Health & Medicine
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Health & MedicineFlick of a whisker can prevent stroke damage in rats
A new study in animals suggests sensory stimulation could potentially provide a nondrug method for protecting human patients.
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Health & MedicineFish oil fails to hold off heart arrhythmia
Atrial fibrillation patients who took capsules rich in omega-3 fatty acids had about as many episodes as those getting a placebo, a study finds.
By Nathan Seppa -
Health & MedicinePain-free pianists use their backs
Pianists who use smaller arm and finger muscles are more prone to injury than players who activate their back and neck muscles.
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Health & MedicineDrug helps in mild heart failure
Already prescribed for severe cases, eplerenone cuts death and hospitalization rates in patients with less severe but chronic forms of the condition, a new study finds.
By Nathan Seppa -
Health & MedicineCocaine trumps food for female rats
A study in rats finds that males prefer food over cocaine while females prefer the drug, a step toward better understanding of sex differences in addiction.
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Health & MedicineAlcohol heart benefits show up even after bypass surgery
Having two to three drinks a day was associated with decreased heart problems in men during the three years after the operation, researchers from Italy report.
By Nathan Seppa -
Health & MedicineMom’s past drug abuse may alter brain chemistry of offspring
A new study in rats suggests that the lingering effects of adolescent opiate use may be passed on for two generations, even if the female is drug-free when she gets pregnant.
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LifeRare mutations key to brain disorders
Many cases of mental retardation can be explained by genetic variants that arise in affected individuals.
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Health & MedicineA new way for blind mice to see
A new type of prosthetic eye can analyze patterns of cell activity to reproduce images similar to those produced in normal vision.
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Health & MedicineFructose poses gout risks even in women
Soft drinks are an even more potent source of the fat-generating sugar than had been thought, new research shows.
By Janet Raloff -
Health & MedicineLaptops and infertility: It matters how you sit
Men who keep their legs together while using the computers generate more sperm-endangering scrotal heat than those who splay them, a study finds.
By Nathan Seppa -
LifeSoil search suggests broad roots for antibiotic resistance
Drug-defeating genes are everywhere, but don’t blame dirt-dwelling bacteria for resistance seen in the clinic.