MONDAY, Dec. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Deleting the receptor of a protein known to promote obesity allowed mice to burn more fat, researchers report.

(HealthDay News) -- Fluctuations in hormone levels and other factors during pregnancy can lead to changes in a woman's skin and hair.

(HealthDay News) -- The best way to prevent gingivitis (gum disease) is to practice good dental hygiene. It's never too early to start in life, because children as young as 6 can develop gum disease.

MONDAY, Dec. 13 (HealthDay News) -- About 40 percent of patients with incurable brain tumors use alternative therapies in addition to conventional treatments, finds a new study.

MONDAY, Dec. 13 (HealthDay News) --Researchers say they've turned human stem cells into functioning human intestinal tissue in a laboratory setting.

MONDAY, Dec. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Children who live in smoke-free apartments but have neighbors who light up suffer from exposure to smoke that seeps through walls or shared ventilation systems, new research shows.

FRIDAY, Dec. 10 (HealthDay News) -- High levels of breast cancer tumor cells circulating in the blood during the first round of chemotherapy are a sign that the patient may not do well in the long run.

MONDAY, Dec. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Available ovarian cancer screening only slightly reduces the number of deaths from the disease, a new study finds.

MONDAY, Dec. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Both electronic and mailed reminders help encourage some patients to get colorectal cancer screenings, two new studies show.

MONDAY, Dec. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Black patients and those with lower levels of income and education have more severe parkinsonism with greater levels of disability, a new study FINDS.

MONDAY, Dec. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Exposure to a mineral found on gravel roads in North Dakota may significantly increase the risk of a type of lung cancer called mesothelioma, says a new study.

SUNDAY, Dec. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers have been able to prod human cells that normally produce sperm to make insulin instead and, after transplanting them, the cells briefly cured mice with type 1 diabetes.

MONDAY, Dec. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Getting kids to happily eat nutritious, low-sugar breakfast cereals may be child's play, researchers report.

MONDAY, Dec. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Acupuncture may be an effective way to treat older children struggling with a certain form of lazy eye, new research from China suggests, although experts say more studies are needed.

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

MONDAY, Dec. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Sticking to a heart-healthy lifestyle may also ward off Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study that suggests that raising "good" cholesterol levels can help prevent the brain disorder in older people.

MONDAY, Dec. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Taxing sodas and other sweetened drinks would result in only minimal weight loss, although the revenues generated could be used to promote obesity control programs, new research suggests.

(HealthDay News) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of ClinicalConnection.com:

MONDAY, Dec. 13 (HealthDay News) -- A federal judge ruled Monday that the new U.S. health-care reform law is unconstitutional, saying the federal government has no authority to require citizens to buy health insurance.

MONDAY, Dec. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Two new studies suggest that Medicare patients who take opioid painkillers such as codeine, Vicodin or Oxycontin face higher health risks, including death, heart problems or fractures, compared to those taking non-opioid analgesics.