— Last February, the vaginal microbicide gel PRO 2000 showed promise when a trial suggested it reduced the risk of HIV infection by 30% — although the number was not statistically significant. However, in a larger study of more than 9,000 African women, the gel failed to significantly decrease the rate of HIV infection. (BBC)

— Looking young for your age might boost more than just your ego, findings suggest. Among twins whose age was judged by strangers, the individual with a lower perceived age was more likely to live longer. (BBC)

— Children on the US Medicaid health program are four times as likely to receive atypical antipsychotics compared to children on private insurance, according to a new study. While medication may be a cheaper alternative to therapy, the seeming over-reliance on it is a cause for concern among many. (NYTimes)

— A mutation leading to anemia and jaundice among Southeast-Asian populations has the benefit of protecting against malaria, according to new research. Individuals with one copy of the G6PD mutation had about a third fewer Plasmodium vivax parasites in their blood stream than those without the mutation. (Scientific American)

Image by John-Morgan via Flickr Creative Commons