Common Dental Treatments And Procedures

April 6, 2012 by adminPeople visiting their dentists should not be scared as long they know what to expect from the treatment they have to go through.  Treatments are done either to treat or prevent oral diseases such as dental caries or tooth decay and periodontal disease which is also known as pyorrhea.  Here are some information that might help people understand common dental treatments or procedures and how these are done by a dentist.

Root Canal treatment

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DIY Anti-Wrinkle Recipe

April 7, 2012 by admin

The question really is why paying for exotic spa wrinkle treatments that you can DIY yourself at home?

If you are looking for anti-wrinkle treatments you can do without prescriptions, this article is going to show you one of the recipes I used for anti-wrinkles.

There are so many ideas and homemade recipes for wrinkle removal and Anti-wrinkle products and treatments on the net. Anti-wrinkle injections are also very common, and to turn back the clock many go for surgical face lift mask & anti aging skin care products.

It is also know that some apply coconut oil on the skin and face where wrinkles set in and gently massage every night at bedtime. Others suggest that to use banana as an anti-wrinkle treatment. What they did was basically mash the banana until it is very creamy. Spread the banana “Paste” over the face and leave it for 20 minutes before rinsing off with warm water.

It was also believe that applying green pineapples juice and apples the face daily and leave for 10-15 minutes works excellent for fine wrinkles and cracked skin.

But the most important thing is still the result of diet. Research has shown that your diet can influence the way you look and feel. A healthy diet can help to delay the advent of aging and wrinkles and is definitely true that a healthy and balanced diet protects your skin from damage and aging.

: Use Red tea leaves, brown sugar and flour for Anti-Wrinkle Mask.

First, mix the Red tea leaves and brown sugar together, boil it and wait for it to Cool, add some flour and stir them into paste. Apply over your face for 15 minutes and rinse it with warm water.

Experts pointed out that there are anti-aging ingredients contained in the red tea leaves that help to reduce wrinkles effectively and keep the skin fair and smooth.

Anti Aging

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Eyelash Growth Serums Make Longer Eyelashes Easy

April 7, 2012 by admin

There certainly are a number of ways that you can make use of for attaining longer eyelashes. One of the best parts is that to promote eyelash growth you just dont have to try and make use of eyelash curler. For a number of years I have tried to curl my eyelashes from the convenience of my home and have managed in obtaining best results. You just have to keep in mind that the thicker and longer eyelashes you are having the more convenient it is to try and curl them. This is also one of the most effective ways to try and change your looks completely.

There are a number of girls around the globe who are just not blessed with thick and longer eyelashes and so they find it impossible to curl them easily. When performing your search you certainly might come across a perfect answer to this problem which is in the form of growth serum that is made for your eyelashes. You just have to keep in mind that in the present market you certainly can manage to find a number of such magical products that are very much effective. The best part is that the moment you are making use of these enhancer products you certainly might be able to notice the changes within few days of application. Some of the best products available certainly help in attaining eyelash growth very much effectively within few days of application. You can always try and search around for some of the best growth serum products that are made up of natural or herbal ingredients such that they might not harm your eyelashes or eyes.

After using these products for a few days you certainly might find that it gets very much easy to curl your thick eyelashes. In case you are just not aware of the right method to make use of these products then you certainly can try and search the internet for different types of videos that offer you with perfect demonstration. So even if you are just not having longer eyelashes still there are chances that you can try and grow them using the natural growth serum. The moment you are watching the video, you might realize that making use of such products might in fact take only about five minutes and the task can be performed with any help from professional beautician. I hope you have just found that this article is very much helpful for most girls who want to attain good looking eyelashes.

So by making use of eyelash growth serum you can always try and attain the perfect eyelash growth within few days. So in case you just have not yet tried out any such product then it is the right time for you to search for effective growth serum.

Hair Loss

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Fast Food Intake Associated with Risk for Depression

Whatever fats you eat are likely to wind up as structural components of your brain cells.  A new study followed 8,964 people who had never experienced depression, for six years to see the impact of fast food on developing depression.  Those who ate the most junk food had a 51percent higher risk for developing depression for the first time.  The moral of the story is that a brain made of potato chips is not likely to function very well.

The study is important because 10 percent of people in the U.S. are now taking brain drugs for their mood issues.  It appears that a fast food diet is a major cause of this problem.  Such food lacks omega-3 oils like DHA Docosahexaenoic acid Essential omega 3 fatty acid integral to the health of all cell membranes, nerve and brain function. Must be gotten through the diet via cold water oceanic fish or some very limited plant sources or taken as a supplement. and further aggravates the deficiency by boosting up the amount of junky fat.  Such diets also lack B vitamins, magnesium, and plant and fruit polyphenols antioxidant shown to affect cell-to-cell signaling, receptor sensitivity, inflammatory enzyme activity or gene regulation. Found in many different fruits, vegetables, red wine, grains, honey, and legumes. that are needed for normal brain function.

Good nutrition is fundamental for a healthy brain.  This long-term study proves the point.  Showing up at your favorite fast food restaurant is a testament to the validity of Pavlov’s dog experiments.  Fast food companies use a wide variety of chemical stimulants to create brain addiction and brand loyalty.  It appears that what they are really creating is a population of depressed people.

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Berries are a Brain Super Food

Researchers at the United States Department of Agriculture lead the world in serious berry research and the brain, with a special emphasis on blueberries. They now say the following, “Dietary supplementation with berry fruits also has direct effects on the brain. Intake of these fruits may help to prevent age-related neurodegeneration… in addition to enhancing neuroplasticity, neurotransmission, and calcium buffering, all of which lead to attenuation of age- and pathology-related deficits in behavior. Recent clinical trials have extended these antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cognition-sparing effects to humans.”

Organic berries are available year round in the frozen food section and can be blended into a protein drink or smoothie for breakfast. This makes it easy to incorporate these fruits into your diet when they are not in season. Berries are an important fruit to eat organic and preferably grown in the United States. Concentrated dietary supplements of blueberries and other berries typically contain the active compounds of a full cup of berries in a single capsule, which is another convenient way to get the brain nourishing benefits of berries.

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Enzyme in saliva helps regulate blood glucose

ScienceDaily (Apr. 4, 2012) — Scientists from the Monell Center report that blood glucose levels following starch ingestion are influenced by genetically-determined differences in salivary amylase, an enzyme that breaks down dietary starches. Specifically, higher salivary amylase activity is related to lower blood glucose.

See Also:Health & MedicineNutritionHypertensionDiabetesCholesterolDiet and Weight LossBlood ClotsReferenceSalivaHigh fructose corn syrupGlycemic indexDigestion

The findings are the first to demonstrate a significant metabolic role for salivary amylase in starch digestion, suggesting that this oral enzyme may contribute significantly to overall metabolic status. Other implications relate to calculating the glycemic index of starch-rich foods and ultimately the risk of developing diabetes.

"Two individuals may have very different glycemic responses to the same starchy food, depending on their amylase levels," said lead author Abigail Mandel, Ph.D., a nutritional scientist at Monell. "Individuals with high amylase levels are better adapted to eat starches, as they rapidly digest the starch while maintaining balanced blood glucose levels. The opposite is true for those with low amylase levels. As such, people may want to take their amylase levels into account if they are paying attention to the glycemic index of the foods they are eating."

Starch from wheat, potatoes, corn, rice, and other grains is a major component of the United States diet, comprising up to 60 percent of our calories. Amylase enzymes secreted in saliva help break down starches into simpler sugar molecules that can be absorbed into the bloodstream. In this way, amylase activity influences blood glucose levels, which need to be maintained within an optimal range for good health.

A previous study had demonstrated that individuals with high salivary amylase activity are able to break down oral starch very rapidly. This finding led the researchers to ask how this 'pre-digestion' contributes to overall starch digestion and glucose metabolism.

In the current study, published online in The Journal of Nutrition, amylase activity was measured in saliva samples obtained from 48 healthy adults. Based on extremes of salivary amylase activity, two groups of seven were formed: high amylase (HA) and low amylase(LA).

Each subject drank a simplified corn starch solution and blood samples were obtained over a two hour period afterwards. The samples were analyzed to determine blood glucose levels and insulin concentrations.

After ingesting the starch, individuals in the HA group had lower blood glucose levels relative to those in the LA group. This appears to be related to an early release of insulin by the HA individuals.

"Not all people are the same in their ability to handle starch," said senior author Paul Breslin, Ph.D., a sensory geneticist at Monell. "People with higher levels of salivary amylase are able to maintain more stable blood glucose levels when consuming starch. This might ultimately lessen their risk for insulin resistance and non-insulin dependent diabetes."

Additional studies will confirm the current findings using more complex starchy foods, such as bread and pasta. Another focus will involve identifying the neuroendocrine mechanisms that connect starch breakdown in the mouth with insulin release.

Funding was provided by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders and the National Institute on Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases. Breslin also holds an appointment as Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at Rutgers University.

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Antipsychotic drug may be helpful treatment for anorexia nervosa

ScienceDaily (Apr. 4, 2012) — Low doses of a commonly used atypical antipsychotic drug improved survival in a mouse model of anorexia nervosa, University of Chicago researchers report this month. The result offers promise for a common and occasionally fatal eating disorder that currently lacks approved drugs for treatment.

See Also:Health & MedicineEating Disorder ResearchPharmacologyDiet and Weight LossMind & BrainEating DisordersMental HealthDieting and Weight ControlReferenceEating disorderBulimia nervosaAppetiteAnorexia nervosa

Mice treated with small doses of the drug olanzapine were more likely to maintain their weight when given an exercise wheel and restricted food access, conditions that produce activity-based anorexia (ABA) in animals. The antidepressant fluoxetine, commonly prescribed off-label for anorexic patients, did not improve survival in the experiment.

"We found over and over again that olanzapine was effective in harsher conditions, less harsh conditions, adolescents, adults -- it consistently worked," said the paper's first author Stephanie Klenotich, graduate student in the Committee on Neurobiology at the University of Chicago Biological Sciences.

The study, published in Neuropsychopharmacology, was the product of a rare collaboration between laboratory scientists and clinicians seeking new treatment options for anorexia nervosa. As many as one percent of American women will suffer from anorexia nervosa during their lifetime, but only one-third of those people will receive treatment.

Patients with anorexia are often prescribed off-label use of drugs designed for other psychiatric conditions, but few studies have tested the drugs' effectiveness in animal models.

"Anorexia nervosa is the most deadly psychiatric disorder, and yet no approved pharmacological treatments exist," said Stephanie Dulawa, PhD, assistant professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Chicago Medicine and senior author of the study. "One wonders why there isn't more basic science work being done to better understand the mechanisms and to identify novel pharmacological treatments."

One challenge is finding a medication that patients with anorexia nervosa will agree to take regularly, said co-author Daniel Le Grange, PhD, professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience and director of the Eating Disorders Clinic at the University of Chicago Medicine. Drugs that directly cause weight gain or carry strong sedative side effects are often rejected by patients.

"Patients are almost uniformly very skeptical and very reluctant to take any medication that could lower their resolve to refrain from eating," Le Grange said. "There are long-standing resistances, and I think researchers and clinicians have been very reluctant to embark on that course, since it's just littered with obstacles."

Both fluoxetine and olanzapine have been tried clinically to supplement interventions such as family-based treatment and cognitive-behavioral therapy. But their direct effect on anorexia nervosa behavior -- in humans or animals -- is lacking in sufficient data.

To test the effectiveness of these drugs in laboratory mice, Klenotich adapted the ABA protocol from previously published rat studies: Mice given 24-hour access to a running wheel but only six hours a day of food access become hyperactive, eat less and rapidly lose weight, with a 25 percent reduction from baseline considered to be the "drop-out" survival point.

In Klenotich's study, mice were pretreated with fluoxetine, olanzapine or saline before starting the ABA protocol, and treatment continued throughout the ABA period. Researchers then measured how many mice in each group reached the drop-out point for weight loss over 14 days of food restriction and exercise wheel access. Treatment with the antipsychotic olanzapine significantly increased survival over the control group, while fluoxetine treatment produced no significant effects on survival.

Importantly, a low dose of olanzapine did not decrease overall running activity in the mice, indicating that sedative effects of the drug were minimal. In future experiments, the researchers hope to use different drugs and genetic methods to determine exactly how olanzapine is effective against symptoms of anorexia nervosa, perhaps pointing toward a better drug without the negative image or side effects of an antipsychotic.

"We can dissect the effect of olanzapine and hopefully identify the mechanisms of action, and identify what receptor systems we want to target," Klenotich said. "Hopefully, we can develop a newer drug that we can aim towards the eating disorders clinic as an anorexic-specific drug that might be a little more acceptable to patients."

The study offers support for the clinical use of olanzapine, for which clinical trials are already under way to test in patients. Le Grange said the development of a pharmacological variant that more selectively treats anorexia nervosa could be a helpful way to avoid the "stigma" of taking an antipsychotic while giving clinicians an additional tool for helping patients.

"I think the clinical field is certainly very ready for something that is going to make a difference," Le Grange said. "I'm not saying there's a 'magic pill' for anorexia nervosa, but we have been lacking any pharmacological agent that clearly contributes to the recovery of our patients. Many parents and many clinicians are looking for that, because it would make our job so much easier if there was something that could turn symptoms around and speed up recovery."

Additionally, the study demonstrated the innovative experimental design and translational results that can come from a collaboration of laboratory and clinical experts.

"We don't talk to one another often enough in basic science and clinical science," Le Grange said. "More of that would be helpful for clinicians to understand the neurobiology of this disease. I'm very excited about the way this project is going, and I think it's going to be clinically very informative."

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Genital warts tied to range of cancers

Reuters – 9 hrs ago NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who've ever had genital warts may have a somewhat higher risk of several types of cancer -- possibly including common skin cancers, a new study suggests.

The findings, reported in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, confirm some well-established connections between the genital warts virus and certain cancers. And they hint that there could be additional risks.

Genital warts are caused by certain strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV). It's well known that some of those HPV strains -- some of which are the focus of vaccines -- can also promote tumors.

In most people, the immune system is able to clear HPV infection fairly quickly. But some people harbor persistent infections, and a chronic infection with a cancer-linked strain can eventually lead to cancer in some cases.

HPV is probably best known as a cause of cervical cancer -- a disease that experts say is nearly always caused by HPV. The virus is also blamed for most cases of anal cancer, and a large share of vaginal, vulvar and penile cancers.

Lesser known is the link between HPV and certain cancers of the mouth and throat. But a number of studies have found that a large portion of those cancers can be traced to HPV infection.

These latest findings, from a study of more than 49,000 Danish adults, confirm all those connections, said Dr. Susanne Kruger Kjaer of the Danish Cancer Society, who worked on the study.

They also hint that HPV might be involved in the risk of non-melanoma skin cancers -- the most common, and highly curable, types of skin cancer.

CANCER IN LESS THAN FIVE PERCENT

For the study, Kjaer and her colleagues looked at medical records for nearly 33,000 women and 16,000-plus men diagnosed with genital warts over 30 years.

As expected, they had higher-than-average rates of cervical, anal, penile and vaginal cancers, as well as certain mouth and throat cancers.

The vast majority remained cancer-free during the study period. In all, 2,363 people -- or less than 5 percent of the study group -- developed some form of cancer. And only 305 were diagnosed with any of the cancers known to be linked to HPV.

Still, some of those risks were higher than average.

Men with a history of genital warts had a 21 times higher-than-average risk of anal cancer, for instance. Among women, the risk was eight times higher than the norm.

The rates of cervical, penile, vaginal, and mouth and throat cancers were anywhere from 50 percent to eight-times higher, compared with the general population.

There was also some evidence tying genital warts to non-melanoma skin cancers, the researchers say.

Overall, 440 study participants, or less than 1 percent, developed non-melanoma skin cancer -- which is somewhat higher than expected, the researchers say.

It's possible there is some type of connection between HPV and non-melanoma skin cancer, Kjaer told Reuters Health in an email. Since the immune system fights both infections and cancer, it's possible that impaired immune function could underlie persistent HPV infection and skin cancer in some people.

But that's all "speculative" for now, Kjaer stressed.

Non-melanoma skin cancers are the most common type of cancer by far. In the U.S., about 3.5 million cases are diagnosed each year, according to the American Cancer Society.

Experts say the best way to cut your risk of skin cancer is to limit your sun exposure, especially if you have fair skin. No one knows whether preventing HPV infection has any effect.

COULD VACCINES PLAY A ROLE?

For now, there are no "concrete practical implications" from the current findings, Kjaer said.

But if further studies confirm that HPV is associated with a broader range of cancers, that could underscore the importance of preventing the infection, according to Kjaer.

There are two vaccines that can prevent infection with certain cancer-related strains of HPV: Merck's Gardasil and GlaxoSmithKline's Cervarix, both of which cost about $400 for three doses. The current study was funded by Sanofi Pasteur, which sells Gardasil in Europe.

Right now, public health authorities recommend that all girls and boys ages 11 and 12 receive the HPV vaccine. Older girls and young women up to age 26 are advised to get "catch-up" shots if they've never been vaccinated. The same advice goes for boys and men ages 13 to 21.

The HPV vaccine is generally considered safe. The most common side effects are pain at the injection site, fever, dizziness and nausea, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

SOURCE: http://bit.ly/HmRmm2 Journal of Infectious Diseases, online March 15, 2012.

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From a Failed Vaccine, New Insights Into Fighting HIV

HealthDay – 2 hrs 26 mins ago WEDNESDAY, April 4 (HealthDay News) -- A new study offers insight into why an HIV vaccine failed to protect most people who received it, but it also points to promising new targets for future vaccine efforts.

Scientists believe an HIV vaccine, designed to prevent infection with the virus that causes AIDS, is still several years away. Tests of experimental vaccines have largely been failures so far.

Nevertheless, the prospect of a vaccine remains tantalizing because it could make a major dent in the spread of HIV and AIDS around the world.

The new research "gives us a handle on how the immune system deals with the virus and is affected by a vaccine," said study lead author Dr. Barton Haynes, director at the Duke Human Vaccine Institute at Duke University in Durham, N.C. "It gives us clues and a firm direction to look into."

The study is based on work by more than 100 scientists from 25 institutions, and appears in the April 5 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Haynes and his colleagues examined the results of a 2009 study of an HIV vaccine in Thailand. In a trial involving more than 16,000 people, the vaccine appeared to cut the risk of infection by only 31 percent. That was still considered a major advance over previous vaccines that didn't work at all, Haynes noted.

The vaccine, called RV144, wasn't ready for prime time because it didn't protect enough people, Haynes said. "You want to get it above 50 percent," he said, and some scientists believe the rate should be even higher than that.

Despite the vaccine's failure, the authors of the new study were able to use the data to learn more about how the immune system deals with HIV and how the vaccine changes the "big picture" of the body's response to the virus.

The new research is an "exhaustive molecular analysis," said Dr. Lindsey Baden, an associate professor of medicine in the infectious disease division at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston who co-wrote a commentary accompanying the study.

Haynes said one surprising finding is about an antibody -- a soldier of the immune system -- that helps protect against influenza infection. Ironically, the antibody appears to boost the likelihood of HIV infection, he said.

Another finding was that higher levels of antibodies that home in on a particular region of HIV's outer shell, called V1V2, were associated with lower rates of infection with the virus.

This and other information in the study may help researchers come up with theories about where to go next with vaccine development, Baden said. Among other things, it can reveal parts of the immune system that can be most useful in battling the transmission of HIV.

Vaccines are available to fight other kinds of viruses, such as measles and influenza. HIV is unique, however, because it inserts its genetic material into the body's cells.

"When a person gets infected with HIV, that genetic material goes underground," Haynes said. "It's invisible to the body's immune system."

Another challenge is that the virus mutates, becoming a moving target.

"It changes so rapidly in the person who gets infected that even when the immune system does try to control it, in most people the immune system is always playing catch up," Haynes said.

More information

There's more on HIV/AIDS at the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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Depo-Provera Birth Control Might Raise Breast Cancer Risk

HealthDay – 2 hrs 26 mins ago WEDNESDAY, April 4 (HealthDay News) -- There appears to be a link between an injectable form of progestin-only birth control, best known as Depo-Provera, and an increased risk of breast cancer in young women, new research suggests.

For the study, researchers compared more than 1,000 Seattle-area women, aged 20 to 44, who were diagnosed with breast cancer, and more than 900 women without breast cancer.

Recent use of the injectable contraceptive (formally called depo-medroxyprogesterone acetate or DMPA) for a year or longer was associated with a 2.2-fold increased risk of invasive breast cancer, the study found.

This increased risk appeared to fade within months after women stopped using the contraceptive, and women who used the contraceptive for less than a year or who had stopped using it more than a year earlier did not have any increased risk of breast cancer, according to the findings published online and in the April 15 print issue of the journal Cancer Research.

"Although breast cancer is rare among young women and the elevated risk of breast cancer associated with DMPA appears to dissipate after discontinuation of use, our findings emphasize the importance of identifying the potential risks associated with specific forms of contraceptives given the number of available alternatives," study leader Dr. Christopher Li, a breast cancer epidemiologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, and colleagues wrote.

"In the United States, many women have numerous options for contraception, and so it is important to balance their risks and benefits when making contraceptive choices," Li noted in a news release from the research center.

While the study uncovered an association between Depo-Provera and raised breast cancer risk, it could not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

Commenting on the study, Dr. Elizabeth Poynor, a gynecologic oncologist and pelvic surgeon at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, said, "This study further confirms that some types of progestins are not healthy for the breast. For women who are at elevated risk to develop breast cancer based on family history, or even age, this type of contraception may not be a good choice for them."

But another expert cautioned that the study did have its limits.

Dr. Freya Schnabel, director of breast surgery at NYU Clinical Cancer Center in New York City, noted that the women in the study who seemed at highest risk of developing breast cancer while on Depo-Provera were those with a family history of the disease or women who had never had children (another known risk factor).

Furthermore, she said, "the study did not include information about all breast cancer risk factors in the participants, and this is a real limitation of the analysis which could impact on the results. Also, the mechanism by which the progesterone would increase risk only in current users is not clear."

According to Schnabel, all of this means that "more detailed studies are needed to clarify the relationship between this contraceptive method and risk of breast cancer."

The research was funded by the U.S. National Cancer Institute and the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program.

More information

Planned Parenthood has more about the birth control shot.

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Obese White Women Shying Away From Colon Cancer Screening

HealthDay – 2 hrs 26 mins ago WEDNESDAY, April 4 (HealthDay News) -- Obese white women are less likely than normal-weight white women or blacks of any weight or gender to seek potentially life-saving colon cancer screenings, according to a new study.

This reluctance is especially serious because obesity is associated with a higher risk for colon cancer and an increased risk of death from the disease, noted study leader Dr. Nisa Maruthur, an assistant professor in the general internal medicine division at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore.

"Being concerned about your weight usually is good, but here it appears to be keeping people from a test we know saves lives," Maruthur said in a Hopkins news release. "Obese white women may avoid screening because they feel stigmatized and embarrassed to disrobe for the tests."

Colonoscopy and fecal occult blood tests are two methods of colon cancer screening. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that adults aged 50 to 75 undergo colonoscopy on a periodic basis, but only 20 percent of women and 24 percent of men over age 50 do so, the study authors pointed out in background information in the news release.

For the new study, the researchers reviewed the findings of 23 published studies that included information on body mass index (BMI) and colon cancer screening. BMI is a measurement that takes into account height and weight. A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered normal weight, between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight and 30 or more is considered obese.

Overall, the Hopkins team found no link between higher BMI and lower rates of colon cancer screening. They did find such a link in obese white women, however.

Compared to normal-weight white women, those with a BMI between 30 and 34.9 were 13 percent less likely to be screened, and those with a BMI of 40 or higher were 27 percent less likely to be screened.

There was some indication that obese white men also are reluctant to undergo colon cancer screening, but further research is needed to confirm that data.

The study is published in the April 4 online issue of the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention.

Previous research by the same Johns Hopkins team found that obese white women are also less likely to seek mammography breast cancer screening and Pap smear screening for cervical cancer.

In addition to feeling reluctant to disrobe, another reason obese women may avoid the screening is because they may be dealing with other higher-priority health concerns, the researchers suggested.

More information

The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more about colorectal cancer screening.

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Narcissists Often Ace Job Interviews, Study Finds

HealthDay – 2 hrs 26 mins ago WEDNESDAY, April 4 (HealthDay News) -- Really, really liking yourself may give you the edge in your next job interview, a new study suggests.

That's because narcissists, known to be obnoxiously high on self-esteem, are better able to talk about and promote themselves, which projects confidence and expertise to interviewers, University of Nebraska-Lincoln researchers explained.

In their two-part study, narcissists scored much higher in a simulated job interview than equally qualified non-narcissists.

"This is one setting where it's OK to say nice things about yourself and there are no ramifications. In fact, it's expected," study co-author Peter Harms, an assistant professor of management, said in a university news release. "Simply put, those who are comfortable doing this tend to do much better than those who aren't."

The study, which appears in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology, first involved 72 people being videotaped as job applicants. While non-narcissistic people eased up on their self-promotion when challenged by expert interviewers, the narcissists actually increased their attempts to promote themselves, the researchers found.

In the second part of the study, 222 expert interviewers rated videos of applicants with similar job skills and varying degrees of narcissism. The self-promoters -- those who spoke quickly and at length and used such "ingratiation tactics" as smiling, gesturing and complimenting others -- received far more positive evaluations than equally qualified applicants who used tactical modesty, the researchers reported.

"This shows that what is getting (narcissists) the win is the delivery," Harms said. "These results show just how hard it is to effectively interview, and how fallible we can be when making interview judgments. We don't necessarily want to hire narcissists, but might end up doing so because they come off as being self-confident and capable."

The findings also suggest that interviewers need to be aware of the tactics used by narcissists, Harms said.

"On the whole, we find very little evidence that narcissists are more or less effective workers. But what we do know is that they can be very disruptive and destructive when dealing with other people on a regular basis," he said.

And, he added, "If everything else is equal, it probably is best to avoid hiring them."

More information

The U.S. National Library of Medicine explains narcissistic personality disorder.

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