When women take the common diabetes medication metformin during pregnancy, it may put their children at increased risk of having obesity or overweight. A growing number of pregnant women are taking metformin to treat gestational diabetes or a condition called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is a common cause of infertility and can put women at risk of developing diabetes and other metabolic health problems. PCOS affects an estimated 7 percent to 10 percent of women of childbearing age, according to the Hormone…
North Korea sent banned items to Syria and Myanmar, UN experts say. North Korea sent items used in ballistic missile and chemical weapons programs to Syria along with missile technicians in violation of U.N. sanctions — and banned ballistic missiles systems to Myanmar, U.N. experts said. The panel of experts monitoring sanctions against North Korea said its investigations into Pyongyang’s transfer of prohibited ballistic missile, conventional arms and dual use goods found more than 40 previously unreported shipments to Syria …
Ikea brand marshmallow candy recalled due to possible mice infestation. OTTAWA - Ikea brand Marshmallow candy is being recalled due to what the Canadian Food Inspection Agency says may be possible contamination from mice infestation. The CFIA says the product may contain harmful bacteria. It was sold in Alberta, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec in 100-gram packages which display the words “Marshmallow candy” below the Ikea name “Godis Paskkyckling.” The CFIA says there have been no reported illnes…
The antibiotic clarithromycin (brand name: Biaxin) may increase the long-term risk of heart problems and death in patients with heart disease, according to U.S. health officials. As a result, the federal Food and Drug Administration said Thursday that it's recommending that doctors carefully weigh the benefits and risks of the drug before prescribing it to patients with heart problems. The agency said its warning is based on a 10-year follow-up study of patients with coronary he…
President Muhammadu Buhari has said Nigeria has suffered a “national disaster” after dozens of girls went missing following an attack by Boko Haram jihadists on their school in north-east Nigeria. “ This is a national disaster. We are sorry that this could have happened, ” he said in a statement, issued five days after the attack in the town of Dapchi in Yobe state. “ We pray that our gallant armed forces will locate and safely return your missing family members. Our government is sending more troops and surveillance aircraft…
Researchers say they are one step closer to testing a heroin vaccine in humans -- in what they hope will become an additional weapon in fighting America's opioid epidemic. Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute, in California, have developed an experimental vaccine that appears safe and effective in animals. It also has a long enough shelf-life to be practical. Those are all key hurdles, the researchers said, and the vaccine is almost ready for testing in people. No one will know what the effects or toxicities cou…
Police guard the entrance to the United States embassy building in Podgorica, Montenegro, February 22, 2018. (REUTERS) Police block off the area around the U.S. Embassy in Montenegro’s capital Podgorica, Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018. (AP) The U.S. Embassy in the Balkan state of Montenegro was attacked Thursday by an individual armed with a hand grenade, who hurled the explosive at the compound before blowing himself up. The area was sealed off by the police and the embassy warned Americans to avoid the area because of “an a…
Osteoarthritis: Could researchers have found the key to prevention? A new study may have revealed a possible new prevention and treatment strategy for osteoarthritis, which is one of the most common and debilitating age-related diseases in the United States. Researchers at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) in San Diego, CA, reveal that proteins called FoxO are key for joint health. By boosting the levels of these FoxO proteins, they believe that it might be possible to treat osteoarthritis, or even stop the disease fr…
Nearly one in 10 U.S. adults has depression, and the rate is almost twice as high for women as men, health officials say. National survey data showed that more than 8 percent of adults aged 20 and older suffer from low mood, according to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Among women, slightly more than 10 percent have depression, versus 5.5 percent of men. And the mood disorder affects everyday life for a majority of these people, the 2013-2016 questionnaires show. "One of t…
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