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Women say skinny jeans more satisfying than sex in online poll
For 2200 British women polled, fitting into skinny jeans was revealed as more satisfying than sex. The women admitted they kept old jeans that were too small as part of a fantasy to slim down and fit back into their skinny jeans. In some cases, the women confessed their jeans lasted longer than their relationships.


Popular TENS device no benefit for chronic low back pain
New guidelines have been issued by the issued by the American Academy of Neurology stating that use of TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) devices have no benefit for treating chronic low back pain. The therapy consists of applying a device to the low back that delivers electrical impulses to control pain. The units are widely used for pain control, and may work for other condition. TENS units are not shown to reduce low back pain that has persisted for more than three months.



Common pain medicine used with aspirin increases heart attack risk
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Calorie restriction

In a first study of its kind, researchers from University of Alabama have tested the benefits of calorie restriction on human lung cells. Past studies have been performed in animals, showing that restricting calories can increase lifespan.

The new study also revealed that human lung cells deprived of glucose, that were precancerous, died in large numbers, compared to cells provided with normal levels of glucose, furthering the notion that calorie restriction can help prevent and halt the spread of cancer.

For this study researchers grew precancerous cells in lab flasks. They then allowed the cells to grow for several weeks, noting that the cells deprived of glucose lived longer than normal.

Trygve Tollefsbol, Ph.D., D.O., and professor in the Department of Biology says the studies... "Further verify the potential health benefits of controlling calorie intake. Our research indicates that calorie reduction extends the lifespan of healthy human cells and aids the b…

Researchers have issued a new warning about CT scans and cancer. The risk of future cancer from CT scans has been analyzed, showing the potential for "tens of thousands" of cases of cancer that could occur in the future.

The analysis revealed variables in the dose of radiation delivered during CT scans in four institutions studied. Radiation doses from CT scans varies depending on what part of the body is being scanned. CT scans of the head, chest, abdomen, and pelvis pose the greatest cancer risk among the 35 to 54 year old age group.

Though the risk of cancer from CT scans is small, the authors say, because of the large number of persons exposed annually, even small risks could translate into a considerable number of future cancers."

Looking at CT scan radiation in four different institutions revealed variables that averaged 13 fold between the highest and lowest dose.

University of California researchers estimated the risk of cancer from CT scans in 1,119 patients in 200…

Results of a new study show that patients who are hospitalized know little about the medications they are receiving. The study, designed to assess patient awareness of medications, also highlights how important it is for patients to understand what medications they are receiving in the hospital in order to prevent medication errors.

Medication errors are an important part of patient safety. One review found that medication errors occur in the hospital in almost one out of five medication doses. Hospitalized patients who know more about their medications can help prevent errors.

According to lead researcher Ethan Cumbler, M.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado Denver, "Overall, patients in the study were able to name fewer than half of their hospital medications. Our findings are particularly striking in that we found significant deficits in patient understanding of their hospital medications even among patients who believed they knew, or desired to kno…

Results of a new study show that vitamin D levels are important for survival among patients being treated for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The authors say the findings are the "strongest to date" showing that vitamin D levels are directly related to cancer outcomes, and is the first to study disease progression and survival of lymphoma patients with low vitamin D levels.

Matthew Drake, M.D., Ph.D., an endocrinologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester writes, "While these findings are very provocative, they are preliminary and need to be validated in other studies. However, they raise the issue of whether vitamin D supplementation might aid in treatment for this malignancy, and thus should stimulate much more research." The study showed that lymphoma patients deficient in vitamin D were twice as likely to die, and had 1.5 times increased risk of lymphoma progression.

The conclusions were based on a study of 374 patients newly diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma - half we…

Umaga death highlights health risks for athletes

The death of WWE wrestler Umaga highlights a growing body of evidence that large athletes are at risk for heart disease. The wrestler, whose real name is Edward Fatu, died at the young age of 36 from a second heart attack on December 5, 2009. Umaga was suspended in 2007 because of steroid use, adding to the potential health risks he may have been facing.

The death of WWE wrestler Edward “Umaga” Fatu is untimely. The wrestler was found dead in his apartment and rushed to the hospital where he was placed on life support. Several hours later Umaga died, following what is said to be a “difficult” decision to remove breathing apparatus by his wife.

“We would like to express its deepest condolences to Mr. Fatu’s family, friends, and fans on his tragic passing. Mr. Fatu was contract with WWE at various time periods, and most recently performed under the name “Umaga. Mr. Fatu’s contract was terminated on June 11, 2009.” The death of Umaga was un…