Latest science news in Health & Medicine
Infertility is a warning: Poor semen quality linked to hypertension, other health problems
A study of men who were evaluated for the cause of their infertility finds previously unknown relationships between deficiencies in their semen and other, seemingly unrelated health problems.
Poor People Get More Energy Efficient Housing, Then More Asthma
The drive for energy efficient homes is increasing asthma risk, finds a team at the University of Exeter Medical School. People are so concerned about energy savings they end up...
'Trojan horse' proteins: step forward for nanoparticle-based anti-cancer, anti-dementia therapeutic approaches
Scientists have found a way of targeting hard-to-reach cancers and degenerative diseases using nanoparticles, but without causing the damaging side effects the treatment normally brings.
Gut microbiota and Parkinson’s disease: Connection made
Parkinson’s disease sufferers have a different microbiota in their intestines than their healthy counterparts, according to a study. Researchers are now trying to determine what the connection between intestinal microbes...
Early adoption of robotic surgery leads to organ preservation for kidney cancer patients
Researchers found that partial nephrectomy -- the recommended treatment for localized kidney tumors -- was performed more frequently at hospitals that were early adopters of robotic surgery.
Is that Ginkgo biloba supplement really what you think it is?
A new study has investigated the use of DNA barcoding to test the authenticity of Ginkgo biloba, an herbal dietary supplement sold to consumers that is purported to boost cognitive...
Roller coaster rides trigger stroke in young boy
Riding a couple roller coasters at an amusement park appears to have triggered an unusual stroke in a 4-year-old boy, according to a report.
Tool to better classify tumor cells developed for personalized cancer treatments
A new statistical model may enable physicians to create personalized cancer treatments for patients based on the specific genetic mutations found in their tumors. The model uses an advanced algorithm...
Research raises consciousness for dehydration concerns in diabetic patients
Some drugs used to treat diabetes mimic the behavior of a hormone that a psychologist has learned controls fluid intake in subjects. The finding creates new awareness for diabetics who...
Getting antibodies into shape to fight cancer
The precise shape of an antibody makes a big difference to how it can stimulate the body's immune system to fight cancer, paving the way for much more effective treatments,...
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus unlikely to reach epidemic status, experts say
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is an emerging virus, with the first case reported in 2012. It exhibits a 40% fatality rate and over 97% of the cases have...
Senescent cells play an essential role in wound healing
Tumor suppressing senescent cells are bad for aging. The no-longer-dividing cells release a continual cascade of inflammatory factors and are implicated in many maladies including arthritis, atherosclerosis and late life...
Youngest bone marrow transplant patients at higher risk of cognitive decline
Toddlers who undergo total body irradiation in preparation for bone marrow transplantation are at higher risk for a decline in IQ and may be candidates for stepped up interventions to...
Europe May Need To Ban Potatoes, Bread And Coffee Next
The European Food Safety Authority, most famous for declaring that water does not cure thirst, is now thinking about how to ban acrylamide, which is a chemical that can form...
Ebola vaccine trial halted in Switzerland, continues in Halifax
Despite an Ebola vaccine trial in Switzerland being halted after unexpected side effects in patients, a similar trial in Halifax is continuing as planned, say researchers.
How fast you age depends on your parents
In the hunt for better knowledge on the aging process, researchers from Lund University have now enlisted the help of small birds. A new study investigates various factors which affect...
Well: The Punishing Cost of Cancer Care
As the price of chemotherapy now routinely reaches $100,000 for a full treatment course, my patients are forced more and more into making the equivalent of Sophie’s Choice when it...
Agenus and Ludwig Sign Agreement for Further Development of Novel Immunotherapies
Ludwig Cancer Research announced today an agreement with Agenus that grants the Lexington, MA-based biotechnology company exclusive license to further develop and commercialize antibodies against three molecules--GITR, OX40 and TIM3--that...
Superbugs could kill 'more than cancer' by 2050
Aileen GraefLONDON, Dec. 11 (UPI) -- A report commissioned by U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron says antimicrobial resistant bacteria will kill more people than cancer by 2050 if left unchecked.
World Conception Day follows new birthrate data
Brooks HaysWASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (UPI) -- While December remains a popular month to get pregnant, birthrates overall continue to decline -- according to new data from the CDC.
Hurricane Sandy Increased Incidence of Heart Attacks and Stroke
Heart attacks and strokes are more likely to occur during extreme weather and natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods, according to a new Rutgers research study. Researchers at the...
Vet researchers take step toward reversing blindness
For the millions of people around the world with inherited forms of blindness, the path toward a gradually dimming world may seem inexorable. But a new therapy that melds chemical...
If ‘Boilers on Prescription’ work, why not provide food or housing on prescription too?
Doctors and policy-makers have been arguing over the boundaries between welfare and health for at least two hundred years. Vanessa Heggie looks into a history that includes nurses with chops...
Spa that treated First Nations girls with cancer faces lawsuits from ex-staff
A Florida health spa, popular with many Canadians battling cancer, including two young First Nations girls, is being sued by former staff who allege the director is operating "a scam...
Spare us the moralising on prescription drugs. Many of us need them
Calling us ‘pill poppers’ make it sound like a fun lifestyle choice. Do high cholesterol, post-op pain or depression sound like fun? Continue reading...
Cloudy water, even if it's safe, affects rural immigrants' health
Cloudy tap water may have a greater effect for California's rural immigrants than merely leaving behind a bad taste, according to a new policy brief released by the Center for...
Study finds that the slower 'eusocial' system in nature offers high risks, high rewards
It's a cliché to say it takes a village to raise a child, but it's a cliché some creatures have taken to heart.
A New Way to Diagnose Brain Damage from Concussions, Strokes, and Dementia
New optical diagnostic technology developed at Tufts University School of Engineering promises new ways to identify and monitor brain damage resulting from traumatic injury, stroke or vascular dementia--in real time...