Latest science news in Health & Medicine
Radio waves to kidneys lower persistent high blood pressure
A minimally invasive procedure lowered blood pressure in patients whose condition failed to respond to medication. Catheter-based renal denervation was found to be safe and effective in lowering blood pressure...
PRT versus IMRT toxicity in Medicare beneficiaries with prostate cancer
There is no difference between proton radiotherapy and intensity-modulated radiotherapy when comparing the toxicity among Medicare beneficiary patients with prostate cancer at 12 months post-treatment, according to a new study.
Gene carriers less likely to develop heart disease
Scientists have discovered a new gene mechanism that appears to regulate triglyceride levels. This pathway, found at the Jean Mayer [...]
Adorable Beagle Diagnoses Deadly Infections By Sniffing You
Cliff The Dog via BMJCliff the beagle can sniff out a dangerous bacterium just by smelling patients--no stool sample or long lab analysis necessary. In hospitals, a nasty little bacterium...
Olympians live longer than general population ... But cyclists no survival advantage over golfers
Olympic medallists live longer than the general population, regardless of country of origin, medal won, or type of sport played, according to a new study. A second study comparing athletes...
Dogs can help wake sleepy patients on public transport
Researchers in Belgium show in a new article how dogs can help patients with severe sleep problems.
Experts warn of misbehaving tooth fairy
Opinions of the tooth fairy as kind and giving may need to be revised following "mounting reports of less child-friendly activity," according to a new paper.
Intense mind wandering could account for 'substantial proportion' of road crashes
People whose minds wander whilst driving, especially when intense, are significantly more likely to be responsible for a crash and are threatening safety on the roads, a new study warns.
Our Immune System Does Not Shut Down With Age
Our immune system does not shut down with age, says a new study published in PLOS Pathogens today. T cells can respond to virus infections in an older person with...
Medical researchers discover new potential chemotherapy
Medical researchers have discovered that knocking out a particular "partner" gene is the Achilles' heel of some cancers.
Vitamin D can help infection-prone patients avoid respiratory tract infection
Treating infection-prone patients over a 12-month period with high doses of vitamin D reduces their risk of developing respiratory tract infection -- and consequently their antibiotic requirement, according to a...
Researchers identify target to help protect kidney patients’ heart health
Blocking the receptor for endothelin lowers novel cardiovascular risk factors in patients with chronic kidney disease independent of blood pressure, according to a new study. The findings suggest that blocking...
Congenital heart defects could have their origin during very early pregnancy
The origins of congenital heart defects could be traced right back to the first stages of embryonic development, according to a new study.
Psychosocial distress associated with increased stroke risk
Psychosocial distress is associated with increased risk of stroke deaths and strokes in people over age 65, according to a new study. Psychosocial distress includes depression, stress and a negative...
Doctor and Patient: Tackling the Problem of Medical Student Debt
A new effort to provide full scholarships for medical school at the University of California, Los Angeles, should inspire questions about the fact that medical education in the United States...
Uncovering a flaw in drug testing for chronic anxiety disorder
Trials for experimental drugs are often done on laboratory mice because of their genetic similarity to humans. But now a study has found that, when it comes to chronic neurological...
New technique for minimally invasive robotic kidney cancer surgery
Urologists have developed a new technique that could make minimally invasive robotic partial nephrectomy procedures the norm, rather than the exception for kidney cancer patients. The technique spares the kidney,...
Sharp rise in admissions for certain drug combinations over 10 years
Substance abuse treatment admissions for addiction involving combined use of benzodiazepine and narcotic pain relievers rose a total of 569.7 percent, to 33,701, from 2000 to 2010, according to a...
Study: Women in science see bias handicap
EVANSTON, Ill., Dec. 13 (UPI) -- Bias against women in U.S. research universities in ingrained in the workforce, with a gender-based allocation of resources, a study found.
Alberta health executive describes culture of VIP care
A public inquiry has heard Alberta's old Capital Health Region ran a culture of VIP care, with prominent patients being tracked, monitored and, in one case, receiving preferential care.
Generic drugs often have incorrect safety labeling, study suggests
Medical researchers have found that more than two-thirds of generic drugs have safety-warning labels that differ from the equivalent brand-name drug. The majority of generics showed relatively small differences across...
New culprit in castration-resistant prostate cancer
Scientists have discovered a molecular switch that enables advanced prostate cancers to spread without stimulation by male hormones, which normally are needed to spur the cancer's growth. They say that...
Cancer scientists identify a new layer of complexity within human colon cancer: Shed light on resistance to treatment
Cancer scientists have found a way to follow single tumor cells and observe their growth over time. The team discovered that biological factors and cell behavior -- not only genes...
New neuroscience textbook will be a free reference for students in developing countries
The textbook, conceived and edited by Rockefeller University professor Donald W. Pfaff, is a 3,200 page, five-volume overview of both basic science and clinical issues in modern neuroscience, aimed at...
895 admitted through Early Action
A total of 895 students were admitted today to Harvard’s Class of 2017 under the Early Action program. This number represents an increase of 16 percent over last year, when 774 were...
Maya Calendars Actually Predict That Life Goes On
Doomsday believers have the Maya mindset wrong. Rather than chasing death, they were seeking rebirth.
Environmental Regulator Launches New Effort to Monitor Hormone-Like Chemicals
Spurred by mounting scientific evidence, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is initiating a new effort to examine whether low doses of hormone-mimicking chemicals are harming human health and whether chemical...
Drones' Body Count Reveals 'Double Tap' Kills
The death toll from a common U.S. drone strike strategy is highlighted by an NYU student project.