Nathan Seppa

Biomedical Writer (retired September 2015)

All Stories by Nathan Seppa

  1. Health & Medicine

    Blocking an enzyme combats disease

    By blocking an enzyme that breaks down a beneficial compound in the body, researchers are able to help diabetes patients control their blood sugar.

  2. Health & Medicine

    Cell transplants stop diabetes in some patients

    Islet cell transplants can reverse diabetes in some patients.

  3. Gene variant boosts diabetes risk

    Variant forms of two genes that encode receptor proteins for the hormone adiponectin show up more often in people with type 2 diabetes than in people who don't have the disease.

  4. Health & Medicine

    Tackling stroke and heart risks

    Lowering cholesterol in diabetes patients lessens their risk of heart attack or stroke, even when their initial cholesterol was in the normal range.

  5. Health & Medicine

    Hepatitis C drugs are less effective in black patients

    A standard drug combination for hepatitis C is less likely to knock out the virus in blacks than in whites.

  6. Health & Medicine

    Statins might fight multiple sclerosis

    Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs might work against multiple sclerosis by reducing inflammation, preliminary evidence suggests.

  7. Health & Medicine

    Gender Neutral: Men, women face same cancer risk from smoking

    Women who smoke are no more susceptible to lung cancer than are male smokers.

  8. Health & Medicine

    Breast milk may lower cholesterol

    Feeding a newborn baby breast milk instead of formula during the first month of life improves the child's cholesterol readings later on.

  9. Health & Medicine

    Estrogen loss induces lung disease in mice

    Estrogen loss hampers lung function in mice by sabotaging the alveoli, the tiny sacs that deliver oxygen-rich air to the bloodstream.

  10. Health & Medicine

    Bad Break: Homocysteine may weaken bones

    Elderly people with elevated concentrations of the amino acid homocysteine in their blood are more likely to break bones than are people with low amounts.

  11. Health & Medicine

    Cord Blood to the Rescue: Infusions help babies with Hurler’s syndrome

    Umbilical cord blood transplants boost overall health and survival in patients with the rare hereditary condition called Hurler's syndrome.

  12. Health & Medicine

    Humidity may affect LASIK surgery

    High humidity can boost the chances of needing follow-up surgery after LASIK surgery for nearsightedness.