Laura Kelly
Articles by Laura Kelly
Deana Hildebrand Curbing Obesity project wins $4 million CDC grant
Nutrition professor Deana Hildebrand is leading the Curbing Obesity in Adair and Muskogee Counties project, a social experiment focusing on two counties in the state where more than 40 percent of the residents are obese. Published February 4, 2019
First all-girl troop welcomed into Boy Scouts: D.C.’s Troop 248
Washington, D.C., marked the end -- and the beginning -- of an era this weekend when the Boy Scouts of America established its first all-girl troops in the nation's capital. Published February 2, 2019
Researchers sound alarm on measles hot spots
Health researchers are sounding the alarm about measles hot spots around the country where viral outbreaks are most likely because large percentages of residents have refused vaccinations based on religious or philosophical beliefs. Published January 24, 2019
Measles comeback blamed on anti-vaccination movement
Decades of progress in eliminating measles are slowly being erased as vaccination rates against the disease decline across the country, threatening communities with potentially deadly outbreaks of cases from the highly infectious virus, health officials say. Published January 22, 2019
FDA considers drug therapy to fight teen vaping problem
The Food and Drug Administration is considering drug therapy to combat teen vaping, but doctors, parents and teens themselves are pressing the FDA to make it more difficult for young people to get vaping products. Published January 21, 2019
Zainab Mughal’s struggle to find donors highlights need for diverse blood supply, says Susan Forbes
Blood banks are struggling amid a national decline in donations, especially for rare blood types -- a situation that has spawned a global search for donors for a 2-year-old cancer patient with an extremely rare type in Orlando, Florida. Published January 17, 2019
‘Leaky’ brain could be early sign of Alzheimer’s disease: Study
A leaky brain could be an earlier sign of Alzheimer's disease compared to current tests and may hold the key to a potential cure, according to a study published Monday in a scholarly journal. Published January 15, 2019
Micro-needle birth control patch new contraception option: Report
Scientists have developed a long-lasting birth control patch they hope can give women more autonomy over family planning, reduce the number of doctor office visits and be widely distributed in developing countries. Published January 15, 2019
Less than six hours of sleep increases risk for heart disease: Study
It's been said that very successful people don't waste time with sleep, only closing their eyes for maybe four to five hours. But new research says that routinely cutting your REM cycle short -- less than six hours -- is associated with an increased risk of heart disease. Published January 15, 2019
Half of parents don’t realize teens are thinking of suicide: Study
About half of parents are unaware that their teenagers have suicidal thoughts and more than 75 percent didn't know their children had recurrent thoughts of death, according to research published Monday by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Published January 14, 2019
New study recommends a daily maximum for dietary fiber intake
Dietary fiber is considered the best carbohydrate you can consume, but how much is too much? Researchers now think they may have an answer. Published January 11, 2019
U.S. fertility rate too low to replace population: Report
The U.S. fertility rate currently is too low to replace the nation's population over time, according to federal statistics published Thursday. Published January 10, 2019
FDA shifting funds to drug safety amid government shutdown
The Food and Drug Administration is shifting funds during the government shutdown to prioritize drug safety surveillance over pre-market drug review work, the commissioner has announced Published January 9, 2019
Scientists test small sponge to filter chemotherapy drugs in cancer patients
A 3-D printed sponge could help clean the blood of cancer patients by removing excess chemotherapy, according to a study published Wednesday. Published January 9, 2019
Researchers use AI facial recognition to diagnose rare diseases
Researchers are using artificial intelligence to diagnose rare genetic diseases by scanning a person's face or a photograph, according to a study published this month. Published January 9, 2019
Alzheimer’s diagnoses differ between blacks, whites: Report
Blacks are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than whites, but there's little research on the difference because most patients in studies are white, according to an article published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association Neurology. Published January 8, 2019
Juul using teens blindsided by nicotine addiction
Scrambling to reduce the numbers of teens who vape, health officials are struggling with how to treat a new group of young people addicted to nicotine, with no clear path to help them break it. Published January 7, 2019
Holocaust survivors in Israel live longer, despite suffering more disease: Study
Holocaust survivors, while suffering from more chronic diseases and conditions, actually live longer compared to a similar age group that did not go through such a traumatic experience, according to research from Israel published Friday. Published January 4, 2019
Food allergies more common in adults than previously thought: Study
An estimated one in 10 U.S. adults have a food allergy and at least one in five believe they are allergic to certain foods, according to research published Friday. Published January 4, 2019
First in human trials started for breathalyzer cancer test
Have a funny taste in your mouth? Are you turning people away with bad breath? What seems like poor hygiene actually could be signs of cancer, according to researchers in England who are launching the first breathalyzer test to detect disease. Published January 3, 2019