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• Skin Disease Software

Doctors are improving their ability to diagnose skin problems with the help of a new computer program, developed at the University of Rochester. Experts who designed the Visual DX Software say it offers an improvement over the book photos traditionally used to help make a diagnosis. With it, doctors can browse through thousands of photos from the image bank and easily narrow their search. Studies at the University of Rochester show that training on the system were twice as likely to make an accurate diagnosis.

• Relief from the Heat

A new study of nearly 400 back patients says that heat beats over the counter medications for the treatment of low back pain. Experts in New Jersey compared the effects of a low-level heat wrap with the non-prescription pain relievers, Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen. Results show the heat wraps provided much more pain relief, starting on the first day of treatment. Researchers also noted relief lasted more than 48 hours after the treatment ended. Low back pain is the leading cause of disability among people under the age of 45.

• Air Bag Safety

Researchers in Washington State say there's no comparison, seat belts do a better job than air bags in keeping you alive during a car crash. They studied more than 50,000 accidents in which either the driver, passenger, or both were killed. Those experts found that airbags reduced the risk of death by just 8%. But that wearing a seat belt cut their risk of death by 65%. Not that one should replace the other, but the study shows that the survival rate jumped 68% if they were wearing a seat belt and had air bags in their vehicle.