New research by scientists in Taiwan has shown that an 800-year-old formula, Four-Agents Decoction (Si Wu Tang), does not significantly reduce menstrual pain after three cycles of treatment; however, a beneficial effect may be present after a longer treatment. The dosage regimen and treatment length used in this study are not associated with adverse reactions. The results are published in the online, open-access journal PLoS ONE. [click link for full article]

A major function of speech is the communication of intentions. In everyday conversation between adults, intentions are conveyed through multiple channels, including the syntax and semantics of the language, but also through nonverbal vocal cues such as pitch, loudness, and rate of speech.The same thing occurs when we talk to infants. [click link for full article]

Angiogenesis inhibitors that block a tumor’s development of an independent blood supply have been touted as effective cancer fighters that result in fewer side effects than traditional chemotherapy. However, a new study by researchers at UCLA’s Jonsson Cancer Center showed that one method of blocking blood supply development could result in serious and potentially deadly side effects. [click link for full article]

Healthy, full-term newborn babies tend to lose weight during the first few days after their birth. A groundbreaking new study published in the latest issue of the Journal of Human Lactation explores the reasons why certain newborns lose more (or less) than others and what conclusions can be drawn from the research. [click link for full article]

Researchers have found new evidence that soft drinks sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) may contribute to the development of diabetes, particularly in children. [click link for full article]

About 63% of U.S. women are concerned about high cholesterol, but only 32% know their cholesterol number, according to a nationwide survey released Tuesday by the Society for Women’s Health Research, [click link for full article]

Congressional leaders on Tuesday said that they will attempt to override new standards for SCHIP enrollment that aim to limit coverage to the lowest-income children — the “latest volley in the national battle over the future” of the program, the Boston Globe reports (Dembner, Boston Globe, 8/22). [click link for full article]

New studies published online in The Lancet Oncology this week show that cancer survival in Europe is improving and the large gap between nations could be on the verge of closing. But cancer survival in the UK is below the European average and almost on a par with Eastern European countries that spend less than one third on healthcare per head than the UK. [click link for full article]

Research into a life-threatening condition that occurs at high altitude is to benefit from an international database launched at the University of Edinburgh.Experts at the University are studying an illness known as HAPE (high altitude pulmonary oedema), which causes fluid to build up in the lungs and can occur from as low as 2,500 metres, affecting people of all age groups and fitness levels. [click link for full article]

When your body cranks up the heat, it’s a sign that something’s wrong — and a fever is designed to help fight off the infection. But turning up the temperature can have a down side: in about one in 25 infants or small children, high fever can trigger fever-induced (febrile) seizures. [click link for full article]