Latest science news in Health & Medicine
Link between 2 forms of ALS suggests drug target
For the first time, researchers have discovered a disease mechanism that links hereditary amyotrophic lateral sclerosis to the more common 'sporadic' form of ALS - and points to a possible...
Vitamin D deficiency linked to lung transplant rejection, research finds
Vitamin D deficiency is associated with a significant increase in lung transplant rejection, according to new research.
VIDEO: Survey finds Lyme disease under-reported
A survey of doctors suggests that Lyme disease is more common in B.C. than is officially reported, the CBC's Deborah Goble reports.
New evidence found for flour in stone-age diet
By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID 2010-10-18T20:13:51Z WASHINGTON (AP) -- The popular image may be of Stone Age people gnawing on...
Why are men more susceptible to alcoholism?
Alcohol is one of the most commonly abused substances, and men are up to twice as likely to develop alcoholism as women. Until now, the underlying biology contributing to this...
Lessons learned from the H1N1 pandemic
The H1N1 pandemic influenza provided several important lessons that may help in preparing for future influenza outbreaks, write Drs. Donald Low and Allison McGeer in an analysis in CMAJ (Canadian...
Does clenching your muscles increase willpower?
The next time you feel your willpower slipping as you pass that mouth-watering dessert case, tighten your muscles. A new study says firming muscles can shore up self-control.
Longer-lasting options to treat drug addiction
(AP) -- New treatments for addiction to heroin or narcotic painkillers promise longer-lasting relief that may remove some day-to-day uncertainty of care: A once-a-month shot is now approved and...
Japanese researchers report on liver transplantation studies using animal and iPS cells
Two research teams from the Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine (Okayama, Japan) have reported breakthrough studies in liver cell transplantation. One team found that the technical breakthrough in creating...
NOS2 isn't good for ER-negative breast cancer patients, study finds
Breast cancers can be divided into different subtypes. Patients with breast tumors that lack expression of the protein ER (ER-negative breast tumors) have a worse outlook than those with ER-positive...
Gut microbes promote cell turnover by a well-known pathway
Microbes matter -- perhaps more than anyone realizes -- in basic biological development and, maybe, they could be a target for reducing cancer risks, according to researchers.
Genes linked to psoriasis identified
Genetic variants associated with increased susceptibility to psoriasis are reported in five new articles. Psoriasis is a chronic and recurrent skin disease, and one of the most prevalent autoimmune diseases,...
Really: The Claim: After Being Broken, Bones Can Become Even Stronger.
Wolff”s law, which holds that human bone grows and strengthens under pressure and weakens when barely put to use, goes only so far.
Vital Signs: Aging: Longer Life Expectancy Seen for Hispanics
Despite high rates of poverty, obesity and diabetes and relatively low rates of health insurance, Hispanics in the United States tend to outlive African-Americans and non-Hispanic whites.
Breakthrough: With a chaperone, copper breaks through
Information on proteins is critical for understanding how cells function in health and disease. But while regular proteins are easy to extract and study, it is far more difficult to...
Egg allergy: Not a reason to avoid flu vaccine after all
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Having an egg allergy is not a reason to avoid getting the 2010-2011 flu vaccination. According to new recommendations by the American Academy of...
Intestinal enzyme helps maintain population of beneficial bacteria
An enzyme that keeps intestinal bacteria out of the bloodstream may also play an important role in maintaining the normal microbial population of the gastrointestinal system. Since the loss of...
US first to join HIV/AIDS patent pool
The US National Institutes of Health has joined the Medicines Patent Pool, increasing the pressure on drug companies to do the same.
Dozens killed by incorrectly placed acupuncture needles
Professor of complementary medicine calls for adequate training for all acupuncture practitioners after survey reveals punctured hearts and lungs among causes of death over past 45 yearsEighty-six people have been accidentally killed by...
H1N1 vaccine communication 'failed': report
Canada's health-care system didn't fully address the risks posed by the H1N1 pandemic on vulnerable populations such as pregnant women and aboriginal people, doctors say.
Latinas: 'Cancer was just meant to be'
Fatalism may prevent women from Latin American descent Latinas - from using cancer screening services, according to Karla Espinosa de los Monteros and Dr. Linda Gallo from San Diego...
Guatemala investigates cases of syphilis caused by the US
Guatemala has received apologies from US President Obama for a 1940s syphilis study and has set up a commission to identify victims.
Science's memory man | Mo Costandi
The man who revolutionised the way we understand the brain continues to provide insights in the workings of human memory two years after his death, says Mo CostandiIn late August, 1953, a 27-year-old...
Prostate cancer patients treated with robotic-assisted surgery can expect low recurrence of cancer
A first-ever, long-term study of patients who underwent robot-assisted surgery to remove their cancerous prostates found that nearly 87 percent of them had no recurrence of the disease after five...
Statin use associated with statistically significant reduction in colorectal cancer
A systematic review of the medical literature supports the hypothesis that statins, cholesterol-lowering drugs used to prevent cardiac problems, are associated with reduced risk of colon and rectal cancers. A...
Attack on C. difficile: How can we combat this serious health issue?
In five different studies, researchers explored the impact of various factors on increasing rates of Clostridium difficile infection (C. difficile), such the substantial increase in antibiotic use due to new...
Prescriptions: This Week's Health Industry News
Insurance commissioners are hammering out final details on controversial regulations.
Pioneering French oncologist Mathe dies at 88
(AP) -- Oncologist Georges Mathe, who in 1959 performed the world's first bone marrow transplant, has died, the French president's office said Monday. He was 88.