Latest science news in Health & Medicine
Scientists identify protein linking exercise to brain health
A protein that is increased by endurance exercise has been isolated and given to non-exercising mice, in which it turned on genes that promote brain health and encourage the growth...
Mitochondrial dysfunction in diabetic kidney disease
Researchers have identified 13 metabolites – small molecules produced by cellular metabolism – that are significantly different in patients with diabetes and chronic kidney disease compared to healthy controls.
The Brain Mechanisms Behind A Bizzare Symptom Of Narcolepsy
Normally muscles contract in order to support the body, but in a rare condition known as cataplexy the body's muscles "fall asleep" and become involuntarily paralyzed. Cataplexy is incapacitating because...
Natural health products: Do they need tougher regulations?
A recent study that revealed many herbal products contain unlisted ingredients and fillers that could pose health risks has some experts questioning whether more regulation is needed of the natural...
No increased risk of suicide in patients using smoking cessation drugs
A study to assess whether patients prescribed smoking cessation drugs are at an increased risk of suicide, self-harm and treated depression compared with users of nicotine replacement therapy has found...
Human stomach a stem cell powerhouse
New research has shown that the stomach naturally produces more stem cells than previously realized, likely for repair of injuries from infections, digestive fluids and the foods we eat. Stem...
Bubonic plague outbreak feared in Madagascar
Health experts and authorities on Indian Ocean island launch campaign to clean up rat-infested jails to halt spread of 'black death'Madagascar is at risk of a major outbreak of bubonic plague unless it...
One in five persons seeking pre-travel advice are high-risk travelers
Researchers have found that high-risk travelers account for nearly 20 percent of patients using the five clinics of the Boston Area Travel Medicine Network. The study also found that these...
How a ubiquitous herpesvirus sometimes leads to cancer
Most of us are infected with the herpesvirus known as Epstein-Barr virus. For most of us, the virus will lead at worst to a case of infectious mononucleosis, but sometimes,...
How to determine whether a patient is safe to drive
Driver rehabilitation provides a comprehensive evaluation on whether a patient can safely drive a car. It is intended for elderly patients and patients with stroke, brain injury, Parkinson’s disease, multiple...
OPINION: Is the incidence of dementia declining?
Two reports showed that dementia may be becoming less common, Perminder Sachdev explains.
TV Sports: Partly by Shunning Documentary, ESPN Lifts It
ESPN’s pullout from a collaboration on a documentary about the N.F.L.’s handling of players’ injuries was a boon to the program, which was shown on PBS.
Researchers Press for Broad Ban on Hockey Fights
A recommendation after a Mayo Clinic conference called on professional and junior hockey to replace five-minute penalties with automatic ejections and suspensions.
California Expands Availability of Abortions
Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill allowing nurse practitioners, midwives and physician assistants to perform aspiration abortions during the first trimester.
Risk to Food Safety Seen in Furloughs
Food experts say the government shutdown is endangering what Americans eat, with all inspections of domestic food except meat and poultry halted.
New antiviral response discovered in mammals
Many viral infections are nipped in the bud by the innate immune response. This involves specific proteins within the infected cell that recognize the virus and trigger a signalling cascade...
Death of Gibson children sparks postpartum help line
Women suffering from postpartum depression in Winnipeg will now a new resource available to help them.
Surgical Knife May Sniff Out Cancer
When a surgeon is removing a tumor, it's often hard to tell whether he or she has removed all of the cancer. But a new surgical knife can detect cancerous...
Podcast: Severed Heads, Nostril Ticks, and Cyborg Cockroaches
Listen to a roundup of some of our favorite stories from the week
Newly Discovered Gene Regulator Could Precisely Target Sickle Cell Disease
A research team from Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center and other institutions has discovered a new genetic target for potential therapy of sickle cell disease (SCD). The target,...
Godspeed: Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter dies at age 88
NASA pioneer astronaut Scott Carpenter died Thursday at the age of 88 due to medical complications from a recent stroke, leaving John Glenn as the last remaining member of the...
Breast Cancer Blood Tests Available, But Not Proven
Detecting breast- cancer recurrence with just a blood sample is the goal of several new tests hitting the market, but experts say it's too early to tell whether using such...
Hospital pharmacy inspections planned in Ontario
The Ontario government is proposing new legislation to allow hospital pharmacies to be inspected and licensed provincially following an investigation into chemotherapy overdilutions that affected 1,202 patients.
As demand for dwindles, blood banks make changes
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) -- Blood banks are declaring fewer critical shortages these days and in some cases cutting staff in response to dwindling demand for...
Mom Confesses She Skips Daily Baths for Baby
How often should a newborn be bathed? One mother recently confessed that she doesn't put her 3-month-old son in a tub very often.
New hepatitis C drug shows potential in phase 2 trials
The addition of danoprevir to the current treatment regimen for patients with hepatitis C leads to high rates of remission, according to a new article in Gastroenterology, the official journal...
When more medicine isn’t always better: High costs of unnecessary radiation for terminal cancer patients
For cancer patients dealing with the pain of tumors that have spread to their bones, doctors typically recommend radiation as a palliative therapy. But as in many areas of medicine,...
Weight loss through the use of intestinal barrier sleeves
Scientists from the Helmholtz Zentrum München in cooperation with the University of Cincinnati, USA, have discovered that the placement of a non-permeable tube in the small intestine leads to reduced...