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WEDNESDAY, March 22, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Genetic analysis of Ludwig van Beethoven’s hair has provided new clues into the cause of the great composer’s death in 1827 — as well as evidence of a family scandal.The analysis revealed that Beethoven suffered from a hepatitis B infection that could have contributed to his death from liver disease.Researchers found DNA evidence of hepatitis B virus in a lock of hair taken from Beethoven’s body shortly after his death in 1827, according to the report published online March 22 in Current Biology.The investigators also found evidence of a strong genetic predisposition to liver disease in Beethoven, said co-researcher Dr. Markus Nothen, a professor with the University Hospital of Bonn’s Institute of Human Genetics, in Germany.“We...

WEDNESDAY, March 22, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Sometimes a person may not be able to make it to the bathroom on their own, either because they are recovering from surgery or have long-term health issues.It’s likely that many people will need to think about being able to change a loved one’s bedpan at home.Research published recently in the journal Health Affairs found that the seniors most likely to need paid home care to continue living at home were also the least likely to be able to afford it."Most people who become frail at older ages rely on unpaid family caregivers," lead researcher Richard Johnson, a senior fellow with the Urban Institute's Income and Benefits Policy Center, in Washington, D.C., said when the study was published. "Those are the people who provide the vast...

WEDNESDAY, March 22, 2023 (American Heart Association News) -- Multitasking is a way of life for Juan Medina-Echeverria. He's a husband, a father of two and a second-year medical student living near Chicago. He often listens to his classes while jogging on the treadmill, running the equivalent of 6 or 7 miles for every hourlong lecture. "I'm killing two birds with one stone," he said.Exercise wasn't very accessible during his childhood in his native San Francisco Bay Area. The lower-income community where he grew up lacked amenities such as tracks, basketball courts or public parks."It was hard to find a place to exercise in a safe manner," he said. "I battled with my weight my whole life."Juan's parents, who were undocumented immigrants, also urged him and his two siblings to keep a...

WEDNESDAY, March 22, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Sometimes a person may not be able to make it to the bathroom on their own, either because they are recovering from surgery or have long-term health issues.It’s likely that many people will need to think about being able to change a loved one’s bedpan at home.Research published recently in the journal Health Affairs found that the seniors most likely to need paid home care to continue living at home were also the least likely to be able to afford it."Most people who become frail at older ages rely on unpaid family caregivers," lead researcher Richard Johnson, a senior fellow with the Urban Institute's Income and Benefits Policy Center, in Washington, D.C., said when the study was published. "Those are the people who provide the vast...