Latest science news in Health & Medicine
Michael Brown's Autopsy: What It Can (and Can't) Tell Us
The results of two autopsies of Michael Brown, the unarmed teenager shot by a St. Louis police officer on Aug. 9, can't provide crucial information about the circumstances surrounding the...
World Humanitarian Day: Record number of aid workers killed in 2013
JC FinleyNEW YORK, Aug. 18 (UPI) -- This year's observance of World Humanitarian Day comes at a time of record high attacks against humanitarian workers, with 155 aid workers killed...
Club cells are 'bad guys' during flu infection
A specialized subset of lung cells can shake flu infection, researchers have discovered, yet they remain stamped with an inflammatory gene signature that wreaks havoc in the lung. Seasonal flu...
Myc inhibition an effective therapeutic strategy against most aggressive brain tumors
The Myc protein plays a key role in the development of several tumor types and its inhibition could therefore prove an effective therapy against many different cancers. Previous studies successfully...
Free fatty acids may be as effective as antibiotics in treating catheter infections
A free fatty acid, made up of compounds similar to those naturally made in the body, may be as effective at fighting certain infections as antibiotics, researchers report. More and...
High-intensity exercise found safe and effective in long-term heart transplant, study concludes
High-intensity exercise can help stable heart transplant patients reach higher levels of exercise capacity, and gain better control of their blood pressure than moderate intensity exercise, investigators report. Their research...
Women seek anti-aging clinicians to treat menopausal symptoms, study finds
Feeling that conventional doctors did not take their suffering seriously, women instead sought out hormonal treatments for menopausal symptoms from anti-aging clinicians, according to a study that investigated the appeal...
Poor health literacy poses risks for pacemaker, defibrillator patients
40 percent of patients with pacemakers and defibrillators had little to no ability to understand information about their cardiac health, according to results of a new study. The study examined...
Stronger drunk driving laws lead to safer roads: Study
Changes to British Columbia's laws against driving while impaired have reduced fatal crashes as well as ambulance calls and hospital admissions resulting from motor vehicle crashes, a new study finds.
Antibiotics in early life may alter immunity long-term
A new study aims to help scientists understand how different antibiotics affect bacteria that play a positive role in promoting a healthy immune system. “This is the first step to...
Goodbye, Glasses: Future Smartphone Screens Could Correct Vision
Say goodbye to glasses. A new "vision-correcting display" can bring the images on your device's screen into focus without a trip to the eye doctor.
Health minister says feds slapping stronger warning labels on opioids
The federal government is putting stronger warning labels on extended-release painkillers like OxyContin in an effort to prevent the abuse of opioids.
Radiolabels help evaluate emerging cancer treatment
Tracking tools will aid transition of boron neutron capture therapy from bench to hospital
Booming Rooftop Solar Power Suffers Growing Pains
Reaping benefits from solar panels on a home may be harder than some sales pitches suggest -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
FDA-approved drug restores hair in patients with alopecia areata
Researchers have identified the immune cells responsible for destroying hair follicles in people with alopecia areata, a common autoimmune disease that causes hair loss, and have tested an FDA-approved drug...
Microchip reveals how tumor cells transition to invasion
A microscopic obstacle course of carefully spaced pillars enables researchers to observe cancer cells directly as they break away from a tumor mass and move more rapidly across the microchip....
Stem cells reveal how illness-linked genetic variation affects neurons
A genetic variation linked to schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and severe depression wreaks havoc on connections among neurons in the developing brain, a team of researchers reports. The study used stem...
Surprising number of older adults weathered the 'great recession' without financial strain
The “Great Recession” may have put a dent in many older adults’ pocketbooks, but a new study finds that more than 40 percent reported a decrease in “financial strain” between...
Surviving Sepsis: Detection and Treatment Advances
While difficult to diagnose, sepsis tops the list of causes of death in American intensive care units. Researchers are working at many levels to find better ways to diagnose and...
Immune cells get cancer-fighting boost from nanomaterials
(Phys.org) —Scientists at Yale University have developed a novel cancer immunotherapy that rapidly grows and enhances a patient's immune cells outside the body using carbon nanotube-polymer composites; the immune cells...
Straight to the heart
A battery-less, wirelessly-powered implantable defibrillator for atrial fibrillation is being developed by an international team of researchers in the UK, Venezuela and the US. With the ability to sense the...
Zebra finches go mad with mercury, and other animal updates
Mercury exposure makes zebra finches bold and hyperactive, and additional research from the 2014 Animal Behavior Society Meeting.
Disabilities in kids rise; not physical problems
CHICAGO (AP) -- Disabilities among U.S. children have increased slightly, with a bigger rise in mental and developmental problems in those from wealthier families, a 10-year...
Case in Which Abortion Was Denied Reignites Controversy Over Irish Law
The woman, who is not an Irish citizen, sought an abortion under a clause in the new Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act, saying that she was suicidal.
Death rates for four most common cancers in Britain fell 30% in 20 years
Cancer Research UK: improved detection and treatment raised survival rates for breast, bowel, lung and prostate cancers Continue reading...
Amanda Curtis to replace John Walsh in bid for senate seat
Danielle HaynesHELENA, Mont., Aug. 17 (UPI) -- Montana Democrats select Amanda Curtis as nominee for seat on U.S. Senate.
Developing brains switch maths strategies
Counting on fingers gives way to memorized sums as neurons change connections.Nature News doi: 10.1038/nature.2014.15724
Camps take cystic fibrosis patients surfing
SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. (AP) -- For three of Rob and Paulette Montelone's five kids, spending the summer surfing is more than just a fun activity. It...