AP - Francis Maloy lay on his back on a narrow, metallic table, waiting for a giant machine to bombard the tumor in his chest with proton beams.

A research study suggests that premature babies exposed to steady artificial hospital light may impair the growth of their biological clocks. Researchers add that this could lead to susceptibility for mood disorders, such as depression....

AP - Doctors are testing new ways to spur cartilage to regrow in damaged knees, from implanted "cartilage plugs" to injections of bone-marrow stem cells.

AP - A proposed U.N. convention that would protect the rights of the world's disabled has run into difficulties, including a lack of U.S. support, officials said Monday.

Reuters - A project to collect DNA samples from half a million Britons to unpick the genetic basis of killer diseases including cancer got the go-ahead on Tuesday, marking the start of the world's biggest medical experiment.

AP - The Food and Drug Administration on Monday announced changes to the labels for Dexedrine, an amphetamine used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy, to warn of possible heart problems it may cause.

AP - California importer Frank Lettieri is being sued for not warning his customers that his balsamic vinegar contains lead. True enough, he says. But you would have to drink more than a pint of the vinegar every day to reach the government limit for safe exposure to lead. Most people just sprinkle a few drops onto salads or bread.

Reuters - Although obese men tend to have more aggressive prostate cancer going into surgery, they do just as well as thinner men in the years afterward, a study suggests.

Reuters - News, comment, cricket scores -- and contraception.

AFP - Vietnam's poor northern highlands face the threat of "twin epidemics" of intravenous drug use and HIV/AIDS infection, national leaders and UN officials have warned.

HealthDay - (HealthDay News) -- Ear piercing usually is a safe procedure, assuming some basic rules are followed. The American Academy of Pediatrics offers these suggestions for preventing infections and other complications: Make sure you take your child to a reputable technician, doctor or nurse for the procedure. The ear should be properly disinfected with rubbing alcohol or similar solution. Simple round gold post earrings should be used at first to reduce chances of an allergic reaction. ...

HealthDay - (HealthDay News) -- Have you wondered why the older you get, the more easily you seem to bruise?

Reuters - Japanese precision equipment maker Shimadzu Corp. said on Tuesday it and unlisted Singapore biotech venture Agenica Research Pte Ltd have found 10 proteins which could help develop drugs to diagnose or treat breast cancer.

AP - Air travelers with medical conditions may suffer dehydration or other risks because of new air travel restrictions that prohibit people from bringing drinks onto the plane, some doctors say.

Reuters - Hip fracture patients who have a positive outlook on life may fare better after hospitalization than their more depressed counterparts, study findings show.

Reuters - Obese individuals are at increased risk for suffering a heart attack or other "acute coronary syndrome" (ACS), but because they are treated more aggressively than their lean counterparts, their outcomes are actually better, new research suggests.

AP - Michelle Jorgenson thought it was odd that her 8-year-old daughter Cheyenne — conceived with sperm from a mystery man known to Jorgenson only as Donor 3066 — was extremely sensitive to sound and walked on her toes.

Reuters - Watching a parent die of a terminal disease is traumatic for any child, but families can take steps to help them through it, according to researchers.

Reuters - Women who are considered to be high risk of pregnancy appear more like to continue with use of oral contraceptive pills than with a transdermal contraceptive patch, doctors have observed.

HealthDay - (HealthDay News) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of Thomson CenterWatch: