Health Tips

WEDNESDAY, May 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- The first artificial iris to replace the colored section of the eye that surrounds the pupil has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Many people who are candidates for the device were born with a condition called aniridia, a rare genetic disorder in which the iris is missing or damaged. The condition affects 1 in 50,000 to 100,000 people in the United States, the FDA said Wednesday in a news release. The iris controls the amount of light that enters the eye. If the iris is missing or damaged, it can lead to severe sensitivity to light and other sight problems, the agency said. The CustomFlex Artificial Iris is custom-colored and molded for each user from medical-grade silicone. The device was evaluated in clinical trials involving almost 400 adults and children. More than 70 percent of users reported decreased light sensitivity and glare, and 94 percent of users were satisfied with the device's appearance, the FDA s...

WEDNESDAY, May 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- It's well-known that exercise benefits the brain as well as the heart and muscles, but new research pinpoints just how much -- and what types -- of exercise may promote thinking skills as you age. Reviewing data from dozens of studies on older adults, scientists found that those who exercised an average of at least 52 hours over about six months -- and for about an hour during each session -- showed improvements in their thinking skills. The research didn't show a link between a weekly amount of exercise and better brain function. "The data seem to suggest … you have to keep exercise up for a while before you start to see these changes actually impact your life in a positive manner," said study author Joyce Gomes-Osman. She directs the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine's Neuromotor Plasticity Laboratory. Study participants experienced specific, significant changes in mental sharpness, Gomes-Osman said. The...

WEDNESDAY, May 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- President Donald Trump on Wednesday put his signature on a bill allowing terminally ill patients to try unproven treatments to fight their disease. Calling access to these drugs a "fundamental freedom," Trump said he hoped it would help save lives, the Associated Press reported. The "Right to Try" bill passed the Senate in August, and the House passed the bill last week by a vote of 250-169, but not without fierce debate. Republicans contended it would help thousands of very ill Americans find new hope, while many Democrats said it might only provide false hope. Trump had lauded the proposed measure in his State of the Union address. The new law allows people diagnosed with a life-threatening condition who've tried all other treatment options to receive unproven medicines without going to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for permission. The Goldwater Institute, a conservative public policy think tank based in...

WEDNESDAY, May 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday gave its OK to the first artificial iris -- the colored part of the eye that surrounds the pupil. The surgically implanted device can be used on adults and children whose iris is missing, has been damaged by a congenital condition called aniridia, or has been injured, the agency said in a news release. "Patients with iris defects may experience severe vision problems, as well as dissatisfaction with the appearance of their eye," said Dr. Malvina Eydelman, who directs the division of ophthalmic, and ear, nose and throat devices at the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health. "Today's approval of the first artificial iris provides a novel method to treat iris defects that reduces sensitivity to bright light and glare. It also improves the cosmetic appearance of the eye in patients with aniridia," she said. Aniridia is a rare genetic disorder that leaves ...

WEDNESDAY, May 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of Xeljanz (tofacitinib) has been expanded to include adults with active moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis, the agency said Wednesday. Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease, characterized by recurring flares of abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea. Symptoms also may include fatigue, weight loss and fever. Some 900,000 people in the United States have UC, for which there is no cure, the FDA said in a news release. Xeljanz was first approved in 2012 for rheumatoid arthritis, and in 2017 for psoriatic arthritis. In clinical studies evaluating the pill's use for UC, the most common side effects were diarrhea, high cholesterol, headache, herpes zoster (shingles) infection, cold-like symptoms, rash and upper respiratory infection. The drug's label includes the agency's most serious "boxed warning" of less common adverse reactions including serious infe...

WEDNESDAY, May 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- A close examination of baby teeth is giving new insight into the roots of autism -- and ways to spot it early. The research suggests that the way infants metabolize two nutrients -- zinc and copper -- may predict who will develop the condition. "We have identified cycles in nutrient metabolism that are apparently critical to healthy neurodevelopment, and are dysregulated in autism spectrum disorder," said one of the study's lead authors, Paul Curtin. His team has also "developed algorithms which can predict whether a child will develop autism or not, based on measures derived from these metabolic cycles," said Curtin. He's assistant professor of environmental medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. For the study, Curtin and his colleagues used baby teeth to reconstruct fetal and infant exposures to nutrient and toxic elements, in both children with autism and those without the ...

WEDNESDAY, May 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Exposure to triclosan -- a chemical in some shampoos and toothpastes -- might raise the risk for colon inflammation and colon cancer, at least in mice, researchers say. New study results "suggest that triclosan could have adverse effects on gut health," said study leader Guodong Zhang, a food scientist at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Triclosan is a common antibacterial agent. It's often used in hygiene and cosmetic products. Triclosan is also found in some clothing and kitchenware, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The FDA no longer allows triclosan in hand soaps, but it's still present in other household products, such as dish soap. Working with laboratory mice, Zhang and his colleagues concluded that triclosan could alter gut microbiota, or the types of bacteria living in the intestines. These changes could lead to inflammation, more severe colitis symptoms and colitis-associated colon ca...

WEDNESDAY, May 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- These days, medical advances seem to be happening in the blink of an eye. Now, British scientists report they have created human corneas using 3D-printing technology. The researchers said they hope this breakthrough will one day ensure an unlimited supply of corneas. Human corneas are now in short supply. Yet, there are 10 million people around the world who need them to prevent blindness. These millions need surgery to prevent corneal blindness caused by diseases such as trachoma, an infectious eye disorder. Another 5 million people already suffer total blindness from corneal scarring caused by burns, lacerations, abrasion or disease, the researchers added. The cornea, the outermost layer of the eye, plays a vital role in focusing, the study authors explained. The new process uses a simple, low-cost 3D bio-printer to form the shape of a human cornea. It takes less than 10 minutes to print. The researchers then showed that stem cells on ...

WEDNESDAY, May 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Most people should now begin colorectal cancer screening at age 45, say new guidelines that were spurred by the rising rate of the disease among younger Americans. For years, the American Cancer Society (ACS) and other medical groups have advised people at average risk of colon and rectal cancer to begin screening at age 50. Earlier screening has been reserved for people at increased risk. But the ACS is now changing that advice -- a shift largely driven by the fact that colorectal cancers are increasingly being diagnosed in younger Americans. Media personality Katie Couric, a longtime advocate in the fight against colon cancer, applauded the move. "I have seen first-hand the dangers of early onset colon cancer. My late husband, Jay Monahan, was just 41 when he was diagnosed more than 20 years ago," she said in a statement. "Doctors have noticed an alarming trend -- an increase in people like Jay, under age 50, being diagn...

WEDNESDAY, May 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- If your blood pressure goes up, so do your medical bills, new research suggests. Yearly medical costs for U.S. adults with high blood pressure can run $1,920 more than for those without the condition, a new study finds. Taking in the entire American population with high blood pressure, that's $131 billion in excess health care costs, compared with those without the disorder, researchers said. This study was done over 12 years and before blood pressure guidelines were tightened in 2017. At that time, the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology redefined high blood pressure as 130/80 mm Hg or higher, whereas before it was 140/90 mm Hg or higher. "The new lower definition of high blood pressure will increase the number of adults in the hypertensive population," said lead researcher Dr. Elizabeth Kirkland, of the Medical University of South Carolina. "This may decrease the average cost of hyperten...

WEDNESDAY, May 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Abortion does not increase a woman's risk for depression, according to new research. The study, of nearly 400,000 women in Denmark, challenges arguments that terminating a pregnancy takes a toll on a woman's emotional well-being. "Policies based on the notion that abortion harms women's mental health are misinformed," said study leader Dr. Julia Steinberg. She's an assistant professor of family science at the University of Maryland School of Public Health. "Abortion is not causing depression. Our findings show that women were not more likely to suffer from depression after an abortion compared to beforehand," Steinberg said in a university news release. Claims that the procedure harms women's psychological well-being have been used to justify policies that restrict access to abortion in the United States, she and her colleagues said. For example, at least eight states require that women considering...

WEDNESDAY, May 30, 2018 (American Heart Association) -- As a retired electrician, David Paschal knows a thing or two about electrical currents. He did everything he could to avoid the unpleasant feeling of getting shocked, especially since it also carried the risk of being electrocuted. So when emergency responders kept administering shocks to his heart en route to Tidelands Georgetown Memorial Hospital on May 10, 2017, he apparently didn't like it. "They said I fought like a mad person," Paschal recalled, laughing. I knew good and well what it was, and I didn't want it." Paschal needed the shocks -- all 14 of them. Earlier that day, the 66-year-old Paschal was helping a crew prune trees at his home in Pawleys Island, South Carolina. "I hired some young fellas to come over and do some trimming," Paschal said. "I was trying to keep up with the young people." He was pulling branches to the road when arm and chest pain started. He decided h...

TUESDAY, May 29, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Even if you discover that you have the first biological signs of Alzheimer's, you are not doomed to develop the crippling dementia, a new study suggests. "Just because you have amyloid [proteins] in the brain doesn't mean you're going to get dementia tomorrow. It doesn't mean you're going to get dementia in five years," said lead researcher Ron Brookmeyer. He's a professor of biostatistics with UCLA's Fielding School of Public Health. "It could be many years, and it could be longer than your natural life expectancy," Brookmeyer added. For example, high levels of abnormal amyloid proteins in your brain or shrinkage of your brain each confer only a minimal risk of future dementia, a new statistical risk model indicates. Further, a person's dementia risk is even lower if the amyloid or shrinkage is detected at a more advanced age, the study authors noted. On the other hand, a person's ri...

TUESDAY, May 29, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- May is Women's Health Month. With that in mind, doctors are offering suggestions for steps that women can take to reduce their risk of diseases and safeguard their health, both physical and mental. Dr. Blanca Sckell is medical director of the Ambulatory Care Center and internal medicine program at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens, in New York City. She offered the following advice for women who are seeking ways to boost their health. For starters, manage stress. Try to take a few minutes each day to relax. Meditation is a great way to cope with daily pressures and can also help improve your mental health. Eat a healthy diet that includes fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, high-fiber foods and lean cuts of meat, poultry and fish. Cut back on processed foods. Healthy eating helps maintain proper weight, and lowers the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and problems during pregnancy. Talk to your doctor about when and...

WEDNESDAY, May 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Can an artificially sweetened drink or food really satisfy your sweet tooth without raising your blood sugar levels? That depends on what's in the food or drink, but a new review confirms that artificial sweeteners alone won't cause a spike in blood sugar. "It's been widely accepted that nonnutritive sweeteners don't raise blood sugar, but there's never been a large-scale study to confirm that," said study co-author Maxwell Holle. He's a Ph.D. candidate in the department of food science and human nutrition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Plus, he said, many past studies have only looked at the effects of artificial sweeteners when consumed with other foods. "We wanted to see studies that used nonnutritive sweeteners by themselves, so we could create a reliable reference," Holle said. Artificial sweeteners are extremely popular in the United States. They provide a sweet taste ...

WEDNESDAY, May 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Many doctors have internet portals to help patients manage their care. But that doesn't mean older folks will use them. A University of Michigan poll found only about half of patients 50 to 80 years old have set up an online account with their health care provider. "The health care system has provided patient portals as an efficient way for patients to communicate with their providers. But many older adults are uncomfortable with electronic interactions substituting for a phone call or in-person conversation," co-associate poll director Sarah Clark said in a university news release. Researchers found that better educated patients with higher incomes are most likely to use these systems. But poorer people with less education often have more health-related needs, the researchers said. People over 65 were more likely than those in their 50s and early 60s to say they don't like using the computer to communicate about their h...

WEDNESDAY, May 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- When it comes to kids and medical procedures like needles, expectation is everything. If they think the shot will hurt, it probably will, a new study finds. On the flip side, if they're coaxed not to expect a lot of pain, they may feel it less. "We know that expectation affects pain experience in adults; we don't know whether this is also true for children," said study author Kalina Michalska, a psychologist at the University of California, Riverside. In real-life terms, distracting children beforehand has value, the researchers said. For example, telling them, "This is going to feel like a branch scraping against your skin" may be less frightening than saying, "This is going to hurt." The study involved 48 children (27 of whom had an anxiety disorder) and 25 adults. Michalska's team applied heat to the participants and asked them to rate levels of pain as low, medium or high. High was about the t...

WEDNESDAY, May 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Urgent care centers are popping up across the country as an option for medical treatment. But it's important to know the differences between these facilities and your local hospital emergency department. The ER is for life-threatening situations, yet many people go there when urgent care is more appropriate. According to one study, nearly half of ER patients whose ailment didn't warrant being admitted to the hospital had gone to the ER simply because their doctor's office wasn't open. Urgent care would have been more appropriate -- and less expensive. Out-of-pocket costs are likely lower than for an ER visit, especially if the facility is in your health insurance network. Realize, too, that the emergency department treats people in order of need, so you may have a longer wait time. Urgent care centers usually see people on a first-come, first-served basis. Here are some examples of reasons to seek urgent care: Fever and ...

TUESDAY, May 29, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Walking, running, crouching, lifting and exercising the legs is critical to optimizing your nervous system's ability to function, new animal research suggests. Based on work with mice, the finding highlights the complexity of the brain-muscle connection. And it suggests that the nervous system communication moving from an individual's large leg muscles up to the brain is just as important as communication that originates in the brain before heading down to the muscles. The finding could have broad implications for efforts to better understand all sorts of neurological diseases -- such as motor neuron disease, multiple sclerosis and spinal muscular atrophy -- as well as how a sedentary lifestyle might undermine overall brain health. "It is no accident that we are meant to be active: to walk, run, crouch to sit, and use our leg muscles to lift things," said study author Raffaella Adami. Adami is from the Universita degli Stu...

Two new social psychology studies predict the likelihood that one will believe conspiracy beliefs or theories. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2JketWj

Researchers have invented a new neural interface and communication paradigm that is able to send movement commands from the central nervous system to a robotic prosthesis, and relay proprioceptive feedback describing movement of the joint back to the central nervous system in return. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2sijXXQ

Building on two decades of research, investigators have determined that 'cellular housekeeping' can extend the lifespan and healthspan of mammals. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2kDUaoO

A geological study provides compelling evidence to support the hypothesis that ancient humans migrated into the Americas via a coastal route. By analyzing boulders and bedrock, a team shows that part of a coastal migration route became accessible to humans 17,000 years ago. During this period, ancient glaciers receded, exposing islands of southern Alaska's Alexander Archipelago to air and sun -- and, possibly, to human migration. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2J2lKGN

A broken seal of a lab cuvette led an American researcher in the Netherlands to the origin of many an inexplicable result: the weather. Or the humidity, because this determines the water concentration in oils used as solvents, which was previously thought to be negligible. Lone water molecules in oil aren't just spectators, they firmly direct supramolecular processes. This outcome means that a lot of previous research has to be re-examined, but also that chemists get a new, cheap and powerful tool. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2IXhtIV

Academic societies may be able to increase gender equity through supporting female leadership and making an outward commitment of equality, according to a new study. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2J2PqUi

New software targets most abundant fishing grounds and reduces catch of unwanted or protected species using satellite data, maps and observations. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2H4eYyz

Researchers have developed a novel method of growing whole muscles from hydrogel sheets impregnated with myoblasts. They then incorporated these muscles as antagonistic pairs into a biohybrid robot, which successfully performed manipulations of objects. This approach overcame earlier limitations of a short functional life of the muscles and their ability to exert only a weak force, paving the way for more advanced biohybrid robots. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2JgTTGh

Imagine having superhuman hearing. You're at a noisy, cocktail party and yet your ears can detect normally inaudible sounds. But, unlike normal hearing, each of these sounds causes your ears to react in the same way. There is no difference between the quietest and loudest movements. According to a new study, that may be how a shark's electrosensing organ reacts when it detects teensy, tiny electrical fields emanating from nearby prey. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2IZ6w5y

Dubbed 'T-cell engaging bi-specific antibodies,' these cancer combatants attack malignant cells but leave healthy cells untouched. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2H5RbhH

Francisella tularensis is the bacterium that causes tularemia, a life-threatening disease spread to humans via contact with an infected animal or through mosquito, tick or deer fly bites. Scientists have unraveled the process by which the bacteria cause disease, finding that F. tularensis tricks host cell mitochondria, which produce energy for the cell, in two different phases of infection. These basic science findings could play a role in developing effective treatment strategies. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2kCoFvr

Researchers have discovered that disruptions in the construction of iron-sulfur clusters can lead to the buildup of fat droplets in certain cells. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2L7uYSM

Researchers report in a new study that the bacterium Helicobacter pylori -- a major contributor to gastritis, ulcers and stomach cancer -- resists the body's immune defenses by shutting down energy production within the cells of the stomach lining that serve as a barrier to infection. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2L5PLGq

Paleontologists have identified the world's oldest lizard, providing key insight into the evolution of modern lizards and snakes. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2kCfwCS

New research in mice has revealed that the brain's underlying desire for sweet, and its distaste for bitter, can be erased by manipulating neurons in the amygdala, the emotion center of the brain. The research points to new strategies for understanding and treating eating disorders including obesity and anorexia nervosa. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2J0PZ0M

Researchers have discovered a fundamental process by which brains are built, which may have profound implications for understanding neurodevelopmental conditions like autism and epilepsy. The study also answers an evolutionary mystery about how the delicate balance between different types of brain cells might be maintained across species with vastly different brain sizes. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2LKkVEg

Researchers have used systems biology approaches to reveal key details about regulation of immune function, including T cells that are central to cancer immunotherapy. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2J2gQtg

New research finds that life rebounded in the crater left by the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs much faster than previously thought. Sea life was present a few years after the impact and a thriving ecosystem within 30,000 years. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2H4QMfm

Researchers say a patient treated for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in 2013 went into remission because of a single CAR T cell and the cells it produced as it multiplied, and has stayed cancer free in the five years since, with CAR T cells still present in his immune system. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2sm1s4I

Scientists have enlisted powerful supercomputers to calculate a quantity known as the 'nucleon axial coupling' -- which is central to our understanding of a neutron's lifetime -- with an unprecedented precision. Their method offers a clear path to further improvements that may help to resolve the experimental discrepancy. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2JgK2QN

Scientists have shown how an optical chip can simulate the motion of atoms within molecules at the quantum level, which could lead to better ways of creating chemicals for use as pharmaceuticals. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2L9Zagf

A consortium of 20 industry-leading companies and organizations has announced the successful completion of the European research project 5G-Crosshaul. The three-year effort has delivered what is now the de-facto concept for an integrated 5G transport network, a crucial step towards the real-world implementation of the future 5G communications system. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2LJLIR2

The race is on for companies to present their driverless cars to the public, but recent collisions involving autonomous vehicles developed by Uber Technologies Inc. and Tesla Inc. have led consumers to questions whether these vehicles can alleviate traffic issues and increase safety. A new study published in Risk Analysis examined the question 'How safe is safe enough for self-driving vehicles (SDVs)?' from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2xs5EF3

Having an abortion does not increase a woman's risk for depression, according to a new study of nearly 400,000 women. Previous research has found abortion does not harm women's mental health, yet studies claiming that it does have been used to justify state policies that restrict access to abortion in the US. This study's findings suggest those policies are misguided. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2LHiwKu

A researcher has identified a kind of magic in a metal that may be just what the doctor ordered for Planet Earth. He says the colorful metal, known as bismuth, could help reduce rising carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and provide sustainable routes to making fuels. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2LN8rvF

A new technique helps researchers determine food eaten by microbes. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2LKKc1m

Ordinary tests couldn't diagnose an Israeli infant's developmental disorder. Until they completed whole-exome sequencing, his doctors were stumped. After finding a homozygous rare allele, they teamed up with Japanese experts on the affected enzyme to describe its hitherto unknown role in myelination. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2H4Zcnc

Spinosaurus is the longest, and among the largest predatory dinosaurs. A tiny claw phalanx of the foot, discovered in Cretaceous-aged sandstones of the Sahara, shows a peculiar shape compatible with an early juvenile Spinosaurus. The fossil is from the smallest known individual of this giant, sail-backed theropod. The findings suggest the small specimen retains the same locomotor adaptations as the large version -- such as traversing soft substrates or paddling -- during the entire lifespan. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2L6A2a0

Blind as a bat or eagle-eyed? Scientists compared hundreds of species by the sharpness of their sight. They found a 10,000-fold difference between the most sharp-sighted and the most blurry-eyed species, with humans ranking near the top. The researchers also created a series of images showing how different scenes might appear to animals with different acuities. The images reveal patterns that, while easy for some species to see, may be imperceptible to others. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2LMzHKL

A debris flow that struck Montecito, Calif., in January was detected by a nearby seismometer. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2JlKBZP

Higher patient demand and staff costs are blamed for a total deficit of £960m for trusts in England. from BBC News - Health https://ift.tt/2H34kId

Fat but otherwise healthy women are still likelier to have a stroke or heart attack, a study says. from BBC News - Health https://ift.tt/2J39gyP

One patient had "no doubt" that the Sheffield-designed collar had improved his quality of life. from BBC News - Health https://ift.tt/2LJi9Px

Tony the Tiger and the Milky Bar Kid should no longer be used to promote items to children, MPs say. from BBC News - Health https://ift.tt/2xrw3mn

The Scottish government pilot for free sanitary products for women on low incomes began in Aberdeen. from BBC News - Health https://ift.tt/2sq1vM6

A psychiatrist says he is in "no doubt there is a big problem" and more needs to be done. from BBC News - Health https://ift.tt/2xnA7nW

A treatment for the cancer that killed Tessa Jowell could help to extend lives, a trial suggests. from BBC News - Health https://ift.tt/2H1grpt

Dr Abdelkarim Mohamed was suspended for nine months for misconduct. from BBC News - Health https://ift.tt/2JiwnbQ

The NHS trust involved has also recorded three incidents of "foreign objects" being left in patients. from BBC News - Health https://ift.tt/2LIsoDV

Lucinda Methuen-Campbell had been in pain for years but it got worse after a bowel operation. from BBC News - Health https://ift.tt/2IUriXX

Sandra Holmes and her son may face criminal charges after taking her father to a Dignitas facility. from BBC News - Health https://ift.tt/2H2htkR

Female doctors are paid on average £10,000 less than male doctors in England, figures show. from BBC News - Health https://ift.tt/2IUrcj3

France sees the steepest drop in daily smokers for over a decade as anti-smoking regulations bite. from BBC News - Health https://ift.tt/2H3u5bw

Social media stars Zoella and Alfie Deyes feature in a study into the protection of children online. from BBC News - Health https://ift.tt/2kz4MFp

A Times newspaper investigation found the NHS was charged £3,220 for a mouthwash used by cancer patients. from BBC News - Health https://ift.tt/2H2hjKh

A leading cancer expert says the problems date back to 2005, but no one was properly checking the data. from BBC News - Health https://ift.tt/2IUr4QB

Taking part in clinical trials can bring enormous benefits, but few people are signing up from BBC News - Health https://ift.tt/2H2heWZ

5 live's Rachael Bland says she got the call from her doctor when she was on a day out with her son. from BBC News - Health https://ift.tt/2IWCwv8

A strengthening of laws to ban smoking in public places in Wales is being put forward. from BBC News - Health https://ift.tt/2H3tRkG

Influential economists argue an extra £2,000 per UK household is needed over the next 15 years. from BBC News - Health https://ift.tt/2kzyGJC

More searches for lip filling are made in one northern city than anywhere else in Britain, research suggests. from BBC News - Health https://ift.tt/2xrSd8j

Hip-hop dancer Chad Taylor explains how being sectioned transformed his life. from BBC News - Health https://ift.tt/2kB4huF

Silent retreats are an increasingly popular form of escape from the stresses of urban life. from BBC News - Health https://ift.tt/2kAgjEz

Olive Belfield was a young nurse when Britain launched the National Health Service in 1948. from BBC News - Health https://ift.tt/2H06CYB

Communities in Uganda learn how to make recyclable products for periods to stop girls dropping out of school. from BBC News - Health https://ift.tt/2kCCN7Q

By BENEDICT CAREY from NYT Health https://ift.tt/2LLhayw

By ABBY GOODNOUGH from NYT Health https://ift.tt/2xv50qq

Market trader 'Sun Hui' gives her view on Kim Jong-un from inside the country. from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2H1DOza

How two female DJs from St Petersburg are challenging stereotypes, ahead of the World Cup in Russia. from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2ISl7Ua

Russia is providing military support to the Central African Republic (CAR) – but what is Moscow getting in return? from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2H29p3F

The long-running soap will air Aaron Brennan and David Tanaka's nuptials in September. from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2xpDr1y

Archaeologists find a man who, fleeing the initial Vesuvius eruption, was hit by a giant boulder. from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2stRP3s

Faith movement based on ancient Sumerian gods attracts thousands of registered followers. from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2srGq3N

Choreographer puts on football ballet to celebrate Russia's World Cup from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2xqYvVr

Concern as wild animals come ever closer to populated areas to find food in Finland and Estonia. from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2LHpdwj

Bodies are not buried for months, sometimes years, in Ghana as families bicker over funeral arrangements. from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2ssWORA

Why members of Chile's transgender community are lobbying for a change in the law. from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2slCemY

The hedge fund investor turned liberal philanthropist is politically divisive around the world. from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2JeT5BF

Will a "Facebook hotline" and propaganda lessons keep polls free and fair? from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2H6xOoK

Activists say they are detained without due process over suspected links to a secretive militia in Syria. from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2sqPgQv

Following the cancellation of Roseanne's show, which other celebrities have messed up on social media? from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2L8yjRA

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2n86iyV

Many people turn to vaping as an alternative to smoking, but what are the effects of vapor on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD? Authorities are unsure about this new technology's effects on health. Learn here more about what the science says about the safety of vaping with COPD, and in general. from Featured Health News from Medical News Today https://ift.tt/2kwOqNz

The first human corneas have been 3D printed by scientists. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2xs9cqQ

Genetic data suggest there was a collapse in male, but not female, genetic diversity starting 7,000 years ago. The reason may be wars between clans structured around male ancestry. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2Jlcq46

Researchers have found that an olfactory receptor plays a critical role in the progression of prostate cancer. They found that activating the receptor -- called OR51E2 -- in prostate cancer cells caused the cancer to morph into the more aggressive, castration-resistant form of the disease. The finding suggests that taking the opposite approach -- blocking the receptor with specific molecules, or perhaps even with specific scents -- could provide a new way to treat prostate cancer. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2L7VCuV

Deep brain stimulation has been used to treat Parkinson's disease symptoms for 25 years, but limitations have led researchers to look for ways to improve the technique. This study describes the first fully implanted DBS system that uses feedback from the brain itself to fine-tune its signaling. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2IWoY2L

A growing body of research links divorce to a wide range of poor health outcomes, including greater risk for early death. A new study points to two possible culprits: a greater likelihood of smoking after divorce and lower levels of physical activity. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2IWXeXG

In a paper to be published in the June 2 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry, researchers at Washington University in St. Louis provide the first report of an enzyme that breaks down plasmalogens, a breakthrough in understanding the molecular processes that occur during Alzheimer's and other diseases. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2LG10Xj

When scientists applied a chemical found in soybeans to a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), they increased its anticancer properties and reduced its side effects. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2xpbHds

New research shows that certain cognitive training exercises can help reduce depression and improve brain health in individuals years after they have suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI). from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2LIHdq4

Our most enduring regrets are the ones that stem from our failure to live up to our ideal selves, according to new research. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2IYSelr

Researchers report that indazole chloride, a synthetic compound that acts on one form of the body's estrogen receptors, is able to remyelinate (add new myelin to) damaged axons and alter the body's immune system -- findings that could help treat multiple sclerosis. Drugs available to treat MS alter the immune system but do not induce repair of damaged axons. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2LAX6il

New research indicates a way to more accurately measure the electrical properties of plasma when it meets a solid surface. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2sknWlK

Leaning on evolutionary and ecological theory, researchers modeled how a tumor's various cancer cell lineages compete for dominance. Their findings help explain a surprising observation: Most metastatic tumors derive from cancer cell lineages that emerge at early stages of the disease. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2IYauLI

Researchers have observed a way that the brittle nature of ceramics can be overcome as they sustain heavy loads, leading to more resilient structures such as aircraft engine blade coatings and dental implants. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2spbtgG

Just because you stopped smoking years ago doesn't mean you're out of the woods when it comes to developing lung cancer. That's the 'bad' news. The good news is your risk of lung cancer drops substantially within five years of quitting. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2kzSz36

Encircling Earth are two enormous rings -- called the Van Allen radiation belts -- of highly energized ions and electrons. Various processes can accelerate these particles to relativistic speeds, which endanger spacecraft unlucky enough to enter these giant bands of damaging radiation. Scientists had previously identified certain factors that might cause particles in the belts to become highly energized, but they had not known which cause dominates. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2GZsCTJ

A star that wanders too close to the supermassive black hole in the center of its galaxy will be torn apart by the black hole's gravity in a violent cataclysm called a tidal disruption event (TDE), producing a bright flare of radiation. A new study provides a unified model that explains recent observations of these extreme events. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2kwjX2e

In the ever-evolving landscape of virtual reality (VR) technology, a number of key hurdles remain. But a team of computer scientists have tackled one of the major challenges in VR that will greatly improve user experience -- enabling an immersive virtual experience while being physically limited to one's actual, real-world space. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2JfAGVm

The effectiveness of new drugs depends crucially on a fundamental understanding of the complex processes within the cells of the body. Scientists have deciphered an important molecular step of cellular signal transmission. Their findings could help the development of specific drugs against various diseases, such as asthma and high blood pressure. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2smmvDy

New research shows that the climate of the interior of southern Africa almost two million years ago was much wetter than the modern environment. This first extensive paleoenvironmental sequence for the interior of southern Africa suggests that human ancestors were living in environments other than open, arid grasslands known from East African research of the same time period. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2IXw7zF

What happens when two black holes merge, or when stars collide with a black hole? This has now been simulated using a novel numerical method. The simulation code 'ExaHyPE' is designed in such a way that it will be able to calculate gravitational waves on the future generation of 'exascale' supercomputers. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2LHXpHX