority for use in autism. In the UK, most antidepressants are not approved for children for any condition. The rationale behind the use of SSRIs in autism is that they act on serotonin, the same chemical in the body that is responsible for some of the psychological processes affected by the condition.

Rushing Too Fast to Online Learning? Outcomes of Internet Versus Face-to-Face Instruction

ScienceDaily for August 8, 2010 reported on online learning.

"Online instruction may be more economical to deliver than live instruction, but there is no free lunch," said David Figlio, Orrington Lunt Professor of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University and primary author of the NBER working paper released this month. "Simply putting traditional courses online could have negative consequences, especially for lower-performing and language minority students."

Eliminating Diabetes and Depression, and Boosting Education, Most Likely to Ward Off Dementia

ScienceDaily for August 6, 2010 reported on Dementia.

While the exact cause of dementia is still unknown, several modifiable risk factors have already been identified. These include vascular risk factors (heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and high cholesterol), a history of depression, diet, alcohol consumption, and education level.

Tattooing Linked to Higher Risk of Hepatitis C, Study Finds

ScienceDaily for August 7, 2010 reported on tattooing and Hepatitis C.

The researchers reviewed and analysed 124 studies from 30 countries, including Canada, Iran, Italy, Brazil and the United States, and found the incidence of hepatitis C after tattooing is directly linked with the number of tattoos an individual receives. The findings are published in the current issue of the International Journal of Infectious Diseases.

Obese Employees Take More Sick Leave

LiveScience for August 2, 2010 reported on obesity and the work-place.

The work suggests the current obesity epidemic in the United States and other developed countries may have economic costs beyond just rising medical bills. The researchers hope the findings may spur employers to take action to encourage their employees to lose weight.

Dry Again: New Analysis of Apollo Moon Rocks Points to a Largely Waterless Lunar Interior

Scientific American for August 5, 2010 reported on a lack of water on the moon.

Now a new study, published online August 5 in href="http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/science.1192606">Science, pushes back against the hydrated-moon hypothesis. Zachary Sharp, a geochemist at the University of New Mexico, and his colleagues measured the chemical composition of several Apollo samples and found that the chlorine content of the lunar rocks and soils implied that the moon's interior was largely bereft of water, as originally suspected.

A ScienceNOW article is here.
A Discover Blogs article is here.

Quality-Adjusted Life Years Lost to US Adults Due to Obesity More Than Doubles from 1993-2008

ScienceDaily for August 5, 2010 reported on quality of life and obesity.

Although the prevalence of obesity and obesity-attributable deaths has steadily increased, the resultant burden of disease associated with obesity has not been well understood. A new study published in the September issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine indicates that Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) lost to U.S. adults due to morbidity and mortality from obesity have more than doubled from 1993-2008 and the prevalence of obesity has increased 89.9% during the same period.

Chew on This: Six Dental Myths Debunked

ScienceDaily for August 5, 2010 reported on dental myths.

Brushing, flossing, and twice-yearly dental check-ups are standard for oral health care, but there are more health benefits to taking care of your pearly whites than most of us know. In a review article, a faculty member at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine (TUSDM) debunks common dental myths and outlines how diet and nutrition affects oral health in children, teenagers, expectant mothers, adults and elders.

Obesity Prevention Begins Before Birth: Excess Maternal Weight Gain Increases Birth Weight After Controlling for Genetic Factors

ScienceDaily for August 4, 2010 reported on weight-gain in expectant women.

"Since high birth weight, in turn, increases risk for obesity and diseases such as cancer and asthma later in life, these findings have important implications to general public health," says coauthor David Ludwig, MD, PhD, director of the Optimal Weight for Life (OWL) at Children's Hospital Boston. "It's appropriate for a baby to be born with some fat, but a baby born too fat indicates that the fetus developed in an abnormal environment during the most critical nine months of life."

A Scientific American article is here.

Mammal-Like Crocodile Fossil Found in East Africa, Scientists Report

ScienceDaily for August 4, 2010 reported on a crocodile with mammal-like teeth.

"If you only looked at the teeth, you wouldn't think this was a crocodile. You would wonder what kind of strange mammal or mammal-like reptile it is," said study lead author Patrick O'Connor, associate professor of anatomy in the Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine.

A Scientific American article is here.
A National Geographic Daily News article is here.
A LiveScience article is here.

Pep Talk to Teens in the ER Helped Reduce Violence, Alcohol Misuse, Study Finds

ScienceDaily for August 3, 2010 reported on the impact of a pep talk given in ER to teenagers.

A brief, motivational talk in the emergency room reduced by half the chances that teenagers would experience peer violence or problems due to drinking, according to a study published Aug. 4 in a theme issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Cholesterol Levels in Young Adults Predict Risk of Future Heart Disease

ScienceDaily for August 3, 2010 reported on cholesterol levels in Young Adults.

The findings refute the common assumption that non-optimal cholesterol levels are insignificant during young adulthood and suggest a stronger emphasis on early lifestyle intervention, according to Mark J. Pletcher, MD, MPH, who is first author on the study.

Certain Meat Components May Increase Bladder Cancer Risk, Study Suggests

ScienceDaily for August 2, 2010 reported on meat and cancer.

The investigators had information from approximately 300,000 men and women aged 50 to 71 years from eight US states. At the start of the study (1995 to 1996), all participants completed lifestyle and dietary questionnaires about their usual consumption of foods and drinks. The participants were followed for up to eight years, during which time 854 people were diagnosed with bladder cancer.

Short and Long Sleep Durations Are Independent Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease, Study Suggests

ScienceDaily for August 2, 2010 reported on the effect sleep-duration on Cardiovascular Disease.

Results show that eight percent of the study population reported sleeping five hours per day or less including naps, and multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that their risk of any cardiovascular disease was more than two times higher than that of people who reported a daily sleep duration of seven hours (adjusted odds ratio = 2.20). Nine percent of participants reported sleeping nine hours or more per day, and they also had an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease (adjusted OR = 1.57). Results were adjusted for potential confounders such as age, sex, race, smoking, alcohol consumption, body mass index, physical activity, diabetes, hypertension and depression

High Heels May Lead to Joint Degeneration and Knee Osteoarthritis, Study Finds

ScienceDaily for August 2, 2010 reported on
the effect of women's shoes with high heels on their body.

"Obviously with research like this, you can't say with any certainty that if you wear high heels regularly you will develop osteoarthritis. We don't know that," Barkema said. "There are probably people [high heel wearers] who do and those who do not. However, based on this information, wearing high heels puts individuals at greater risk for developing osteoarthritis. And it seems to be that the higher the heel height, the greater the risk."

Adolescents With Type 2 Diabetes Have Diminished Cognitive Performance and Brain Abnormalities, Study Finds

ScienceDaily for August 2, 2010 reported on adolescent diabetes type 2.

"This is the first study that shows that children with type 2 diabetes have more cognitive dysfunction and brain abnormalities than equally obese children who did not yet have marked metabolic dysregulation from their obesity, " says Antonio Convit, MD, professor of Psychiatry and Medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and the Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research. "The findings are significant because they indicate that insulin resistance from obesity is lowering children's cognitive performance, which may be affecting their ability to perform well in school."

Fatty, Sugary Western Diets Give Kids Inferior Gut Microbes

Discover Blogs reported on the effect of diet on microbes in ones stomach.

The health detriments of a Western diet—eating foods high in fat, sugar, and animal protein—are now well known. However, according to a group of studies out in this week’s Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, how you eat when you’re just a kid can have a great impact, influencing the gut microbes you’ll carry your entire life.

Sleeping Late on Weekends Not a Remedy for Lost Snooze Time

LiveScience for August 3, 2010 reported on sleep deficit.

In the study, after five days with only four hours of sleep, a 10-hour doze did remedy some of the ill effects of chronic sleep restriction. However, even after an extended snooze, participants still experienced lapses of attention and delayed reaction times.

Do cleaning products cause breast cancer?

World Science for July 20, 2010  reported on cleaning products and breast cancer.

En­vi­ron­men­tal Health asked more than 1500 wom­en about their clean­ing prod­uct us­age, and found a high­er breast can­cer rate among wom­en who re­ported us­ing more air fresh­en­ers and prod­ucts for mold and mil­dew con­trol.

Tracks may tell tale of reptilian land conquest

World Science for July 30, 2010 reported on tracks made by reptiles.

“At first life was re­strict­ed to coast­al swamps where lush rain­for­est ex­isted, full of gi­ant ferns and dra­gonflies. How­ev­er, when rep­tiles came on the scene they pushed back the fron­tiers, con­quering the dry con­ti­nen­tal in­te­ri­ors.”

Western Diet Link to ADHD, Australian Study Finds

ScienceDaily for July 29, 2010 reported on diet and ADHD.

"We found a diet high in the Western pattern of foods was associated with more than double the risk of having an ADHD diagnosis compared with a diet low in the Western pattern, after adjusting for numerous other social and family influences," Dr Oddy said.

Plant Compound Resveratrol Shown to Suppresses Inflammation, Free Radicals in Humans

ScienceDaily for July 30, 2010 reported on Resveratrol.

Resveratrol is a compound produced naturally by several plants when under attack by pathogens such as bacteria or fungi, and is found in the skin of red grapes and red wine. It also is produced by chemical synthesis derived primarily from Japanese knotweed and is sold as a nutritional supplement.

Diet and Alcohol Alter Epigenetics of Breast Cancer, Study Suggests

ScienceDaily for July 31, 2010 reported on E;pigenetics of Breast Cancer.

"By investigating epigenetic patterns in tumors from patients we have extensive lifestyle data on, we are helping to bridge the gap between environmental research and translational research." said Karl Kelsey, professor of community health at Brown, director of CEHT, and a contributing author on the paper. Epigenetics refers to the control of patterns of gene expression in cells, which give rise to the necessary differences responsible for creating the complex and interacting tissues in the body.