Latest science news in Health & Medicine
National Briefing | Health: FDA Panel Supports Ortho Evra Birth Control Patch
The Food and Drug Administration’s panel of reproductive health experts voted that the benefits of Ortho Evra outweigh its risks, like a potentially higher likelihood of blood clots.
Babies born 32-36 weeks fare less well at school
(Medical Xpress) -- Only 71 per cent of babies born between 32 and 36 weeks are successful in key stage 1 (KS1) tests (defined as achieving at least level 2...
Recipes for Health: Sweet Peppers Conserved in Oil — Recipes for Health
Roasted marinated peppers are a treat for the eyes as well as the palate, and they’re a great vehicle for any herb you like.
UGA study documents lung function declines in firefighters working at prescribed burns
After monitoring firefighters working at prescribed burns in the southeastern U.S., University of Georgia researchers found that lung function decreased with successive days of exposure to smoke and other particulate...
Fitness levels trump weight for living longer
Men who are physically active but have trouble losing weight are helping their hearts, which seems to pay off in a lower risk of premature death.
Rare gene variants critical for personalized drug treatment
The use of genetic tests to predict a patient's response to drugs is increasingly important in the development of personalized medicine. But genetic tests often only look for the...
Chinese health coverage increases with new government efforts, study finds
A new study of health insurance in nine Chinese provinces shows that individual coverage surged within a two-year time frame, from 2004-2006, coinciding with new government interventions designed to improve...
Young women may reduce heart disease risk eating fish with omega 3 fatty acids, study finds
Women who seldom or never eat fish may be increasing their risk of cardiovascular disease by 50 percent or more, according to the first population-based study among younger women. Those...
Childhood maltreatment associated with cerebral gray matter reductions in adolescents
Childhood maltreatment is associated with reductions in cerebral gray matter volume, and even if adolescents reporting exposure to maltreatment do not have symptoms that meet full criteria for psychiatric disorders,...
State policies mandating physical education and recess associated with increase in overall in-school physical activity among children
State and school district-level policies mandating minimum requirements for in-school physical education and recess time are associated with increased odds of schools in those states and districts meeting physical activity...
Post-partum psychiatric episodes associated with increased risk of developing bipolar affective disorder, study finds
Experiencing a psychiatric episode within the first 30 days post-partum appears to be associated with an increased risk of developing bipolar affective disorder, according to a new study.
American Society of Clinical Oncology issues annual report on progress against cancer
The American Society of Clinical Oncology has released Clinical Cancer Advances 2011: ASCO's Annual Report on Progress Against Cancer, an independent review of the advances in cancer research that have...
Neurotransmitter dopamine might improve the treatment of cancer, new study suggests
A new study found that injections of the neurotransmitter dopamine can improve blood flow to tumors and delivery of an anticancer drug, doubling the amount of drug reaching tumors and...
Defensive measures: Toward a vaccine for Ebola
Researchers have made progress toward a vaccine against the deadly Ebola virus. They have demonstrated that a plant-derived vaccine for Ebola provided strong immunological protection in a mouse model. If...
Dust storms affect subsequent emergency hospital admissions, study finds
A new study reveals that dust storms have an adverse effect on emergency hospital admission for chronic lung disease, often known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Headaches after traumatic brain injury highest in adolescents and girls, study finds
In a new study, researchers analyzed the prevalence of headaches three and 12 months after mild, moderate or severe traumatic brain injury in children ages 5 to 17, and discovered...
Risk of driving in adverse weather studied
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., Dec. 5 (UPI) -- Older men driving on snow and ice, women driving on rain-slick highways and younger men on dry roadways face more risk of...
Fake malaria drugs a growing problem: experts
Fake or poor quality malaria drugs are boosting resistance in parts of southeast Asia, a problem that is likely to worsen unless tighter regulations are adopted, US experts said Monday.
Study examines prevalence of conduct disorder among families of Mexican migrants in the US
The prevalence of conduct disorder (CD) appears to have increased substantially across generations of the Mexican-origin population after migration to the United States, however this increase was observed more for...
Criminal Attorney Speaks for Controversial CFS Researcher
When Judy Mikovits, a researcher well-known for her controversial studies linking a mouse retrovirus...
Countdown: Most Popular Skywatching Misconceptions Explained
Here's a list of ten popular misconceptions in astronomy.
Maryland study finds that US Hispanics were at greater risk for H1N1 flu during 2009 pandemic
Social determinants, including the lack of paid sick leave, contributed to higher risk of exposure to the influenza A (H1N1) virus among Hispanics in the U.S. during the 2009 H1N1...
Should we put lithium in the water?
A psychiatrist in Ireland has suggested that putting psychiatric medicine in drinking water could cut the suicide rateIt sounds like science fiction: a consultant psychiatrist in Ireland proposed last week that mass medication...
Toward a vaccine for Ebola
On August 26, 1976, a time bomb exploded in Yambuku, a remote village in Zaire, (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). A threadlike virus known as Ebola had emerged,...
ScienceShot: Human Hearts Beat Together
Mothers and their babies synchronize heart rhythms during upbeat face-to-face interactions
New map shows malaria strain -- impervious to interventions -- holding steady in Asia, Latin America
With signs of declining malaria deaths in Africa raising hopes of eradicating the disease worldwide, researchers unveiled today at the annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and...
Improving depression in nursing home rehab patients through telemedicine
A new pilot study is getting underway in Rhode Island aimed at improving depression in nursing home rehabilitation patients, all through telemedicine. Geriatric mental health specialists from Rhode Island and...
Low vitamin D tied to Type 2 diabetes
A recent study of obese and non-obese children found that low vitamin D levels are significantly more prevalent in obese children and are associated with risk factors for type 2...