Nathan Seppa

Biomedical Writer (retired September 2015)

All Stories by Nathan Seppa

  1. Life

    Tracking the viral link to lymphoma

    A mutation in an anticancer gene in the Epstein-Barr virus may account for some of its malignant effect, research shows.

  2. Health & Medicine

    A dash of marrow helps kidney transplant

    A new approach enables researchers to wean some patients who receive poorly matched kidneys off immune-suppressing drugs

  3. Health & Medicine

    Antibiotic fails sinus infection test

    Treatment with amoxicillin provided little benefit over placebo, a new study finds.

  4. Health & Medicine

    Tai chi helps Parkinson’s patients balance

    The controlled movement of the Chinese martial art can improve patients' coordination and limit falls, a study finds.

  5. Chemistry

    Muscle massage may speed healing

    Rubbing sore, overworked areas trips anti-inflammatory switches in the tissue that might speed healing and ease pain.

  6. Health & Medicine

    Social friction tied to inflammation

    Negative interactions with others or stressful competition for another’s attention seem to have risky biological effects on an individual.

  7. Health & Medicine

    Proteins may warn of diabetic kidney disease risk

    Patients who have high levels of compounds called TNF receptors in their blood have a heightened risk of developing renal failure, two studies suggest.

  8. Health & Medicine

    Light pot smoking easy on lungs

    Infrequent marijuana users show a slight improvement in breathing capacity and middling smokers had no change, a 20-year study shows.

  9. Health & Medicine

    Gene therapy helps counter hemophilia B

    Treatment enables cells to produce a key blood-clotting compound, allowing some patients to quit medication.

  10. Health & Medicine

    Bedbugs not averse to inbreeding

    The pests have also developed ways to resist common insecticides, research shows.

  11. Health & Medicine

    Scooters save lives of snakebite victims

    Nepal project achieves dramatic drop in deaths by using motorbike helpers to rush the stricken to hospital.

  12. Health & Medicine

    Immune booster also works in reverse

    Injections of the protein interleukin-2 can calm runaway defenses that damage tissues in the body, two studies show.