Fossil of largest known platypus discovered in Australia Bethesda, MD – No living mammal is more peculiar than the platypus. It has a broad, duck-like bill, thick, otter-like fur, and webbed, beaver-like feet. The platypus lays eggs rather than gives ...

Embargoed news from Nov. 5, 2013 Annals of Internal Medicine tip sheet Women who adhere to Mediterranean-type diet in midlife have greater physical and mental function in old age 1. Women who adhere to Mediterranean-type diet in midlife have greater physical ...

AAO-HNSF clinical practice guideline: Bell's palsy ALEXANDRIA, VA — A multidisciplinary clinical practice guideline to improve the accurate and efficient diagnosis and treatment of Bell's palsy was published Monday in the journal ...

20 percent of nation's GME funds go to New York while 29 states get less than 1 percent, study says WASHINGTON, DC (Nov. 4, 2013)—New York state received 20 percent of all Medicare's graduate medical education ...

Solving the pediatric obesity problem in rural communities Using telemedicine to unite clinicians and provide health education for them — and by extension, their patients —is an effective way to manage childhood obesity in remote ...

Physician shortage could be cut by new primary care models, study finds Much of the shortage of primary care physicians expected over the next decade could be eliminated if the nation increases use of new models of medical care that expand the role of nurse practitioners and ...

Women and African-Americans at higher risk of heart attack from atrial fibrillation WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., – Nov. 4, 2013 – Doctors have known for years that atrial fibrillation (AF), or irregular heartbeat, increases the risk for stroke, but now researchers ...

Electronic and Internet health tools may decrease in-person physician visits Will the growing use of health information technology (IT) and electronic-health (e-health) applications impact the future demand for physicians? ...

New test may predict severe high blood pressure during pregnancy American Heart Association Rapid Access Journal Report A new test that checks the level of a placental protein could help doctors determine if a woman will develop a severe form of high blood ...

Clinical trial indicates gabapentin is safe and effective for treating alcohol dependence LA JOLLA, CA – November 4, 2013 – The generic drug gabapentin, which is already widely prescribed for epilepsy and some kinds of pain, appears to be safe and effective in ...

Astronomers answer key question: How common are habitable planets? Based on Kepler data, 1 in 5 sun-like stars has Earth-size planet in habitable zone ...

Elusive bay cat caught on camera First time 5 species of wild cat spotted in a Borneo forest The world's least known cat has been caught on camera in a previously unsurveyed rainforest by scientists from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and Imperial ...

New strep throat risk score brings patient data and big data together to potentially reduce unnecess Boston, Mass., November 4, 2013 –A new risk measure called a "home score" could save a patient with symptoms of strep throat a trip to the doctor, ...

Race and romance online Study of internet dating suggests racial barriers can be overcome Usually, research findings on the state of U.S. race relations are pretty bleak. But a study of online dating by UC San Diego sociologist Kevin Lewis suggests ...

Overhaul of medical education to address primary care physician shortage recommended by national panel Blue Ribbon Commission for the Advancement of Osteopathic Medical Education issues ...

UCSF researchers offer solutions to looming health-care provider shortage Authors say increasing scope of practice for non-physician health professionals will increase coverage Thanks to a wave of aging baby boomers, epidemics of diabetes ...

Imaging studies may predict tumor response to anti-angiogenic drugs Study confirms that vascular normalization is the way these drugs improve patient survival Advanced imaging techniques may be able to distinguish which patients' tumors will respond ...

Scientists study 'fishy' behavior to solve an animal locomotion mystery A quirk of nature has long baffled biologists: Why do animals push in directions that don't point toward their goal, like the side-to-side sashaying of a running lizard or cockroach? An engineer ...

Eating disorders more common in males than realized Broader diagnostic criteria could help identify illness in boys Boston−November 4, 2013 - Parents and doctors assume eating disorders very rarely affect males. However, a study of 5,527 ...

Foreign-educated health workers play vital role in US health system Changes may be needed to stabilize workforce Foreign-educated and foreign-born health professionals play a vital role in the U.S. health care workforce, but strategic shifts such as changes in immigration laws ...

Gas injection probably triggered small earthquakes near Snyder, Texas A new study correlates a series of small earthquakes near Snyder, Texas between 2006 and 2011 with the underground injection of large volumes of gas, primarily carbon dioxide (CO2) — ...

Brain aging is conclusively linked to genes Finding is crucial step in determining normal aging For the first time in a large study sample, the decline in brain function in normal aging is conclusively shown to be influenced by genes, say researchers from ...

The nitrogen puzzle in the oceans Nitrogen isotope effects by anammox deciphered A team of scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, the University of Basel, and Radboud University Nijmegen has now revealed the details of an important ...

Snakes control blood flow to aid vision A new study from the University of Waterloo shows that snakes can optimize their vision by controlling the blood flow in their eyes when they perceive a threat. Kevin van Doorn, PhD, and Professor Jacob Sivak, from the Faculty ...

Computer-aided image analysis aims to offer 'second opinion' in breast tumor diagnosis New technique may also have application in genomics to identify genes that influence risk of disease BELLINGHAM, Washington, USA – Researchers at the University ...