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The United States places last among 19 countries when it comes to deaths that could have been prevented by access to timely and effective health care, according to new research. 101,000 fewer Americans would die annually if the US improved its preventable death rate to that of the 3 top performing nations.

The intensity of alcoholism is typically defined by the severity of alcohol tolerance and/or withdrawal; and Scientists investigated the role of polymorphisms of the dopamine transporter (DAT1) gene in withdrawal; Four polymorphisms appear to alter the risk of alcohol-withdrawal seizures.

Scientists have used magnetic fields and tiny iron-bearing particles to drive healthy cells to targeted sites in blood vessels. The research, done in animals, may lead to a new method of delivering cells and genes to repair injured or diseased organs in people.

A study of nearly 4,500 men finds that circumcision does not adversely affect sexual performance and satisfaction. Adult studies have been problematic and contradictory because of highly selective study participants, small sample sizes and short follow-up periods. Satisfaction rates in this study -- which compared circumcised and non-circumcised men -- topped 98 percent.

A device designed to eliminate mistakes made while mixing compounds at a hospital pharmacy was 100 percent accurate in identifying the proper formulations of seven intravenous drugs. Five potentially serious medication errors were averted over an 18-month period in a test at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital in the University of Michigan Health System by using the technology.

Here's another reason not to smoke, especially for women: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This disabling breathing disorder is increasingly becoming a problem for women. The most important risk factor for COPD is long-term cigarette smoking.

A ninety minute daytime nap helps speed up the process of long term memory consolidation. Long term memory is defined as a permanent memory that doesn't disappear or that disappears after many years. This part of our memory is divided into two types -- memories of "what" (for example: what happened yesterday or what one remembers from an article one read yesterday) and memories of "how to" (for example: how to read Hebrew, how to drive, play basketball or play the piano).

Stress and fear in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks may be making Americans sicker, according to a groundbreaking new study. Participants who reported high levels of acute stress immediately after the attacks were about twice as likely to report being diagnosed with hypertension and about three times as likely to report a diagnosis of heart problems over the following two years.

Parents of overweight children often desire a 'quick fix' for the problem and request thyroid tests, but, unfortunately, screening for hypothyroidism is not the answer, says a new study. Children treated for hypothyroidism aren't likely to drop pounds with treatment for the condition says a new study in the Journal of Pediatrics.

A team of US, Israeli and German scientists used computational biology techniques to discover 480 genes that play a role in human cell division and to identify more than 100 of those genes that have an abnormal pattern of activation in cancer cells.