Online Gaming With Real-World Friends Is Healthier: Study

FRIDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- Contrary to what some might think, spending hours online playing video games and interacting with others through avatars may contribute to emotional health, if virtual gaming partners or opponents include real-world family members, findings from a new data analysis suggest.

Health Tip: After You Run a Marathon

(HealthDay News) -- Running 25 miles or more can take a major toll on your body, so it's important to take it easy after you've finished a marathon.

Health Tip: Cut Back on Preschoolers' Fat

(HealthDay News) -- Babies and young toddlers need a good dose of fat and calories to help them grow and develop properly. But by the time they are ready for preschool, it's time to start watching what youngsters eat.

Everyday Exercise Can Help Kids With Cystic Fibrosis: Study

FRIDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- Simple exercise routines can improve lung function and overall fitness in children and teens with cystic fibrosis, the results of a small new study suggest.

Single Gene Linked to Evolution of Human Brain

FRIDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- Mutations in a single gene have a major influence on the size and shape of the human cerebral cortex, the part of the brain that plays a key role in high-level functions such as language, memory, attention and consciousness.

Therapy Dogs May Help Ease Anxiety of MRI

FRIDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- Therapy dogs can help ease patients' anxiety before they have an MRI scan, researchers have found.

Can 'Doll Therapy' Help Put Dementia Patients at Ease?

FRIDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- A Pennsylvania medical center that frequently treats older people has found that geriatric patients in need of soothing seem to benefit from a type of therapy that involves dolls.

Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis May Raise Risk of Abnormal Heart Rhythm

FRIDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- People with two common inflammatory diseases stand a higher chance of developing a heart condition that is strongly associated with stroke, a new study suggests.

Airlines Need Better Prep for In-Flight Medical Crises: Experts

FRIDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- The airline industry needs to standardize procedures and equipment for in-flight medical emergencies, according to two American doctors.

Most Leukemia Patients Recover From 'Chemo Brain' After Transplant: Study

FRIDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- A decline in memory and fine-motor skills is common among patients who undergo a bone marrow or stem cell transplant to treat leukemia or lymphoma, but most patients return to normal within five years, according to a new study.

Immigrants Eat American Junk Food to Fit In: Study

FRIDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- After moving to the United States, immigrant groups trying to fit in tend to choose high-calorie, fatty foods in an attempt to appear more American, a new study finds.

1 in 7 U.S. Nursing Homes Cited for Poor Infection Control

FRIDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- Nearly one in seven nursing homes is cited for deficiencies in infection control practices each year, new research shows.

Americans Walking, Biking a Bit More, Research Shows

FRIDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- Americans walked and biked a bit more in 2009 than they did eight years earlier, new research finds.

Chemicals May Raise Health Risks for Nail Salon Workers

FRIDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- Nail salon workers may be at increased risk of exposure to harmful chemicals, a new study warns.

Moderate Levels of Arsenic in Water Can Pose Health Threat

THURSDAY, May 5 (HealthDay News) -- Even moderate levels of arsenic in drinking water increases the risk for heart disease, a new study suggests.

Few Babies in Child-Care Centers Receive Breast Milk: Study

THURSDAY, May 5 (HealthDay News) -- While new mothers are strongly encouraged to breast-feed their babies for at least a year, a small study of child-care centers suggests that relatively few are set up to help moms to do so.

Dads Who Eat Out Have Kids Who Eat Out, Study Finds

FRIDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- Fathers have a major influence on how often their children eat at fast-food and other types of restaurants, new research shows.

Surgery May Beat Antibiotics for Appendicitis, Study Finds

THURSDAY, May 5 (HealthDay News) -- Although some researchers believe antibiotics can often cure appendicitis, surgery remains the more effective treatment, French investigators suggest.

Poor Sleep Might Worsen Diabetes

FRIDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- People with diabetes who sleep poorly have higher blood glucose levels and a more difficult time controlling their disease, a new study shows.

Health Highlights: May 6, 2011

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

Afinitor Approved for Rare Pancreatic Cancer

FRIDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of Afinitor (everolimus) has been expanded to include people with progressive neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas (PNET) that have spread to other parts of the body or cannot be removed by surgery, the agency said Friday.

FDA Sanctions Wider Use of Carotid Stent

FRIDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- More people with a clogged neck artery are now candidates for the RX Acculink carotid stent, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday.

FDA OK's Test to Spot Drug-Resistant Staph

FRIDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- The first Staphylococcus aureus diagnostic that can quickly identify the staph bacterium and whether it's resistant to methicillin and similar antibiotics has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.