Links

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-08/esoc-tmo082318.php
Public Release: 25-Aug-2018
Too much of a good thing? Very high levels of 'good' cholesterol may be harmful
European Society of Cardiology
Very high levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL or "good") cholesterol may be associated with an increased risk of heart attack and death, according to research presented today at ESC Congress 2018.


https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-08/esoc-sfh082318.php
Public Release: 26-Aug-2018
Sleeping 5 hours or less a night associated with doubled risk of cardiovascular disease
European Society of Cardiology


https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-08/esoc-saf082318.php
Public Release: 26-Aug-2018
Short and fragmented sleep linked to hardened arteries
European Society of Cardiology
Sleeping less than six hours or waking up several times in the night is associated with an increased risk of asymptomatic atherosclerosis, which silently hardens and narrows the arteries, according to results of the PESA study1 presented today at ESC Congress 2018.2


https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-08/esoc-bip081618.php
Public Release: 26-Aug-2018
Bleeding in patients treated with anticoagulants should stimulate search for cancer
European Society of Cardiology
"In patients with stable coronary artery disease or peripheral artery disease, the occurrence of major gastrointestinal bleeding predicts a substantial increase in new gastrointestinal cancer diagnoses, while major genitourinary bleeding predicts a substantial increase in new genitourinary tract cancer diagnoses."


https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-08/esoc-bpa081618.php
Public Release: 26-Aug-2018
Blood pressure and cholesterol lowering drugs continue to improve survival after a decade
European Society of Cardiology


https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-08/esoc-fod081618.php
Public Release: 26-Aug-2018
Fish oils do not prevent heart attack or strokes in people with diabetes
European Society of Cardiology


https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-08/esoc-cwc082318.php
Public Release: 26-Aug-2018
Cooking with coal, wood, or charcoal associated with cardiovascular death
European Society of Cardiology


https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-08/esoc-pwh082318.php
Public Release: 26-Aug-2018
Patients with high blood pressure unlikely to reduce salt
More drugs needed to treat hypertension due to increased salt intake
European Society of Cardiology
Lack of adherence to recommended lifestyle changes is leading to higher salt intake for hypertensive patients, more medications needed to treat their condition and more side effects from those medications, according to lead author Dr Kazuto Ohno, Enshu Hospital, Hamamatsu, Japan.
"Patients may be able to improve this vicious cycle by restricting salt intake," Dr Ohno said. "In consequence, they may avoid diseases caused by hypertension, such as heart attacks, stroke and heart failure. Moreover, they may be able to avoid side effects from antihypertensive drugs, such as dizziness and fainting."


https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-08/jn-aaw082318.php
Public Release: 27-Aug-2018
ACA associated with decrease in cost-related medication nonadherence among survivors of stroke
JAMA Neurology
Bottom Line: Implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was associated with a decrease in cost-related nonadherence to medication by adult survivors of stroke (ages 45 to 64), as Medicaid coverage increased and uninsurance decreased in this group.


https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-08/uoc--mfi082318.php
Public Release: 27-Aug-2018
Marijuana found in breast milk up to six days after use
Researchers report 63 percent of breast milk samples from mothers using marijuana contained traces of the drug
University of California - San Diego


https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-08/bu-dhb082318.php
Public Release: 27-Aug-2018
Diet has bigger impact on emotional well-being in women than in men
Binghamton University
Women may need a more nutrient-rich diet to support a positive emotional well-being, according to new research from Binghamton University, State University at New York


https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-08/htcs-acl082318.php
Public Release: 27-Aug-2018
As CO2 levels climb, millions at risk of nutritional deficiencies
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Rising levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) from human activity are making staple crops such as rice and wheat less nutritious and could result in 175 million people becoming zinc deficient and 122 million people becoming protein deficient by 2050, according to new research led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The study also found that more than 1 billion women and children could lose a large amount of their dietary iron intake, putting them at increased risk of anemia and other diseases.


https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-08/pu-ass082718.php
Public Release: 27-Aug-2018
Ant-y social: Successful ant colonies hint at how societies evolve
Princeton University
detailed empirical observations of the clonal raider ant (Ooceraea biroi).
The scientists found that ant groups with as few as six individuals experienced significant benefits from group living, as measured by better-surviving and faster-growing babies. Their results appear in the journal Nature.
Small insect groups are more successful than solitary individuals for two main reasons, said Tokita, a co-author on the Nature paper. "First, there are 'more hands to do work,' so to speak," he said. "Important tasks don't slip through the cracks, because chances are there's always an individual to do the task."
Second, and unexpectedly, "incipient division of labor emerges already in these tiny groups of nearly identical individuals," added Tarnita.
The researchers studied ant groups ranging in size from one to 16 individuals. They chose this species because of its unusually simple social organization: colonies have no queens, just genetically identical workers that reproduce simultaneously.
At the outset, the researchers had assumed that the incipient division of labor was the key to success in their larger groups, a common assumption among modern economists as well. They were surprised to find that this was not completely true. Division of labor contributed to but was not necessary to produce the observed increase in fitness with group size, said Tokita. "Instead, we showed theoretically that increases in group size alone, even in the absence of division of labor, could create benefits for these small colonies."
In addition, their findings challenge a popular belief about group dynamics, that strong groups require strong leaders. "Complicated behaviors, like the division of labor, can self-organize," Tokita said. "The ant species we used does not have a leader at all. Instead, all group members are workers and they each lay their own eggs."


https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-08/uoic-fil082718.php
Public Release: 27-Aug-2018
Food insecurity leads to higher mortality risk, a new study finds
University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences
A wide array of negative health outcomes have been associated with food insecurity including diabetes, depression, and cardiovascular disease.
In a new study published in PLOS ONE, Gundersen and his co-authors find that household food insecurity is strongly associated with mortality rates in adults.
Researchers found that the more severe level of food insecure of an individual, the higher the risk of mortality. "We know that those with more severe levels of food insecurity have worse health outcomes and we found the same with mortality."
"Fortunately, there are proven methods to reduce food insecurity in the U.S. - the most critical being the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program. And this is one of the most effective ways we can reduce mortality rates, along with other social safety-net programs."
In light of the proven benefits of SNAP in reducing food insecurity and its consequences, Gundersen argues that a reconsideration of the costs associated with SNAP should be revisited. "When we think about the cost associated with SNAP, of course there's a dollar figure to how much it costs to get people SNAP, but we also have to think about the benefits of it: people living longer because they are getting sufficient levels of food."


https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/in-expensive-cities-rents-fall-for-the-rich--but-rise-for-the-poor/2018/08/05/a16e5962-96a4-11e8-80e1-00e80e1fdf43_story.html
Aug. 6, 2018
In expensive cities, rents fall for the rich — but rise for the poor
U.S. cities struggling with soaring housing costs have found some success in lowering rents this year, but that relief has not reached the renters most at risk of losing their housing.
Nationally, the pace of rent increases is beginning to slow down, with the average rent in at least six cities falling since last summer, according to Zillow data.
But the decline is being driven primarily by decreasing prices for high-end rentals. People in low-end housing, the apartments and other units that house working-class residents, are still paying more than ever.
Since last summer, rents have fallen for the highest earners while increasing for the poorest in San Francisco, Atlanta, Nashville, Chicago, Philadelphia, Denver, Pittsburgh, Washington and Portland, Ore., among other cities. In several other metro areas — including Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Houston and Miami — rents have risen for the poor and the rich alike.
City officials have said a boom in luxury housing construction would cause rents to fall for everyone else, arguing that creating new units for those at the top would ease competition for cheaper properties.
In part based on that theory, cities have approved thousands of new luxury units over the past several years, hoping to check high rents that have led more than 20 million American renters to be classified as “cost burdened,” defined as spending more than 30 percent of one’s income on housing.
Rising rents for the poor threaten to add to the nation’s homeless population, and put an additional severe strain on tens of millions of families, often forcing them to forgo other basic needs to avoid losing their housing.