Health, features and articles | Educational Science

Jun 30, 2014

Risks of Flu Research Demand Openness From Labs

This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. The danger of reporting findings before peer review is that scientists often can’t talk about the details of their research, which can lead to hype or fear in the...

Jun 30, 2014

Acetaminophen Doesn't Reduce Lower-Back Pain, Study Suggests

Acetaminophen, the drug found in Tylenol, works no better than a dummy pill at reducing lower-back pain in some people, nor does it help these patients get better any faster, a new study finds. The study involved more than 1,600 people in Australia who experienced sudden (acute) lower-back pain, and...

Jun 30, 2014

Erectile Dysfunction in Military Males Is Triple the Norm

Men age 40 and younger who are enlisted in the U.S. military are three times more likely to have erectile dysfunction (ED) than civilian men of similar age, but few military men report receiving treatment, according to a new study. The study, one of the first assessments of sexual-functioning problems...

Jun 30, 2014

Should You Trust Health Apps on Your Phone?

Personal health is becoming increasingly mobile, and there are now thousands of apps aiming to address everything from lifestyle issues to chronic diseases. But can you trust these apps, the same way you trust your prescribed drugs and medical devices? Medical devices are generally regulated by the U.S. Food and...

Jun 30, 2014

Stopping Deadly Ebola Outbreak Will Be a 'Marathon,' CDC Says

The deadly Ebola outbreak in West Africa is not showing any signs of slowing down, prompting U.S. health officials to issue more warnings for their staff in the region, encourage U.S. doctors to collect information about sick patients' travel histories and take more actions in the affected countries to bring...

May 31, 2014

Most Oral HPV Infections Are in Men

CHICAGO — The majority of people who have infections of human papillomaviruses (HPVs) in their mouths are men, a new study suggests. The researchers looked at more than 9,000 U.S. men and women who tested positive for an oral HPV infection, and found that 78 percent of them were men....

May 31, 2014

Centenarians: Study Reveals What They Die of, and Where

Centenarians, people 100 years or older, are more likely to die of pneumonia or as a result of frail health than from cancer or heart disease, compared with younger elderly adults, according to the results of a new study. The study also revealed that people who reach their 100th birthday...

May 31, 2014

How Marijuana Affects Health

Many people think that smoking pot is harmless, but there's good evidence that the drug has at least some negative effects on health, a new review says. Some people who smoke marijuana can become addicted, and use of the drug in the teen years has been linked with abnormalities in...

May 31, 2014

Ambitious Brain-Mapping Project's Science Goals Revealed

In April 2013, President Obama launched an initiative to develop new technologies to create a picture of the brain in action. Today, a group of scientists released a roadmap highlighting the specific goals for the project over the next five to 10 years. The priorities of the BRAIN Initiative (short...

May 31, 2014

New Exercise Perk: Healthier Gut Bacteria

Exercise is good for the heart, lungs and mind, and now we can add gut bacteria to the list, a new study from Ireland suggests. Researchers looked at professional rugby players and found that these elite athletes had a more diverse collection of bacteria in their digestive systems than other...

May 31, 2014

Gay Men Who Use Hook-Up Apps Have Higher STD Risk

Gay men who hook up by using smartphone apps may be at higher risk for some sexually transmitted infections than men who find sexual partners through online dating, or in bars and clubs, a new study suggests. In the study, which involved gay and bisexual men, those who used smartphone...

May 31, 2014

5 Ways Fatherhood Changes a Man's Brain

Fatherhood can change a man's life. It also changes his brain, in ways that it seems to equip dads with the very same baby sense that's often attributed to moms. From an animal kingdom perspective, human dads are unusual. They belong to a group of less than 6 percent of...

May 31, 2014

Pregnant Women May Lack Info on Household Toxins

Pregnant women could be missing out on information about how environmental toxins may affect their unborn babies, new research suggests. A nationwide survey of U.S. obstetricians found that few discussed toxins with their patients in depth, although many considered counseling their patients about environmental health hazards to be important. OB/GYN's...

May 31, 2014

Why Eating Fruits and Veggies Won't Make You Thin

Eating more fruits and vegetables is a generally a good idea, but this alone isn't likely to help you lose weight, a new review of studies suggests. Researchers analyzed previous research on weight loss and increased fruit and vegetable intake, which included data on more than 1,200 people. The investigators...

May 31, 2014

Lose Weight and Boost Nutrition with This Common Grain

How often do you eat rice? It could be time to add some more of this grain to your diet. People who eat white or brown rice daily are more likely to have adequate levels of potassium, magnesium and other nutrients, according to a recent study in the journal Food...