Understanding Liver Spots

Liver spots are light brown patches of skin that commonly appear in people aged 40 and older. But they have nothing to do with the liver or liver function, the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) says.

Instead, these areas of increased pigmentation may be a normal result of aging, or exposure to the sun or ultraviolet light.

Liver spots are most often found on the backs of the hands, the forearms, shoulders, forehead, and elsewhere that is exposed to the sun, the NLM says.

Although they may be cosmetically unappealing, liver spots are harmless. Bleaching creams or lotions may help reduce their appearance, and freezing or laser treatments may destroy them, the NLM says.
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Newborns tested for genectic disorders

Good news for the nation's babies: Nearly 90 percent of newborns are getting tested for a host of rare but devastating genetic disorders.

Since 2004, specialists have urged that every U.S. newborn be checked for 29 conditions, to detect the few thousand who will need early treatment to avoid death, retardation or other serious problems.

The federal government hasn't issued national screening guidelines, but more states are following the advice on their own. As of June 1, 40 states required testing for more than 20 of those disorders, says a March of Dimes report issued Wednesday.

Having a male twin can reduce woman’s fertility

Women who have a male twin are less likely to marry and have children, perhaps because of being exposed to their brother’s testosterone for nine months in the womb, researchers reported on Monday.

A study of Finnish twins showed that women were 25 percent less likely to have children if their twin was a male. Those who did have children gave birth to an average of two fewer babies than women who had a twin sister.

Based on an analysis of 18th and 19th century data, researchers found women who had a male twin also were 15 percent less likely to get married, Virpi Lummaa of the University of Sheffield in Britain and Finland’s University of Turku and colleagues reported.

Scientists shed new light on male infertility

Scientists in Hong Kong and China have identified for the first time a protein in sperm from humans and from mice that could be responsible for many unexplained cases of male infertility.

Defective versions of the protein, called epithelial ion channel, have previously been reported to be responsible for female infertility.

Writing in the latest issue of the Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences journal, the researchers said they detected the protein in sperm samples from mice and human subjects.

How to dispose of Rx drugs safely

With the rise in prescription drug abuse, three federal agencies issued guidelines earlier this year for disposing of medications without harming the environment.

_Remove unused, unneeded or expired prescription drugs from their original containers.

_Mix prescription drugs with an undesirable substance, like used coffee grounds or cat litter, and put them in impermeable, nondescript containers, such as empty cans or sealable bags.

_Throw containers in the trash.

_Don't flush prescription drugs down the toilet unless the accompanying patient information says specifically it is safe to do so.

_Return drugs to pharmaceutical take-back sites that allow consumers to return unused drugs for safe disposal.

Sources: White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, Department of Health and Human Services, Environmental Protection Agency.