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New research from City, University of London and the University of Southampton highlights the importance of Healthy Start for low-income families and outlines several recommendations for local and national governments to improve uptake of the scheme. The study was led by Professor Christina Vogel, Director of the Centre for Food Policy at City, University of London. This work aimed to evaluate the Healthy Start scheme in England and understand how the scheme can be improved to reach more eligible families. The Healthy Start scheme was launched in 2006. It offers Read More
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An illustration of the model fitting and prediction process. We first fitted context maintenance and retrieval to pilot data to obtain a parameter set ? that could capture pilot participants’ free-recall patterns. We preregistered these parameters and then used them in our live experiment in combination with the experimental participants’ recalls to predict post-cue recall behavior, that is, demonstrating the ability of the model to generalize over (1) a different group of subjects and (2) a different period of recall. Credit: Psychological Science (2024). DOI: 10.1177/09567976231215298 A computer model developed Read More
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Researchers have discovered a protein marker to help identify cells able to repopulate in patients with damaged blood vessels. Their findings, recently published in Circulation, could lead to new therapies for people with endothelial dysfunction, a type of disorder that contributes to coronary artery disease that may occlude with plaque and lack ability to carry sufficient blood into the heart tissue causing a heart attack. “This study is the first to establish that a single, prospective marker identifies vascular clonal repopulating endothelial cells (CRECs),” said Chang-Hyun Gil, Ph.D., MS, assistant Read More
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Through the endocytic pathway, the interaction of endorepellin and Neurexin physiologically triggers autophagy and appropriately modulates the differentiation of neural stem cells into neurons as a blocker, which is necessary for normal neural tube closure. Credit: Science China Press Neural tube defects (NTDs) rank as the second most prevalent congenital malformation in humans, impacting the central nervous system development in approximately 1 in every 1,000 live births. Over 300 genes, including the HSPG2 gene, are implicated in NTDs in mice. However, a considerable clinical hurdle remains in discerning pathogenic mutations Read More
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A recent review article provides critical insights into the management of acute agitation in reproductive-age females and during pregnancy within the emergency departments (EDs). The study emphasizes the importance of considering the safety of psychotropic medications in this demographic population, given the potential risks to both the patient and the fetus. Agitation in the emergency department is not uncommon and can stem from various causes, including psychiatric disorders, substance abuse, and other medical conditions. When a pregnant patient exhibits signs of agitation, the situation becomes more complex due to potential Read More
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Sedentary lifestyle puts strain on young hearts. Credit: University of Jyväskylä According to a recent Finnish study, high levels of sedentary behavior and physical inactivity from childhood strain the heart in adolescence. High cardiac workload predicts heart failure and other heart diseases. In light of the findings, increasing moderate and vigorous physical activity from childhood onwards is particularly important in preventing heart diseases. In a collaborative study by the Faculty of Sport Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä and the Institute of Biomedicine at the University of Eastern Finland, sedentary Read More
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Rural Americans are less likely to initiate care for substance use disorders and to receive ongoing care compared with those who live in urban areas, according to a new study. When they do access care, people who live in less populated areas are more likely to have to go outside their provider network to receive treatment, which comes with higher out-of-pocket costs, found a team of researchers at The Ohio State University College of Public Health. Their study appears in the journal Health Services Research. “One thing that’s really striking Read More
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TP53 inactivation initiates ordered genomic evolution. (A) The Lowe et al. group applied the KPCLOH reporter mouse model harboring both mutated Kras (mKate fluorescence) and intact Tp53 [GFP fluorescence, defined as DP cells (yellow)] and sporadic p53 inactivation resulted in the disappearance of GFP signal [defined as SP cells (red)]. This model allows for simultaneously monitoring TP53 status, genome evolution, and cellular phenotypes in vivo. Cartoon presentation is partially adopted15. (B) The Curtis’s group utilized human gastric organoids (HGOs) combined with CRISPR-Cas9 technology to generate TP53?/? HGOs (left panel) and Read More
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Project ECHO continues to bridge health care gaps, especially in rural communities. Credit: University of Missouri More Americans suffer from chronic pain than diabetes, heart disease, and cancer combined. Yet, a shortage of pain medicine specialists persists, causing many pain sufferers to seek care in primary care settings. Researchers from the University of Missouri School of Medicine have found that an innovative tele-mentoring program can help address reliance on opioids in the management of pain, with potential benefits for patients, families and communities. “Claims Data Analysis of Provider-to-Provider Tele-mentoring Program Read More
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A study led by Senthil Sambandam, M.D., found that using robotic equipment in total knee replacement surgeries often costs more but may result in better outcomes for some patients. Credit: UT Southwestern Total knee replacements performed with the help of a surgical robot have better outcomes on average than similar surgeries performed manually but can cost significantly more, a new study by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers shows. The findings, published in Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, could help doctors and patients make more educated decisions on which option Read More
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Graphical abstract . Credit: Journal of Nuclear Medicine (2024). DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.123.267175 A novel investigational PET imaging agent can rapidly and accurately visualize lesions in clear cell renal cell cancer (ccRCC) patients according to new research published in the May issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine. The results of the study suggest that the agent 68Ga-DPI-4452 (Debio 0328) is superior to standard CT imaging in the context of ccRCC. It also allows for significantly faster imaging and, in the future, could be utilized as part of a theranostic pair. ccRCC Read More
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Firefighters may have an increased risk of prostate cancer due to on-the-job chemical exposures, according to new research from the University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health and University of Michigan in collaboration with fire service partners and researchers around the country through the Fire Fighter Cancer Cohort Study. Prostate cancer is the leading incident cancer among U.S. males. Firefighters are diagnosed with prostate cancer at a rate 1.21 times higher than the general population, possibly because of chemical exposures including smoke and firefighting foam during Read More
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Credit: Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels Dementia is often described as “the long goodbye.” Although the person is still alive, dementia slowly and irreversibly chips away at their memories and the qualities that make someone “them.” Dementia eventually takes away the person’s ability to communicate, eat and drink on their own, understand where they are, and recognize family members. Since as early as the 19th century, stories from loved ones, caregivers and health care workers have described some people with dementia suddenly becoming lucid. They have described the person engaging in Read More
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A cesarean section is an important surgical intervention that can save the lives of mother and baby. Cesarean sections are essential in complicated labors such as prolonged or obstructed labor or if the baby is distressed. The World Health Organization says that while “every effort should be made to provide a cesarean section to women in need,” country cesarean rates should range between 10% and 15%. In South Africa rates are much higher in both public and private sector hospitals. In public hospitals, cesareans accounted for 28.8% of all births Read More
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General overview of the study. Credit: Nature Machine Intelligence (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s42256-024-00807-9 Researchers at Mass General Brigham have harnessed the technology behind foundation models, which power tools like ChatGPT, to discover new cancer imaging biomarkers that could transform how patterns are identified from radiological images. Improved identification of such patterns can greatly impact the early detection and treatment of cancer. The research team developed their foundation model using a comprehensive dataset consisting of 11,467 images of abnormal radiologic scans. Using these images, the model was able to identify patterns that Read More
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Distribution of non-P42 MOG-IgG in myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) at onset. Credit: Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry (2024). DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2023-332851 Blindness and paralysis are often the devastating consequences of little-known disease myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD). An Australian research collaboration is looking to change this, making huge strides in understanding the condition which could lead to better outcomes in the future. Often referred to as a cousin of MS due to shared symptoms, MOGAD is an autoimmune condition where the body attacks a protein in the Read More
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Diagram and performance of the deep learning-based algorithm for identifying patients with active AF or paroxysmal AF at the time of TTE. Credit: npj Digital Medicine (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41746-024-01090-z An artificial intelligence program developed by investigators in the Smidt Heart Institute and their Cedars-Sinai colleagues can detect a type of abnormal heart rhythm that can go unnoticed during medical appointments, according to a new study. The study’s findings, published in npj Digital Medicine, suggest AI could one day be employed to analyze images from a common imaging test called an Read More
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How do we know whether newly minted doctors have what it takes to prevent patient deaths? After completing residency training, graduating physicians typically take board certification exams at the time they enter practice—but surprisingly little is known about the ability of these standard tests to predict the things that count the most in a doctor’s performance, such as how likely their patients are to survive or to avoid a return trip to the hospital. A new study, published May 6 in JAMA, found that internal medicine patients of newly trained Read More
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Dr. Sherecce Fields, a clinical psychologist and professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Texas A&M University, says caffeine should be ingested in moderation and with caution. Credit: Michael Miller/Texas A&M AgriLife Marketing and Communications Whether it’s brewing a cup of coffee at home, ordering a specialty $6 latte from a local coffee shop or cracking open a Red Bull on the way to the gym, the consensus is clear: The prevalence of the caffeinated beverage industry continues to grow. According to the National Coffee Association’s Coffee Read More
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Genetic engineering of S. boulardii to express mSA handle on the cell surface for attachment of ECM-specific targeting ligands. Credit: Nature Communications (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48128-0 Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a complex condition that requires individualized care to meet the needs of the patient’s current disease state. With available medications sometimes causing serious side effects or losing their efficacy over time, many researchers have been exploring new, more targeted ways of delivering medications or other beneficial compounds, such as probiotics. To address pitfalls in IBD treatment and drug delivery, the Read More
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Variation of short tandem repeat associated with thyroid disease in humans. A newly identified intergenic repeat-Alu contraction or sequence variant may be a frequent cause of compensated congenital hypothyroidism and multinodular goiter (MNG) through disruption of a thyroid-specific non-coding regulatory mechanism. TF, transcription factor. Credit: Nature Genetics (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41588-024-01723-9 A team of researchers from the University of Chicago, in collaboration with the Free University of Brussels and the University of Washington, have uncovered a genetic mutation in a non-coding region of DNA that alters the regulation of the thyroid, Read More
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Variation of short tandem repeat associated with thyroid disease in humans. A newly identified intergenic repeat-Alu contraction or sequence variant may be a frequent cause of compensated congenital hypothyroidism and multinodular goiter (MNG) through disruption of a thyroid-specific non-coding regulatory mechanism. TF, transcription factor. Credit: Nature Genetics (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41588-024-01723-9 A team of researchers from the University of Chicago, in collaboration with the Free University of Brussels and the University of Washington, have uncovered a genetic mutation in a non-coding region of DNA that alters the regulation of the thyroid, Read More
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In a study carried out by experts in child development at the University of York, researchers have found that pre-school children actively select, shape and create their own experiences to match their genetic tendencies. The researchers looked at how genes and the environment work together to shape the brain development of children between the ages of two and four. They found that rather than being passive recipients of the environment around them—such as the behavior and likes and dislikes of their parents—they also had a strong say in creating their Read More
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In January 2024 alone, more than 280 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were introduced in the U.S. As this type of legislation and policies are becoming more prevalent across the country, a paper from researchers at Rice University concludes that the negative effects are felt profoundly not just by members of the LGBTQ+ community but by those who work in roles supporting them. The article “Understanding and Addressing the Health Implications of Anti?LGBTQ+ Legislation” is published in a recent edition of Occupational Health Science. The study is an anthology of expert opinions and Read More
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Graphical abstract. Credit: Cell Metabolism (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2024.04.015 Fatty liver disease often leads to chronic liver inflammation and can even result in liver cancer. Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the University of Tübingen have now shown in mice that intermittent fasting on a 5:2 schedule can halt this development. The fasting regime reduces the development of liver cancer in mice with pre-existing liver inflammation. The researchers identified two proteins in liver cells that are jointly responsible for the protective effect of fasting. An approved drug can Read More
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Weekly depression in the U.S. for 2020 as measured using LBMHA, and compared to Gallup polling for sadness during the same period of time. The central lines represent the average. The higher the line, the more depression or sadness, respectively. Credit: Sid Mangalik A study that used artificial intelligence (AI) and social media posts to assess the rates of depression and anxiety in nearly half of American counties found that the AI-generated measurements produced more reliable assessments than population surveys. Led by Stony Brook University researchers in collaboration with computer Read More
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Reduced interaction between p53 and MDM2 following SARS-CoV-2 spike protein overexpression in cancer cells. Credit: Oncotarget (2024). DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.28582 Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and COVID-19 infection has led to worsened outcomes for patients with cancer. SARS-CoV-2 spike protein mediates host cell infection and cell-cell fusion that causes stabilization of tumor suppressor p53 protein. In-silico analysis previously suggested that SARS-CoV-2 spike interacts with p53 directly but this putative interaction has not been demonstrated in cells. In this new study, researchers Shengliang Zhang and Wafik S. El-Deiry from Brown Read More
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Smart toys with internet connections and AI-enabled robots, with capacities for sophisticated social interactions with children, are widely available today. This is no doubt driven by rapid development in Artificial Intelligence, with impacts being widely felt. Companies are looking to enhance productivity and revenue, while governments are considering safety measures in their AI strategies. Child-focused AI products include: Parents and professionals working with children may feel pressure to purchase these or other products as alternatives to in-person activities like play dates, therapy or games—or wonder about their usefulness and potential Read More
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Testing of peanut products leads to fears of possible listeria contamination and recalls in five states. Credit: Planters Hormel Foods’ recall of two Planters peanut and mixed nuts products at two retailers in five states due to possible contamination with potentially deadly listeria doesn’t surprise Northeastern University food policy expert Darin Detwiler. He says peanuts are at particular risk of being contaminated with the food-borne bacteria that causes listeria due to the way they are harvested, handled and stored. But Detwiler, an associate teaching professor, says recalls could be reduced Read More
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Group-based interventions have the potential to address HIV-related stigma among adolescents living with the virus, finds a recent study from researchers at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis and Makerere University in Uganda. HIV stigma is a major barrier to all aspects of the HIV care continuum. However, few HIV stigma reduction interventions exist, especially those targeting adolescents. To address these gaps, a research group led by Proscovia Nabunya, an assistant professor at the Brown School, pilot tested the Suubi4Stigma cluster randomized clinical trial, to address stigma Read More
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More and more of my friends are following the plant-based diet trend. Is that the same as going vegan? Is it healthy for you? What can I actually eat? ANSWER: Plant-based foods go beyond a “boring salad.” With a whole-food plant-based diet, we focus on eating foods that are primarily coming from plants and that occur in their natural state. Veganism also takes that into account but can incorporate other social and justice factors into that lifestyle. Certainly, it can be difficult to go 100% whole-food plant-based, especially if that’s Read More
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Emma Kuhn, from Flinders University Environmental Health, demonstrates a wall swab method used to assess the absence or level of methamphetamine contamination – used to assess whether remediation action is required. Credit: Flinders University A new Flinders University study has found less than 10% of suspected methamphetamine contamination in residences are reported to council environmental health officers (EHOs), raising further concerns more regulations are needed to manage safety and health in the community. The paper, “An Investigation into the Prevalence of Methamphetamine Related Enquiries to Local Government Environmental Health Officers,” Read More
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In a study published online April 17 in the European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, different grading methods for vestibular endolymphatic hydrops (EH) and the severity of hearing loss are compared in Meniere disease (MD). Zhihao Han, from the Beijing Friendship Hospital, and colleagues compared correlations between different grading methods of vestibular EH and the severity of hearing loss in MD in a retrospective study of 30 patients with MD. Patients underwent inner-ear magnetic resonance gadolinium-enhanced imaging using three-dimensional-real inversion recovery sequences and pure-tone audiometry. EH levels were evaluated according to classification Read More
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Ultraviolet (UV) radiation used for outdoor recreational purposes can be associated with photokeratitis, according to a brief report published online May 2 in JAMA Ophthalmology. Julia Y.Y. Chan, M.B.B.S., from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and colleagues describe a case series of photokeratitis associated with a single UV radiation display at an outdoor event. The case series included eight patients. The researchers reported that the mean time of UV display exposure was 3.00 hours, and symptoms presented at a mean 8.88 hours after the exposure. During the exposed period, Read More
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The integration of biomarkers and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) improves prediction of interstitial cystitis (IC)/bladder pain syndrome, according to a study published online April 24 in Urology. Laura E. Lamb, Ph.D., from the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine in Rochester, Michigan, and colleagues generated a machine learning predictive classification model (the Interstitial Cystitis Personalized Inflammation Symptom score), which uses PRO and cytokine levels, and then compared it to a challenger model. The machine learning model was based on 1,264 urine samples (536 IC and 728 age-matched controls) with corresponding Read More
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Mean peak height velocity (cm/year) vs. mean age at peak height velocity (years) for cohorts of diverse ancestral backgrounds. Yellow and purple lines represent a linear model fit to APHV?~?PHV?×?sex. Credit: Genome Biology (2024). DOI: 10.1186/s13059-023-03136-z A genetic link between height growth during puberty and long-term health in adulthood has been identified by a new study from the University of Surrey and the University of Pennsylvania published in Genome Biology. Researchers found that being taller early in puberty and growing quickly in height during this period is linked to a Read More
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A new study that followed a cohort of more than 110,000 people establishes significant disparities in the risk of anal cancer for people with HIV and for men who have sex with men with HIV, depending on the region of the country they live in. It’s known that people with HIV have the highest risk of anal cancer, said lead author Ashish A. Deshmukh, Ph.D., co-leader of the Cancer Control Research Program at MUSC Hollings Cancer Center. But this study, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, is Read More
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Correlation between transcriptomic age and other epigenetic aging predictors. Credit: Aging (2024). DOI: 10.18632/aging.205758 A new research paper titled “Associations among NMR-measured inflammatory and metabolic biomarkers and accelerated aging in cardiac catheterization patients” has been published in Aging. Research into aging has grown substantially with the creation of molecular biomarkers of biological age that can be used to determine age acceleration. Concurrently, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) assessment of biomarkers of inflammation and metabolism provides researchers with new ways to examine intermediate risk factors for chronic disease. In this new study, Read More
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With half of individuals who use cannabis in pregnancy also using tobacco or nicotine products, OHSU researchers investigated the effects of using both substances on both mother and newborn health outcomes. Credit: OHSU In a new study, Oregon Health & Science University researchers report that combined cannabis and nicotine use during pregnancy is associated with significantly higher risk of poor health outcomes for newborns compared with use of either substance alone. The study, published in JAMA Network Open, found infants born to mothers who used both substances throughout pregnancy were Read More
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In a fast-paced digital age where patients can open their test results as soon as they are available, what happens when a patient reads through complicated results without a physician there to help them understand what it all means? And what happens when a patient misinterprets bad news as good news, or vice versa? It’s a scenario Benjamin Vipler, MD, confronted after his mom received her colonoscopy results on her health system’s patient portal. Like many patients, she opened up her results before meeting with her clinician, and tried to Read More
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Some of the final work of a late University of Virginia School of Medicine scientist has opened the door for life-saving new treatments for solid cancer tumors, including breast cancer, lung cancer and melanoma. Prior to his sudden death in 2016, John Herr, Ph.D., had been collaborating with UVA Cancer Center’s Craig L. Slingluff Jr., MD, to investigate the possibility that a discovery from Herr’s lab could help treat cancer. Eight years of research has borne that idea out: Herr’s research into the SAS1B protein could lead to “broad and Read More
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First linked to mutations in the CHD7 gene in 2004, CHARGE syndrome is a rare genetic disorder occurring in approximately 1 in 8,500 to 15,000 births. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), CHARGE syndrome is an acronym for coloboma of eyes (C), heart disease (H), atresia of the choanae (A), retarded growth and mental development (R), genital anomalies (G), and ear malformations and hearing loss (E). Diagnosis is often challenging because this disorder manifests differently across individuals. A recent study published in Clinical Case Reports explored the detection Read More
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BBN induces changes in the mucosa of mice. Credit: bioRxiv (2023). DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.17.553533 In collaboration with University Hospital Basel, researchers from ETH are investigating the early stages of bladder cancer. Their findings show that future research should also focus on mechanical changes in tumor tissue. Dagmar Iber is Professor of Computational Biology at ETH’s Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering in Basel. Her research group uses a combination of lab experiments and computer modeling to investigate how cells organize themselves into organs and other complex, three-dimensional tissue structures based on Read More
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Researchers from FAU’s Schmidt College of Medicine conducted a study to assess the perceived risk of harm associated with weekly cannabis use in a sample of 20,234 women ages 18 to 49 by disability status. Credit: Alex Dolce, Florida Atlantic University A growing number of states and territories in the United States have legalized medical and recreational cannabis use. As such, recreational cannabis has been associated with a lower perception of risk of harm in the general U.S. population. However, in women of childbearing age, evidence has shown that cannabis Read More
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Researchers from FAU’s Schmidt College of Medicine conducted a study to assess the perceived risk of harm associated with weekly cannabis use in a sample of 20,234 women ages 18 to 49 by disability status. Credit: Alex Dolce, Florida Atlantic University A growing number of states and territories in the United States have legalized medical and recreational cannabis use. As such, recreational cannabis has been associated with a lower perception of risk of harm in the general U.S. population. However, in women of childbearing age, evidence has shown that cannabis Read More
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Researchers from FAU’s Schmidt College of Medicine conducted a study to assess the perceived risk of harm associated with weekly cannabis use in a sample of 20,234 women ages 18 to 49 by disability status. Credit: Alex Dolce, Florida Atlantic University A growing number of states and territories in the United States have legalized medical and recreational cannabis use. As such, recreational cannabis has been associated with a lower perception of risk of harm in the general U.S. population. However, in women of childbearing age, evidence has shown that cannabis Read More
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A sharp rise in exposures to synthetic cannabis products among youth—some leading to hospitalization—highlights the need for increased education around the dangers of exposure and increased focus on safe storage and packaging, according to pediatricians and researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and the Central Ohio Poison Center. A new study conducted by researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy of the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and the Central Ohio Poison Center examined trends in calls to poison centers across the country for exposures to Read More
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Study protocol. Gray and black horizontal bars represent sleep opportunities. Participants were admitted (horizontal dotted line) following a ?21-day at-home preadmittance phase of a 10-hour sleep opportunity per night (gray horizontal bars). Initial in-laboratory sleep opportunities (“Sleep Satiation”) were 16 h/d (12 h/night with 4-hour nap midday) followed by 10 h/d to ensure participants had no sleep debt at the time of baseline 24-hour sampling (blue dotted horizontal bar). Forced desynchrony protocol (“Sleep Restriction + Circadian Disruption”) was then initiated in which participants lived on a 28-hour day for approximately Read More
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If you’re one of the millions of Americans who have a penicillin allergy listed on your medical record, research suggests it’s highly likely that this label is inaccurate. Having a penicillin allergy label matters, as it can have a significant impact on patient care. For many people, it has resulted in higher costs for antibiotics, delays in getting care, and longer hospital stays. That’s why Anjeli Kalra, MD, an assistant professor in the Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology at the University of Colorado Department of Medicine, is highlighting the Read More
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Credit: Mary Ann Liebert, Inc A new study published in Population Health Management, which builds on previous work in the journal, describes the Academic Payvider model, a joint approach to care and coverage aimed at reforming the relationship between payers and providers to enhance value-based care. “There is an undeniable need for reformation of the relationship between health care payers and providers,” states Erika Harness, MHA, from the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, and co-authors of the study. The Payvider model is one promising approach, with the Read More
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“No use of substances” sign. Credit: Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs Teenagers are less likely to drink, smoke or use drugs when their parents keep tabs on their activities—but not necessarily because kids are more likely to be punished for substance use, suggests a new study in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. Researchers found that contrary to common belief, parents’ “monitoring” does not seem to boost the odds of catching their kids using substances. However, when kids simply are aware that their parents are monitoring Read More
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On behalf of the Swedish Gender Equality Agency, researchers Lena Dahlberg and Mariam Kirvalidze have done a scoping review of informal caregiving and loneliness. More specifically, the report examines loneliness in spousal caregivers aged 65 years and older, the factors that increase the risk of loneliness in this group, the consequences of loneliness, and how they themselves experience loneliness. Loneliness is associated with low well-being and poor health. The report indicates that loneliness among spousal caregivers can involve emotional loneliness within the relationship with their partner, especially if the partner Read More
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In 1682 children followed up from age 11 to 24 years, increased sedentariness from childhood through young adulthood caused excessive heart enlargement, irrespective of obesity or hypertensive category. Light physical activity effectively reversed the risk of premature heart damage. Credit: Andrew Agbaje. An increase in sedentary time from childhood causes progressing heart enlargement, a new study shows. However, light physical activity could reduce the risk. The study was conducted in collaboration among the Universities of Bristol, Exeter and Eastern Finland, and the results were published in the European Journal of Read More
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A small, implantable cardiac pump that could help children await heart transplants at home, not in the hospital, has performed well in the first stage of human testing. The pump, a new type of ventricular assist device, or VAD, is surgically attached to the heart to augment its blood-pumping action in individuals with heart failure, allowing time to find a donor heart. The new pump could close an important gap in heart transplant care for children. In a feasibility trial of seven children who received the new pump to support Read More
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For patients with high clinical suspicion of giant cell arteritis (GCA), color Doppler ultrasound of the temporal artery as a first-line diagnostic tool can avoid the need for other diagnostic tests, according to a study published online May 7 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Guillaume Denis, M.D., from the Center Hospitalier Rochefort in France, and colleagues assessed a diagnostic strategy for GCA using color Doppler ultrasound of the temporal artery as a first-line diagnostic test, temporal artery biopsy (TAB) as a secondary test, and physician expertise as the reference Read More
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by Vanessa G. Sánchez, KFF Health News Families of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities say Gov. Gavin Newsom is reneging on a scheduled raise for the workers who care for their loved ones, and advocates warn of potential lawsuits if disability services become harder to get. Citing California’s budget deficit, the Democratic governor wants to save around $613 million in state funds by delaying pay increases for a year for about 150,000 disability care workers. The state will forgo an additional $408 million in Medicaid reimbursements, reducing funding by Read More
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The air inside all personal vehicles is polluted with harmful flame retardants—including those known or suspected to cause cancer—according to a new study published in Environmental Science & Technology. Car manufacturers add these chemicals to seat foam and other materials to meet an outdated federal flammability standard with no proven fire-safety benefit. “Our research found that interior materials release harmful chemicals into the cabin air of our cars,” said lead author Rebecca Hoehn, a scientist at Duke University. “Considering the average driver spends about an hour in the car every Read More
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The systems, circuit and molecular levels of a memory trace. Credit: Nature Reviews Neuroscience (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41583-024-00799-w A study published in Nature Reviews Neuroscience by an international team including the Woolcock’s Dr. Rick Wassing examined research into sleep disorders over more than two decades to prove a good night’s sleep is the perfect remedy for emotional distress. Nothing we haven’t known forever, some would argue, but Dr. Wassing who has spent the past two years on the project says there’s much more to it than that. “What we have done Read More
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Flexible probe characteristics. A) Photograph of the multi-layer probe with overall dimensions and a close-up showing the distribution of the electrode sites at the tip of the probe. B) Impedance spectrum of an unused probe. C) Voltage-drop at the electrodes during biphasic pulsing in vitro over a period of 16 weeks with more than 10 billion stimulation pulses. D) Scanning electron microscopy images of the probe exposed to the pulsing test in (B). E) Scanning electron microscopy images of a probe explanted after 55 weeks in vivo. Credit: Advanced Healthcare Read More
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Graphical abstract. Credit: Cell Reports (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114112 Neurons are important, but they are not everything. Indeed, it is “cartilage,” in the form of clusters of extracellular matrix molecules called chondroitin sulfates, located in the outside nerve cells, that plays a crucial role in the brain’s ability to acquire and store information. A study published in Cell Reports describes a new mechanism of brain plasticity, or how nerve connections change in response to external stimuli. The paper is titled “Focal clusters of peri-synaptic matrix contribute to activity-dependent plasticity and memory Read More
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Researchers from Griffith University’s National Center for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases (NCNED) have made a discovery that could bring relief to those struggling with long COVID. In a world-first finding, they’ve identified a way to restore the faulty function of ion channels on immune cells using a well-known drug typically used for other medical purposes. The breakthrough, published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology, builds on previous research showing long COVID patients share similar issues with ion channels as those with chronic fatigue syndrome (also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis or Read More
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Results of voxel-based morphometry and cerebellar activation related to the presentation of the aversive US. A, gray matter voxel-based morphometry (contrast “control group?>?cerebellar group”). US-related cerebellar activation (contrast “US post CS+?>?no-US post CS?” during fear acquisition training) in (B) healthy controls and (C) cerebellar patients collapsed over early and late fear acquisition blocks. Credit: eneuro (2024). DOI: 10.1523/ENEURO.0365-23.2023 For a long time, the fact that the cerebellum plays an important role in regulating our emotions—such as when processing fear—has been ignored. Professor Melanie Mark from Ruhr-University Bochum and Professor Dagmar Read More
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Credit: Journal of Clinical Investigation (2024). DOI: 10.1172/JCI176640 Why do some people with COVID-19 experience little more than a sniffle while others end up on a ventilator? And among critically ill patients, why do some eventually recover while others do not? A new study has unveiled clues for helping scientists predict who is most at risk for severe COVID-19, and among those who experience severe disease, who is most likely to survive. The researchers published their findings in the Journal of Clinical Investigation on May 1. The study drew on Read More
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Credit: Journal of Clinical Investigation (2024). DOI: 10.1172/JCI170118 B-cells infiltrating the lungs may be responsible for one of the most common complications in lung transplantation, which can lead to rejection, according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. Roughly 2,500 people receive lung transplants each year, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and they are one of few treatment options available for people experiencing end-stage respiratory failure, according to the National Institutes of Health. Ischemia/reperfusion injury—the damage caused by cell death following the Read More
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A, Percentages of late-preterm and full-term newborns treated with antibiotics in different levels of care and total in Sweden. B, Number of antibiotic-days per 1,000 live births in late-preterm and full-term newborns in different levels of care and total in Sweden. C, Late-preterm and full-term newborns with early-onset sepsis, rate per 1,000 live births by year in different levels of care and total in Sweden. Credit: JAMA Network Open (2024). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.3362 Newborns in Sweden are given antibiotics for suspected sepsis to an unjustified extent. This is according to a Read More
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Lab tests of counterfeit oxycodone (Oxycontin) pills seized by police in Rhode Island in 2022 found 99.3% also contained dangerous fentanyl. It was typically mixed with another potentially deadly drug, xylazine. Both drugs make overdose more likely and more fatal, experts note. As too many American families have tragically come to know, “counterfeit prescription pills have been associated with adverse outcomes, including fatal overdose,” said a team of researchers led by Dr. Rachel Wightman. She’s associate professor of epidemiology and emergency medicine at Brown University in Providence, RI. Wightman’s team Read More
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Planters peanut products sold at Publix and Dollar Tree in five states are being recalled due to the risk of Listeria contamination, maker Hormel announced. The products are Planters Honey Roasted Peanuts (4 ounces) and Planters Deluxe Lightly Salted Mixed Nuts (8.75 ounces). So far, there have been no reports of illness linked to the recalled products, the company said. “The products were shipped to Publix distribution warehouses in Florida, Georgia, Alabama and North Carolina and to Dollar Tree distribution warehouses in South Carolina and Georgia,” the company said in Read More
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Credit: Adapted from Advanced Materials Technologies (2024). DOI: 10.1002/admt.202302155 A research team led by Professor Sohee Kim of the Department of Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering in the Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science & Technology has successfully developed three-dimensional retinal electrodes that resemble convex Braille. By stimulating the remaining normal nerve cells in the retina, the electrodes are expected to be used to partially restore vision to patients with blindness. The study’s findings were published on March 24 in Advanced Materials Technologies. One of the main causes of blindness is damage Read More
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Epithelial MHCII is required for mucosal retention of Cr-specific TH cells, prolonged colonocyte STAT3 activation and crypt protection. Credit: Nature (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07288-1 Intestinal epithelial cells line the inner wall of the gut, creating a barrier against dangerous bacteria like enteropathogenic E. coli that seek to attach to and destroy this barrier. Such pathogens pose significant risks to human health, including infant deaths due to diarrhea, particularly in developing countries. A study published in the journal Nature, led by Carlene Zindl, Ph.D., and C. Garrett Wilson in the research group Read More
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Researchers have discovered how mutations in the MAGEL2 gene — the cause of the syndrome — give rise to truncated and non-functional proteins that accumulate in the cell nucleus and, thus, could aggravate the symptoms of those affected by the pathology. Credit: Journal of Medical Genetics (2024). DOI: 10.1136/jmg-2024-109898 Mutations in the MAGEL2 gene, which cause Schaaf-Yang syndrome (SYS)—an ultra-rare disease that affects neuronal and cognitive development—generate truncated, non-functional proteins that tend to accumulate in the cell nucleus. Moreover, this progressive accumulation of abnormal proteins could cause a toxic effect Read More
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Gut bacteria metabolite holds potential in combating inflammatory bowel disease. Credit: Chiharu Nishiyama from Tokyo University of Science, Japan Gut microbiota or the population of microbial inhabitants in the intestine, plays a key role in digestion and maintenance of overall health. Any disturbance in the gut microbiota can, therefore, have a systemic impact. Intestinal microbes metabolize dietary components into beneficial fatty acids (FAs), supporting metabolism and maintaining host body homeostasis. Metabolites originating from polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), influenced by gut microbes such as Lactobacillus plantarum, exhibit potent effects on inflammation Read More
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This unique setup created a layer of mucus exposed to the air for easy access during experiments. The researchers used a magnetic wire and powerful magnets to study the properties of the mucus without disturbing it. Credit: Cai and Braunreuther et al. As much as we might not want to think about it, mucus is everywhere in our bodies. It coats our airways and our digestive systems and serves as a first line of defense against pathogens, a habitat for our microbiomes, and a conveyor belt for our insides to Read More
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Emergency departments nationwide are overcrowded and overtaxed, but a new study suggests artificial intelligence (AI) could one day help prioritize which patients need treatment most urgently. Using anonymized records of 251,000 adult emergency department (ED) visits, researchers at UC San Francisco evaluated how well an AI model was able to extract symptoms from patients’ clinical notes to determine their need to be treated immediately. They then compared the AI analysis with the patients’ scores on the Emergency Severity Index, a 1–5 scale that ED nurses use when patients arrive to Read More
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Cryo-soft X-ray tomography 3D reconstructions of segmented mitochondria (brown) in the cytoplasm around the nucleus (blue) in herpes simplex virus type 1 infected cell. Credit: Maija Vihinen-Ranta Researchers at the University of Jyväskylä have found that herpesvirus infection modifies the structure and normal function of the mitochondria in the host cell. The new information could help to understand the interaction between herpesvirus and host cells and develop new viral treatments. Herpesviruses cause significant diseases but are also promising candidates for oncolytic therapy. HSV-1 infection depends on nuclear DNA replication, transcription Read More
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TRTpred, a sensitive in silico predictor of tumor-reactive clonotypes. Credit: Nature Biotechnology (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41587-024-02232-0 Using artificial intelligence, Ludwig Cancer Research scientists have developed a powerful predictive model for identifying the most potent cancer-killing immune cells for use in cancer immunotherapies. Combined with additional algorithms, the predictive model, described in the current issue of the journal Nature Biotechnology, can be applied to personalized cancer treatments that tailor therapy to the unique cellular makeup of each patient’s tumors. “The implementation of artificial intelligence in cellular therapy is new and may be Read More
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If you worry that there are not enough health care providers to meet health needs, you are not alone. Seventy percent of Canadians worry about access to care. One factor affecting health-care access is a global nursing shortage. The increasing demand for nursing services in Canada far exceeds the current supply. Statistics Canada reported in 2021-22 nursing had higher job vacancies than any other occupation, and nurses worked over 26 million hours of overtime. In honor of National Nursing Week 2024 (May 6–12), we ask all Canadians to consider asking Read More
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The anti-cancer drug abemaciclib (also known as Vernezio) has been added to the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) to treat certain types of breast cancer. This significantly reduces the cost of the drug. A patient can now expect to pay A$31.60 for a 28-day supply ($7.70 with a health care concession card). The price of abemaciclib without government subsidy is $4,250. So what is abemaciclib, and how did we get to this point? It stops cells dividing Researchers at the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly developed abemaciclib and published the first Read More
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With spring in full bloom, warm weather and an increase in outdoor activities, the risk of injury also increases. Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or want to enjoy more daily movement in your routine, injuries can impact individuals of all levels and can range from minor sprains to more serious conditions needing medical attention. Overuse injuries can affect individuals across all ages and skill levels. They are caused by repetitive motions and stress that usually impact joints (knees, elbows, shoulders) but may also affect other parts of the body (lower Read More
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Changes in personality following a heart transplant have been noted pretty much ever since transplants began. In one case, a person who hated classical music developed a passion for the genre after receiving a musician’s heart. The recipient later died holding a violin case. In another case, a 45-year-old man remarked how, since receiving the heart of a 17-year-old boy, he loves to put on headphones and listen to loud music—something he had never done before the transplant. A recent study suggests that heart transplant recipients may not be unique Read More
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Consuming a primarily plant-based diet may be associated with better cancer-specific health outcomes among men with prostate cancer, according to a study published online May 1 in JAMA Network Open. Vivian N. Liu, from the University of California, San Francisco, and colleagues examined whether post-diagnostic plant-based dietary patterns are associated with the risk for prostate cancer progression and prostate cancer-specific mortality. The analysis included 2,062 participants in the multisite Cancer of the Prostate Strategic Urologic Research Endeavor study. The researchers found that men scoring in the highest versus lowest quintile Read More
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The silent symptoms of stress can be easily overlooked, but they’re important to recognize to protect one’s mental health, experts say. Visible symptoms of stress are fairly obvious—irritability, anger, impatience, muscle tension. “You may not be able to hide those for a long time. Immediately, people will notice it—family, friends and co-workers,” Dr. Asim Shah, chief of community psychiatry at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, said in a news release. But the silent symptoms of stress might take months to be noticeable, Shah said. “If you are isolated and Read More
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Credit: Neuro-Oncology (2024). DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noae077 As the numbers of pediatric brain cancer survivors continue improving, the numbers of individuals developing life-long neurocognitive impairments are consequently expected to rise. Cranial radiotherapy is standard of care for aggressive brain tumors; however, it induces debilitating neurocognitive impairments in cancer survivors, especially children. Yet, there is no established method estimating the degree of the radiotherapy-induced brain injury at completion of treatment to predict the severity of the expected neurocognitive complications. A new study, published in Neuro-Oncology, identifies a protein called ectodysplasin A2 receptor (EDA2R) Read More
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You know losing that extra weight would be good for your health. Your health care team talked with you about how obesity increases your risk of other health issues, such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and certain types of cancer. They even worked out a healthy eating plan, and you want to stick to it. And you do well for many days, but then something upsetting happens, and your first thought is food. Emotional eating is eating to suppress or soothe negative emotions, such as stress, anger, fear, Read More
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Electrophysiological activity tracks change in head angle. Credit: Nature Human Behaviour (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41562-024-01872-1 A pattern of brain activity that helps prevent us from getting lost has been identified in a new study, published in Nature Human Behaviour. Researchers at the University of Birmingham and Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich have for the first time been able to pinpoint the location of an internal neural compass which the human brain uses to orientate itself in space and navigate through the environment. The research identifies finely tuned head direction signals within Read More
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New research presented May 4 at the American Psychiatric Association’s Annual Meeting indicates that methods of advertising e-cigarettes on digital platforms are violating federal government and Instagram policies. The primary violations include omitting age-restricted content tags on Instagram and neglecting to address the addictive potential of e-cigarettes and other vaping products. Previous studies have found that exposure to e-cigarettes on social media is correlated with increased use. The term “e-cigarette” refers to vaping products, synthetic nicotine products, and other electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). In a new study, Jessica Tran Read More
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Sugary drinks cause weight gain and increase the risk of a range of diseases, including diabetes. The evidence shows that well-designed taxes can reduce sugary drink sales, cause people to choose healthier options and get manufacturers to reduce the sugar in their drinks. And although these taxes haven’t been around long, there are already signs that they are making people healthier. It’s time for Australia to catch up to the rest of the world and introduce a tax on sugary drinks. As our new Grattan Institute report shows, doing so Read More
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The brain circuits that underlie alcohol craving and heavy drinking share some similarities between men and women, but also some key differences, a new Yale study reveals. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), Yale researchers have observed that after viewing stress- or alcohol-related images (as opposed to “neutral” images), the brains of men and women with alcohol use disorder responded differently. Those differences, which were also related to alcohol craving intensity and future alcohol use, may signal the need for sex-specific therapeutic approaches to alcohol use disorder. The findings were Read More
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Eleven million U.S. adults use e-cigarettes to vape nicotine, and about half of them say that they want to stop, but many have trouble doing so because nicotine is an addictive drug. A plant-based medication called cytisinicline may be an effective therapy to help them stop vaping, according to the results of a new clinical trial co-led by an investigator from Massachusetts General Hospital, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham health care system. The trial’s findings are published in JAMA Internal Medicine. In the double-blind randomized clinical trial, Read More
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Credit: Anna Tarazevich from Pexels Part of the reproductive system, the cervix connects the vagina to the uterus, also known as the womb. By collecting cervical cells (called the Pap smear after the scientist who pioneered the screening test in the mid-1900s), cancer can be detected even at an early stage. While cervical cancer may cause symptoms of bleeding or pain, it often does not cause any symptoms, especially in early stages. That’s why Pap smears typically are recommended every three years for women ages 21 to 65. For women Read More
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Overview of effect of DRP-104 on KEAP1 mutant tumors and T cells. Credit: Science Advances (2024). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adm9859 Starving out tumor cells may be a promising therapy for treatment-resistant lung cancer, according to a new study published in Science Advances. More than 230,000 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed this year in the U.S., according to the American Cancer Society, and roughly half of those diagnosed die from the disease. Lung adenocarcinoma, the most common lung cancer in the U.S., is one of the leading causes of cancer Read More
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Acinar-derived insulin-producing (ADIP) cells infiltrate pre-existing endocrine islets. Credit: Nature Communications (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47972-4 In 2016, University of Pittsburgh researchers Dr. Farzad Esni, Ph.D., and Jing Hu, Ph.D., did an experiment in mice where they deleted one of two copies of the gene encoding an enzyme called focal adhesion kinase (FAK). They were interested in the role of FAK in pancreatic cancer, but a surprise finding took the research in a very different direction. “The pancreas looked weird, almost like it was trying to regenerate after an injury,” said Esni, Read More
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Even if you have health insurance, you might expect to be charged a copayment for some routine care, like office-based exams and consultations. But you probably don’t expect to receive a bill a few weeks later charging you an extra $100 or more. That’s the situation an increasing number of state lawmakers are looking to change. In most states, a “hospital facility fee” can legally appear on your bill if your doctor is affiliated with a large hospital system—even if you never set foot on the hospital’s campus. Traditionally, hospitals Read More
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Credit: Anna Shvets from Pexels Most patients with brain tumors receive one of two types of radiation: external beam radiation, in which the tumor is treated over the course of several weeks, or radiosurgery, in which patients receive a high dose of radiation in one to five treatments to destroy the tumor. Stereotactic radiosurgery uses 3D imaging to target high doses of radiation to the tumor with minimal impact on surrounding healthy tissue. It is used in small cancerous and noncancerous tumors and can be delivered in a few ways: Read More
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Text messaging women after initial outreach for breast cancer screening increases mammogram completion rates, according to a study published online May 6 in JAMA Internal Medicine. Shivan J. Mehta, M.D., from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and colleagues conducted two concurrent trials involving women aged 40 to 74 years with at least one primary care visit in the past two years. In trial A, women were randomly assigned to receive a signed bulk order for a mammogram or no order; patients were concurrently Read More
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Fentanyl deaths among Missouri babies, toddlers and teens spiked as child welfare officials struggled to adequately investigate the cases, a state panel found in a newly released report. Forty-three youth died — 20 of them under the age of 4 — in 2022 alone from the infamously powerful drug, according to a new state report. That reflected an overall doubling of child fentantly deaths, with the spike among the youngest victims even steeper, according to the Missouri Department of Social Services, which convened the panel of social workers, health officials, Read More
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Illinois researchers used a novel tissue model to examine the effect of nerve stimulation on muscle secretion of brain-boosting factors. The nerves, colored green, trigger the muscle to release hormones and mRNA packages that foster growth of and connection between neurons in the brain. Credit: Kai Yu Huang Exercise prompts muscles to release molecular cargo that boosts brain cell function and connection, but the process is not well understood. New research from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has found that the nerves that tell muscles to move also prompt them Read More
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Research into how the human brain stores information could lead to treatments for people who struggle with everyday tasks. Professor Jan Buitelaar, an expert in neurodevelopmental illnesses, is intrigued by a possible link between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder—or ADHD—and memory. While genes play a big part in ADHD, Buitelaar thinks the recordkeeping part of the brain known as “working memory” does too. Working memory holds a limited amount of information such as a street address or phone number for a brief time while providing a fundamental base for higher mental Read More
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Gallstones are hardened deposits of digestive fluid, called bile, in your gallbladder. They range in size from as small as a grain of sand to as large as a golf ball. Dr. Irving Jorge, a Mayo Clinic general surgeon, says people who experience pain and other symptoms from gallstones usually require gallbladder removal surgery. You experience sudden, intense pain in your abdomen or back pain between your shoulder blades—maybe even nausea or vomiting. You could have gallstones. “Typically, symptoms of gallbladder-related pain is pain associated with meals. Usually after you Read More
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Jason Comander, MD, Ph.D., director of the Inherited Retinal Disorders Service at Mass Eye and Ear, examines the CRISPR-based medicine prior to performing a surgery of the novel treatment in September 2020, at Mass Eye and Ear in Boston. Credit: Mass Eye and Ear Results from a clinical trial of CRISPR gene editing in 14 individuals with a form of inherited blindness show that the treatment is safe and led to measurable improvements in 11 of the participants treated. The Phase I/II trial called BRILLIANCE, was led by principal investigator Read More
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Metabolic regulation of B-cell cytokine production: implications for MS pathogenesis and therapeutics. Credit: Science Immunology (2024). DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.adk0865 B cells can control responses of myeloid cells through the release of particular cytokines (small proteins that control the growth and activity of cells in the immune system), disproving the previous consensus that T cells are the only orchestrators of immune responses. In individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS), abnormally active respiration in B cells drives pro-inflammatory responses of myeloid cells and T cells, leading them to attack the protective sheath (myelin) that Read More