Alcohol dependence linked to delayed childbearing Alcohol use during the teen years can not only lead to subsequent alcohol problems, it can also lead to risky sexual behavior and a greater risk of early childbearing. An examination of the relationship between a lifetime history of alcohol dependence (AD) and timing of first childbirth across reproductive development has observed that AD in women is linked to delayed reproduction........

79 million US adults have medical bill problems The proportion of working-age Americans who have medical bill problems or who are paying off medical debt climbed from 34 percent to 41 percent between 2005 and 2007, bringing the total to 72 million, as per recent survey findings from The Commonwealth Fund. In addition, 7 million adults age 65 and over also had problems paying medical bills, for a total of 79 million adults with medical bill problems or medical debt........

How memory deals with a change in plans You're about to leave work at the end of the day when your cell phone rings: it's your spouse, asking that you pick up a gallon of milk on the way home. Before you head out the door, though, your spouse calls again and asks you to stop by the hardware store too. Based on your knowledge of the area and rush-hour traffic, you decide to get the milk first and the toilet plunger second. But whoops! The phone rings again. This time, it's your boss, asking you to work late. That means another change of plans........

For Earlier Detection Of Autism Recently, Harvard scientists reported that children with autism have a wide range of genetic defects, making it nearly impossible to develop a simple genetic test to identify the disorder. Now, University of Missouri scientists are studying 3-D imaging to reveal correlations in the facial features and brain structures of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which will enable them to develop a formula for earlier detection of the disorder. The scientists anticipate their work also will reveal genetic clues that can direct additional research. Autism is a brain disorder characterized by a complex of social, communication and behavioral difficulties........

Oral contraceptives may ease suffering of women with severe PMS A new clinical trial at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill using a popular low-dose contraceptive could uncover a more effective therapy for the 5 to 10 percent of women who suffer from premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). PMDD is much more severe than premenstrual syndrome, or PMS. The disorder interferes with a woman's ability to function effectively several days out of each month, every month. Physical symptoms include bloating, low energy, heart palpitations and joint or muscle pain. Far more disruptive emotional symptoms include irritability, anxiety, depression, mood swings, difficulty focusing and trouble sleeping. For a number of women with PMDD, five or more of these symptoms occur the week before menstruation starts and disappear a few days after the period begins........

Chemical Liberated by Leaky Gut In up to 20 percent of people infected with HIV, the virus manages to escape from the bloodstream and cross into the brain, resulting in HIV-associated dementia and other cognitive disorders. Now, researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have found good evidence that a component of the cell walls of intestinal bacteria - a chemical present in high levels in the blood of HIV-infected people - helps HIV to penetrate the usually-impregnable blood brain barrier (BBB). The findings, reported in the recent issue of the Journal of Virology, could lead to strategies for preventing HIV from entering the brain and causing serious complications........

In the long run, exertion regulation wins Long-distance running is widely seen as one of the great physical challenges a human can undertake and as the 2008 Summer Olympics commence in Beijing on August 8, a number of eager sports fans will await with baited breath the last event of the Games the men's marathon, held on August 24. For these armchair fans, how marathon runners can complete the gruelling, 42.195 km event physically and mentally may seem like a great mystery........

Poor coordination in childhood is linked to obesity Poor physical control and coordination in childhood are associated with an increased risk of obesity in later life, suggests a study published on BMJ.com today. The research contributes to a growing body of evidence on the link between poorer cognitive function in childhood and obesity and type 2 diabetes in adults........

Targeted radiation therapy can control limited cancer spread Precisely targeted radiation treatment can eradicate all evidence of disease in selected patients with cancer that has spread to only a few sites, suggests the first published report from an ongoing clinical trial. In the August 15, 2008, issue of Clinical Cancer Research, (published online August 12) scientists from the University of Chicago Medical Center report that targeted radiation treatment had completely controlled all signs of cancer in 21 percent of patients who had five or fewer sites of metastatic disease........

'Erasing' drug-associated memories 'Erasing' drug-associated memories may prevent recovering drug abusers from relapsing, scientists at the University of Cambridge have discovered. The team, led by Professor Barry Everitt, was able to reduce drug-seeking behaviours in rats by blocking a brain chemical receptor important to learning and memory during the recall of drug-associated memories. Their research, which was funded by the Medical Research Council, was published in the 13 recent issue of The Journal of Neuroscience........

Childhood dairy intake may improve adolescent bone health Cincinnati, OH, August 13, 2008Dairy is recognized as a key component of a healthy, balanced diet. However, until recently it was unclear how long-term dairy intake contributes to the a number of aspects of bone health in children, including bone density, bone mineral content, and bone area. A new study soon would be published in The Journal of Pediatrics investigates the effect of childhood dairy intake on adolescent bone health........

Sleep apnea linked to increased risk of death Sleep-disordered breathing (also known as sleep apnea) is linked to an increased risk of death, as per new results from the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort, an 18-year observational study supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health. Scientists observed that adults (ages 30 to 60) with sleep-disordered breathing at the start of the study were two to three times more likely to die from any cause in comparison to those who did not have sleep-disordered breathing. The risk of death was associated with the severity of sleep-disordered breathing and was not attributable to age, gender, body mass index (an indicator of overweight or obesity), or cardiovascular health status........

Right place and right time can trigger drinking Strong cravings for alcohol can be sparked by the mere sight, smell and taste of a person's favorite drink. Responses to such cues that are linked to the positive effects of drinking are a lead cause of relapse in abstinent alcoholics. Using a behavioral animal model, scientists of a new study, scheduled for publication in the August 1st issue of Biological Psychiatry, have observed that the physical surroundings where alcohol cues are experienced can greatly influence the ability of those cues to trigger relapse........

Staying ahead of the drug-taking and genetic manipulation The race to ensure that researchers stop drug-taking athletes from damaging sport by using performance enhancing drugs or undergoing genetic manipulation is a constant challenge, as per a major four-decade review by three of the World's leading experts on doping in sport. Writing in the recent issue of the European-based Journal of Internal Medicine, they say that significant advances have been made in the fight against drugs in sport over the last 40 years. However, the authorities face a constant battle to keep up with both the athletes who use drugs and their rogue scientific advisors........

Obesity predisposition traced to the brain's reward system The tendency toward obesity is directly correlation to the brain system that is involved in food reward and addictive behaviors, as per a new study. Scientists at Tufts University School of Medicine (TUSM) and his colleagues have demonstrated a link between a predisposition to obesity and defective dopamine signaling in the mesolimbic system in rats. Their report appears in the August 2008 issue of The FASEB Journal.......