Latest science news in Health & Medicine
Viruses act like 'self-packing suitcases'
Researchers at the University of Leeds have identified a crucial stage in the lifecycle of simple viruses like polio and the common cold that could open a new front in...
High levels of estradiol, progesterone during pregnancy associated with increased risk for HR-negative breast cancer
Increased concentrations of the pregnancy hormones estradiol and progesterone were associated with an increased risk for hormone receptor-negative breast cancer diagnosed before age 50, according to the results of a...
Well: Cholesterol Is Falling in Adults, Study Finds
Changes in the amount of trans fats in the American diet may be forcing down cholesterol levels in adults, new research suggests.
Study identifies strategy for improved screening for type of hereditary colorectal cancer
In a comparison of strategies to identify individuals with Lynch syndrome, the most common form of hereditary colorectal cancer (CRC), caused by mutations in certain genes (DNA mismatch repair [MMR]...
Lower use of chloride in intravenous fluids for critically ill patients associated with decreased risk of kidney injury
In a pilot study assessing the effect of different levels of chloride in intravenous fluids administered to critically ill patients in an intensive care unit, restricting the amount of chloride...
Alcoholism Twice as Deadly for Women as for Men
Women with alcohol addiction were five times more likely to die than women in the general population, over a 14-year period. Among men with alcohol addiction, the death rate was...
Recovery of brain volumes with abstinence may vary for different brain regions
A new study examined what brain volume recovery may take place during the first 14 days of abstinence from alcohol. Findings indicate that recovery of cerebral gray matter volume can...
Winnipeg hospital staff not washing their hands enough
Health-care professionals in Winnipeg's hospitals are washing their hands half as often as they should be, says the city's health authority.
No benefit from high-dose multivitamins seen for HIV patients receiving antiretroviral therapy
A new study suggests that for HIV patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) to treat HIV, there is no benefit from high- vs. standard-dose micronutrient supplementation -- and that,...
Common birth control device may be cost-effective treatment for early endometrial cancer
An intrauterine device is effective in treating early-stage endometrial cancer in morbidly obese and high-risk surgery patients, according to researchers, and could lead to a cost-effective treatment for all women...
Dirty shoes? How did steroids get contaminated?
NEW YORK (AP) -- Was it some moldy ceiling tiles? The dusty shoes of a careless employee? Or did the contamination ride in on one of...
EU health chief resigns in corruption scandal
BRUSSELS (AP) -- The European Union's health commissioner resigned Tuesday over corruption allegations involving tobacco laws but has denied any wrongdoing and has vowed to clear...
Dan R. Littman, MD, PhD, Elected Member of Prestigious Institute of Medicine
NYU Langone Medical Center announced today that Dan R. Littman, MD, PhD, the Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Professor of Molecular Immunology, a professor in the departments of pathology...
New HIV prevention technology shows promise
Scientists have designed a 90-day intravaginal ring that can be used by women to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV. A study of the ring used sheep to determine whether...
Scientists to EPA: Include women in reproductive health research
EPA research on reproductive health is not being uniformly investigated in both sexes and across the lifespan due to out-of-date guidelines. Many toxicity studies are only conducted in males, but...
Obese teen boys have up to 50 percent less testosterone than lean boys
A new study shows for the first time that obese males ages 14 to 20 have up to 50 percent less total testosterone than do normal males of the same...
Reprogramming cell identity in the pituitary gland: Discovery could lead to new treatments for Cushing's disease
A team of researchers reprogrammed the identity of cells in the pituitary gland and identified critical mechanisms of epigenetic cell programming. The discovery could eventually lead to new pharmacological targets...
Patient-reported outcomes essential to comparative effectiveness research
Patient-reported outcomes should be a standard part of evaluating the comparative effectiveness of cancer treatments, according to recommendations put forward by a multi-institution research group.
New diabetes screening guidelines released; Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care issues updated guidelines
Routine screening for Type 2 diabetes in adults at low and moderate risk is not recommended, although it is recommended for people at high and very high risk of the...
Attack! Silent watchmen charge to defend the nervous system
In many pathologies of the nervous system, there is a common event -- cells called microglia are activated from surveillant watchmen into fighters. Now new research provides the first evidence...
Targeting cancers' 'addiction' to cell-cycle proteins shuts down tumors in mice
Scientists have safely shut down breast cancer and a form of leukemia in mice by targeting abnormal proteins that control cells' growth cycles, and to which the cancers are "addicted."
Medical marijuana advocates want drug reclassified
WASHINGTON (AP) -- A federal appeals court in Washington is considering whether marijuana should be reclassified from its current status as a dangerous drug with no...
Nursing workloads multiply likelihood of death among black patients over white patients
Older black patients are three times more likely than older white patients to suffer poorer outcomes after surgery, including death, when cared for by nurses with higher workloads, according to...
Foot, knee and hip pain a problem in obese children
Pain in the lower extremities -- feet, ankles, knees and hips -- contributes to both poor physical function and a reduced quality of life in obese children, according to a...
Study sheds new light on the progression and invasiveness of ductal breast cancer
Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is considered a precursor lesion for invasive breast cancer if untreated, and is found in approximately 45% of patients with invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). Patients...
Study finds rise in maternal sepsis-related mortality
A new study reports that severity and death rates are increasing in pregnant and postpartum women with sepsis. More than 30 percent of mothers who develop sepsis will experience some...
New noninvasive test for colorectal cancer shows promise
A new noninvasive test for colorectal cancer screening demonstrated high sensitivity for detecting colorectal cancer, in particular precancers that are most likely to develop into cancer, according to new data.
Naval Medical Center San Diego expanding its prosthetics lab
Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are arriving at the Naval Medical Center San Diego with multiple amputations — and a need for prosthetics suited to multiple activities.To meet...