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Time of conception linked to birth defects in U.S.

A study published in the April 2009 issue of the medical journal Acta Paediatrica is the first to report that birth defect rates in the United States were highest for women conceiving in the spring and summer. The researchers also found that this period of increase risk correlated with increased levels of pesticides in surface water across the United States.

30 Mar 2009

Researchers find direct link between oxidative stress and inflammatory signals in the blood

The finding could lead to improved strategies for preventing several diseases by including antioxidants in the diet and for reducing the impact of inflammation in critically ill patients by adding cysteine to intravenous or tube feeding.

30 Mar 2009

Researchers examine relationship between multiple births and maternal depressive symptoms

Mothers of multiples have 43 percent increased odds of having moderate to severe depressive symptoms nine months after giving birth compared to mothers of single-born children, according to researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

30 Mar 2009

Cleaning fluids used in hospitals may pose a health risks

A pilot study published in BioMed Central's open access journal Environmental Health has found that potentially hazardous chemicals are contained in a selection of agents used in several different hospitals.

29 Mar 2009

Pregnant women who smoke, urged to give up before 15-week 'deadline'

Women who stop smoking before week 15 of pregnancy cut their risk of spontaneous premature birth and having small babies to the same as non-smokers, according to research published on bmj.com.

29 Mar 2009

Drinking very hot tea increases risk of cancer of the oesophagus

People are advised to wait a few minutes before drinking a cup of freshly-boiled tea today as a new study, published on bmj.com, finds that drinking very hot tea (70°C or more) can increase the risk of cancer of the oesophagus, the muscular tube that carries food from the throat to the stomach.

29 Mar 2009

Researcher links cholesterol crystals to cardiovascular attacks

For the first time ever, a Michigan State University researcher has shown cholesterol crystals can disrupt plaque in a patient's cardiovascular system, causing a heart attack or stroke.

29 Mar 2009

Link between sleeping medicine use and driving impairment

A new study from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health shows a positive link between the amount of the hypnotic (sleeping medicine) zopiclone in the blood and the chance of being assessed as impaired in a clinical examination.

29 Mar 2009

Facial flushing in East Asians who consume alcohol linked to esophageal cancer risks

About one-third of people of Chinese, Japanese and Korean descent have an enzyme deficiency that causes their face to flush when they drink alcohol, a trait that puts them at a higher risk for developing esophageal cancer, according to a study published in the journal PLoS Medicine, Reuters Health reports.

25 Mar 2009

Sodas increase risk for coronary heart disease

Regular consumption of sugary beverages such as soda put women at a higher risk for coronary heart disease.

24 Mar 2009

Study helps identify college drinkers at risk for adult alcohol abuse

College students who are problem drinkers using alcohol to cope with personal problems and boost self-confidence are more likely to continue excessive drinking into adulthood, a recent study suggests.

24 Mar 2009

Activity in one brain structure can predict people's preferences

The study shows that even when people rate options similarly, they will choose the one that causes more activation in the caudate nucleus, a brain region involved in anticipating reward.

24 Mar 2009

Philadelphia Inquirer examines developments, ethics in microbicide research

The Philadelphia Inquirer on Monday examined issues surrounding microbicide research, including recent developments and ethical issues. Philadelphia Inquirer examines developments, ethics in microbicide research

24 Mar 2009

Smoking linked to greater risk for pancreatitis

Smoking appears to be associated with an increased risk of acute and chronic pancreatitis, according to a report in the March 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

23 Mar 2009

Facial flushing after drinking alcohol could be a sign of esophageal cancer

There is growing evidence, say researchers in this week's PLoS Medicine , that people who experience facial flushing after drinking alcohol are at much higher risk of esophageal cancer from alcohol consumption than those who do not.

23 Mar 2009

Alcohol-inducing flushing and esophageal cancer

There is growing evidence, say researchers in this week's PLoS Medicine, that people who experience facial flushing after drinking alcohol are at much higher risk of esophageal cancer from alcohol consumption than those who do not.

23 Mar 2009

Alcohol flush signals increased cancer risk among east Asians

Many people of East Asian descent possess an enzyme deficiency that causes their skin to redden, or flush, when they drink alcohol.

23 Mar 2009

Long-term daily drinking is biggest risk factor in serious liver disease

Long-term daily drinking, rather than weekly binge drinking, is by far the biggest risk factor in serious liver disease, according to a new report from the University of Southampton.

22 Mar 2009

FDA warning on oysters recently harvested from Mississippi area 2C

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is advising retailers and food service operators not to offer for sale oysters harvested between Feb. 24 and March 17, 2009, from Mississippi Area 2C, located in the Mississippi Sound portion of the Gulf of Mexico near Pass Christian, Miss. Further, consumers are advised not to eat such oysters.

22 Mar 2009