Health & WellnessS


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Mishandling of germs on rise at US labs

American laboratories handling the world's deadliest germs and toxins have experienced more than 100 accidents and missing shipments since 2003, and the number is increasing as more labs do the work.

No one died, and regulators said the public was never at risk during these incidents. But the documented cases reflect poorly on procedures and oversight at high-security labs, some of which work with organisms and poisons that can cause illnesses with no cure. In some cases, labs have failed to report accidents as required by law.

Coffee

Poorer sleep, worse physical function

Lack of sleep is associated with poorer physical function in older women during daytime hours, a University of Pittsburgh study found.

Suzanne E. Goldman, of the University of Pittsburgh, studied 2,889 women who participated in the 2002-2004 examination of the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures.

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Test for natural food toxins

U.S. and European space research has yielded a test for biogenic amines that may help consumers avoid food-caused sudden headaches and worse.

The new technology to detect the naturally occurring food toxins was tested in a study published in Analytical Chemistry.

Wine

Grape juice as good for heart as wine

Researchers in France found Concord grape juice stimulated an arterial relaxation effect in a similar fashion to red wine.

In fact, Dr. Valerie Schini-Kerth and a team of researchers of the Universite Louis Pasteur de Strasbourg, France, found the beneficial effect provided by Concord grape juice lasted up to six hours, something not reported with red wine.

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Obesity may push U.S. health costs above Europe: study

Nearly twice as many U.S. adults are obese compared to European, a key factor leading Americans to suffer more often from cancer, diabetes and other chronic ailments, a study released on Tuesday found.

Treatment of these and other chronic diseases adds between $100 billion and $150 billion to the annual health care tab in the United States, according to the report comparing U.S. and European health published online in the journal Health Affairs.

Attention

Jewish "intactivists" in U.S. stop circumcising

In most respects, Michelle Chernikoff Anderson is a rabbi's dream congregant. She sings in the choir and takes classes at her synagogue.

But, like an increasing number of Jews in the United States, she has decided not to circumcise her son, rejecting the traditional notion that it is a Biblically prescribed sign of the Jewish relationship with God.

Health

Chocolate 'aids fatigue syndrome'

A daily dose of specially-formulated dark chocolate may help cut chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms.

Question

Ex-health officials acquitted in Canada HIV scandal

OTTAWA - A judge on Monday acquitted four doctors and a US pharmaceutical company who were accused of negligence in the distribution of blood contaminated with HIV in Canada's worst health scandal.

It was the first criminal trial in the case, in which more than 20,000 people contracted human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C in the 1980s and 1990s. At least 3,000 people died, including 800 from AIDS.

Syringe

Pain Free Injections Coming Soon

University researchers have shown that micro-needles are a safer and less painful way of delivering vaccines and other medicines than a conventional hypodermic syringe.

©Cardiff University
The scale of an array of micro-needles shown against a 1p piece.

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Tainted-Beef Recall Sparks Consumer Concerns



©unknown
Topps Meat. Co. is recalling some of its hamburgers after a cluster of illnesses in the Northeast caused by E. coli bacteria.