As commander of the coalition forces in Iraq, Maj. Gen. Walter Piatt juggled ruthless pursuit of enemies and delicate diplomacy with tribal leaders, using a trove of modern weaponry and streams of tech-generated data. But his best decisions, he said, relied on a tool as ancient as it is powerful. Maj. Gen. Piatt often began…
PARIS — France has banned several types of textured breast implants that have been linked to a rare form of cancer. The ban, which covers macro-textured and polyurethane implants, took effect on Friday. It was announced this week by France’s National Agency for Safety of Medicines and Health Products, or ANSM, in a letter to…
Pregnant women who work night shifts may have an increased risk for miscarriage. Researchers studied 22,744 pregnant Danish women, tracking their work schedules and hospital admissions for miscarriage using government databases. The study, in Occupational & Environmental Medicine, found that after eight weeks of pregnancy, women who had worked two or more night shifts during…
Perhaps it started with the fortuneteller. Though I’d spent my 32 years steering clear of all tarot card readers and psychics — aware that whatever they prophesied would indelibly burrow itself into my mind — one happened to be holding court at an event I attended. I maintained my usual skepticism, until my co-worker returned…
Q. Eating dark chocolate is encouraged for its health benefits. I’ve been buying chocolate with 75 percent to 90 percent cocoa content. But the label notes a high amount of saturated fat. Is this as harmful as the saturated fat in meat? A. The fat in chocolate is not as harmful as the fat in…
Some research has suggested that drinking alcohol in moderation could have protective effects against stroke. However, a large cohort study in a Chinese population shows that this is not the case at all. A large new cohort study emphasizes that any alcohol intake can increase the risk of stroke. We know that alcohol consumption can…
Female sex hormones, or sex steroids, play vital roles in sexual development, reproduction, and general health. Sex hormone levels change over time, but some of the most significant changes happen during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause. In this article, we discuss the different types of female sex hormones, their roles in the body, and how they…
This week, publication of a special issue on tuberculosis (TB) begins in PLOS Medicine, advised by guest editors Richard Chaisson of Johns Hopkins University, Claudia Denkinger of the University of Heidelberg, and Mark Hatherill of the South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Institute. An estimated 10 million people developed tuberculosis (TB) and 1.6 million died of TB…
IMAGE: Around 6 million children in the United States are affected by asthma, making the condition the most common chronic lung disease in children. These interactive visualizations illustrate the impact of… view more Credit: Texas A&M Transportation Institute April 5, 2019 (College Station, TX) — A team of air quality and health researchers led by the…
IMAGE: Diane L. Spatz, PhD, RN-BC, FAAN, the Helen M. Shearer Term Professor of Nutrition at University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing view more Credit: Eric Sucar, Univ. of Penn. Communications PHILADELPHIA (April 5, 2019) -Breastfeeding is an accepted practice for millions of women worldwide and strongly endorse by the World Health Organization. To provide appropriate…