Latest science news in Health & Medicine
Healthy man dies of swine flu in N.S.
A man in his 40s with no underlying medical conditions is Nova Scotia's sixth death related to the H1N1 influenza virus.
Gene may help drugs fight cancer
GRANADA, Spain, Nov. 25 (UPI) -- Spanish scientists say they have found a gene that leads to the death of tumor cells derived from breast, lung and colon cancer.
Road rage: Fuel vapor heightens aggression, rat study finds
Outrageous prices may not be the only thing causing anger at the petrol pumps. A new study has shown that rats exposed to fumes from leaded and unleaded gasoline become...
HIV epidemic peaked in 1996: UN
The number of people worldwide infected with the virus that causes AIDS has remained virtually unchanged for the last two years, United Nations experts say.
Helmets remain optional at Atlantic ski hills
The use of helmets will remain voluntary at Atlantic skill hills this year because there are no models approved by the Canadian Standards Association, say hill operators.
'Comfort food' a stress killer: Australian study
A high-fat, high-sugar diet could have the same effect on brain chemistry as mood-altering drugs, giving scientific support to the craving for "comfort food", Australian researchers said Tuesday.
Red tape harms nurse practice
A recent study found that many nurse practitioners are hindered by the prescribing system – almost a third waiting to get approval at all.
Against expectations, genetic variation does not alter asthma treatment response
(PhysOrg.com) -- Studies have suggested that asthma patients with a specific genetic variation might not respond as well to certain treatments as those with a different variation. But a new...
Kepler Mission Manager Update
(PhysOrg.com) -- Kepler experienced a safe mode event on Nov. 18, 2009.
Exposure to both traffic, indoor pollutants puts some kids at higher risk for asthma later
New research presents strong evidence that the "synergistic" effect of early-life exposure to both outdoor traffic-related pollution and indoor endotoxin causes more harm to developing lungs than one or the...
Genome-wide association studies in developing countries raise important new ethical issues
Typically conducted in richer, developed countries but now increasingly done in the developing world, genome wide association (GWA) studies raise a host of ethical issues that must be addressed, argues...
It's time for a 'third wave' of malaria activism to tackle drug shortages
In this week's PLoS Medicine, the journal's editors call for concerted international action to address the crisis of malaria drug shortages across Africa.
Alarming trend -- antiviral therapy to treat hepatitis C is declining in the US
Researchers from the University of Michigan determined that only 663,000 of the approximately 3.9 million Americans with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection received antiviral therapy between 2002 and 2007. ...
Metobolomics uncovers key indicators of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
A recent metobolomics study by researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center in Richmond found that impaired peroxisomal oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) is associated with the progression of...
New study finds MRSA on the rise in hospital outpatients
The community-associated strain of the deadly superbug MRSA—an infection-causing bacteria resistant to most common antibiotics—poses a far greater health threat than previously known and is making its way into hospitals,...
Control of blood clotting by platelets described; provides medical promise
Cell fragments called platelets are essential to promote blood clotting. Virginia Tech faculty members and students have discovered novel molecular interactions at the surface of platelets that control blood clotting.
Why circumcision reduces HIV risk
The decreased risk of HIV infection in circumcised men cannot be explained by a reduction in sores from conditions such as herpes, according to research published in PLoS Medicine.
Children unaffected by smoking ban consequences
The smoking ban in Wales has not displaced secondhand smoke from public places into the home. A study of 3500 children from 75 primary schools in Wales, published in the...
New tool for helping pediatric heart surgery
A team of researchers at the University of California, San Diego and Stanford University has developed a way to simulate blood flow on the computer to optimize surgical designs. It...
A 2nd Loss for Pfizer in Drug Suits
The drug maker has been ordered to pay punitive damages to two women whose breast cancer was diagnosed after they used hormone drugs.
Swine Flu Vaccinations Rise While Infections Remain Low
Because demand for the vaccine was lower than anticipated, the weekend clinics, originally intended for middle- and high-school students, were opened to a larger group of people considered high risk.
Public Database Is Urged to Monitor Drug Safety
A study proposes a broad model for monitoring drug safety that would consist of detailed publicly available data that independent researchers could freely analyze.
Insecticide-treated Bed Nets Reduce Infant Deaths In Democratic Republic Of Congo, Study Finds
Giving insecticide-treated bed nets to nearly 18,000 mothers at prenatal clinics in the Democratic Republic of Congo prevented an estimated 414 infant deaths from malaria, researchers conclude.
Mosquito Screens Found To Be Cheap And Effective In Malaria Prevention
Trials of a screen-based malaria prevention programme in 500 homes in The Gambia, Africa, have led to a 50 per cent reduction in malaria transmission and anaemia in children. A...
Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercises Can Help Manage Urinary Incontinence In Older Women
Researchers have found that a program of pelvic floor muscle exercises, combined with pelvic health education, can be an effective way to manage urinary incontinence in elderly women.
Bottling-up anger raises the risk of a heart attack, researchers say
Men who do not openly express their anger if unfairly treated at work double their risk of a heart attack, researchers say.
Do kids benefit from homework?
(PhysOrg.com) -- Homework is as old as school itself. Yet the practice is controversial as people debate the benefits or consider the shortcomings and hassles. Research into the topic is...
Multitasking may be Achilles heel for hepatitis C
(PhysOrg.com) -- Hepatitis C, a formidable virus that affects 130 million people worldwide, is nursing some pretty impressive bruises. By knocking out sections and subsections of one of its proteins,...