Celeb persuasion for cancer screening bad

Celebrities can indeed persuade people to undergo cancer screening, but researchers are not sure it’s necessarily a good thing. Many men and women say they are more likely to undergo screening for various cancers having seen the endorsements of film stars or sports icons. Yet, according to researchers, persuasion may not be appropriate, given the complexities involved in cancer screening ? the fact that there are risks involved, such as false positive test results that lead to unnecessary further testing and treatment. Also, researchers at the Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Center in Vermont, US, say that most endorsements are one-sided which contribute to the perception that screening is an obligation or responsibility and there are no down-sides to being screened.

Mantra averts heart attacks

Transcendental meditation (TM) ? detaching oneself from problems by repeated chanting of a mantra ? is effective in reducing the rate of death from cardiovascular disease in people with high blood pressure, says a paper in The American Journal of Cardiology. In a 18-year follow-up of two prolonged trials, transcendental meditation was associated with significantly lower mortality than other mental relaxation techniques or standard drugs for high blood pressure. The two studies analysed 202 patients with high blood pressure. Their average age was 72. The analysis concluded that the death rate of study participants using TM was 23 per cent lower .

Drug to boost your alertness

A new class of drug may increase alertness without any of the jitteriness of over-stimulation. According to a small clinical trial, the results of which have been reported in the New Scientist, a compound dubbed CX717, a member of the new class called ampakines, significantly improved performance on tests of memory, attention, alertness, reaction and problem-solving in healthy men deprived of sleep. The drug, which will have to undergo further clinical trials before being approved, is being considered as a possible treatment for narcolepsy, jet lag and Alzheimer’s disease, said lead researcher Julia Boyle at the Sleep Research Centre, University of Surrey in the UK.

No more rude awakenings

Do you feel groggy in the morning because the alarm clock always wakes you up at the wrong moment? Well, a new clock developed by the sleep researchers at the Brown University, US, knows exactly when you’re ready to wake up. Called Sleep-Smart, it measures your sleep cycle and waits for you to be in your lightest phase of sleep before rousing you.