MORE STORIES

• UM scientists developing a new test to catch cancer in blood early

  At the University of Miami School of Medicine, Drs. Richard Cote and Ram Datar are pursuing a nano-scale test to detect cancer in the blood before it spreads.

• SCIENCE

  Nanotechnology: sci-fi fears vs. a world of innovation

  Nanotechnology has surprising applications in mundane materials like sunscreen and esoteric items like high-tech body armor for soldiers. But some fear scarier scenarios worthy of a science fiction novel.
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  MUSIC

  Rocker Travis McCoy raises voice for AIDS awareness

  When Travis McCoy, lead singer of hip-hop/rock band Gym Class Heroes, lost someone he loved to AIDS more than 15 years ago, he wasn't only saddened by his loss -- he was afraid that he could have been infected, too. ``You think `Oh no, we've shared kitchen utensils,' '' says McCoy, who was 11 or 12 at the time. ``You think, `Will the kids at school know?' '' When he learned in a school health program that you don't get AIDS from sharing silverware or touching someone, ``I had this clarity and relief, but also enormous guilt.''

• HEALTHCARE

  Women getting short end of health coverage

  Legislation moving through Congress addresses the practice of health insurance rates based on gender and maternity care.

• PLASTIC SURGERY 101

  Don't feel bad about your neck

  Q. I just finished reading the book I Feel Bad About my Neck by Nora Ephron, and although I found it funny, I really do feel bad about how my neck is looking. I am 45 years old, attractive, active and I don't want to look older. What can I do to help my neck look better?
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  HEALTH Q&A: CARING FOR THE HOMELESS

  Without compassion, 'we're totally lost'

  As director of health services for Camillus Health Concern, Dr. Rosendo I. Collazo is one of Miami-Dade County's doctors to the homeless. The center, at 336 NW Fifth St., offers primary care services, HIV treatment, dental services, mental health services and case management.

• HEALTH CARE

  Traveling clinic heading to Florida

  Uninsured South Floridians will have an opportunity to get free eyeglasses, mammograms, tooth fillings and checkups when a giant, roving clinic sets up shop Nov. 21-22 at the Palm Beach County Fairgrounds. Organizers are asking area doctors, dentists, nurses and opticians to give up a weekend to help.

• SWINE FLU

  Swine-flu vaccine coming to South Florida; kids first in line

  The first vaccines against H1N1 flu started arriving around the nation on Monday, and South Florida should have its first doses by next week. They'll go to school-age children.

• SCHOOLS

  Swine flu vaccine for students available soon

  South Florida health departments will start offering the swine flu vaccines, initially in the form of a nasal spray, at public schools on Oct. 19.

• Health tips | Counting calories; coping with tension; backpack suggestions

  Ever wonder how many calories you really burn during your morning jog? The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) has an online calculator that can give you the answer.

• CHEW ON THIS

  Hypertension researchers: Time to shake salt habit

  Bad news about salt keeps pouring out of research labs. A RAND study funded by Harvard University and published in the September/October issue of the Journal of Health Promotion is the most recent. It concluded that if Americans followed the USDA-recommended guidelines of no more than 2,400 mg of sodium a day, our country could save $18 billion annually in healthcare costs and improve quality of life with lowered incidence of high blood pressure and stroke.

• Acreage residents try to connect dots in cancer cases

  The Acreage, a corner of unincorporated western Palm Beach County, is a rustic patch of dirt roads, canals and horse trails -- and, among some residents, the simmering fear of cancer.
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  ACUFEST

  It's not just about needles

  Most of us were taught as children that it's never a good idea to poke other people with sharp objects. But such admonitions will be moot Sunday at the Biltmore Hotel, where up to 1,000 people are expected to gather for the first Acufest, an acupuncture and healthy-living expo.

• WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND?

  Blue-collar boyfriend makes her happy, but ...

  Q: I'm 47 and divorced. My ex was financially successful but the relationship was empty and unconnected. I've been dating someone for nine months whom I really love. The problem is he's not a professional, and won't be able to have conversations with my friends' husbands about business or important topics. And my family will think he's beneath me and unsophisticated. He doesn't have money, but he's thoughtful, caring and makes me feel so happy. I broke up with him and was so depressed I cried until we got back together. What should I do?

• Lesbian's suit against Jackson Memorial Hospital dismissed

  A federal court in Miami has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a Washington state lesbian who was not allowed to visit her dying partner at Jackson Memorial Hospital.

• SKIN DEEP

  Claims may be true, but they're still hype

  Q: What are your thoughts on these new expensive creams that claim to have ''stem cells'' in them? A: There are actually two types of claims that these ''stem cell'' creams make: the first is that they contain stem cells, and the second is that they stimulate stem cells already in the skin.
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  GET SMART

  Daily dose of aspirin not safe for everyone

  The humble aspirin -- already celebrated for helping prevent the recurrence of heart attacks and strokes in some people -- is now being touted as a possible aid in preventing colon cancer. Is the cheap drugstore painkiller the new wonder drug? Don't pop one daily before reading this.

• RESEARCH

  Can stress be good for you?

  Stress doesn't just motivate us to get things done. Short bouts of it may actually boost the immune system and protect against one type of cancer, according to researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine, who were able to show the effects using stressed-out laboratory mice.
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  FATIGUE

  Pinpoint the cause, then take steps to eliminate it

  This time of year always makes me feel exhausted. I find my visits to Starbucks increasing every September as the month signals the beginning of so many things starting up again.

• Quick Study | Breast cancer and estrogen, heart failure and pacemakers

  Turning the tables on standard breast cancer treatment may help some women; Restoring synchronized heartbeat may stem disease progression.

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