Latest science news in Health & Medicine
Potential New Drugs Plug Brain's Biological "Vacuum Cleaner" and Target HIV
In an advance toward eliminating pockets of infection in the brain that help make HIV disease incurable, scientists report the development of new substances that first plug the biological vacuum...
Scientists Develop Animal Model for TB-Related Blindness
Working with guinea pigs, tuberculosis experts at Johns Hopkins and elsewhere have closely mimicked how active but untreated cases of the underlying lung infection lead to permanent eye damage and...
Penicillin doses for children should be reviewed, say experts
A team of scientists and clinicians are calling for a review of penicillin dosing guidelines for children, as the current guidelines have remained unchanged for nearly 50 years. The research...
Changes to the brain in patients with spinal cord compression identified
Spinal degeneration is an unavoidable part of aging. For some, it leads to compression of the spinal cord which can cause problems with dexterity, numbness in the hands, and the...
Gum Chewing Improves Test Performance, Study Suggests
Chew on this: A new study suggests there is some short-term benefit to chewing gum just before taking a test.
Video: "Free Shipping Day" online
Many online retailers are offering a "Free Shipping Day" and contributor Regina Lewis explains why it might be the biggest online shopping day of the year.
Treating Pedophiles: Therapy Can Work, But It's a Challenge
Some pedophiles can, with treatment, learn to redirect their attention to healthy relationships. Others are less likely to change.
Plasma treatment zaps viruses before they can attack cells
Researchers test a pre-emptive anti-viral treatment on a common virus known to cause respiratory infections.
Hand hygiene -- clean hands, healthy body
Our hands are one of the chief ways we interact with our environment. Think about what you touch daily doors, desks, food, other people, pets. Hundreds or thousands of...
Genetic factors can predict the progression of Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is marked by the abnormal accumulation of α-synuclein and the early loss of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra region of the brain. A polymorphism in the promotor...
Researchers reveal formula for success in increasing smoke alarm use
(PhysOrg.com) -- The most effective strategy to encourage more people to have a working smoke alarm in their homes has been revealed by a team of healthcare researchers.
Costly diagnostic MRI tests unnecessary for many back pain patients
(Medical Xpress) -- Johns Hopkins-led research suggests that routine MRI imaging does nothing to improve the treatment of patients who need injections of steroids into their spinal columns to relieve...
BP settles for $250M in Gulf of Mexico oil spill
BP, oil, spill, Gulf of Mexico, settlement, blowout, preventer, Cameron International Corp
A healthy diet can cost less than junk food, says UK research
(Medical Xpress) -- Parents of some obese children could save up to £6.58 ($10.22) each week by changing their shopping habits and opting for a healthier diet, according to research...
Novel immuno-gene therapy shows promise for the treatment of rare, deadly form of cancer
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania report promising new results from a small clinical trial using an immune-system-based gene therapy for...
Antibody injection promising for diabetes and obesity
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers at Genetech Inc. in South San Francisco, California, led by molecular biologist Junichiro Sonoda, have discovered that a single injection of antibodies into obese diabetic mice...
Bacterial protein 'mops up' viruses found in contaminated water supplies
Access to clean water is a necessity often taken for granted. However UNICEF estimates that 900 million people across the world do not have access to safe drinking water. New...
Study suggests early ART in recently HIV-infected patients preferable to delayed treatment
Among people recently infected with HIV, immediate antiretroviral therapy (ART) appears preferable to deferring treatment, according to a new study published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases and now available...
Long-term inhaled dry powder mannitol improves lung function in CF
Adding inhaled dry powder mannitol to standard therapy for cystic fibrosis produced sustained improvement in lung function for up to 52 weeks, according to a new study. Along with the...
Hong Kong school closed in bird flu scare
A Hong Kong school was closed on Friday after a dead bird found in the southern Chinese city was tested positive for the deadly H5 strain of the bird flu...
Hand, foot, mouth disease kills 156 in Vietnam
(AP) -- Vietnam says an outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease has killed 156 people, mostly children, and sickened more than 96,000 through late November.
The Bay Citizen: Children’s Hospital and Research Center Oakland Ranked Lowest in Food Health Study
Children’s Hospital and Research Center Oakland ranked lowest on a study of what 14 California hospitals sold in their cafes.
F.D.A. Recalls Faulty Leads in Heart Device
St. Jude Medical told doctors in November that the wires in its Riata defibrillator leads had a higher failure rate than was previously known.
Modern fires harm mistletoes
Fires created by lightning, arson or prescribed burning pose a great threat to mistletoe foliage and fresh seed, new research shows.
SchoolBook: Obesity Rate Falls for New York Schoolchildren
The decline, though slight, offers hope that the tide may be turning on one of the nation’s most stubborn health issues.
Panel: Create medical research database
WASHINGTON, Dec. 15 (UPI) -- The United States needs a central database of government-funded medical research and a uniform system for compensation for injuries, a report said Thursday.
Nurses Threaten Strike at Three New York Hospitals
More than 6,000 nurses are threatening to strike, mainly over changes to their health benefits and strains in staffing.
Don’t get fat at the holidays – Here’s how
Many websites and magazine articles offer ideas about how to lose weight over the holidays, but Connie Diekman, director of university nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis, says that...