Also called the Fainting Game, Pass Out, or Space Monkey, the Choking Game can be played individually or in groups. It consists of manually choking yourself or others, sticking a plastic bag over the head, tying a string around the neck or hyperventilating, all in search of a few seconds of euphoria. (See TIME’s health and medicine covers.)

Researchers at The Crime Victims’ Institute at Sam Houston State University surveyed 837 students at a Texas university and found that the behavior, which works by cutting off blood flow to the brain in order to induce a high, was frighteningly commonplace:

•16% of students said they’d played the game, and three-quarters more than once
•On average, students first played the game at age 14
•Males were more likely to have played than females
•90% of students who had played the game learned about it from friends, and most students said they first played in a group

Why in the world would kids engage in this potentially deadly behavior? In a word, curiosity. They may also not realize it has the potential to be just as deadly as illegal drugs. The good news is that learning that a number of teens and college students have suffocated to death from playing the Choking Game helped deter students from playing. Parents, talk to your kids. And schools can play a role too: related research found that 90% of parents think that including information about the dangers of the game in school health and drug prevention classes is a smart idea.(MORE: For Teens Who Cut, Going Online Can Sometimes Help)

As the study notes:

“This ‘game,’ as it is often called, does not require obtaining any drugs or alcohol, is free, and can go undetected by many parents, teachers, physicians, and other authority figures. Most importantly, many of those who engage in this activity, do not understand that the practice can be just as deadly as the illegal substances youth have been warned against.”

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University officials said in a statement Wednesday that norovirus was the cause of dozens of cases of gastrointestinal illness. Officials said students who live at the Foggy Bottom campus, the Mount Vernon campus and off campus were affected but that they could not find a common link.

Students were advised to wash their hands frequently and disinfect surfaces. The school also said it would beef up cleaning of commonly used areas.

Symptoms of norovirus include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. The virus is usually not considered serious and most people recover in one or two days.

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Chemists at the Max Planck Institute take the waste product from the creation of the drug artemisinin — artemisinic acid — and convert it into the drug itself.

The entire apparatus is compact, about the size of a carry-on suitcase, and inexpensive. That means it can be easily added to production sites anywhere around the world.

“Four hundred of these would be enough to make a world supply of artemisinin,” said unit director Peter Seeberger, pointing to the machine on a table in his lab in Berlin’s Dahlem neighborhood. “The beauty of these things is they’re very small and very mobile.”

A paper on the new technique was published this month in chemistry journal Angewandte Chemie.

Artemisinin is extracted from sweet wormwood, a plant that primarily grows in China and Vietnam and varies in its availability according to the season. In the extraction process, for every part artemisinin produced, there is 10 times the amount of artemisinic acid discarded as waste.

Past attempts to convert the acid using ultraviolet light to trigger the conversion have been unsuccessful because the process took several steps in a large tank of acid, making production inefficient and far too expensive.

So the Max Planck chemists thought small — creating a machine that pumps all of the required ingredients through a thin tube wrapped around a UV lamp in a continuous process that takes 4 1/2 minutes from start-to-finish to produce the artemisinin.

The technique can convert about 40 percent of the waste acid into artemisinin — producing four times more of the drug from what had in the past been discarded, Seeberger said.

Colin Sutherland, a malaria expert at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine who was not involved in the Max Planck research, said the development could be significant in boosting production of the key malaria drug. He noted that currently very little artemisinin can be made from a large amount of the sweet wormwood, which is also difficult to grow.

“If it’s a simple process, given a certain amount of plant material, you can generate more drugs, that will make things cheaper and faster,” he said.

Since the end product is the same molecule, there should be no decrease in effectiveness of the synthetic product, Sutherland said.

Seeberger said a commercial prototype of the Max Planck machine could be ready in about six months and that it could go into production in about a year. He said current price estimates are around euro100,000 (US$132,000).

When it’s in production, the idea is to make it available for a minimal fee to cover costs, he said.

“The goal is to make sure that the drug is produced and made available to as many people as possible,” said Seeberger, a former Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor who now teaches at Berlin’s Free University.

Sabine Haubenreisser, a spokeswoman at the European Medicines Agency, said that if the new drug is close enough to the original, its producers could apply for it to be considered as a generic product or use older data proving artemesinin’s effectiveness — which could speed the approval process.

Malaria cases and deaths have been dropping since 2004, due largely to campaigns to distribute bednets, spray homes with insecticide and make better drugs available. The World Health Organization estimates that at least 655,000 people die of malaria every year, mostly children under 5 in Africa.

At the moment, artemisinin-based therapies are considered the best treatment, but cost about $10 per dose — far too much for impoverished communities.

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton’s Clinton Foundation currently has a program to purchase the treatments, then sell them at a deeply discounted 50 cents to communities where they’re most needed.

Cutting the price further while increasing production could “make a big difference,” said Sutherland.

“Many times more children will have access to the right drug early in their disease and that’s likely to have an impact on mortality.”

___

AP Medical Writer Maria Cheng contributed to this report from London.

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Researchers at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) analyzed national survey data from 2005 through 2010 and found that, on average, 7.5 million children — about 10.5 percent of the country's under-18 population — lived with a parent abusing alcohol during any given year.

Most of those kids — an average of 6.1 million each year — lived in two-parent households where one or both of the adults had a drinking disorder, the researchers found.

Of the 1.4 million children who lived in a single-parent home where the adult had a drinking issue, the overwhelming majority — 1.1 million — were in female-headed households, SAMHSA said.

The researchers said children living with alcoholics were at greater risk of suffering from a number of mental health problems, including depression and anxiety.

The children were also more likely to be abused or neglected by their parents, more likely to have cognitive or language deficiencies, and four times more likely to develop alcohol problems of their own, the researchers said.

(Reporting by James B. Kelleher; Editing by Daniel Trotta)

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Roche was contacted about the bogus Avastin by a health authority outside the United States and was informed that the counterfeit drug in the United States came from another country, the company said but declined to divulge which country.

"We are working with the FDA and law enforcement to aid their evaluations, determine the source of the counterfeit drug, and prevent its further distribution," Roche and Genentech said in a statement. "The counterfeit product is not safe or effective and should not be used."

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is taking the lead on the evaluation, a Genetech spokeswoman said.

Genentech said there is an ongoing investigation by national health authorities but could provide no further information at this time.

The FDA said it has sent letters to 19 medical practices informing them about counterfeit 400mg/16ml doses of Avastin.

The company does not yet know just how much counterfeit Avastin is out in the market. Avastin is given intravenously.

But there are several obvious differences in packaging and label that should allow doctors to easily spot the bogus drug.

Among them genuine Avastin, known chemically as bevacizumab, has Genentech on the label, which is all in English. The counterfeit says Roche and the label is in French.

Lot numbers of actual Avastin are comprised of six digits with no letters, while the counterfeit lot number begins with a letter. And the counterfeit bottles of Avastin are missing information on the label, such as "for intravenous use."

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Viruses such as influenza and herpes may leave brain cells vulnerable to degeneration later in life, and increase the risk of developing diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, research suggests. That's because these the viruses can enter the brain and trigger an immune response — inflammation — which can damage brain cells.

Viruses and other sources of inflammation "may be initiating factors in some of the most common neurological diseases," said Dr. Ole Isacson, professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School, who discussed the topic in an article published today (Feb. 15) in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

It's unlikely one bout of the flu will cause significant damage. But over a lifetime, injuries to cells accumulate, Isacson said, and along with environmental stresses, this can kill cells and the development of brain diseases. Variations in the number of infections we get may be the difference between a person developing Parkinson's disease at age 65 or at age 95, Isacson said.

It's possible that toning down the inflammation that occurs shortly after viral infection could reduce cell damage and the risk of subsequent brain disease, Isacson said. Isacson pointed to a 2011 study of 135,000 men and women found that those who took ibuprofen (a medication that can reduce inflammation) were 30 percent less likely to develop Parkinson's over a six year period compared to those who did not take the medication.

Brain infection

One of the earliest pieces of evidence for the virus-brain disease link comes from the 1918 influenza pandemic, according to Isacson's article. After that outbreak, there was a dramatic increase in cases of a disease called postencephalitic parkinsonism, which has many of the same symptoms as Parkinson's.

In a more rigorous test of the link, a 2009 study showed that mice injected with the H5N1 flu virus developed infections in cells in a brain region known to be significantly impacted by Parkinson's disease, Isacson said.

Research has also shown that infection with certain herpes viruses can increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease. And very rarely, encephalitis, or brain inflammation caused by viruses, can lead directly to an acute, but transient, form of Parkinson's disease.

But more often, viral infections in our brain are silent, Isacson said. We don't see the full impact of these infections until brain degeneration is substantial, he said.

Preventing disease

Several weeks after infection, inflammatory molecules known as cytokines reach a peak concentration, Isacson said. It's this "cytokine storm" that Isacson and his colleagues suspect is responsible for the brain cell damage associated with viral infections.

If researchers could find a way to block this peak from occurring, they might reduce the risk of certain neurological diseases, Isacson said.

In addition, researchers could also try to identify viruses that cause particularly severe cytokine storms, to better understand which infections pose the greatest risk to the brain, Isacson said.

The idea that immune system inflammation may influence the development of Alzheimer's disease and other neurological disorders is just one hypothesis out of many that are being investigated today, said Heather Snyder, senior associate director of medical and scientific relations at the Alzheimer's Association. More research is needed to understand what, if any, effect the immune system has on brain diseases, Snyder said.

Pass it on: Infection with certain viruses may increase the risk of brain diseases.

This story was provided by MyHealthNewsDaily, a sister site to LiveScience. Follow MyHealthNewsDaily staff writer Rachael Rettner on Twitter @RachaelRettner. Find us on Facebook.

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When people with cancer are treated with chemotherapy, they have an increased risk of developing blood clots (venous thromboembolism). These clots can be dangerous, and have the potential to cause heart attacks or strokes.

This new drug reduced the risk of blood clots by 64 percent, according to the study, which was funded by Sanofi, the drug's manufacturer. Sanofi was also responsible for the analysis of the study's results.

Semuloparin, which is not currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, didn't appear to increase the risk of excessive bleeding, which can be a side effect of blood thinners.

"Thromboembolism and the effects are very significant," said Dr. Stephanie Bernik, chief of surgical oncology at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. Even if blood clots don't cause life-threatening complications, they can cause lifelong problems, such as pain and a decreased ability to exercise, she explained.

"What's interesting about this paper is that they're decreasing the rate of thromboembolism without increasing bleeding. This needs to be confirmed in other studies, but this drug may play an important role for cancer patients in the future," said Bernik, who was not involved with the research.

The current study included more than 3,000 people from 47 countries. All had been diagnosed with cancer, including cancers of the lung, pancreas, stomach, colon, rectum, bladder or ovary.

The study volunteers were randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group received treatment with semuloparin, which is a type of heparin, while they were undergoing chemotherapy. The other group received a placebo.

The medication or the placebos were given as an injection once a day. Treatment lasted an average of 3.5 months.

Blood clots occurred in just 1.2 percent of those taking semuloparin compared to 3.4 percent of those on the placebo, according to the study.

The incidence of any type of excessive bleeding was 2.8 percent for the semuloparin group and 2.0 percent in those on placebo. Major bleeding occurred in 1.2 percent of those on semuloparin and 1.1 percent of those on placebo.

Results of the study are published in the Feb. 16 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

In addition to preventing clots, heparin medications may also help fight cancer tumors, according to the authors of an accompanying editorial in the same issue of the journal.

"This study by itself did not show any effect on mortality, but when we included it in a meta-analysis, we found that there is a likely survival benefit," said one of the editorial's authors, Dr. Elie Akl, an associate professor of medicine at the State University of New York at Buffalo.

The meta-analysis done by Akl and his co-author reviewed 11 studies including more than 6,000 people taking heparin medications during chemotherapy. They concluded that for every 1,000 people being treated with chemotherapy for cancer, there would be 30 fewer deaths if people were also treated with heparin during their chemotherapy. They also estimated that there would be 20 fewer blood clots. And, they estimated that there would be one more major bleeding episode and five more minor bleeding episodes if everyone on chemotherapy were to receive heparin treatment.

"Patients with cancer, who have a low risk of bleeding and who have no problem with injecting themselves with heparin, are likely to benefit in terms of survival from heparin treatment," he said.

What isn't yet clear, Akl said, is if heparin would provide more or less benefit depending on the type of cancer someone has, and how far advanced the cancer is. He said that there are currently six different studies under way to help answer those questions. The cost of the medication is also unclear, since it has not been approved for use in the United States yet.

More information

To learn more about blood clots and cancer, read this information from the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

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However, the interventions do not appear to affect survival for these patients, according to the findings published in the Feb. 15 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

For the study, Christine Baldwin, a lecturer in the nutritional sciences division at King's College London, and colleagues analyzed data from 13 clinical trials that included a total of more than 1,400 cancer patients who were malnourished or at risk of malnutrition. Some of the patients received oral nutritional support (dietary advice and/or supplements) while others received routine care.

Oral nutritional support had a wide range of effects on both weight and energy intake, and led to improvements in aspects of quality of life, such as emotional functioning, shortness of breath and loss of appetite. However, this type of intervention had no effect on patient death rates, the study authors noted in a journal news release.

The level of benefit varied between patients, and the authors concluded that "it is likely that the factors such as site and stage of disease and, indeed, variations in the duration, nature and intensity of the nutritional intervention will account for difference in effects in patients."

International guidelines have suggested oral nutritional intervention for malnourished cancer patients or those who are at nutritional risk, but these suggestions are based largely on expert opinion as opposed to clinical trials, according to background information in the study.

Commenting in an editorial accompanying the study, Ann O'Mara and Diane St. Germain of the U.S. National Cancer Institute wrote that "until future research provides clearer answers regarding who will benefit from nutritional interventions, the use of a comprehensive assessment, published nutritional guidelines and early interventions are essential."

More information

The American Cancer Society has more about cancer patients and nutrition.

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In a new study, women who received this form of psychotherapy, known as cognitive behavioral therapy, had reduced their symptoms by half within six months.

"Hot flashes and night sweats are distressing symptoms, which cause social embarrassment and sleep problems, and they are challenging to treat, especially for women who have had breast cancer" because hormone replacement therapy is generally not recommended for these women, explained lead researcher Myra Hunter.

According to background information in the study, which is published in the Feb. 15 online edition of The Lancet Oncology, 65 percent to 85 percent of women have hot flashes after breast cancer treatment.

Group cognitive behavioral therapy is a safe and effective treatment for women who have hot flashes and night sweats following breast cancer treatment, Hunter said, with additional benefits to mood, sleep and quality of life.

"The women in this trial reported frequent and problematic symptoms and relatively low quality of life," said Hunter, a professor of clinical health psychology at King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry.

Hunter's team randomly assigned 96 women who had been treated for breast cancer and suffered from night sweats and hot flashes to either "talk therapy" or usual care.

The 47 women who received the therapy attended weekly 90-minute sessions for six weeks. For the others, usual care consisted of access to nurses and oncologists, telephone support and cancer support services, the researchers noted.

The therapy sessions included psycho-education, paced breathing, and behavioral strategies to manage hot flashes and night sweats, as well as interactive PowerPoint presentations, group discussion, handouts and weekly homework, Hunter said.

In addition, participants learned how to handle the stress associated with hot flashes and night sweats, and found new ways to decrease anxiety, she explained.

The women were also taught to manage hot flashes in social situations and to understand night sweats and improve sleep habits using mental and behavioral strategies.

The investigators found that the women who had received the cognitive behavioral therapy significantly reduced the number of hot flashes and night sweats they experienced in the nine weeks after the start of the study.

This reduction in symptoms lasted for 26 weeks. At nine weeks there was a 46 percent reduction in symptoms and a 52 percent reduction at 26 weeks, Hunter's team found.

However, among women receiving usual care, hot flashes and night sweats decreased by 19 percent after nine weeks and 25 percent after 26 weeks.

"These reductions were sustained and associated with significant improvements in mood, sleep and quality of life," Hunter said. "This is a safe, acceptable and effective treatment option, which can be incorporated into breast cancer survivorship programs and delivered by trained breast cancer nurses."

Holly Prigerson, director of the Center for Psycho-Oncology and Palliative Care Research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, wrote an accompanying journal editorial.

"Hot flashes and night sweats are very common, distressing and persistent — women reported being troubled by them for an average of two years after breast cancer treatment," Prigerson said.

She noted that the new study provides sound evidence upon which to recommend cognitive behavioral therapy for breast cancer patients suffering from these symptoms.

"Adaptations to an online, self-management version of the intervention would allow for more flexible scheduling and greater access at potentially lower cost of delivery," Prigerson said. "Combining the intervention with medications that effectively treat hot flashes and night sweats might produce the most dramatic effects with reductions in symptoms as well as the distress caused by them."

Prigerson said this type of therapy might also be used to treat postmenopausal women suffering from these symptoms.

"Of course, scientifically, we can't generalize beyond the sample of women who experience menopausal symptoms as a result of treatment for breast cancer," she said. "But given that they found that [this type of therapy] worked on the distress associated with hot flashes and night sweats, then it would seem likely to generalize to menopausal symptoms experienced outside of this context."

More information

For more about psychotherapy, visit the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health.

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The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday that 12 cases of E. coli poisoning in five states are linked to raw clover sprouts eaten at Jimmy John’s restaurants. The outbreak comes a year after raw alfalfa sprouts from one of the chain’s suppliers were linked to 140 salmonella illnesses. Sprouts from the chain’s suppliers were also linked to a 2009 salmonella outbreak in several Midwestern states and were suspected in an E. coli outbreak in Boulder, Colo. in 2008.

Illinois-based Jimmy John’s declined to comment on the outbreak. After the salmonella outbreak a year ago, the company said it would switch from using alfalfa sprouts to using clover sprouts because they are easier to clean. But federal regulators warn against eating all raw sprouts, which are one of the most frequent perpetrators of foodborne illness.

Though they are often touted as a health food, sprouts need warm and humid conditions to grow, encouraging bacterial growth. Many restaurants have stopped serving them after multiple outbreaks, and the government recommends that the very young, elderly, pregnant and others with compromised immune systems stay away from raw sprouts completely. Fully cooked sprouts are safe to eat.

According to the CDC, there have been at least 30 outbreaks associated with raw or lightly cooked sprouts in the United States in the last 15 years and even more around the world, including a 1996 outbreak in Japan that sickened thousands of people with E. coli. Fenugreek sprout seeds from Egypt are thought to have caused a major outbreak of E. coli poisoning in Europe last year that killed more than 50 people.

Illnesses in the current outbreak were reported in Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and Wisconsin. The illnesses occurred between Dec. 25 and Jan. 15 and two of the victims were hospitalized.

In most sprout outbreaks the restaurant is not to blame for the contamination itself. Contamination usually happens when the seeds are grown or harvested and is often impossible to wash off.

Food safety lawyer Bill Marler has represented victims in the three previous sprout outbreaks potentially linked to Jimmy John’s. He has pushed the FDA to require warning labels on sprouts and praises restaurants that have taken them off the menu.

“You have to wonder what this company is thinking,” he said.

___

Find Mary Clare Jalonick on Twitter at http://twitter.com/mcjalonick

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