Public Health

Children who pick up smoking may not recognize the symptoms of nicotine dependence early on in the habit, say researchers writing in Pediatrics. Their study found that sixth-graders who started smoking in the 4-year period 2002–2006 were unable to recognize that symptoms such as irritability and desire to smoke are harbingers of addiction. Researchers surveyed 1246 adolescent smokers every three to four months, over the four-year period.  Study participants were monitored for 10 symptoms of dependence with the Hooked on Nicotine Checklist. The association between number of symptoms and…

A new report in the May issue of Cell Metabolism shows that our arteries can also suffer the effects of insulin resistance, though for entirely different reasons than other areas of the body. Earlier studies showed that in the context of systemic insulin resistance, blood vessels become resistant, too. Doctors also knew that insulin resistance and the high insulin levels to which it leads are independent risk factors for vascular disease. But it wasn't clear if arteries become diseased because they can't respond to insulin or because they get exposed to too much of it. Insulin sends a signal…

Researchers from the Seattle Children's Research Institute have found that teenagers who sleep less are more likely to gain weight. Their study, they say, is one of the first studies to document an association between sleep duration and weight in adolescents, even after controlling for calorie intake, activity level and depressive symptoms. "Sleep has long been recognized as an important health behavior," said lead author Leslie A. Lytle. "We are just beginning to recognize its relationship to overweight and obesity in children and adults alike." Investigators collected data on 723…

Support for science comes in many forms. I've discussed being a research scientist and what citizen scientists can do when they donate their time. Now let's bring up the third leg of the Tripod of Science-- cash. This is about the triumph of capitalism over adversity. There are so many causes one can give to. Haiti received huge economic support because, for whatever reason, they caught the public's fancy and got significant media attention. That's hard to predict, or arrange. With so many causes, who steps up? And why? I asked these questions to Judy, attending as part of the Chief…

Roller coasters are a lot of fun, but conditions experienced during the rides may cause damage to your ears. Physicians at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit say they have found a link between the force of acceleration in roller coasters and a common ear injury – ear barotrauma – that occurs when there is a relatively quick change in pressure between the external environment, the ear drum and the pressure in the middle ear space. Results from their study will be presented today at the Triologocial Society's 113th Annual Meeting in Las Vegas. Could riding this 310 ft monster damage your hearing…

I cannot but be happy about the decision of the Australian government led by Kevin Rudd to further tighten the moral suasion against smoking. They decided that starting in 2012, the name of the brand of cigarettes and other logos will be moved away from the front of the pack, making all the packs of cigarettes look equal in their appearance: the one of the picture below. On the left how packs look like now, on the right the new look. Cigarette smoke is the most common cause of lung cancer: according to cancerhelpUK, nine cases out of ten are due to smoking. And lung cancer kills about 160,…

Hot peppers contain a substance called capsaicin that not only adds spice to our foods but may actually help us lose weight. A new study conducted by UCLA researchers found that a substance in hot peppers called capsaicin can actually increase our energy expenditure by increasing heat production. If you don't appreciate the "burn" of hot peppers, researchers say there are plants that make a non-burning version of capsaicin called dihydrocapsiate (DCT) that could have the benefits of peppers without the pungency. The study was presented earlier this week at the Experimental Biology 2010…

It has been brought to my attention that one Suzane Cooke of the WBT website has recently recently attacked me in a gender group with her mistaken comments about New Age quackery in regards to what I have studied as training to be a physician in India. Thus, I am responding to those misrepresentations of hers here. Hopefully others will see that naturopathic medicine, osteopathy, chiropractic, traditional Chinese medicine are not New Age quackery, but instead are world recognized and respected forms of medicine. M Italiano, MB BS (AM…

 Researchers from Cornell University say eating less may be as simple as leaving serving dishes on the stove and off the table. The team conducted a study involving 78 men and women and found that people eat a lot less, almost 30 percent less, if food is not readily accessible--like not sitting in front of them. The research was presented last week at the Experimental Biology conference in Anaheim, California. The finding provides more evidence for the idea that subtle cues like dining environment and plate and portion size can determine what, when and how much people eat. The study…

For a tiny fraction of the cost of maintaining a nuclear arsenal, the 11 nuclear power states around the world could eliminate neglected infections within their borders—which account for up to 50% of the global disease burden—and beyond, according to an editorial in PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. "Great efforts are needed to engage leaders of the nuclear weapons states in a frank dialogue about reallocation of resources toward public health and scientific pursuits for neglected tropical disease R&D and control," says Dr. Peter Hotez, Research Professor at The George Washington…