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2,000 Extra Steps a Day Cuts Cardiovascular Risk by 8 Percent

People with a glucose-tolerance problem -- a driver of diabetes and cardiovascular disease -- can cut the risk of heart attack or stroke by simply walking an additional 2,000 steps per day, a study said on Friday.

The experiment gathered more than 9,300 adults in 40 countries with so-called impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) who had also been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease or were considered at risk from it.

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Report Finds Contamination in Most Chicken Sold in U.S.

Almost all of the raw chicken sold in the U.S. contains potentially harmful bacteria such as salmonella and E.coli, according to an analysis by Consumer Reports published Thursday.

The magazine tested 316 raw chicken breasts in 26 states and "found potentially harmful bacteria lurking in almost all of the chicken, including organic brands," it said.

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Science Journal: Cancer Therapy is 2013 Breakthrough

A way of fighting cancer that turns the body's immune cells into targeted tumor killers was named the breakthrough of the year by the U.S. journal Science on Thursday.

Immunotherapy has only worked for a small number of patients, and only in certain cancers, including melanoma and leukemia, but experts believe its promise is huge.

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Feminist Goes Topless In Vatican Abortion protest

A leader of the Ukrainian feminist group Femen bared herself near St. Peter's Square on Thursday shouting "Christmas is canceled!" in a protest against the Catholic Church's stance on abortion.

Inna Shevchenko, 23, went topless and ran towards the square but was stopped by some 20 police officers.

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AstraZeneca Pays $2.7 Billion for Diabetes Stake

British drugmaker AstraZeneca PLC says it will pay $2.7 billion to buy out Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.'s stake in their partnership to develop and sell diabetes drugs.

The deal announced Thursday also calls for up to $1.4 billion in regulatory, launch and sales related payments,

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Higher Blood Pressure Threshold OK in Older Adults

Many older adults with high blood pressure can be treated less aggressively, which could mean taking fewer pills to get it under control, according to new treatment guidelines from a U.S. expert panel. But not all experts are on board with the advice — including the federal agency that appointed the group.

Panel members stressed that they are not changing the definition of high blood pressure: 140 over 90. For adults aged 60 and older, they are recommending a higher treatment threshold, prescribing medicine only when blood pressure levels reach 150 over 90 or higher.

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Shanghai Health Official Held, Media Cite GSK Link

A Shanghai health official has been arrested on suspicion of crime, local authorities said, with state media linking his downfall to the bribery scandal surrounding British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline.

Huang Fengping, who was suspended earlier this month as deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission for Health and Family Planning, was arrested Wednesday for allegedly committing a crime, the Shanghai Municipal People's Prosecution Service said in a one-sentence statement.

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Spain to Ban e-Cigarettes in Hospitals, Schools

Spain will ban electronic cigarettes from public places like hospitals and schools because of their possible health risks, the government said Wednesday.

"The goal is to protect people's health and avoid possible adverse effects," Health Minister Ana Mato said in a statement.

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U.S. Plans 'Silver Alert' to Find Missing Seniors

Capitalizing on the success of urgent "Amber Alert" bulletins that help authorities find missing children, U.S. lawmakers introduced a similar program for the elderly Tuesday that they hope to implement across America.

If passed by Congress, the legislation sponsored by six U.S. Senate Democrats would create a "Silver Alert" aimed at helping locate missing senior citizens suffering from conditions such as dementia.

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Cells from the Eye are 'Printed' for the First Time

Neuroscientists on Tuesday said they had used an inkjet printer to print cells from the eye, making a practical step in the quest to grow replenishment tissue for damaged or diseased organs.

Researchers at England's University of Cambridge extracted two types of cells from rat retinas and sent them through a printer nozzle to see if they survived.

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