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EPA Unveils Plan to Cut Smog and Soot Fri, 11 Mar 2005 18:05:01 EST
The Environmental Protection Agency announces a plan the Bush administration says will create the biggest reduction in air pollution since the 1990 Clean Air Act. The new rule will require coal-fired power plants in 28 states to reduce some emissions by 60 percent over the next 10 years. |
Rimonabant Could be 'Miracle' Weight Loss Pill Thu, 10 Mar 2005 15:36:29 EST
NPR's Patricia Neighmond reports on a new "miracle pill" that helps obese people lose weight and keep it off. The drug, called Rimonabant, was developed by French pharmaceutical company Sanofi-Aventis, acts directly on fat cells to prevent weight gain, and also reduces appetite by blocking a "pleasure center" in the brain. |
Study: Laughter Is Really Good Medicine Thu, 10 Mar 2005 15:36:29 EST
NPR's Alex Chadwick speaks with NPR's Ira Flatow about a new study that indicates laughter really is good medicine. |
Tales of a Medical Renegade: 'The Lobotomist' Thu, 10 Mar 2005 16:00:43 EST
Journalist Jack El-Hai is the author of The Lobotomist: A Maverick Medical Genius and His Tragic Quest to Rid the World of Mental Illness. El-Hai is the executive vice president of the American Society of Journalists and Authors and a winner of the June Roth Memorial Award for Medical Journalism. |
AIDS and Personal Responsibility Thu, 10 Mar 2005 17:57:22 EST
A proposal that anyone who knowingly infects someone with HIV should be required to pay for that person's medical needs has renewed debate over personal responsibility and health. At issue are concerns over demonizing victims, accountability and self-policing. |
Limits on Star Size Fri, 11 Mar 2005 11:31:19 EST
Astronomers don't know how big the biggest star in the universe is, but one astronomer says he has a rough idea. The largest gaseous ball may be about 130 times more massive than our sun. The argument has been put forth in this week's journal Nature, which also argues that there's an upper limit to the size of stars. |
Templeton Prize Winner Blends Science and Religion Thu, 10 Mar 2005 16:00:23 EST
Physicist Charles Townes talks about his efforts to blend science and religion. Townes, a Nobel Laureate, on Wednesday won the Templeton Prize for his work in the field of religion. |
Head Blow Did Not Kill King Tut, CT Scan Suggests Thu, 10 Mar 2005 12:40:12 EST
Scientists who've been studying the 3,300-year-old mummy of King Tutankhamen say computerized scans contradict the long-held theory that a blow to the head killed the boy pharaoh. |
Canada Looks to Restrict Drug Sales to U.S. Wed, 09 Mar 2005 21:46:57 EST
Canada's health minister is considering making it almost impossible for Canadian pharmacies to sell drugs to Americans, in an effort to ensure Canada's cheaper drug prices are available to Canadians. |
Journal Focuses on Black-White Mortality Gap Thu, 10 Mar 2005 11:27:54 EST
In an issue of the journal Health Affairs that is devoted to racial disparities in health care, former U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher calls for greater equality in health care to close the gaps between blacks and whites in death rates and life expectancy. |
'Chickenpox Parties' for Parents Wary of Inoculations Wed, 09 Mar 2005 14:32:37 EST
Oregon is experiencing a growing phenomenon of "chickenpox parties" -- events where parents wary of getting their kids inoculated against chickenpox knowingly expose them to infected children to build immunity. |
Beached Dolphins May Be Related to Sonar Use Thu, 10 Mar 2005 12:40:12 EST
Eighty sharp-toothed dolphins beach themselves on Florida's Key Largo. More than 30 have died. Investigators are looking into the possibility that the beaching was a result of the Navy's use of sonar, which some marine biologists believe causes underwater mammals to surface too quickly. |
Black Marine Biologist's Starring Role -- Underwater Wed, 09 Mar 2005 16:21:25 EST
Dijanna Figueroa is one of only a few African Americans working in the specialized field of marine biology. She tells Ed Gordon how she went from the laboratory to a starring role in director James Cameron's underwater film Aliens of the Deep. |
Mercury Contamination Plagues D.C. Schools Wed, 09 Mar 2005 09:45:25 EST
A team from the Environmental Protection Agency undertakes the difficult task of cleaning up spilled mercury at Cardozo High School in Washington, D.C. No one in the school was contaminated, but the building has been closed on and off for more than a week while the cleanup proceeds. |
Eat to Live: African-Americans and Nutrition Tue, 08 Mar 2005 16:53:40 EST
African-Americans suffer from a high incidence of chronic diseases that can be traced, in part, to an unhealthy diet, including type II diabetes, heart disease, and several types of cancer. For a look at what some are doing to eat and live well, NPR's Ed Gordon is joined by Dr. Rovenia Brock, a nutritionist, entrepreneur, and author of Dr. Ro's Ten Secrets to Livin' Healthy, and Gloria Brown, chair of the African American Community Health Advisory Committee. |
Assisted Suicide: Personal or Legal Issue? Tue, 08 Mar 2005 18:55:00 EST
As he lay suffering with Alzheimer's, Bill Saunders decided to end his life; he turned to his wife for help. For them, deciding what to do was a personal decision. But the choices can have legal consequences. A manslaughter case in Connecticut raises new questions about assisted suicide. |
In Arm Wrestling, Teen Beats Robots Hands Down Fri, 11 Mar 2005 11:15:35 EST
A 17-year-old high school senior beats three different versions of artificial arms in an international robotic arm-wrestling competition. The match was a test of technology aimed at developing artificial muscles. |
Computerized Prescription Systems Introduce New Errors Wed, 09 Mar 2005 10:58:40 EST
Hospitals have been installing computerized prescription systems to help eliminate human error. But a study in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association finds these programs are actually causing new kinds of medical mistakes. |
Studies Find High Mercury Levels in the Wild Wed, 09 Mar 2005 09:45:25 EST
New research shows that fish, birds and mammals in New England have significant amounts of mercury in their bodies. The reports find the toxic metal in some unexpected places -- such as mountaintops, in rare birds that live there. The findings suggest that power plants in the Midwest are a major source of mercury for the Northeast. |
Study Find Aspirin Helps Prevent Strokes in Women Mon, 07 Mar 2005 19:59:11 EST
A new study being published online by the New England Journal of Medicine shows that low-dose aspirin protects women from strokes, but not necessarily heart attacks. However, the risks of aspirin for women under 65 raise questions about what is best for that group. |
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China Launches First Human Trials of AIDS Vaccine (Reuters) Sun, 13 Mar 2005 02:29:01 GMT
Reuters - China, criticized for a slow initial response to its AIDS/HIV crisis, has begun its first human trials of a new AIDS vaccine, Xinhua news agency said. |
Some 'Senior Moments' Are Signs of Epilepsy (Reuters) Fri, 11 Mar 2005 17:37:04 GMT
Reuters - Memory blanks, losing train of thought, temporary confusion -- all are often chalked up to "senioritis" once people reach a certain age. But these symptoms can also be a warning sign of the seizure disorder epilepsy, experts said Friday. |
Canada 'Nowhere Near' Internet Pharmacy Clampdown (Reuters) Fri, 11 Mar 2005 22:18:59 GMT
Reuters - Canada said on Friday it was "nowhere near" deciding how to clamp down on Internet pharmacies that send cheap medicine to the United States, often without Canadian doctors having seen the patients. |
Won't Ban Junk-Food Ads for Kids, Official Says (Reuters) Fri, 11 Mar 2005 21:37:01 GMT
Reuters - The U.S. government will not ban or limit junk-food advertising to children, but wants the industry to set new guidelines to promote healthy eating and minimize obesity, a top regulator said on Friday. |
Second Nurse Suspected to Have Bird Flu in Vietnam (Reuters) Sat, 12 Mar 2005 12:51:46 GMT
Reuters - A Vietnamese nurse who tended a bird flu patient with a colleague who has since tested positive for the deadly virus has been hospitalized after showing symptoms of the disease, health officials said on Saturday. |
Researcher Focuses on Obesity-Cancer Link (AP) Sat, 12 Mar 2005 02:18:12 GMT
AP - The path to good health is through the stomach, according to Reza Hakkak, a research investigator at Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Institute. |
Wrong Penicillin Given to 650 Patients (AP) Sat, 12 Mar 2005 02:00:32 GMT
AP - More than 650 people inadvertently received the wrong kind of penicillin after contracting syphilis or being in contact with someone who may have the disease, the Centers For Disease Control reported. |
Specialist Therapy Most Effective for Panic Disorder (HealthDay) Sat, 12 Mar 2005 04:47:51 GMT
HealthDay - FRIDAY, March 11 (HealthDay News) -- Individuals with panic disorders may benefit more from professional cognitive behavioral therapy plus medication than simply being given drugs and counseling by their primary care doctor, researchers report. |
Longer Living Pinches State Aid Programs (AP) Sun, 13 Mar 2005 04:32:43 GMT
AP - A number of states have helped families pay for rare conditions such as cystic fibrosis or heart defects — conditions that once were often fatal by adolescence. But the children are living longer on ever more expensive treatments, and states find they can no longer afford unlimited aid. |
New Drug Helps Parkinson's Patients (HealthDay) Sat, 12 Mar 2005 04:47:44 GMT
HealthDay - FRIDAY, March 11 (HealthDay News) -- Giving patients being treated with levodopa for late-stage Parkinson's disease a second drug called rasagiline can improve their physical performance, a multinational study finds. |
Report Links Second-Hand Smoke, Cancer (AP) Sat, 12 Mar 2005 02:00:20 GMT
AP - Scientists at an influential state agency have completed a draft report linking second-hand smoke to breast cancer, a finding that could lead air quality regulators to strengthen the state's indoor smoking laws. |
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Study: Vytorin Tops Lipitor in High-Risk Patients Tue, 08 Mar 2005 14:06:33 GMT
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A combination medicine by Merck & Co. and Schering-Plough Corp. was more effective in helping high-risk patients achieve stringent, new lower cholesterol goals than Pfizer Inc.'s top-selling Lipitor in a clinical trial. |
Newer Drugs May Cut Stroke, Heart Attack Risk Tue, 08 Mar 2005 13:47:32 GMT
ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - Patients with high blood pressure taking a mixture of newer drugs may cut their risk of stroke by 25 percent and dangerous heart complications by 15 percent compared with those on older pills, according to a large study released on Tuesday. |
Aspirin Therapy Affects Men, Women Differently Tue, 08 Mar 2005 05:01:33 GMT
BOSTON (Reuters) - Taking a baby aspirin may prevent heart attacks in men, but it does little to ward off a first heart attack in women aged 45 to 64, researchers reported on Monday. |
Laughter May Be Good for the Heart, Study Finds Mon, 07 Mar 2005 22:26:50 GMT
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A daily dose of laughter may be good for the heart because, like exercise, it makes blood vessels work more efficiently, U.S. researchers reported on Monday. |
Medicaid Fails to Check Drug Pricing -Report Mon, 07 Mar 2005 23:40:33 GMT
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Medicaid officials failed to properly check the prices drug companies charge the health insurance program for the poor and disabled, according to a government report released on Monday. |
Study: Thalidomide Helps Pancreas Cancer Patients Tue, 08 Mar 2005 01:24:25 GMT
LONDON (Reuters) - The controversial drug thalidomide slows weight loss in patients suffering from advanced pancreatic cancer, doctors said Tuesday. |
Heavy Drinking More Common on Campus Than Off -Study Mon, 07 Mar 2005 21:02:30 GMT
CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. college students drink more alcohol and are more likely to binge drink than young adults who are not in college, but the nonstudents are more likely to be dependent on alcohol, a study said Monday. |
Baking Soda Helps Kids During Severe Asthma Attack Tue, 08 Mar 2005 01:26:40 GMT
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - An intravenous infusion of a solution of sodium bicarbonate -- better known as baking soda -- reduces respiratory distress and excessive acidity of body fluids in children with a life-threatening asthma flare-up, according to a report from the Netherlands. |
Asthma Returns in Children Who 'Outgrew' It -Study Mon, 07 Mar 2005 22:09:35 GMT
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A third of children who supposedly outgrew their asthma saw it come back by the time they reached their mid-20s, researchers reported on Monday. |
Being Heavy Ups Asthma Risk for Women But Not Men Tue, 08 Mar 2005 01:27:27 GMT
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A new report confirms that women who are overweight run an increased risk of developing asthma and allergy, but men don't. |
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Avoid mixing supplements, cancer treatment Fri, 11 Mar 2005 14:40:46 GMT
Surveys show that many cancer patients turn to herbal supplements hoping to decrease the side effects of treatment or boost the body's ability to defeat cancer. |
Why big sisters really may be smarter Fri, 11 Mar 2005 19:07:00 GMT
First born children in Norway get better education and as adults are more successful in the job market than younger siblings, a Norwegian-U.S. study showed. |
Kids big at puberty become obese adults Fri, 11 Mar 2005 16:22:26 GMT
Children and young teens who are not overweight but in the higher range of normal weight are much more likely than lean kids to become obese adults, researchers reported. |
‘Rat academy’ to open in New York City Fri, 11 Mar 2005 21:50:12 GMT
New York City has a new weapon in its never-ending battle against rats: a federally funded institute to teach the craft of rodent eradication. |
Soap and water best germ-fighters Fri, 11 Mar 2005 16:34:11 GMT
Mom was right. A new study by infection control specialists at University of North Carolina Hospitals confirms that the best way to get germs off your hands is with soap and water. |
Ant-bite victim's family gets $1.8 million Fri, 11 Mar 2005 18:54:46 GMT
The family of a bedridden nursing home patient who died after being bitten by hundreds of fire ants will get almost $2 million under a settlement with the home’s owner. |
Panel urges approval of new hepatitis drug Fri, 11 Mar 2005 23:12:26 GMT
A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee urged approval of a new drug for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B, the drug manufacturer said. |
MRI scans may have antidepressant effect Thu, 10 Mar 2005 23:25:09 GMT
High-speed magnetic resonance imaging scans produce effects in rats similar to the use of antidepressants, confirming observations made in human patients, U.S. researchers reported. |
Hang on, Snoopy! Pooch leads police on chase Fri, 11 Mar 2005 19:51:27 GMT
A mixed poodle who was caught running along the Major Deegan Expressway during Thursday night’s rush hour underwent X-rays to make sure he hadn’t suffered any serious injuries from his escapades, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said. |
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Kentucky to Increase 3-Cent Cigarette Tax Sun, 13 Mar 2005 00:00:00 EDT
Kentucky smokers, long accustomed to a barely noticeable cigarette tax, just learned that big tobacco is not as big here as it used to be. |
American Doctors Helped Identify Ukraine Leader's Poisoning Sun, 13 Mar 2005 00:00:00 EDT
A team of American doctors flew secretly to Vienna in mid-December to assist in the care of Viktor A. Yushchenko. |
Huge Billing Fraud Is Cited by Health Plans at California Clinics Sat, 12 Mar 2005 00:00:00 EDT
Insurers, working with the F.B.I., said they have broken up an elaborate scam in which doctors filed more than $1 billion of fraudulent insurance claims. |
3 Studies Link Variant Gene to Risk of Severe Vision Loss Fri, 11 Mar 2005 00:00:00 EDT
Scientists say they have identified a genetic variation that substantially raises the risk of age-related macular degeneration. |
Steroids Are Blamed in Suicide of Young Athlete Thu, 10 Mar 2005 00:00:00 EDT
Weeks after finding their 19-year-old son, Efrain, at home with a bullet in his head, Brenda and Frank Marrero learned that he had been surrounded by steroids. |
2nd Drug After Heart Attacks Can Help Patients, 2 Studies Find Thu, 10 Mar 2005 00:00:00 EDT
Adding Plavix to other anticlotting drugs typically given to heart attack patients saves lives and prevents second heart attacks, two studies have found. |
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Euthanasia rules proposed for ill babies Sun, 13 Mar 2005 08:00:06 EST
Babies born into what is certain to be a brief life of grievous suffering should have their lives ended by physicians under strict guidelines. |
New study of malaria finds many more cases Sun, 13 Mar 2005 08:00:06 EST
More than half a billion people, nearly double previous estimates, were affected by the deadliest form of malaria in 2002. |
Stars' mass may have upper limit Sun, 13 Mar 2005 08:00:06 EST
The universe is full of stars, but there appears to be few really fat ones. |
Officials scramble to halt spread of polio in Ethiopia Sun, 13 Mar 2005 08:00:06 EST
Ethiopia is one of Africa's most populous countries, with 68 million people, so the danger there is particularly great. |
Clues from animals on why babies cry Sun, 13 Mar 2005 08:00:06 EST
Exactly why evolution has produced all this fussing, squawking and tapping from babies is a question many biologists are trying to answer. |
Soothing the unsoothable: The colicky infant Sun, 13 Mar 2005 08:00:06 EST
Colic is inevitable; but you can try a new method that will stop crying by turning on a baby's internal "calming instinct." |
Laughter as good exercise Sun, 13 Mar 2005 08:00:06 EST
A new study demonstrates that laughing causes the tissue that forms the inner lining of blood vessels to expand and increase blood flow - exactly what aerobic exercise does. |
Vietnam confirms bird flu carriers Sun, 13 Mar 2005 08:00:06 EST
Two elderly relatives of people who have died of bird flu in Vietnam have tested positive for the deadly virus despite showing no symptoms. |
Studies give mixed reviews on Pfizer's 2 top-selling drugs Sun, 13 Mar 2005 08:00:06 EST
Lipitor is the world's top-selling drug, with $11 billion in sales last year, while Norvasc ranks third, with $4.5 billion in sales. |
No heart benefits found in women's aspirin use Sun, 13 Mar 2005 08:00:06 EST
Regular use of low-dose aspirin does not help prevent first heart attacks in women as it does in men, a 10-year study of healthy women has found. |
Atomic agency agrees to share data on tsunamis Sun, 13 Mar 2005 08:00:06 EST
A nuclear watchdog agency has agreed to share sensitive seismic data with NGOs to advance efforts to construct an early-warning system. |
An Iraqi way of life is back from the dead Sun, 13 Mar 2005 08:00:06 EST
A dike that Saddam Hussein's government erected had drained Iraq's marshland. Now scientists are trying to determine how this region can return to what was. |
Hans Bethe, 98; helped create atom bomb Sun, 13 Mar 2005 08:00:06 EST
The American scientist, who eventually cried out against the military excesses of the cold war, died late Sunday. |
Wild birds with a lot of personality Sun, 13 Mar 2005 08:00:06 EST
It has been only in the last decade or so that scientists have investigated whether animals have personalities. |
The next Einstein? Wait a century Sun, 13 Mar 2005 08:00:06 EST
There was, in short, no sign, other than the patience to build card houses 14 stories high, that little Albert Einstein would grow up to be "the new Copernicus". |
Blame the brain for hearing loss Sun, 13 Mar 2005 08:00:06 EST
Researchers from UCLA have found that as people age, their alcohol consumption goes down. |
Liberian gold rush threatens forest preserve Sun, 13 Mar 2005 08:00:06 EST
Two decades of civil war kept intact a treasure in Sapo National Park: one of the world's most diverse wildlife populations. |
