Aus der Welt der Wissenschaft:
(eurekalert) Orlando, Fla. – The number of heart attack cases surged at a Brooklyn, New York, hospital in the two months after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, suggesting that psychological stress can trigger serious heart problems, researchers reported today.

The popular belief that firm mattresses are best for people with low back pain is challenged by the results of a randomised trial in this week's issue of THE LANCET. Mattresses of medium firmness were found to be more effective than firm mattresses in alleviating symptoms of back pain.

ST. LOUIS - With an estimated 170 million people around the world already infected with hepatitis C, Saint Louis University is testing, for the first time in humans, an investigational vaccine that researchers hope will prevent infection with the virus. The successful development of such a vaccine would represent a major step in combating this growing health problem.

Insulin is a hormone that allows blood glucose to provide energy to most of the body's cells. New research published in the November issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research shows that drinking a moderate amount of white wine on its own after a meal can cause levels of insulin to drop almost immediately. (...) Eating foods high in carbohydrates will normally increase blood-glucose levels for several hours, which in turn, encourages insulin production by the pancreas. Insulin enables glucose, the body's chief source of energy, to gain entry into most of the body's cells located outside of the brain. A lack of insulin can effectively cause some cells to "starve," leading to serious health consequences such as diabetes.