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

Pesticide Industry Stalled Rat-Poison Rules: Report

Over the past six years, the U.S. pesticide industry has thwarted initiatives designed to protect children and wildlife from becoming unintended victims of rat poison, the Washington Post reported Thursday.

In the meantime, 15,000 children under age 6 accidentally ingested rat poison last year, according to the nation's poison control centers. The pesticide also threatens wildlife that often ingest supplies used to protect crops, the newspaper said.

The proposed child-safety rules were all but abandoned after a five-year effort by the Environmental Protection Agency, which gave the industry the unusual power to revise regulatory language after the regulations had been in near-final form, the Post reported.

The EPA and the industry both reject the insinuation that the industry was able to exercise undue influence, noting that the proposed regulations would have significantly reduced rat poison's ability to prevent the spread of rat-borne disease, the newspaper reported. The EPA finally accepted rules that required stronger labeling warnings.

The initial regulations would have called for adding an agent that would have made the poison taste more bitter, and a dye that would make it apparent if a child had swallowed the poison, the Post reported.

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Fewer Americans Swallow Low-Carb Diets

Americans may be losing their appetite for low-carbohydrate diets, according to a survey released Wednesday.

It found that an estimated 11 percent of Americans were on the Atkins, South Beach, or some other low-carb diet in March, compared to about 13 percent in January, the Associated Press reported.

But even after they've gone off a low-carb diet, many people continue to monitor their intake of carbohydrates, the Morgan Stanley survey found. And having been on a low-carb diet seems to change many people's awareness of nutrition issues, taste preferences, and eating self-discipline.

That means that the low-carb trend could have lasting implications for the food and beverage industry, the Morgan Stanley analysts concluded.

The survey of 2,500 adults was conducted in late March.

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Dick Clark Discloses Decade-Old Diabetes Diagnosis

Dick Clark has had type 2 diabetes for the past decade, but had kept it a secret from all but his closest family members and friends, according to the Associated Press.

Dubbed "America's oldest teenager," the former long-time host of "American Bandstand" and the "$10,000 Pyramid" game show, now 74, has accepted a new role as a spokesman for the American Association of Diabetes Educators, the AP reported.

Type 2 diabetes, once referred to as the "adult-onset" form of the disease, occurs when cells in the muscles, liver, and fat do not make proper use of insulin, the hormone that processes dietary sugars. As a result, the amount of glucose in the blood can increase to dangerous levels, leading to complications such as heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney disease, and nerve problems.

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R.I. Medical Board Gets Lowest Doctor Discipline Ranking

Rhode Island's state medical board scored lowest and Kentucky's board scored highest in a new report that ranks state medical boards on the rate of serious disciplinary action taken against doctors in 2003.

The nonprofit advocacy group Public Citizen used information from the Federation of State Medical Boards to rate the performance of the 50 state medical boards and the District of Columbia.

Across the United States, state medical boards took 2,992 serious actions against doctors. These actions included license revocations, surrenders, suspensions, and probations/restrictions for doctor offenses such as negligence, incompetence, sexual misconduct, and breaking criminal laws.

The 10 worst-performing medical boards were Rhode Island, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Delaware, Michigan, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Hawaii, Arkansas, and Maryland.

The 10 best-performing boards were Kentucky, Wyoming, North Dakota, Arizona, Oklahoma, Vermont, Montana, Alaska, West Virginia, and Ohio.

The Public Citizen report noted that people living in states that do a poor job of disciplining doctors may be more likely to suffer harm.

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One Death Linked to Recalled Ride-On Toys

About 70,000 ride-on toy trucks are being voluntarily recalled for repairs to fix a choking hazard that resulted in the death of a child.

The recall affects ride-on toys sold by Tek Nek Toys International, L.P., of Grapevine, Tex. The toys were sold under five model names: Butterfly Girl, Fire Rescue, Mermaid, Police Car, and Tonka Construction Crew.

The recalled toys have a date code from 200221127 to 20030319. Consumers can locate the date code in the battery compartment located on the top panel next to the steering wheel.

The screw-and-nut assembly attaching the steering wheel can come loose, posing a choking and breathing hazard to young children, the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said.

The company has received six reports of the screw and nut coming loose. One of those reports included the death of an 18-month-old boy who swallowed a screw, the agency said.

The toys, for children ages 1 to 3 years old, have a handle on the back of the seat and can be used as a ride-on or push walker toy. The toys were sold nationwide from December 2002 through March 2004 for about $30.

The toys should be taken away from children. Consumers can contact Tek Nek for free replacement parts at 888-661-0222 anytime.

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Nation's 1st 'Probable' West Nile Case for 2004 in Ohio

The first suspected case of West Nile virus in the United States for 2004 is being reported in Ohio. The state Department of Health confirmed that a 79-year-old man in Scioto County has a "probable" case of the mosquito-borne illness, the Chillicothe Gazette reported.

The case prompted health officials to issue an early warning to state residents about West Nile and mosquitoes. West Nile and other mosquito-borne illnesses are most common during the summer.

"It's important that residents know it's time to take the proper precautions to protect themselves and their families," Dr. Timothy Angel, Ross County health commissioner, told the Gazette.

One precaution is to remove from your property all areas of standing water, which provide breeding sites for mosquitoes.

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