Minneapolis: Welders can develop Parkinson’s disease-like symptoms that may get worse the longer and more they are exposed to the chemical element manganese from welding fumes, according to a study published recently in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Philadelphia: Does eating good-tasting food make you gain weight? Despite the common perception that good-tasting food is unhealthy because it causes obesity, new research from the Monell Center using a mouse model suggests that desirable taste in and of itself does not lead to weight gain.

It’s no secret that the cost of prescription drugs—especially brand-name drugs—has been rising far faster than inflation over the last few years. This high cost is one reason that some people aren’t taking the medication their providers prescribe for them. It’s not just people paying out of pocket who are affected. Although those with good insurance from their employer or elsewhere may feel the sting far less dramatically each time they pick up a prescription, those costs do eventually trickle out to everyone. Ultimately insurance companies or other payers shift some of the burden to patients in the form of higher co-payments or deductibles.

  Sometimes treating a chronic disease can be as simple as adding fruits and vegetables to the diet, at least that’s what researchers at the Texas A&M College of Medicine have found.

Washington: New research suggests that age cut-offs for deceased organ donors prevent quality kidneys from being available to patients in need of life-saving transplants. A study appearing in recent issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology found that even kidneys from donors ≥80 years of age can function for years after transplantation.

Copenhagen: Sustainable eating Meals based on legumes such as beans and peas are more satiating than pork and veal-based meals according to a recent study by the University of Copenhagen's Department of Nutrition, Excercise and Sports. Results suggest that sustainable eating may also help with weight loss.