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New findings indicate that less than half of medical students say they are adequately trained to navigate health care system. A research paper reports that medical students could benefit from intense curriculum that teaches more medical economics and better explains insurance strategies.

Pericardial effusion, the collection of fluid around the heart, typically occurs in patients following heart surgery and is usually treated using an invasive surgical drainage technique. However researchers have discovered that a minimally invasive procedure called CT-guided tube pericardiostomy is just as effective -- requiring no recovery time, fewer resources, and provides an 89 percent cost savings over the surgical drainage technique, according to a new study.

Scientists are reporting discovery of a much sought after crack in the armor of a common microbe that infects the stomachs of one-sixth of the world's population, causing stomach ulcers and other diseases. They identified a group of substances that block a key chemical pathway that the bacteria need for survival.

Scientists in Australia are reporting development and testing in laboratory animals of a potential new material for diagnosing malignant melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer.

Researchers have identified critical biochemical pathways linked to the aging of human muscle. By manipulating these pathways, the researchers were able to turn back the clock on old human muscle, restoring its ability to repair and rebuild itself. The findings provide promising new targets for stemming the debilitating muscle atrophy that accompanies human aging.

Tell-tale signs of a condition that can blind premature babies are being seen for the first time using a new handheld device.

Researchers have used nanomaterials to develop a microchip sensitive enough to quickly determine the type and severity of a patient's cancer so that the disease can be detected earlier for more effective treatment.

The higher incidence of diabetes among African Americans when compared to whites may have more to do with living conditions than genetics, according to new research. The study found that when African Americans and whites live in similar environments and have similar incomes, their diabetes rates are similar, which contrasts with the fact that nationally diabetes is more prevalent among African-Americans than whites.

Scientists working to develop a vaccine for the human immunodeficiency virus report they have created the first antigen that induces protective antibodies capable of blocking infection of human cells by genetically-diverse strains of HIV. The new antigen differs from previously-tested vaccines by virtue of its chemically-activated property that enables close sharing of electrons and produces strong covalent bonding. Researchers used a mouse model to generate the antibodies.

Scientists have discovered a new use for the Polycomb group protein found in moss that have an important role in telling stem cells how to develop.