Forgotten, But Not Gone: Leprosy Still Present in the U.S.
from Science Daily
Long believed to be a disease of biblical times, leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease, continues to be seen in the United States. Approximately 150 cases are diagnosed each year with 3,000 people in the U.S. currently being treated for leprosy, says James Krahenbuhl, Ph.D., director of the Health Resources Service Administration's National Hansen's Disease Program in Baton Rouge, LA. More

Obama Victory Delights Stem-Cell Researchers
from The Los Angeles Times
Advocates of stem-cell research are counting the days until the swearing-in of President-elect Barack Obama. Although President George Bush has strictly limited stem-cell research from cell lines derived from human embryos, Obama has long favored such research and is likely to put a quick end to the federal ban that limits funding of research. More

Friendly Bacteria Reduce Hospital Infections
from United Press International
Swedish scientists say they have used a probiotic bacterium to control dangerous bacteria that cause respiratory illness in ventilated hospitalized patients. Bengt Klarin from University Hospital in Lund, Sweden, said he and his colleagues applied the probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum 299 in place of normal antiseptics and found it was effective in preventing the most common cause of ventilator-associated pneumonia. More

A Rise in Kidney Stones is Seen in U.S. Children
from The New York Times
To the great surprise of parents, kidney stones, once considered a disorder of middle age, are now showing up in children as young as 5 or 6. While there are no reliable data on the number of cases, pediatric urologists and nephrologists across the country say they are seeing a steep rise in young patients. Some hospitals have opened pediatric kidney stone clinics. More

Study Links Lead in Blood to Wild Game Consumption
from Newsweek
North Dakota health officials are recommending that pregnant women and young children avoid eating meat from wild game killed with lead bullets. The recommendation is based on a study released recently that examined the lead levels in the blood of more than 700 state residents. Those who ate wild game killed with lead bullets appeared to have higher lead levels than those who ate little or no wild game. More

The Mysterious Cough, Caught on Film
from The New York Times
In Roald Dahl’s novel "The B.F.G.," the title character, a big friendly giant, captures dreams in glass jars. At Pennsylvania State University, a professor of engineering has captured something less whimsical but no less ephemeral — a cough — on film. More

Rocks Could be Harnessed to Sponge Vast Amounts of Carbon Dioxide from Air
from Science Daily
Scientists say that a type of rock found at or near the surface in the Mideast nation of Oman and other areas around the world could be harnessed to soak up huge quantities of globe-warming carbon dioxide. Their studies show that the rock, known as peridotite, reacts naturally at surprisingly high rates with CO2 to form solid minerals—and that the process could be speeded a million times or more with simple drilling and injection methods. More

Healthy People may Benefit from Statins, Too
from The Los Angeles Times
In results from an eagerly anticipated study that could dramatically change the treatment of cardiovascular disease, researchers have found that statin drugs – now given to millions of people with high cholesterol ─ can halve the risk of heart attacks and stroke in seemingly healthy patients as well. More

Study: Kidney Transplantation Can Improve Mental Performance
from Science Daily
Individuals with kidney disease often suffer from cognitive impairment, but kidney transplantation can improve their mental performance, according to a paper being presented at the American Society of Nephrology's 41st Annual Meeting and Scientific Exposition in Philadelphia, Pa. More

Blood Test Can Spot Risks for Heart Attack, Stroke
from The Washington Post
A highly anticipated study has produced powerful evidence that a simple blood test can spot seemingly healthy people who are at increased risk for a heart attack or stroke and that giving them a widely used drug offers potent protection against the nation's leading killers. More