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Binge Drinking Puts the Brain, and Life Itself, at Risk

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:00:57 GMT

SATURDAY, Nov. 7 -- Nearly half of students at four-year colleges do it regularly (and, it's not sex). Rather, it's binge drinking -- downing five or more alcoholic drinks at a sitting. "People have a hard time identifying alcohol as a drug," said...

Bad-Behaving Teens May Be Living Up to Expectations

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:00:25 GMT

SATURDAY, Nov. 7 -- Teens are more likely to behave badly if their parents expect them to, a new U.S. study has found. "Parents who believe they are simply being realistic might actually contribute to a self-fulfilling prophecy," Christy Buchanan, a...

Singing in Pregnancy May Be Harder Work

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:00:37 GMT

FRIDAY, Nov. 6 -- Hormonal fluctuations make it harder for women to sing during pregnancy, a new study finds. Many professional singers have difficulty singing while pregnant, but it hasn't been known whether this was because of hormones or other...

Pay Less for Prescription Drugs

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:00:07 GMT

FRIDAY, Nov. 6 -- The recession has made it more difficult than ever before for many Americans to afford prescription medications, but several options are available, according to an expert from Butler University in Indianapolis. First, talk to your...

Most Who Want Swine Flu Shot Can't Get It

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:00:47 GMT

FRIDAY, Nov. 6 -- Although the total doses of H1N1 swine flu vaccine available in the United States now tops 38 million -- 11 million more than a week ago -- most Americans who want a shot still haven't been able to get one, U.S. health officials...

Stem Cells May Offer Alternative to Lung Transplants

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:00:40 GMT

FRIDAY, Nov. 6 -- Belgian scientists who used embryonic stem cells to create lung tissue say this technique could provide an alternative to lung transplants for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cystic fibrosis. This is...

Early Relapse of MS May Mean Fewer Issues Later

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:00:27 GMT

FRIDAY, Nov. 6 -- New research suggests that people with multiple sclerosis who have relapses within five years of developing the disease are more likely to suffer from severe limitations in the short term than others with the condition. The...

Istodax Approved for Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:32:17 GMT

FRIDAY, Nov. 6 -- The Gloucester Pharmaceuticals drug Istodax (romidepsin) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) in people who have tried at least one prior systemic therapy, the drug's...

New Smells 'Etched' in Brain: Study

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:00:48 GMT

FRIDAY, Nov. 6 -- Do you remember the first time you smelled a type of flower? You almost certainly don't, but new research suggests that your brain might. In the study, published online Nov. 5 in the journal Current Biology, researchers showed...

Simple Steps Get Walkers Moving

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:00:37 GMT

FRIDAY, Nov. 6 -- Simple measures such as starting a walking group or creating pedestrian-friendly routes can encourage people to walk more, a new study has found. At a multicultural housing site in Seattle, researchers implemented and evaluated...

Breast-Feeding Benefits Moms and Babies: Report

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:00:35 GMT

FRIDAY, Nov. 6 -- Breast-feeding offers health benefits for infants and mothers, and should be promoted and encouraged, says an updated position paper released by the American Dietetic Association. "It is the position of the American Dietetic...

Wood Fires Can Harm the Youngest Lungs

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:00:23 GMT

FRIDAY, Nov. 6 -- That picturesque wood-burning stove ranks alongside auto traffic as a risk factor for bronchiolitis, the respiratory condition that is the leading cause of hospitalization in the first year of life, a new study finds. "Those...

Good Sleepers More Likely to Eat Right

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:00:44 GMT

FRIDAY, Nov. 6 -- Getting enough sleep can help you make healthier food choices, researchers say. The new study included 542 male motor freight workers, who often work long hours and have irregular shifts. The average age of the participants was 49,...

Can a Bad Boss Make You Sick?

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:00:43 GMT

FRIDAY, Nov. 6 -- If an inept or abrasive boss is ruining your workday, you may be taking that stress to heart, literally. New research links having a poor supervisor to a higher risk of heart attack, and that's not all: people who don't like their...

Poor Restroom Cleaning Causes Cruise-Ship Sickness

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:00:20 GMT

FRIDAY, Nov. 6 -- Poor cleaning of restrooms aboard cruise ships raises the risk of norovirus-caused gastrointestinal illness outbreaks, finds a new study. Norovirus causes about 95 percent of acute gastroenteritis outbreaks that occur on cruise...

Clinical Trials Update: Nov. 6, 2009

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:57:50 GMT

-- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of ClinicalConnection.com: Stress and Cognition This study is evaluating age differences in the cognition of healthy older adults. You must be at least 65 to participate. The research site is in Los...

Health Highlights: Nov. 6, 2009

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:55:08 GMT

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay: Pet Treats May Be Salmonella-Tainted: FDA Pig ears and beef hooves pet treats made by California-based Pet Carousel may be contaminated with...

Health Fears Are Nothing to Sneeze At

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:00:56 GMT

FRIDAY, Nov. 6 -- It may sound hard to believe, but just one sneeze is enough to increase your fear not just of contracting flu, but also of dying from a heart attack at an early age, dying from an accident or being the victim of a fatal crime, new...

Early Morning Colonoscopies May Find More Polyps

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:00:40 GMT

FRIDAY, Nov. 6 -- Early morning colonoscopies detect more polyps than colon cancer screenings done later in the day, and the number of polyps found decreases by the hour as the day progresses, a new study has found. Removing polyps is believed to...

Health Tip: Follow Directions When Taking Medication

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:00:19 GMT

-- A number of adverse effects can result if you don't take a medication as directed. The American Academy of Family Physicians offers this list of possibilities: Side effects, such as dizziness or nausea. An interaction with another drug. An...

Thyroid Cancer Higher in Volcanic Areas

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:00:15 GMT

FRIDAY, Nov. 6 -- New research suggests that living near a volcano puts people at higher risk of getting a type of thyroid cancer. It's not clear how volcanoes might be related to cancer, but researchers suspect that the toxic compounds they produce...

Health Tip: What's Behind Hip Bursitis?

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:00:07 GMT

-- Bursitis of the hip is a painful condition that occurs when the bursa -- a small, cushiony sac overlying the hip -- becomes inflamed. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, these are the common causes of hip...

Cooling May Reduce Brain Lesions in Newborns

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:56 GMT

THURSDAY, Nov. 5 -- Babies who are deprived of oxygen at birth often go on to have lifetime disabilities, but research has shown that cooling infants can help prevent problems. Now, a new study reports that the cooling actually reduces the number of...

Genes Linked to 'Pot' Belly

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:00:59 GMT

THURSDAY, Nov. 5 -- New research sheds light on the possible link between the genes you inherit and the size of your belly. Participants in a French study doubled their risk of having fat around the abdomen if they had a certain genetic trait, and...

Phosphorus Levels May Predict Heart Disease

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:00:31 GMT

THURSDAY, Nov. 5 -- Elevated blood levels of phosphorus are associated with a higher risk of heart disease, U.S. researchers say. They studied the link between phosphorus levels and coronary artery calcification (CAC) in nearly 900 healthy adults...

Stem Cells Repair Acute Lung Injury in Mice

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:00:24 GMT

THURSDAY, Nov. 5 -- Adult stem cells from bone marrow can prevent acute lung injury in mice, U.S. researchers report. Acute lung injury, which is caused by major inflammation or injury to the lungs, causes about 74,500 deaths each year in the United...

Firm Says Low-Cost Genome Sequencing Is Possible

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:00:45 GMT

THURSDAY, Nov. 5 -- A genome sequencing company says it has developed a lower-cost DNA platforming sequence. Its report, including an analysis of data from three full human genomes, was published Nov. 5 in Science. The company, Complete Genomics,...

Germs Mingle Most on Palms, Feet, Forearms

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:00:31 GMT

THURSDAY, Nov. 5 -- A new "atlas" of bacterial life on and within the human body has uncovered the fact that your palms, feet and forearms are a veritable United Nations of germs. The scientists, using sophisticated gene-sequencing technologies,...

Gene Therapy for Fatal Brain Disorder 'Just the Beginning'

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:00:27 GMT

THURSDAY, Nov. 5 -- The reported success of gene therapy in treating two children with adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) brings hope to patients with the potentially crippling and fatal brain disorder and their families, says a nonprofit group that...

Complete Horse Genome Sequence Revealed

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:00:11 GMT

THURSDAY, Nov. 5 -- The genome of the domestic horse has been sequenced, an accomplishment that will improve the breeding of horses and may help studies of human health, according to an international team of researchers. "Having access to multiple...

Fetus Learns Intonations of Mother's Tongue

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:00:44 GMT

THURSDAY, Nov. 5 -- Infants who are just a few days old cry with intonation patterns that reflect the language spoken by their parents, new research shows. The conclusion drawn by German researchers is that fetuses are listening closely to their...

Doctors Point Out Gaps in U.S. Health Care

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:00:13 GMT

THURSDAY, Nov. 5 -- The United States lags behind other developed countries in a range of health-care practices, according to a new international survey of primary care doctors. "We spend far more than any of the other countries in the survey, yet a...

Swine Flu Virus Dominant Strain Worldwide: WHO

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:00:12 GMT

THURSDAY, Nov. 5 -- The H1N1 swine flu virus is now the predominant flu strain worldwide, although it shows no signs of becoming more virulent and continues to produce mild-to-moderate symptoms in most people, the World Health Organization's flu...

Clinical Trials Update: Nov. 5, 2009

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:14:03 GMT

(HealthDayNews) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of ClinicalConnection.com: Ulcerative Colitis This study will evaluate the effectiveness and safety of an investigational medication in people with active mild-or-moderate ulcerative...

Health Highlights: Nov. 5, 2009

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:05:45 GMT

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay: Doctors' Deal with Coke Sparks Outrage Almost two dozen doctors have quit the American Academy of Family Physicians after the group announced a deal...

Green Tea May Help Prevent Oral Cancer

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:00:48 GMT

THURSDAY, Nov. 5 -- A new study appears to add to growing evidence that green tea might help protect against cancer. U.S. researchers gave 41 volunteers with pre-malignant mouth lesions green tea extract for three months at doses of 500 milligrams...

Without Job Stress, Retirees Sleep Better

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:00:47 GMT

THURSDAY, Nov. 5 -- What you're not doing once retired seems to make a good night's sleep come more easily. A study of nearly 15,000 French workers who had retired found that the odds of having disturbed sleep in the seven years after retirement...

Health Tip: Create Baby's Bedtime Routine

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:00:46 GMT

-- Babies are never too young to benefit from a bedtime routine, the U.S. National Library of Medicine says. The agency offers these suggestions for developing bedtime habits from the start: Don't give your baby a bottle in bed. Make sure the last...

Health Tip: Triggering Abdominal Bloating

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:00:44 GMT

-- When your belly feels bloated, uncomfortably tight and full, your doctor may refer to it as abdominal bloating. The U.S. National Library of Medicine offers this list of common causes: Swallowing air. Being constipated. Having too much gas in...

School Violence Drops With Federal Program

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:00:04 GMT

THURSDAY, Nov. 5 -- A program called Safe Schools/Healthy Students greatly increases the safety of students, says a U.S. government report. Over three years, school districts participating in the program had a 15 percent decrease in the number of...