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Hot flashes may be getting an unfair rap for disrupting women's sleep at midlife. Studies have often reported that sleep problems increase during the transition into menopause, reinforcing the idea that hot flashes are to blame. Sleep problems are often assumed to result from hot flashes, but treating hot flashes isn't likely to resolve a serious underlying sleep disorder.

One drink of either red wine or alcohol slightly benefits the heart and blood vessels, but the positive effects on specific biological markers disappear with two drinks, say researchers. Researchers conducted a real-time study of thirteen volunteers to determine whether a red wine with a verified high polyphenol content differs from alcohol in its effects on specific markers associated with a greater risk of high blood pressure, coronary artery disease and heart failure.

If humans had see-through skin like a jellyfish, spotting disease like cancer would be a snap: Just look, and see a tumor form or grow. But humans, of course, are not remotely diaphanous. "The reason a person is not transparent is that their tissues are highly scattering," sending light waves careening through the tissue instead of straight through, as they would through the tissue of that jellyfish, explains researchers. This scattering, in addition to rendering all of us opaque, makes the detection of disease a much trickier issue, requiring a host of diagnostic tests and procedures.

By creating a genetic mutation in zebrafish, scientists say they've discovered a previously unknown mechanism for cleft palate, a common birth defect in humans that has challenged medical professionals for centuries. Tiny gene products that regulate specific cell traffic of a key protein are important in this condition.

In a study to examine the impact of desired body weight on the number of unhealthy days subjects report over one month, researchers found that the desire to weigh less was a more accurate predictor of physically and mentally unhealthy days, than body mass index. Approximately 66% of the more than 150,000 U.S. adults studied wanted to lose weight, and about 26% were satisfied with their current weight.

A new study shows a 45% reduction in operative mortality in high risk patients requiring aortic valve replacement when Least Invasive Valve techniques are used compared to the conventional approach. The Least Invasive Valve "LiV" minimally invasive procedure allows surgeons to safely and easily perform heart valve repair or replacement without the need for conventional open chest surgery.

A unique collaboration between scientists, public health workers and police has led to the arrest by the Chinese authorities of alleged traders of fake antimalarial drugs in southern China and the seizure of a large quantity of drugs. The work, involving teams from across the globe, has highlighted both the growing threat posed by fake pharmaceuticals and the complexities of tracking down those responsible for the trade.

Noroviruses, which are highly contagious, cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. While most people recover within a few days, the very young and old may experience severe disease. Although maintaining hydration is essential, there is no specific treatment for infection. Norovirus, a common cause of gastroenteritis ("stomach flu"), could potentially be controlled by a vaccine.

A new study demonstrates for the first time that embryonic stem cells can be used to create functional immune system blood cells, a finding which is an important step in the utilization of embryonic stem cells as an alternative source of cells for bone marrow transplantation.

Researchers report that for a substantial proportion of their centenarian subjects, avoiding age-related diseases (i.e., stroke, cardiovascular disease, diabetes) may not be the key to their longevity; rather, the avoidance of disability may be a key feature in their exceptional survival.