Tuesday, January 6
Mystery ailment hits Calif. brown pelicans
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Scientists are trying to determine what is causing California brown pelicans to become disoriented, wandering onto freeways or hitting boats.
Ways to compensate for fading vision
ROCHESTER, Ill., Jan. 6 (UPI) -- A U.S. health newsletter suggests there are ways to help compensate for fading vision.
Lung cancer gene suppressor identified
CINCINNATI, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- University of Cincinnati researchers say they've identified a tumor suppressor that may lead to new treatments for lung cancer.
Colorful mice help track hantavirus
SALT LAKE CITY, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers said Tuesday they've determined the bigger and older a wild deer mouse is, the more likely it is to transmit deadly hantavirus.
Poor infection control put 60,000 at risk
ATLANTA, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Failures to follow infection practices placed more than 60,000 U.S. patients at risk for hepatitis B and C in the last decade, federal officials say.
Verizon exec: Pa. lawmaker wanted $50M
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- A Verizon executive testified that former Pennsylvania state Sen. Vincent Fumo tried to shake him down for $50 million to avoid breaking up the company.
$5,000 robot stolen from professor's car
PORTLAND, Ore., Jan. 6 (UPI) -- A professor at Oregon's Portland State University said a $5,000 robot was stolen from his unlocked SUV.
MRI helps evaluate back pain
MADISON, Wis., Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Magnetic resonance imaging is increasingly being used to evaluate back pain, U.S. physicians say.
Study looks at major chlorine disaster
COLUMBIA, S.C., Jan. 6 (UPI) -- A study on the aftereffects of a chlorine gas disaster in South Carolina provides insight into how to prepare for the gas's release, the authors said.
Bush names three marine national monuments
WASHINGTON, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush designated "three beautiful and biologically diverse areas" in the Pacific as marine national monuments Tuesday.
The doctor is in -- virtually
BOSTON, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- The e-version of a house call will be introduced in Hawaii Jan. 15, said America Well, a Web service linking patients face-to-face with doctors online.
Newborn manatee deaths increase
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Jan. 6 (UPI) -- A record number of newborn manatee carcasses were recovered by Florida researchers last year, state wildlife officials said.
Volcanic eruption-temperature link studied
NEW YORK, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Volcanic eruptions during the past 450 years may have temporarily cooled tropical weather but global warming may have masked the effects, U.S. researchers said.
New poisonous spider species found
PRAGUE, Czech Republic, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- A new, colorful poisonous spider species has been discovered in south Moravia, Czech Republic researchers said.
FBI goes on job hiring campaign
WASHINGTON, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- The FBI says it's going on a hiring blitz, posting job openings for 850 special agents and thousands of staffers to support law enforcement activities.
TSA agents say uniforms making them sick
WASHINGTON, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Hundreds of federal security officers at U.S. airports say they're being sickened by formaldehyde in their new blue uniforms, their union said.
Woman thought to have bird flu dies
BEIJING, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- A woman suspected of having contracted bird flu has died, local health officials in Beijing said Tuesday.
Mayo Clinic violated U.S. regs on research
ROCHESTER, Minn., Jan. 6 (UPI) -- The Mayo Clinic failed to follow federal regulations for about 140 human research projects spanning two decades, letters to the Minnesota facility indicated.
Signs you might need glasses
GARDEN CITY, N.Y., Jan. 6 (UPI) -- A U.S. optical company says it wants to clear up confusion about when a person should seek glasses.
Swedish city mulls banning center traffic
LUND, Sweden, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Officials in Lund, Sweden, say they are considering banning cars and buses from the city's historic center.
Healthcare spending reductions improbable
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill., Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Healthcare is one of the strongest sectors of the ailing U.S economy, but achieving substantial cuts in medical spending is not probable, researchers said.
How to treat cold and flu in kids
ANN ARBOR, Mich., Jan. 6 (UPI) -- U.S. doctors urge parents to resist the urge to give young children cough and cold medication because of potentially serious side effects.
Monday, January 5
Vaccine may not protect against pneumonia
BERN, Switzerland, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Commonly used pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccines do not appear to be effective in preventing pneumonia, Swiss and British researchers said.
Students find answers through discussion
BOULDER, Colo., Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Peer discussion among college students during class helps students learn in a way that simple lecturing does not, U.S. researchers said.
Brain scans may aid anxious
MADISON, Wis., Jan. 5 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers suggest brain scans may help predict how anxiety disorders patients react to drug therapy.
Amniotic fluid bacteria missed by test
CLEVELAND, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers say approximately 60 percent of the bacteria present in women with intra-amniotic inflammations was missed by traditional testing.
Mexico rattled by earthquake
MEXICO CITY, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- A minor earthquake rattled Mexico's Baja Peninsula Monday, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.
Obesity linked to ovarian cancer risk
BETHESDA, Md., Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Obese women who have never used menopausal hormone therapy are at an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer, U.S. researchers said.
Skimping on healthcare can be costly
ANN ARBOR, Mich., Jan. 5 (UPI) -- A U.S. doctor warns bad economic times may cause people to make health choices that will not save money in the long run.
Ultrasound fat blaster shows promise
NEW YORK, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- A non-invasive way of getting rid of "love handles" with ultrasound could receive U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval, proponents say.
Broader Parkinson's treatment recommended
NEW YORK, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- The brain disorder Parkinson's disease, which leads to shaking and coordination problems, also leads to secondary orthopedic conditions, a U.S. study finds.
Fire leaves town short of potable water
ASSINIBOIA, Saskatchewan, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- One big fire has left one small Canadian town without drinking water for nearly three weeks, officials say.
Genetic markers for colitis identified
PITTSBURGH, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine researchers say they have identified genetic markers associated with risk for ulcerative colitis.
Engineers efficiently create hybrid cells
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Massachusetts Institute of Technology engineers say they've developed an efficient way of pairing up cells so they can be fused together into a hybrid cell.
Researchers develop brain cancer model
LA JOLLA, Calif., Jan. 5 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers using mice have developed a model of the most common and deadly human brain cancer, a published study indicates.
Gene linked to cardiovascular disease
DURHAM, N.C., Jan. 5 (UPI) -- North Carolina researchers have identified a variation in a particular gene that increases susceptibility to early coronary artery disease.
Milky Way bigger, denser than thought
LONG BEACH, Calif., Jan. 5 (UPI) -- The Milky Way galaxy is 15 percent larger and 50 percent denser than scientists previously thought, findings presented in California Monday found.
Japan seeks to slow anti-whaling efforts
TOKYO, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Japanese whalers are trying to disrupt anti-whaling efforts by getting other nations to refuse activists entry to their ports to refuel their ship.
Science educators switching jobs
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., Jan. 5 (UPI) -- High turnover rates for science faculty at U.S. colleges and universities undermine efforts to boost student retention levels, a report said.
Men - of-war move into Florida waters
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Stinging Portuguese men-of-war are thick this time of year in the coastal waters of South Florida, say fire and rescue officials.
N.Y. hospitals named in Medicaid suit
NEW YORK, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Seven New York hospitals re-admitted the same drug treatment patients over and over again in a $50 million Medicaid scam, officials allege.
Asthma chance increases with fall birth
NASHVILLE, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Children born before the winter flu season have a higher risk of developing asthma than those born at other times, U.S. university research indicates.
Yellow fever kills South American monkeys
POSADAS, Argentina, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- A half-dozen monkeys apparently died of yellow fever in Argentina, but health officials say a major outbreak of the disease among humans is unlikely.
Land purchases used to slow Wash. logging
SEATTLE, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Conservationists say they are trying to buy up old-growth forest land in parts of Washington state to prevent logging from taking place.
Honeybee disorder still stumps researchers
PITTSBURGH, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Government and university researchers say they're stumped by a drastic rise in the number of disappearances of Western honeybee colonies in North America.
CEO Jobs says hormones caused weight loss
CUPERTINO, Calif., Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Apple Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs ended speculation about his health problems, saying a hormone imbalance, not cancer, was causing his weight loss.
Guatemala landslide kills 22, 60 missing
GUATEMALA CITY, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- A landslide in northwest Guatemala killed at least 22 people and up to 60 were listed as missing, officials said Monday.
China-Russia Mars mission set for takeoff
HONG KONG, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- The first joint Chinese-Russian mission to Mars is set to take off in October and reach the red planet in August 2010, an exploration project designer said.
Diabetes tied to early cognitive slowdown
EDMONTON, Alberta, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Talking, planning, organizing and paying attention to details are worse in people with type 2 diabetes than in healthy adults, a Canadian study indicated.
Yellow-browed bunting spotted in Sweden
NORRA JARVAFALTET, Sweden, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- More than 400 bird enthusiasts traveled to a Swedish town to see a rare yellow-browed bunting, a perching bird similar to a sparrow, an ornithologist said.
Improper means end some pregnancies
NEW YORK, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Dominican women in the United States often use improper prescription drugs and questionable homemade potions to end unwanted pregnancies, two studies indicate.
Dementia hitting ever-younger Canadians
TORONTO, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Dementia diseases are affecting more than 71,000 Canadians under the age of 65, says a study published Monday by the Alzheimer Society.
Fewer expected at electronics show
LAS VEGAS, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- About as many people have registered in advance for the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this year as last but fewer may actually attend, organizers said.
Discovery could be key to metastasis
LONDON, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Stopping a molecule may stop metastasis -- the ability of cancer cells to spread to distant sites -- British scientists suggest.
Liposuction weight loss may not help heart
DALLAS, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Liposuction may provide a quick fix to reduce waist size but the loss of weight may not help the heart, U.S. researchers advise.
Sunday, January 4
Healthy Monday gives 52 chances for health
NEW YORK, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- The prefect day to start on the road to health is the first Monday of the year -- and every succeeding Monday as well, a group of researchers suggest.
Computer program analyzes brain activity
PITTSBURGH, Jan. 4 (UPI) -- A computer program developed at a Pittsburgh university can offer limited insights into one's thoughts by analyzing brain activation patterns, researchers say.
Threatening fox found to be rabid in Va.
HAMPTON, Va., Jan. 4 (UPI) -- Health department officials in Hampton, Va., say a red fox that acted in a threatening manner to area golfers was infected with rabies.
British organs sold to foreign patients
LONDON, Jan. 4 (UPI) -- The British Transplantation Society says it's unethical for hospitals in Britain to give organs to foreign patients when so many at home are dying.
Bird flu 'simmers' despite lower numbers
UNITED NATIONS, N.Y., Jan. 4 (UPI) -- Two years after a big decline in the number of confirmed human deaths from H5N1 bird flu, cases are still turning up in poultry, U.N. health officials say.
Calif. tries to restock salmon river
SACRAMENTO, Jan. 4 (UPI) -- Researchers are trying to restore salmon to a river in California with fish bred to increase their chance of survival in the wild.
Saturday, January 3
Wisconsin swans and ospreys thriving
MADISON, Wis., Jan. 3 (UPI) -- Wisconsin wildlife officials say osprey and trumpeter swan populations have recovered enough to be removed from the state's endangered species list.
Mars rovers roll on after five years
PASADENA, Calif., Jan. 3 (UPI) -- The unmanned rovers Spirit and Opportunity are showing serious signs of wear after an astounding five years roaming Mars, U.S. space agency officials say.
Cell phones are new Cuban status symbol
HAVANA, Jan. 3 (UPI) -- Cell phones have become the new rage in Cuba though users say they don't actually talk on them -- they use them as pagers.
Infection fears prompt cleaning kit sales
LONDON, Jan. 3 (UPI) -- Pharmacies in Britain sold more than 10,000 do-it-yourself cleaning kits last month alone amid fears of bacterium infection by consumers, officials say.
Report: Father of Miami QB has cancer
MIAMI, Jan. 3 (UPI) -- The father of Miami-Florida quarterback Robert Marve has prostate cancer, The Miami Herald reported Saturday.
Software said to 'unlock' iPhone 3G
NEW YORK, Jan. 3 (UPI) -- Apple's deals with iPhone carrier partners such as AT&T Inc. in the United States could be threatened by moves to "unlock" the phones, analysts say.
Friday, January 2
EPA: Drinking water safe near ash spill
KINGSTON, Tenn., Jan. 3 (UPI) -- Drinking water remains safe after a large spill of coal ash from a retaining pond at a Tennessee power plant, U.S. officials said Friday.
FDA recalls OVD device
WASHINGTON, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced a Class I recall of certain Healon D ophthalmic viscosurgical devices.
Grape seed extract kills leukemia cells
LEXINGTON, Ky., Jan. 2 (UPI) -- An extract from grape seeds forces laboratory leukemia cells to commit cell suicide, University of Kentucky researchers said.
Bacteria could limit dengue spread
SYDNEY, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- An Australian study suggests bacteria could successfully be used to help fight the spread of dengue fever, researchers said.
Plants, flowers speed surgical recovery
MANHATTAN, Kan., Jan. 2 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers have confirmed the beneficial effects of plants and flowers for patients recovering from abdominal surgery.
High-fat diet affects circadian rhythms
REHOVOT, Israel, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- Another reason to avoid a high-fat diet is it can disrupt the body's circadian rhythms, researchers in Israel said.
Determining if Nintendo Wii Fit works
OXFORD, Miss., Jan. 2 (UPI) -- A U.S. researcher wants to know if a popular holiday gift -- the Nintendo Wii Fit video game console -- improves family fitness.
Iraqi kid in U.S. for hearing restoration
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- The folks at San Francisco's Ronald McDonald House say Mustafa Ghazwan, 3, is set for surgery to fix the deafness he suffered in a missile strike in Iraq.
Fosomax-type drugs linked to jaw necrosis
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- Even short-term use of common oral osteoporosis drugs may leave the jaw vulnerable to necrosis -- death of cells -- U.S. researchers said.
Prostate history has no effect on outcome
DUNMORE, Pa., Jan. 2 (UPI) -- A family history of prostate cancer has no impact on treatment outcomes of patients treated with brachytherapy, or seed implants, a U.S. researcher said.
Group tries to lower digital TV costs
WASHINGTON, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- A consumer advocacy group said it will petition the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to try to lower the costs of digital television sets.
Canada's forests not helping environment
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- Canada's 1.2 million square miles of forests have turned from being carbon-absorbing aids to the environment to carbon-emitting liabilities, scientists say.
Cancer drug treats transplant rejections
CINCINNATI, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers have discovered a new therapy for transplant patients, targeting the antibody-producing plasma cells that can cause organ rejection.
Risk-takers process dopamine differently
NASHVILLE, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- Risk-takers face an uphill battle in keeping their New Year's resolutions due to the way their brains process dopamine, U.S. researchers found.
Thursday, January 1
Family of critically ill want candor
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- Critically ill patients often have uncertain prognoses but families overwhelmingly wish physicians would address uncertainty candidly, U.S. researchers say.
More outpatient chemo errors than thought
WORCESTER, Mass., Jan. 1 (UPI) -- Seven percent of adults and 19 percent of children taking chemotherapy drugs in outpatient clinics or at home were given wrong doses, U.S. researchers say.
Budget-wise diabetic diets possible
ALEXANDRIA, Va., Jan. 1 (UPI) -- Income uncertainty should not lead diabetics to wonder if they can afford diet and fitness, a U.S. educator says.
Donating blood can save up to four people
DALLAS, Jan. 1 (UPI) -- Many people attempt to make New Year's resolutions to improve their own health, but giving blood can save up to four lives, a U.S. researcher says.
Being happier may be key to better 2009
ANNAPOLIS, Md., Jan. 1 (UPI) -- Economic worries can make people anxious and stressed, but a U.S. author suggests positive emotions help manage stress.
Herbal chemical helps combat HIV
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 1 (UPI) -- Scientists at a Los Angeles multidisciplinary think tank say the herb Astragalus root may help fight HIV.
Smokers with family stroke history at risk
CINCINNATI, Jan. 1 (UPI) -- Smokers who have a family history of brain aneurysm are more likely to suffer a stroke from a brain aneurysm themselves, U.S. researchers said.
Resolutions improve health, sex in men
LINTHICUM, Md., Jan. 1 (UPI) -- Some New Year's resolutions can improve not only overall health but U.S. men's sexual health, officials at the American Urological Association advise.
North Korea claims it will denuclearize
SEOUL, Jan. 1 (UPI) -- North Korea said Thursday it will denuclearize in the coming year and rebuild its ailing economy.
Yacht club at center of manatee dispute
FORT MYERS, Fla., Jan. 1 (UPI) -- A yacht club set to be built in Lee County, Fla., marks the newest hurdle in the fight to protect manatees from area boaters, animal advocates say.
Ailing student rescued from Everglades
MIAMI, Jan. 1 (UPI) -- A student trekking through the Florida Everglades with several other medical school students fell ill and has been airlifted to safety, officials say.
Apple observers expect low-profile expo
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 1 (UPI) -- Expectations for San Francisco's Macworld Conference & Expo are muted -- cross-cut with concern for the health of Apple Inc. leader Steve Jobs, observers said.
Surgeon shortage said acute in rural U.S.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 1 (UPI) -- General surgeons in rural America are becoming an endangered species for about one-quarter of the nation's population, medical officials say.
'Young' blood may help cancer patients
TEL AVIV, Israel, Jan. 1 (UPI) -- Researches at Israel's Tel Aviv University have determined that transfusions of fresh blood can help a patient fight cancer.
Wednesday, December 31
Surgery center did not disinfect properly
LAS VEGAS, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- An outpatient surgery center told Nevada authorities it failed to properly disinfect instruments it uses during colonoscopies, state health officials said.
China exec pleads guilty to tainted milk
SHIJIAZHUANG, China, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- The ex-dairy executive at the center of China's tainted milk scandal has admitted producing and selling fake or substandard products, officials said.
How to achieve resolutions
HOUSTON, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- New Year's Day is the time to reflect on the past and prepare for the future and resolve to make positive changes, a U.S. counselor suggests.
Mob crashes Facebook party
LONDON, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Police in London say 50 officers were sent to control a bottle-throwing mob who crashed a girl's 18th birthday party after it was advertised on Facebook.
Why prostate hormone therapy temporary
BALTIMORE, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Hormone deprivation therapy that prostate cancer patients often take gives them only a temporary fix, but U.S. researchers suggest why.
California eyes homeowners as firefighters
SACRAMENTO, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- California's head wildfire fighter says the state is considering a radical change that would train residents in fire zones to pitch in rather than evacuate.
China convicts 11 software counterfeiters
SHANGHAI, China, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- U.S. software giant Microsoft said convictions announced in China Wednesday involved a software counterfeit ring with global sales of more than $2 billion.
Wal-Mart offers albuterol inhaler for $9
BENTONVILLE, Ark., Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Wal-Mart has announced it will carry an environmentally friendly albuterol rescue inhaler starting at $9, company officials in Bentonville, Ark., said.
Surgeon refuses to give up license
MIAMI, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- A Florida heart surgeon with alleged memory problems still has his medical license 15 months after he promised to surrender it, a state Web site shows.
Low snow means Calif. water rationing
PHILLIPS, Calif., Dec. 31 (UPI) -- California water rationing is almost certain, with Sierra Nevada snow levels below average despite recent winter storms, officials said.
School district relaxes 'no nit' policy
PARK RIDGE, Ill., Dec. 31 (UPI) -- A suburban Chicago school district no longer sends children home if staffers find louse eggs, or nits, in the kids' hair, saying the policy was an overreaction.
Whole Foods pulls wrongly marked kids food
AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Whole Foods Market Inc. has pulled three "gluten-free" products for children because the items actually contain the substance, the Texas grocery chain said.
EMT workers arrested in British death
BRIGHTON, England, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Two emergency medical technicians in Brighton, England, allegedly discussed whether they should treat a man who later died, a police source said.
CDC: Heart attacks drop after smoking ban
ATLANTA, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Heart attack hospital admissions in the city of Pueblo, Colo., fell sharply after a municipal smoking ban, federal health officials said.
Sub to explore melting Antarctic glacier
CAMBRIDGE, England, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- British scientists plan to use a yellow submarine to explore beneath a giant melting Antarctic glacier whose collapse could raise sea levels 4 inches.
Study: Thinking too much leads to obesity
QUEBEC CITY, Quebec, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- The stress of thinking causes overeating, with heavy thinkers seeking out more calories than their excessive thinking used up, a university study found.
Ice delays cleanup at Alaska refinery fire
VALDEZ, Alaska, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Investigators are assessing the damage and trying to find the cause of a fire at a refinery at the oil port of Valdez, Alaska.
Brown 'totally against' assisted suicide
LONDON, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he would block any move to legalize assisted suicide, saying British law must recognize the value of human life.
Obama to make White House e-community
WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- President-elect Barack Obama's team says it will enhance the U.S. government's networking skills -- make that social networking skills -- on the Internet.
Interests may conflict on pharmacy boards
DEERFIELD, Ill., Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Major U.S. drugstore chains and supermarket pharmacies account for nearly one-in-four pharmacists on state pharmacy boards, a newspaper examination shows.
Drug makers halt branded gifts to doctors
WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- The U.S. drug industry has agreed to stop giving branded gifts like pens to doctors to counter the idea they unduly influence medicine, an industry group says.
Revelers prepare to watch big things drop
WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Revelers across the United States mark the beginning of 2009 with a variety of items dropped from the sky, or at least a really tall pole.
Worry over healthcare causing ill health
CHICAGO, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- One in 5 adults ages 45 and older are suffering health problems because of financial stress, an AARP survey indicates.
Tuesday, December 30
New therapy for genetic heart disease
PRAGUE, Czech Republic, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Long-term use of the hypertension drug candesartan may reduce symptoms of heart disease, researchers in the Czech Republic say.
FDA approves new HIV, hepatitis screen
PLEASANTON, Calif., Dec. 30 (UPI) -- The U.S. government Tuesday approved a nucleic acid test that screens for less common forms of HIV that recently have appeared in the United States.
Last body recovered in British Columbia
FERNIE, British Columbia, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Searchers found the body of an eighth snowmobiler Tuesday in the Canadian mountains where he and seven others were buried by two avalanches.
Brides - to-be should take folic acid
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Before brides-to-be say "I do," they should be taking a daily multivitamin with 400 micrograms of folic acid daily, U.S. researchers said.
Cost benefits of spinal surgery examined
CHICAGO, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers tracked people's healthcare expenditures and health outcome to determine if the benefits of spinal surgery outweigh the costs.
N.J. man guilty of helping Hezbollah
NEW YORK, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- A New Jersey man pleaded guilty Tuesday to helping Hezbollah, a militant Shiite movement in Lebanon designated a terrorist organization by the United States.
Wash hands to avoid seasonal flu
BALTIMORE, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Increasingly, hand washing is believed to be the most important element of germ control, U.S. health experts say.
USS George H.W. Bush to be commissioned
NORFOLK, Va., Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Former President George H.W. Bush is set to be the keynote speaker Jan. 10 when a nuclear aircraft carrier bearing his name is commissioned in Virginia.
Report: 2003 Columbia crash not survivable
HOUSTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- The crew aboard the space shuttle Columbia could not have survived its re-entry accident in 2003, a U.S. space agency report released Tuesday indicated.
Small quakes shake Yellowstone
HELENA, Mont., Dec. 30 (UPI) -- An "energetic earthquake swarm" of minor temblors shook Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho for several days, officials said.
Gene therapy may reverse heart failure
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Long-term gene therapy resulted in improved cardiac function and reversed deterioration of the heart in rats with heart failure, U.S. researchers said.
Teen snowmobiler killed by avalanche
SALT LAKE CITY, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- A teenager snowmobiling in Uinta National Forest was caught by an avalanche, becoming the fourth person to die in Utah in a snowslide in a month, officials say.
High arsenic levels found near TVA plant
KINGSTON, Tenn., Dec. 30 (UPI) -- A river near the site of a Tennessee power plant dike break is registering arsenic levels above amounts permitted in drinking water, officials say.
Pa. to begin enforcing Bush clean-air rule
HARRISBURG, Pa., Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Pennsylvania will begin enforcing a federal clean-air rule to cut emissions of smog-forming pollutants generated by power plants, officials said.
Gardening good way for seniors to keep fit
MANHATTAN, Kan., Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Gardening is a great way for older adults to meet the physical activity recommendations for those age 65 and older in summer, U.S. researchers said.
Blood sugar linked to elderly cognition
NEW YORK, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Maintaining optimal blood sugar levels, even in the absence of diabetes, may help in preserving cognitive health in the elderly, U.S. researchers suggest.
Surge in security tech seen under Obama
PHOENIX, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Police across the United States say they are encouraged about the prospects for new security technology under Barack Obama's administration.
Book: Soviets stole H-bomb secrets
OSCEOLA, Wis., Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Moscow acquired the secret of the hydrogen bomb from an atomic spy at the Los Alamos weapons lab in New Mexico, a new book says.
Zimbabwe cholera death toll tops 1,600
HARARE, Zimbabwe, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- The cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe has claimed 1,608 victims as of Tuesday, and has infected more than 30,000 people, the United Nations said.
Smokers encouraged to quit every Monday
NEW YORK, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Using the "Stay Quit Monday" concept, smokers can renew their commitment to quit smoking by trying to quit each week, U.S. researchers suggest.
Colleges, businesses unplugging land lines
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- More U.S. colleges say they're ditching telephone land lines in favor of cell phones or voice over Internet calls.
Ice-damaged forests expected to recover
BOSTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Forestry officials say thousands of storm-damaged trees in Massachusetts and New Hampshire will eventually recover.
Pollution killing Chesapeake blue crabs
NORFOLK, Va., Dec. 30 (UPI) -- The Chesapeake Bay's blue crab population has been devastated by pollution, overfishing and lax federal oversight, a U.S. environmental group said.
Students invite Obama to visit Hiroshima
HIROSHIMA, Japan, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Students in Hiroshima, Japan, asked U.S. President-elect Barack Obama to visit their city, saying he would be an advocate of a nuclear weapons-free world.
Ebola virus outbreak kills 11 in Congo
KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- At least 11 people were killed by an Ebola virus outbreak in western Congo, the country's health minister said Tuesday.
Russia unveils plans for uranium processor
YAKUTSK, Russia, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Russian mining industry officials say pre-design work has begun for a cost-efficient uranium processing plant in Far Eastern Yakutsk.
Advocates push 'personalized medicine'
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Most drugs work for only about half the people who take them, spurring a push to improve healthcare through "personalized medicine," U.S. researchers say.
Study: 435 U.S. schools have air hazards
SPRINGDALE, Ark., Dec. 30 (UPI) -- The air around 435 U.S. schools is saturated with carcinogens more than 50 times higher than state standards allow, a newspaper investigation found.
Russian rocket debris falls off E. Canada
TORONTO, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- The North American Aerospace Defense Command says a 60-square-foot piece of a Russian rocket landed off the eastern Canadian coast last week.
Monday, December 29
Moderate alcohol may cut Alzheimer's risk
CHICAGO, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Moderate drinkers often have lower risks of Alzheimer's disease and other cognitive loss, U.S. researchers said.
Acetaminophen may cause gastric distress
ISTANBUL, Turkey, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- The pain reliever acetaminophen is not free of gastrointestinal side effects at high doses, researchers in Turkey found.
Food additive may hasten lung cancer
SEOUL, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- A diet high in inorganic phosphates -- found in some processed foods -- might speed growth of lung cancer tumors, South Korean researchers suggest.
More nurses, fewer patient complications
SILVER SPRING, Md., Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Scrimping on nurses is ill advised because as staffing increases, patients' risk of complications and time spent in hospitals drop, a U.S. review found.
Some in S.Korea have chronic symptoms
SEOUL, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Some in South Korea experience chronic gastrointestinal symptoms fairly frequently, researchers said.
Albatross endangered by predatory mice
LONDON, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- The critically endangered Tristan Albatross suffered its worst breeding season ever and is threatened by predatory mice, British researchers report.
USDA accepting telemed grant applications
WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- The U.S. Agriculture Department's Rural Development said Monday it was accepting applications for the Distance Learning and Telemedicine grant program.
'Third-hand smoke' may harm children
BOSTON, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Even if an adult smokes inside a home only when a child is absent, the tobacco smoke contamination lingers, U.S. researchers said.
Human hair works as nutrient, study finds
STARKSVILLE, Miss., Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Human hair, normally swept and tossed from barber and beauty shops, can be used as a nutrient source for container plants, U.S. researchers said.
'Green Bible' controversial
PHOENIX, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- U.S. evangelicals say they are divided over a new "Green Bible" which embraces environmentalism and a need to protect the Earth.
Competition may have done in Neanderthals
LAWRENCE, Kan., Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Competition with Cro-Magnon populations, not climate change, led to the Neanderthal extinction, a multidisciplinary U.S. and French research team reported.
New gauges to help Arizona canyon evacs
HAVASUPAI, Ariz., Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Arizona's Havasupai American Indian tribe has completed the installation of flood warning gauges to allow more time for canyon evacuations, officials said.
U.S. printers distributed in Iran
TEHRAN, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- An Indian company that became a Hewlett-Packard distributor for Iran in 1999 is still in business despite a U.S. trade ban against the country, officials say.
Anti-fungal drug helps some with asthma
MANCHESTER, England, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Some with severe asthma who also have allergic sensitivity to certain fungi experienced improvements after taking an anti-fungal drug, British researchers say.
Rhode Island zoo welcomes newborn giraffe
PROVIDENCE, R.I., Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Officials at the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence, R.I., say the site's Masai giraffe, Sukari, has given birth.
Secrecy of manual's changes criticized
WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Revisions to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders should be made openly instead of hidden from the public, a critic of the process says.
Lash-lengthening treatment earns FDA OK
WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Long, thick eyelashes may be a chemical treatment away now that the U.S. drug watchdog has approved a prescription medication, the maker says.
Denied by Medicaid, woman gets transplant
ATLANTA, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- An Atlanta woman denied an intestinal transplant by Georgia's Medicaid program has received the operation through charity, doctors say.
Dietitians: Nutrition advice ignored
CHURUBUSCO, N.Y., Dec. 29 (UPI) -- America has a toxic food environment and health and nutrition advice goes largely ignored by U.S. adults, two registered dietitians warn.
Man warns public about his HIV wife
TORONTO, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- A Toronto man has issued a public appeal for anyone who was intimate with his HIV-positive ex-stripper wife to be tested for the AIDS-causing virus.
Counterfeiting spikes as economy struggles
WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- U.S. counterfeiting arrests have spiked to a five-year high as the struggling economy entices some Average Joes to pass fake money, authorities say.
Cheney defends anti-terror record
JACKSON, Wyo., Dec. 29 (UPI) -- U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney says criticism of controversial anti-terrorism measures he supported after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks is "unwarranted."
North Korean brinkmanship likely
SEOUL, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- A South Korean think tank says North Korea may increase military threats to win more concessions from the new U.S. administration but won't succeed.
Drinking dangers recognized, but ignored
BATH, England, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Many young people recognize the danger of binge drinking, but few view them as more than short-term problems, British researchers said.
Sunday, December 28
Oil companies bullish on shale oil
DENVER, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- The recent drop in oil prices is not likely to derail the push to develop shale oil deposits in the western United States, an oil executive says.
Cause of disappearing coral still unknown
RALEIGH, N.C., Dec. 28 (UPI) -- The coral reefs covering less than 1 percent of the Earth are disappearing at alarming rates as scientists struggle to learn why, a U.S. researcher says.
Chicago finishes wettest year with floods
CHICAGO, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Chicago is finishing up the wettest year in its recorded history by coping with more rising rivers and flash flooding, meteorologists said Sunday.
Japan returns spent uranium to U.S.
TOKYO, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Nearly 1,300 pounds of spent highly enriched uranium has been repatriated to the United States from Japanese research reactors since 1996, officials say.
Dogs save man from angry elk
GALLIVARE, Sweden, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- A pack of Norwegian elkhounds is credited with saving an elderly Swedish man from an angry elk.
N. Korea warns of more frayed relations
PYONGYANG, North Korea, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Relations between North and South Korea will continue to deteriorate unless South Korean President Lee Myung-bak changes his tone, Pyongyang warned Sunday.
10 dolphins stranded on Cape Cod beaches
BARNSTABLE, Mass., Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Cape Cod Stranding Network coordinator Sarah Herzig says 10 dolphins have been stranded on beaches in the Massachusetts region in recent days.
Saturday, December 27
Report: Chesapeake cleanup misrepresented
WASHINGTON, Dec. 27 (UPI) -- A multibillion-dollar Chesapeake Bay cleanup has been marked by failure but officials concealed the results to keep funding flowing, The Washington Post said.
Small Alaskan communities going cellular
ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Dec. 27 (UPI) -- A growing number of small communities throughout Alaska now have access to cellular phone services thanks to GCI Communication Corp., the company says.
Too much beer, wine linked to cancer
LONDON, Dec. 27 (UPI) -- Downing a pint of beer or large glass of wine every day increases the risk of liver and bowel cancer, says the World Cancer Research Fund in Britain.
Coral recovering from 2004 tsunami
JAKARTA, Dec. 27 (UPI) -- Scientists say they're gaining insight into climate change from rapidly recovering tsunami-damaged coral reefs in the Indian Ocean.
Colo. mountain town gets 4 feet of snow
SILVERTON, Colo., Dec. 27 (UPI) -- This week's winter storm that brought blizzards to the U.S. mountain West dumped 4 feet of snow on high-altitude Silverton, Colo., officials said.
Erratic weather hurts Britain's wildlife
LONDON, Dec. 27 (UPI) -- Britain's puffins are among the wildlife suffering from a second year of erratic weather, the National Trust said Saturday.
Wal-Mart wants store near battlefield
FREDERICKSBURG, Va., Dec. 27 (UPI) -- Preservationists say Wal-Mart faces a fight over its plans to put a huge store next to the Civil War Wilderness Battlefield in Virginia.
Parks gun rule prompts inauguration fears
WASHINGTON, Dec. 27 (UPI) -- Confusion over gun control laws in national parks may mean some attending U.S. President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration will bring weapons, officials say.
Wal-Mart to sell Apple iPhones
BENTONVILLE, Ark., Dec. 27 (UPI) -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. says it will start offering Apple Inc.'s iPhone 3G for sale this weekend, signaling a major new retailing partnership, analysts said.
Child malnutrition jumps in Zimbabwe
HARARE, Zimbabwe, Dec. 27 (UPI) -- Serious child malnutrition has increased by nearly two-thirds in parts of Zimbabwe compared to last year, a British non-governmental agency says.
Friday, December 26
Abused women seek more infant healthcare
COLUMBIA, Mo., Dec. 26 (UPI) -- University of Missouri researchers say women who experience intimate partner violence are more likely to seek healthcare for their infants.
Racial disparities in hospice use
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 26 (UPI) -- Rules on hospice care for those with limited life expectancy restrict usage by those most in need, disproportionately affecting blacks, U.S. researchers said.
British beach to be left to waves
LONDON, Dec. 26 (UPI) -- The Natural Trust has given up its battle with the sea on one of England's most famous stretches of coast, allowing Studland Beach in Dorset to erode naturally.
Rural areas have much higher injury rate
MORGANTOWN, W.Va., Dec. 26 (UPI) -- Country life may provide scenic tableaus but a U.S. study found injuries requiring hospitalization occur at much higher rates in rural areas than elsewhere.
TVA: Coal ash spill larger than thought
KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Dec. 26 (UPI) -- The amount of coal ash that spilled from a breached containment pond in Tennessee was three times the original estimate, the Tennessee Valley Authority reports.
Child ADHD linked to mom's medical care
OAKLAND, Calif., Dec. 26 (UPI) -- A child's diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is linked to his or her mother's use of health services, U.S. researchers said.
Australia posts crocodile warnings
BRISBANE, Australia, Dec. 26 (UPI) -- Australian authorities have posted notices on Fraser Island and the Great Sandy Strait warning tourists to beware of crocodiles.
Iranian pol warns Arabs not to interfere
TEHRAN, Dec. 26 (UPI) -- The speaker of the Iranian Parliament warned the governments of Arab countries Friday to stay out of the issue of his country's nuclear enrichment program.
Nine deaths from suspected Ebola reported
KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo, Dec. 26 (UPI) -- Medical officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo have reported at least nine deaths from what is suspected to be Ebola fever.
Environmentalists prep for what's coming
BOSTON, Dec. 26 (UPI) -- Environmental advocates concerned about global climate change say they're preparing for what is coming rather than focusing on stopping it.
Snapping turtles decline in Ontario
TORONTO, Dec. 26 (UPI) -- Snapping turtles in Ontario are on the decline and at risk because they don't mate until they are 15 years old, say Canadian officials.
First drug to promote eyelash growth OK'd
WASHINGTON, Dec. 26 (UPI) -- Latisse -- the first drug to promote the growth of eyelashes -- has been approved for use in the United States.
Canal would link Dead Sea to Red Sea
AMMAN, Jordan, Dec. 26 (UPI) -- A $4.4 billion canal that would stretch from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea would provide an abundance of power and fresh water, Jordanian officials say.
Food safety to take backseat to economy
WASHINGTON, Dec. 26 (UPI) -- Fixing the U.S. food system will take a backseat to bigger problems such as the failing economy and healthcare, says Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.
Kilauea lava flow pauses for three days
HONOLULU, Dec. 26 (UPI) -- The Kilauea volcano on the big island of Hawaii took a three-day break this week from its 26-year eruption.
Caffeine when pregnant may damage heart
NEW HAVEN, Conn., Dec. 26 (UPI) -- A U.S. study in mice shows one dose of caffeine -- two cups of coffee -- ingested during pregnancy may reduce heart function for the child's lifetime.
Black gay, bisexual men get less PSA tests
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 26 (UPI) -- Gay and bisexual black men are less likely to be tested for prostate cancer than men of any other racial and ethnic backgrounds, U.S. researchers said.
Group programs may help kids lose weight
GAINESVILLE, Fla., Dec. 26 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers say group-based treatment programs may help overweight children lose weight.
Churches up black blood donations
ST. LOUIS, Dec. 26 (UPI) -- A St. Louis program to increase awareness for blood donations by African-Americans for sickle cell treatment was effective, researchers said.
Physical therapy effective on neck pain
ALEXANDRIA, Va., Dec. 26 (UPI) -- The American Physical Therapy Association is urging U.S. patients with musculoskeletal pain to consider treatment by a physical therapist.
Thursday, December 25
Two on trial in China tainted milk scandal
BEIJING, Dec. 26 (UPI) -- A melamine maker and a dealer, accused in China's tainted milk powder scandal, went on trial Friday in Shijiazhuang, capital of Hebei Province.
New way men can transmit HIV to women
CHICAGO, Dec. 25 (UPI) -- Researchers at Northwestern University in Chicago say they have found a critical way a man can transmit the HIV virus to a woman.
Aging brain lets negative memories fade
EDMONTON, Alberta, Dec. 25 (UPI) -- There's a scientific reason why older people tend to see the past through rose-colored glasses, Canadian researchers suggest -- negative memories tend to fade.
How broccoli protects against cancer
SANTA BARBARA, Calif., Dec. 25 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers have discovered a cellular process that explains how cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli work to prevent breast cancer.
Child adversity, depression linked
AMES, Iowa, Dec. 25 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers warn increasing poverty among U.S. children and its effects, including early family adversity and depressive symptoms, have a lasting impact.
Wounded deer evades rescuers
DENVER, Dec. 25 (UPI) -- Wildlife experts in Colorado were tracking a deer wounded by a bow-hunter, but could not get within range to catch or tranquilize it, officials said.
Alzheimer's patient abused, police say
PITTSBURGH, Dec. 25 (UPI) -- Police in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, have accused five hospital staff members of physically and verbally abusing a 94-year old Alzheimer's patient.
People willing to give 'shocks' if told to
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Dec. 25 (UPI) -- Replicating a controversial experiment from some 50 years ago, a U.S. psychologist found people are just as willing to administer painful electric shocks.
To reach Obama a mayor tries YouTube
IRVING, Texas, Dec. 25 (UPI) -- The mayor of Irving, Texas, used the Internet medium YouTube to plead his case for an economic stimulus plan to President-elect Barack Obama.
Nutritious fast-food kids' meals scarce
HOUSTON, Dec. 25 (UPI) -- Only 3 percent of kids' meals served at fast-food restaurants meet federal dietary guidelines, a team of U.S. researchers found.
Fish body oil effect on heart inconclusive
EDMONTON, Alberta, Dec. 25 (UPI) -- Fish body oil reduces deaths from heart problems, but doesn't provide a clear benefit in arrhythmias, or heart rhythm problems, Canadian researchers said.
Coal ash spill at center of dispute
KINGSTON, Tenn., Dec. 25 (UPI) -- Residents of Kingston, Tenn., say they are concerned about a potentially toxic coal ash spill being debated by environmentalists and officials.
Study finds Alberta pregnant women smoking
CALGARY, Alberta, Dec. 25 (UPI) -- The government of the Canadian province of Alberta says a study it ordered found a disturbing number of pregnant women have been smoking.
Inauguration could prompt wireless clog
WASHINGTON, Dec. 25 (UPI) -- The Washington inauguration of U.S. President-elect Barack Obama could result in a clog of U.S. wireless network systems, network operators say.
Doctor autonomy linked to medical errors
BALTIMORE, Dec. 25 (UPI) -- Despite increased emphasis on patient safety, little progress has been made in making U.S. hospitals safer, a researcher said.
Unconscious brain makes best decisions
ROCHESTER, N.Y., Dec. 25 (UPI) -- The unconscious brain makes the best decisions possible with the information given, University of Rochester researchers said.
Chicago family has own little 'miracle'
CHICAGO, Dec. 25 (UPI) -- A family in Chicago says it enjoyed its very own holiday 'miracle' last year when its newest member successfully underwent a heart transplant.
Child anxiety disorders should be treated
DALLAS, Dec. 25 (UPI) -- Anxiety disorders in children and adolescents should be recognized and treated, a child psychiatrist at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center says.
Wednesday, December 24
Study says 2M drunken drivers on roads
COLUMBIA, Mo., Dec. 24 (UPI) -- An estimated 2 million intoxicated drivers with three or more convictions will be on the roads this holiday season, U.S. researchers said.
Antidepressant enhances chemotherapy drug
TEL AVIV, Israel, Dec. 24 (UPI) -- Researchers in Israel say a popular antidepressant enhances the effect of an anticancer drug used with colon cancer.
Treating diabetic gum disease saves costs
ANN ARBOR, Mich., Dec. 24 (UPI) -- Providing diabetics with gum disease treatments such as cleanings and periodontal scaling lowers medical costs by up to 12 percent, U.S. researchers say.
Scientists study 'molecular motors'
WEST LAYFAYETTE, Ind., Dec. 24 (UPI) -- Discovering how "molecular motors" drive DNA potentially could help slow or repel some viruses, says a study from Purdue University in West Layfayette, Ind.
Sleep disorder linked to dementia
MONTREAL, Dec. 24 (UPI) -- People with a sleep disorder who kick or cry out during sleep may be at greater risk for developing dementia, says a study from the University of Montreal.
More walking leads to more offspring
ST. LOUIS, Dec. 24 (UPI) -- Animals traveling the longest distance each day to find food have the most offspring, say researchers at Washington University in St. Louis.
This year to be longer by one second
GAITHERSBURG, Md., Dec. 24 (UPI) -- This year will be longer than usual -- by one second, the U.S. Institute of Standards and Technology said Wednesday.
Scientists derive stem cells from rats
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 24 (UPI) -- Authentic embryonic stem cells have been derived from rats for the first time, say researchers at the University of Southern California.
Boosting blood flow may fight Alzheimer's
CHICAGO, Dec. 24 (UPI) -- Improving blood flow to the brain appears key to delaying or preventing some forms of Alzheimer's, says Chicago's Feinberg School of Medicine.
Cancer enzymes found in zebrafish study
SALT LAKE CITY, Dec. 24 (UPI) -- A study of zebrafish has revealed ways to potentially slow or prevent the onset of cancerous tumors, the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Utah says.
Student dies of meniningitis in Russia
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia, Dec. 24 (UPI) -- A British student, who was hoping to read history at Cambridge, died of meningitis at a Russian hospital while on a school trip, doctors said.
Orbital, SpaceX to resupply space station
HOUSTON, Dec. 24 (UPI) -- Orbital Sciences of Dulles, Va., and SpaceX of Hawthorne, Calif., have been tapped to resupply the International Space Station when the space shuttle retires.
Powerful not compassionate to retain power
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, Dec. 24 (UPI) -- Powerful people's tendency to show less compassion and distress towards others reinforces their social power, Dutch and U.S. researchers suggest.
'Christmas is cancelled' in Zimbabwe
BULOWAYO, Zimbabwe, Dec. 24 (UPI) -- Zimbabweans, with their economy destroyed and a cholera epidemic raging, say they are in no mood for Christmas celebrations.
Environmentalists oppose winter road sand
SEATTLE, Dec. 24 (UPI) -- The sand used in Seattle to protect motorists from icy streets is more dangerous to aquatic life than typical road salt, environmentalists say.
In economic downturn, many turn to food
WASHINGTON, Dec. 24 (UPI) -- The economic downturn results in increased stress, which prompts many people to eat more than usual, a U.S. physician says.
China fish imports raise melamine fears
SHANGHAI, China, Dec. 24 (UPI) -- Scientists and consumer groups say fish from China may be contaminated with the industrial chemical melamine.
Tutu blasts S. Africa's Mugabe stance
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, Dec. 24 (UPI) -- Archbishop Desmond Tutu says South Africa has lost its moral authority by not standing up to Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe.
One more hour of sleep lessens heart risk
CHICAGO, Dec. 24 (UPI) -- Not getting enough sleep may leave you more than cranky -- it may lead to hardening of the arteries, an early step to heart disease, U.S. researchers say.
Tuesday, December 23
Scientists create artificial bone marrow
ANN ARBOR, Mich., Dec. 24 (UPI) -- A University of Michigan lab has created artificial bone marrow that can continuously make red and white blood cells in a test tube.
Alarm hazards top hospital tech problems
PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa., Dec. 24 (UPI) -- A patient-safety research group says alarm hazards, needle sticks and surgical fires are among the top five technology hazards in hospitals.
Report: Nuclear security work on track
WASHINGTON, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- Improvements to Russian nuclear security agreed to by the leaders of Russia and the United States will be completed by year's end, a report said Tuesday.
Statins may lower delirium odds in elderly
TORONTO, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- Researchers in Canada say taking statins before cardiac surgery may lower the odds of developing delirium in the elderly.
Families view devastation from burst dike
KINGSTON, Tenn., Dec. 23 (UPI) -- People who lost their homes when millions of yards of power plant ash slurry burst through a dike in Tennessee got their first look at the devastation Tuesday.
Single-port surgeries gaining popularity
HOUSTON, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- Surgical techniques using a small, single point of entry, such as a navel, means far less pain and scarring, and far faster recovery, U.S. doctors say.
Saltwater angler registry to be created
WASHINGTON, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Fisheries Service said it issued a final rule Tuesday to create a saltwater angler registry.
Bees on coke 'dance' more
CHAMPAIGN, Ill., Dec. 23 (UPI) -- Honey bees on cocaine tend to exaggerate their actions to hive-mates for possibly altruistic reasons, University of Illinois researchers reported Tuesday.
U.S. agencies probing pig Ebola outbreak
MANILA, Philippines, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- The world's first reported cases of the Ebola-Reston virus in hogs in the Philippines is under investigation, the World Health Organization said Tuesday.
Blind man 'sees' way through maze
TILBURG, Netherlands, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- A blind man navigated an obstacle course without his cane, demonstrating the phenomenon known as "blindsight," Dutch researchers said.
Dolphin dies a day after rescue
LAURENCE HARBOR, N.J., Dec. 23 (UPI) -- A striped dolphin died Tuesday stranded on the New Jersey shore of Raritan Bay a day after being rescued from a nearby beach.
Winter bugs biting more in Britain
LONDON, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- Potent strains of winter bugs threaten to send thousands of Britons to their sickbeds during the holidays, says the Royal College of General Practitioners
Employer medical exams replaced by quiz
TEL AVIV, Israel, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- Medical and psychological tests for employment can be replaced with a medical quiz, an Israeli researcher said.
Reconstruction options not always offered
WASHINGTON, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- Women seeking post-breast cancer reconstructive surgery may not be made fully aware of all available options, advocacy and physicians groups say.
German court clears euthanasia docs
HAMBURG, Germany, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- Two German doctors charged with manslaughter after helping a terminally ill British man die in 2004 have been acquitted, observers said.
Newspaper chain sues over links to stories
BOSTON, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- A newspaper chain is accusing The New York Times Co. of improperly including links to its stories on the Boston Globe's new local Web sites.
Cell phone imaging aids health monitoring
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers say cells phones could revolutionize international health monitoring.
Fry's salesman allegedly stole millions
SAN JOSE, Calif., Dec. 23 (UPI) -- A California computer salesman whose alleged gambling cost $162 million in three years, has been charged with defrauding Fry's Electronics out of $65 million.
Pre-pregnancy body image affects weight
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- Women who underestimate their weight are more likely to gain too much weight during pregnancy compared to normal weight women, a U.S. researcher said.
NYC monitors air quality throughout city
NEW YORK, Dec. 22 (UPI) -- Air pollution monitors have been mounted on 150 light posts throughout New York City to measure major air pollutants that harm health, a health official said.
NHS to create Alzheimer's clinics
LONDON, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- A top British health official says the National Health Service needs to create memory clinics in major towns to treat Alzheimer's patients.
Med diet doubles U.S. veggie intake
ANN ARBOR, Mich., Dec. 23 (UPI) -- A study finds U.S. women doubled their fruit and vegetable intake by switching to a Mediterranean diet.
Zebrafish used in Costello Syndrome study
CAMBRIDGE, England, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- Japanese and Italian researchers have developed a new model of Costello Syndrome to investigate the link between the disorder and tumor formation.
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