Humans

  1. Humans

    BPA induces sterility in roundworms

    Bisphenol A does a real number on the genes responsible for successful reproduction in a 1-millimeter-long soil-dwelling roundworm. And that suggests BPA might pose similar risks to people because geneticists are finding that this tiny critter can be a remarkably useful “lab rat” — predicting impacts in mammals, including us.

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  2. Health & Medicine

    Pain-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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  3. Health & Medicine

    Drug 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.

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  4. Humans

    Ancient hominid butchers get trampled

    Bone marks advanced as evidence of stone-tool use to butcher animals 3.4 million years ago may actually have resulted from animal trampling, scientists say.

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  5. Health & Medicine

    Cocaine 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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  6. Health & Medicine

    Alcohol 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.

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  7. Health & Medicine

    Mom’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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  8. Life

    Rare 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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  9. Health & Medicine

    A 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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  10. Humans

    Online comments maybe not total waste of time

    Conversations on news sites reveal patterns in how information and ideas spread.

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  11. Psychology

    Many unhappy returns for wandering minds

    A cell phone–based survey finds that people frequently feel worse when their minds wander than when they focus on the moment.

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  12. Health & Medicine

    Fructose 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.

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