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New research on farm women has shown that contact with some commonly used pesticides in farm work may increase their risk of allergic asthma. They found an average increase of 50 percent in the prevalence of allergic asthma in all farm women who applied or mixed pesticides.

Cosmecueticals, beauty aids that reportedly work like prescription drugs, are providing new ways to treat aging skin. A study in Cosmetic Dermatology explores a variety of new ingredients in cosmeceuticals that provide a visibly noticeable improvement in maturing skin.

Men can be treated with Botox for cosmetic procedures in the same way as women but require higher doses of Botox in all treatment areas. There has recently become a growing interest in cosmetic procedures by men. Although most practices see a majority of women, the number of male patients who seek treatment is slowly increasing.

Allergic-like reactions to gadolinium-containing contrast injections in adults and pediatric patients (those younger than 19 years of age) are rare, according to a recent study. "When these reactions do occur, most of them are mild," said the lead author of the study.

Patients with severe COPD may benefit more from therapy that combines salmeterol and fluticasone than treatment with tiotropium, according to results from a long-term, multi-center study that directly compared the two therapies.

Although over 18 million LASIK procedures have been performed worldwide, there is still some controversy regarding the maximum correction possible and efficacy with this technique. In a new article researchers report that LASIK for myopia over -10 D is a safe and effective procedure in the long-term, ten years after surgery.

Researchers in Australia report development of a new type of gold nanoparticle that destroys the parasite responsible for toxoplasmosis, a potentially serious disease acquired by handling the feces of infected cats or eating undercooked meat. Their so-called "golden bullet" could provide a safer, more effective alternative for treating the disease than conventional drug therapy, they say. Toxoplasma gondii, the parasite that causes the disease, infects more than 60 million people in the United States alone.

Treatment of breast cancer with Taxol and Avastin increased the period patients went without progression of their disease from 5.9 months to 11.8 months. "The tumor can't grow bigger than the size of a sesame seed without an oxygen supply," said one of the researchers. "And patients can stay on Avastin as long at it works. It is not a chemotherapy drug so it has minimal toxicity. "

Researchers have discovered a new fast-acting antidote to cyanide poisoning. The antidote has potential to save lives of those who are exposed to the chemical -- namely firefighters, industrial workers and victims of terrorist attacks.