For Tuesday, May 30, WGN’s Dina Bair has the latest on new information, including the following:

Study finds no difference in care between medical doctors and osteopathic doctors

For years, many people believed they should only see an MD. But now, DOs have become more popular.  

So how do they differ and are they as good? A new study sought to answer that very question. 

UCLA researchers looked at patient mortality, length of hospital stay, readmissions, overall healthcare outcomes and care costs for those who saw a doctor of medicine or MD versus a DO, a doctor of osteopathic medicine. 

They found no difference! 

Both doctors undergo rigorous health education, but osteopathic training adds holistic and hands-on care, including manipulating and stretching to reduce pain and improve mobility. 

Study authors say their research should reassure people they can expect high-quality care from MDs and DOs.

AI could speed up development of medicines

Better, more potent medications may be on the horizon with plentiful choices thanks to Artificial Intelligence. 

Ohio State University scientists say AI could vastly accelerate drug development. Currently, chemists create medications after years of study synthesizing safe and efficient molecules. 

That process can move at warp speed with AI, capable of automatically sifting through millions of potential chemical reactions. AI not only saves researchers time, but it is also much less costly. 

Study: Junk food disrupts sleep

Junk food isn’t good for the heart or the waistline; now doctors say it may hamper sleep. 

Uppsala University cell biologists tested healthy and unhealthy eaters to determine how food impacts sleep. They found people who enjoy lots of junk food do not enjoy as many hours of sound, quality sleep. 

Deep sleep deteriorated following unhealthy meals. 

Various stages of sleep are associated with hormones, electrical activity in the brain and aging.