Woman's Health: Ovarian follicles used to preserve fertility ♦ Shared genetics in humans, roundworms shed light on infertility ♦ Sex differences in Type 2 diabetes affect cardiovascular disease risk

Ovarian follicles used to preserve fertility A potential new approach to fertility preservation for young cancer patients has been discovered, which addresses concerns about beginning cancer treatment immediately and the possibility of reintroducing cancer cells during the fertility preservation process.

Shared genetics in humans, roundworms shed light on infertility Humans and worms are connected by a common ancestor that lived more than 700 million years ago and shared a gene that is required for sperm to function properly at fertilization, research confirms. This discovery could lead to more effective infertility treatments and better contraceptives.

Sex differences in Type 2 diabetes affect cardiovascular disease risk Women with Type 2 diabetes are twice as likely to have coronary heart disease compared to men, and may also need more frequent and intense physical activity to lower their risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

Study links Facebook connections, alcohol use in college-aged females Researchers have found links between certain patterns of connections among Facebook friends and drug and alcohol use among college-aged females.

Health Research: Mindfulness training helps with inflammatory bowel diseases ♦ An easy test for sickle cell disease ♦ Drug protects fertility and may prolong life

Mindfulness training helps patients with inflammatory bowel diseases Training in meditation and other mindfulness-based techniques brings lasting improvements in mental health and quality of life for patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).

An easy test for sickle cell disease A team of biomedical engineers has developed a simple, inexpensive, and quick technique for the diagnosis and monitoring of sickle cell disease that can be used in regions where advanced medical technology and training are scarce

Study points to more individualized treatment options for youth with onset type 2 diabetes New research examined predictors of the outcomes in youth with onset type 2 diabetes based on early characteristics at diagnosis, and suggests the need for specific criteria for adolescents that are different from those in adults

Drug protects fertility and may prolong life in chemo-treated mice A physician and her research team have shown that a heart medication can prevent ovarian damage and improve survival in adolescent mice after chemotherapy. The treatment also increased the number of their healthy offspring.

Health Research: Prolonged TV viewing linked to eight leading causes of death in US ♦ Acid reflex medications may increase kidney disease risk

Prolonged TV viewing linked to eight leading causes of death in US On average, 80 percent of American adults watch 3.5 hours of television per day and multiple observational studies have demonstrated a link between TV viewing and poorer health. Investigators reported an association between increasing hours of television viewing and increasing risk of death.

Surgical patients should stay on cholesterol medications to reduce risk of death Patients who stop taking cholesterol medications before surgery are following outdated recommendations, and significantly increasing their risk of death if they don’t resume taking the medications within two days after surgery.

Restoring testosterone rather than replacing it helps safeguard a man's fertility  Restoring testosterone production in men may be as effective as replacing it, without compromising their fertility. Two phase III clinical trials show that a drug that restores the body's natural production of testosterone has no negative effect on a man's sperm count .

Acid reflux medications may increase kidney disease risk Certain medications commonly used to treat heartburn and acid reflux may have damaging effects on the kidneys, according to two new studies. The drugs, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), are among the top 10 class of prescribed medications .

Green office environments linked with higher cognitive function scores People who work in well-ventilated offices with below-average levels of indoor pollutants and carbon dioxide have significantly higher cognitive functioning scores -- in crucial areas such as responding to a crisis or developing strategy -- than those who work in offices with typical levels

Women's Health How childhood stress can affect female fertility ♦ Fewer women getting minimally invasive hysterectomies ♦ tress main cause of smoking after childbirth

Stress main cause of smoking after childbirth Mothers who quit smoking in pregnancy are more likely to light up again after their baby is born if they feel stressed. Researchers studied more than 1,000 new mothers and found that the stress of caring for a newborn, sleepless nights, social pressure, and the idea that they no longer need to protect the baby -- all contribute to relapse.They also found that women who felt they were being supported by a partner were less likely to start smoking again.

How childhood stress can affect female fertility Can events you endured as a child really impact your ability to have children yourself? New research examines the mechanism by which adverse experiences in childhood impact female fertility. Researchers explore the hypothesis that negative experiences in childhood can result in menstrual cycle irregularities, which consequently impact fertility. They relate their hypothesis to life-history theory, which talks of balancing the preservation of one’s health and the production of offspring that will survive to reproduce themselves.

Postnatal mental health: Are women getting the support they need? There is a need for postnatal support that encompasses all mental health issues, not only postnatal depression, new research suggests. Common postnatal mental health symptoms include tearfulness, anxiousness, feeling stressed, isolated, lonely, angry and other emotions.

Fewer women getting minimally invasive hysterectomies since FDA guidelines A nearly quarter increase in hospital readmissions and 27 percent increase has been found in major postoperative complications after hysterectomies in Michigan following FDA communication on morcellation.

Prenatal Research: Mother's genes can influence bacteria in her baby's gut ♦ Maternal gestational diabetes linked with risk of autism ♦ New IVF device may improve fertility treatment

Mother's genes can influence bacteria in her baby's gut A gene, which is not active in some mothers, produces a breast milk sugar that influences the development of the community of gut bacteria in her infant, researchers have discovered. The researchers emphasized that the finding does not suggest that breast milk from mothers without an active copy of the gene is less nourishing or healthy. Rather, it conveys the subtle and elegant choreography of one part of the human microbiome: The relationships between the mothers' genetics, the composition of her breast milk and the development of her infant's gut microbiota. It also reveals clues for enriching desirable bacteria in populations at risk of intestinal diseases -- such as preemies.

Intrauterine exposure to maternal gestational diabetes linked with risk of autism Among a group of more than 320,000 children, intrauterine exposure to gestational diabetes mellitus diagnosed by 26 weeks' gestation was associated with risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), according to a new study. Maternal pre-existing type 2 diabetes was not significantly associated with risk of ASD in offspring.

New IVF device may improve fertility treatment Scientists have developed a technique to more effectively grow and screen embryos prior to implantation.

New technologies will help prevent preterm labor, provide safer labor process Preventing preterm labor with light and inducing labor using a side effect-free drug are two new technologies based research that is heading to the marketplace.

Health News: Dairy recalls raw milk and cream ♦ Hepatitis A exposure possible at subway ♦ Low-dose BPA exposure affects fertility

WA dairy recalls raw milk and cream after positive listeria test  A raw milk dairy in Washington state has voluntarily recalled some of its raw milk and cream products after a recent routine test found Listeria bacteria in a sample of raw cream. Spanish Sonrise Dairy in Yacolt, WA, has recalled all of its raw cow’s milk and goat’s milk and cream

Hepatitis A exposure possible at subway  Arkansas Department of Health advised that patrons of a Subway restaurant in Morrilton seek preventative treatment due to possible Hepatitis A exposure that could have occurred between March 25 and April 5 when a worker on duty was infected with the virus.

Low-dose BPA exposure affects fertility in next three generations of mice Scientists exposed pregnant mice to levels of bisphenol A equivalent to those considered safe in humans, three generations of female mouse offspring experienced significant reproductive problems, including declines in fertility, sexual maturity and pregnancy success.

Depression, diabetes associated with increased dementia risk Depression and type 2 diabetes mellitus were each associated with an increased risk for dementia and that risk was even greater among individuals diagnosed with both depression and diabetes compared with people who had neither condition

Shape-shifting molecule tricks viruses into mutating themselves to death A newly developed spectroscopy method is helping to clarify the poorly understood molecular process by which an anti-HIV drug induces lethal mutations in the virus's genetic material. The findings could bolster efforts to develop the next generation of antiviral treatments

Women's Health: Could a tampon one day help predict endometrial cancer? ♦ Women with ovarian cancer ♦ Ozone air pollution could harm women's fertility

Could a tampon one day help predict endometrial cancer? It is possible to detect endometrial cancer using tumor DNA picked up by ordinary tampons, researchers say. The new approach specifically examines DNA samples from vaginal secretions for the presence of chemical “off” switches — known as methylation — that can disable genes that normally keep cancer in check.

Immunotherapy delays recurrence for stage III and IV ovarian cancers  Personalized medicine is getting closer to reality for women with late-stage ovarian cancer. An experimental immunotherapy is in the works that can target an individual woman’s tumor and extend the time period between initial treatment and the cancer’s return.

Women with ovarian cancer gain extra months with addition of drug to standard chemotherapy Overall survival for women who received standard chemotherapy treatment plus bevacizumab was a median five months longer than for women who received the standard chemotherapy treatment alone.

Ozone air pollution could harm women's fertility Many urban and suburban areas have high levels of ground-level ozone, an air pollutant that can adversely affect lung and heart health. New research in mice suggests breathing high levels of ozone could also affect women’s ability to conceive.

History of depression puts women at risk for diabetes during pregnancy, study finds  A history of depression may put women at risk for developing diabetes during pregnancy, according to research. This study also pointed to how common depression is during pregnancy and the need for screening and education

Women's Health Research: Could a tampon one day help predict endometrial cancer? ♦ Ozone air pollution could harm women's fertility ♦ Women with ovarian cancer gain extra months ♦

Could a tampon one day help predict endometrial cancer? It is possible to detect endometrial cancer using tumor DNA picked up by ordinary tampons, researchers say. The new approach specifically examines DNA samples from vaginal secretions for the presence of chemical “off” switches — known as methylation — that can disable genes that normally keep cancer in check.

Immunotherapy delays recurrence for stage III and IV ovarian cancers  Personalized medicine is getting closer to reality for women with late-stage ovarian cancer. An experimental immunotherapy is in the works that can target an individual woman’s tumor and extend the time period between initial treatment and the cancer’s return.

Women with ovarian cancer gain extra months with addition of drug to standard chemotherapy Overall survival for women who received standard chemotherapy treatment plus bevacizumab was a median five months longer than for women who received the standard chemotherapy treatment alone.

Ozone air pollution could harm women's fertility Many urban and suburban areas have high levels of ground-level ozone, an air pollutant that can adversely affect lung and heart health. New research in mice suggests breathing high levels of ozone could also affect women’s ability to conceive.

Physical labor, hypertension and multiple meds may reduce male fertility

Working in a physically demanding job, having high blood pressure, and taking multiple medications are among health risks that may undermine a man’s fertility, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and Stanford University, Stanford, California. The study is the first to examine the relationships between workplace exertion, health, and semen quality as men are trying to conceive. The results were published online in Fertility and Sterility.

“Nearly 15 percent of U.S. couples do not become pregnant in their first year of trying,” said Germaine Buck Louis, Ph.D., the study’s senior author and director of the Division of Intramural Population Health Research at NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. “Male infertility plays a significant role, and our aim is to explore the influence of environmental factors and health status on semen quality.”

Semen quality is a measure of a man’s ability to achieve fertilization and is based on the number, shape, and movement ability of sperm, as well as other factors.

The investigators followed more than 500 couples in Texas and Michigan over a yearlong period. The couples were in committed relationships and stopped using contraception. All male participants completed preliminary interviews in which they were asked about their reproductive history, health, lifestyle and occupational activity. Most of the men provided a semen sample for analysis.

The final study group comprised 456 men with an average age of 31.8 years. Most were white (77 percent) and college-educated (91 percent); more than half had never fathered a pregnancy. The researchers found that 13 percent of the men who reported heavy work-related activity had lower sperm counts, compared to 6 percent of the men who reported no workplace exertion. In contrast, no other work-related exposure, such as heat, noise or prolonged sitting, appeared to influence semen quality.

Of the men who reported receiving a physician’s diagnosis of high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol, the researchers found that only those with high blood pressure had a lower percentage of normally shaped sperm, compared to men who reported no high blood pressure.

“As men are having children later in life, the importance of diseases we once thought as separate from fertility must be re-explored,” said Michael L. Eisenberg, M.D., the study’s principal investigator and director of Male Reproductive Medicine and Surgery at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. “Future investigations need to examine whether it’s the high blood pressure itself or the treatment that is driving these trends.”

To that end, the researchers observed that the more medications a man reported taking, the higher his risk of a low sperm count. For example, 7 percent of the men who did not take medications had sperm counts below 39 million (a normal sperm count is between 40 million and 300 million). Of the men who reported taking two or more medications, 15 percent had sperm counts below 39 million.

“The good news is that these factors, if they are confirmed to have negative effects on male fertility, can potentially be modified by medical care or changing job-related behaviors ,” said NIH’s Dr. Buck Louis. “We look forward to additional research in this area.”

Sun screen ultraviolet filters linked to pregnancy delays

Researchers identify two chemicals that appear to reduce fertility in men

Certain sunscreen chemicals used to protect against ultraviolet rays may impair men’s ability to father children in a timely manner, according to a study by the National Institutes of Health and the New York state Department of Health’s Wadsworth Center. But the researchers caution that the results are preliminary and that additional studies are needed to confirm their findings.

Benzophenone (BP)-type ultraviolet (UV) filters comprise a class of about 29 chemicals commonly used, among other purposes, in sunscreens and other personal care products to protect skin and hair from sun damage. Some of these chemicals, upon being absorbed by the skin, can interfere with the body’s hormones and endocrine system processes. Researchers found that men with high exposure to UV filters BP-2 or 4OH-BP had a 30 percent reduction in fecundity, the biological ability to reproduce. Lower fecundity may result in a longer time to pregnancy.

“In our study, male fecundity seems to be more susceptible to these chemicals than female fecundity. The women participants actually had greater exposure to the UV filters overall, but their exposure wasn’t associated with any significant pregnancy delays,” said Germaine Louis, Ph.D., director of the Division of Intramural Population Health Research at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. “Our next step is to figure out how these particular chemicals may be affecting couple fecundity or time to pregnancy—whether it’s by diminishing sperm quality or inhibiting reproduction some other way.”

The researchers followed the couples until pregnancy or up to one year of trying, to record the time it took for the women to become pregnant. They also tested participants’ urine samples and measured concentrations of five selected UV filters associated with endocrine-disrupting activity. In their data analysis, the researchers controlled for age, body mass index, and smoking, among other factors.

Their findings suggest that some, but not all, UV filters may be associated with diminished fertility in men, independent of their partners’ exposure. The researchers observed effects among men with the highest exposure (the 75th percentile and above) to UV filters BP-2 or 4OH-BP.

“The skin is the body’s largest organ, and how we care for our skin matters in more ways than one,” said Dr. Louis. “Sunscreen is important for sun protection, and we definitely encourage people to continue using sunscreen to avoid skin cancer. But men who are concerned about fertility may be interested in other ways to reduce their exposure to benzophenone UV filters—whether by cutting back on other products that contain the UV filters or by washing after returning indoors.”

Among the study’s major limitations: the researchers tested single urine samples from participants to assess chemical exposure, but participants’ levels of exposure may have changed over the course of trying for pregnancy. The researchers also had no data on what specific products the participants used that contained the UV filters.

Earlier research findings from the LIFE Study have linked reduced fertility to high cholesterol levels in women and couples and to high concentrations of phthalates and Bisphenol A (BPA) in men.

High Cholesterol Leads to Lower Fertility

High cholesterol levels may impair fertility in couples trying to achieve a pregnancy, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health, the University at Buffalo (New York), and Emory University in Atlanta.

Couples in which each partner had a high cholesterol level took the longest time to reach pregnancy. Moreover, couples in which the woman had a high cholesterol level and the man did not also took longer to achieve pregnancy when compared to couples in which both partners had cholesterol levels in the acceptable range.

“We’ve long known that high cholesterol levels increase the risk for heart disease,” said the study’s first author, Enrique Schisterman, Ph.D., chief of the Epidemiology Branch at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), the institute that led the study. “In addition to safeguarding their health, our results suggest that couples wishing to achieve pregnancy would improve their chances by first ensuring that their cholesterol levels are in an acceptable range.”

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in all cells of the body. It’s used to make a number of substances, including hormones and vitamin D. High blood cholesterol levels typically do not cause any signs or symptoms, but can increase the chances for heart disease.

For the current analysis, the researchers studied couples who were not being treated for infertility but who were trying to conceive a child. The researchers enrolled 501 couples from four counties in Michigan and 12 counties in Texas from 2005 to 2009. The couples were part of the Longitudinal Investigation of Fertility and the Environment (LIFE) study, established to examine the relationship between fertility and exposure to environmental chemicals and lifestyle. The women taking part in the study ranged from 18 to 44 years of age, and the men were over 18. The couples were followed until pregnancy or for up to one year of trying.

Study volunteers provided blood samples, which the researchers tested for free cholesterol. The measurement of free cholesterol is used in research, and differs from the cholesterol test given in doctors’ offices. Cholesterol tests administered by physicians measure the cholesterol subtypes: HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. For the study, Dr. Schisterman and his colleagues relied on a test to measure the total amount of cholesterol in the blood, but which did not distinguish between cholesterol subtypes. The researchers theorized that blood cholesterol might be related to fertility as the body uses cholesterol to manufacture sex hormones like testosterone and estrogen.

The researchers calculated the probability that a couple would achieve pregnancy by using a statistical measure called the fecundability odds ratio (FOR). The measure estimates couples’ probability of pregnancy each cycle, based on their serum cholesterol concentrations.

The researchers found that on average, those couples in which the female did not become pregnant during the study duration had the highest free cholesterol levels. In general, high free cholesterol levels were correlated with longer times to pregnancy and lower fecundability odds ratios. Couples in which the female had a high cholesterol level and the male did not also took longer to achieve pregnancy when compared to couples in which both partners had cholesterol levels in the acceptable range. In their analysis, the study authors accounted for potential racial differences, as well as differences by age, body mass index, and education.

Among study participants, Hispanic males had the highest free cholesterol levels.

Standard cholesterol testing by physicians typically evaluates cholesterol scores in terms of the balance of HDL and LDL cholesterol, with a low ratio of HDL to LDL cholesterol signifying an increased risk for heart disease. Although the researchers did not evaluate the ratio of these two cholesterol subtypes, Dr. Schisterman said that high free cholesterol levels are likely to indicate an unfavorable HDL to LDL ratio.

“From our data, it would appear that high cholesterol levels not only increase the risk for cardiovascular disease, but also reduce couples’ chances of pregnancy,” Dr. Schisterman said.

High Plasticizer Levels and BPA Linked to Delayed Pregnancy

Women whose male partners have high concentrations of three common forms of phthalates, chemicals found in a wide range of consumer products, take longer to become pregnant than women in couples in which the male does not have high concentrations of the chemicals, according to researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions.

The researchers assessed the concentrations of phthalates and Bisphenol A (BPA) in couples trying to achieve pregnancy. Phthalates, sometimes known as plasticizers, are used in the manufacture of plastics, to make them more flexible. BPA is also used in plastics, including in some food and drink packaging.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pthalates are used in hundreds of products , such as fragrances, shampoos, nail polish, plastic film and sheets. For the most part, people are exposed to phthalates by eating and drinking foods that have been in contact with containers and products containing the compounds. BPA is used to make some types of plastic containers, in the protective lining of food cans, and other products.

The study authors measured urine concentrations of BPA and 14 phthalate compounds in couples trying to achieve pregnancy. The study authors explained that many phthalates are often broken down and chemically changed before they are excreted from the body.

Pregnancy took the most time to achieve in couples in which the males had high concentrations of monomethyl phthalate, mono-butyl phthalate, and monobenzyl phthalate. Neither male nor female exposure to BPA was associated with pregnancy rates.

Because the researchers examined only the time it took to achieve pregnancy, the study could not determine precisely how the compounds might affect fertility. Future studies, the authors wrote, would be needed to determine if the compounds affected particular aspects of reproductive health, such as hormone levels.

“Our study shows that exposure to certain phthalates can reduce the chance of conception for otherwise healthy couples,” said the study’s first author, Germaine M. Buck Louis, Ph.D., Director of the Division of Intramural Population Health Research at NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). “Many people have been exposed to these compounds, so it’s important to continue to investigate whether they have any health effects.

The study was published online in the journal Fertility and Sterility. In addition to Dr. Buck Louis and her colleagues from the NICHD, the study also included researchers from the Texas A&M School of Public Health in College Station, the New York state Department of Health, and the University at Albany of the State University of New York.

In their article, the authors cited previous studies by other researchers who found high concentrations of BPA and other phthalates among couples seeking treatment for infertility. One study found that men with a high BPA level had decreased testosterone levels. Another found that men with a high BPA concentration had a reversal in the ratio of testosterone to estradiol, an estrogen-related hormone. Numerous studies found that, compared to infertility patients without high BPA levels, women seeking treatment for infertility had lower estradiol levels, fewer egg cells, lower rates for the implantation of the fertilized egg, and lower pregnancy rates. Similarly, the authors wrote, studies in lab animals suggest that BPA and other phthalates can hinder the maturation of egg cells, impair the production of reproductive hormones, and alter the development of reproductive organs.

For the current analysis, the researchers studied couples who were not being treated for infertility, but who were trying to conceive a child. The researchers enrolled 501 couples from four counties in Michigan and 12 counties in Texas from 2005 to 2009. The couples were part of the Longitudinal Investigation of Fertility and the Environment (LIFE) study, established to examine the relationship between fertility and exposure to environmental chemicals and lifestyle. Previous analyses from the LIFE study found that high levels of PCBs as well as of lead and cadmium also were linked to pregnancy delay.

The women taking part in the study ranged from 18 to 44 years of age, and the men were over 18. Couples provided urine samples that were analyzed for BPA and the 14 other phthalate compounds. Women kept journals to record their monthly menstrual cycles, intercourse and the results of home pregnancy tests. The couples were followed until pregnancy or for up to one year of trying.

The researchers calculated the probability that a couple would achieve pregnancy by using a statistical measure called the fecundability odds ratio (FOR). The measure estimates couples’ probability of pregnancy each cycle, based on their urinary concentration of the compounds. A ratio less than one suggests a longer time to pregnancy, while a ratio greater than one suggests a shorter time to pregnancy.

BPA concentrations were not associated with a longer time to pregnancy However, male urinary concentrations of the three metabolites of phthalates were associated with approximately a 20 percent increase in the time it took for the couples to achieve pregnancy:

Female urinary concentrations of these three metabolites were not associated with a delay in pregnancy.

“The delays in pregnancy we saw were comparable to those seen for cigarette smoking or with obesity,” Dr. Buck Louis said.

Dr. Buck Louis added that the findings demonstrate that it’s important to study both partners when assessing the effects of environmental substances on pregnancy outcomes. If the researchers had only studied the female partners, she added, they would have missed the association between these three phthalates and a delay in the time the couples took to achieve pregnancy.

“Clearly, in studies of this kind, males matter,” she said.

According to the CDC, monomethyl pthalate is excreted in the urine of people exposed to dimethyl phthalate, which is used in manufacturing rocket propellant and consumer products such as insect repellents and plastics. Mono-n-butyl phthalate , excreted in the urine of people exposed to the dibutyl phthalates, is used as additives to personal care products such as nail products and cosmetics, and in printing inks, pharmaceutical coatings, and insecticides. Mono-n-benzyl phthalate , excreted in the urine of people exposed to benzylbutyl phthalate, is used in products such as adhesives, vinyl tile, sealants, car care products, and some personal care products. People exposed to benzylbutyl phthalate also excrete small amounts of mono-n-butyl phthalate in their urine.

The study authors noted that earlier studies had found that men with high concentrations of monomethyl phthalate had abnormalities in their semen and that men with high concentrations of mono-n-butyl phthalate had diminished sperm motility and reduced sperm count.

3/5/14 Health News: Hospitals Fall Short in Preventing Infections - Cancer Kills 50% More Men - Fertility Method That Raises Ethical Questions - Dog DNA Database

Many U.S. Hospitals Fall Short in Preventing Infections

Many U.S. hospitals don't follow rules meant to protect patients from preventable and potentially deadly infections, a new study shows. Researchers examined adherence to infection control policies in more than 1,600 intensive care units at 975 hospitals across the nation. They focused on three of the most common types of preventable infections in hospitals: central line-associated bloodstream infections; catheter-associated urinary tract infections; and ventilator-associated pneumonia.Continue Reading

Globally Cancer Kills 50% More Men Than Women

Figures published by Cancer Research UK reveal that more than 4.6 million men and 3.5 million women die of cancer worldwide every year, putting the global rate of cancer death among men (126 per 100,000) 50% higher than that of women (82 per 100,000). The figures also show every year, more than 14 million people worldwide find out they have cancer, with men 24% more likely to be among them than women. Continue reading

FDA Weighs Fertility Method That Raises Ethical Questions

The Food and Drug Administration is weighing a fertility procedure that involves combining the genetic material of three people to make a baby free of certain defects, a therapy that critics say is an ethical minefield and could lead to the creation of designer babies. The agency has asked a panel of experts to summarize current science to determine whether the approach — which has been performed successfully in monkeys by researchers in Oregon and in people more than a decade ago — is safe enough to be used again in people.Continue Reading

Dog Database to Limit Droppings

By developing a database of dog DNA linked to the dogs' owners, Naples hopes to eliminate dog waste from its sidewalks. "Now, when I walk the streets, the presences have greatly diminished," says Captain Enrico Del Gaudio from the Municipal Police, referring to droppings. "Before, it was like an obstacle course. Every day, a child would walk into school with a little gift under her shoe." Continue Reading