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Genes decide the shape you're in!

According to a study by researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory of identical twins, the reason why some people can eat all the chocolate and chips they want and not increase their cholesterol levels, is all down to their genes.

11 Jul 2005

Babies at greater risk of cot death when they sleep in parents bed

According to new research babies who sleep in their parents' bed are at increased risk of cot death even if their mother and father are non-smokers.

11 Jul 2005

Low dose birth control pill raises heart attack risk, especially in some women

A new review suggests that low-dose birth control pills, which are generally considered to be safer than the pill of the past, still carries an increased risk for heart attack and stroke.

11 Jul 2005

California's medical marijuana program put on hold

As a direct result of a Supreme Court ruling last month that said the U.S. government could prosecute medical marijuana use, California officials say they will stop issuing identification cards to state residents who smoke marijuana to treat medical conditions.

11 Jul 2005

Stress on arthritic knees significantly eased by small weight loss

A new study says that overweight people suffering from arthritis in the knees, could diminish the stress the knees take with every step, by just losing one pound.

11 Jul 2005

Steak back on the menu after mad cow disease tests prove negative

Beef and steak lovers in the U.S. can relax and throw a few more steaks on the barbie, now that tests on over 60 cows culled from the same herd of an animal which was found to be infected with mad cow disease, have tested negative.

11 Jul 2005

Thousands to be screened for affects from Teflon

After a federal scientific review panel said the chemical used to make teflon is "likely" to be carcinogenic to humans, tens of thousands of Ohio and West Virginia residents could be tested over the next year, to determine if their health has been affected by drinking water containing a chemical used to make the nonstick substance.

11 Jul 2005

Bird flu could be carried out of Asia by migrating geese

Scientists are warning that migrating geese and other birds at a wildlife refuge in China, means the birds could carry the devastating virus out of Asia and spread the avian flu virus further afield.

7 Jul 2005

Arizona has three confirmed cases of West Nile in horses

A third case of West Nile Virus has been discovered in a horse near Lavine, Arizona.

7 Jul 2005

Nitric oxide good for some prem babies but not for others

According to two new studies, although nitric oxide can halve the risk of developmental problems in premature babies with undeveloped lungs, the gas could be harmful to newborns who are too small and too ill.

7 Jul 2005

Fat in the bloodstream linked to heart attacks

New research, by Dr. Sotirios Tsimikas of the University of California, San Diego, has produced the first convincing evidence that a type of fat in the bloodstream can trigger the earliest conditions that lead to clogged blood vessels, the highest cause of heart attacks.

7 Jul 2005

Acupuncture no help for fibromyalgia sufferers

Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes pain and tenderness in the head, shoulders, upper back, thighs, and abdomen and sufferers also often have headaches, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and sleep problems.

7 Jul 2005

Study confirms you're either gay, straight or lying!

According to Freud and Kinsey, some people are sexually attracted to both men and women.

7 Jul 2005

$100m needed to stop spread of birdflu

In an effort to contain the spread of bird flu, one of the UN agencies' focuses is live food markets, and the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for a reform of farming and food production methods to contain the spread of the virus.

7 Jul 2005

Accuracy of PSA screening for detecting prostate cancer

A new study indicates there is no specific PSA value that has both high sensitivity and high specificity for monitoring healthy men for prostate cancer, but rather there is a continuum of prostate cancer risk at all values of PSA, according to a study in the July 6 issue of JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association.

6 Jul 2005

Findings shed light on the underlying mechanisms that cause hypertension

An enzyme known to cause hypertension increases blood pressure by activating tiny pores, or channels, in kidney cells that allow increased levels of sodium to be reabsorbed into the blood, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found.

6 Jul 2005

Researchers clarifiy role of Notch protein in T-cell development

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have recently clarified the role of the Notch protein in T-cell development. T cells are required for many aspects of immunity, including fighting viral infections, providing cancer surveillance, and regulating multiple aspects of the immune response.

6 Jul 2005

Early child intervention programs make for healthier adults

A 25-year follow-up study of a comprehensive early health and education intervention program begun in the early 1970s shows that inner-city children who participated not only did better educationally, but had better physical and mental health in adulthood.

6 Jul 2005

Catchers' mitts do not adequately protect players' hands from injury

"We found signs of early blood vessel damage that could lead to significant symptoms and could end a player's career," said T. Adam Ginn, M.D., chief resident in orthopaedics at Wake Forest Baptist, and one of the study's researchers. "The gloves' current design does not protect the hand from trauma."

6 Jul 2005