Latest science news in Health & Medicine
Arkansas Puts New Limits on Abortion
After a measure outlawing most abortions after 20 weeks was vetoed by the state’s governor, lawmakers overrode the veto.
Wolf in sheep's clothing: Uncovering how deadly bacteria trick the immune system
A new study demonstrates how bacteria can pretend to be a virus and trick the immune system into sending out the wrong type of defense. Such manipulation sheds light on...
Rival protein balance key in preventing cancer
Two proteins that scientists once thought carried out the same functions are actually antagonists of each other, and keeping them in balance is key to preventing diseases such as cancer,...
Higher indoor humidity inactivates flu virus particles
Higher humidity levels indoors can significantly reduce the infectivity of influenza virus particles released by coughing, according to new research.
Wii-playing surgeons may improve performance on laparoscopic procedures
Laparoscopic surgeons may improve certain aspects of surgical performance by regularly playing on a Nintendo Wii, according to new research.
Changing shape makes chemotherapy drugs better at targeting cancer cells
Bioengineering researchers have found that changing the shape of chemotherapy drug nanoparticles from spherical to rod-shaped made them up to 10,000 times more effective at specifically targeting and delivering anti-cancer...
Patients with diabetes at no greater risk for infection or other complications after total knee replacement
Patients with diabetes were no more likely to suffer infection, deep vein thrombosis (a deep vein blood clot) or other complications following total knee replacement than patients without diabetes, according...
Modified protein could become first effective treatment for vitiligo skin disorder
Researchers have developed a genetically modified protein that dramatically reverses the skin disorder vitiligo in mice, and has similar effects on immune responses in human skin tissue samples. The modified...
Infusion of stem cells and specially generated T-cells from same donor improves leukemia survival
In a significant advance for harnessing the immune system to treat leukemias, researchers for the first time have successfully infused large numbers of donor T-cells specific for a key anti-leukemic...
Lipid researcher, 98, reports on the dietary causes of heart disease
A 98-year-old researcher argues that, contrary to decades of clinical assumptions and advice to patients, dietary cholesterol is good for your heart -- unless that cholesterol is unnaturally oxidized (by...
Canadian adult obesity at historic high
Obesity rates across Canada are reaching alarming levels and continue to climb, according to a new study.
Research explores factors that impact adolescent mental health
Research indicates that half of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14, well before adulthood. Three new studies investigate the cognitive, genetic and environmental factors that may...
Possible treatment window for memory problems identified
Researchers have identified a possible treatment window of several years for plaques in the brain that are thought to cause memory loss in diseases such as Alzheimer's.
Risk of heart attack death may increase after adult sibling's death
The death of an adult sibling is associated with increased risk of death from heart attack among surviving siblings, especially if the sibling died of a heart attack. The increased...
The NHL drafts the wrong players due to birthday bias
A hockey player's birthday strongly biases how professional teams assess his talent, according to a new study by Grand Valley State University researchers. The findings were published in the online...
Current NSF Grantees Are Protected From Sequester
NSF director says the mandatory spending cuts will mean fewer new awards
Molecule does double duty in stopping asthma attacks
Scientists are on the brink of the next treatment advancement that may spell relief for the nearly 19 million adults and seven million children in the United States suffering from...
Workstation design improvements for drone operators may reduce costs, mishaps, researchers suggest
The U.S. Department of Defense reports that drone accidents in which personnel or aircraft are damaged or destroyed occur 50 times more often than mishaps involving human-operated aircraft. The U.S....
For pain control during early labor, combined spinal-epidural analgesia is best: study
During the first stage of labor, a combined spinal-epidural (CSE) technique offers faster and better-quality analgesia (pain relief) compared to traditional epidural analgesia, according to a new report.
Contaminated diet contributes to exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals: Phthalates and BPA
While water bottles may tout BPA-free labels and personal care products declare phthalates not among their ingredients, these assurances may not be enough. According to a new study, we may...
Man walks again after surgery to reverse muscle paralysis
After four years of confinement to a wheelchair, Rick Constantine, 58, is now walking again after undergoing an unconventional surgery to restore the use of his leg.
Therapy for milk allergy offers hope, and caution
Large study shows benefits of gradual introduction to dairy, but protection waned for some patients in smaller studies
'Resistant' Starches Heal the Colon, Prevent Cancer & Diabetes
Starches from foods like root vegetables and squashes may be just what the doctor ordered.
Discovery opens door to multipronged attack against skin common cancer, study shows
Researchers have identified a second way to block the activity of the signaling cascade, called the Hedgehog pathway, that is abnormally active in a common type of skin cancer.
Baby Boomers Take Biggest Career Risks
You might think it's the youngest workers who take the biggest risks, but you'd be wrong about that assumption.
Sodium in Canadian restaurant foods 'alarmingly high'
Sodium levels in many foods served at Canadian restaurant chains exceeds the amount an adult should take in during a day, a new study finds.
Missed meals in childhood linked with pain, depression in adulthood
It’s common knowledge that a child who misses a meal can’t concentrate in school. But what happens years down the road? Does that missed meal have any bearing on health...
Facing charges for selling pot to pain patients, Hamilton man 'not ashamed'
While Health Canada pushes reform that would see medical marijuana sold commercially, Peter Melanson faces 13 charges for running a café that offered pot to people suffering from painful medical...