clipped from psychcentral.com

Professor Uwe Dulleck, believes stress in the workplace is not necessarily a bad thing, because it is, in fact, a natural reaction.

Professor Dulleck is leading the Australian arm of a study that was awarded an Australian Research Council grant to study the effects of both positive and negative stress on workers’ decision-making.

“The study will use heart rate monitors to measure the stress of people ‘on the job’ and in the controlled environment of an experimental economics computer laboratory as they interact and communicate,” Professor Dulleck said.

“We will measure how much they are stressed in certain situations and whether that is positive or negative stress, this will be measured against how they behaved and what decisions they made - whether they made rational or emotional decisions.”

Professor Dulleck said negative stress could be detected by measuring a person’s heart beat and its variations over short intervals of time.

clipped from grenfell.yourguide.com.au

* There were 5,913 new cases of prostate cancer in NSW in 2005

* It is the third most common cause of cancer death in men. In 2005, 980 men died of prostate cancer in NSW

* Based on 2005 figures, 1 in 7 men in NSW will develop prostate cancer by the age of 75

* The good news is that early detection has a good prognosis and the survival rate has continued to improve from 59.4 per cent in 1980-83 to 88.3 per cent in 1993-2003. This is largely due men beginning to discuss the disease. Alan’s choice to go public will raise awareness further and hopefully encourage men to take the necessary precautions on prostate cancer

* Family history is a key risk factor for prostate cancer. The risk is increased in men who have more than one relative or a first-degree relative, such as father, brother or son, with prostate cancer, or a family member diagnosed before the age of 60

* Incidence rates and mortality rates increase with age and 35% of new cases and 64% of deaths occurred in males aged 75 and over

clipped from forneypost.net

In light of the recent report by the Texas Education Agency saying schools are flunking in physical fitness, Department of Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples wants to get back to the 3E's for Healthy Living - Education, Exercise and Eating Right.

"Texas is at war with a deadly obesity epidemic, and frankly, we are losing," Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples said. "Taxpayers are footing the bill for poor eating choices and we must change the trend."

Commissioner Staples wants schools and parents to adopt the three-pronged approach to battle obesity among Texas youth. This call to action becomes even more critical in light of results from a state-approved fitness assessment of more than 2 million Texas students. The study reveals student physical fitness levels declines as they progress to the next grade level.

clipped from www.thebulletin.us

The dementia and loss of mental faculties resulting from Alzheimer's disease has long been recognized, but the exact cause has remained elusive, until perhaps now.
New research suggests that one form of beta-amyloid protein - which clumps around an afflicted brain's neurons and forms plaque that inhibits and destroys neurons needed for daily functions and memories - causes symptoms of Alzheimer's.
Previous research had been unable to determine whether the beta-amyloid plaque was a cause or a side effect of Alzheimer's disease.
In the new study, researchers caused Alzheimer's symptoms of impaired memory function in rats by injecting them with a two-molecule soluble form of beta-amyloid protein.
One-molecule and three-molecule forms of both soluble and insoluble proteins did not trigger illness in the rats, which researchers say may explain why some people with beta-amyloid plaque don't exhibit such symptoms.

clipped from dailyheadlines.uark.edu

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Without an interpretive footnote or further information on recommended daily value, many consumers do not know how to interpret the meaning of trans-fat content on the Nutrition Facts panel, according to a new study by marketing researchers at the University of Arkansas.

In fact, without specific prior knowledge about trans fat and its negative health effects, consumers, including those at risk for heart disease, may misinterpret nutrient information provided on the panel, which is required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

“We found that in the absence of general knowledge about trans fat, especially without a specific understanding that 4 grams of trans fat is high, even motivated consumers – that is, those who consult the Nutrition Facts panel on food packages and want to know more about the food they eat – appear to misinterpret the meaning of trans-fat information,” said Howlett.

clipped from www.newswise.com

Newswise — Investigators at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified a genetic variation associated with an earlier age of onset in Alzheimer's disease.

Unlike genetic mutations previously linked to rare, inherited forms of early-onset Alzheimer's disease — which can strike people as young as their 30s or 40s — these variants influence an earlier presentation of symptoms in people affected by the more common, late-onset form of the disease.

Two principal features characterize Alzheimer's disease in the brain: amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. The plaques contain a protein called amyloid-beta. The tangles are made of a protein called tau.

The research team analyzed DNA from 313 subjects from Washington University's Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC), focusing on locations in the tau gene that previously have been found to vary between people.

clipped from www.redeyehealth.com

Diabetes is a disease that affects millions of Americans, children and adults alike. There are two major types of diabetes. Type I is a result of the body’s inability to produce insulin, a hormone that allows the body to convert sugars, starches and other food into energy. Type 2 is associated with insulin resistance and insulin deficiency. Unfortunately, most Americans are on the road to this type of diabetes due to a diet of highly-processed, rich foods. However, there are simple detours one can take to manage, delay or prevent Type 2 diabetes.

The Atkins diet helps effectively control blood sugar. The combination of proteins, fats and good carbohydrates will keep your body satisfied without the roller coaster effect. Controlling carbohydrates in quantity as well as type will help limit the insulin spikes. This will let your pancreas work in the way that it was meant to be, and it will decrease the likelihood of your developing pre-diabetic conditions.

clipped from www.revolutionhealth.com

Men's top 10 health threats: Mostly preventable