Health & Medicine

  1. Health & Medicine

    Viral Survivor

    Epstein-Barr virus, the cause of diseases ranging from mononucleosis to several kinds of cancer, has begun to reveal how it enters human cells and protects itself from the immune system.

    By John Travis
  2. Health & Medicine

    For Failing Hearts: Gene therapy stops decline in animals

    Tests in hamsters have raised hopes for creating a gene therapy to stop the common downward spiral of chronic heart failure.

    By Susan Milius
  3. Health & Medicine

    Heart damage tied to immune reaction

    Researchers in Brazil have identified immune proteins that flood the heart tissues of many people with Chagas disease, suggesting a cause of this deadly complication of the parasitic tropical disease.

    By Nathan Seppa
  4. Health & Medicine

    Gene might contribute to asthma risk

    Variations in a gene called ADAM33 may predispose a person to asthma.

    By Nathan Seppa
  5. Health & Medicine

    Hormone therapy falls out of favor

    Several studies now indicate that health risks associated with hormone replacement therapy for postmenopausal women outweigh its benefits.

    By Nathan Seppa
  6. Health & Medicine

    Sleepy Heads: Low fuel may drive brain’s need to sleep

    A new study supports the hypothesis that dwindling energy stores in the waking brain induce sleep.

    By Kristin Cobb
  7. Health & Medicine

    Mixed Blessing: Unusual gene helps heart, hurts immunity

    People carrying a variant of a gene that encodes an immune protein called toll-like receptor 4 have a weaker defense against infections but appear to be less prone to heart disease.

    By Nathan Seppa
  8. Health & Medicine

    More than Skin Deep? Beauty products may damage fetal development

    A new report shows that many cosmetics contain phthalates—a class of chemicals known to cause developmental deformities in animals.

    By John Pickrell
  9. Health & Medicine

    Disabled Defense: HIV protein counters immune-cell gene

    Immune cells contain a protein that can inhibit HIV replication if the AIDS virus lacks a key protein.

    By John Travis
  10. Health & Medicine

    Gender differences in weight loss

    Men and women gain weight differently and may lose it differently, too.

    By Damaris Christensen
  11. Health & Medicine

    Antioxidants for greyhounds? Not a good bet

    Antioxidant vitamins that greyhound racers have been giving their animals to boost performance actually slow down the dogs.

    By Janet Raloff
  12. Health & Medicine

    Study fails to link vasectomy to cancer

    Researchers have found that men with prostate cancer are no more likely to have had a vasectomy than healthy men are.

    By Nathan Seppa