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Most Recent 15 Questions Answered

Question 1:

If I masturbate too much will I receive any ill physical effects? Such as : a smaller penis, a curved penis, or possibly homosexual feelings.

Answer :

The wise Cyndi Lauper once sang "She bop--he bop--a--we bop, I bop--you bop--a--they bop...," and in case you're wondering what bop refers to, yes it's masturbation. And Cyndi is right. Almost everybody masturbates. According to the Merck Manual Medical Library about 97% of males and 80% of females partake in a five finger solo every now and then. So with all of these men masturbating, should we be worried about an epidemic of small or curved penises. QB thinks not. The Encyclopedia of Men’s Health states that masturbation has no adverse effects on physical or emotional well-being. It does not affect libido, or sexual performance with a partner. While several men on internet message boards claim that masturbating with the same hand can cause the penis to curve, QB could not find any reliable research to back this up. However, if you want to give it a try, they claim that masturbating with the other hand can reverse the condition. Most likely, the cause of a man's curved penis is probably just genetic or a result from a condition known as Peyronie's disease, which causes a bent penis during erection. Peyronie disease affects about 1 to 4 in 100 men (McNally 320). Dr. Gleich explains, “Peyronie’s produces scarring in the erectile chamber-the part that fills with blood to give you an erection – on one or both sides of the penis. The penis is pushed in the direction of the scarred side and you can get dramatic distortions – almost 90-degree angles in some cases.” This condition may clear up on its own, but it’s always a wise idea to visit a doctor who may prescribe vitamin E or anti-inflammatory medication. However, in extreme cases, surgery on the scar tissue may be necessary (Wertheimer 399). But if you, like Cyndi Lauper, can't stop "messin with your danger zone" should you be worried about doing it too much? Urology advisor Larry Lipshultz, M.D. states that men can not masturbate too much. "There is no biological limit, except for the refractory period--the time between ejaculations, which lengthens with age. As long as you're doing it in private and it doesn't interfere with your life, there are no adverse consequences. However, continual, compulsive masturbation is a pathological addictive behavior that needs to be treated by a psychologist." Also, excessive masturbation may cause bruising to the penis or clitoris. The only other negative aspect to masturbating that QB found, is that it may cause you to have trouble ejaculating or climaxing during sex because you've become accustomed to masturbation. Gregory Broderick, M.D., professor of urology at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida says this is because you can control the pressure and pacing of your hands, and you can't do the same with her body parts. To remedy this problem, you only need to try changing your masturbating techniques. So as long as masturbating isn't interfering with your life, then keep doing it because a recent study has found that you may actually be reducing your risk of prostate cancer. A study by the Cancer Council Victoria in Australia has indicated that frequent masturbation between the ages of 20 and 50 reduces your risk of prostate cancer, possibly by flushing the ejaculatory ducts and preventing the buildup of carcinogens. Men who ejaculated five times a week in their 20s were one-third less likely to develop an aggressive form of the cancer. As for the ladies, excessive masturbation may cause tendinitis or repetitive stress syndrome on the arm that you masturbate with. If you are having either of these problems, try using a vibrator or switching hands to see if the problem improves. So the next time you feel like spanking the monkey or waxing the brass candlestick, rest assured you are doing more good than harm.

Sources :

1. http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec07/ch104/ch104a.html 2. Joannides, Paul. Guide to getting it on! : the universe’s coolest and most informative book about sex for adults of all ages Waldport, OR : Goofy Foot Press, 2004. 3. McNally, R. A. (2004). Men's health concerns sourcebook: basic consumer health information about the medical and mental concerns of men. Detroit, MI: Omnigraphics. 4. Rothfeld, G. S., & Romaine, D. S. (2005). The encyclopedia of men's health. Facts on File library of health and living. New York, NY: Facts on File. Wertheimer, N. (1995). Total health for men : how to prevent and treat the health problems that trouble men most. Emmaus, Pa: Rodale Press. Location: Undergrad Call Number: 613.952 T64

Call Number :

2. Call Number: 613.96 J573g 2000 3. Call Number: 613.04234 M5282004 4. Call Number: 613.0423403 R744e

Location :

1. Merck.com 2. Location: Undergrad 3. Location: Undergrad Reference [non-circulating] 4. Location: Undergrad Reference [non-circulating]

Date Answered :

7/31/2008

Question 2:

It has come to my attention that I literally know nothing of the Tour de France! When did this competition start? Why are people so crazy about it? I'm just DYING to know. -Concerned Bicyclist

Answer :

Dear Concerned Bicyclist: QB was delighted to receive your question, especially since the very exciting 2008 Tour just wrapped up. So what is the Tour de France (TdF)? It is a three week bicycle race held each year in France. The race first began in 1903 and has been held every year since (with the exception of 1915-1918 because of World War I and 1940-1948 because of World War II. Although the Tour was held in 1939, several countries did not participate because of the rising political tensions). Le Tour is an all male race; for a while there was for a female Tour de France, but it unfortunately was cancelled some years back. Before we get into the nitty gritty details of the tour, let’s do a quick vocabulary review. QB’s Cheat Sheet to talking like a Tour pro: Prologue- Time trial that begins le Tour. Peleton- The main group of riders, from the French word “platoon” Domestique - Team rider (not the team leader) Paceline- When riders ride single file; done so that riders conserve energy Musette bag - Bag that holds food for riders, which they grab while speeding through a feed zone GC- Stands for General Classification, the overall standings for the race. Lantern Rouge - The last rider in the General Classification. Gruppetto-Group of riders that form at the base of mountain climbs, usually consists of sprinters, and other non-climbers. Malliott Jaune - The yellow jersey; man who wears this is the race leader The Tour is 23 days long and consists of 21 stages. There are two rest days worked into the Tour, when riders do not race, but theoretically rest. Each day is a separate stage, and stages vary in length from 100 to 180 miles. The overall length of the Tour varies from 2,000 to 2,500 miles. Le Tour, the most prestigious cycling event, is by invitation only. Approximately twenty teams are invited each year, give or take a few. Bicycling teams are multi-national, although many riders in the peleton hail from somewhere in Europe. Each team has a major sponsor, sometimes two major sponsors (as in the case of Garmin-Chipotle, one of two U.S. sponsored teams in this year’s Tour). If a team has a rider who they think can win the Tour, he is designated as the team leader and all the other riders work to help him win. Although it may not look like it, cycling is a team sport. Lance Armstrong would not have been able to win 7 Tours in a row if he had not had the help and support of his teammates. So what do teammates do? Teammates, also called “domestiques” protect their leader, by keeping him near the front of the pack and away from possible crashes. They also protect him from the wind so that he does not waste extra energy by fighting the wind (a rider can save up to 30% of his energy by riding behind someone else, this is called drafting). Domestiques set the pace at the front of the group of cyclists so that they control the pace of the race, and if a rider escapes off the front, they chase him down and bring him back into the peleton. They also bring water and food to their leader. Suffice to say, if a team leader did not have 8 other guys working every single minute to help him win the race, it would be really hard for him to win. In addition to team leaders and domestiques, there are also specialist riders. Some teams don’t have a guy who can win the Tour, but they do have a really fast sprinter, and so everyone on that team works to protect the sprinter and help him win the stage. A sprinters main job is to be the fastest man in the peleton and win as many stages as possible. Other teams have one guy who is a really good climber, so when the Tour moves into the mountains, this guy’s job is to climb faster than anyone else and try to win the stage. There are three different kinds of stages in the Tour. ------ Flat: these tend to be the stages during the first week of the Tour, and are known as some of the most dangerous stages because of the number of crashes that occur. Flat stages normally are won by the sprinters, who can get up to speeds of 50 miles an hour. ------ Mountain: The stages that take the Tour over both the Pyrenees and the Alps. The most difficult stages in the Tour. ------ Time Trials: A race against the clock. Can take place on either flat terrain or can be straight up a mountain. The Tour has an official rating systems for mountains, which ranges from the easiest category 4 (Cat. 4) climbs to the most difficult hors catégorie (HC) climbs. HC climbs are considered so difficult that they are beyond classification. In the 2008 Tour, the riders climbed 5 HC climbs in two days. Although the yellow jersey is the most well known jersey of the Tour, there are in fact 4 different jerseys riders can win. Yellow jersey: awarded to the rider with the lowest cumulative time. Typically in order to win this jersey a rider must be both a skilled climber and time trialist. Since both mountain stages and time trials require a cyclist to endure enormous amounts of pain and suffering, some argue that one must be a sadomasochist in order to win the yellow jersey. Besides the prestige of winning the maillot jaune, it also comes along with a pretty nice purse of 450,000 Euros or about $690,000. Traditionally the race winner gives the prize money to his teammates since they are instrumental in helping him achieve the win. Green jersey: also known as the sprinter’s jersey. Awarded to the best sprinter, which is determined by how many sprint points he wins throughout the Tour. Its purse is 25,000 Euros or about $37,500. Polka dot jersey: also known as the King of the Mountain jersey. Awarded to the best climber, which is determined by how many climbing points he wins throughout the Tour. Its purse is 25,000 Euros or about $37,500. White jersey: also known as the best young rider. Awarded to the youngest rider (has to be under 25) who has the highest rank in the GC. Its purse is 20,000 Euros or about $29,500. So why are so many people so crazy about this sport? The Tour is deeply steeped in the tradition of Europe and for many the Tour is an important part of their culture. For others it is just plain fun. To watch the sprinters come screaming into the finish, or to watch the climbers summit mountains that would make mere mortals weep with pain is simply thrilling. If you’ve never watched a stage of the Tour, you can check out some amazing moments in Tour history here: http://www.bicycling.com/tourdefrance/30moments/19.html

Sources :

http://www.letour.fr/HISTO/TDF/us/index.html http://tour-de-france.velonews.com/article/80392/ http://tour-de-france.velonews.com/article/80126/ http://tour-de-france.velonews.com http://tour-de-france.velonews.com/article/78643/tour-de-france-101 http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2008/tour08/ http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/in_depth/2001/tour_de_france/1364695.stm http://www.bicycling.com/tourdefrance/0,6805,s1-7-0-0-0,00.html?location=_*topnav*

Call Number :

Location :

Date Answered :

7/28/2008

Question 3:

Which breakfast provides the biggest energy boost: a cup of coffee, an apple, or an orange?

Answer :

Dear Energy Seeker, QB was delighted to pick up your question. As a renown caffeine addict who has managed to OD quite a few times, QB is just as eager as you are to find out whether a harmless fruit breakfast might offer the same vivifying effects as sweet, sweet coffee. That said, QB must admit to never having finished medical school, so please do not confuse this answer with that of a qualified medical professional. We'll look at our staple mood-booster first. One 8oz cup of coffee checks in at about 85 milligrams of caffeine, well below the recommended limit of 300mg per day. According to "Nutrition and Well-Being A to Z," caffeine "affects the brain and results in elevated mood, decreased fatigue, and increased attentiveness, so a person can think more clearly and work harder. It also increases the heart rate, blood flow, respiratory rate, and metabolic rate for several hours." Well, QB has to admit to being pretty sold on that, but there are some caveats to consider. If you're going to pick coffee for your morning pick-me-up, you may want to consume between 1,000 and 1,200 milligrams of calcium per day depending on your sex and age. This supplement is recommended because caffeine causes the bones to release calcium, which is bad news if you're not a fan of osteoporosis. Another consideration is that more than 500 milligrams of caffeine per day can negatively affect fertility, so if you're trying to people the earth with more coffee-chuggers, you may wish to stick to a moderate level of consumption. As hard as it is to stop discussing caffeine, let's move on to the apple. At 95 calories and 25 grams of carbohydrates, not to mention 18 grams of sugars, a medium-sized apple will give you some energy to start your day. QB feels compelled to point out that it does not--sob--contain caffeine, although it does contain vitamins C and A. The orange juice is devoid of caffeine as well, though 8oz of it contains 110 calories, as well as 25 grams of carbohydrates (yes, the same amount of carbohydrates as the apple). So which of these choices makes for the best breakfast? QB leaves it to your discretion to decide for yourself. Still hooked on caf, QB

Sources :

Nutrition and well-being A to Z Delores C.S. James, editor in chief. Detroit, Mich. : Macmillan Reference USA, c2004. http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search

Call Number :

Q. 613.203 N959

Location :

Undergrad Reference

Date Answered :

5/28/2008

Question 4:

1. Why did my friends, good friend get pregnant on unofficial? (She is now the mother of an almost 1 year old). We're not sure why does alcohol affect the pill? 2. I think my friend has an STD. Can I "catch" it or do I have to start avoiding her? Seriously. 3. My feet stink really bad. Odor eaters and all the "stinky feet" products do not work. Is there anything I can do? Or not do?

Answer :

Dear Full of Questions: Question #1: Despite, the correlation that you may have seen between alcohol and pregnancy, alcohol does not affect the pill. MedlinePlus, a medical encyclopedia, actually says that sexually active women who drink heavily should use birth control. The fact that your friend’s good friend conceived a child on unofficial, may not have very much to do with alcohol. (Other than the fact that alcohol reduces the ability to think clearly and that studies show that alcohol use decreases the likelihood of condom use in college-aged men and, thus, increases the likelihood of pregnancy, HIV, and other STD infections.) While most birth control pills do have a higher rate of success than many other forms of contraception, no birth control pill has a 100% chance of preventing pregnancy (really only abstinence has a 100% chance of preventing pregnancy and STDs). Another thing that is important about the pill is that to achieve maximum effectiveness the pill must be taken at the same time each day. Very few people actually do this and when drinking all day (as many people participating in unofficial do), many women probably do not remember to take their birth control pills. For more information about birth control methods, McKinley Health Center has a fact sheet. Question #2: If you think your friend has an STD, you definitely do not have to start avoiding her; in fact she may need a friend now more than ever, for support and encouragement in seeking health care. Most STDs (or STIs), are only passed through vaginal, anal and oral sex. If you believe that some one has an STD you will definitely want to avoid those activities with them and you should always practice safe sex. In general (and especially if you suspect someone who has a STD), you should also avoid sharing needles and moist objects such as towels, washcloths, bathing suits and sex toys. Herpes can also be transmitted by skin to skin contact. For more information about STDs (or STIs), McKinley Health Center has a fact sheet about these as well. Questions #3: Feet smell for 2 main reasons, you wear shoes and your feet sweat. Feet have about 3,000 sweat glands per square inch! Feet, however, are trapped inside shoes, where temperatures can easily reach 102 degrees F and odors cannot escape. The sweat and dark environment creates a fertile ground for bacteria. Stress, some medications, fluid intake and hormonal changes also can increase the amount of perspiration your body produces. Some preventative measures that The American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society recommends you take are to: -Practice good foot hygiene to keep bacteria levels at a minimum. -Bathe your feet daily in lukewarm water, using a mild soap. Dry thoroughly. -Change your socks and shoes at least once a day. -Dust your feet frequently with a nonmedicated baby powder or foot powder. Applying antibacterial ointment also may help. -Check for fungal infections between your toes and on the bottoms of your feet. If you spot redness or dry, patchy skin, get treatment right away. -Wear thick, soft socks to help draw moisture away from the feet. Cotton and other absorbent materials are best. -Avoid wearing nylon socks or plastic shoes. Instead, wear shoes made of leather, canvas, mesh or other materials that let your feet breathe. -Don't wear the same pair of shoes two days in a row. If you frequently wear athletic shoes, alternate pairs so that the shoes can dry out. Give your shoes at least 24 hours to air out between wearings; if the odor doesn't go away, discard the shoes. -Always wear socks with closed shoes. QB hopes that your friends and you make wise choices. Be careful not to drink too much, remember that abstinence is the only 100% effective way to prevent STDs and pregnancy, and when sexually active remember how important it is to practice safe sex. QB also recommends not wearing flip flops to bars like Kams and Cos; it creates horrible "bar feet" and there is just no way that that can help your foot odor dilemma or your concern for health! -QB

Sources :

1. LaBrie, Joseph W., Jason Schiffman & Mitchell Earleywine. "Expectancies Specific to Condom Use Mediate the Alcohol and Sexual Risk Relationship." Journal of Sex Research. 39 (2): 145-53. 2. Lewis, Rachel A. “Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.” MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000911.htm 3. McKinley Health Center Birth Control Handout http://www.mckinley.uiuc.edu/Handouts/birth_control.html 4. McKinley Health Center STI Handout http://www.mckinley.uiuc.edu/Handouts/sexually_transmitted_infections.html 5. “Smelly (Malodorous) Feet.” American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00171

Call Number :

Location :

1. Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition Online Database 2. Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia Online 3. UIUC McKinley Health Center Online Resources 4. UIUC McKinley Health Center Online Resources 5. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Online

Date Answered :

3/5/2008

Question 5:

Why some oriental people get red when drinking alcohol? What should they do to prevent it? -Red Guy

Answer :

Dear Red Guy, You are not the only one with a red face after consuming alcohol. About half of certain Asians, including Chinese, Japanese, and Korean persons share your problem (Wall 1). However, this condition is essentially absent in people of European or African decent (Edenberg 11). The condition you are referring to is most likely alcohol flush reaction, also known as the Asian flush. This reaction is caused by a deficiency of the mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2) isoenzyme, which is responsible for metabolizing acetaldehyde. The deficiency of the ALDH2 results from the inheritance of the mutant ALDH2*2 allele. The mutation causes an individual to accumulate higher levels of acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde is a toxic substance that is the product of the metabolism of alcohol and results in an aversive reaction that includes facial flushing, nausea, and rapid heart beat (Edenberg 6). I’m sorry to report that the only solution to your problem is to avoid alcohol, according to Mayo Clinic asthma and allergy specialist James Li, M.D. However, when drinking, try not to let it bother you. It is probably less noticeable than you think, especially in a dimly lit bar. Even if it is noticeable, the people around you are probably too drunk to care anyway. Sincerely, QB

Sources :

(1) Edenberg, H. (2007). The Genetics of Alcohol Metabolism.. Alcohol Research & Health, 30(1), 5-13. Retrieved February 14, 2008, from Health Source - Consumer Edition database. (2) Jaffe, J. (1995). Encyclopedia of drugs and alcohol. (Vol. 1, p. 64).New York: Macmillan Library Reference USA. (3) Wall, T., & Peterson, C. (1997, September 1). Alcohol Metabolism in Asian-American Men with Genetic Polymorphisms of Aldehyde Dehydrogenase.. Annals of Internal Medicine, 127(5), 376-379. Retrieved February 14, 2008, from Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition database. (4) Li, James, M.D. Alcohol allergy: Is there such a thing? - MayoClinic.com. Retrieved 2/13/2008, 2008, from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/alcohol-allergy/AN00818

Call Number :

(2) Q. 362.2903 EN19

Location :

(1) Health Source - Consumer Edition database (2) Undergrad Reference (3) Nursing/Academic Edition database (4) http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/alcohol-allergy/AN00818

Date Answered :

2/14/2008

Question 6:

Why are most women shorter than men?

Answer :

Dear Height Information Seeker, Your question can have more than one answer. When QB began researching this topic, we found a plethora of information discussing the physical differences between men and women, not to mention quite a few articles on the psychological differences between the sexes. However, the answer to your question begins at fertilization. Did you know you were going to be getting a sex talk from QB? When a male’s sperm penetrates a female’s egg, it creates a zygote. By this time, a child's genetic make-up is complete, including its sex. Since the mother can provide only X chromosomes (women are XX), if a Y sperm fertilizes the egg, the baby will be a boy (XY); if an X sperm fertilizes the egg, the baby will be a girl (XX). But QB is sure you knew all this already. Or else your high school Sex Ed teacher seriously slacked off. Fast forward to puberty. During this stage in development, males and females begin developing different secondary sexual characteristics. For females, their body fat increases and menstruation begins. For males, their voices’ crack as their larynx’ lengthen, they develop facial hair and their shoulders broaden. And both sexes grow to their adult height. With all this lead up, we are finally at the heart of your question. Why do men grow taller than women at this point? The answer began at the moment of fertilization, as we said earlier. Men and women are genetically different. With those genetic differences, men produce more testosterone than women. Testosterone, along with a few other hormones, plays a large role in determining bone growth and final adult height. Also, please remember that the child’s genetics came from their parents, which came from their parents and so on. So, average family heights are carried on through genetics. However, as QB said at the beginning, there can be more than one answer to you question. Final height of both men and women can be affected by factors outside of genetics, for example: nutrition, illnesses, and environmental factors. Hope that clears things up for you, and thank you for your question!

Sources :

Oxford Companion to the Body Cambridge Dictionary of Human Biology and Evolution "The Mismeasure of Woman; Differences between the sexes." The Economist (US) 380.8489 (August 5, 2006): 70US. Academic OneFile. Gale. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. 23 Oct. 2007 Cumulative Percent Distribution Of Population By Height And Sex: 2003-2004 [By Age; Data For Period Total] , Issued By: Bureau of Census , Publication Date: December, 2006

Call Number :

612.003 M217c cop.2 612.003 Ox22 cop.2

Location :

Undergraduate Reference Collection

Date Answered :

10/27/2007

Question 7:

Are there any sports in which women excel more THAN MEN?

Answer :

Dear Competitive Spirit, Women excel in many sports, but often compete in different categories than men even while engaging in the same sport. For example, women marathon swimmers "often better the male winning time in many races" (International Encyclopedia of Women and Sports, 1138). However, because you seem to want to find sports where women beat men, QB looked at "coeducational" sports where women compete directly against men. One such sport is Alaskan sled dog racing. Women began competing in the Iditarod in 1974 (one year after the first race was organized). Libby Riddles became the first woman to win the Iditarod in 1985, and Susan Butcher won each of the next three years and again in 1990. A popular bumper sticker in Alaska celebrated women's winning record with the slogan, "Alaska, where men are men and women win the Iditarod." However, no woman has won since 1990. Women are also seen to have advantages over men in horseback riding, and equestrian competition is the only truly coed Olympic event. "Their wider hips place their center of gravity securely in the saddle. Unable to rely on the physical strength natural to most men, they use in its place techniques integral to successful riding--balance, finesse, and, most important, communication" (International Encyclopedia of Women and Sports, 531). Women are generally "better equipped for balance activities" (International Encyclopedia of Women and Sports, 240). This explains why competitive gymnastic events in which only women participate (side horse vault, uneven bars and balance beam) emphasize balance and grace while men-only events (high bar, rings, parallel bars, pommel horse and long horse vault) require upper-body strength. Last but not least, consider sports that may be known for the women who participate in them but include men. Did you know that organized cheering began as part of the US Army and Navy military tradition? Although cheerleading has been popular in the US since the late 1800s, women have participated only since the 1920s. Harvard University did not allow women to be cheerleaders until 1971. However, the National Federation of State High School Associations reported that about 111,200 girls and 3,200 boys participated in competitive cheerleading during the 2002-2003 school year. Women dominate the sport of cheerleading. So in conclusion, women do excel in some sports more than men, and some individual women beat males in a variety of competitions. As Title IX and feminist efforts continue to affect kids, girls are becoming a force to be reckoned with in soccer, basketball, and rugby. Yours in spirit, QB

Sources :

Christensen, Karen, Allen Guttmann and Gertrud Pfister (ed). International Encyclopedia of Women and Sports. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2001. Q. 796.082 In82 v. 1-3 Levinson, David and Karen Christensen (ed). Berkshire Encyclopedia of World Sport. Great Barrington, MA: Berkshire Publishing Group LLC, 2005. 796.03 B455, v. 1-4. http://www.iditarod.com/learn/awards.html

Call Number :

See above

Location :

Undergrad Reference, World Wide Web

Date Answered :

9/27/2007

Question 8:

Is there such a thing as premature erectile dysfunction?

Answer :

Hi and thank you for your question. Well, this is an interesting question... After looking through the Undergraduate Library Reference section, there looks to be three male sexual dysfunctions which sound similar to your question: premature ejaculation, delayed ejaculation and impotence. Premature ejaculation is broadly defined as the inability to control the timing of your climax, although some experts define it more narrowly as an ejaculation occurring after two minutes of penetration or in less than 50 thrusts. Basically, premature ejaculation boils down to the person(s) involved; if you both are sprinters, then race toward that finish line! If not, though, experts can suggest a number of different techniques to help delay ejaculation. On the other hand, delayed ejaculation is when the man can't ejaculate during intercourse. This condition is much less known and usually caused by psychological factors, like stress or fear. -Fear of getting their partner pregnant, for example. Finally, impotence is the inability to achieve or maintain an erection and can have either psychological or physical causes. Age, medications and stress are all factors which can lead to impotence. Fortunately, there are a number of treatments available ranging from pumps to shots to pills. So, all that being said, No, QB could not find a medical condition called premature erectile dysfunction, but maybe one of the afore mentioned conditions accurately describes what you were wondering about. If not, you should check out the two books listed in sources below, which provide excellent information on men's health.

Sources :

Macmillan Health Encyclopedia, Sexuality and Reproduction Encyclopedia of Men's Health

Call Number :

Q. 610.3 M2282 1999 v.6 613.04234 T64 cop.2

Location :

Undergraduate Reference Collection

Date Answered :

9/6/2007

Question 9:

I heard that vegetarians can’t drink Guinness because it has animal parts in it. Is this true? Are there other foods/drinks like this?

Answer :

Dear Squeamish, Many beers as well as wines and hard ciders contain "animal parts" or use "animal parts" in the creation process. These ingredients are usually introduced during the "fining" step, in which suspended proteins are removed from alcohol. Cask-conditioned ales and some other beers use isinglass, a substance made from shredded fish bladder, to help settle the yeast in a finished beer. Other clarifying agents for beer include Irish moss (a seaweed) and gelatin. Gelatin is made by boiling collagen, a protein found in animal connective tissue. Isinglass is a form of gelatin, but most commercial gelatins will be made from a variety of animals, including cows and pigs. Animal-derived products may also be used as colorants or anti-foaming agents. Beer brewers are not required to list their ingredients on labels and the Guinness brewery did not respond to our online inquiry. However, the Vegan Society awarded "The Vegan Raspberry Award" to Guinness in 2005 for needlessly using isinglass. But never fear! Many stupendous beers are cruelty-free: check out lists such as those found through http://www.vegsoc.org/seedling.html and at http://www.veganconnection.com/veganbeer.htm. Non-vegetarian wine finings include isinglass, gelatin, chitin (derived from the shells of crabs or lobsters) or even ox blood (rarely used today). But alternative ingredients as well as methods such as centrifuging and filtering are becoming more popular. Most organic wines do not use animal derivatives. Check out http://vegans.frommars.org/wine/ for an extensive list of vegan wine. Please note that brewers and winemakers remove all but minute quantities of fining agents before sealing up the bottles. Are there other foods and drinks that seem vegetarian but aren’t? Of course there are. Check a list of ingredients for the words "natural flavor" or "natural flavoring." According to the US Code, these additives may contain "the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional." In other words, canned soup may not list "beef broth" on the label but still contain meat-derived products lumped together under "natural flavors." Finally, many food manufacturers use animal derivatives to process or refine their consumables. A prime example is sugar. Many companies use bone char (charred bones) to help whiten the final product. If this turns your stomach, vegan websites can help you avoid products that contain animals.

Sources :

"isinglass." World Encyclopedia. Philip's, 2005. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign. 1 March 2007 "Alcohol." 16 Jul. 2004. The Vegetarian Society. 28 Feb. 2007. http://www.vegsoc.org/info/alcohol.html "Announcements." 9 Nov. 2005. The Vegan Society. 28 Feb. 2007. http://www.vegansociety.com/phpws/index.php?module=announce&ANN_user_op=view&ANN_id=67 "Finings." Rhodes, Christine, ed. The Encyclopedia of Beer. New York : Henry Holt, 1995. Hass, H. B. and Charles B. Broeg. 10 Apr. 2000. "Sugar." AccessScience@McGraw-Hill. 28 Feb. 2007. http://www.accessscience.com, DOI 10.1036/1097-8542.665200 “Ingredients Statement.” Title 9 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 381. 2006, 477-478

Call Number :

641.23 En19

Location :

Date Answered :

3/1/2007

Question 10:

It is cold now. True. However, I have felt cold nearly all the time this winter, even when it was unseasonably warm. Since last winter, I have lost 15 pounds. Is this enough body fat lost to have a noticeable difference on my level of warmth, or am I just making it up in my head?

Answer :

Dear chilly-willy, You’re right: weight and body mass determine how cold you feel. Your body is designed to rather gracefully regulate its temperature, so when the air is cold your body expends energy to produce heat using fancy-named processes like thermogenesis and thermoregulation. However, there are many other factors involved in how your body maintains a comfortable temperature. First, there are the obvious ones I didn’t have to look up. For instance, are you that guy I keep seeing wearing shorts and sandals when the high is 16? Please take a glance downward to make sure. Have you changed coats recently? A hat and gloves can help as well. Are you one of the many young people on campus who nightly trek to the bars in t-shirts or spaghetti straps? For that matter, are you a boy or a girl? A 2001 study found that women differ from men in thermal responses “because they usually have a larger ratio of body surface to body mass, a greater subcutaneous fat content, and lower exercise capacity.” Now that we’ve gotten all that out of the way, here are some other things to consider. Yes, body temperature depends on weight, so that 15 pounds you shed could certainly have some effect. But other factors include a low-protein diet (cut down on those carbs) and poor circulation. Also, you need lots of water every day to keep those bodily fluids moving around, so that can be a factor as well (QB health tip of the day: beer, even light beer, is not water). As mom always said, make sure you’re eating balanced meals and drinking plenty of water. The Mayo clinic insists there’s no absolute answer for how much fluid to drink every day, but they suggest roughly 13 cups for men and 9 cups for women. CRCE has a free service called Wellness Zone Check-ups (http://www.campusrec.uiuc.edu/personaltraining/zones.html) where they help you find the right levels of exercise and nutrition, so take advantage of that if you get a chance. If summer rolls around and you’re still cold, this might be a more serious problem. An under active thyroid gland is the most likely culprit, and may also include symptoms of “fatigue, sluggishness, depression, weight gain, lackluster nails and hair that breaks easily” (“ask the expert” Shape magazine May 2006). Yikes! QB doesn’t want this to happen you, so stay healthy and consult a health professional if you have further concerns.

Sources :

PubMed and Healthsource, both databases available through the UGL website, and mayoclinic.com

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Location :

Date Answered :

2/22/2007

Question 11:

Answer :

Sources :

PubMed and Healthsource, both databases available through the UGL website, and mayoclinic.com

Call Number :

Location :

Date Answered :

2/22/2007

Question 12:

Do we have an alumni brother or sister orthodontist out there who could take a student at U of Chicago as a new patient? Transfering from the West coast and asking me for a referral. Can't do better than an Illinois trained professional, I'm sure. George Hossfeld, MD.

Answer :

The University of Illinois Alumni Association at Urbana offers many great services to it's alumni! Including access to an online directory which helps alumni connect with each other, which lists over "40,000 alumni have already volunteered to help others regarding information about their profession, place of business, city of residence, willingness to mentor students, offer an internship or recommend the U of I to prospective students." In order to have access to these resources you must be a member of the alumni association; there is an annual membership fee (or a one time lifetime membership fee) to belong to the Alumni Association, which is considered fully tax deductible. This membership also provides discounts on insurance, campus recreation facilities, Club Quarters locations across the country, Kaplan test prep courses, moving services and Illini Union guest rooms. Some other features that a membership to the Alumni Association offers are a subscription to the Alumni magazine, organized travel options, loan consolidation options, find-a-friend service (with up to date addresses of your classmates), library privileges (which include access to online magazines, newspapers and professional journals as well as access to University of Illinois library materails). The University of Illinois Alumni Association at Urbana also just built the Alice Campbell Alumni Center which is available for rent for many different kinds of events and is a great place for Alumni to gather together to cheer for the Fighting Illini men's basketball team while watching the games on widescreen plasma TVs! For more information about the Alumni Association and how to join visit http://www.uiaa.org/urbana/. -QB

Sources :

1. University of Illinois Alumni Association website 2. University of Illinois Alumni Association phone representative

Call Number :

Location :

1.http://www.uiaa.org/urbana/ 2. (217)333-1471

Date Answered :

2/7/2007

Question 13:

My boyfriend just began using nasal snuff tobacco because he claims that it is a safer product than smoking or chewing. What are the health concerns of nasal snuff tobacco?

Answer :

Any product that contains nicotine creates dependency, so your boyfriend may become addicted to nasal snuff tobacco, the same as he would to cigarettes. Many fewer studies have been done on nasal snuff, but studies show that there are health risks. Over time, its use will cause "morphological and functional changes" to the nasal mucosa. As you probably know, nasal snuff falls under the broader category of smokeless tobacco. Dip or chewing tobacco may be better known forms. Although it can be used to help someone quit smoking and then quit nicotine use, prolonged use of smokeless tobacco has its own health risks. A study conducted by Doctor Virend K. Somers of the Mayo Clinic in 2005 showed that use of smokeless tobacco causes the heart rate, blood pressure and epinephrine levels to increase. This represents a risk to the cardiovascular system. Your boyfriend may not be at as high a risk for lung cancer or oral cancer, since he is not inhaling smoke or placing the snuff in his mouth, but smokeless tobacco is also associated with cancers of the esophagus, larynx, and pancreas. While nasal snuff is marketed as a healthier alternative to smoking, it can’t really be described as safe.

Sources :

1) "Nasal snuff: historical review and health related aspects." Journal of Laryngology & Otology; Sep2003, Vol. 117 Issue 9, p686 2)"Smokeless Tobacco Threatens Heart Health." Medical Update; 2005, Vol. 30 Issue 11/12, p6 3)Macmillan Health Encyclopedia: Drugs, Alcohol, and Tobacco

Call Number :

3) Q.610.3 M2282 1999

Location :

1) Academic Search Premier database; EBSCO 2) Health Source database; EBSCO 3) Undergrad Library

Date Answered :

1/3/2007

Question 14:

The new, legal, drug salvia has become quite popular. To me it sounds like the effects are very similar to marijuana. What are the differences? Does this drug show up on drug tests like marijuana would? If so, is there any effective way to clear salvia, and marijuana, from one’s system faster than normal? There are so many drinks and herbs that attempt to do this, but do any of them work? Thanks, Dean D.

Answer :

Dear Dean D., The use of Salvia divinorum as a drug is not a new thing. The Aztecs were smoking a plant they called pipiltzintzintli, thought to be Salvia, way back in the day. In 1962, Gordon Wasson discovered the plant and its use, and in the same year the plant was first officially described by botanists at UCLA. However, you are correct in calling Salvia legal. The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants says that living plants are increasingly available in North America and Europe, and that the plant is "not regulated in any way." It does not sound to QB like the effects of the drug are exactly the same as marijuana, however. People who have ingested salvia either by smoking it or in the form of a tincture report that the unusual psychoactive effects are difficult to compare to known substances. Space is often perceived as curved, and surging and rolling body sensations or out-of-body experiences are frequently described as typical. In fact, the shamans and shamanesses of the Mazatec of Oaxaca use Salvia as a substitute for the preferred psychoactive mushrooms. Salvia sounds more hallucinogenic than marijuana, the primary effects of which are described as "a mild to profound sense of euphoria accompanied by rich associative abilities." Even with improvements in technology, drug testing continues to be complicated and is not perfect, which may explain the many products out there that claim to help you pass a drug test. The main problem lays in interpreting the results of the test. Detection of a drug depends on its absorption, distribution, and elimination properties. Some drugs are fat-soluble and are deposited in fat tissues. THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, is one of those drugs. Detection of the drug THC in urine may be possible for many days after consumption. In some cases, marijuana metabolites have been detected as many as 60 days after last use. Small amounts of the drug from fat go back into the blood and then show up in the urine. Compared to other drugs, marijuana has a very long detection period. Various drug tests have advantages and disadvantages to laboratories trying to detect the presence of drugs. Some can only test for one drug; for others, the interpretation of results can be too subjective. Whether or not you can pass a drug test by attempting to cloud the results may depend on how much marijuana you used and how recently, and on what kind of test is done to you. Those who test for drugs are familiar with attempts to circumvent the test. However, drinking large amounts of water to increase urination prior to the test (thereby voiding the drug) can be troublesome to laboratories. The most sophisticated and accurate form of testing, according to The Encyclopedia of Drugs and Alcohol, is gas chromatography in combination with mass spectrometry (both are ways of testing urine). A number of techniques can be used to get around erroneous results, and to detect adulterated urine samples. QB did not find any evidence that any drinks or herbs that claim to clear the body of marijuana can be fully trusted. It comes down to how fast your body metabolizes the drug and gets rid of it through urination.

Sources :

1) The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants 2) The Encyclopedia of Drugs and Alcohol

Call Number :

1) Q 615.788 R189e:E 2) Q 362.2903 En19 v.1

Location :

1) Undergrad Reference 2) Undergrad Reference

Date Answered :

11/20/2006

Question 15:

Today at Fat Don's, the steak they gave me had patches of blue in it. Does this mean it was under/over cooked? What would have happened to me if I ate it?

Answer :

Dear Hungry Student, we understand your concerns, in this day and age it is easy to be concerned about the food you eat. First there is a question of where the blue patches were on the steak. If the patches were on the outside of the steak, it is likely they were caused by the ink that the USDA utilizes to mark meat when it has been inspected or graded for quality. But if the coloring was on the inside of the steak and it was more purple than blue, then the steak would have been considered rare, or undercooked if you do not like rare steak. We found several sources that pointed to the ink in the grading/inspecting stamps as the reasoning behind the blue quality of the steak you received. We contacted the USDA Meat and Poultry hotline and spoke with a representative who stated that if the blue mark was on the outside of the steak, especially along the edge, then it was probably the inspection/quality stamp. She also stated that this ink was edible, so nothing would have happened to you if you had eaten it. Furthermore, on the USDA website there is detailed information about grading and inspecting and the inks used in the stamps. The site states that the ink they use is food-grade vegetable dye and is not harmful. They do not give specific details about the ingredients in the dye because the formula is owned by the dye-maker. We also contacted University dining service, and they were pretty sure that the blue marking is a USDA grade stamp that is totally edible. They also provided us some additional information about the meat served in Fat Don??s. They purchase meat on a weekly bid basis from major meat companies, and all of meat served in dining hall is US Domestic Choice grade. Prime is the highest grade, which is usually served in hotels and restaurants, and the Choice grade is the second. According to USDA website, Choice is high quality, but has less marbling than Prime. Choice steaks from the loin and rib will be very tender, juicy, and flavorful. Fat Don's meat is usually from the loin or the rib area of a cow. Types of steaks served at Fat Don's are Tenderloin, strip, T-bone and Ribeye. In case you are worried about getting Mad Cow Disease (BSE), these are all from the safe area of a cow, and there should not be a risk of getting Mad Cow Disease by eating those steaks. USDA shows that muscle meat does not contain the high risk neural tissues such as brain and spinal cord, and is considered safe and even when the cow had BSE, the tissues that would carry the BSE agent were completely removed at slaughter and not used in meat cuts or products. Therefore, steaks served at Fat Don's, regardless of the kind of steak you choose, Tenderloin, T-bone or Ribeye, should be all safe. Thirdly, we contacted the University of Illinois Animal Sciences Department and spoke with one of the professors. He stated that it was likely that the blue patches were from the blue/purple ink in the USDA inspection stamp. He further stated that if the steak had been eaten, nothing would have happened to the person because the ink is made from blueberry extract. The professor also gave a second possible explanation for the coloring of the meat if it was purplish in the center. That coloring would have meant that the steak was rare. He stated that nothing would have happened to the person if they ate the steak because bacteria would have been on the outside of the steak and the outside temperature would have gotten high enough in the cooking process to kill the bacteria. The USDA hotline attendant also stated that if the steak was purple in the center, then the steak was rare, or undercooked. She told us that if a steak hasn't been exposed to air or cooked long enough, it could be purplish in color. The USDA website gives the following detailed information about the color of meat and poultry. Myoglobin, a protein, is responsible for the majority of the red color. Myoglobin doesn't circulate in the blood but is fixed in the tissue cells and is purplish in color. When it is mixed with oxygen, it becomes oxymyoglobin and produces a bright red color. The remaining color comes from the hemoglobin, which occurs, mainly in the circulating blood, but a small amount can be found in the tissues after slaughter. Color is also influenced by the age of the animal, the species, sex, diet, and even the exercise it gets. The meat from older animals will be darker in color because the myoglobin level increases with age. Exercised muscles are always darker in color, which means the same animal can have variations of color in its muscles. The website also states the following reason for the iridescent coloring that meat and poultry can also have. Meat contains iron, fat, and other compounds. When light hits a slice of meat, it splits into colors like a rainbow. There are various pigments in meat compounds that can give it an iridescent or greenish cast when exposed to heat and processing. Iridescence does not represent decreased quality or safety of the meat. If the steak you had was rare, the question remains to the safety of eating the steak. We found some mixed results in this answer. Both the USDA hotline attendant and the USDA website state that steak should be cooked until it is 145 degrees Fahrenheit in the center. On the other hand, both the University of Illinois professor and an article on the BBC News website state that eating rare steak is not harmful. The article is entitled: "Rare steak is Safe to Eat" and discusses a research project that examined the hazards of eating rare steak. The following paragraph summarizes the test and results. "Eating rare steak will not cause food poisoning if kitchen utensils used to cook it are kept clean, it is claimed. University of Nottingham scientists spiked steak samples with E.coli bacteria, and then cooked them rare. The bacteria only survived where the steaks were touched by utensils that were not cleaned after being used to handle raw meat, researchers found. The study dispels the myth that eating rare steak is in itself unsafe, the Meat and Livestock Commission said." Our final answer is that you can trust Fat Don's Steaks. You know Fat Don's advertisement motto "never trust a skinny chef" We hope you are getting hungry to go to Fat Don's this week again. Steak Lover, Q.B.

Sources :

elephone interview with a professor in the University of Illinois, Department of Animal Science: http://www.ansci.uiuc.edu/ Rare Steak is safe to eat, from BBC News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3743657.stm USDA Common Questions, Food Safety: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Help/FAQs_Hotline_Appearance/index.asp#4 Is it done yet? Safe minimal internal temperature by USDA: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/IsItDoneYet_Magnet.pdf Production and Inspection: "Mad Cow Disease" by USDA: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Bovine_Spongiform_Encephalopathy_Mad_Cow_Disease/index.asp Safe food handling: Inspection & Grading by USDA: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Inspection_&_Grading/index.asp Safe Food Handling: The color of Meat and Poultry by USDA: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Color_of_Meat_&_Poultry/index.asp

Call Number :

Location :

Date Answered :

10/11/2006

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