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Who gave us chocolate, a traditional treat on Valentine's Day?

They were the ancient Maya of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, who will be honored for this tasty contribution on Feb. 14 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

4 Feb 2008

Massive brain imaging project awarded Keck Foundation grant

Tantalizing treasures of neural knowledge that lie deep in the brain of the common fruit fly are one step closer to being laid bare, now that a team of six Stanford researchers has been awarded a $1.3 million medical research grant by the W. M. Keck Foundation.

4 Feb 2008

Attitudes on price have big impact of the purchase of organic food

Independent attitudes such as cost have the biggest impact on why consumers opt for organic fruit and vegetables, according to a new University of Melbourne report.

4 Feb 2008

NACDS launches campaign to expand role in healthcare debate

Pharmacy is vital to healthcare quality, affordability and accessibility, and should be valued and utilized more completely. That is the message of a major advertising campaign launched today by the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) as part of its increasingly proactive outreach to policymakers to tell the story of its members.

4 Feb 2008

Researchers uncover key interaction in cholesterol regulation

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have determined the specific way in which a destructive protein binds to and interferes with a molecule that removes low-density lipoproteins (LDL), the so-called "bad" cholesterol, from the blood.

4 Feb 2008

New York State Health Department begins $1.75 million campaign to promote long-term care insurance

New York State Health Commissioner Richard F. Daines, M.D., today announced a $1.75 million statewide media campaign to promote the purchase of long-term care insurance, including the state's Partnership for Long-Term Care, by New York residents ages 40 to 65.

4 Feb 2008

Targeting astrocytes slows progression of Lou Gehrig's disease

In what the researchers say could be promising news in the quest to find a therapy to slow the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig’s disease, scientists at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine have shown that targeting neuronal support cells called astrocytes sharply slows disease progression in mice.

4 Feb 2008

Lung cancer rates fall for Western Australian men

Western Australian men are continuing to heed the anti-smoking message with new figures showing a ten per cent fall in the number of men diagnosed with lung cancer in 2006.

4 Feb 2008

New policy from American Academy of Pediatrics - Principles for the development and use of quality measures

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is committed to improving the health care system to provide the highest quality and safest health care for children.

4 Feb 2008

Reducing pain could lead to increased immunization rates

Studies have shown that some parents are reluctant to have their children immunized because they fear their children will experience significant pain during and after the injections.

4 Feb 2008

Zinc supplementation helps diarrhea symptoms

Diarrhea is a major health problem, especially in the developing world. It is estimated that diarrheal disease is responsible for roughly 21 percent of all deaths in children younger than 5 worldwide.

4 Feb 2008

Alcohol use among adolescents linked to violent, suicidal behaviours

Many young people initiate alcohol use early in life, and those who do are at an increased risk for numerous problems compared to adolescents who do not drink.

4 Feb 2008

Baby lotions, powders and shampoos linked to higher levels of phthalates in infants

Phthalates are widely used chemicals that recent studies suggest may have toxic effects on the developing endocrine and reproductive systems. A new study found evidence that infants may be absorbing these chemicals through commonly used baby products.

4 Feb 2008

How risky are social networking sites?

Despite the recent focus on restricting access to social networking Web sites to protect children, researchers have found that victimization online is more likely to occur through instant messaging and in chat rooms.

4 Feb 2008

Minority children experience disparities in care

A national survey found significant disparities for minority children in medical and oral health and access to care.

4 Feb 2008

Mentoring relationships help youth in foster care

A new study reports evidence that mentoring relationships with non-parental adults promote positive outcomes for young people in foster care.

4 Feb 2008

7,000 pediatric ER visits linked to cough, cold medication use

An estimated 7,000 patients, ages 11 and younger, are treated in hospital emergency departments (ED) each year largely from unsupervised ingestions of cough and cold medications.

4 Feb 2008

Bush's efforts to rein in government spending places a dangerous target on health care

President George W. Bush today submitted his budget proposal to Congress for fiscal year 2009. In response Bruce Roberts, RPh, executive vice president and CEO of the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) issued the following statement:

4 Feb 2008

Over 32,400 cosmetic surgery procedures in the UK in 2007

The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (www.baaps.org.uk), the not-for-profit organisation established for the advancement of education and practice of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery for public benefit, today announced the results of their annual audit for 2007.

4 Feb 2008

CycleBeads help women manage their fertility

More than half a million women around the world, including an estimated 50,000 in the United States, use natural family planning methods developed by Georgetown University Medical Center’s Institute for Reproductive Health.

4 Feb 2008