Latest science news in Health & Medicine
Angela Bassett, Lady Gaga to return for 'American Horror Story' Season 6
Annie MartinLOS ANGELES, March 4 (UPI) -- Angela Bassett will play an alcoholic on "American Horror Story" Season 6, with Lady Gaga also confirmed for the new season.
New insights reported about the Angelina Jolie gene
New research reveals another function of the breast cancer susceptibility gene BRCA1. This could lead to improved diagnostics and treatment tools for this form of breast cancer.
Early diagnosis, staging of Alzheimer's disease seen in PET scans
Stephen FellerBERKELEY, Calif., March 3 (UPI) -- Diagnosis and progression of Alzheimer's disease was identified in PET scans by researchers, which they say may help with its diagnosis and treatment.
Nearly half of American children living near poverty line
Nearly half of children in the US live dangerously close to the poverty line, according to new research. Researchers found that while the total number of children in the US...
Popular blood pressure app misses the mark
A popular smartphone app purported to accurately measure blood pressure simply by placing a cellphone on the chest with a finger over the built-in camera lens misses high blood pressure...
Platelet-rich plasma injections may lead to improvements in tissue healing
After platelet-rich plasma injections, researchers have described the structural change in the healing process as well as improvement in patients' pain and function, in a new report.
Chronic kidney disease in cats: Expert guidance on a quality of life issue
Chronic kidney disease is a common, complex and progressive disease that is estimated to affect more than a third of cats over 10 years of age. Affected cats often present...
High-fat diet linked to intestinal stem cell changes, increased risk for cancer
Over the past decade, studies have found that obesity and eating a high-fat, high-calorie diet are significant risk factors for many types of cancer. Now, a new study reveals how...
Inflated charges, significant variation in Medicare payment patterns found
Inflated charges and significant variation in patterns of payments have been found for surgical care. Surprisingly, the study found that it's not what's happening in the operating room that is...
Experts make progress towards optimizing diabetes care on a global scale
Diabetes is a significant global health problem, afflicting 382 million people worldwide with increasing prevalence rates and adverse effects on health, wellbeing, and society in general. Experts from around the...
Immunologists find new ways to beat 'bad guys'
One of the key components in a vaccine is an adjuvant, which serves to enhance our body's immune response to vaccination. Adjuvants have been around for almost a century however...
State laws boost flu vaccination rates in health care workers
State laws mandating influenza immunization for people who work in health care increase their vaccination rates, according to new research. From 2000 to 2005, only Maine and New Hampshire had...
Toward diagnosing diseases such as cancer in their earliest stages
Detecting diseases such as cancer in their earliest stages can make a huge difference in patient treatment, but it is often difficult to do. Now scientists report a new, simple...
'Gut' bacteria may help put a kink in family obesity cycle
A new animal study, reveals insight on how a special type of dietary fiber, known as prebiotic, impacts the mother's gut microbiota and may be one factor in curbing obesity...
New report finds 'surprising gaps' in knowledge of ovarian cancers
Ovarian cancer should not be categorized as a single disease, but rather as a constellation of different cancers involving the ovary, yet questions remain on how and where various ovarian...
Most melanoma patients have few moles, study finds
Stephen FellerBOSTON, March 2 (UPI) -- While the people with more moles are thought to be at greater risk for melanoma, a new study shows most melanoma patients have fewer...
Forbes lists 19 NFL billionaire owners
The Sports Xchange Forbes has named 19 NFL owners as billionaires in the magazine's annual richest list released this week.
New approaches for Parkinson's treatment? Researchers study metabolic changes
Researchers are studying the causes of premature aging of neurons in Parkinson’s patients with a defective DJ1 (PARK7) gene. The genetic defect causes changes in the cellular metabolism meaning that...
What happens to pharmaceuticals in the digestive system of a bird?
Scientists at the University of York have conducted new research into measuring how commonly-prescribed pharmaceuticals behave in the guts of starlings.
Molecular body guards for neurons
In the brain, patterns of neural activity are perfectly balanced. The interplay between activating and inhibitory neurotransmitters ensures that the level of activity stays within the physiological range. During an...
Activating brown fat tissue: First steps towards a new therapy for obesity, diabetes
In recent decades, obesity has become a global problem. The disease goes hand in hand with a dramatic increase in the proportion of body fat. Researchers have now succeeded in...
Q&A: Zika research at the heart of the outbreak
Epidemiologist Laura Rodrigues discusses her investigations into birth defects in the worst-hit Brazilian state.
For high-crime neighborhoods, a class in gunshot first aid
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Mike Abdullah watched as a young woman lay shot in the street in a corner of north Philadelphia known as...
Lower fruit, vegetable prices might save lives
Amy Norton, HealthDay News Cutting the cost of fruits and vegetables could prevent thousands of annual deaths from heart disease and stroke in the United States, two new studies suggest.
San Francisco deputies charged with running prison 'fight club'
Ed AdamczykSAN FRANCISCO, March 2 (UPI) -- San Francisco sheriff's deputies are facing 5-10 years in jail for running a "fight club," forcing inmates to fight each other for their...
Cuba reports 1st Zika-related travel case in Venezuelan doctor
Cuba announced Wednesday that it had detected the first case of the Zika virus on the island, which had been one of the last nations in the Western Hemisphere free...
Halifax ER doc sees 'alarming' trend as alcoholics get younger
An ER doctor at the province's largest hospital is worried about the growing number of young people he is treating for serious alcohol abuse. Liver damage normally reserved for 50...
When it comes to physician-assisted death, could religious hospitals ethically refuse?
Canada has "quietly accepted" that Catholic hospitals don't perform abortions, a bioethicist says. But will we do the same when it comes to physician-assisted death?