Health
DNA test results may not change health habits
If you learned your DNA made you more susceptible to getting a disease, wouldn't you work to stay healthy? You'd quit smoking, eat better, ramp up your exercise, or do whatever else it took to improve your odds of avoiding maladies like obesity, diabetes, heart disease or cancer, right? The… Read
Some jobs tied to higher risk of rheumatoid arthritis
Workers exposed to airborne toxins may have an elevated risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, an immune system disorder that causes debilitating swelling and pain in the joints, a Swedish study suggests. Among men, bricklayers, concrete workers and electricians had at least twice the risk of rheumatoid arthritis they would have… Read
Can drinking a little bit help you live longer?
Having a little wine or beer to unwind most days may help lower the odds of a premature death as long as that drink or two doesn’t routinely turn into more, a new study confirms. Researchers examined health survey data on more than 333,000 U.S. adults, following them for an… Read
Little evidence shows cannabis helps chronic pain or PTSD
Even though pain and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are among the most common reasons people use medical marijuana in the U.S., there isn’t much proof cannabis works for either one of these conditions, two research reviews suggest. That’s because there hasn’t been enough high-quality research to produce conclusive evidence of… Read
Australian researchers report peanut allergy breakthrough
Australian researchers have reported a major breakthrough in the relief of deadly peanut allergy with the discovery of a long-lasting treatment they say offers hope that a cure will soon be possible. In clinical trials conducted by scientists at Melbourne's Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, children with peanut allergies were given… Read
How AI robots seek new drugs for crippling nerve disease
Artificial intelligence robots are turbo-charging the race to find new drugs for the crippling nerve disorder ALS, or motor neurone disease. The condition, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, attacks and kills nerve cells controlling muscles, leading to weakness, paralysis and, ultimately, respiratory failure. There are only two drugs approved… Read
Scientists gene-edit piglets, bringing transplants to humans closer
Scientists have successfully edited the genetic code of piglets to remove dormant viral infections, a breakthrough that could eventually pave the way for animal-to-human organ transplants. Their work, documented in the U.S. journal Science, could save lives by reducing organ donor waiting lists that have risen over the years, partly… Read
Study boosts hope of 'liquid biopsies' for cancer screening
Scientists have the first major evidence that blood tests called liquid biopsies hold promise for screening people for cancer. Hong Kong doctors tried it for a type of head and neck cancer, and boosted early detection and one measure of survival. The tests detect DNA that tumors shed into the… Read
Fewer gallbladder surgeries with Mediterranean diets
Eating foods high in fiber, such as those found in a Mediterranean diet, was tied to a lower risk of gallbladder surgery in a recent French study. Compared to people who didn’t follow a Mediterranean diet pattern, those who adhered to it most closely had a significantly lower likelihood of… Read
Blood pressure fluctuations linked to dementia, Japanese study suggests
People whose blood pressure varies widely from day to day may be more likely to develop dementia than adults who have fairly steady blood pressure, a Japanese study suggests. Researchers examined data from one month of daily home blood pressure readings for 1,674 older adults without dementia. During the next… Read
