June Dobbs Butts, a sex researcher and therapist who argued for greater frankness among African-Americans about issues that were often considered taboo, died on May 13 at a care facility in Johns Creek, Ga. She was 90. Her daughter, Florence Johnson, said she died a few days after having a stroke. Dr. Butts was by…
The Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved a gene therapy for spinal muscular atrophy, a rare muscle-wasting disease that, in its most severe form, kills many babies before they turn 2. The price will be $2.1 million, believed to be highest ever set for a one-time treatment. The therapy, to be sold as Zolgensma,…
Image CreditJames O’Brien When it comes to discussing climate change, older people may have one advantage: They have watched it happen. In the nine Northeastern states, for instance, where average winter temperatures climbed 3.8 degrees Fahrenheit between 1970 and 2000, they have seen fewer snow-covered days, and more shrubs flowering ever earlier. And they have…
A lost sense of taste may refer to a partial or total loss of taste. People may also use this phrase to describe an overpowering and typically unpleasant taste. Many medical issues may lead to a loss of taste. Some of these issues are harmless, while others may require a doctor to diagnose them. The…
After serious setbacks in April led to a cluster of new polio cases, Pakistan is revamping its vaccination strategy in a renewed effort to wipe out the virus. The country is one of just three — along with Afghanistan and perhaps Nigeria — in which polio is still endemic. Eradication of the virus in Pakistan…
Q. What causes stress fractures in runners? Could a vegan diet be a factor? A. A stress fracture is a small crack in the bone. It’s an “accumulation injury,” said Dr. Michael Terry, an orthopedic surgeon and professor of orthopedic surgery at Northwestern Medicine. With exercise and everyday activities, and even our normal body weight,…
The Internet gives a lot of beauty tips and videos that promise to teach in a minute how to become a princess with the help of simple makeup techniques. Yet, this abundance of information makes people feel confused and forces them to smudge their faces with makeup. The editors of Womendialogue.com decided to analyze the…
PHILADELPHIA — She called it her “deepest, darkest secret,” one she had never even shared with her husband. When Saffiatu Sillah was growing up in the West African nation of Sierra Leone, her clitoris was cut off in a ritual circumcision. She was left with scar tissue that caused pain during sex and agony during…
Cancer can affect various tissues in the body, causing a range of signs and symptoms, such as weight loss, fatigue, skin changes, and a persistent cough. Anyone who experiences persistent or worrisome symptoms should consult a doctor. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cancer was the second leading cause of death…
MINNEAPOLIS, MN- May 24, 2019 – A new study from the University of Minnesota Medical School clarifies how the three-dimensional organization of the genome is regulated at the onset of skeletal muscle formation. Although the DNA sequence of the genome is a linear code, like a long sentence, the actual DNA molecule twists and folds…