Protein Key to Brain Rewiring

THURSDAY, Aug. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Scientists say they're gaining insight into how the brain rewires itself as it learns new things, potentially helping them move toward better treatments for mental illness and brain injuries.

 B Cells Can Act Alone in Autoimmune Diseases

THURSDAY, Aug. 7 (HealthDay News) -- B cells may be more responsible for causing autoimmune diseases like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis than initially thought, according to a new study.

 Men More Likely Than Women to Adopt Children

THURSDAY, Aug. 7 (HealthDay News) -- American men ages 18 to 44 are more than twice as likely as women in the same age group to have adopted a child, a new federal report says.

 Disease-Specific Stem Cell Lines Developed

THURSDAY, Aug. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers in Massachusetts have succeeded in generating several disease-specific stem cell lines which should advance both research and, one day, treatment.

 Most Americans Want Health Care Reform

THURSDAY, Aug. 7 (HealthDay News) -- The vast majority of Americans are dissatisfied with the U.S. health care system, and 82 percent think it needs to be overhauled, a new survey found.

 2 New Genes Tied to 3 Cancers

THURSDAY, Aug. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Two genes linked to breast, thyroid and kidney cancer have been identified by Cleveland Clinic researchers. The discovery of the genes SDHB and SDHD could help improve early detection of these cancers and boost patients' chances of survival.

 Health Highlights: Aug. 7, 2008

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

 Clinical Trials Update: Aug. 7, 2008

(HealthDay News) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of CenterWatch :

 Breaking the News About Breast Cancer

THURSDAY, Aug. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Shelley Volz, now 59, got the news about her breast cancer diagnosis 10 years ago, right before she was headed from San Francisco to New York for the wedding of her younger brother.

 Fat Deposits Boost Heart Attack Risk

THURSDAY, Aug. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Having excess fat around your heart may be more dangerous than a high body mass index (BMI) or a thick waist in terms of your heart attack risk, according to new research.

 Health Tip: Detecting False Labor

(HealthDay News) -- You should speak with your doctor if you're concerned about the possibility that you've gone into labor, or whether you're experiencing a false alarm called "false labor," the American Pregnancy Association says.

 Health Tip: Managing Your Child's Migraines

(HealthDay News) -- If your child gets migraine headaches, the American Academy of Family Physicians offers these suggestions to help prevent them:

Yesterday

 One-Fifth of British Childhood Cancer Survivors Smoke

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- A fifth of British adults who survived childhood cancers currently smoke, while almost a third were regular smokers at one time in their lives, a new study reports.

 Study Links Agent Orange to Prostate Cancer in Vietnam Vets

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Vietnam veterans exposed to the defoliant Agent Orange have a significantly greater risk of prostate cancer, especially the most aggressive form of the disease, a new study contends.

 Monitoring Hormone May Improve Kidney Failure Outcomes

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Monitoring levels of a hormone called fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23) may help improve treatment of kidney failure patients, say Massachusetts General Hospital researchers.

 GI Bleeding After Stroke Raises Death Risk

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Stroke patients who develop gastrointestinal bleeding while in recovery are three times as likely to die in the hospital or be heavily disabled upon release than those who do not, a new Canadian study suggests.

 Americans Drinking Less Alcohol

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Americans are drinking less alcohol, with middle-aged people consuming about one-third less than 50 years ago, researchers report.

 Light Stretching Improves Range of Joint Motion

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Short-duration stretching before exercise temporarily improves range of joint motion and doesn't weaken muscles, says new research that fuels the debate about whether stretching before exercise reduces muscle strength and performance.