Some Smokers’ Brains Hardwired for Quitting Success

Medicine & Technology May 13, 2015

Have you ever wondered why you have had such a hard time quitting smoking while other people you know simply put them down and never looked back? In a new study, researchers found that the brains of smokers who do manage to quit may actually be "hardwired" for success in kicking the habit.

Cuban Lung Cancer Vaccine Coming Ashore in the US

May 13, 2015

Just months after the White House announced plans to normalize relations with Cuba, an exciting research partnership is in the works, which just might prolong the lives of those suffering from lung cancer.

Obama Administration Clarifies Birth Control Mandate

May 12, 2015

As part of Obama Care, health insurers must now cover without cost sharing all 18 forms of contraception listed in the FDA's birth control guide, as stated by the Obama Administration in new guidelines issued on Monday.

Seasons May Influence Genes That Trigger Chronic Disease

May 12, 2015

In a new study, researchers have found that the seasons appear to influence when certain genes are active in your body, with those that cause inflammation being more active in winter.

FDA Takes Steps to End Ban on Gay Blood Donors

May 12, 2015

After a ban of more than three decades, gay men in the United States may soon be allowed to donate blood, according to new recommendations released today by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

As Ebola Wanes, a New Threat Emerges

May 12, 2015

Just as the Ebola threat wanes, a new pathogen is reaching epidemic proportions across parts of Africa. To make matters worse, it's resistant to traditional antibiotics.

Dietary Supplement Linked to Hemorrhagic Stroke

May 12, 2015

In a disturbing report published in the Annals of Internal Medicine today, the death of a healthy 53-year-old woman was linked to a dietary supplement, β-methylphenylethylamine, which when combined with exercise, can cause hemorrhagic stroke.

How Nerve Damage And "Gluten Free" Collide—Problems With Celiac Disease

May 12, 2015

Swedish researchers headed by Jonas Ludvigsson, MD, PhD, of Stockholm's Karolinska Institute, revealed that patients with celiac disease were 2.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with neuropathy. The study, published this week in the journal JAMA Neurology, was conducted among a large group of patients with celiac disease which had been confirmed by biopsy.

Lessons from Liberia Prompt a Renewed Call for Global Health Security

May 11, 2015

Although Ebola has finally been contained in Liberia, there is much to learn from this latest outbreak. Health officials are taking heed of the valuable lessons gained from the successes, and more importantly, the failures, of this most recent epidemic.

ER Visits Rise Despite Obamacare Goals

May 11, 2015

Despite the goals of Obamacare to reduce the number of visits by patients to the emergency room, three-quarters of emergency room physicians say they have seen ER patients visits rise since Obamacare took effect.

Concussions Cause School Problems for Children

May 11, 2015

In a new study published in the journal Pediatrics, researchers have found that if your school age child suffers a concussion, how well he or she does after returning to school depends on how severe the concussion symptoms are and the grade level of the child.

Typhoid Superbug Spreading Worldwide

May 11, 2015

An antibiotic-resistant superbug strain of typhoid has spread globally all because one strain of the bacteria, called H58, according to a new international study.

On the Ebola Front, Good News for Liberia, Caution for Neighboring Countries

May 11, 2015

A year later and over 4,000 dead, Liberia can finally breathe a sigh of relief as The World Health Organization (WHO) declares the country Ebola free. "The outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Liberia is over," according to a WHO statement given at the emergency command center in Monrovia, as reported by The New York Times. But this doesn't mean Africa is in the clear. In fact, if the countries surrounding Liberia are included, the death toll from the past year's outbreak soars to more than 11,000, making the current outbreak five times deadlier that all previous outbreaks combined.

Shape of Glass Affects Drinking Behavior

May 10, 2015

Could the glass you are served your adult beverage of choice in change how you drink? New research from England now says yes as researchers found that people drink more slowly when alcohol is served in a straight sided glass than when its served in glasses with curved sides

Disease-Free and Rid of Ebola—Liberia Reveals Effective Health Practices Against Virus

May 09, 2015

Ten months ago the perfect storm of weak public health policy, poverty, and the Ebola virus transformed Liberia into a bloody battleground. The epicenter of the disaster was the Logan Town clinic, where workers without gloves or running water tried by candlelight to try to save their first patient in the crisis. Now, less than a year later, the Logan Town Clinic and its employees—like the rest of Liberia—is equipped to handle Ebola and any similar disease epidemic.