Health & Medicine

  1. Health & Medicine

    Immune protein may stall HIV

    People who have HIV but don't progress to AIDS make extra perforin, a protein that helps kill infected cells.

    By Nathan Seppa
  2. Health & Medicine

    Duct tape sticks it to warts

    Treating a wart with a covering of duct tape seems to be more effective—and less painful—than removing the wart by freezing it with liquid nitrogen.

    By Damaris Christensen
  3. Health & Medicine

    Cooking Science

    The Exploratorium’s “Science of Cooking” Web pages offer all sorts of advice on how to improve your cooking–with a pinch of science. Information, recipes, and activities focus on spices, bread, meat, eggs, and more. Experience the thrill of pickle making and learn about a zesty dish called kimchi. Explore the science of cooking your holiday […]

    By Science News
  4. Health & Medicine

    Schizophrenia spurs imaging network

    Thanks to a federal grant, a team of researchers will establish a national database of brain images that will allow for expanded investigations of the neural basis of schizophrenia.

    By Bruce Bower
  5. Health & Medicine

    Old Drug, New Uses?

    A hormone called erythropoietin, long used to treat anemia, also seems to protect against nerve damage and holds promise as a new therapy for stroke and spinal cord injury.

    By Damaris Christensen
  6. Health & Medicine

    First Line of Defense: Hints of primitive antibodies

    After looking in primitive marine invertebrates that are considered to be close relatives to vertebrates, immunologists find families of genes that might provide clues as to how early immune systems evolved.

    By Carol Marzuola
  7. Health & Medicine

    Coconspirator? Genital herpes linked to cervical cancer

    Having a genital herpes infection doubles the risk of cervical cancer among women who have human papillomavirus.

    By Nathan Seppa
  8. Health & Medicine

    Young Women Don’t Bone Up on Soy

    Among the many reported nutritional benefits of diets rich in soy is a strengthening of bone in postmenopausal women. For these Golden Girls, who face an increasing risk of osteoporosis, soy-based foods can provide much-needed assistance in limiting the inevitable loss of bone. Although soybeans are best known for their oil, their protein is also […]

    By Janet Raloff
  9. Health & Medicine

    Federal Government Launches Organic Standards

    Though for decades some foods have carried the label “organic,” consumers never could be sure exactly what the term meant. Action by the Department of Agriculture last week should clarify things. USDA USDA On Oct. 21, USDA implemented regulations governing the production and labeling of organic foods. Until now, bodies from state governments to trade […]

    By John Pickrell
  10. Health & Medicine

    Hidden Effect? Hypertension risk linked to common, over-the-counter pain relievers

    Women who take ibuprofen or acetaminophen for headaches or inflammation boost their chances of developing high blood pressure.

    By Nathan Seppa
  11. Health & Medicine

    Cancer Net

    Cancer.gov is a huge compendium of information on cancer assembled by the National Cancer Institute. You can find out the characteristics of different cancers, ponder treatment options, peruse statistics on cancer incidence, and check out support groups, coping strategies, and much more. The site offers access to scientific papers and lectures, along with a search […]

    By Science News
  12. Health & Medicine

    Distressing Gut Symptoms May Trace to Sweets

    U.S. diners are notorious for having a sweet tooth. It’s hard not to succumb to the pervasive siren calls of sugary confections. Television commercials bombard viewers with enticements for presweetened cereals, breakfast bars, sugar-laden soda pop, and fruit-flavored beverages–many containing, at best, only about 10 percent real juice. Grocery stores seduce consumers with aisle after […]

    By Janet Raloff