ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Vibrating capsule shows promising results in treating chronic constipation: Non-pharmacological therapy
• Nearly 50 percent of physicians believe diversion of ADHD stimulant medications among teens is a problem
• Lower verbal test score for toddlers who play non-educational games on touch screens
• Smoking during pregnancy may raise risk for heart defects in babies
• Why gay, lesbian teens binge drink: Stressful experiences, such as victimization and homophobia, linked to heavy episodic drinking
• Discrimination associated with mental health woes in black teens: Racism a common 'toxic stressor'
• Nightmares may signal a child is being bullied
• Many infants still not placed on their backs to sleep
• Supermarket access key ingredient in obesity programs
• Using substances at school may be cry for help
• Many parents don't follow safe infant sleep practices
• A cup of coffee a day may keep retinal damage away, study shows
• Reducing just six risk factors could prevent 37 million deaths from chronic diseases over 15 years
• Mammography controversy needs greater participation to inform decisions
• Women going through menopause need to be better supported at work
• For the first time, proof of what hormone replacement therapy does to genes involved in breast cancer
• Many Ivy League students don't view ADHD medication misuse as cheating: 18 percent use stimulants to help them study
• Quit bugging me! Tips on coping with bug bites this summer

Vibrating capsule shows promising results in treating chronic constipation: Non-pharmacological therapy Posted: 03 May 2014 11:12 AM PDT An oral capsule that vibrates as it moves through the digestive tract has shown notable promise as a non-pharmacological treatment for constipation, according to new research. The capsule, which houses a small engine inside, is programmed to begin vibrating six to eight hours after swallowing. The vibrations (mechanical stimulations) cause contractions in the intestine, which help move stool through the digestive tract.

Nearly 50 percent of physicians believe diversion of ADHD stimulant medications among teens is a problem Posted: 03 May 2014 05:27 AM PDT Two recent studies examined physicians' perceptions and knowledge of diversion of stimulant medications for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder as well as practices physicians use to prevent diversion among their patients prescribed these medications.

Lower verbal test score for toddlers who play non-educational games on touch screens Posted: 03 May 2014 05:27 AM PDT A recent study examined infants 0-3 years old that used touch-screen devices to determine if their use was of any educational benefit to infants and toddlers. The study showed that children who played non-educational games using touch-screen devices had lower verbal scores upon testing.

Smoking during pregnancy may raise risk for heart defects in babies Posted: 03 May 2014 05:27 AM PDT Women who smoke during pregnancy may be putting their newborns at risk for congenital heart defects, and the more they smoke, the higher the risk, according to a new study.

Why gay, lesbian teens binge drink: Stressful experiences, such as victimization and homophobia, linked to heavy episodic drinking Posted: 03 May 2014 05:27 AM PDT Higher rates of binge drinking by lesbian and gay adolescents compared to their heterosexual peers may be due to chronic stress caused by difficult social situations, according to a new study.

Discrimination associated with mental health woes in black teens: Racism a common 'toxic stressor' Posted: 03 May 2014 05:27 AM PDT The vast majority of African-American and Afro-Caribbean youth face racial discrimination, and these experiences are associated with an increased risk of mental health problems.

Nightmares may signal a child is being bullied Posted: 03 May 2014 05:27 AM PDT Many children who are bullied suffer in silence. The trauma can lead to anxiety, depression, psychotic episodes and even suicide. There may be a way to identify victims of bullying before they experience serious mental health problems, according to a new study.

Many infants still not placed on their backs to sleep Posted: 03 May 2014 05:27 AM PDT Since 1994, parents have been urged to put their babies to sleep on their backs to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. It appears many caregivers have not gotten the message, and health care providers have not done enough to educate families.

Supermarket access key ingredient in obesity programs Posted: 03 May 2014 05:27 AM PDT Living close to a supermarket appears to be a key factor in the success of interventions to help obese children eat better and improve their weight, according to a new study.

Using substances at school may be cry for help Posted: 03 May 2014 05:27 AM PDT When teens are caught drinking or using marijuana at school, a trip to the principal's office may not suffice. These students also should be screened for exposure to trauma, mental health problems and other serious health risks, according to a new study.

Many parents don't follow safe infant sleep practices Posted: 03 May 2014 05:27 AM PDT Each year, 4,000 babies die unexpectedly during sleep time from sudden infant death syndrome, accidental suffocation or unknown causes. To keep infants safe, the American Academy of Pediatrics advises caregivers to put babies to sleep on their backs and avoid sharing a bed, among other practices. Many families, however, are not following this advice, according to a new study.

A cup of coffee a day may keep retinal damage away, study shows Posted: 02 May 2014 06:30 PM PDT Coffee drinkers, rejoice! Aside from java's energy jolt, food scientists say you may reap another health benefit from a daily cup of joe: prevention of deteriorating eyesight and possible blindness from retinal degeneration due to glaucoma, aging and diabetes.

Reducing just six risk factors could prevent 37 million deaths from chronic diseases over 15 years Posted: 02 May 2014 05:47 PM PDT Reducing or curbing just six modifiable risk factors -- tobacco use, harmful alcohol use, salt intake, high blood pressure and blood sugar, and obesity -- to globally-agreed target levels could prevent more than 37 million premature deaths over 15 years, from the four main non-communicable diseases (NCDs): cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory disease, cancers, and diabetes, according to new research.

Mammography controversy needs greater participation to inform decisions Posted: 02 May 2014 02:20 PM PDT Doctors have called for any decision to participate in mammography to be a based on an informed choice and consideration of all factors, rather than just be an automatic process.

Women going through menopause need to be better supported at work Posted: 02 May 2014 02:20 PM PDT All women go through the menopause, and most women work, so how does the menopause affect women at work? New results indicate that many women need more managerial support going through the menopause; otherwise their experience could be lost to the workforce.

For the first time, proof of what hormone replacement therapy does to genes involved in breast cancer Posted: 02 May 2014 02:20 PM PDT Researchers have measured activity of genes associated with breast cancer in women before and while, they took different types of HRT. They found that an HRT used in the WHI trial had a greater activating effect on these genes than a "natural" formulation applied via an estrogen gel applied to the skin in combination with oral progesterone. This shows that varying the HRT and the way it is taken can have very significant effects on the genes associated with breast cancer.

Many Ivy League students don't view ADHD medication misuse as cheating: 18 percent use stimulants to help them study Posted: 01 May 2014 10:26 AM PDT Nearly one in five students at an Ivy League college reported misusing a prescription stimulant while studying, and one-third of students did not view such misuse as cheating, according to a new study. Stimulants are used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Recent studies have shown that students without ADHD are misusing these medications in hopes of gaining an academic edge.

Quit bugging me! Tips on coping with bug bites this summer Posted: 01 May 2014 10:25 AM PDT Warmer weather has folks venturing outdoors, and while the risk of running into a snake, bear or other menacing animal exists, the critters far more likely to be encountered in the great outdoors are ticks, mosquitos and other insects.

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