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Valproic acid has been a mainstay of epilepsy treatment for decades. But how the drug works has been a mystery. Researchers have now figured out the drug boosts a particular chemical in the brain. The finding may help scientists develop better treatments someday.

Several of the nation's largest cities, including New York, Boston and Detroit, elected new mayors on Tuesday. The new leaders will spend much of their time dealing with pension and health care costs.

Parents of new babies know they get sick a lot. That may be because infants deliberately suppress their immune systems so that essential microbes have a chance to settle in. An immune suppression system in the blood of newborn babies could be key to building a healthy microbiome.

Governors, legislators and mayors were elected across the map on Tuesday. Voters also cast ballots on measures regarding taxes, marijuana, genetically modified food and even secession.

New Jersey voted Tuesday to re-elect Gov. Chris Christie. Also on the ballot in the state was a proposal to increase the minimum wage to $8.25 an hour. Gov. Christie opposed the increase, but voters approved it by a wide margin.

Republicans will be looking for lessons in Tuesday's gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia. The battle for the future of the party also played out in a smaller contest: a special primary election for Congress in southern Alabama.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius was back on the Hill Wednesday, this time to be grilled by the Senate Finance Committee about problems with the Affordable Care Act.

The U.S. Supreme Court delved into a subject Wednesday that has bedeviled it for decades: how to reconcile a tradition of public prayers with the Constitution's ban on establishment of religion. At issue were almost exclusively Christian prayers that took place at town board meetings in Greece, N.Y.

Children conceived by in vitro fertilization have the same chance of developing leukemia and brain cancers as their peers, a large study in the U.K. finds. There was a slight increase in risk for two rare cancers. But overall the findings are good news, reaffirming the safety of the fertility treatment.

Hear a killer mix of some of the standout bands we found at the 2013 CMJ Music festival, including punk group Priests, rockabilly singer King Dude, '60s-era soul from Nick Waterhouse and more.