Latest science news in Health & Medicine
Researchers reverse stroke damage by jumpstarting nerve fibres
A new technique that jumpstarts the growth of nerve fibers could reverse much of the damage caused by strokes, researchers report in the Jan. 7, 2011 issue of the journal...
Pacific sperm whales exposed to pahs, pesticides, other pollutants
Whale researchers found evidence of exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and persistent organic pollutants, including the pesticide DDT, in Pacific Ocean-dwelling sperm whales.
LouseBuster: Head lice shrivel with chemical-free warm-air device
Four years after the LouseBuster prototype made headlines when research showed the chemical-free, warm-air device wiped out head lice on children, a new study reveals that a revamped, government-cleared model...
Secondhand smoke exposure increases risk of hearing loss
Non-smokers who regularly breathe in others' tobacco smoke are at increased risk of some degree of hearing loss, reveals new research.
'Beating heart' technology could revolutionize field of heart transplantation
(PhysOrg.com) -- The heart transplantation team at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical is currently leading a national, multicenter phase 2 clinical study of an experimental organ-preservation system that allows donor hearts...
Over-reactive immune system kills young adults during pandemic flu
On November 19, Jason Martin returned to the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) at Vanderbilt University Medical Centre for the first time since he nearly died there during last year's...
Lesbian, gay and bisexual teens singled out for punishment
Lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) adolescents are about 40 percent more likely than other teens to be punished by school authorities, police and the courts, according to a study by...
Early safety results promising for Phase I/II trial of gene therapy treatment of hemophilia B
Investigators report no evidence of toxicity in the four hemophilia B patients enrolled to date in a gene therapy trial using a vector under development at St. Jude Children's Research...
San Francisco's War Stories
Gallery: Unearthing a Century of Guarding San Francisco from Attack
Surprising AIDS-treatment benefits, prevention strategy in epidemic regions of Africa; Anti-retroviral therapy yields 'Lazarus effect'
Researchers have documented significant spillover benefits of a drug therapy to combat AIDS symptoms and a novel prevention strategy that focuses on girls in sub-Saharan Africa, an area with two-thirds...
Link between folic acid supplementation in pregnancy, DNA methylation and birth weight in newborn babies
Groundbreaking work by a team of UK scientists has identified, for the first time, a link between changes in the DNA of newborn babies, folic acid supplementation during pregnancy, and...
Racing against age: Health impairment primarily due to bad lifestye habits -- not aging, researchers argue
Impairments to health and physical performance are not primarily a result of aging but of unfavorable lifestyle habits and lack of exercise, argue researchers in a new article.
Season of birth may have long-term effects on personality
The season in which babies are born can have a dramatic and persistent effect on how their biological clocks function. The imprinting effect, which was found in baby mice, may...
Health-care workers face lifestyle pressures
Health-care workers often struggle to practise what they preach about coping with stress and about other healthy habits, researchers have found.
Exposure to seasonal flu weakened armour against H1N1
Faulty antibodies from previous infections boosted severity of swine flu in the middle-aged.
NY bust: Medicaid patients' Rx drugs go to dealers
(AP) -- Police in western New York have charged 33 people so far in an investigation that shows a new kind of supplier in the illicit drug trade.
Cancer drugs offer new hope for Crohn's disease and sarcoidosis
A new study offers insight into a new treatment avenue for Crohn's Disease and sarcoidosis. While the loss of NOD2 increases the risk of developing Crohn's disease, increased activity of...
Extreme climb: Scaling Mont Blanc
As many as 20,000 people a year climb Mont Blanc and that number is growing with the rising trend for extreme adventure. Michelle Jana Chan tested her own limits on...
State Cuts Put Officers on Front Lines of Mental Care
With mental health services being cut back across the country, law enforcement officers are often the first or only option for help when people suffer a mental illness crisis.
Men measure their fingers to check their risk of prostate cancer
The length of men's digits reveals surprising facts about health, sex and ambitionMen across Britain got measuring on Wednesday, after a study was published suggesting the chance of getting prostate cancer could be...
Good Form: Enhanced bent-over row
Getting a leg up is a good strategy.Here's a challenging variation of the traditional bent-over row that will strengthen your core and your upper body muscles. Remember to hold lighter...
An improvised treatment for eyelid inflammation
A reader with blepharitis-like symptoms finds relief thanks to a dandruff shampoo.I'd had a problem for months with a flaky, itchy eyelid and swelling near my eyelashes. It was miserable....
A maintenance guide for health insurance
We're all in this health insurance pool together, one of the biggest reasons to hold ourselves accountable for risky behavior.I like to call Thor the Lawnmower Man. He's a cheerful...
Calcium supplements and the heart
A study linked the supplements to heart attack risk, but doctors want more evidence.You're trying to do your bones a favor when you pop your daily calcium pill. And doctors...
New vitamin D recommendations: What they mean
A new report from the Institute of Medicine is causing people to reconsider the essential nutrient. Here's what the expert panel said, and why it reached its conclusions.Every once in...
Under suspicion: Painkiller ziconotide could increase suicidal ideation
The active agent ziconotide, the synthetic toxin of the cone snail, was acclaimed a safe alternative to morphine when it was introduced six years ago. Now it is increasingly suspected...
Tooth decay to be a thing of the past? Enzyme responsible for dental plaque sticking to teeth deciphered
Scientists have deciphered the structure and functional mechanism of the glucansucrase enzyme that is responsible for dental plaque sticking to teeth. This knowledge will stimulate the identification of substances that...
Panel Votes to Expand Surgery for Less Obese
Current guidelines say weight-loss surgery is appropriate for people who have failed to lose weight through diet and exercise and have a body mass index of 40 and above.