Other News

According to new research in rat models, nicotine use over time increases the speed that codeine is converted into morphine within the brain, by increasing the amount of a specific enzyme. It appears smokers' brains are being primed for a bigger buzz from this common pain killer -- which could put them at a higher risk for addiction, and possibly even overdose. "We've known … [Read more...]

If a young woman's first sexual experience involves alcohol, she is more likely to be at risk for problems such as sexual assault, and this risk may persist in her future, new research finds. The study, authored by Jennifer A. Livingston, PhD, senior research scientist at the University at Buffalo Research Institute on Addictions (RIA), surveyed 228 women, ages 18 to 20, … [Read more...]

  Undergraduate college students were more likely to have sex on days they used marijuana or binged on alcohol than on days they didn't, new research from Oregon State University has found. Binge drinking and being in a serious dating relationship also were linked with less condom use, putting young adults at risk for sexually-transmitted infections and unplanned … [Read more...]

"John, Jim, Jake, Josh, Jack ...and Jane." Five out of every six names that appear in the media today are those of men, a McGill-led research team has discovered. Indeed, the more mentions a person receives in the media, the higher the chances are that this person is a man. That's because 82 per cent of the names mentioned in the media are men's. Go ahead and try it! The … [Read more...]

Despite a surge in public attention toward the transgender population, transgender adults continue to face both major and daily discrimination that often directly leads to dangerous health consequences. In a new study, Indiana University researchers find that transgender people who are more frequently "read" as transgender are more likely to face major and everyday … [Read more...]

Chapman University has published research on how many sex partners people have relative to their height and body mass. The study focused on 60,058 heterosexual men and women asking each to indicate their height, weight, and how many sex partners they have had. The median number of "sex partners" reported for both men and women ages 30 to 44 was eight partners since they have … [Read more...]

University of Tokyo researchers have developed a real-time statistical method to estimate death risk (i.e., the probability of death given infection) and identify risk factors of death during an infectious disease outbreak. Using this method, the researchers revealed that the death risk of the 2015 Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) epidemic in the Republic of Korea for … [Read more...]

Discussing your sexual history with a doctor, or anyone for that matter, can be an uncomfortable experience. But for many transgender people, the conversation never takes place because they aren't seeking health care, according to Adrian Juarez, PhD, a public health nurse and assistant professor in the University at Buffalo School of Nursing. Through a preliminary study … [Read more...]

There's a widely adopted suicide support forum on Reddit called "SuicideWatch." It features entries from people looking for support and guidance from experienced, trained moderators and anonymous social media users volunteering to extend help to those in need. New research from the Georgia Institute of Technology finds that activity on this forum changes dramatically in the … [Read more...]

Research has shown a significant association between haze events in South-East Asia and mortality rates caused by respiratory illness on the west coast of peninsular Malaysia. Since 1997, the massive burning of biomass in Sumatra and Kalimantan, Indonesia, has affected neighbouring countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Southern Thailand. The burning of biomass … [Read more...]

In a large study of middle-aged to elderly smokers, men were more likely than women to have osteoporosis and fractures of their vertebrae. Smoking history and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were independent risk factors for low bone density among both men and women in the study, which has been published online in the Annals of the American Thoracic … [Read more...]

Miranda Kerr recently posed and joked around as she bagged her Cosmo cover shoot. On the other hand, the model and her new boyfriend Evan Spiegel are allegedly planning their wedding plans even though they've only dated for months. With her latest contracts and her lucrative projects, it's no surprise that Miranda Kerr was featured in the latest issue of Cosmopolitan Australia. … [Read more...]

Irina Shayk is smokin’ hot in white as she attends Madison Square Park Conservancy’s Fall Fundraising Gala in partnership with the grand opening of Porcelanosa’s flagship Showroom on Wednesday night (September 9) in New York City. The 23-year-old model was joined at the event by Sarah Jessica Parker. Over the weekend, Irina reportedly spent time with boyfriend Bradley Cooper … [Read more...]

Kendall is in town for New York Fashion Week, which kicked off yesterday, and is expected to appear in a number of shows as usual, while Lewis (minus his platinum hair) flew in from London - fresh from the GQ Awards on Tuesday night. The bespectacled supermodel (19) wore an on trend '70s inspired ensemble, while the Formula One racer opted for a more low-key look of jeans, … [Read more...]

THE pregnant reality TV star wore an extravagant gold dress after ditching her signature clinging outfits. Kim Kardashian has relied on her faithful figure-hugging dresses during her second pregnancy. Kim Kardashian’s pregnancy style just keeps getting better and better! On a night out with Kanye West in NYC on Sept. 10, the reality star took the attention away from her growing … [Read more...]

More than ten times a day, 67 year-old Margie helps her husband get up to use the bathroom, eat a meal or get in and out of bed, and struggles to push his wheelchair up the ramp that provides access to their home. Margie is one of the estimated 42.1 million unpaid, informal caregivers who each year, provide support valued at more than $450 billion to adults, usually family … [Read more...]

Electronic cigarettes were designed overseas as a tool to help smokers kick the habit. US health experts say these days E-Cigs, as they’re called, are more often in the hands of teens. In fact, the Center for Disease Control said E-Cigarette use is way up. Thirteen percent of all high school students use them now, as compared to just four percent in 2013. There’s plenty of … [Read more...]

Twitter users who post information about their personal health online might be considered by some to be "over-sharers," but new research led by the University of Arizona suggests that health-related tweets may have the potential to be helpful for hospitals. Led by Sudha Ram, a UA professor of management information systems and computer science, and Dr. Yolande Pengetnze, a … [Read more...]

Lou Gehrig's disease, also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, might damage muscle-controlling nerve cells in the brain earlier in the disease process than previously known, according to research from the Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute. The findings, published in the Nov. 19 Journal of Neuroscience, could shift researchers' attention … [Read more...]

Yoga can improve mood and mental wellbeing among prisoners, an Oxford University study suggests, and may also have an effect on impulsive behaviour. The researchers found that prisoners after a ten-week yoga course reported improved mood, reduced stress and were better at a task related to behaviour control than those who continued in their normal prison routine. 'We … [Read more...]

Contrary to popular belief, spooning is not always the best sex position for those with a bad back, according to new research from the University of Waterloo. For the first time ever, scientists have successfully documented the way the spine moves during sex and discovered exactly why certain positions are better than others when it comes to avoiding back pain. "Any … [Read more...]

Pain can make it difficult for some patients to get a good night's rest while recovering in the hospital following certain surgical procedures, often resulting in longer hospital stays, according to researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. The study shows patients who reported poor sleep while in the hospital following total hip replacement or knee replacement surgery … [Read more...]

A 2004 California law mandating specific nurse-to-patient staffing standards in acute care hospitals significantly lowered job-related injuries and illnesses for both registered nurses and licensed practical nurses, according to UC Davis research published online in the International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health. The study is believed to be the first to … [Read more...]

Imagine no tears during infant vaccines and no fear of the needle for those old enough to know what's coming. Such painless injections could be possible with a device that applies pressure and vibration while the needle is inserted in the skin, according to a study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY™ 2014 annual meeting. "As many as 1 in 10 people experience needle phobia, … [Read more...]

Most herbal products, available to buy as alternative medicines, may be contaminated. Reporting in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Medicine researchers demonstrate the presence of contamination and substitution of plant species in a selection of herbal products using DNA barcoding. There is currently no best practice for identifying plant species in herbal products. … [Read more...]

When a toddler takes their first steps we observe an uncertain sway in their walking. Being unsteady on our feet is something we can experience throughout life -- and a new study has shown how even the lightest fingertip touch can help people to maintain their balance. The research, led by the University of Birmingham, explains how neural and mechanical mechanisms … [Read more...]

American and European studies prove that students use prescription medication or drugs to enhance their cognitive performance. Researchers from the universities of Zurich and Basel examined whether Swiss students have also experimented with neuroenhancement and which substances they take by conducting a survey of 6,725 students with an average age of 23 at the two universities … [Read more...]

The U.S. should prepare for more outbreaks of illness and possible deaths from designer drugs including synthetic marijuana, according to the new research from the University of Colorado School of Medicine. The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, illustrates a wide range of dangers associated with these increasingly popular drugs. In the fall of 2013, … [Read more...]