Latest science news in Health & Medicine
White House to make new research publically available
Government regulations require all tax-payer funded research to be available to everyone within 12 months of its first publication
'Genesis death sandwich' discovered in Bible
Researchers used text-analysis software to find a new literary device in the first book of the Bible: a "Genesis death sandwich" that puts bad news in between the good.
Balsam for the bones: Chemists develop a nanopaste for the repair of bone defects
Following accidents or cancer surgery surgeons often have to transplant healthy bone tissue or synthetic material to repair the resulting bone defects. Unfortunately, these procedures do not always have the...
Molecular basis identified for tissue specific immune regulation in the eye and kidney
Scientists have made important advances in understanding why our immune system can attack our own tissues resulting in eye and kidney diseases. It is hoped the research will pave the...
Six in ten people worldwide lack access to flush toilets or other adequate sanitation
It may be the 21st century, with all its technological marvels, but 6 out of every 10 people on Earth still do not have access to flush toilets or other...
Mushroom-supplemented soybean extract shows therapeutic promise for advanced prostate cancer
A natural, nontoxic product called genistein-combined polysaccharide, or GCP, which is commercially available in health stores, could help lengthen the life expectancy of certain prostate cancer patients, researchers have found.
Senators Want More Scrutiny Of Flame Retardants
Risk Assessment: Lawmakers ask EPA to analyze health risks of a broad array of chemicals
Informatics tools underutilized in prevention of hospital-acquired infection
A new study has measured the awareness, adoption and use of electronic medical record systems and health information exchange by hospital-based infection preventionists to report and share information critical to...
New injectable hydrogel encourages regeneration and improves functionality after a heart attack
Bioengineers have demonstrated in a study in pigs that a new injectable hydrogel can repair damage from heart attacks, help the heart grow new tissue and blood vessels, and get...
Spontaneous combustion looked at in death
Did an Oklahoma man die of spontaneous combustion? A sheriff there hasn't yet determined the death of the 65-year-old was definitely a case of spontaneous combustion — but he hasn't...
Variations in four genes associated with increased risk of colorectal cancer
Medical researchers have identified variations in four genes that are linked to an increased risk of colorectal cancer.
Obama admin. tackles colonoscopy confusion
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The new health law requires that most insurance plans cover all costs for preventive care, including colon cancer screening....
Smoking cessation in old age: Less heart attacks and strokes within five years
Smokers increase their risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack) and stroke with every cigarette they smoke. Conversely, those who quit smoking even at an advanced age will have a considerable...
Resveratrol shows promise to protect hearing, cognition
Resveratrol, a substance found in red grapes and red wine, may have the potential to protect against hearing and cognitive decline, according to a new study.
Seven days: 15–21 February 2013
The week in science: Massive meteor hits Russia; world’s first clinical study to put iPS cells in humans gets green light; and head of Fukushima health survey steps down.Nature 494...
Healthy rivalry could boost sport and business performance
New research shows that people can recover from poor performance when rivals comment on their failures. The research shows that while criticism from team members sends individuals into downward performance...
Gains made towards treatment of rare bone disease
Diagnosed in toddlers, X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) is the most common form of heritable rickets, in which soft bones bend and deform, and tooth abscesses develop because infections penetrate soft teeth...
Cost of medication and stigma leading asthma sufferers to risk health
The high cost of medication, stigmatization and poor acceptance of their condition are causing young adults to take a dangerous approach to managing their asthma, according to new research.
New therapeutics could accelerate wound healing
Chemistry and biochemistry professors report a discovery to exploit our body's ability to heal itself, that could lead to new bio-mimicking therapeutics to treat skin wounds.
Medical residents' long shifts questioned
Some medical residents at the University of Calgary are saying goodbye to the 24-hour shift, a move aimed at making doctors healthier and patients safer.
Q&A: Rachad Farah outlines his vision for UNESCO
If elected director-general of UNESCO, Rachad Farah will put southern hemisphere science at the heart of its agenda, he tells SciDev.Net.
High glycemic index foods and dairy products linked to acne
A new study has determined that there is increasing evidence of a connection between diet and acne, particularly from high glycemic load diets and dairy products, and that medical nutrition...
More sleep can reduce delirium in intensive care patients
A hospital is not the best place to get a good night’s sleep, especially in a noisy intensive care unit. It’s a cause for concern because studies have shown that...
Pakistan's polio cases linked to poor 'cold chain' facilities
Polio surfacing among vaccinated children in Pakistan may be due to poor facilities for vaccine storage and transport.
Fukushima health-survey chief to quit post
Shunichi Yamashita led well-received study of nuclear accident's effects but was blamed for poor communication.Nature News doi: 10.1038/nature.2013.12463
Scientists targeting disease-causing bacteria present on cows' skin in attempt to prevent contamination
If you can't kill them, trap them. Such is the fate that scientists are reserving to pathogenic bacteria, such as the infamous E. coli. These bacteria may contaminate meat in...
Well: No Consensus on Plantar Fasciitis
The mysteries of the heel and arch pain of plantar fasciitis underscore how little is understood, medically, about overuse sports injuries in general and why they remain so insidiously difficult...
Fast New Test Could Help Nip Leprosy in the Bud
A simple, cheap screening offers the hope of diagnosing and curing leprosy, even in the poorest places, before victims are permanently disabled or disfigured.