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Risky prenatal use of steroid to prevent intersex, tomboys and lesbians

A new paper just published in the Journal of Bioethical Inquiry uses extensive Freedom of Information Act findings to detail an extremely troubling off-label medical intervention employed in the U.S. on pregnant women to intentionally engineer the development of their fetuses for sex normalization purposes.

3 Aug 2012

Science, Lancet articles examine efforts to eradicate polio

In a series of "News Focus" articles in Science, the magazine examines the global effort to eradicate polio. One article examines the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) -- a partnership of the WHO, Rotary International, UNICEF, the CDC, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation -- and recent reports on the program by an Independent Monitoring Board (IMB), "an oversight body" that provides feedback and guidance.

3 Aug 2012

Ariz. delays Medicaid expansion decision, states make other health law implementation news

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer won't say until January if her state will expand Medicaid. In the meantime, advocates worry about whether health care for kids in Texas could be cut.

3 Aug 2012

Exposure to mold during infancy linked to asthma development during childhood

In the United States, one in 10 children suffers from asthma but the potential environmental factors contributing to the disease are not well known. Cincinnati-based researchers now report new evidence that exposure to three types of mold during infancy may have a direct link to asthma development during childhood.

3 Aug 2012

Allergy alerts in patient records help improve clinical practice

Allergy alerts in patient records have the potential to significantly improve clinical practice, say Spanish researchers.

3 Aug 2012

Child abuse has repercussions for menarche

Researchers have found an association between childhood abuse and age at menarche onset, they report in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

3 Aug 2012

Home is where the heart is for congenital defect children

The American Heart Association recommends that children with a congenital heart defect deemed as being at high risk for developmental disorders are treated under a “medical home” model of care.

3 Aug 2012

Mylan licenses rights to produce and market generic versions of Gilead HIV/AIDS therapies

Mylan Inc. today announced the establishment of a new agreement between its subsidiary Mylan Laboratories Limited and Gilead Sciences Inc. Under this agreement, Mylan has licensed the rights to produce and market generic versions of Gilead HIV/AIDS therapies containing Emtricitabine, including single and fixed-dose combinations.

3 Aug 2012

Polyandry creates safety net for women in some cultures

Marrying multiple husbands at the same time, or polyandry, creates a safety net for women in some cultures, according to a recent study by a University of Missouri researcher. Extra husbands ensure that women's children are cared for even if their fathers die or disappear. Although polyandry is taboo and illegal in the United States, certain legal structures, such as child support payments and life insurance, fill the same role for American women that multiple husbands do in other cultures.

3 Aug 2012

Empathetic children more likely to effectively manage stress, behave prosocially

Infants innately relieve stress by crying, turning their heads or maintaining eye contact. Adults manage emotional tension using problem-solving or by seeking support. A new study by a University of Missouri human development expert describes how adolescents' developing personalities and coping habits affect their behaviors toward others.

3 Aug 2012

Foods high in sugar and fat could have addictive properties

Overweight and obese individuals can achieve a decade's worth of important health benefits by losing just 20 pounds, even if they regain the weight later that decade, according to research presented at the American Psychological Association's 120th Annual Convention. With a focus on psychology's role in overcoming the national obesity epidemic, the session also examined research that indicates foods high in sugar and fat could have addictive properties.

3 Aug 2012

Researchers develop robotic companion and intelligent home environment for elderly people

A team of EU-funded researchers has developed a robotic companion and intelligent home environment that could help elderly people live richer and more independent lives and reduce the burden placed on healthcare services.

3 Aug 2012

IRIN examines conditional cash transfer program aimed at improving maternal health in the Philippines

"A nationwide conditional cash transfer program in the Philippines is slowly improving maternal health, but more is needed to reverse the climbing maternal mortality ratio, say women's groups," IRIN reports.

3 Aug 2012

World Breastfeeding Week begins Wednesday

On the 20th anniversary of World Breastfeeding Week, which begins Wednesday, "UNICEF says strong national policies supporting breastfeeding could prevent the deaths of around one million children under five in the developing world each year," a UNICEF press release states.

2 Aug 2012

Combination of sitagliptin and lansoprazole offers clinical benefits for T1D patients

Sanford Project researchers have reached a critical milestone in a clinical trial testing a combination of two medications to determine if the drugs can help patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) keep their blood glucose levels under control with less or no insulin. The full number of patients needed to complete this first trial, termed Restore Pancreatic Insulin Response in type 1 diabetes (REPAIR-T1D), has been reached.

2 Aug 2012

IHME study identifies discrepancies between national surveys that track obesity

Despite the increasing awareness of the problem of obesity in the United States, most Americans don't know whether they are gaining or losing weight, according to new research from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.

2 Aug 2012

FDA clearance - scoliosis - DePuy synthes spine

DePuy Synthes Spine announced it has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use of its EXPEDIUM®, VIPER®, and VIPER®2 Spine Systems on patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), an abnormal curvature of the spine that typically affects children between the ages of 10 and 18.(1) This expands the scoliosis indication for the pedicle screw systems, which now are indicated for both adolescents and adults.

2 Aug 2012

Internet infant sleep safety information may be suspect

Only around 60% of websites provide information on infant sleep safety that is consistent with the American Academy of Pediatrics official recommendations, report US researchers.

2 Aug 2012

Strong oppositional behaviors associated with drug abuse among children

Children who exhibit oppositional behavior run the risk of becoming addicted to nicotine, cannabis and cocaine whilst Inattention symptoms represent a specific additional risk of nicotine addiction. Nevertheless, hyperactivity in itself does not seem to be associated with any specific risk of substance abuse or dependence.

2 Aug 2012

Investigational drug shows promise against most severe form of congenital hyperinsulinism

A pilot study in adolescents and adults has found that an investigational drug shows promise as the first potential medical treatment for children with the severest type of congenital hyperinsulinism, a rare but potentially devastating disease in which gene mutations cause insulin levels to become dangerously high.

2 Aug 2012