Pharmaceuticals

Mathematicians have found that by varying the timing of treatments, doctors may be able to increase the odds that a disease outbreak will die off suddenly

In a study of patients asked to tolerate discomfort, different placebo treatments achieved different levels of relief, in keeping with individual expectations. Katherine Harmon reports

An expert sheds light on what polio virus found in the nation’s sewers means for the world

Despite barriers of blood, brain and bureaucracy, intranasal insulin may emerge as a promising treatment for pathological memory loss

Veteran sportswriter and journalism professor Justice B. Hill shared insights about the challenges of catching athletes who use performance enhancers, on August 1 at the annual meeting of the National Association of Black Journalists in Orlando. Steve Mirsky reports

Compound acts by novel mechanism and is effective in mice, offering a potential new weapon in the fight against antibiotic-resistant tuberculosis

Scientists still don't know exactly how antibiotics work

Some rabies infections may not be lethal, but be especially wary of dog bites

Diabetic rats were found to control blood glucose better after undergoing the weight-loss surgery

A bacterial species at the California coast was found to produce anthracimycin, which showed activity against anthrax and MRSA in initial, nonhuman testing. Christopher Intagliata reports

A proposed acquisition of Smithfield Foods would send pork to China and leave more pig feces in the U.S., potentially increasing the risk of superbug infections and other diseases

Test that uses imaging agent to detect protein buildup may get government funding, but only in limited cases