January 26, 2012

THURSDAY, Jan. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Infant boys exposed to high levels of the male hormone testosterone before birth have double the risk for language delay as females, according to a new study.

THURSDAY, Jan. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Almost 7 percent of American men and women are infected orally with the human papillomavirus (HPV), new research reveals, with men showing significantly higher infection rates than women.

THURSDAY, Jan. 26 (HealthDay News) -- More than 40 percent of rheumatoid arthritis patients live a sedentary life, a new study finds.

(HealthDay News) -- It's important to create the right environment to help you fall asleep and stay asleep.

(HealthDay News) -- Minor burns, although painful, often can be treated at home. Proper care can help them heal faster while reducing the risk of infection.

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 25 (HealthDay News) -- A new preliminary report suggests that the active ingredient in Viagra, sildenafil, could reduce the size of large growths that can disfigure the bodies of children.

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 25 (HealthDay News) -- The addition of the cancer-fighting medication Avastin to chemotherapy prior to breast cancer surgery increases the chance that all of the cancer will be removed, according to new research.

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Nurses who work long hours and have less physically demanding jobs are much more likely to be obese than other nurses, according to a new study.

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 25 (HealthDay News) -- People who reach midlife without developing high blood pressure, diabetes or other risk factors for cardiovascular disease are much less likely to have a heart attack or stroke by age 80 than their less healthy peers, a new study suggests.

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 25 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. military personnel and veterans are plagued by substance abuse, depression and suicide, three new studies indicate.

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Subtle problems with memory and thinking skills -- known as mild cognitive impairment -- often precede Alzheimer's disease, and a new study finds that men are at higher risk for these troubles than women.

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Neurologists should screen their patients for abuse by family members, caregivers or other people, the American Academy of Neurology says in a new position statement.

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Women need to get recommended Pap tests, while girls and young women should be vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV) to protect them from cervical cancer, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists advises during Cervical Health Awareness Month.

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Incorporating lifestyle counseling into routine care for diabetes patients significantly reduces the time it takes them to reach their treatment goals, according to a new study.

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 25 (HealthDay News) -- First Lady Michelle Obama and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack unveiled on Wednesday new standards for school meals -- the first revisions in more than 15 years. The goal: To provide healthier meals and better nutrition for the nearly 32 million children who take part in school meal programs.

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Doctors are more likely to use high-cost MRI scans to diagnose peripheral neuropathy than cheaper -- and more effective -- glucose tolerance tests, a new U.S. study has found.

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers who identified a protein that worsens symptoms of Parkinson's disease say their finding could eventually lead to new treatments for the neurodegenerative disease.

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers who found the earliest known dinosaur nesting site say it offers significant clues about the evolution of complex reproductive behavior in early dinosaurs.

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay: