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UMICH: High-testosterone people reinforced by others' anger

Most people don't appreciate an angry look, but a new University of Michigan psychology study found that some people find angry expressions so rewarding that they will readily learn ways to encourage them. "It's kind of striking that an angry facial expression is consciously valued as a very negative signal by almost everyone, yet at a non-conscious level can be like a tasty morsel that some people will vigorously work for," said Oliver Schultheiss, co-author of the study and a U-M associate professor of psychology.

The findings may explain why some people like to tease each other so much, he added. "Perhaps teasers are reinforced by that fleeting 'annoyed look' on someone else's face and therefore will continue to heckle that person to get that look again and again," he said. "As long as it does not stay there for long, it's not perceived as a threat, but as a reward."

[ mp3 ] listen or download » umich.edu [ Contribute: submit link / submit article / submit company ]

iPods can cause cardiac pacemakers to fail

iPods can cause cardiac implantable pacemakers to malfunction by interfering with the electromagnetic equipment monitoring the heart, according to a study presented by a 17-year-old high school student to a meeting of heart specialists on Thursday.

The study tested the effect of the portable music devices on 100 patients, whose mean age was 77, outfitted with pacemakers. Electrical interference was detected half of the time when the iPod was held just 2 inches from the patient's chest for 5 to 10 seconds.

The reason why it this hasn't been caught before?
"Most pacemaker patients are not iPod users," Jongnarangsin said.

» reuters.co.uk 

Tags: pacemakers, cardiovascular, hearth+health

Stark warning about rising Medicare costs

Medicare trustees issued the first ever statutory warning over the long-term finances of the government-backed health programme for senior citizens on Monday.

The warning, required by law, came as new projections showed the share of Medicare costs paid out of general taxation would exceed 45 per cent by 2013. More realistic assumptions suggest this threshold could be breached as early as 2010.

“Today is a historic occasion and not a happy one,” Hank Paulson, the Treasury secretary, said. He said he was frustrated at the lack of response to his efforts to generate a bipartisan initiative to tackle the problem of financing Medicare and the other main entitlement programmes, Medicaid and Social Security.

“There was a time when I was a bit more optimistic than I was today,” he said. “I am getting a little bit tired of playing solitaire.”

[ PDF ] 2007 Medicare Trustees Report

» HHS Press Release on the 2007 Medicare Trustees Report
» Financial Times

Science Business: The Promise, The Reality, and The Future of Biotech

In our feature segment, IdeaCast producer Steve Singer talks with Harvard Business School professor and author Gary Pisano about his new HBS Press book, Science Business: The Promise, The Reality, and The Future of Biotech.

Despite all its promise, Pisano contends that biotech suffers from some underlying problems, which are related to the business of science and the unique challenges these businesses face. Pisano offers insights into how to overcome these hurdles.

[mp3] Listen or Download / HBR IdeaCast

Study: Childhood soy intake was significantly associated with reduced breast cancer risk

They found that women who ate the most soy-based foods (such as tofu, miso, natto) during ages 5-11 reduced their risk of developing breast cancer by 58 percent, compared to women who ate the least amount. The corresponding reductions for adolescent and adult intake were about 25 percent.

The underlying mechanism is not known. However, Korde said that one hypothesis for the decreased risk associated with childhood intake is that soy isoflavones have estrogenic effects that cause changes in breast tissue, leading to decreased sensitivity to carcinogens. A similar protective effect has been found in studies of overweight girls, perhaps because fat tissue also secretes estrogens, she added.

» Search Childhood-Specific Tags: Breast Cancer Risk - soy isoflavones - soy intake
» American Association for Cancer Research

Intensive Lipitor Therapy Reduced Heart Attack and Stroke By One-Third In Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease

Results of a new analysis showed that patients who have heart disease and chronic kidney disease who took Lipitor® (atorvastatin calcium) Tablets (80 mg) reduced their risk of heart attack and stroke by 32 percent compared with patients taking the 10 mg dose of Lipitor. This analysis of a subset of patients from the five-year TNT (Treating to New Targets) study was designed and completed after the end of the trial. The data were presented here today at the Annual Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association.

» Search Healthcare-Specific Tags: Lipitor - Heart Disease - Chronic Kidney Disease
» Pfizer

Democrats will move to lift the prohibition against the government negotiating directly with pharmaceutical companies over drug prices.

Some Democrats want to use the savings to expand benefits, but just how much could be saved is in dispute. The Department of Veterans Affairs already negotiates directly with drug companies. A study by Families USA, a liberal advocacy group, contends that the VA's prices on major drugs are 48 percent lower than Medicare's.

The administration says the comparison is misleading. The VA program serves a smaller population (4.4 million vs. 23 million for Medicare), and drug companies wouldn't provide such steep discounts for a bigger program.

» Search Healthcare-Specific Tags: Medicare - Drug Prices - Medicare Drug Plans
» washingtonpost.com

Independent researcher faces off with major drug companies over timeliness of failed experimental heart drug findings.

Unexpected controversy at the American Heart Association conference over test results of a failed experimental drug pits an independent researcher against a massive drug company and its biotech partner.

The experimental heart disease drug, a joint venture between Procter & Gamble and Alexion Pharmaceuticals failed to improve the survivability of heart attack patients, announced the lead researcher of the company funded study, Dr. Paul Armstrong, a cardiologist at University Hospital of Alberta in Edmonton Canada, on Tuesday.

» Search Healthcare-Specific Tags: Alexion Pharmaceuticals - Pexelizumab - Soliris
» CNNMoney

Merck Launches Ad Campaign for GARDASIL, Cervical Cancer Vaccine

First and only vaccine indicated for the prevention of HPV types 16- and 18-related cervical cancer, cervical pre-cancers (CIN 2/3 and AIS), vulvar pre-cancers (VIN 2/3) and vaginal pre-cancers (VaIN 2/3) and for the prevention of genital warts and low-grade cervical lesions (CIN 1) caused by HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18.

» Search Healthcare-Specific Tags: Cervical Cancer - GARDASIL
» gardasil.com

Drug-Drug Interactions Clinically Manageable With PREZISTA

New studies on the use of PREZISTA(TM), an investigational anti-HIV medication, suggest that it can be co-administered with many common medications taken by people with HIV, including other antiretrovirals, proton pump inhibitors, H2 blockers and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. According to current HIV treatment guidelines, potential drug interactions between HIV antiretrovirals and other necessary drugs can be dangerous and require special monitoring.

» Search Healthcare-Specific Tags: PREZISTA - HIV - H2 Blockers
» PRNewswire