Close friends have more influence on teens' alcohol use than their general peer group does. friends and peers have an influence on individual alcohol use, but there are no common studies that distinguished between the broader peer group and the friend group's influence on those decisions. the drinking habits of their close friends had a greater effect on their own alcohol consumption than did alcohol use among their peers.
The wide variety and complexity of foods served at holiday gatherings can pose a threat for people with food allergies. Most allergic reactions to foods occur within minutes. The most common allergens are shrimp, soy, egg, wheat, milk and fish. While the main ingredients in a dish may be safe, allergic reactions can be caused by additives, spices and colorings. Some people who become ill after eating certain foods don't have food allergies, but rather intolerances. For example, some people get migraines after they consume certain combinations, such as cheese and wine.
Those air-blown hand dryers in public restrooms may spread far more germs than conventional paper towels. The investigators measured airborne bacteria levels and found higher amounts of germs around both types of dryers than around towel dispensers. Jet-air dryers were the worst, the study found. Bacteria levels in the air around jet-air dryers were 4.5 times higher than around warm air dryers and 27 times higher than around paper towel dispensers.
The widely used heart drug digoxin is associated with increased risk of death and hospitalization among patients who have the heart rhythm disorder atrial fibrillation but no evidence of heart failure. Atrial fibrillation is a common form of irregular heartbeat that has been linked to a rise in risk for stroke among older Americans. Digoxin has been used for more than a century to help treat irregular heartbeat. The new study involved nearly 15,000 adults who were recently diagnosed with atrial fibrillation and had no prior history of heart failure or digoxin use.