Latest science news in Health & Medicine
Hormone Level May Reflect Mortality Risk Among Dialysis Patients
A new study suggests that monitoring levels of a hormone called fibroblast growth factor 23 may provide information crucial to the treatment of patients with kidney failure.
Antiviral Therapy Helps Children At Risk For Post-transplant Lymphoproliferative Disease
The antiviral drug, valganciclovir, can lower the levels of Epstein-Barr virus in children with liver transplants, according to a new study.
Treatment Corrects Severe Insulin Imbalance In Animal Studies
Researchers have used a drug to achieve normal levels of blood sugar in animals genetically engineered to have abnormally high insulin levels. If this approach succeeds in humans, it could...
Common Vaginal Infection May Increase Risk Of HIV Infection
A common vaginal infection may make women more susceptible to contracting HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, researchers have found.
Liver Damage In Hepatitis C Patients Could Be Treated With Warfarin, Says New Study
The drug warfarin may help prevent liver failure in thousands of people with Hepatitis C, according to new research.
Communication Gap Exists Between Seniors And Surgeons, Study Finds
In a study published in the July 2008 issue of the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Richard M. Frankel, Ph.D., of the Indiana University School of Medicine, and colleagues...
Drug Gives Couch Potato Mice Benefits of a Workout
A new mouse study takes step toward 'exercise in a pill.'
Alcohol Binges Early In Pregnancy Increase Risk Of Infant Oral Clefts
Pregnant women who binge drink early in their pregnancy increase the likelihood that their babies will be born with oral clefts.
Simian Foamy Virus Found In Several People Living And Working With Monkeys In Asia
Scientists have found that several people in South and Southeast Asian countries working and living around monkeys have been infected with simian foamy virus, a primate virus that, to date,...
Scientists create first personalized stem cells in ALS patients
Researchers for the first time are able to reprogram cells from sick patients. Though hurdles remain, such cells could be used to help screen drugs to treat the crippling disease. ...
Commonly Used Test Could Identify Millions Of People With Undiagnosed Diabetes
A blood test currently used as the gold standard for monitoring people already under care for diabetes may have far wider use in identifying millions with undetected diabetes.
New Treatment Therapy Helps Inhibit Hepatitis C
Two new studies examine the use of the nucleoside polymerase inhibitor, R1626, to the standard therapy for hepatitis C.
Discovery May Lead To Immunization Against Cardiovascular Disease
Low levels of naturally occurring antibodies may represent an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, particularly stroke in men. This discovery, published in the academic journal Atherosclerosis, has now led...
Exercise In A Pill: Researchers Identify Drugs That Enhance Exercise Endurance
Trying to reap the health benefits of exercise? Forget treadmills and spin classes, researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies may have found a way around the sweat and...
Amgen Told to Reword Drug Label
The Food and Drug Administration has ordered Amgen to change the labels for its flagship anemia drugs in a way that could further restrict their use in treating patients with...
AIDS bill sets unclear treatment target
(AP) -- The global AIDS bill signed by President Bush on Wednesday sets a goal of treating more than the 2 million-patient target set in 2003, but how much...
More cities move aggressively to stop heat deaths
PHOENIX (AP) -- The homeless woman was nauseated, dizzy, drenched with sweat, dehydrated and sobbing with fear. She had heat exhaustion and was on the verge...
Heart attacks reduced by Scottish smoking ban: study
Heart attack rates in Scotland have dropped dramatically in smokers and non-smokers since the country passed a non-smoking law for public places, finds a large study.
Skin cells could help with treatment of Alzheimer's
Scientists have plucked skin cells from elderly women and turned them into spinal cord nerves in a world first that promises to transform research into debilitating diseases such as Alzheimer's...
Putting the squeeze on cancer cells
Squashing suspect cells and watching how they bulge can be used to tell cancer cells from healthy ones
Nerve stimulation used to treat sepsis
MANHASSET, N.Y., July 31 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say they've found stimulation of the vagus nerve decreases the spleen's production of a substance that promotes sepsis.
Increased Burden Of Rare Genetic Variations Found In Schizophrenia
People with schizophrenia bear an "increased burden" of rare deletions and duplications of genetic material, genome-wide, say researchers. Although many of us have these changes in our genetic material, they...
Cholesterol-lowering drug boosts bone repair
Lovastatin, a drug used to lower cholesterol and help prevent cardiovascular disease, has been shown to improve bone healing in an animal model of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). The research,...
Gummy bears that fight plaque
The tooth-protecting sugar substitute xylitol has been incorporated into gummy bears to produce a sweet snack that may prevent dental problems. read more
OMG OW! Texting Your Way To The ER
The American College of Emergency Physicians warned of the dangers of serious accidents involving oblivious texters.
Scared kids might develop anxiety
Children who strongly dislike fear associated with activities like roller coasters could be more likely to suffer from anxiety disorders, according to research.
Sweet peas make a second skin
Enzymes from sweet pea pods combined with polymers may be the perfect wound dressing for burn victims, writes Michael Pollitt
Fears of complications with IVF babies dismissed in new study
Statistics show no link between premature birth, stillbirth, low birth weight with assisted fertilisation