US Doctor Gave Boy, 4, Cannabis Cookies for Temper

A California doctor is fighting for his licence after he prescribed cannabis cookies to a four-year-old boy. Dr William Eidelman, a natural medicine physician, said small doses of marijuana would help control the child's temper tantrums. The doctor misdiagnosed the child with bipolar disorder and attention deficit disorder (ADD). A board of state regulators labelled him "grossly...

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Fitness Trackers 'Overestimate' Calorie Burning

Popular brands of fitness trackers can overestimate the number of calories burned while walking by more than 50%, tests have found. Researchers at Aberystwyth University found all products - ranging from £20 to £80 in price - were inaccurate during walking and running tests. Dr Rhys Thatcher said devices had an "inherent tendency" to over-measure. Fitbit said its product was...

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Video: Keeping Your Family Healthy During Flu Season

Flu season may not be here yet, but there are preventive measures you can take now. Always wash your hands with soap and water; cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands; eat well and get plenty of rest. And most important, before flu season even starts, get a flu shot. Remember, you can't get the flu from the flu shot. Watch this public service announcement to learn more. Brought...

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Differences in GP Access Across England 'Shocking'

The variation in the availability of GPs in different parts of England is shocking, doctors' leaders say. A BBC analysis has found close to a threefold difference between the areas with the most and fewest doctors. In one area - Swale in Kent - there is only one GP for every 3,300 patients, while in Rushcliffe in Nottinghamshire it is just under one for every 1,200. The Royal College...

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Have Researchers Found a New Risk Factor for Schizophrenia?

Scientists have located an intriguing link between schizophrenia and the Epstein-Barr virus, a type of herpes virus. Now, they need to determine which way the risk lies. A new study may have found another environmental risk factor linked to schizophrenia. Schizophrenia, a condition characterized by a confused perception of reality, delusions, and altered behavior, affects more than 21...

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Mental Health: Tougher Checks Before Superdrug Botox

High street retailer Superdrug is to introduce tougher mental health checks before performing cosmetic procedures, following criticism by the NHS. Prof Stephen Powis, the medical director of NHS England, said the injections risked fuelling mental health disorders - and the health service was left to pick up the pieces. Superdrug started offering Botox and dermal fillers last year. The...

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Study Shows How Herpes Viruses and Tumours Have Learned to Manipulate the Same Ancient RNA

Findings Could Have Implications for Drugs and Insight Into Diseases Like Alzheimer's Herpes viral infections use the ancient genetic material found in the human genome to proliferate, mimicking the same process tumours have been found to manipulate, Mount Sinai researchers have shown for the first time. These observations provide further insight about how herpes viruses can manipulate...

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Researchers Identify Multiple New Subtypes of Most Common Childhood Cancer

Like cartographers completing a map, investigators have identified multiple new subtypes of the most common childhood cancer - research that will likely improve the diagnosis and treatment of high-risk patients. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists led the study, which appears as an advance online publication today in the journal Nature Genetics. Researchers used integrated...

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Overstretched 'Sandwich Carers' Trying to Help Parents and Children

An exhausted, overstretched generation of carers, are in need of emotional support themselves, say researchers. A report from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) says more than a quarter of such "sandwich carers" are suffering from depression or stress. "Sandwich carers" look after their elderly parents and their children. There are 1.3 million people in the UK with such multi-generational...

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New Findings Bring About Better Understanding Of Many Cancers' Metabolic Needs

Scientists at the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA have discovered that squamous cell skin cancers do not require increased glucose to power their development and growth, contrary to a long-held belief about cancer metabolism. The findings could bring about a better understanding of many cancers' metabolic needs and lead to the development...

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Air Pollution On The London Underground Is 30 Times Higher Than A Busy Road

A new report by the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants has revealed that the air within the London Underground (or 'the Tube') is 30 times more polluted than the air surrounding London's busiest roads. The report suggested that traveling the same by bus would expose passengers to only around one-third of the particulate matter (PM) present within the London Underground. Researchers...

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Study Raises Hopes For New Approaches To Treat Osteoporosis

A handful of brain cells deep in the brain may play a surprising role in controlling women's bone density, according to new research by UC San Francisco and UCLA scientists. In a study published January 11, 2019 in Nature Communications, researchers showed that blocking a particular set of signals from these cells causes female (but not male) mice to build extraordinarily strong bones and...

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Excess Belly Fat May Lead To A Reduction In Gray Matter

A study conducted by researchers at Loughborough University has found that excess abdominal fat is associated with a lower volume of gray matter in the brain. Professor of exercise, Mark Hamer, and colleagues found that a higher body mass index (BMI), together with a higher waist-to-hip ratio, was linked to a lower gray matter volume, when compared to leaner individuals. Interestingly,...

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New Method to Speed up Genetic Diagnosis of Huntington's Disease

Elongated segments of DNA cause Huntington's disease and certain other disorders of the brain. Researchers funded by the SNSF have developed a method to determine the length of the mutated genes quickly and easily. People with Huntington's disease suffer from jerky body movements and decreasing mental abilities. The condition usually leads to death 15-20 years after diagnosis. The cause of...

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Researchers Think That It Might Be Possible To Predict Treatment Outcomes For Oesophageal Cancer

It's one of the first questions asked by many newly-diagnosed cancer patients - "What are my chances of beating this?" Often there is no clear answer, with survival rates differing widely depending on the cancer stage and available treatment options. However, post-operative testing that provides an accurate prediction of long-term treatment outcomes is the next best thing to a crystal ball,...

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Study Reveals How Much Fiber We Should Eat To Prevent Disease

A new meta-analysis examines 40 years' worth of research in an attempt to find out the ideal amount of fiber that we should consume to prevent chronic disease and premature mortality. Whole grain cereals and fruit are excellent sources of fiber. Researchers and public health organizations have long hailed the benefits of eating fiber, but how much fiber should we consume, exactly? This...

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What are the Benefits of Royal Jelly?

Royal jelly is a creamy white substance with a high nutrient content that young bees make to feed queen bee larvae. There are claims that it offers a range of health benefits, such as easing the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and supporting wound healing. Royal jelly is highly nutritious and may have antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. These properties may be...

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Is There A Link Between Garlic And HIV?

Garlic is a common ingredient that may lower blood pressure and reduce a person's risk of certain types of cancers. However, what does the research say what about garlic and HIV? Can consuming garlic help people with HIV, or does it cause more harm? The main compound in garlic is allicin. Garlic also contains other compounds, including diallyl polysulfides and ajoene. In this article,...

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