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Challenges encountered and solutions developed during the iterative construction of the hybrid-virtual home visits. Credit: Journal of General Internal Medicine (2024). DOI: 10.1007/s11606-023-08460-5 In a new study, a team developed and successfully tested a hybrid-virtual home visit model that provides care to veterans who do not live close to a VA health care facility. The work is published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), Regenstrief Institute, and Indiana University School of Medicine research scientists Dawn Bravata, M.D., and Teresa Damush, Ph.D., helped lead Read More
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Digital twins of athletes allow athletes and coaches to evaluate performance and trial technique changes. It’s an open secret that the countries that win the most medals in the Olympics and Paralympics combine talent and technology. Athletes are preparing for the next three Olympics and Paralympics in Paris in 2024, Los Angeles in 2028, and Brisbane in 2032. Meanwhile, our sports scientists are developing new technologies to help improve sports performance across a range of fields. Emerging digital technologies like artificial intelligence and quantum sensing are now in play, as Read More
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The effects of optogenetic inhibition on WM task performance. a, The experimental set-up. b, The delayed-association WM task trial types; licking was assessed during the 3?s choice period, with early- and late-delays periods noted. c, Learning progress across eight sessions, measured on the basis of the percentage of correct responses. d, Learning session example, with licks marked. e, Photoinhibition effect during different task epochs on the animal’s performance (fourth second of the delay period, P?=?0.009; fifth second of the delay period, P?=?0.005; second odor, P?=?0.0004; first second of choice epoch, Read More
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It’s no secret that the Mediterranean diet is good for your health. Already recommended to reduce the risks of bowel cancer, heart disease, and dementia, new research from the University of South Australia published in the journal Nutrients shows that the Mediterranean diet can also reduce symptoms of stress and anxiety. Conducted in partnership with the University of the Sunshine Coast, researchers assessed the impact of a Mediterranean diet on mental health among 294 older Australians (aged 60+) finding that it reduced the severity of anxiety and stress, independent of Read More
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Credit: Cell (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.04.025 Immunotherapy has revolutionized the way we treat cancer in recent years. Instead of targeting the tumor itself, immunotherapies work by directing patients’ immune systems to attack their tumors more effectively. This has been especially effective in improving outcomes for certain difficult-to-treat cancers. Still, fewer than half of all cancer patients respond to current immunotherapies, creating an urgent need to identify biomarkers that can predict which patients are most likely to benefit. Recently, scientists have noticed that patients whose tumors have a mutation in a gene Read More
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Sprint interval exercises can stimulate beneficial physiological and metabolic responses via the activation of muscles and increased oxygen uptake in tissues. Credit: Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (2024). DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003420 Physical activities like jogging, walking, cycling, and sprinting are activities known to engage the musculoskeletal system and result in the utilization of energy. Sprint interval training (SIT) is a type of sprinting exercise that involves cycles of intense exercise followed by a short duration of rest. How the durations of exercise and rest are structured can affect the Read More
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In the international CONVINCE trial, presented today (15 May 2024) at the European Stroke Organization Conference (ESOC 2024), anti-inflammatory treatment with long-term colchicine did not reduce rates of recurrent stroke and cardiovascular events in patients with non-cardioembolic stroke in the primary intention-to-treat analysis. Reduced event rates in secondary analyses, and in the subgroup of patients with coronary artery disease, support trials which reported benefit in coronary disease and may inform future secondary prevention trials in stroke. Inflammation plays an important role in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis. Over the past years, Read More
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A compound called K11777 prevents body cells from splitting the viral capsid and thus helping the virus out of its capsid. This means that infection is no longer possible. Credit: Ruhr-Universitaet-Bochum At present, there is no specific active substance against hepatitis E. As the disease kills 70,000 people every year, researchers are actively searching for one. The team from the Department of Molecular and Medical Virology at Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, may have found what they’re looking for. The researchers showed that the compound K11777 prevents host cells from helping Read More
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Credit: Med (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.medj.2024.02.010 Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a terrible disease in which a genetic mutation causes certain nerves responsible for sending signals to muscles to degenerate. This leads to muscles wasting away, and many patients have died a painful death due to this rare condition. Genetic treatments have only been available for a few years. Now, a team led by Emmanuel Nedoschill, Ferdinand Knieling and Adrian Regensburger from the Translational Pediatrics working group at the Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at Uniklinikum Erlangen have devised an Read More
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Graphical abstract. Credit: Journal of Internal Medicine (2024). DOI: 10.1111/joim.13773 A study by Rutgers Health experts of more than 31 million hospital records shows that infertility treatment patients were twice as likely as those who conceived naturally to be hospitalized with heart disease in the year after delivery. The work is published in the Journal of Internal Medicine. Patients who underwent infertility were particularly likely—2.16 times as likely as those who conceived naturally—to undergo hospitalization for dangerously high blood pressure or hypertension. “Postpartum checkups are necessary for all patients, but Read More
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The figures depict images of invasive ductal carcinoma, mucinous carcinoma, and papillary carcinoma, respectively. Despite the variations in tissue structures among different tumor types, the activated regions of the model corresponded to the areas of yellow malignant cell aggregation. Scale bar = 100?µm. Credit: Science China Press Rapid and accurate intraoperative diagnosis is critical for tumor surgery and can provide precise guidance for surgical decisions. However, traditional intraoperative assessments based on H&E histology, such as frozen sections, are time-, resource-, and labor-intensive, and involve specimen-consuming concerns. D-FFOCT is a high-resolution Read More
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Schematic of neutrophil PARP-1-ALOX5-mediated MMP-9 in lung cancer. Infiltrated neutrophils are increased in lung cancer tissues and negatively correlated with the prognosis of patients. After neutrophils are exposed to lung cancer cells, PARP-1 interacts with ALOX5 and enhances protein stabilization through PARylation of ALOX5. Increasing ALOX5 metabolites promotes MMP-9 production via activation of ERK and p38 MAPK pathways. Blocking PARP-1 by AG14361 or ALOX5 by Zileuton reduces MMP-9 production and mitigates neutrophil-mediated lung cancer progression. Credit: Cancer Biology & Medicine (2024). DOI: 10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2023.0248 Lung cancer remains a leading global health Read More
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Considered a best practice at academic medical centers, tumor boards bring together multidisciplinary teams of experts to determine the optimal course of treatment for patients with cancer. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, medical and surgical oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, and other relevant specialists often come together using online platforms. An exhaustive prospective analysis published in the journal Surgery Open Science revealed that women were underrepresented as moderators, speakers and attending physicians of record on tumor boards. Further, while there were no significant differences between men and women speakers with Read More
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A nationwide assessment of how nonprofit hospitals are addressing housing-related needs in their communities appears in the latest issue of Medical Care. “Approximately 60% of hospitals in the United States are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and are legally required to address substantial health needs in their communities as a condition for tax exemption,” explain Berkeley Franz, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Community-based Health at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, and colleagues. Housing-related factors are a well-documented social determinant of health, found in multiple studies to affect individual health conditions such as hypertension Read More
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Behavioral analyses in zebrafish with disrupted dopaminergic signaling during development. Credit: The American Journal of Pathology (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2024.02.014 Recent evidence suggests that dopamine plays a crucial role in neural development. In a novel study, investigators demonstrated the link between disrupted developmental dopamine signaling and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Their findings underscore the importance of studying developmental signaling pathways to understand the etiology of ASD, paving the way for potential targeted interventions. Their findings appear in The American Journal of Pathology. Lead investigators Lingyan Xing, Ph.D., and Gang Chen, Ph.D., Read More
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A new University of Cincinnati study provides more insight into how few patients have severe ischemic strokes compared to the total stroke patient population in the region. UC’s Yasmin Aziz, MD, will present a poster on the team’s findings during the European Stroke Organisation Conference (ESOC) this week in Basel, Switzerland. Ischemic strokes, the most common form of strokes, are caused by a lack of blood flow and oxygen to specific parts of the brain. When a stroke patient arrives at the hospital, Aziz explained, they undergo a CT scan Read More
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Cyclin D1 protein expression by immunohistochemistry in histological sections. Credit: Oncotarget (2024). DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.28584 A new research paper titled “Cyclin D1 expression in penile cancer” has been published in Oncotarget. In this new study, researchers analyzed the expression profile of cyclin D1 in patients with penile cancer (PC), and to determine possible correlations with clinical and histopathological features. “Regarding PC, however, few studies have assessed the role of cyclin D1, reinforcing the necessity for initiatives that aim to investigate its actual role in the pathophysiology of this disease. As such, Read More
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A new guideline has been issued to help neurologists and other clinicians determine the best antiseizure medications for people with epilepsy who may become pregnant. The guideline is published in the May 15, 2024, online issue of Neurology and was developed through a collaboration between the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), the American Epilepsy Society (AES) and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM). It was endorsed by the Child Neurology Society. The guideline partially updates two 2009 AAN and AES guidelines on the management of epilepsy during pregnancy, specifically regarding Read More
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A new study has advanced how heart failure is detected in women—meaning more female patients can be diagnosed and at an earlier stage. Researchers led by teams from the Universities of East Anglia (UEA), Sheffield and Leeds, have been able to fine-tune how magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used to detect heart failure in women’s hearts, making it more accurate. The paper, “Sex-specific cardiac magnetic resonance pulmonary capillary wedge pressure” is published in the European Heart Journal Open. Lead author Dr. Pankaj Garg, of the University of East Anglia’s Norwich Read More
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Lead by a team of researchers at University Hospitals (UH) Connor Whole Health, a new study finds that patients seeking outpatient integrative health and medicine (IHM) care experience clinically meaningful reductions in symptoms of pain, anxiety, and stress after just one treatment. The research is published in the journal Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health. Patients often seek outpatient IHM modalities such as acupuncture, chiropractic, and massage to address their pain, anxiety, and stress. Accordingly, UH Connor Whole Health partners with physicians, providers, and institutes to meet the growing Read More
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Aside from providing oxygen and nutrients to the tumor, blood vessels also secrete angiocrine factors. This study revealed that the factor Sfrp1, produced by vascular endothelial cells, plays an essential role in tumor growth by maintaining populations of cancer stem cells and regulating the Wnt signaling pathway. Credit: Hiroyasu Kidoya, University of Fukui Cancer is a leading cause of death globally. One of the primary reasons why cancer is such a deadly disease is the ability of cancer cells to become drug-resistant. After decades of medical research, scientists came to Read More
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by KeAi Communications Co. This schematic illustrates the observation of extensive activation of immune genes and transposable elements (TEs) in mice with EAM. Credit: Sixing Chen Regarded historically as genomic parasites, transposable elements (TEs) have now been recognized as significant contributors to cellular identity and function, especially in immune regulation. Mammalian genomes contain a vast number of TEs. The diversity and abundance of these elements impact the structure, function and evolution of the genome. They influence gene regulatory networks by altering transcription factor binding sites and creating new enhancer activities. Read More
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Inflammation is increased in old mice after NME. Credit: Nature Aging (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s43587-024-00620-4 Published in Nature Aging, University of Minnesota Medical School researchers have provided new insight into enhancing immune responses in older individuals and the potential for using immunotherapy to make older adults less vulnerable to infections. Using preclinical models, the research team studied the impact of monoclonal anti-PD1 immunotherapy treatment—which are drugs that increase immune function—when exposed to serious infections. They found that this treatment improved survival rates because it boosted the ability of CD8+ T cells Read More
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Hospitalization and homelessness—a Canadian snapshot. Credit: Canadian Institute of Health Information Nearly 30,000 people last year were homeless when admitted to hospital and/or discharged from hospital, a first-of-its-kind Canadian analysis shows. Almost all of these inpatients were admitted following a visit to an emergency department, and the complexity of their illnesses meant they stayed twice as long as the national average. “What’s most troubling, based on what we know from other research, is that so many were discharged into the community without stable housing,” says study co-author Dr. Cheryl Forchuk, Read More
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Spending time in nature is good for us. Studies have shown that contact with nature can lift our well-being by affecting emotions, influencing thoughts, reducing stress and improving physical health. Even brief exposure to nature can help. One well-known study found that hospital patients recovered faster if their room included a window view of a natural setting. Knowing more about nature’s effects on our bodies could not only help our well-being, but could also improve how we care for land, preserve ecosystems and design cities, homes and parks. Yet studies Read More
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Two genes of the germline are essential for the development of brain tumours in Drosophila. Credit: IRB Barcelona Every cell in an organism carries an identical set of genetic instructions within its DNA. However, what determines whether a cell develops as a neuron, a muscle, or any other specific cell type lies in the activation or inactivation of specific genes in that particular cell. For instance, in the Drosophila fly, the TrxT and dhd genes, which belong to the germline—that is, they participate in the formation of sperm and eggs, Read More
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Training with the go4cognition tool. Credit: Assunta Jaeger Solving a quiz as a group while moving around the room at the same time—this combination is the basis of a new tool designed to prevent dementia. Researchers developed and evaluated it in the “go4cognition” project with industry partners and brought it to market maturity. Vanessa Lissek and Professor Boris Suchan from Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, and Stefan Orth from the company Ontaris describe how effective the training with the system is in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. The article was published online Read More
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Motor impairment following brain injury has long been thought to be purely anatomical, and that traumatic brain injury, stroke or other neurological injury results in abnormal muscle tightness and rigidity. Evidence of this belief is based on studies of people recovering from stroke and multiple animal brain injury models. However, a recent research article challenges this belief with compelling evidence, but suggests more studies are needed. The study is published in the journal Function. The authors addressed prior criticisms of their rat model preparation. The paper also furthered the field’s Read More
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Motor impairment following brain injury has long been thought to be purely anatomical, and that traumatic brain injury, stroke or other neurological injury results in abnormal muscle tightness and rigidity. Evidence of this belief is based on studies of people recovering from stroke and multiple animal brain injury models. However, a recent research article challenges this belief with compelling evidence, but suggests more studies are needed. The study is published in the journal Function. The authors addressed prior criticisms of their rat model preparation. The paper also furthered the field’s Read More
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A new study led by researchers at University Hospitals Connor Whole Health has found that adults initially receiving chiropractic spinal manipulation for newly diagnosed radicular low back pain (sciatica) were significantly less likely to be prescribed tramadol over the following year compared to those receiving usual medical care. Tramadol is a synthetic opioid that has been increasingly prescribed for low back pain in the United States (US) over the past decade. While tramadol has a lower potency compared to other prescription opioids, it still carries risks of persistent use and Read More
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Job loss and health decline of immigrant men in Germany. Credit: Max Planck Society A recent study by Silvia Loi and colleagues examines how life events like job loss and divorce affect the health of immigrants using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel. They find that immigrants experience more rapid declines in health as they age. Moreover, they find that job loss has a stronger and more long-lasting impact on the health of immigrants, especially men. Major life events have a strong impact on a person’s health. Losing jobs and Read More
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After a heart attack, foreign-born people are less likely to attend a relapse-preventing Heart School than native-born patients. But with access to a professional interpreter, participation increases. This was found in a study led by researchers at Linköping University, published in the journal IJC Heart & Vasculature, titled “Provision of professional interpreters and Heart School attendance for foreign-born compared with native-born myocardial infarction patients in Sweden.” “Our conclusion is that health care should always strive to provide professional interpreters. For foreign-born patients, access to interpreters was associated with participation in Read More
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University of New Mexico researchers have detected significant concentrations of microplastics in the testicular tissue of both humans and dogs, adding to growing concern about their possible effect on human reproductive health. In a new paper published in the journal Toxicological Sciences, a team led by Xiaozhong “John” Yu, MD, Ph.D., MPH, a professor in the UNM College of Nursing, reported finding 12 types of microplastics in 47 canine and 23 human testes. “Our study revealed the presence of microplastics in all human and canine testes,” Yu said. The team Read More
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Molecular tests and other screening tools can lessen the risk of potentially fatal reactions to antiseizure medications that millions of Americans take for epilepsy and other conditions, but skin rashes still require speedy medical attention, according to research from Rutgers Health. Rashes are a common side effect of antiseizure medications, occurring in 2 percent to 16 percent of patients, depending on which of 26 Food and Drug Administration-approved medications they use. Although most rashes indicate nothing serious, roughly 5 percent indicate life-threatening reactions. The FDA recently issued a warning about Read More
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While 20% of California adults said they had four or more adverse childhood experiences, nearly 40% of that group reported an unmet mental health need in the last year, according to a new study by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. Adverse childhood experiences referred to physical or emotional neglect; physical, sexual and emotional abuse; and household challenges, including intimate partner violence, divorce or parental separation—or living with anyone involved in the criminal justice system or who was struggling with mental illness and/or substance use disorder. The study, which Read More
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Double-diamond visualization of optimal patient involvement in the clinical decision-making process. Credit: Proceedings of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (2024). DOI: 10.1145/3613904.3642353 Artificial intelligence has the potential to help older adults with cancer communicate with their doctors and participate more fully in decisions about their treatment, according to new Cornell research. A team led by Yuexing Hao, a doctoral student in the field of human centered design, has developed an AI tool that uses machine learning and large language models to identify treatment options based on Read More
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Records from nearly 30,000 nursing home residents indicate that blood pressure medications more than double the risk of life-threatening bone fractures, according to Rutgers Health research. The authors of the study, which appears in JAMA Internal Medicine, said the increased risk stems from the medications’ tendency to impair balance, particularly when patients first stand up and temporarily experience low blood pressure that deprives the brain of oxygen. Interactions with other drugs and low baseline balance in many nursing home patients compound the problem. “Bone fractures often start nursing home patients Read More
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May is National Trauma Awareness Month. It’s a time to spread awareness about injury prevention and trauma. Falls are the No. 1 cause of nonfatal injuries among children up to 14 years old in the U.S., according to the National Institutes of Health. Many of these pediatric falls happen at home or on the playground. Tom Halada, a Mayo Clinic registered nurse and pediatric trauma coordinator, says some of these injuries can be prevented. Each year, more than 2 million children are seen in the emergency department in the U.S. Read More
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Credit: SHVETS production from Pexels Growing a healthy baby relies on getting enough nutrients while pregnant. But rather than following a healthy diet to provide those nutrients, we’re concerned too many people are relying on “pink” multivitamins. These supplements are widely promoted for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and those who are planning to become pregnant. They contain folic acid, iodine, iron, vitamin D, vitamin B12, calcium, and a shopping list of other vitamins and minerals. Multivitamins during pregnancy are, for the most part, a waste of money. At Read More
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Genetic factors are a small but significant contributor to severe depression that does not respond to standard therapy, according to researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Massachusetts General Hospital. The heritability of treatment-resistant depression (TRD) was found to have significant genetic overlap with schizophrenia, attention deficit disorder, cognitive, alcohol and smoking traits, and body mass index (BMI), suggesting a shared biology and, potentially, new treatment avenues. The report, published May 15 in The American Journal of Psychiatry, provides insights into the genetics and biology underlying TRD, supports the utility Read More
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The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic changed how nearly everyone mediated their social interactions through technology. Some moved happy hours into video chats. Others delved deeper into social media, or took a step back from it. Millions of people worked or learned through computers. University of Washington researchers took particular interest in how this tech shift affected older adults’ social relationships. The team interviewed 16 older adults in Washington and Oregon, ages 65 to 80, about how their technology use with their social support networks changed during the pandemic. Researchers Read More
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A recent study published in Osteoporosis International sheds new light on the relationship between body mass index (BMI) trajectories during middle adulthood and the risk of bone fractures in late adulthood. The study, titled “Association of bone fracture with 30-year body mass index (BMI) trajectories: findings from the Framingham Heart Study,” provides valuable insights into the potential implications of BMI changes on fracture risk later in life. The study analyzed data from the Framingham Original Cohort Study, involving 1,772 participants with an average follow-up of 17.1 years. BMI trajectories were Read More
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Bariatric surgery is associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer in women with obesity. These are the findings of a study conducted at the University of Gothenburg. The risk reduction is greatest for those with high blood insulin levels at the time of surgery. The study, published in JAMA Surgery, is based on data from 2,867 women with obesity, half of whom had undergone bariatric surgery at 25 surgical departments. The remaining women, comprising the control group, received standard obesity treatment at 480 health care centers. The groups were Read More
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A container of Narcan, a brand name version of the opioid overdose-reversal drug naloxone, sits on a table following a demonstration at the Health and Human Services Humphrey Building on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023, in Washington. The number of U.S. fatal overdoses fell in 2023 — for only the second time since the current national epidemic of drug deaths began more than three decades ago. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted the numbers on Wednesday, May 15, 2024. Credit: AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File The number of U.S. fatal Read More
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Compared with pre-surgical (neoadjuvant) chemotherapy alone, adding perioperative immunotherapy—given before and after surgery—significantly improved event-free survival (EFS) in patients with resectable early-stage non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC), according to researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Results from the Phase III CheckMate 77T study were published today in the New England Journal of Medicine. At a median follow-up of 25.4 months, the median EFS with chemotherapy alone was 18.4 months, while the median had not yet been reached for patients receiving perioperative nivolumab, meaning EFS was prolonged significantly Read More
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Representations of the eight PTCs derived with NMF. Each PTC (one per row) indicates regions where FTP signal covaries across the dataset. Within each PTC, hotter regions (yellow/orange) indicate regions of stronger correlated FTP change. PTCs were estimated in the discovery cohort (ADNI-ADS). FTP, flortaucipir; NMF, non-negative matrix factorization; PTC, Pattern of Tau Covariance. Credit: Alzheimer’s & Dementia (2024). DOI: 10.1002/alz.13769 Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have devised a method to gauge Alzheimer’s disease severity by analyzing the patterns of tau pathology in brain scans. Read More
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Researchers have found that 54% of older Native Americans have cognitive impairment, including 10% with dementia, highlighting a significant disparity with the rates of cognitive impairment and dementia in the general American population. The study also identified vascular injury, which can result from untreated hypertension and diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease as equally responsible contributors to dementia in Native Americans, with substantial overlaps between the two. The findings were published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia. “These results underscore that cognitive impairment among elder American Indians is highly prevalent, more than previously thought,” Read More
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Transgenic C. elegans worms expressing a green fluorescent reporter protein in the pharynx. The digestive system, visible in blue, extends along the entire length of the worm’s body. Credit: Bar-Ilan University Researchers from Bar-Ilan University, in collaboration with Sheba Medical Center, have developed a novel platform to model human muscle diseases in the C. elegans worm. This innovation facilitates the study of diseases in a versatile, scalable way, opening the door to more personalized approaches to disease modeling. The research team, led by Prof. Chaya Brodie, from Bar-Ilan’s Goodman Faculty Read More
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Climate change, and its effects on weather patterns and adverse weather events, is likely to negatively affect the health of people with brain conditions, argues a UCL-led team of researchers. In a Personal View article, published in The Lancet Neurology, the team emphasizes the urgent need to understand the impact of climate change on people with neurological conditions—in order to preserve their health and prevent worsening inequalities. Following a review of 332 papers published across the world between 1968 and 2023, the researchers, led by Professor Sanjay Sisodiya (UCL Queen Read More
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The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program in England has not only been associated with a substantial reduction in cervical disease, but has done so in all socioeconomic groups, finds a study published by The BMJ. Although women living in the most deprived areas are still at higher risk of cervical disease than those in less deprived areas, the results show that well-planned and executed public health interventions can both improve health and reduce health inequalities. HPV is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections. Many countries, including the UK, Read More
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Fat-enlarged axillary nodes on screening mammograms can predict the risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Roentgen Ray Society, held May 5–9 in Boston. Jessica Rubino, M.D., from the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire, and colleagues used electronic medical record data from 907 women (ages 40 to 75 years) without known coronary artery disease who had a routine screening mammogram and cardiovascular risk factors available within one year of the index mammogram (2011 to 2012). The researchers Read More
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Crystal structure of PXR LBD in complex with SJPYT-310. Credit: Nature Communications (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48472-1 Deaths from cancer or infections can occur when available treatments are ineffective. Once turned on, pregnane X receptor (PXR) activates the expression of genes encoding enzymes that metabolize external chemicals, including drugs. This causes a significant drop in the effectiveness of chemotherapy, antivirals and other pharmaceuticals. Blocking the PXR activity is notoriously difficult, as many drugs that bind the protein, whether intentionally or unintentionally, activate it. Scientists at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have leveraged Read More
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Credit: Anna Shvets from Pexels Americans have gotten used to seeing their doctors and other health care providers using telehealth video visits in the past four years. But a new study reveals that what a doctor has behind them during a telehealth visit can make a difference in how the patient feels about them and their care. Even if the doctor is miles away from their usual in-person clinic or exam room, they should make it look like they’re there, the study suggests. Even better: sitting in an office with Read More
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Higher telehealth use in a hospital service area is tied to increased health care utilization and cost, according to a study published online May 13 in JAMA Network Open. Morteza Saharkhiz, Ph.D., from Meta Platforms Inc. in Menlo Park, California, and colleagues evaluated the association between telehealth use and outcomes for all Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries. The analysis included 3,436 hospital service areas for approximately 30 million Medicare beneficiaries. The researchers found that compared with areas with low telehealth use, those living in high-use areas had more ambulatory care-sensitive hospitalizations (1.63 Read More
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Light microscopy image of a section of post-mortem human frontal cortex from a patient with Braak grade VI (most advanced) Alzheimer’s disease. Neurons with high levels of tau protein can be seen. Credit: Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) A study has identified a new biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease in asymptomatic stages of the disease. The molecule is miR-519a-3p, a microRNA directly linked to the expression of the cellular prion protein (PrPC), which is deregulated in people suffering from some neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. The study, led by the Read More
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Following decades of declines, drowning deaths are once again climbing in the United States, new government data shows. More than 4,500 people died from drowning each year in 2020 through 2022, 500 more per year than in 2019, researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found. Increased access to basic swimming lessons and water safety training could save many lives, researchers said. “I’ve seen firsthand the effects of drowning: families forced to say goodbye to their loved ones too soon,” CDC Chief Medical Officer Dr. Debra Houry Read More
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Slc4a4 is required for morphological complexity and proper Ca2+ propagation in the adult brain. Credit: Cell Reports (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114193 Ischemic stroke is a leading cause of death and disability, affecting about 15 million worldwide each year. Among the various factors contributing to the pathogenesis of this condition is the loss of the blood-brain barrier, a highly selective protective cellular barrier that prevents harmful chemicals from entering the brain through the blood. Understanding the mechanisms that regulate the integrity of the blood-brain barrier, developing strategies to repair it, and reversing Read More
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Black female patients hospitalized for carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) bloodstream infections (BSI) face increased 30-day mortality, according to a study presented at the annual European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Global Congress, held April 27–30 in Barcelona, Spain. Felicia Ruffin, Ph.D., from the Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, North Carolina, and colleagues investigated the relationship between the outcomes of Black and white patients with CRE BSI. The analysis included 362 patients in U.S. hospitals (April 2016 to November 2019) with BSI caused by CRE. The researchers found Read More
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Credit: Gustavo Fring from Pexels A large outbreak of pertussis (more commonly known as whooping cough) has been ongoing in the UK since the beginning of 2024. There have been 2,793 confirmed cases so far this year. Sadly, five infant deaths due to whooping cough have been confirmed, with unconfirmed reports that a sixth infant may have died in the last week of the bacterial infection. This is a stark reminder that whooping cough is a very nasty infection. While the symptoms are usually mild in healthy older children and Read More
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For women with cardiovascular disease, cardiac rehabilitation programs save lives, but are still underused. New resources could help more women take control of their cardiac health. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) remain a significant global health challenge, claiming countless lives and causing disability worldwide. While historically seen as a predominantly male issue, it’s crucial to recognize that CVD affects women just as profoundly. Despite advancements in acute care, women with CVD face higher risks of recurrent events and death, highlighting the need for effective strategies to prevent recurrences in women with CVD. Read More
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You’ve likely heard that you can get iron from eating spinach and steak. You might also know that it’s an essential trace element that is a major component of hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs to all parts of the body. A lesser known important function of iron is its involvement in generating energy for certain immune cells. In our lab’s newly published research, we found that blocking or limiting iron uptake in immune cells could potentially ease up the symptoms of an Read More
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by Jörg Schäfer, NMI Naturwissenschaftliches und Medizinisches Institut in Reutlingen Concept and design of the tumor-on-chip and established timeline for CAR-T cell treatment on chip Credit: Cell Stem Cell (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2024.04.018 How do tumors react to a certain therapeutic approach? Knowing this before the start of a therapy would be of enormous value for people suffering from cancer as well as for the doctors treating them. Researchers at the NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute in Reutlingen and the University Hospitals of Tübingen and Würzburg have now made this Read More
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Research, presented at the 10th European Stroke Organization Conference (ESOC) 2024, has revealed that high-income individuals have a 32% lower risk of post-stroke mortality. Additionally, those with a higher education have a 26% lower risk of death post-stroke, highlighting striking disparities in stroke survival based on key social determinants of health (SDoH). The register-based study analyzed data from 6,901 stroke patients in Gothenburg, Sweden between November 2014 to December 2019 to examine the impact of SDoH factors on post-stroke mortality risk. The study focused on four SDoH factors: living area, Read More
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According to a review published in Harvard Review of Psychiatry, certain combinations of medication or psychotherapy in conjunction with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) or transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) are supported by clinical studies for treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). The authors do caution that, overall, the research has important limitations. TMS was approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of MDD in 2008. It uses pulsed magnetic fields to induce an electric current in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC). tDCS conducts weaker electrical currents to Read More
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Credit: Alena Darmel from Pexels It has long been thought that testosterone shortens men’s lives. Studies in neutered animals and Korean eunuchs seem to confirm this. However, a new study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, draws these findings into question. In this study, led by a team at the University of Western Australia, the researchers combined the results of 11 high-quality studies (known as a meta-analysis) investigating the effect of testosterone levels on lifespan. The studies followed men for at least five years and found that participants with Read More
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New research from the University of East Anglia has found that wearing face masks did not lower the risk of COVID infection following the initial surge of the omicron variant. The analysis of official data found that several risk factors for infection altered significantly as the dominant variant in the U.K. changed from delta to omicron in December 2021. These included wearing a mask, a history of foreign travel, household size, whether people were working or retired, and contact with children or those over 70. The study, “Changing risk factors Read More
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BLE wearable forms in a care home. Credit: Implementation Science Communications (2023). DOI: 10.1186/s43058-023-00533-0 Wearable Bluetooth devices can shed light on the care that residents of care homes are receiving and which residents are most in need of social contact, according to a new study published this week in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Carl Thompson of University of Leeds, U.K. In the U.K. alone, nearly half a million people reside in some form of care home, including long-term care facilities, nursing homes and residential homes. There is no Read More
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Severe obesity trends over time by race/ethnicity. Credit: PLOS ONE (2024). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302099 Among public school students in New York City, some of the greatest increases in childhood obesity in recent years were among those socioeconomic and demographic groups already bearing the greatest burden of obesity, including Black and Hispanic students and youth living in poverty. That is the conclusion of a new study published this week in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Emily D’Agostino of Duke University, U.S., and colleagues. Childhood obesity is a major public health concern Read More
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Vegetarian and vegan diets are generally associated with better status on various medical factors linked to cardiovascular health and cancer risk, as well as lower risk of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and death. Credit: Nature Zen, Unsplash, CC0 (creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) Vegetarian and vegan diets are generally associated with better status on various medical factors linked to cardiovascular health and cancer risk, as well as lower risk of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and death, according to a new review of 48 previously published papers. Angelo Capodici and colleagues present these findings in the open-access Read More
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A new study demonstrates parity between a minimally invasive procedure to replace the aortic valve in the heart—transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)—and surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). In the meta-analysis of seven randomized trials, published in the Journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions and presented at the 2024 EuroPCR conference in Paris, France, researchers compared the outcomes of 7,785 patients undergoing TAVR (a procedure that delivers a new aortic valve into the heart through a catheter) to those undergoing SAVR for severe aortic stenosis. The study found Read More
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Living with a chronic medical condition after surviving a heart attack or stroke may come with additional health and personal care needs. Often survivors must rely on a family member or close friend to help. However, there’s a growing body of scientific research that shows people who serve as unpaid caregivers may not be getting the care they need to live longer, healthier lives, according to the American Heart Association, celebrating 100 years of lifesaving service as the world’s leading nonprofit organization focused on heart and brain health for all. Read More
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Credit: MART PRODUCTION from Pexels Research shows that six months of exclusive breastfeeding, and continuing until two years old or beyond, provide multiple benefits for the baby and mother. It can prevent deaths both in infants and mothers—including in wealthy nations like the United States. It also benefits the global economy and the enviroment. However, after maternity leave ends, mothers returning to paid work face many challenges maintaining breastfeeding. This often leads mothers to stop breastfeeding their children before six months—the duration of exclusive breastfeeding recommended by the World Health Read More
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MFQ=Mood and Feelings Questionnaire. Circles and triangles indicate mean score. Credit: The Lancet Psychiatry (2024). DOI: 10.1016/S2215-0366(24)00101-9 New research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London has found that providing 16- to 18-year-olds with a day-long course in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) was both a clinically and cost-effective means of improving their mental health. The trial, known as Brief Educational workshops in Secondary Schools Trial (BESST) and published in The Lancet Psychiatry, was successfully adapted from the DISCOVER program, which was designed to help Read More
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U.S. cancer death rates are continuing to drop, falling by 33% between 1991 and 2020. However, not all Americans are reaping the benefits from advances in cancer prevention, early detection and treatment, a new report from the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) shows. Race, location and sexuality all play a role in cancer disparities across the United States, according to the AACR Cancer Disparities Progress Report 2024. Black people and Native Americans continue to have the highest overall cancer death rates of all racial or ethnic groups, even though Read More
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Preeclampsia can be a life-threatening complication of pregnancy, but a new blood test can help predict a woman’s risk for the condition while she is in her first trimester, the test’s maker said Wednesday. It’s the first test in the United States that can be used between 11 and 14 weeks gestation to determine the risk of preeclampsia before 34 weeks of pregnancy, Labcorp said in a news release announcing the launch of the test. “By giving health care providers another tool to assess preeclampsia risk in their pregnant patients Read More
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A Wright’s stained bone marrow aspirate smear of patient with precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Credit: VashiDonsk/Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 3.0 For adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a type of cancer that originates in the bone marrow, allogeneic stem cell transplantation (more commonly known as a bone marrow transplant) may be necessary for survival. But for Hispanic patients, finding an identically matched donor within their family or through the bone marrow donor registry can be challenging, with only a 30% chance of finding a matching relative and a 48% chance of Read More
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NTE helps regulate lipid metabolism and membrane stability within neurons. Mutations in the PNPLA6 gene inhibit NTE activity, leading to neurological disorders. Credit: NEI Led by researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a team of scientists has uncovered the complex molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative disorders linked to the gene PNPLA6, which encompass a range of conditions affecting mobility, vision, and hormonal regulation. Published in the journal Brain, the research offers a deeper understanding of PNPLA6-related conditions at clinical, genetic, and molecular levels, paving the way for tailored diagnostic Read More
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A new paper appearing in the British Journal of Surgery finds that care in hospitals with higher surgery team sex-diversity was associated with better post-operative outcomes for patients. In various industries, including business, finance, technology, education, and law, many observers believe gender and sex-diversity is important not only for equity, but also because it enriches the output of teams because members of the team bring a variety of experiences and viewpoints to their jobs. However, there is limited evidence for the value of teams’ sex-diversity in health care. Most published Read More
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New research has shed light in the complex interplay between cell proteins, and how they impact on neurons in neurodevelopmental disorders and Alzheimer’s disease. A new study led by the University of Exeter and published in Open Biology has discovered the key role that the protein Contactin-4 (encoded by the gene CNTN4) plays in shaping neurons. The researchers began studying CNTN4 because it was known to have a role in autism, but its functional roles were not well understood. The team explored how CNTN4 functions within the brain, particularly its Read More
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Three-dimensional culture of human breast cancer cells, with DNA stained blue and a protein in the cell surface membrane stained green. Image created in 2014 by Tom Misteli, Ph.D., and Karen Meaburn, Ph.D. at the NIH IRP. A protein called retinitis pigmentosa GTPase regulator interacting protein 1-like (RPGRIP1L) performs various functions that are important for development and for health throughout life, and mutations in the RPGRIP1L gene have been linked to different diseases. New research published in The FASEB Journal indicates that expression levels of the RPGRIP1L gene might serve Read More
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The extent of individuals’ mobility within their community—how much they get out and about—may be linked to their cognitive function, according to new research published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. In the study of 7,016 Black and white adults aged 52 years and older who completed various questionnaires, greater community mobility was significantly associated with better cognitive function, although the association was small. Because higher atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk is associated with both mobility limitations and cognitive decline, investigators hypothesized that associations between mobility and cognition Read More
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New research indicates that various features assessed through imaging tests can reveal an individual’s risk of developing meniscus tears, which is one of the most common knee injuries. The study, which is published in the Journal of Orthopaedic Research, was based on the use of radiomics, which unveils imperceptible patterns in medical images. Investigators used magnetic resonance images from 215 people with intact menisci at the start of the study who had 4-year meniscal status data. Over 4 years, 34 participants developed meniscus tears. Use of radiomics at the start Read More
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A new study published in the Journal of Computer Assisted Learning introduces a novel robot-inspired computer-assisted adaptive autism therapy (RoboCA3T) that leverages the natural affinity of children with autism spectrum disorder towards technology and robots. RoboCA3T harnesses the potential of robot-assisted therapies by incorporating robot avatars and integrating them with computer-assisted therapies through a web-based solution. When investigators assessed Childhood Autism Rating Scale scores before and after the intervention, they noted significant enhancement in joint attention, or the ability to coordinate attention and share a point of reference with another Read More
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Credit: Wellness Gallery Catalyst Foundation from Pexels New research published in Aging Cell provides insights into how exercise may help to prevent or slow cognitive decline during aging. For the study, investigators assessed the expression of genes in individual cells in the brains of mice. The team found that exercise has a significant impact on gene expression in microglia, the immune cells of the central nervous system that support brain function. Specifically, the group found that exercise reverts the gene expression patterns of aged microglia to patterns seen in young Read More
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Micrograph of a heart with fibrosis (yellow) and amyloidosis (brown). Movat’s stain. Credit: Nephron/Wikipedia Cardiovascular disease is responsible for 40 percent of deaths in Europe, the WHO said on Wednesday, urging Europeans to cut their salt intake. That amounts to 10,000 deaths a day, or four million a year. “Implementing targeted policies to reduce salt intake by 25 percent could save an estimated 900,000 lives from cardiovascular diseases by 2030,” Hans Kluge, the director of the Europe branch of the World Health Organization said in a statement. In Europe, one Read More
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An example of a prompt a new surgeon may encounter while watching a gallbladder removal surgery. Visual questions and feedback provide an opportunity for engagement, improving surgical learning before entering the operating room. Credit: Jingying Wang Surgeons can now create more interactive educational videos for trainees using a web-based system that uses image segmentation AI algorithms to break down video elements to prompt visual questions and feedback. The system, called Surgment, was presented at the 2024 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems in Honolulu, Hawai’i. A paper describing Read More
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Two studies from Oxford Population Health have discovered proteins in the blood that could warn people of cancer more than seven years before it is diagnosed. Scientists identified 618 proteins linked to 19 different types of cancer, including 107 proteins in a group of people who blood was collected at least seven years before diagnosis. The team has discovered that these proteins could be involved at the very earliest stages of cancer, where it could be prevented. They believe that some of these proteins could be used to detect cancer Read More
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Dr. Harel and a friend. Credit: Harel Lab In a recently published study, Prof. Itamar Harel from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and team of researchers have discovered a novel connection between germline regulation and the intricate balance of longevity and somatic repair in vertebrates. The study has revealed unexpected and sex-specific effects of germline regulation on longevity and somatic repair in vertebrates. Contrary to classical evolutionary theories, it turns out that changing how the germline (the part responsible for reproduction) works can have different effects on males and females. Read More
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Mosquitoes infected with a dengue-blocking bacteria called “wolbachia” produce eggs at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation bio-factory in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Feb. 27, 2024. The World Health Organization on Wednesday, May 15, 2024. authorized a second dengue vaccine, a move that could provide new protection for millions worldwide against the mosquito-borne disease, which has already sparked numerous outbreaks across the Americas this year. Credit: AP Photo/Bruna Prado, File The World Health Organization on Wednesday authorized a second dengue vaccine, a move that could provide protection for millions worldwide against Read More
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This photo shows Tara Brach leading a meditation class at the River Road Unitarian Universalist Church in Bethesda, Maryland on March 23, 2012. Research shows a daily meditation practice can reduce anxiety, improve overall health and increase social connections, among other benefits. Credit: Jonathan Foust/River Road Unitarian Universalist Church via AP The first time Marcelle Hutchins sat down to meditate, she put on a guided session, relaxed her shoulders and tried to close her eyes. She lasted two minutes. “I had a deadline, and I thought, ‘I don’t know if Read More
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Plasma cell production after immunization with the TD antigen ?-galactosidase in Mb1-Cre;Midn fl/fl mice. (A and B) Representative flow cytometry plots (A) and numbers (B) of plasma cells in the bone marrow of 8-wk-old Mb1-Cre;Midnfl/fl and Midnfl/fl littermates after immunization with ?-galactosidase (C) Total numbers of bone marrow cells per femur (D) Gating strategy for plasma cells. Credit: Journal of Experimental Medicine (2024). DOI: 10.1084/jem.20232132 By completely or even partially depleting a protein called midnolin in B cells, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers suppressed leukemia and lymphoma in a mouse Read More
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Global intersection of aging and heat exposure in the current climate (left column) and circa 2050, SSP2(45) (right column). A, B Proportion of population aged 69+ exposed to annual Cooling Degree Days (CDDs). C, D Annual temperatures corresponding to the 95th percentile of local extreme heat exposure (TMAX95). E, F Annual days with TMAX?>?37.5°C. Credit: Nature Communications (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47197-5 A team of Earth and environmental scientists at the CMCC Foundation–Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change, working with a pair of colleagues from Boston University, has found evidence suggesting that as Read More
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Hormone mediated changes in GATA3 chromatin binding in ER-positive breast cancer cells. A) FDR adjusted p-value and the log2FC of GATA3 chromatin binding events in T-47D breast cancer cells treated with E2 vs. Veh. B) Venn diagram showing the overlap of significantly enriched GATA3 binding sites with E2 or DHT. C) FDR adjusted p-value and the log2FC of GATA3 chromatin binding events with simultaneous hormone treatment vs. DHT alone. D) Differential ER binding at AR and GATA3 shared sites. Credit: Genome Biology (2024). DOI: 10.1186/s13059-023-03161-y A study by researchers from Read More
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(A) Study flow and randomization. (B) Sample trial of an unfair offer in the ultimatum game. (C) Distribution of rejection rates of all offers for each group and each session. (D) Change in rejection rates of unfair offers across sessions for each group (to improve visibility, points are jittered). Credit: Plassmann et al Taking pro- and prebiotics could make people more sensitive to fairness, even at the cost of earning less money, according to a study published in the journal PNAS Nexus. The role of the human gut microbiome in Read More
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Credit: Cell (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.03.026 A new study has revealed important insights into how SARS-CoV-2 and its variants escape the immune system. The findings pave the way for new therapeutic approaches against COVID-19. The research of the international team of scientists from the U.S., Brazil and Germany focused on the interactions between the virus and the human innate immune system. The study was led by a team from the Ragon Institute of Mass General, MIT and Harvard. The results are published in Cell. The study shows that cells infected with Read More
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Inmates released from jail have a ninefold increased risk of suicide within the following year, compared to people who’ve never been incarcerated, new research shows. “Suicide prevention efforts should focus on people who have spent at least one night in jail in the past year,” concluded the team led by Ted Miller, a senior research scientist with the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation in Beltsville, Md. For the study, researchers pooled data from 10 different studies of death rates among formerly incarcerated adults. They used that data to estimate Read More
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With the Ark, a patient’s ability to receive dialysis treatment can be maintained for years without having to find another blood vessel. Credit: Dr. Alan Glowczwski A new technology studied at the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) Veterinary Medical Park is making giving dialysis to patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD)—or complete kidney failure—easier while also prolonging their ability to continue receiving treatment. The device, called the Ark, creates a permanent port in a patient’s arm allowing access to a high-flow vein that can handle Read More
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One in eight adults (12 percent) say they have ever taken a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) and 6 percent say they are currently using one, according to the results of a new KFF Health Tracking Poll, released May 10. Alex Montero, from KFF Health, and colleagues analyzed data collected April 23 to May 1, 2024, online and by telephone, among a nationally representative sample of 1,479 U.S. adults in English and Spanish. Survey results show that of the adults who report ever using GLP-1 RAs, 43 percent do Read More
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Residential measures of inequity are associated with a greater number of individuals living with vision difficulty and blindness (VDB), according to a study published online May 9 in JAMA Ophthalmology. Patrice M. Hicks, Ph.D., M.P.H., from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and colleagues used data from the 2012 to 2016 American Community Survey and 2010 U.S. census tracts as well as Theil H index, Gini index, and persistent poverty measures from PolicyMap to examine associations between VDB and measures of neighborhood-level inequity. The analysis included 73,198 census tracts. Read More
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Child maltreatment is associated with increases in externalizing and internalizing behaviors, according to a study published online May 14 in Pediatrics. Anneke E. Olson, from The Pennsylvania State University in University Park, and colleagues examined associations between maltreatment exposure and child behavior problems in a multiwave prospective cohort study. A total of 1,354 children were enrolled at about age 4 years and followed throughout childhood and adolescence. Seven waves of data collection were completed, with each wave occurring two years apart. The researchers found that increases in externalizing behaviors at Read More