Health & Medicine
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Health & Medicine
Got Diabetes? Try Ditching Caffeine
New studies indicate that caffeine impairs the body's ability to use insulin and regulate blood sugar—potentially serious problems for people with diabetes.
By Janet Raloff -
Health & Medicine
Swallowed a Fly: Insects may spread foodborne microbe to chickens
Flies sucked through the ventilation ports of industrial chicken coops may spread the pathogen Campylobacter jejuni, which can ultimately sicken people who eat undercooked chicken.
By Ben Harder -
Health & Medicine
Gene Delivery: Mouse study shows new therapy may reverse muscular dystrophy
A single defective gene causes muscular dystrophy, and researchers have now found a way to deliver a working copy of that gene to the entire muscular system in mice.
By Carrie Lock -
Health & Medicine
Stopping Alzheimer’s: Antibody thwarts disease in mice
Antibodies against amyloid protein, which gums up the brains of Alzheimer's patients, reverse a form of the disease in mice.
By Nathan Seppa -
Health & Medicine
Computers read mammograms to detect breast cancer
Mammogram–scanning computers can help radiologists detect breast cancers that would otherwise escape diagnosis.
By Ben Harder -
Health & Medicine
Prion Proof? Evidence grows for mad cow protein
Misfolded proteins known as prions can cause disease when injected into the brains of genetically engineered mice.
By Nathan Seppa -
Health & Medicine
Dentists: Eschew chewing aspirin
Chewing aspirin or just letting the tablets dissolve in the mouth can seriously damage teeth.
By Nathan Seppa -
Health & Medicine
Better Labeling of Major Food Allergens
A bill awaiting the President's signature would require that all U.S. food products identify in plain English the presence of major food allergens—and foster federal research on the incidence and impacts of food allergies.
By Janet Raloff -
Health & Medicine
Birthing age and ovarian cancer risk
Giving birth confers on women some protection against ovarian cancer, and the later in life the last pregnancy happens, the better the protection.
By Nathan Seppa -
Health & Medicine
Potential Block for Epilepsy: Researchers find new drug target
Using genetically engineered mice, scientists have identified a new target in the brain for drugs that could prevent epilepsy.
By Carrie Lock -
Health & Medicine
Suicide Watch: Antidepressants get large-scale inspection
Data from the United Kingdom indicate that depressed patients attempt and complete suicides at an elevated rate in the 3 months after starting to take any of four antidepressant drugs.
By Bruce Bower -
Health & Medicine
Seeing Red and Finding Fraudulent Fish
The sale of falsely labeled fish has implications for health, nutrition, and the environment.
By Janet Raloff