All In The Family: Arranged Marriages And Genetic Diversity

Medicine & Technology May 14, 2015

A Massey University research team has discovered some interesting new truths about the ways arranged marriages affect genetic diversity and the ways that humans follow even important cultural rules selectively-and they may surprise you. The results show that the isolated Indonesian Rindi tribe produces genetic diversity similar to random mating by loosely complying with their rules which mandate arranged, inbred marriages.

Weak Handshake Could Mean Your Health Is In Peril

May 14, 2015

Do you have a weak grip when grasping items with your hands or is your handshake weak compared to others? If so, it could mean your health is in danger, according to a new study.

A New Form of College Rivalry: Genetic Engineering Patents

May 14, 2015

College rivalries are nothing new. Some even reach legendary proportions. USC vs. Notre Dame, Alabama vs. Auburn, Army vs. Navy. They make for great football. Not so much when it comes to technological rights, as we're discovering in the ongoing battle between UC Berkeley and MIT, as they wrestle over the patent for a machine that just might revolutionize genetic engineering.

Smokers Have More Success Quitting If They Bet On Themselves

May 14, 2015

Are you having trouble kicking the habit for good? If so, you may want to consider betting money on yourself. In a new study, researchers have found that smokers who wager money on themselves to quit smoking have better odds of finally quitting smoking.

Some Smokers’ Brains Hardwired for Quitting Success

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

China Hikes Cigarette Tax in Hopes of Curbing Consumption

May 09, 2015

If you're a smoker in China, you'll be paying about a penny more per puff, now that the Chinese government has decided to hike taxes on cigarettes. In an effort to curb the public's avid consumption, while at the same time raise tax revenue, the government announced Friday they will be increasing taxes on cigarettes from 5% to 11%, beginning May 10.

San Francisco Bans Chewing Tobacco From Ballparks

May 09, 2015

San Francisco has become the first city in the nation to ban chewing tobacco from its playing fields, including the home to the San Francisco Giants, AT&T Park.