Study Ties Kids' Allergy Risks to Antibacterials, Preservatives

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Who Has the Most Sway on Facebook?

HealthDay – 4 hrs ago THURSDAY, June 21 (HealthDay News) -- A new study of Facebook provides possible hints as to the identity of people who get listened to the most when voicing opinions or pitching products and who's most likely to do the listening.

The value of the research is limited since it only looks at one product. Still, the study suggests that men are major influencers, while younger users and married people are the least susceptible to suggestion.

The researchers sought to figure out who influences whom by tracking 1.3 million Facebook users. Specifically, they followed 7,730 users who tried out an application that allowed them to rate movies and actors, among other Hollywood-related subjects.

Whenever a user rated something, Facebook randomly sent messages to that user's Facebook friends disclosing the rating and including information about the application.

The researchers were able to track who had the most success when it came to convincing others to try the application and who was most likely to be convinced. However, not many people seemed interested in the application: The notifications went out to almost 42,000 Facebook friends, but only 976 actually tried it out.

Among the findings: Women have more influence on men than other women, and people 30 and older are more influential than younger people.

Study lead author Sinan Aral -- who has been working with Facebook -- cautioned that the research only looked at the one product. It will take more study to gain a wider picture.

The ultimate plan is to figure out how to best determine which people should get pitches, said Aral, an assistant professor of information, operations and management science at New York University.

"These types of targeted advertising will be based on whether you're a likely candidate to be influential considering the type of product," Aral said. "The idea is to make sure that people get the messages that they are most interested in and less spammy interactions."

This kind of ultra-focused targeting will make some people nervous. But Aral said its potential surpasses products and might be used, for example, to help boost awareness about health campaigns or politics.

What could advertisers of computer applications do with information from this kind of study?

"You'll want to use estimates from our methods to find people who are more influential, who have friends who are susceptible, and have a low spontaneous likelihood of adopting the program on their own," Aral said. That way, advertisers won't waste money trying to reach influential people who don't need coaxing to try a product.

Tanya Rosenblat, an associate professor of economics atIowa State University who studies social networks, cautioned that there's a major question regarding how to interpret the results. If someone hears that a Facebook friend uses the application and then tries it herself, is she being influenced or simply imitating the other person? "For example, if you find out that your best friend invests in AT&T stock, you might want to imitate her because she is a good investor. But this is a form of social learning rather than persuasion."

This sort of influencing of the influencers could spell trouble, Rosenblat said. "Since influential people tend to be less susceptible, it's likely that we overweigh their opinions compared to the opinions of others. Say a company tries to influence a population by influencing the influencers: This might be a way to swing public opinion."

The study was published online June 21 in the journal Science.

More information

The American Psychological Association has more on social networking.

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Child's Scoliosis Stresses Patients, Parents: Study

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Gene Studies Support 'Queen of Sheba' Legend

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Once-Banned Bird Flu Study Yields Sobering Findings

HealthDay – 4 hrs ago THURSDAY, June 21 (HealthDay News) -- As few as five mutations are enough to make the H5N1 avian influenza virus transmissible via airborne droplets between ferrets, according to a new, highly anticipated report.

Because the flu virus affects ferrets and humans in a similar way, the new findings, appearing in the June 22 issue of the journal Science, may shed light on how likely it is that an avian or "bird flu" virus will become pandemic and spread rapidly between humans.

If a new virus emerged, humans could essentially be defenseless against it.

The paper is the second of two whose publication was banned by the U.S. government, which feared that publishing specifics on a sequence of the H5N1 bird flu might prompt bioterrorists to develop and unleash a pandemic.

In April, however, the controversial ban was lifted and the first paper was published in the journal Nature.

Bruce Alberts, the editor-in-chief of Science, speaking at a press conference Wednesday, said he hoped publication of this and a companion paper "will help to make the world safer by stimulating more scientists and policy makers to focus on preparing defenses

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Travel and Other Adventures Can Boost Happiness

HealthDay – 4 hrs ago THURSDAY, June 21 (HealthDay News) -- If you buy life experiences such as an exotic vacation or tickets to a major concert in order to impress other people, you won't get much of a happiness boost, a new study finds.

However, if you spend money on a trip or an adventure for the right reasons -- that is, because it fits with your interests and values -- you can derive happiness from the experience, said Ryan Howell, an assistant professor of psychology at San Francisco State University.

"Why you buy is just as important as what you buy. When people buy life experiences to impress others, it wipes out the well-being they receive from the purchase," he said in a university news release.

For this study, Howell and colleagues surveyed 241 people and found that those who buy life experiences because it meshes with their desires, interests and values reported an increased sense of fulfillment and well-being. These people were more likely to feel less lonely, more competent and self-sufficient.

On the other hand, people who buy life experiences in order to impress others reported feeling less self-sufficient, competent and connected to others.

"The biggest question you have to ask yourself is why you are buying something. Motivation appears to amplify or eliminate the happiness effect of a purchase," Howell said.

The study was published online June 13 in the Journal of Happiness Studies.

More information

Mental Health America outlines ways to live your life well.

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Health Highlights: June 21, 2012

HealthDay – 4 hrs ago Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

Seizure Leads to U.S. Commerce Secretary's Resignation

A seizure suffered earlier this month has led U.S. Commerce Secretary John Bryson to resign from the Obama administration.

Bryson, 68, was found unconscious after he was involved in a series of traffic crashes in the Los Angeles earlier this month. A breathalyzer test did not detect any alcohol, the Associated Press reported.

In his resignation letter, Bryson said his decision was a "consequence of a recent seizure and a medical leave of absence."

He also wrote: ""I have concluded that the seizure I suffered on June 9th could be a distraction from my performance as secretary, and that our country would be better served by a change in leadership," the AP reported.

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Traffic Noise Increases Heart Attack Risk: Study

People who live near roads with high levels of traffic noise are at increased risk for a heart attack, according to a new study.

Researchers followed more than 50,000 people in Denmark, ages 50 to 64, for 10 years and found that for every 10 decibel rise in traffic noise near a person's home, there was a 12 percent increased risk of a first heart attack, ABC News reported.

The study was published Wednesday in the journal PLoS One.

Previous research has found some association between traffic noise and heart health but study lead author Dr. Mette Sorensen said she was surprised to find such a direct link between traffic noise levels and heart attack risk, ABC News reported.

"Previously, there seemed to be no effect up to around 60 decibels," she said. "But I see increases at around 40 decibels up to the highest level, around 82 decibels. It doesn't seem to be a level where there are no effects."

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Group Challenges Merck's Marketing of Children's Allergy Medicine

Drug maker Merck is using animated characters from the movie "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted" to improperly market over-the-counter allergy medicine to children, public health advocates charge in a complaint filed Wednesday with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

The Public Health Advocacy Institute and 10 other groups say the marketing strategy for Children's Claritin is dangerous and deceptive. They point to the inclusion of Madagascar movie stickers in some boxes of the allergy medicine, activity books that parents can download for their children, and Merck's enlistment of a group of mothers who blog to hold Claritin-themed Madagascar viewing parties for their children and friends, The New York Times reported.

The complainants also noted that the same animated characters are used to promote other children's products such as candy and gummy snacks. This could lead children to confuse the grape-flavored Claritin tablets and syrup for candy, they warn.

Merck is reviewing the issue, spokeswoman Kelley Dougherty told The Times. But she added: "We advertised in appropriate venues to reach those parents of children who may benefit from the use of Claritin, and not to the children themselves."

The FTC will review the complaint, an official said.

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Fat-Free Salad Dressings Reduce Nutrient Intake: Study

Putting a fat-free dressing on your salad may actually reduce the amount of nutrients your body absorbs from the vegetables and fruits in your salad, a new study suggests.

Purdue University researchers found that some fat in dressings is essential to absorb compounds such as lycopene and beta-carotene, which have been linked with a reduced risk of illnesses such as heart disease and cancer, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The study was published online Wednesday in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research.

"If you want to utilize more from your fruits and vegetables, you have to pair them correctly with fat-based dressings," lead author Mario Ferruzzi, an associate professor of food science, said in a news release, The Times reported. "If you have a salad with a fat-free dressing, there is a reduction in calories, but you lose some of the benefits of the vegetables."

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New Dengue Fever Test Approved by FDA

A new test for dengue fever that was developed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

The test can identify all four types of dengue virus types and will help diagnose dengue within the first seven days after symptoms of the illness appear, when is when most people are likely to see a doctor, the CDC said.

This is the first FDA-approved test that detects evidence of the virus itself and the test can be performed using equipment and supplies that many public health laboratories already use to diagnose influenza. Test kits will be available for distribution in early July.

Dengue viruses are transmitted by mosquitoes. Thousands of U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands develop dengue every year, and dengue is a leading cause of fever in American travelers returning from Asia, the Caribbean and Latin America.

Severe dengue infections can lead to hemorrhage, shock and death. There are no vaccines to prevent dengue or medicines specifically approved to treat the disease, but early medical care can greatly reduce the risk of death, the CDC said.

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Rare Drug-Resistant Bacteria Spotted in U.S. Hospital

HealthDay – 4 hrs ago THURSDAY, June 21 (HealthDay News) -- A rare type of deadly bacteria was found in two patients in a Rhode Island hospital in 2011, but swift treatment and infection control measures stopped any further spread, a new government report shows.

The bacterium -- called New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase (NDM)-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae -- is highly resistant to antibiotics and easily spread. It is rare in the United States, but more common in areas including India, Pakistan, Cambodia and other Asian countries.

"These people had the bacteria in their body, but fortunately it was not causing an infection anywhere," said lead researcher Dr. Leonard Mermel, medical director of the department of epidemiology and infection control at Rhode Island Hospital, in Providence.

The bacteria were isolated in one patient's urine sample and in another patient's fecal sample, but nowhere else in their body.

Infections with this strain of bacteria, however, can be deadly and there are few treatment options, Mermel said.

Where the bacteria is endemic, its growth is spurred on by several conditions, he said.

"In many parts of the developing world, you can just walk into a pharmacy and get antibiotics without a prescription, so there is widespread antibiotic use," Mermel said.

This ease of getting antibiotics coupled with poor sanitation promotes bacteria growth and creates a "perfect storm" for the development of resistant strains of bacteria, he said.

The report was published in this week's issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a publication of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The first patient was hospitalized in Rhode Island, after being hospitalized in her native Cambodia and treated with antibiotics. In the U.S. hospital, infection was discovered and she received a wide range of antibiotics. However, only partial infection control measures were taken. Eventually, the infection spread to another patient in the same ward.

At that time, stronger infection control measures were taken and no other patients were infected.

Dr. Marc Siegel, an infectious disease expert and associate professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City, said that "this is not an epidemic, but it is eyebrow-raising. This bacteria is very problematic and highly resistant to antibiotics."

So far, this hasn't become epidemic, he said. "These are isolated cases," he said. "This is another resistant bacteria -- an ultra-resistant bacteria."

Siegel doesn't expect to see this bacteria become common in the United States.

"I don't think it's going to take hold here," he said. "I am concerned more about the importing of this bacteria. We are going to be seeing more cases."

The goal is to control the bacteria with infection precautions, including patient isolation, Siegel said.

This case drives home several points, he noted. "We need better sanitation in hospitals. We need to be vigilant in searching for these types of bacteria. We really could use more antibiotics. There have been almost no new antibiotics in the past decade."

It's the tip of the iceberg, Siegel said. "The iceberg is the developing of resistant bacteria, but this bacteria is not likely to spread in the near future, but it is of concern."

The overuse of antibiotics adds to the creation of these resistant strains, he added.

More information

For more on drug-resistant bacteria, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Anti-Smoking Ads Have Increased Quit Attempts: CDC

HealthDay – 4 hrs ago THURSDAY, June 21 (HealthDay News) -- National ads featuring people living with the effects of smoking-related diseases may have worked better at prompting smokers to kick the habit than expected, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The "Tips From Former Smokers" ad campaign, which ran from March 19 through June 10, doubled the volume of calls to 1-800-QUIT-NOW, a hotline that links callers to the quit line in their state.

After just 12 weeks, the ads also drove 417,000 more people to smokefree.gov, the federal website designed to help people quit smoking, the CDC reported. The agency pointed out that this was triple the normal traffic to the site.

According to the CDC, the numbers indicate the ad campaign is on track to surpass the goal of getting at least 500,000 people to try to stop smoking.

"These initial results suggest that the campaign will help even more people quit than we had hoped, exceeding our already high expectations," CDC director Dr. Thomas Frieden said in an agency news release. "More than two-thirds of all smokers want to quit. People who smoke die sooner and live sicker. This campaign is saving lives and saving money."

Although smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the United States, the CDC projected the ad campaign will result in about 50,000 smokers quitting successfully, leading to savings of roughly $70 million in medical and productivity costs.

Smoking-related diseases cost Americans $96 billion annually in direct health care costs, according to the news release. The CDC concluded that the $54 million ad campaign is important to counter the $10 billion the tobacco industry spends each year in marketing costs for their products.

More information

The American Cancer Society provides tips on how to quit smoking.

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Better Health Screening Urged for Female College Athletes

HealthDay – 4 hrs ago THURSDAY, June 21 (HealthDay News) -- Shortfalls in the screening of female college athletes for a trio of medical issues called the "female athlete triad" could put them at risk for lifelong health problems, according to a new study.

The triad refers to the interrelationship between energy availability, menstrual function and bone mineral density. Research has shown that many female athletes do not take in enough nutrition, which leads to the absence of menstrual periods, and loss of bone density and strength.

Medical College of Wisconsin researchers surveyed 257 NCAA Division I universities to find out when and how often athletes underwent physical examinations and had their health histories checked. The researchers also evaluated the pre-participation examination forms used to further assess athletes' health.

Sixty-three percent of the university athletic programs only completed a full medical history and examination on freshmen and transfer athletes, instead of on all athletes every year or every two years.

Only 9 percent of the universities had nine or more of the 12 Female Athlete Triad Coalition screening recommendations on their pre-participation exam forms, the investigators found.

"For an accurate picture, these forms really need to include a 72-hour food record to measure energy intake," corresponding author Dr. Anne Hoch, professor of orthopedic surgery and director of the women's sports medicine program, said in a Medical College of Wisconsin news release.

"An exercise history or an accelerometer, which is an inexpensive way to measure energy expenditure, is also helpful. These screening tools may result in early identification of athletes at risk for the triad," she added.

Further research is required to determine the most sensitive and specific items to include on a screening tool for the Female Athlete Triad, the researchers suggested.

The study was published in a recent online edition of the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine.

More information

The Nemours Foundation has more about the female athlete triad.

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Red Wine, Weather May Trigger Migraines

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Boehner to U.S. House on healthcare ruling: don't gloat

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