A genetic mutation expands lesions in the aorta and promotes coronary atherosclerosis, more commonly known as hardening of the arteries, according to a study by Yale School of Medicine in Cell Metabolism.The researchers found that mice engineered without the Akt1 gene and fed a high cholesterol diet had many more signs of aortic atherosclerosis compared to their littermates. And, surprisingly, their coronary lesions were similar to humans, say the scientists. [click link for full article]

Food allergies are becoming increasing common, especially in children. Many of the vaccines routinely given during childhood contain food proteins, which could cause an allergic reaction in a person with…

New research indicates that a diagnostic strategy using computed tomographic pulmonary angiography (CTPA) may be a safe alternative to conventional lungs scans (known as ventilation-perfusion scans) for excluding the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (blood clots in the lung vessels), although CTPA may detect more clots, according to a study in the December 19 issue of JAMA. [click link for full article]

Physicians caring for patients suspected of having a heart attack may trigger “false-positive” activation of the cardiac catheterization laboratory based on test results suggestive of a heart attack, according to a study in the December 19 issue of JAMA. [click link for full article]

Over a 15 year period, women with low bone mineral density and a previous vertebral fracture had an increased risk of a new vertebral fracture compared to women with normal bone mineral density and no previous fracture, according to a study in the December 19 issue of JAMA. Vertebral fractures are the most common osteoporotic fracture, with prevalence estimates of 35 percent to 50 percent among women older than 50 years. [click link for full article]

The Washington, D.C., State Board of Education on Thursday voted to unanimously approve systemwide guidelines for health and physical education that include grade-specific sex education and information about HIV/AIDS, the Washington Post reports. [click link for full article]

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) and state Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez (D) have reached a tentative agreement on a $14 billion plan to overhaul California’s health care system, officials said on Friday, the Los Angeles Times reports. [click link for full article]

Increasing the availability of contraception for women in Africa could prevent tens of thousands more pediatric HIV cases at a lower cost than providing antiretroviral treatment to pregnant women, some researchers have said recently, the Washington Post reports. [click link for full article]

“Moving Backward: Status Report on the Impact of the Aug. 17 SCHIP Directive To Impose New Limits on States’ Ability To Cover Uninsured Children,” Georgetown University Health Policy Institute Center for Children and Families: The report provides the first comprehensive review of the Bush administration’s Aug. 17 [click link for full article]

The New York Times on Monday examined deceptive or fraudulent practices used by insurance agents to enroll older U.S. residents in Medicare Advantage plans. [click link for full article]