Latest science news in Health & Medicine
Ötzi the Iceman could have used a dentist
By Tia GhoseLiveScienceÖtzi the Iceman could have used a dentist. The amazingly preserved Neolithic mummy found in the Italian Alps had tooth decay, gum disease and dental trauma, new research...
Molecular hub links obesity, heart disease to high blood pressure
A new study identifies a brain protein that acts as a communications hub for blood pressure control, and links cardiovascular disease and obesity to hypertension.
News in Brief: 2013 American Association for Cancer Research meeting
Highlights from the annual AACR meeting, Washington, D.C., April 6-10, 2013
Male hormones 'drive breast cancer'
Scientists say they have found a new target to beat breast cancer - male hormones like testosterone.
Just what goes into being a family medicine docttor?
Medical school graduates entering one family medicine residency program might receive training that is markedly different than another family medicine residency program. While these new medical...
Copper could help cut hospital infections
New research has revealed that the use of Antimicrobial Copper surfaces in hospital rooms can reduce the number of healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs) by 58% as compared to patients treated in...
No regrets: Close that menu and enjoy your meal more
Certain physical acts of completion provide consumers with a sense of closure that makes them happier with their purchases, according to a new study.
Measuring microbes makes wetland health monitoring more affordable, says researcher
Tiny, unseen wetland creatures provided crucial indicators of the ecosystems' health in a new study. Using analysis of the microbiological health of wetlands is cheaper and faster than traditional assessments,...
New evidence that natural substances in green coffee beans help control blood sugar levels
Scientists today described evidence that natural substances extracted from unroasted coffee beans can help control the elevated blood sugar levels and body weight that underpin type 2 diabetes.
Excess estrogen in pregnancy can silence BRCA1 in daughters, increasing breast cancer risk
Excess estrogen levels during pregnancy can disable, in their daughters, a powerful breast cancer tumor suppressor gene, say researchers. They found the DNA repair gene BRCA1 to be silenced in...
Space Travel May Increase Chances of Colon Cancer
Cosmic radiation from space travel may increase the risk of colon cancer.
Major depression: Great success with pacemaker electrodes, small study suggests
Researchers implanted pacemaker electrodes into the medial forebrain bundle in the brains of patients suffering from major depression with amazing results: In six out of seven patients, symptoms improved both...
One screen not enough for US viewers, survey finds
American television viewers are increasingly finding that one screen won't do: almost all have a second-screen device and 87 percent use it while watching shows, a survey said Tuesday.
US safety board probes case of texting pilot
(AP)—The pilot of a medical helicopter that ran out of fuel and crashed, killing four people, was distracted by text messages when he should have been conducting pre-flight checks, U.S....
Gene variations predict chemotherapy side effects
Seemingly benign differences in genetic code from one person to the next could influence who develops side effects to chemotherapy, a new study has found. The study identified gene variations...
One-two punch could be key in treating blindness
Researchers have discovered that using two kinds of therapy in tandem may be a knockout combo against inherited disorders that cause blindness. While their study focused on man's best friend,...
Don't punish people who really need painkillers
Prescription drug abuse is a deadly problem, but proposed limits on pain pills shouldn't hurt ailing people whose lives have improved.It's not enough that medical insurance companies want to dictate...
Teen Becomes Youngest to Finish Antarctica Marathon
14-year-old Winter Vinecki ran to bring awareness to prostate cancer.
Genetics: A gene of rare effect
A mutation that gives people rock-bottom cholesterol levels has led geneticists to what could be the next blockbuster heart drug.Nature 496 152 doi: 10.1038/496152a
Opinion: Too Early to Panic Over Bird Flu
Flu viruses are always unpredictable. H7N9 could go big—or not.
Consume with Care: Could Retail Clinics Help Reduce Hospital Readmissions?
The U.S. has one of the highest hospital readmission rates in the world. About 20 percent of Medicare patients wind up being readmitted within 30 days after discharge, according to government data. In...
Urgent search for flu source
Researchers suspect H7N9 virus is in bird markets as human cases rise rapidly.Nature 496 145 doi: 10.1038/496145a
Currently Used Drugs Found Active in Laboratory Mice Against Bioterror Threats
In the most extensive screen of its kind, Texas Biomed scientists in San Antonio have demonstrated the feasibility of repurposing already-approved drugs for use against highly pathogenic bacteria and viruses....
Omega-3s especially good at inhibiting triple-negative breast cancer
Researchers have found that omega-3 fatty acids and their metabolite products slow or stop the proliferation, or growth in the number of cells, of triple-negative breast cancer cells more effectively...
Couch potatoes may be born that way
Studies show 97 percent of American adults get less than 30 minutes of exercise a day, which is the minimum recommended amount based on federal guidelines. New research from the...
Structure helps yield drug 'hypersensitivity' tests for patients
(Phys.org) —From a patient's point of view, one of the unsettling things about taking a new drug is the possibility of unwelcome side effects or worse, dangerous allergic reactions. As...
Protein structure discovery could lead to better treatments for HIV, early aging
(Phys.org) —Researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have determined the molecular structure of a protein whose mutations have been linked to several early aging diseases, and to...
Consumption Junction: Childhood Obesity Determined Largely by Environmental Factors, Not Genes or Sloth
New evidence is confirming that the environment kids live in has a greater impact than factors such as genetics, insufficient physical activity or other elements in efforts to control child...