Smoke from wildfires burning in Canada and Mexico is already worsening air quality in the US, but some signs suggest clearer skies than last year

Our metabolism's response to food is highly idiosyncratic and there are hints that tailoring our diet to these personal differences can deliver health benefits

The controversies surrounding football’s video assistant referee (VAR) system highlight our troubled relationship with uncertainty – and point to potential solutions

Campaigners are calling for stricter controls on rodenticides after finding that birds of prey in England are increasingly being exposed to high doses of rat poison

Fossil evidence shows that humans have been practising cannibalism for a million years. Now, archaeologists are discovering that some of the time they did it to honour their dead

Why childhood is so protracted has long been mysterious, now a spate of archaeological discoveries suggest an intriguing explanation

Title: 13 Reasons You Are Always Tired (and What to Do About It)
Category: Health and Living
Created: 8/24/2022 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/24/2022 12:00:00 AM

Title: Parkinson's: Treatment for Symptoms
Category: Health News
Created: 8/31/2006 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/31/2006 12:00:00 AM

Title: Brain 'Pacemaker' Treats Parkinson's
Category: Health News
Created: 8/31/2006 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/31/2006 12:00:00 AM

Title: Propofol Linked to Michael Jackson's Death
Category: Health News
Created: 8/25/2009 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/25/2009 12:00:00 AM

Title: Sleep Boosts Memory for Parkinson's Patients, Study Suggests
Category: Health News
Created: 8/24/2012 6:05:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 8/27/2012 12:00:00 AM

Title: Health Tip: Help Prevent a Poison Ivy Rash
Category: Health News
Created: 8/28/2012 8:05:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/28/2012 12:00:00 AM

Title: Health Tip: If Your Child Develops Food Poisoning
Category: Health News
Created: 8/29/2012 8:05:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/29/2012 12:00:00 AM

Title: Stress, a 'Type A' Personality May Boost Stroke Risk
Category: Health News
Created: 8/30/2012 10:05:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/30/2012 12:00:00 AM

Title: Discovery May Improve Diagnosis of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's
Category: Health News
Created: 8/29/2012 6:05:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 8/30/2012 12:00:00 AM

Title: A Mother's Hopes and Worries for Adult Sons With Autism
Category: Health News
Created: 8/23/2013 12:35:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 8/26/2013 12:00:00 AM

Title: Spinal Fluid Test May Aid Early Detection of Parkinson's Disease
Category: Health News
Created: 8/27/2013 9:35:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/27/2013 12:00:00 AM

Title: Anxiety Linked to a Need for More Personal Space
Category: Health News
Created: 8/29/2013 2:35:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 8/30/2013 12:00:00 AM

Title: 2 Cases Suggest Stem Cell Transplant Might Ease 'Stiff Person' Syndrome
Category: Health News
Created: 8/26/2014 4:36:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 8/27/2014 12:00:00 AM

Title: Deep Brain Stimulation Safe for Older Parkinson's Patients: Study
Category: Health News
Created: 8/26/2014 12:35:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 8/27/2014 12:00:00 AM

Title: Why Your Child Is Stressed: 10 Reasons
Category: Health News
Created: 8/28/2015 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/28/2015 12:00:00 AM

Title: Couples At Risk During 'Divorce Season'
Category: Health News
Created: 8/21/2016 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/22/2016 12:00:00 AM

Title: Climate Change May Prolong Smog Season in Southeast U.S.
Category: Health News
Created: 8/23/2016 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/23/2016 12:00:00 AM

Title: Season of Conception May Affect Fetal Brain Growth
Category: Health News
Created: 8/24/2016 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/25/2016 12:00:00 AM

Title: New Hope From Old Drugs in Fight Against Parkinson's
Category: Health News
Created: 8/31/2017 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 9/1/2017 12:00:00 AM

Title: Federal Prisons Must Now Make Free Tampons, Pads Available
Category: Health News
Created: 8/31/2017 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 9/1/2017 12:00:00 AM

Title: Is Your Forgetfulness Reason for Concern?
Category: Health News
Created: 8/27/2019 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/27/2019 12:00:00 AM

Title: Judge Orders Johnson & Johnson to Pay $572 Million Over Opioid Drug Crisis
Category: Health News
Created: 8/27/2019 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/27/2019 12:00:00 AM

Title: 'Synthetic Pot' Laced With Rat Poison Lands People in the ER
Category: Health News
Created: 8/26/2019 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/27/2019 12:00:00 AM

Title: Personality Reboots Are Possible, Studies Suggest
Category: Health News
Created: 8/28/2019 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/28/2019 12:00:00 AM

Title: Nourianz Approved to Treat 'Off' Episodes in Parkinson Disease
Category: Health News
Created: 8/28/2019 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/29/2019 12:00:00 AM

Title: AHA News: Need Another Reason Not to Vape? Your Oral Health Is at Risk
Category: Health News
Created: 8/26/2020 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/27/2020 12:00:00 AM

Title: Jesse Jackson, Wife Hospitalized With COVID
Category: Health News
Created: 8/24/2021 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/24/2021 12:00:00 AM

Title: When Is a Person With COVID-19 Most Infectious?
Category: Health News
Created: 8/27/2021 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/27/2021 12:00:00 AM

Title: 8 Reasons You Are Not Losing Weight on Keto
Category: Health and Living
Created: 8/26/2022 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/26/2022 12:00:00 AM

Title: Is It Parkinson's? These 10 Signs Could Tell
Category: Health News
Created: 8/19/2022 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/19/2022 12:00:00 AM

Title: There's More MS in Northern Countries. Now, Researchers Find New Reason Why
Category: Health News
Created: 8/25/2022 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/25/2022 12:00:00 AM

Title: Australia's Current Flu Season Is Tough: Will America's Be the Same?
Category: Health News
Created: 8/4/2022 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/5/2022 12:00:00 AM

Title: What Are 4 Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder?
Category: Diseases and Conditions
Created: 12/10/2021 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 7/6/2022 12:00:00 AM

Retrotransposable elements (RTEs) are common mobile genetic elements comprising ~42% of the human genome. RTEs play critical roles in gene regulation and function, but how they are specifically involved in complex diseases is largely unknown. Here, we investigate the cellular heterogeneity of RTEs using 12 single-cell transcriptome profiles covering three neurodegenerative diseases, Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease, and multiple sclerosis. We identify cell type marker RTEs in neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and oligodendrocyte precursor cells that are related to these diseases. The differential expression analysis reveals the landscape of dysregulated RTE expression, especially L1s, in excitatory neurons of multiple neurodegenerative diseases. Machine learning algorithms for predicting cell disease stage using a combination of RTE and gene expression features suggests dynamic regulation of RTEs in AD. Furthermore, we construct a single-cell atlas of retrotransposable elements in neurodegenerative disease (scARE) using these data sets and features. scARE has six feature analysis modules to explore RTE dynamics in a user-defined condition. To our knowledge, scARE represents the first systematic investigation of RTE dynamics at the single-cell level within the context of neurodegenerative diseases.

BACKGROUND:Training in mechanical ventilation is a key goal in critical care fellowship education. Web-based simulators offer a cost-effective and readily available alternative to traditional on-site simulators. However, it is unclear how effective they are as teaching tools. In this study, we evaluated the test scores of fellows who underwent mechanical ventilation training by using a web-based simulator compared with fellows who used an on-site simulator during a mechanical ventilation course.METHODS:This was a nonrandomized controlled trial conducted as part of a mechanical ventilation course that involved 70 first-year critical care fellows. The course was identical except for the simulation technology used. One group of instructors used a traditional on-site simulator, the ASL 5000 Lung Solution (n = 39). The second group was instructed in using a web-based simulator, VentSim (n = 31). Each fellow completed a pre-course test and a post-course test by using a validated, case-based ventilator waveform examination that consisted of 5 questions with a total possible score of 100. The primary outcome was a comparison of the mean scores on the posttest between the 2 groups. The study was designed as a non-inferiority trial with a predetermined margin of 10 points.RESULTS:There was no significant difference in the mean ± SD pretest scores between the web-based and the on-site groups (21.1 ± 12.6 and 26.9 ± 13.6 respectively; P = .11). The mean ± SD posttest scores were 45.6 ± 25.0 for the web-based simulator and 43.4 ± 16.5 for on-site simulator (mean difference 2.2; one-sided 95% CI –7.0 to ∞; Pnon-inferiority = .02 [non-inferiority confirmed]). Changes in mean ± SD scores (posttest – pretest) were 25.9 ± 20.9 for the web-based simulator and 16.5 ± 15.9 for the on-site simulator (mean difference 9.4, one-sided 95% CI 0.9 to ∞; Pnon-inferiority < .001 [non-inferiority confirmed]).CONCLUSIONS:In the education of first-year critical care fellows on mechanical ventilation waveform analysis, a web-based mechanical ventilation simulator was non-inferior to a traditional on-site mechanical ventilation simulator.

Purpose The posterior superior alveolar (PSA) block injection is one of many techniques used to provide profound anesthesia for invasive dental procedures. This technique has a high success rate but is not without complication risks. The purpose of this study was to determine if pulpal anesthesia of the maxillary second molar could be achieved using a reduced needle depth of 10mm or 5mm compared to the traditional needle depth of 16mm.Methods Sixty participants were asked to participate in three sessions. Each session started with a pre neural response test, followed by one randomized needle depth PSA injection, and ending with a post neural response test. The neural response test consisted of two parts, a cold refrigerant and a dental probe, on the buccal and interproximal surface of the maxillary second molar. After receiving a positive neural response, each participant received a posterior superior alveolar block injection using a short (21mm), 27-gauge dental needle with a randomized needle penetration depth of 16mm, 10mm, or 5mm. A post neural response test consisting of the same two parts as the pre-test was conducted on the maxillary second molar to evaluate for profound anesthesia.Results Positive neural responses were obtained from 100% of the participants (n=167) during the pre-tests. Study results demonstrated an 85% success rate at the traditional 16mm needle depth and a 93% and 92% success rates for the reduced needle depths of 10mm and 5mm, respectively. Pulpal anesthesia of the maxillary second molar had been achieved at all three needle depths with no statistically significant difference in the rate of success. Furthermore, there were no adverse events observed.Conclusion The reduced needle depth technique showed promise in achieving desired results of pulpal anesthesia with a reduced risk for complications associated with the PSA block injection. Additional studies are recommended to achieve evidence-based support for this reduced needle depth technique.

Purpose Dental professionals are exposed to hazardous noise levels on a daily basis in clinical practice. The purpose of this study was to compare the hearing status of dental hygienists who utilize ultrasonic scalers in the workplace compared to age-matched control participants (non-dental hygienists) who were not exposed to ultrasonic noise.Methods A convenience sample of nineteen dental hygienists (experimental) and nineteen non-dental hygienists (control) was recruited for this study. A matched pairs design was utilized; participants in each group were matched based on age and gender to eliminate confounding variables. The testing procedure consisted of an audiologist performing a series of auditory tests including otoacoustic emissions test, pure-tone audiometry, and tympanometry on the experimental and control groups.Results In the right ear, there were notable differences from 1000 Hz – 10,000 Hz and in the left ear from 6000 Hz – 10,000 Hz, with higher hearing thresholds in the experimental group of dental hygienists. While 56% of the univariate tests conducted on how many days were worked per week showed statistical significance, the regression line slope indicated those that worked more days had better hearing statuses. The variables for years in practice for dental hygienists, how many of those years were full-time employment, and how many years the dental hygienist had used an ultrasonic scaling device, also had many significant univariate tests for the experimental group only. These variables were more likely to serve as proxies representing true noise exposure. The paired t-test between the groups demonstrated statistically significant differences between the experimental and control group at 9000 Hz in both ears.Conclusion While results from this study demonstrated various qualitative differences in hearing status of the control group (non-dental hygienists) and experimental group (dental hygienists), age was found to be the most critical variable. Furthermore, this data demonstrated differences in hearing status based on various frequencies between dental hygienists and age-matched controls that should be further explored with a larger population.

The analysis of extractables and leachables and subsequent risk assessment is an important aspect of the determination of biocompatibility for many medical devices. Leachable chemicals have the potential to pose a toxicological risk to patients, and therefore it is required that they be adequately characterized and assessed for potential safety concerns. One important consideration in the assessment of leachables is the choice of a suitable simulating solvent intended to replicate the use condition for the device and its biological environment. This aspect of study design is especially difficult for blood-contacting medical devices due to the complexity of simulating the biological matrix. This publication reports a comparison of the extracting power of different binary solvent mixtures and saline in comparison with whole blood for a bloodline tubing set connected to a hemodialyzer. Ten different known extractables, spanning a range of physicochemical properties and molecular weights, were quantified. The results indicated that for low-molecular-weight analytes, a suitable exaggeration for whole blood can be obtained using a low-concentration ethanol/water mixture (20%), and in general, extracted quantity increases with the concentration of alcohol cosolvent. For polyvinylpyrrolidone, the opposite trend was observed, as solubility of the polymer was found to decrease with increasing alcohol concentration, resulting in lower extracted quantities at high alcohol concentrations. Analysis of ethanol/water concentrations in the extract solutions post extraction indicated no change in solvent composition.

SEquence Evaluation through k-mer Representation (SEEKR) is a method of sequence comparison that uses sequence substrings called k-mers to quantify the nonlinear similarity between nucleic acid species. We describe the development of new functions within SEEKR that enable end-users to estimate P-values that ascribe statistical significance to SEEKR-derived similarities, as well as visualize different aspects of k-mer similarity. We apply the new functions to identify chromatin-enriched lncRNAs that contain XIST-like sequence features, and we demonstrate the utility of applying SEEKR on lncRNA fragments to identify potential RNA-protein interaction domains. We also highlight ways in which SEEKR can be applied to augment studies of lncRNA conservation, and we outline the best practice of visualizing RNA-seq read density to evaluate support for lncRNA annotations before their in-depth study in cell types of interest.

The CYP3A7 enzyme accounts for ~50% of the total cytochrome P450 (P450) content in fetal and neonatal livers and is the predominant P450 involved in neonatal xenobiotic metabolism. Additionally, it is a key player in healthy birth outcomes through the oxidation of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and DHEA-sulfate. The amount of the other hepatic CYP3A isoforms, CYP3A4 and CYP3A5, expressed in neonates is low but highly variable, and therefore the activity of individual CYP3A isoforms is difficult to differentiate due to their functional similarities. Consequently, a better understanding of the contribution of CYP3A7 to drug metabolism is essential to identify the risk that drugs may pose to neonates and developing infants. To distinguish CYP3A7 activity from CYP3A4/5, we sought to further characterize the selectivity of the specific CYP3A inhibitors CYP3cide, clobetasol, and azamulin. We used three substrate probes, dibenzylfluorescein, luciferin-PPXE, and midazolam, to determine the IC₅₀ and metabolism-dependent inhibition (MDI) properties of the CYP3A inhibitors. Probe selection had a significant effect on the IC₅₀ values and P450 inactivation across all inhibitory compounds and enzymes. CYP3cide and azamulin were both identified as MDIs and were most specific for CYP3A4. Contrary to previous reports, we found that clobetasol propionate (CP) was not an MDI of CYP3A5 but was more selective for CYP3A5 over CYP3A4/7. We further investigated CYP3cide and CP’s ability to differentiate CYP3A7 activity in an equal mixture of recombinant CYP3A4, CYP3A5, and CYP3A7, and our results provide confidence of CYP3cide’s and CP’s ability to distinguish CYP3A7 activity in the presence of the other CYP3A isoforms.

ABSTRACTToxicological emergencies present a significant health challenge in Nepal. Despite the high burden, the country has inadequate formal toxicology training, medical toxicology expertise, and adequate poison control infrastructure. In recognition of this need, the Nepal Poison Information Center (PIC) was established as a collaborative effort involving local and international partners. Through a comprehensive partnership framework, the Nepal PIC provides 24 hours a day, 7 days a week expert guidance to health care workers, conducts educational webinars, and engages in research. Initial data from the pilot phase indicate successful consultation delivery. Challenges include bureaucratic hurdles and the need for sustainable funding. Despite these challenges, the Nepal PIC demonstrates early feasibility and potential for expansion into a comprehensive toxicology center, contributing to the advancement of clinical toxicology in Nepal. Long-term sustainability relies on governmental support and continued advocacy efforts.

ABSTRACTThe private health care sector is an important source of service delivery in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Yet, the private sector remains fragmented, making it difficult for health system actors to support and ensure the availability of quality health care services. In global health programs, social franchising is one model used to engage and organize the private health care sector. Two social franchise networks, ProFam in West Africa and Tunza in East and Central Africa, provide health care through branded networks of facilities. However, these social franchise networks include a limited number of private health care facilities, and in fragile contexts, like Burundi and Mali, they have faced challenges in integrating with national health systems. The MOMENTUM Private Healthcare Delivery (MPHD) project in Burundi and Mali sought to expand the number of health facilities it engaged beyond the existing ProFam and Tunza networks. The expansion aimed to help improve service quality in more private facilities while advancing localization and reducing fragmentation for improved stewardship by health system actors. MPHD achieved this expansion by removing barriers for private health facilities to join inclusive, nonbranded networks and engaging local partners to build and maintain these networks. We share lessons learned regarding the growing role of local organizations as actors within mixed health systems and provide insights on strengthening stewardship of the increasingly heterogeneous private health care delivery sector in LMICs, particularly in fragile settings.

The phase 3 VISION trial demonstrated that [¹⁷⁷Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 prolonged progression-free survival and overall survival (OS) in prostate-specific membrane antigen [PSMA]–positive metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients who progressed on taxane-based chemotherapy and androgen receptor–signaling inhibitors (ARSIs). The U.S. expanded-access program (EAP; NCT04825652) was opened to provide access to [¹⁷⁷Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 for eligible patients until regulatory approval was obtained. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety profile of [¹⁷⁷Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 within the EAP and compare the results with those from the VISION trial. Methods: Patients enrolled in the EAP at 4 institutions in the United States with available toxicity and outcome data were included. Outcome measures included OS, a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response rate (RR) of at least 50%, and incidences of toxicity according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 5.0. Differences in baseline characteristics, outcome data, and toxicity between the EAP and VISION were evaluated using t testing of proportions and survival analyses. Results: In total, 117 patients with mCRPC who received [¹⁷⁷Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 within the EAP between May 2021 and March 2022 were eligible and included in this analysis. Patients enrolled in the EAP were more heavily pretreated with ARSI (≥2 ARSI regimens: 70% vs. 46%; P < 0.001) and had worse performance status at baseline (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score ≥ 2: 19% vs. 7%; P < 0.001) than VISION patients. EAP and VISION patients had similar levels of grade 3 or higher anemia (18% vs. 13%; P = 0.15), thrombocytopenia (13% vs. 8%; P = 0.13), and neutropenia (3% vs. 3%; P = 0.85) and similar PSA RRs (42% vs. 46%; P = 0.50) and OS (median: 15.1 vs. 15.3 mo; P > 0.05). Conclusion: Patients with PSMA-positive mCRPC who received [¹⁷⁷Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 within the EAP were later in their disease trajectory than VISION patients. Patients enrolled in the EAP achieved similar PSA RRs and OS and had a safety profile similar to that of the VISION trial patients.