Latest science news in Health & Medicine
Fitness trackers worth checking out
Fitness trackers and pedometers can help you hit your goals. Two we recommend: the One and Omron HJ-112.Fitness trackers are all the rage. But how to choose one?
Well: Sleep Apnea May Worsen Diabetes
Sleep apnea can worsen blood sugar control in people with Type 2 diabetes by disrupting the deepest stage of sleep, a new study suggests.
Managing chronic bone, joint pain
Musculoskeletal pain of the bone, joint and muscles is one of the most common reasons for primary care visits in the United States. Chronic pain, or pain that persists beyond...
Food packaging chemicals may be harmful to human health over long term
The synthetic chemicals used in the packaging, storage, and processing of foodstuffs might be harmful to human health over the long term, warn environmental scientists. This is because most of...
Online doctor reviews not commonly checked by patients
Doctor ratings in the U.S. are less popular than those of toasters, cars and movies when it comes to online consumer sites.
Meningitis vaccine withstands African heat without damage
MenAfriVac can be used effectively at 40C and below, raising hopes for yellow fever and cholera immunisation campaignsThe first immunisation campaign in Africa using a vaccine that does not have to be stored...
Studies of cow antibodies help scientists understand how our own bodies work
Understanding how antibodies work is important for designing new vaccines to fight infectious diseases and certain types of cancer and for treating disorders of the immune system in animals and...
Researchers home in on Alzheimer's disease: Supercomputer helps guide new drug designs
Researchers studying peptides using a supercomputer have found new ways to elucidate the creation of the toxic oligomers associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
Gene test developed to accurately classify brain tumors
Scientists have developed a mathematical method for classifying forms of glioblastoma, an aggressive and deadly type of brain cancer, through variations in the way these tumor cells 'read' genes. Their...
Unusual new HIV drug resistance mechanism revealed
For the millions of people living with HIV/AIDS, antiretroviral drugs can be a lifeline, slowing the progress of viral infection. Unfortunately, studies have shown that these benefits can be short-lived:...
The number of tumor cells spread to sentinel lymph nodes affects melanoma prognosis
Cancer cell spread to the sentinel node -- the lymph node to which cancer cells are most likely to spread from a primary tumor -- is a risk factor for...
Almost 13 million smoking deaths could be prevented in China by 2050
China is home to about one third of the world's smokers and reducing smoking in China could have an enormous public health impact, even on a global scale. Complete implementation...
Small non-coding RNAs could be warning signs of cancer
Small non-coding RNAs can be used to predict if individuals have breast cancer conclude researchers who contribute to The Cancer Genome Atlas project. The results indicate that differences in the...
Hormone released after exercise can 'predict' biological age
Scientists have discovered a potential molecular link between Irisin, a recently identified hormone released from muscle after bouts of exercise, and the aging process. Irisin, which is naturally present in...
As Olympics Inspires Your 'Inner Athlete', Beware Common Injuries (Op-Ed)
Let the Olympics inspire you in the New Year, just be careful.
Understanding Heart Failure at the Cellular Level
A team of researchers at the University of Florence in Italy and the University of Connecticut Health Center have used a multidisciplinary approach to provide an unprecedented glimpse of what...
Earlier palliative care helps patients with advanced cancer to cope
Giving advanced cancer patients earlier access to palliative care services improves their quality of life and their satisfaction with the care they are getting, a new study suggests.
Pooperoni? Baby-Poop Bacteria Help Make Healthy Sausages
Bacteria from baby poop can make delicious sausage, new research finds. More to the point, the poop bacteria have probiotic benefits, making them a healthier alternative to other bacterial fermenters.
Grizzly Bears Could Offer Clue To Weight Loss
A Grizzly Bear In Yellowstone National Park Wikimedia Commons About 1.5 billion people worldwide are clinically overweight. Given the dearth of good treatments for obesity -- there are only three drugs approved for weight loss,...
The FDA Should Stop Blocking New Treatments From Patients
Pills Tom Varco, Wikimedia Commons Cataracts, a clouding of the lenses in the eyes, affect some 20 million Americans over the age of 40. Doctors can implant synthetic lenses to fix them,...
Your Next Cooking Oil Could Come From Hemp
Hemp Industrial hemp production in France. Aleks via Wikimedia Commons Agricultural hemp produces strong and decay-resistant fibers, a versatile oil, and requires little in the way of herbicides, since it outcompetes weeds. Hemp...
Cat Parasite Found In Arctic Beluga Whales
Toxoplasmosis Arrives in the Arctic Left: Toxoplasma tachyzoites that cause acute disease. Right: Toxoplasma cyst in heart muscle of Arctic Beluga. Michael Grigg, Stephen Raverty The parasite Toxoplasma gondii can cause heart, brain, nervous...
Systems Biology Post-Docs May Have A New Best Friend In...Philip Morris?
When you think of systems biology, you don't ordinarily think of process verification and methodology.Sure, there has been data verification in biology and clinical trials in pharmaceuticals, but best methods...
For Doctor-Rating Websites, Trust Is an Issue
About a quarter of Americans have used websites that rate physicians, resources that in some cases help these patients pick a doctor, according to a new study.
Science and Religion, Genome Cryptography, and the Coolest Science Fact
A roundup of our favorite stories from the annual AAAS meeting
Brian Sinclair's family loses confidence, pulls out of inquest
The family of a man who died in his wheelchair after waiting 34 hours for help in a Winnipeg hospital's emergency room is pulling out of an inquest looking into...
Pink eye outbreak shuts down Baie-Comeau hospital eye clinic
An ophthalmology clinic at a hospital in Baie-Comeau, Que., has been shut down after more than 400 people - including 100 health-care workers - contracted pink eye.
Garlic counteracts virulent bacteria
Garlic contains a substance that is particularly effective in encounters with even the hardiest bacterial strains. A young researcher at the University of Copenhagen will soon be defending his Ph.D....