Month: March 2013

Family members who witnessed a CPR attempt were less likely to experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, a new study found.

By Jonathan Stempel (Reuters) – McDonald's Corp has been sued by a woman who said her two-year-old son ate a used condom he found in the play area of one of its restaurants in Chicago. Anishi Spencer filed the complaint against the fast-food restaurant chain on Wednesday in Cook County Circuit Court on behalf of herself and her sons, Jonathan Hines and Jacquel Hines. According to the complaint, Spencer and her sons were at a McDonald's restaurant in Chicago's South Side on February 4, 2012 when Jacquel picked up the used condom from the floor, and shortly thereafter coughed up a piece of it. …

By Vrinda Manocha (Reuters) – China-based Sinovac Biotech Ltd said a late-stage trial of its experimental vaccine for hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) met the main study goal of preventing the infection in infants between the ages of 6 months and 35 months. The Sinovac stock jumped as much as 60 percent in early trading, making it the top percentage gainer on the Nasdaq. About 5 million shares changed hands by 1041 ET, nearly 85 times their 10-day average volumes. The trial results showed an immune response to the infection in 95.4 percent of vaccinated subjects. …

Researchers studying head injuries have found that a single concussion can cause lasting damage to the structure of the brain. Their discovery confirms a long-held suspicion about the possible effect of the injury, even when routine imaging shows nothing unusual.

By Debra Sherman (Reuters) – About 80 million Americans suffer from heart disease, the nation's No. 1 killer, and most are on multiple drugs. Some cardiologists think prescribing has gotten out of hand. The criticism was voiced by a number of leading heart doctors who attended the annual scientific sessions of the American College of Cardiology, held on March 9-11 in San Francisco. They said eliminating certain drugs could potentially improve care without compromising treatment. Evidence is growing that some medications are not effective. …

By Trevor Stokes NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Although previous research has suggested a connection between exposure to air pollution and the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, a large new study of nurses finds no link. “Overall, we did not observe any evidence that increases in pollution levels were associated with increases in the risk of rheumatoid arthritis,” wrote study leader Jaime Hart, an instructor of medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, in an email. Nearly 1 percent of U.S. …

Radiation therapy can help fight breast cancer, but the benefit comes at a cost: an increased risk of heart disease later in life.

LONDON (AP) — The new pope has daunting challenges ahead ranging from the church sex abuse scandal to reinvigorating the flock.