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

Power Tools May Cause Permanent Hand Damage

People who frequently use power tools that vibrate may ultimately suffer lasting damage to the small arteries in the hand, wrist and lower arm, researchers at the Medical College of Wisconsin concluded from new research.

Symptoms of a condition called hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) could include pain, tingling, and numbness of the hand, leading to a progressive loss of dexterity. A common symptom of the restricted blood flow caused by arterial damage is numbness of the fingers when exposed to cold, the researchers said in a statement.

Prevention may come from a popular heart drug -- nifedipine -- a so-called calcium channel blocker that appears to prevent muscle contraction during vibration, preventing arterial damage, the researchers said. In cardiac patients, the drug is used to keep arteries open wider, allowing for more blood flow to the heart.

The scientists studied the drug's effects on rat tails, which contain blood vessels and nerves similar to a human hand. Results of the research were reported Monday at a meeting of the American Association of Anatomists in Washington, D.C.

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Human Bird Flu Confirmed in NYC Suburb

A Westchester County, N.Y., man has survived an extremely rare case of bird flu, becoming only the second known person in the United States to contract the disease, The New York Times reported Tuesday.

The unidentified man was admitted to Westchester Medical Center last November, complaining of fever and cough. But it was only last Friday that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed his case as the H7N2 strain of bird flu, according to the newspaper. That strain is not the same as the deadly version that led to at least 16 deaths in Asia earlier this year.

The man recovered and went home after a few weeks, but his case remains a bit of a mystery because he had no known contact with infected birds -- the single proven method of transmission. The only previous case of avian flu in the United States, recorded in 2002, was diagnosed in a Virginia poultry worker, the Times reported.

The H7N2 strain is the same one that affected poultry at chicken farms in Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey earlier this year, leading to the preventive slaughter of thousands of birds.

The CDC has tested the Westchester man's family, co-workers, and close contacts, finding no evidence that any had been infected, the Times reported.

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FDA Approves Faster-Acting Insulin

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a fast-acting form of insulin for diabetics who experience spikes in blood sugar levels that occur immediately after eating.

The genetically engineered Aventis drug Apidra is designed to take effect sooner but last for less time than natural human insulin in controlling blood glucose spikes that characterize a condition called hyperglycemia, the company said in a statement.

Diabetes is a chronic condition in which the body does not produce or make proper use of insulin, a hormone that converts blood sugar (glucose) into energy. People with diabetes may need different types of insulin at certain times of the day to help manage their blood glucose levels, the company said.

An estimated 18 million people in the United States have diabetes, and as many as 60 percent of them may not be managing their condition properly, the company added.

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Too Many Doctors Fail to Spread Weight-Loss Gospel

Despite the obesity epidemic that's playing havoc with many Americans' health, too few doctors are advising their portly patients to lose weight, federal health officials said Monday.

Only about 40 percent of doctors told their obese patients to lose weight in 2000, down from 42.5 percent in 1994, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

Yet, people who were told to lose weight were nearly three times more likely to do so than those who didn't get such advice from their doctor, according to the Associated Press.

Doctors "should recognize that obesity, similar to hypertension and diabetes, is a chronic condition and as such requires continued follow up," said Dr. Omer Abid, a CDC researcher. "We need to investigate why advice from the health-care profession is low."

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Colorado Steps Up Precautions for West Nile Virus

Colorado led the nation in 2003 with 61 deaths from West Nile virus. This year, state health officials say they're doing all they can to prevent another widespread outbreak of the mosquito-borne disease.

In 2003, the second year the virus was detected in Colorado, 2,947 state residents were sickened by West Nile; some had lingering problems such as paralysis.

State and local health officials are already putting larvicide in ponds to kill disease-carrying mosquitoes. In addition, biologists are trapping mosquitoes and testing birds, which are especially vulnerable to the disease, the Associated Press reported.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests the following steps to protect yourself from West Nile: Use an insect repellent that contains DEET; when possible, wear long-sleeves, long pants and socks outdoors; and be aware of peak mosquito hours -- dusk to dawn.

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Cut Calories for a Longer Life: Study

Call it the next best thing to the fountain of youth. People who drastically cut the number of calories in their diet also cut their risk of diabetes and heart disease and stay young longer, HealthDay reported.

A new study looked at members of an organization called the Caloric Restriction Optimal Nutrition Society, and found they scored significantly better on such health-risk measures as cholesterol, blood pressure and insulin levels. A group led by Dr. John O. Holloszy, professor of medicine at the Washington University School of Medicine, reported the finding in this week's issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"For the first time we've shown that calorie restriction is feasible and has a tremendous effect on the risk for atherosclerosis [hardening of the arteries] and diabetes," Holloszy said.

The readings of such factors as blood pressure and cholesterol for these middle-aged Americans were typical of much younger people, he said.

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