Health News - UPI.com

Listeria causes illness at much lower dose

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:57:58 -0500

ATHENS, Ga., Nov. 13 (UPI) -- Pregnant women may get ill from Listeria at lower doses than previously thought, U.S. researchers found.

Drug companies to fight neglected diseases

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:42:39 -0500

WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 (UPI) -- Officials at U.S. drug companies and non-profit organizations say they plan to develop new drugs for "neglected" diseases.

Unhappy at school ups teen pregnancy risk

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:40:35 -0500

LONDON, Nov. 13 (UPI) -- Teens who grow up unhappy, poor, do not enjoy school and are despondent about their future are at increased risk of pregnancy, British researchers said.

Anti-psychotics overused for dementia

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:18:40 -0500

LONDON, Nov. 13 (UPI) -- Anti-psychotic drugs contribute to the deaths of hundreds of dementia patients each year, a British study found.

CDC estimates 22M had H1N1, 3,900 died

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:10:02 -0500

ATLANTA, Nov. 12 (UPI) -- An estimated 22 million people in the United States have become ill from H1N1 influenza and some 3,900 people have died, health officials said Thursday.

Using stability ball at work beneficial

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:49:10 -0500

BLOOMINGTON, Ind., Nov. 12 (UPI) -- Using a stability ball as an office chair has multiple benefits for workers, U.S. researchers suggest.

Love and jealousy linked by hormone

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:46:37 -0500

HAIFA, Israel, Nov. 12 (UPI) -- The oxytocin hormone, known as the "love hormone," also affects antisocial behaviors, such as envy and gloating, Israeli researchers found.

Bipolar kids may have body clock problem

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:35:14 -0500

INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 12 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers link malfunctioning circadian clock genes to bipolar disorder in children.

Amyloid beta protein levels affect memory

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:14:03 -0500

ST. LOUIS, Nov. 12 (UPI) -- Too much amyloid beta protein is linked to Alzheimer's disease, but not enough in healthy brains can cause learning problems, U.S. scientists found.

Eye response may reveal autism

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:40:44 -0500

COLUMBIA, Mo., Nov. 12 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers say measuring eye response to light could help diagnose autism earlier.

CDC: Highest rate of smoking in W. Va.

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:17:36 -0500

ATLANTA, Nov. 12 (UPI) -- The smoking rate of U.S. adults remained virtually unchanged from 2007 to 2008 at 19.8 percent and 20.6 percent, respectively, health officials said.

Changing doctor pay best bet to curb costs

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:59:10 -0500

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Nov. 12 (UPI) -- The most-promising option for curbing healthcare costs is changing the way doctors and hospitals are paid, an analysis by a U.S. non-profit group found.

Mexico: Highest H1N1 deaths in elderly

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:23:35 -0500

MEXICO CITY, Nov. 12 (UPI) -- This spring when H1N1 flu first surfaced in Mexico younger people were hit the hardest, however, the elderly had a higher risk of dying, researchers said.

Dark chocolate eases emotional stress

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:13:10 -0500

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, Nov. 12 (UPI) -- Swiss scientists say people who are stressed and reach for dark chocolate -- the "chocolate cure" -- do seem to experience less emotional stress.

Legislation to guarantee paid sick days

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:24:05 -0500

WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 (UPI) -- Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., says he is preparing emergency legislation to guarantee paid sick days for those infected by the H1N1 virus.

Norovirus detectable in groundwater

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:43:46 -0500

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 12 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers found norovirus -- stomach flu -- RNA detectable in groundwater for more than 18 months.

Girl can't stop sneezing

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:48:31 -0500

CHESAPEAKE, Va., Nov. 11 (UPI) -- A 12-year-old Chesapeake, Va., girl who sneezes as much as 16 times per minute may have a rare condition known as machine-gun sneezing, an allergist said.

BPA may increase male sexual dysfunction

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:11:22 -0500

OAKLAND, Calif., Nov. 11 (UPI) -- Workplace exposure to the chemical Bisphenol-A, used in food packaging and plastics, may jack up the risk of male sexual dysfunction, U.S. researchers found.

H1N1 in large cities more of a challenge

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:48:13 -0500

ATLANTA, Nov. 11 (UPI) -- H1N1 flu in Mexico City and New York may have helped health experts understand the challenges posed by disease response in large cities, researchers say.

Movie subtitles improve foreign speech

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:35:12 -0500

NIJMEGEN, Netherlands, Nov. 11 (UPI) -- People who want to improve their second-language listening should watch a movie with subtitles in the same language the characters speak, Dutch researcher say.

Intellectually disabled need health ed

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:06:15 -0500

BLOOMINGTON, Ind., Nov. 11 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers say adults with intellectual disabilities -- mental retardation -- need health education.

Post breast cancer treatment pain common

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:20:50 -0500

COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Nov. 11 (UPI) -- Almost 50 percent of women with breast cancer reported pain two to three years after treatment, researchers in Denmark said.

Work site wellness may reduce absenteeism

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:32:50 -0500

ATLANTA, Nov. 11 (UPI) -- Employees participating in a large-scale, work-site wellness program had reduced absenteeism, U.S. researchers found.

Lack of education may increase H1N1 risk

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:05:40 -0500

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Nov. 11 (UPI) -- People without a high school diploma may be more likely to get H1N1 flu and the vaccine might be less effective in them, U.S. researchers suggest.

Physical education helps curb teen obesity

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:15:48 -0500

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 11 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers say regular physical education helps curb obesity in teens from low-income homes.