Health & Medicine

  1. Health & Medicine

    Radiation harms blood vessels before gut

    The side-effects of radiation therapy may result from initial damage to blood vessels.

    By John Travis
  2. Health & Medicine

    Sticky platelets boost blood clots

    Tests for genetic variations of a key protein on platelets, the cell-like blood components that form clots, and their propensity to clump could help physicians determine optimal medication for heart disease patients.

    By Nathan Seppa
  3. Health & Medicine

    Marijuana may boost heart attack risk

    Marijuana seems to heighten the risk of heart attack in some people during the hour after which it is smoked.

    By Nathan Seppa
  4. Health & Medicine

    Arthritis drug succeeds vs. psoriasis

    People with the skin disorder psoriasis respond well to infliximab, a drug normally given to arthritis patients.

    By Nathan Seppa
  5. Health & Medicine

    Insulin shots fail to prevent diabetes

    Insulin injections failed to prevent type I, or juvenile-onset, diabetes from developing in children and young adults predisposed to the disease.

    By Nathan Seppa
  6. Health & Medicine

    Does lack of sleep lead to diabetes?

    Lack of sleep makes healthy adults somewhat resistant to the effects of the hormone insulin, suggesting it could predispose people toward type II, or adult-onset, diabetes.

    By Nathan Seppa
  7. Health & Medicine

    Nicotine spurs vessel growth, maybe cancer

    Test-tube and mouse experiments show that nicotine induces angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels.

    By Nathan Seppa
  8. Health & Medicine

    Have a heart: Turn on just a single gene

    One gene appears to act as the master switch in embryonic heart formation.

    By Jessa Netting
  9. Health & Medicine

    Vitamin E benefits cattle, too

    Vitamin E aids immune system function and prevents growth declines in cattle, offering an alternative to potentially dangerous use of low-dose antibiotics.

    By Damaris Christensen
  10. Health & Medicine

    Insight into preemies’ blindness

    Lack of a growth factor called IGF-1 has been implicated as a trigger for a disease that can cause vision problems, including blindness, in premature babies.

    By Damaris Christensen
  11. Health & Medicine

    Alzheimer’s damage might start off early

    Copper and free radicals may initiate the brain damage of Alzheimer's disease long before its hallmark protein plaques have formed.

    By Jessa Netting
  12. Health & Medicine

    Seemingly safer steroid mimics

    A glucocorticoid mimic may offer the autoinflammatory effects of steroids with fewer side effects.

    By Damaris Christensen