Latest science news in Health & Medicine
Binge drinking college students are happier than their non-binge drinking peers, study suggests
Why do some colleges have persistently high levels of binge drinking? It may be because, at these schools, binge drinking is associated with high status and binge drinkers are happier...
What’s your lifetime risk of developing kidney failure?
Kidney failure is on the rise and currently afflicts 2 million people worldwide.
Data Suggest Teenagers Not More Likely to Have Oral Sex First
New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest that teenagers are about as likely to have intercourse before engaging in oral sex as they are to have...
George F. Cahill Jr., Diabetes Expert, Dies at 85
Dr. Cahill clarified insulin’s role in metabolism by studying research subjects on starvation diets, and he testified at Claus von Bülow’s trials that he had tried to murder his wife...
Doctor and Patient: How Much Can Patients Learn in a 15-Minute Doctor Visit?
An increasing number of doctors, including many pediatricians, are scrambling to cover as many preventive recommendations as they can, piling on the dos and don'ts during office visits. Even so,...
For Buckyballs Toys, Child Safety Is a Growing Issue
Regulators are cracking down on products like Buckyballs, saying they are too attractive and hazardous to young consumers.
F.D.A. Asks St. Jude for More Studies on Flawed Heart Device
The decision was made by the Food and Drug Administration after a wire that connects a defibrillator to a patient’s heart caused unintended shocks. St. Jude Medical stopped selling the...
5 Things You Need to Know About West Nile Virus
Cases of West Nile virus infections have now been reported in 43 states, and 26 people have died. Here's what you need to know about West Nile.
Scientists create birth control pill for men (well, male mice)
Ever wonder why there's no birth control pill for men? For starters, it's a math problem: To stop a woman from getting pregnant, all you have to do is block...
Smoking in pregnancy increases asthma risk in preschool
Maternal smoking during pregnancy is associated with wheeze and asthma in preschool children, even among children who were not exposed to maternal smoking late in pregnancy or after birth, according...
Scientology detox programmes: expensive and unproven
There is no evidence Scientology's 'Purif' and 'Narconon' detox work and the megadoses of vitamins involved may harm healthImagine a therapy that "enables an individual to rid himself of the harmful effects of...
Gold nanorods hitch ride on immune cells that target breast tumors
One of the challenges in treating cancer, whether using nanotechnology or not, is that tumors can often be inaccessible to the therapies designed to kill them. Mostafa El-Sayed, of the...
Refugee mental health at risk with cuts, experts warn
The federal government's recent changes to the refugee health program are putting refugees at greater risk of suicide and mental health issues, frontline workers say.
Mom seeks heart transplant for autistic son
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- A Pennsylvania woman whose autistic adult son was not recommended for a heart transplant is using an online petition to gather support in...
Virus throws a wrench in the immune system
T cells are immune cells important for the defense against viruses. The ongoing exposure to cytomegalovirus impairs their function. The cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a member of the herpesvirus family....
Genes carried by E. coli bacteria linked to colon cancer
Scientists at the University of Liverpool have identified a type of E. coli bacteria that may encourage the development of colon cancer.
Injured pelican released into wild after months of rehab in O.C.
Months after Nigel the pelican was found in Irvine entangled in fishing gear, she is returned to the wild. Her fractured beak required innovative surgery.Months ago, a pelican was spotted...
Ban Skillets? Frying Meat (And Fish) In A Pan Boosts Prostate Cancer Risk
Too hot to grill outside? Too cold? Stuck in a New York City Restaurant? Here is how you pan fry a steak. Put a bunch of salt and pepper on...
Turmeric Spices Up Virus Study
The popular spice turmeric packs more than just flavor — it shows promise in fighting devastating viruses, Mason researchers recently [...]
Combination peptide therapies might offer more effective, less toxic cancer treatment
Two studies suggest that an experimental peptide vaccine and a peptide therapeutic used either together or individually with a low-dose of a standard chemotherapy drug, might offer more effective cancer...
Too Much Brain Activity Implicated In Alzheimer's Disease
The latest literature suggests that brain activity patterns change at an early stage in Alzheimer's disease. Moreover, there is reason to believe that, instead of being the consequence of structural...
E. coli strain linked to cancer in mice
DNA-damaging bacterium flourishes in the guts of mice with inflammatory bowel disease.Nature News doi: 10.1038/nature.2012.11211
Poxviruses defeat antiviral defenses by duplicating a gene
Poxviruses, which are responsible for smallpox and other diseases, can adapt to defeat different host antiviral defenses by quickly and temporarily producing multiple copies of a gene that helps the...
Caregiving for an elderly or sick loved one: people's panel
Do you act as a caregiver for an aging or sick family member while working and raising children? We want to hear from youIf you're one of the millions Americans who struggles...
Discovery of immune cells that protect against multiple sclerosis offers hope for new treatment
Immune cells called dendritic cells, which were previously thought to contribute to the onset and development of multiple sclerosis, actually protect against the disease in a mouse model, according to...
Temperature rise 'slows economy in poor countries'
Higher temperatures associated with climate change can slow down the economy and lead to political instability in poor countries, says a US study.
How the brain cleans itself
Fluids coursing through the nervous system could help clear the brain of toxic detritus that leads to Alzheimer's and Huntington's disorders.Nature News doi: 10.1038/nature.2012.11216
New research fuels greater understanding of atopic dermatitis and psoriasis in children and adolescents
A new understanding of skin conditions in children and teens is helping to better manage and potentially prevent medical conditions associated with both atopic dermatitis and psoriasis.