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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Nearly 15 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans seeking medical care from the U.S. Veterans Affairs Department have suffered sexual trauma, from harassment to rape, researchers reported on Tuesday.

A single administration of a novel, nasally delivered influenza vaccine elicited immune responses in ferrets that were more than 20 times higher than those generated by two injections of the currently approved vaccines, according to a study by NanoBio Corporation. The new vaccine used only half the standard antigen dose to produce this effect. Results of the study are being presented today at the 48th Annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC)/Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) 46th annual meeting in Washington, D.C. read more

A novel topical therapy for nail fungus, NB-002, has demonstrated a new topical approach to healing nail fungus by penetrating skin pores and diffusing through the skin that surrounds the entire nail plate, according to a study conducted by NanoBio Corporation. read more

Consumer research just released by consulting firm Booz & Company confirmed that U.S. consumers have cut back spending significantly over the past six months and that more than one third of consumers have made measurable cutbacks in frequent purchases, such as dining out. That means more home-cooked meals and the opportunity to prepare healthier food. Contrary to popular belief, fresh produce doesn't have to break the food budget, particularly if you count on potatoes. read more

For years, Prevention magazine has heard from women across America that despite their best efforts, they can't lose the jiggly belly fat that builds up around their middles, especially once they hit 40. Sixty-seven percent of them say it's the body part they most want to change. Shrinking an expanding waistline isn't a matter of vanity. Excess belly fat can significantly increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes and chronic illness more than any other type of body fat -- for both men and women! read more

Leading radiation oncologists are using the TargetScan Touch system to deliver radioactive seed therapy in the prostate. The innovative technology is based on a motionless probe which stabilizes the prostate during procedures. With the gland stabilized, physicians use a touch-screen interface and 3-D ultrasound images to map and confirm placement of radiation. read more

Beech-Nut Nutrition Corporation launched "Beech-Nut Advancing Nutrition", a pledge to provide the most nutritious foods to support the healthy development of infants and toddlers, at the American Dietetic Association's Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo here today. read more

New research published in the journal, Phytochemistry Letters, reveals raisins may benefit oral health because the fruit possesses antimicrobial phytochemicals that suppress growth of some oral bacteria associated with dental cavities and gum disease. The study was conducted at the College of Dentistry, University of Illinois - Chicago (UIC), by a research group led by Christine D. Wu, M.S., Ph.D., Professor and Director of Cariology Research, Department of Pediatric Dentistry at UIC. read more

People who take bisphosphonates for osteoporosis may be at risk for serious atrial fibrillation (AF), or irregular heartbeats, according to a new study. The research, presented at CHEST 2008, the 74th annual international scientific assembly of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), shows that people taking alendronate or zoledronic acid, two common medications to prevent or slow the occurrence of osteoporosis, were significantly more likely to experience serious AF, including hospitalization or death, compared with placebo. read more

Bioniche Life Sciences Inc. (TSX: BNC), a research-based, technology-driven Canadian biopharmaceutical company, today announced that Econiche, the world's first vaccine designed to reduce the shedding by cattle of Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7, has received full licensing approval from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). Econiche is now available for unrestricted use by Canadian cattle producers and their veterinarians. read more