UPDATE 2-Australia flies in aircraft to break up oil slick

SYDNEY, Aug 22 (Reuters) - Australia mobilised aircraft on Saturday to try to break up an oil slick off its northwestern coast as it struggled to stop a well gushing oil into the sea.
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 22 Aug 2009 | 2:26 am

WHO: Save Tamiflu for the young, old and pregnant (AP)

FILE -- This Wednesday, March 15, 2006 file photo shows the antiviral drug Tamiflu. The World Health Organization says healthy people who catch swine flu don't need antiviral drugs like Tamiflu. In new advice issued to health officials on Friday, Aug. 21, 2009, the U.N. agency said doctors don't need to give Tamiflu to healthy people who have mild to moderate cases of swine flu. WHO said the drug should definitely be used to treat people in risk groups who get the virus. That includes children less than five years old, pregnant women, people over age 65 and those with other health problems like heart disease, HIV or diabetes. The new advice contradicts government policies such as those in Britain, which has been giving out Tamiflu to all people suspected of having swine flu. (AP Photo/Michael Probst/file)AP - The World Health Organization said Friday that Tamiflu should only be given to particularly vulnerable people — a warning to countries like Britain where the swine flu drug is being handed out freely.



Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 22 Aug 2009 | 1:37 am

CORRECTED - CORRECTED-Fortis to buy Wockhard's hospitals for $206 mln-report

NEW DELHI, Aug 22 (Reuters) - Hospital chain Fortis Healthcare Ltd will pay around 10 billion rupees ($205.7 million) to buy 10 hospitals from unlisted Wockhardt Hospitals, the Economic Times newspaper...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 22 Aug 2009 | 1:36 am

Researchers Inhibit Cancer Proteins

A research team led by U of T Mississauga scientists has developed a new way to split up a dangerous pair of cancer proteins, a finding that could ultimately lead to chemotherapy that is more effective and has fewer side effects.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 22 Aug 2009 | 1:00 am

Unlocking The Secret Of The Bladder's Bouncers

Researchers at Duke University Medical Center may have a new way to stop and even prevent the urinary tract infections (UTIs) that plague more than a third of all adults, some of them repeatedly. The researchers have discovered how cells within the bladder are able to sense the presence of E. coli bacteria hiding within compartments in the bladder's own cells.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 22 Aug 2009 | 1:00 am

Keeping Toddlers From Developing Negative Age Stereotypes By Visiting Nana

It's easy to list the negative stereotypes attributed to the elderly: they are considered forgetful, hard-of-hearing, absent-minded and confused. What's unsettling is that those stereotypes can be present in children as young as two or three.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 22 Aug 2009 | 1:00 am

Neural Networks Mapped In Dementia Patients

Different types of dementia show dissimilar changes in brain activity. A network mapping technique described in the open access journal BMC Neuroscience has been applied to EEG data obtained from patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD, a less common type of dementia with more prominent behavioral symptoms).
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 22 Aug 2009 | 1:00 am

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome May Be Relieved By Acupuncture

Polycystic ovary syndrome, a common condition among women, can be relieved by the use of acupuncture and exercise. This has been shown by a recent study at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden. Nearly 10% of women of reproductive age have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 22 Aug 2009 | 1:00 am

UCLA Scientist Ask 'Why Sleep?' Analysis Shows Snoozing Is A Strategy To Increase Efficiency, Minimize Risk

Bats, birds, box turtles, humans and many other animals share at least one thing in common: They sleep. Humans, in fact, spend roughly one-third of their lives asleep, but sleep researchers still don't know why. According to the journal Science, the function of sleep is one of the 125 greatest unsolved mysteries in science.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 22 Aug 2009 | 1:00 am

Forget The Garlic Necklace! Learn More About Bats And Rabies From New Book

A new book demystifies bats and eliminates many myths surrounding rabies and other related infections. Bat Rabies and Other Lyssavirus Infections, combines current science about bat rabies with rich illustrations and personal stories from the field. The author, Denny G. Constantine, is widely considered one of the world's foremost authorities on rabies.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 22 Aug 2009 | 1:00 am

Wearable Kidney May Replace Dialysis Machine

Researchers are developing a Wearable Artificial Kidney for dialysis patients, reports an upcoming paper in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN).
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 22 Aug 2009 | 1:00 am

Increasing Awareness Of Off-Label Use Not Evidence Based

In a recent national survey, a substantial minority of physicians erroneously believed that certain off-label uses of prescription drugs were approved by the Food and Drug Administration. This mistaken belief could encourage them to prescribe these drugs, despite the lack of scientific evidence supporting such use. "Off-label prescribing is common, but researchers have not always known why.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 22 Aug 2009 | 1:00 am

What Are Carbohydrates? What Is Glucose?

There are four major classes of biomolecules - carbohydrates, proteins, nucleotides, and lipids. Carbohydrates, or saccharides, are the most abundant of the four. Carbohydrates have several roles in living organisms, including energy transportation, as well as being structural components of plants and arthropods.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 22 Aug 2009 | 1:00 am

Protecting the Fair’s Prize Pig From the Swine Flu

State fairs have set new rules about touching pigs, citing concerns that a more dangerous flu strain could develop.


Source: NYT > Health | 22 Aug 2009 | 12:05 am

Senate negotiators aim to cut costs in health bill (AP)

Mary Tulko of Lake worth, Fla. holds a sign in opposition to health care reform outside of the Florida Alliance for Retired Americans fifth annual town hall meeting on health care reform in Delray Beach, Thursday Aug. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)AP - Bipartisan health care negotiators are aiming to cut the costs of their bill after getting an earful from voters, a participant in the closed-door talks said Friday.



Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 22 Aug 2009 | 12:00 am

An Aide for the Disabled, a Companion, and Nice and Furry

No longer just guides to the blind, service dogs are now helping people with many disabilities, but a well-trained dog can be a heavy cost.


Source: NYT > Health | 21 Aug 2009 | 11:57 pm

No Side Effects So Far in Trial of Swine Flu Shot

Officials said Friday that nearly 200 million doses of the new swine flu vaccine could be produced by year’s end.


Source: NYT > Health | 21 Aug 2009 | 11:46 pm

Health Tip: Buying Back-to-School Shoes (HealthDay)

HealthDay - (HealthDay News) -- Back-to-school time means lots of preparation for parents, including the prospect of buying shoes for their children.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 21 Aug 2009 | 9:49 pm

Health Tip: What Are Risk Factors for Preterm Labor? (HealthDay)

HealthDay - (HealthDay News) -- A typical pregnancy lasts 40 weeks. If labor begins before 37 weeks, it's known as preterm labor.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 21 Aug 2009 | 9:49 pm

Clinical Trials Update: Aug. 21, 2009 (HealthDay)

HealthDay - (HealthDay News) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of ClinicalConnection.com:
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 21 Aug 2009 | 9:49 pm

Obesity Tied to Prostate Cancer Recurrence (HealthDay)

HealthDay - FRIDAY, Aug. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Obesity increases the risk of prostate cancer recurrence in both black and white men, says a U.S. study that challenges previous research suggesting obesity may be more significant for black men.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 21 Aug 2009 | 9:48 pm

Surgeon Tied to Bone Product Inquiry Resigns

A doctor accused of falsifying a study on a bone growth product leaves his teaching position.


Source: NYT > Health | 21 Aug 2009 | 8:30 pm

'Public option' becomes central to health debate (AP)

A protester holds a sign outside a building where a dialogue on the proposed healthcare reform for ticketed guests is being held in Dallas, Texas August 17, 2009. REUTERS/Jessica RinaldiAP - The idea of a government medical plan to compete with private insurance has become a litmus test in the health care debate. It could easily have been nothing more than a forgotten proposal gathering dust on some professor's bookshelf.



Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 21 Aug 2009 | 8:11 pm

Australian oil slick eight kilometres long-radio

SYDNEY, Aug 22 (Reuters) - An oil slick from a spill off Australia's northwestern coast has reached 8 km (5 miles) in length, national radio reported on Saturday, quoting a worker evacuated from the rig...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 21 Aug 2009 | 7:39 pm

First H1N1 Flu Vaccine Trials Underway

Trials to evaluate the safety of the H1N1 vaccine are underway. However, no concerns have been raised to date, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Medscape Medical News
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 21 Aug 2009 | 7:06 pm

Deep divisions

Democratic Party rifts threaten US healthcare reform
Source: BBC News | Health | World Edition | 21 Aug 2009 | 6:04 pm

UPDATE 2-Guaranty Bank shuttered, assets sold to BBVA

WASHINGTON, Aug 21 (Reuters) - U.S. regulators on Friday closed Texas lender Guaranty Bank and sold its assets to Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria , allowing Spain's second-largest bank to expand its reach...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 21 Aug 2009 | 5:57 pm

UPDATE 3-Dow Jones exploring sale of indexes business-WSJ

* Talks could lead to sale or joint venture (Adds background)
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 21 Aug 2009 | 5:56 pm

Uphill struggle

Iraqi Kurd recalls battles to train as doctor in UK
Source: BBC News | Health | World Edition | 21 Aug 2009 | 5:09 pm

UPDATE 2-Apple says Google Voice app alters iPhone

* AT&T says was not asked by Apple about Google Voice
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 21 Aug 2009 | 5:01 pm

UPDATE 4-GM declines to name Opel winner, new talks loom

* Board wants details from Germany on Opel funding plan
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 21 Aug 2009 | 4:41 pm

UPDATE 2-Ricketts family finalizes deal to buy Cubs

* Deal needs OK of Major League Baseball, bankruptcy court (Adds details, background, Tribune chairman quote)
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 21 Aug 2009 | 4:30 pm

UPDATE 2-Ricketts family finalizes deal to buy Cubs

* Deal needs OK of Major League Baseball, bankruptcy court (Adds details, background, Tribune chairman quote)
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 21 Aug 2009 | 4:30 pm

Ex-Lehman CEO Fuld sells New York co-op for $26 mln

NEW YORK, Aug 21 (Reuters) - Here's a rare spot of good news for former Lehman Brothers Chief Executive Richard Fuld: the vilified Wall Streeter and his wife, Kathleen, sold their Park Avenue apartment...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 21 Aug 2009 | 4:17 pm

In Brazil, you've got mail — and possibly an STD (AP)

AP - You've got mail — and possibly an STD. The Brazilian Health Ministry has created a Web site to let people inform partners they've got a sexually transmitted disease via an e-mailed virtual postcard.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 21 Aug 2009 | 3:56 pm

Where Elderly Back Obama, Health Bill Anxiety

Some in Florida fear that health care reform would reduce the Medicare benefits they depend on.


Source: NYT > Health | 21 Aug 2009 | 3:56 pm

Study: Some types of candles may pollute indoor air

A soak in a steamy tub, surrounded by candles sure seems like a great way to unwind. But new research suggests that burning certain kinds of candles may generate indoor air pollutants.

Source: CNN.com - Health | 21 Aug 2009 | 2:25 pm

Schools fight families over autism service dogs (AP)

Nichelle Drew, center, leaves Villa Grove Elementary School in Villa Grove, Ill., with her son Kaleb,6, and his autism service dog, Chewey, after attending a half day of school on Friday, Aug. 21, 2009. Like seeing-eye dogs for the blind, trained dogs are now being used to help autistic children deal with their disabilities. But some schools want to keep the animals out, and families are fighting back. (AP Photo/Robin Scholz)AP - Like seeing-eye dogs for the blind, trained dogs are now being used to help autistic children deal with their disabilities. But some schools want to keep the animals out, and families are fighting back.



Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 21 Aug 2009 | 1:51 pm

Genetic Variant Predicts Success of Treatment in Chronic Hepatitis C

A favorable genotype predicting the success of treatment in chronic hepatitis C was more common in white populations than in black patients and was associated with improved responses to drug therapy.
Medscape Medical News
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 21 Aug 2009 | 1:45 pm

Human Lifespans Nearly Constant for 2,000 Years

Maximum human lifespan, often confused with life expectancy, has remained more or less the same.
Source: Livescience.com - Health | 21 Aug 2009 | 1:26 pm

No red flags yet in swine flu vaccine tests (AP)

FILE-- In this file photo taken on May 11, 2009, Chinese security guards wearing protective masks as a precaution against swine flu cordon the entrance of a hotel designated as a quarantine facility for those who have been in contact with swine flu cases in Beijing, China. The World Health Organization's flu chief Saturday, Aug. 22, 2009, urged drug makers to donate vaccines to poorer countries who are more vulnerable in the fight against the global swine flu pandemic.(AP Photo/ Elizabeth Dalziel, File)AP - No "red flags" have been reported so far in tests of the new swine flu vaccine, U.S. health officials said Friday.



Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 21 Aug 2009 | 1:08 pm

Divided Democrats put Obama in health care bind

As President Obama struggles to regain control of the health care debate, he's finding himself caught in a game of tug of war with members of his own party.

Source: CNN.com - Health | 21 Aug 2009 | 12:20 pm

Global Similarities in Risk Factors for Beta-Lactam Resistant Organisms

Risk factors for community-acquired infection with beta-lactam resistant Enterobacteriaceae are similar in North America, Europe and Asia, according to a study by a multinational team.
Reuters Health Information
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 21 Aug 2009 | 10:43 am

High BMI Strongly Tied to Uterine Cancer

Body mass index (BMI) is associated with uterine cancer, particularly in very obese women, Norwegian researchers report in the August issue of the British Journal of Cancer.
Reuters Health Information
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 21 Aug 2009 | 10:43 am

Cardiac Resynchronization Improves Mitral Valve Regurgitation

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) improves functional mitral valve regurgitation by improving left ventricular function and reversing left ventricular remodeling, researchers from Spain have found.
Reuters Health Information
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 21 Aug 2009 | 10:43 am

Abnormal Sex Hormone Levels Increase Fracture Risk in Aging Men

Results of a new study confirm other reports that low estradiol, low testosterone and high sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) levels are associated with increased fracture risk in older men.
Reuters Health Information
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 21 Aug 2009 | 10:43 am

Losartan Lowers Diabetes Risk in Patients With Hypertension and HCV

Treatment with losartan reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes in hypertensive Japanese patients with chronic hepatitis C, according to researchers.
Reuters Health Information
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 21 Aug 2009 | 10:43 am

Technology Brings "Wearable Artificial Kidney" Closer to Reality

A new wearable artificial kidney (WAK) should soon be ready for clinical trials. Technical breakthroughs have allowed construction of an 8-pound prototype that continuously dialyzes patients' blood.
Reuters Health Information
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 21 Aug 2009 | 10:43 am

Screening Colonoscopies Urged for HIV-Infected Patients

HIV-infected individuals should be offered screening colonoscopy in light of their higher prevalence of colonic neoplasms, according to a report in the August Gut.
Reuters Health Information
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 21 Aug 2009 | 10:43 am

More Cardiac Catheterizations for Patients Who Need Them Least

Patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes who probably have the least severe coronary artery disease are most likely to undergo cardiac catheterization, according to a paper in the American Heart Journal for August.
Reuters Health Information
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 21 Aug 2009 | 10:43 am

WHO official predicts H1N1 'explosion'

The world will soon see an "explosion" of swine flu cases as the H1N1 virus spreads rapidly around the world, a top World Health Organization official said Friday.

Source: CNN.com - Health | 21 Aug 2009 | 10:14 am

Commentary: Obama team flip-flops are showing

In order to diagnose what ails President Obama's push for health care reform, we need less heated rhetoric and more "Cool Hand Luke."

Source: CNN.com - Health | 21 Aug 2009 | 8:35 am

Sex checks

How do you tell if someone is a man or a woman?
Source: BBC News | Health | World Edition | 21 Aug 2009 | 6:13 am

Police pioneering new photo lineup approach

August 21, 2009 DALLAS - Frustrated with a string of wrongful convictions, the Dallas police department is now the nation's largest force to use sequential blind photo lineups - a widely praised technique designed to reduce mistakes made by witnesses trying to identify suspects.
Source: PsycPORT.com | 21 Aug 2009 | 5:36 am

Binocular rivalry may also exist in the nose

August 21, 2009 Aug. 21--When it comes to human nostrils, never the twain shall meet.
Source: PsycPORT.com | 21 Aug 2009 | 5:36 am