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

Triple Therapy Controls Type 2 Diabetes Without Weight Gain

People with type 2 diabetes working to control their blood sugar levels often experience weight gain. But a new study reports that taking two drugs in combination with insulin can effectively regulate blood sugar without the weight gain.

The findings, by researchers at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, appear in the July issue of Diabetes Care. It's the first study to analyze the safety and effectiveness of triple therapy using insulin, metformin and a drug in the thiazolidinedione family, the scientists said.

"We've shown spectacular control of blood sugar levels in the absence of weight gain, a common side effect of drug therapies for type 2 diabetes," said Dr. Philip Raskin, professor of internal medicine and senior author of the study. "And we can keep the blood sugar under control with relative ease. This is a step in the right direction for effectively treating type 2 diabetes."

Type 2 diabetics who use drug therapy typically take insulin and only one of the drugs. Those patients often reduce their blood sugar below the 7 percent limit suggested by the American Diabetes Association. But they also tend to gain weight and often have to increase their insulin doses, said Raskin.

In the new study, all 28 patients who used the triple therapy reduced their blood-sugar levels below 7 percent without increasing insulin.

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U.S. Approves Wider Use of Rapid HIV Test

An oral test that can determine within 20 minutes whether a person is infected with the virus that causes AIDS will gain wider use across the country, the Bush administration announced Friday.

The new rules will allow the test for HIV screenings in counseling centers, community health centers and doctors' offices. Previously, use of the OraQuick test was mainly limited to hospitals and large health clinics, according to the Associated Press.

"HIV testing has never been easier or more accessible than it is today," said Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson said. Announcement of the widescale testing plan came in advance of National HIV Testing Day on Sunday.

The OraQuick test allows a technician to wipe a treated cotton swab along the gums, picking up not saliva but cells lining the mouth. Older HIV tests often took two weeks to provide results. It's hoped the new oral test will lead to more screening of high-risk people. And because it's needle-free, it should be safer for health-care workers, the AP said.

An estimated 850,000 to 950,000 Americans are infected with HIV, and 25 percent of them don't know it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Veggies May be Cancer Fighter

Concerned about your risk of cancer? Try some sprouts and other vegetables.

That's the advice of researchers from the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland who report that roughly four ounces of sprouted vegetables every day appear to protect against DNA damage in human blood cells, according to a United Press International report.

"DNA damage is associated with cancer risk. Sources of DNA damage include diet-related carcinogens, and bodily processes like oxidative stress -- and the raw sprouts protect against this kind of damage," said study co-author Ian Rowland.

"Just a 4-ounce portion per day of a mix of broccoli, radish, alfalfa and clover sprouts was enough in our tests to show the protective effect," Rowland added

The study appears in the journal Cancer, Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, according to the news agency.

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Bladder Control Loss Common, Under-Treated in U.S.

About one in three Americans between the ages of 30 and 70 have some degree of bladder control loss, but 64 percent of them have not been diagnosed by a doctor and aren't doing anything to manage the condition, according to a Harris Interactive survey.

The survey of more than 1,400 people found that diagnosis of bladder control loss results in better knowledge, communication, and successful treatment of the condition, which affects tens of millions of Americans.

People who've been diagnosed are much more likely to successfully manage their symptoms, to feel a sense of relief, and to feel that their quality of life has improved, and are more comfortable talking with family members and doctors about the condition.

The survey, sponsored by the National Association for Continence (NAFC), also found that, on average, diagnosed adults waited six years after the first symptoms of bladder control loss to talk about it with a doctor. Moreover, people who are diagnosed are nearly twice as likely to report higher self-esteem than those who are managing their symptoms but are undiagnosed.

"People need to know that loss of bladder control is actually quite common and is always treatable," NAFC executive director Nancy Muller said in a prepared statement.

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Study Provides Insight Into Mother-Infant Bonding

New research into the brain's opioid system offers information about mother-infant bonding and may also help scientists better understand autism.

Italian scientists found that newborn mice cry out in alarm when separated from their mother, unless the young mice have a defect in their brain's opioid system, which plays a role in pleasure, pain, and addiction.

The scientists bred mice that lacked an important opioid receptor in the brain and compared these mice to normal mice, the Associated Press reported.

The opioid-deficient mice hardly cried when they were separated from their mothers. The normal mice shrieked frantically when parted from their moms.

In another test, normal mice always selected the nest built by their mothers over a nest built by a different mother. Only about a third of the opioid-deficient mice chose their mother's bed.

The study was published in Friday's issue of the journal Science.

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Defective Fuse Leads to Fireworks Recall

About 11,700 fireworks with defective fuses are being recalled, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced Friday.

The defective fuse on the "T6" Titanium 6 Break Artillery Shell Fireworks can fail to ignite the device. People who try to re-light the fuse after it goes out could suffer serious injury. There have been no reported injuries so far.

The fireworks model number CP1104 is listed on the launch tube and packaging. The device consists of a colorful plastic launch tube and six break display shells. The fireworks were sold from May 2004 through June 2004 for about $40.

Consumers are advised to return these fireworks to the store where they purchased them for a full refund. For more information, contact American Promotional Events, Inc., at 800-243-1189 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Central time Monday through Friday.

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