http://www.medindia.net/healthnews/Alcoholic-Liver-Disease-news.asp Medindia largest health website in india. en-us Copyright 2013. All Rights Reserved. Mon, 20 May 2013 06:48:12 GMT http://www.medindia.net/news/coffee-intake-lowers-liver-disease-risk-119124-1.htm Regular coffee consumption is linked to reduced risk of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), an autoimmune liver disease, say researchers. PSC is an inflammatory disease of the bile ducts that results in inflammation and subsequent fibrosis that can lead to cirrhosis of the liver, liver failure and biliary cancer. "While rare, PSC has extremely detrimental effects," says study author Craig Lammert, M.D., a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist. "We''re always looking for ways to mitigate ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/coffee-intake-lowers-liver-disease-risk-119124-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/elevated-cadmium-levels-may-lead-to-liver-disease-118756-1.htm High cadmium levels in urine have been linked to 3.5 times higher fatality rates occurring due to liver disease. The research findings do not show that cadmium directly causes liver disease, the scientists caution, but do suggest an association that needs more investigation. Reviewing information from a large population-based survey, the Johns Hopkins investigators say the cadmium-liver disease link disproportionately affects men. The gender differences could occur because of the protective ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/elevated-cadmium-levels-may-lead-to-liver-disease-118756-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/hospitals-should-randomly-test-physicians-for-drug-and-alcohol-use-118720-1.htm Two physicians at Johns Hopkins have recommended that hospitals should randomly test their physicians for drug and alcohol use, similar to the way other industries in the US do, in order to improve patient safety, a new study published in the Journal of American Medical Association reveals. In addition, the experts say, medical institutions should take a cue from other high-risk industries, like airlines, railways and nuclear power plants, and mandate that doctors be tested for drug or alcohol ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/hospitals-should-randomly-test-physicians-for-drug-and-alcohol-use-118720-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/in-rats-deep-brain-stimulation-helps-cut-alcohol-intake-118534-1.htm A new study has found that deep brain stimulation (DBS) in the form of high-frequency stimulation (HFS) of the nucleus accumbens shell (AcbSh) in alcoholic rats consistently reduced alcohol consumption. The finding suggests that the AcbSh could be a target in the future for surgical intervention of addiction. In the study, researchers used alcohol-preferring (P) rats as an animal model for alcoholism, with the study assessing whether HFS of the AcbSh in P rats would affect their alcohol consumption....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/in-rats-deep-brain-stimulation-helps-cut-alcohol-intake-118534-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/new-drug-can-reduce-amount-of-alcohol-consumed-by-problem-drinkers-118514-1.htm There may be relief at hand for Britons suffering from alcoholism with a new drug, which helps them reduce the amount of alcohol they consume, to be available from Monday. The drug, known as nalmefene, has already been approved in Norway, Finland, Poland and the Baltic countries and doctors in Britain can now prescribe the drug to their patients with the manufacturers claiming that it can reduce the alcohol consumption levels by as much as 60 percent. The drug will cost around 42.42 for 14 tablets....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/new-drug-can-reduce-amount-of-alcohol-consumed-by-problem-drinkers-118514-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/wine-lovers-unhappy-due-to-rising-alcohol-levels-118321-1.htm Fed up with having to stop drinking wine after just one glass? Do those New World Cabernets and Zinfandels make your head spin? Plenty of wine lovers around the world will have noticed their favourite tipples are getting stronger, and many of them are unhappy about the hangovers that come with increased alcohol levels. But it seems they have only themselves to blame as experts say that changing consumer tastes are mainly responsible for driving the trend. Wine critics and advances in ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/wine-lovers-unhappy-due-to-rising-alcohol-levels-118321-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/alcoholic-women-less-likely-to-take-multivitamins-118301-1.htm A new link has been found between the use of multivitamins and alcohol consumption before pregnancy, which sheds light on the importance of education about its use, particularly among women. The study was published online this month in iAlcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research/i. Researchers examined data collected from the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention's multiple-state Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) of more than 100,000 women between 2004 and 2008....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/alcoholic-women-less-likely-to-take-multivitamins-118301-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/clinical-studies-find-new-advances-in-the-management-of-patients-with-cirrhosis-118219-1.htm New data from clinical studies provide new rationale for an old and established treatment option for portal hypertension. The studies were presented for the first time at the International Liver Congress 2013. Additionally, spleen stiffness predicts the occurrence of clinical complications, which is of paramount importance in clinical practice. In patients with cirrhosis, increasing blood pressure in the abdominal circulatory system (known as portal hypertension) leads to potentially lethal ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/clinical-studies-find-new-advances-in-the-management-of-patients-with-cirrhosis-118219-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/new-data-novel-screening-tests-for-liver-cancer-118159-1.htm New data demonstrates substantial improvements in the detection of both hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cholangiocarcinoma (CC) using diagnostic urine tests. The data from two clinical trials was presented today at the International Liver Congress 2013. HCC is common throughout the world and most often develops as a late complication of chronic viral hepatitis or cirrhosis of any cause. The overall survival rate of HCC is poor and so screening for HCC offers the best hope for early detection, ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/new-data-novel-screening-tests-for-liver-cancer-118159-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/non-alcoholic-fatty-liver-disease-increases-risk-of-atherosclerotic-lesions-118127-1.htm An analysis of the link between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), early predictors of atherosclerosis and the 10-year Framingham risk score (FRS) reveals that the risk of early atherosclerotic lesions increases due to NAFLD regardless of established cardiovascular (CV) risk factors, according to a study presented at the International Liver Congress 2013. NAFLD is one of the most common causes of chronic liver disease. Patients with NAFLD have an excess prevalence of CV events and typically ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/non-alcoholic-fatty-liver-disease-increases-risk-of-atherosclerotic-lesions-118127-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/dietary-substitution-of-saturated-fats-prevent-nonalcoholic-fatty-liver-disease-118050-1.htm Scientists have determined that dietary substitution of saturated fats enriched in medium chain triglycerides (MCT) for polyunsaturated fat prevents the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The scientists did their study at the Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center, a U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service Human Nutrition Research Center at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, led by Dr. Martin Ronis. NAFLD occurs in patients with obesity ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/dietary-substitution-of-saturated-fats-prevent-nonalcoholic-fatty-liver-disease-118050-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/obesity-and-regular-alcohol-consumption-linked-to-high-risk-of-liver-disease-118029-1.htm A new study conducted in Britain and which has been presented at the International Liver Congress suggests that the combination of obesity and regular consumption of alcohol increases the risk of liver disease. Researchers at University College of London Institute of Liver and Digestive Health observed more than 107,000 women who had low or high BMI and low or high consumption of alcohol, from 0 to 15 units in a week. The researchers found that those who were obese but did not drink were 1.7 ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/obesity-and-regular-alcohol-consumption-linked-to-high-risk-of-liver-disease-118029-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/exercise-may-help-beat-liver-cancer-118000-1.htm According to a recent study, regular exercise may reduce the risk of liver cancer. The research involved two groups of mice that were fed a control diet and a high fat diet, which were then divided into separate exercise and sedentary groups. The exercise groups were made to run on a motorised treadmill for 60 minutes per day, five days a week. After 32 weeks of regular exercise, 71 percent of mice on the controlled diet developed tumours larger than 10mm versus 100 percent in the sedentary group....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/exercise-may-help-beat-liver-cancer-118000-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/attempts-to-influence-alcohol-policy-made-by-alcohol-industry-117998-1.htm According to UK experts writing in this week's iPLOS Medicine/i, the alcohol industry, including the major supermarkets ignored, misrepresented and undermined international evidence on effective alcohol control policies in an attempt to influence public health policy in Scotland to its advantage. The experts, led by Jim McCambridge from the London School of Hygiene (and) Tropical Medicine, analysed the alcohol industry's input into the Scottish Government's 2008 Consultation on "Changing Scotland's ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/attempts-to-influence-alcohol-policy-made-by-alcohol-industry-117998-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/scientists-identify-how-alcohol-might-affect-key-brain-proteins-117939-1.htm The University of Texas at Austin and the Pasteur Institute researchers have discovered one of alcohol's key gateways to the brain. It's a major step on the road to eventually developing drugs that could disrupt the interaction between alcohol and the brain. "Now that we've identified this key brain protein and understand its structure, it's possible to imagine developing a drug that could block the binding site," said Adron Harris, professor of biology and director of the Waggoner ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/scientists-identify-how-alcohol-might-affect-key-brain-proteins-117939-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/binge-drinking-leads-to-heart-disease-117833-1.htm Binge drinking in college can increase a healthy adult's risk of developing cardiovascular disease later in life, says study published in iJournal of the American College of Cardiology/i. "Regular binge drinking is one of the most serious public health problems confronting our college campuses, and drinking on college campuses has become more pervasive and destructive," said Shane A. Phillips, PT, PhD, senior author and associate professor and associate head of physical therapy at the University of Illinois at Chicago....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/binge-drinking-leads-to-heart-disease-117833-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/study-says-parents-can-help-their-children-avoid-alcohol-pitfalls-during-transition-from-high-school-to-college-117624-1.htm The transition from high school to college is a particularly vulnerable time, previous research has shown as it is associated with increased alcohol use and risk of negative alcohol-related consequences. While studies have examined the effectiveness of prevention programs to address this problem, few have examined which students may benefit the most. A study of student characteristics has found that parent-based interventions (PBIs) can be effective even among those students feeling high peer pressure to drink alcohol....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/study-says-parents-can-help-their-children-avoid-alcohol-pitfalls-during-transition-from-high-school-to-college-117624-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/light-drinking-during-pregnancy-may-not-harm-fetus-117553-1.htm It is okay for pregnant women to drink during pregnancy provided they do not consume more than two units a week, revealed a recent study. The insight found that light drinking during pregnancy does not adversely affect the behavioral and mental development of the child. The study analyzed the abilities of 10,534 UK seven-year-olds - some of the mothers had consumed alcohol moderately during pregnancy while some had abstained from it. The study found little difference between the two ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/light-drinking-during-pregnancy-may-not-harm-fetus-117553-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/new-technique-holds-promise-for-liver-cancer-patients-117545-1.htm According to a recent study a new invasive tumor ablation technique is providing hope for liver cancer patients who cannot undergo surgery. The study of 22 patients at the Universitatsklinikum Regensberg in Regensberg, Germany, found that irreversible electroporation (IRE) successfully destroyed tumor tissue in 70% of these patients. These patients were not responsive to conventional therapy or their tumor was in a location that was not suitable for standard treatment, said Dr. Philipp Wiggermann, lead author of the study....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/new-technique-holds-promise-for-liver-cancer-patients-117545-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/paving-way-for-long-sought-treatments-for-liver-disease-is-a-new-genetic-screen-117427-1.htm One million deaths around the world each year are caused due to chronic liver failure which happens to be a major health problem. A study published April 11th by Cell Press in the journal iCell/i reveals a new type of screen for identifying genes that promote liver repair in mouse models of both acute and chronic liver disease. The study shows that the MKK4 gene could be a promising therapeutic target to enhance liver regeneration and provides a blueprint for future studies aimed at discovering new therapies for liver disease....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/paving-way-for-long-sought-treatments-for-liver-disease-is-a-new-genetic-screen-117427-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/reduced-alcohol-consumption-more-effective-than-abstinence-in-treating-alcoholism-117399-1.htm A new study published in the journal Biological Psychiatry suggests that a new form of treatment known as nalmefene, which includes reducing alcohol consumption, instead of complete abstinence, is effective in treating alcoholism. Traditionally, abstinence has been regarded as the primary treatment goal for alcohol dependence, and current pharmacological treatments for alcoholism are approved only for relapse prevention. However, relapse rates remain high and a goal of abstinence is unacceptable to many patients....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/reduced-alcohol-consumption-more-effective-than-abstinence-in-treating-alcoholism-117399-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/regulating-density-of-alcohol-outlets-may-help-improve-public-health-117367-1.htm New research suggests regulating alcohol outlet density is an effective strategy for reducing excessive alcohol consumption and associated harms. A new report from the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health documents how localities can address alcohol outlet density, and outlines the critical role of health departments and community coalitions in these efforts. The report, published in the journal iPreventing Chronic Disease/i, ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/regulating-density-of-alcohol-outlets-may-help-improve-public-health-117367-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/students-prone-to-alcohol-use-more-connected-to-facebook-117348-1.htm A recent study has revealed that anxiety and alcohol use among college students significantly predict emotional connectedness to Facebook. The study, published in The Journal of Computers in Human Behaviour by Russell Clayton, a Ph.D. student at the University of Missouri School of Journalism, indicated the precursors that lead to Facebook connections with people online, rather than in a more social, public setting. The study conducted under Randall Osborne, Brian Miller and Crystal Oberle's ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/students-prone-to-alcohol-use-more-connected-to-facebook-117348-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/alcohol-consumption-doesnt-impact-breast-cancer-survival-study-117202-1.htm A new study has found that drinking before and after diagnosis of breast cancer does not impact survival from the disease. In fact, a modest survival benefit was found in women who were moderate drinkers before and after diagnosis due to a reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, a major cause of mortality among breast cancer survivors. "Our findings should be reassuring to women who have breast cancer because their past experience consuming alcohol will not impact their survival after diagnosis," said Polly Newcomb, Ph....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/alcohol-consumption-doesnt-impact-breast-cancer-survival-study-117202-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/nz-women-taking-alcohol-breath-test-died-due-to-stress-117043-1.htm A woman in New Zealand who was being tested for alcohol in her breath died in the police booze bus due to arrhythmia in her heart which was triggered by stress and anxiety, an inquest into her death revealed. Elizabeth Jill Gilbertson was stopped at a checkpoint by the police on June 3 last year and was taken for a breath test. Gilbertson had moved to New Zealand from South Africa just six months ago and her brother, Dr Ian Gilbertson, said that she would have been terrified over the events that ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/nz-women-taking-alcohol-breath-test-died-due-to-stress-117043-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/new-insights-into-alcohol-addiction-116576-1.htm Recent study conducted by scientists shed light on why some people are more susceptible to alcohol addiction than others. Jeff Weiner, who directs the Translational Studies on Early-Life Stress and Vulnerability to Alcohol Addiction project at Wake Forest Baptist, and colleagues used an animal model to look at the early stages of the addiction process and focused on how individual animals responded towards alcohol. Weiner said that their findings may lead not only to a better understanding ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/new-insights-into-alcohol-addiction-116576-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/three-in-four-russians-support-raising-minimum-age-limit-for-buying-alcohol-116537-1.htm A recent poll conducted by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center or VTsIOM suggests that over three-quarters of Russians are in support of raising the minimum legal age for buying alcohol from 18 to 21 years of age. Of the 76 percent in favour of upping the age limit, the most likely to voice their support were senior citizens or people "approaching pension age" (80-81 percent of them approved of the idea), residents of mid-sized cities (82 percent) and those who identified themselves as ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/three-in-four-russians-support-raising-minimum-age-limit-for-buying-alcohol-116537-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/britons-consuming-double-the-amount-of-alcohol-from-50-years-ago-116375-1.htm Even though rates of alcohol-related cancers are on the rise, Britons continue to drink more with recent figures showing that the amount of alcohol currently consumed is nearly double from that of what was consumed 50 years ago. Cancer charities are calling for a ban on cheap alcohol. Alcohol Health Alliance UK, a group of 24 organisations aiming to reduce the damage caused to health by alcohol misuse, found Britons drank 91 percent more alcohol per person in 2010 than in 1960, Daily Express reported....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/britons-consuming-double-the-amount-of-alcohol-from-50-years-ago-116375-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/new-device-detects-poisoned-alcohol-116353-1.htm Scientists from Colombia have invented a device to track the amount of methanol in an alcoholic drink. Higher level of methanol in alcohol can render a person blind and sometimes prove fatal, resulting in death. Methanol is present in drinks, which are distilled at home in a wrong way or in it is mixed intentionally with standard drinks to gain profit. Since methanol smells, tastes and appears similar to ethanol, which is present in alcohol, it cannot be easily identified. The device ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/new-device-detects-poisoned-alcohol-116353-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/lower-severity-of-symptoms-of-fibromyalgia-reported-by-low-and-moderate-drinkers-of-alcohol-115874-1.htm According to a study, low and moderate drinkers of alcohol reported lower severity of symptoms of fibromyalgia than teetotallers. The study can be found in BioMed Central's open access journal iArthritis Research (and) Therapy/i. Too much alcohol reversed this effect. The chronic pain of fibromyalgia is thought to affect one in 20 people worldwide but there is no known cause or cure. It often goes hand in hand with fatigue and sleep problems, headaches, depression and irritable bowel and bladder problems....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/lower-severity-of-symptoms-of-fibromyalgia-reported-by-low-and-moderate-drinkers-of-alcohol-115874-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/moderate-drinking-may-help-fibromyalgia-patients-115799-1.htm Moderate amount of alcohol consumption was found to lower the severity of fibromyalgia symptoms, say researchers. But too much alcohol reversed this effect, the research found. The chronic pain of fibromyalgia is thought to affect one in 20 people worldwide but there is no known cause or cure. It often goes hand in hand with fatigue and sleep problems, headaches, depression and irritable bowel and bladder problems. Treatment is based around pain management and lifestyle changes. ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/moderate-drinking-may-help-fibromyalgia-patients-115799-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/report-claims-minimum-alcohol-pricing-plans-to-be-shelved-115696-1.htm Downing Street refuses to confirm reports that the government is about to drop plans to introduce minimum alcohol pricing. According to an article in the Times on Tuesday, the government was set to ditch plans announced in November for a minimum alcohol price in England and Wales in an attempt to restrain a binge-drinking culture. A consultation document issued at the time suggested a base price of 45 Pence per unit, but the government has yet to announce its final verdict. Home Secretary ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/report-claims-minimum-alcohol-pricing-plans-to-be-shelved-115696-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/russia-to-ban-energy-drinks-containing-caffeine-alcohol-115643-1.htm Lawmakers in Russia are introducing a bill that calls for a ban on the production and sale of energy drinks that contain low levels of alcohol and caffeine. "We consider it necessary to prohibit the production and sale of energy drinks in whose composition there is alcohol (between 1.2 and 12 proof) and caffeine, taking into account the harm done to the health of young people, who are the main consumers," the bill says. The legislations authors said consuming more than one energy ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/russia-to-ban-energy-drinks-containing-caffeine-alcohol-115643-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/buying-or-selling-alcohol-in-new-jersey-is-punishable-115543-1.htm Buying or selling alcohol anywhere within New Jersey city limits is punishable with jail time. So anyone who wants a beer in Haddonfield, New Jersey had better be ready for a drive. Since long before Prohibition -- the 13-year national ban on alcohol that started in 1920 -- Haddonfield has been a "dry town." And the borough, just a stone's throw away from the big city of Philadelphia, has kept the laws on the books ever since. Downtown in this burg of 11,500 people, founded by Quakers, a ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/buying-or-selling-alcohol-in-new-jersey-is-punishable-115543-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/camh-study-shows-alcohol-is-third-largest-cause-for-global-disease-and-injury-115286-1.htm Even though most of the adults across the world abstain from drinking, alcohol has emerged as the third leading cause of disease and injury, according to a new study conducted by researchers at Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). This research, part of the 2010 Global Burden of Disease study, was published in this month's issue of the journal iAddiction/i. It also found that Canadians drink more than 50 per cent above the global average. "Alcohol consumption has been found ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/camh-study-shows-alcohol-is-third-largest-cause-for-global-disease-and-injury-115286-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/urge-to-exercise-strict-control-on-binge-drinking-by-maori-high-school-students-115238-1.htm A study to evaluate the extent of binge drinking by Maori high school students has revealed that the government must discover other ways to prevent youth from consuming alcohol. This is especially important as the government is pretty clear they do not want to increase the legal age for drinking. Auckland University researchers who conducted a Youth '07 national health survey found enough evidence of binge drinking among youth. The sad part is the survey showed that 25% of Maori youths ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/urge-to-exercise-strict-control-on-binge-drinking-by-maori-high-school-students-115238-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/drug-that-quenches-urge-to-drink-alcohol-approved-115046-1.htm A medication that will help quench the urge for alcoholics to drink has been approved by the European Union. Selincro, developed by Finland's Biotie Therapies, reduces "alcohol consumption by approximately 60 percent" or about a bottle of wine a day after six months, Danish drugmaker Lundbeck said. With the go-ahead from the European Commission, Lundbeck, which will manufacture the medication, said it expects to launch Selincro by the middle of this year. Selincro is mainly aimed ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/drug-that-quenches-urge-to-drink-alcohol-approved-115046-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/alcohol-consumption-much-higher-than-reported-in-england-114997-1.htm With more than three quarters of people in England drinking in excess of the recommended daily alcohol limit, alcohol consumption could be much higher than previously thought. This is according to a new paper in the iEuropean Journal of Public Health/i. The study, conducted by researchers in the UCL Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, is the first to investigate the potential public health implications related to the under-reporting of alcohol consumption. International studies ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/alcohol-consumption-much-higher-than-reported-in-england-114997-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/russia-hopes-to-increase-life-expectancy-of-its-citizens-by-curbing-cigarette-and-alcohol-use-114917-1.htm Following rising number of reports that a large section of the population drinks and smokes, increasing the risk of various diseases, Russia has introduced a number of bills that crack down on the consumption of alcohol and cigarettes, which it hopes will help improve the life expectancy of its population. Russia has passed a bill to forbid smoking in public places and designated beer as an alcoholic beverage instead of a food, as well as prohibited its sale in street kiosks, the Washington Post reports....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/russia-hopes-to-increase-life-expectancy-of-its-citizens-by-curbing-cigarette-and-alcohol-use-114917-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/fruit-flies-use-alcohol-to-protect-eggs-from-wasps-114862-1.htm A new study reveals that fruit flies make use of alcohol to protect their eggs from parasitic wasps as they lay their eggs in a booze-soaked environment. "The adult flies actually anticipate an infection risk to their children, and then they medicate them by depositing them in alcohol," Todd Schlenke, the evolutionary geneticist whose lab did the research, said. "We found that this medicating behavior was shared by diverse fly species, adding to the evidence that using toxins in the environment ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/fruit-flies-use-alcohol-to-protect-eggs-from-wasps-114862-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/scientists-claim-taste-for-alcohol-originated-10-million-years-ago-114799-1.htm Scientists have revealed that the ability to metabolize ethanol might have originated in the common ancestor of chimpanzees, gorillas and humans roughly 10 million years ago. They add that this might have occurred when this ancestor became more terrestrial and started eating fruits fermenting on the ground. Chemist Steven Benner of the Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution in Gainesville, Fla., reached that conclusion by "resurrecting" the alcohol-metabolizing enzymes of extinct primates....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/scientists-claim-taste-for-alcohol-originated-10-million-years-ago-114799-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/easl-unveils-the-burden-of-liver-disease-in-europe-114739-1.htm Approximately 29 million Europeans still suffer from a chronic liver condition despite major progress has been made in the past three decades in the knowledge and management of liver disease. The European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) today unveiled its new publication The burden of liver disease in Europe: a review of available epidemiological data. Key findings in the report suggest that alcohol consumption, viral hepatitis B and C and metabolic syndromes related to overweight ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/easl-unveils-the-burden-of-liver-disease-in-europe-114739-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/signaling-pathway-linked-to-fetal-alcohol-risk-research-114738-1.htm The leading preventable cause of developmental disorders in developed countries is fetal alcohol syndrome. And fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), a range of alcohol-related birth defects that includes fetal alcohol syndrome, is thought to affect as many as 1 in 100 children born in the United States. Any amount of alcohol consumed by the mother during pregnancy poses a risk of FASD, a condition that can include the distinct pattern of facial features and growth retardation associated with ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/signaling-pathway-linked-to-fetal-alcohol-risk-research-114738-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/risky-sex-associated-with-alcohol-binging-114454-1.htm New research indicates that a number of secondary school students regret having sex after a night of binging on alcohol. The study was led by Paul Agius at La Trobe University and analysed data bearing on young people's sexual behaviour and its association with alcohol - specifically binge and compulsive drinking. "Significant numbers of students drank excessive amounts of alcohol and at time, lost control of the ability to stop drinking," Agius said, the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health reports....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/risky-sex-associated-with-alcohol-binging-114454-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/alcohol-plays-big-role-in-cancer-deaths-study-114334-1.htm Researchers have blamed alcohol for four percent of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Alcohol is a known carcinogen and when consumed even in small quantities may increase the cancer risk, hence the study stressed that reducing alcohol consumption is vital in preventing cancer. Previous studies consistently have shown that alcohol consumption is a significant risk factor for cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus and liver. More recent research has shown that alcohol also increases the risk of cancers of the colon, rectum and female breast....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/alcohol-plays-big-role-in-cancer-deaths-study-114334-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/alcohol-abusers-depression-often-related-to-drinking-study-114317-1.htm According to a study in the March issue of the iJournal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs/i for problem drinkers, bouts of depressive symptoms are often the direct result of their heavy alcohol intake. Experts have long known that heavy drinking can spur temporary episodes of depression-what's known as "substance-induced depression." However, this information is not always apparent to busy clinicians, and the new findings strengthen the evidence that the phenomenon exists as well as how common and clinically important it is....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/alcohol-abusers-depression-often-related-to-drinking-study-114317-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/relatively-small-number-of-alcohol-brands-dominate-underage-youth-alcohol-consumption-114270-1.htm A relatively small number of alcohol brands dominate underage youth alcohol consumption, according to a new report from researchers at the Boston University School of Public Health and the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The report, published online by iAlcoholism: Clinical (and) Experimental Research/i, is the first national study to identify the alcohol brands consumed by underage youth, and has important implications for alcohol research and policy....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/relatively-small-number-of-alcohol-brands-dominate-underage-youth-alcohol-consumption-114270-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/lowering-legal-drinking-age-encourages-binge-drinking-later-114134-1.htm A new study conducted by American researchers reveals that lowering the legal drinking age to below 21 years will only encourage people to binge drink later on in their lives. Researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis tracked the long-term drinking behaviour of more than 39,000 people who began consuming alcohol in the 1970s when some US states had legal drinking ages as low as 18. "It wasn't just that lower minimum drinking ages had a negative impact on ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/lowering-legal-drinking-age-encourages-binge-drinking-later-114134-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/moderate-drinkers-underestimate-amount-of-alcohol-they-consume-114033-1.htm A new study conducted by the Department of Health in Britain found that moderate drinkers underestimate the amount of alcohol they drink by as much as 40 percent. The study also reveals that two in three people have no intention of cutting down on their drinking even though nearly 80 percent of the moderate drinkers are aware of the health risks associated with drinking and know that they often exceed the safety limits. The daily recommended limit of alcohol is 3-4 units, or a pint and a half of beer, for men and 2-3 units for women....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/moderate-drinkers-underestimate-amount-of-alcohol-they-consume-114033-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/diet-soda-mixed-with-alcohol-results-in-higher-alcohol-content-in-the-bloodstream-114030-1.htm A recent study has pointed out that mixing alcohol with diet soft drinks resulted in a higher breath alcohol content much more than mixing alcohol with a normal soft drink. In a study, researchers chose to serve some participants vodka mixed with diet drink, some others vodka mixed with regular soft drink and to the rest, a regular soft drink with a vodka scent. After people had finished their drink, researchers observed that participants who had consumed the vodka-diet drink had markedly ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/diet-soda-mixed-with-alcohol-results-in-higher-alcohol-content-in-the-bloodstream-114030-1.htm