The burgeoning field of personal genetics appeals to people who want to learn more about themselves, their family and their propensity for diseases. More and more consumers are using services like 23andMe to learn about their genetic blueprint. Included with most of these services is the ability for users to download their “raw” genetic data,…
Researchers from North Carolina State University have found a gene that gives Salmonella resistance to antibiotics of last resort in a sample taken from a human patient in the U.S. The find is the first evidence that the gene mcr-3.1 has made its way into the U.S. from Asia. There are more than 2,500 known…
IMAGE: A moderate training protocol reduced liver fat and made the organ more sensitive to insulin, even before loss of body weight occurred. view more Credit: Guilherme Peruca Research conducted at the University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in São Paulo State, Brazil, shows that vigorous physical exercise such as strength and weight training can reduce accumulated liver…
BOSTON – State legislators joined the Toxics Use Reduction Act (TURA) program today to recognize 2018 Champions of Toxics Use Reduction at the Massachusetts State House. The annual event recognizes outstanding leaders who are making the Commonwealth a safer place to live and work. Honorees include community organizations and companies that received grants from the…
Bats are the main cause of human rabies in the United States and have been for several years, responsible for infecting seven of every 10 people who develop the disease, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Wednesday. Even though the actual number of rabies cases is very small, the C.D.C. made its…
The word “scientist” does not specify a gender. And yet, for eons — well, ever since conferences and symposiums emerged from the primordial academic soup — the majority of prominent scientific speakers and panelists have been men. This phenomenon has been documented in studies and spawned many mocking monikers: “manference,” “himposium,” “manel.” People have tried…
So much for moral posturing and cultural sensitivity. Dolce & Gabbana, the Italian brand that was, for a brief moment at the end of last year, a poster child for cultural ignorance and the comeuppance that can ensue; that was held up as an example of how a fashion brand can so profoundly mess up…
Dr. Kenneth A. Forde, a pioneering surgeon who helped educate the public about cancer risks by performing a colonoscopy on Katie Couric that was later televised, died on June 2 at his home in Scarborough, N.Y. He was 85. The cause was heart failure, according to his son, Trevor. For much of Dr. Forde’s 40…
Consumer DNA testing kits like those from 23andMe, Ancestry.com and MyHeritage promise a road map to your genealogy and, in some cases, information about what diseases you’re most susceptible to. They also ask for a lot of trust with your DNA information — trust that, in some ways, may not be earned. Here’s how to…
One Ohio resident paid $240 a month for health insurance that she later learned didn’t cover her knee replacement. Saddled with $48,000 in medical bills, she decided not to get the other knee replaced. “It’s been devastating to me,” said Elizabeth Belin, who lives in Columbus. The bills totaled more than her annual salary. A…