APPENDICITIS INCIDENCE INCREASES WITH WARMER WEATHER – October 4, 2022
WEIGHTED BLANKET INCREASES MELATONIN AND IMPROVES SLEEP – October 3, 2022
AMYLYX PRICES NEWLY APPROVED ALS DRUG AT $158,000 PER YEAR – September 30, 2022
NEW FDA HEALTHY FOOD LABELING GUIDELINES – September 29, 2022
LECANEMAB EARLY PHASE 3 DATA FOR MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT IN ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE – September 28, 2022
WHY IS THERE DUPLICATE INFORMATION IN THE EMR? – September 26, 2022
White House Announces 1.5 Billion (and MOre) to Fight Opioid Crisis – September 23,. 2022
FDA Rejects poziotinib for NSCLC – September 22, 2022
Feature Stories
New 2-Photon Fluorescence Microscopy Imaging System Could Mean Near-Instant Skin Biopsy Results
Having a skin lesion biopsied for nonmelanoma skin cancer is a quick office procedure, but it can take days to get the pathology report. A novel 2-photon fluorescence microscopy imaging system developed by University of Rochester researchers could shorten the wait to as little as 2 minutes. This would enable a surgeon to immediately determine whether the lesion is cancerous
FDA Warning About Social Media Challenge: Cooking Chicken in NyQuil
A recent social media video challenge encourages people to cook chicken in NyQuil (acetaminophen, dextromethorphan, and doxylamine) or another similar OTC cough and cold medication, presumably to eat. The challenge sounds ridiculous. But it could also be very unsafe. Boiling a medication can make it much more concentrated and change its properties in other ways. Even if you don’t eat
Lucas, a San Diego Zoo African Penguin, Gets Custom Orthopedic Footwear
Lucas, a 4-year-old African Penguin living at the San Diego Zoo was diagnosed with a degenerative foot condition known as bumblefoot 3 years ago. Left untreated, his condition could lead to sepsis and death. The zoo’s wildlife care specialists called on Thera-Paw, an organization which creates rehabilitative and assistive products for animals with special needs to help. Thera-Paw created custom-designed
Prostasin: A New Potential BioMarker for Diabetes and Cancer Mortality
Understanding the link between diabetes and cancer has been the focus of intense research for many years. A new study suggests that people with elevated levels of the plasma protein prostasin may be at higher risk of developing diabetes. The findings also indicate that individuals with elevated levels of both blood sugar and prostasin appear at a significantly greater risk
BA.5 Variant Dominant in the US, While New Strain (BA.2.75, AKA: Centaurus) Emerges in India
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that the BA.5 Variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is now the most dominant strain in the US. Currently, there is no evidence that this variant causes more serious illness. However, case numbers and hospitalizations do seem to be rising and it has been suggested that this new variant may be able to
Whole Exome Sequencing May Predict Response to Immunotherapy for Some Cancer Patients
Researchers have developed a two-step approach using whole exome sequencing to predict whether cancer patients will respond to immunotherapy. Immunotherapies, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, have transformed the treatment of advanced cancers. However, these therapies have not worked for everyone. To better predict who will benefit from immunotherapy, scientists have developed various biomarkers that help anticipate immunotherapy treatment response. Several
CDC Activates Emergency Operations Center for Monkeypox
The number of West African monkeypox cases in the US has risen significantly in the last week to 349. In response, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has launched an Emergency Operations Center that will monitor and coordinate the emergency response to monkeypox and mobilize additional personnel and resources. The Center is staffed by 300 CDC staff in collaboration with
Gene Variants May Affect Survival in Parkinson’s Patients
How long someone lives with Parkinson’s disease may depend on specific gene mutations, according to new research presented at the 8th European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress in Vienna Austria. Researchers studied the records of 2,037 Parkinson’s disease patients from their first hospital visit and believe the genetic variants may shed light on how fast or slow Parkinson’s disease progresses
14th Century DNA Links Origin of Medieval Black Death to Kyrgyzstan
The debate about the origins of the medieval Black Death pandemic (AD 1346–1353) has focused on evidence from cemeteries in the Chüy Valley near Lake Issyk-Kul in modern-day Kyrgyzstan. These sites are thought to have victims of a 14th-century epidemic because of the tombstone dated 1338–1339 that attributes deaths to ‘pestilence’. In a new study, an international team of researchers reports
Vegan Diet Promotes Weight Loss
A new study finds that weight loss was most associated with an increased intake of legumes, and decreased intake of meat, fish, and poultry. Participants on the vegan diet lost an average of 13 pounds and 9.1 pounds of fat mass. Body weight and fat mass did not decrease in the group that made no diet changes. “Our research shows
Priorix Approved for the Prevention of Measles, Mumps and Rubella
Today the FDA approved Priorix for the prevention of measles, mumps and rubella in individuals 12 months of age and older. Measles is an acute viral respiratory illness that is characterized by a prodrome of fever, malaise, cough, coryza, and conjunctivitis, and pathognomonic enanthema (Koplik spots) followed in 1- 2 days by a maculopapular rash. Signs and symptoms usually appear
Possible Link Between Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Depression
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affects some 1.6 million Americans. Approximately 30% of these patients develop depression. Is there a link between the 2 conditions? A new study from Keck Medicine of USC shows that patients diagnosed with IBD were 9 times as likely to develop depression then the general population. In addition, their siblings who did not suffer from IBD were almost twice as
New 2-Photon Fluorescence Microscopy Imaging System Could Mean Near-Instant Skin Biopsy Results
Having a skin lesion biopsied for nonmelanoma skin cancer is a quick office procedure, but it can take days to get the pathology report. A novel 2-photon fluorescence microscopy imaging system developed by University of Rochester researchers could shorten the wait to as little as 2 minutes. This would enable a surgeon to immediately determine whether the lesion is cancerous
FDA Warning About Social Media Challenge: Cooking Chicken in NyQuil
A recent social media video challenge encourages people to cook chicken in NyQuil (acetaminophen, dextromethorphan, and doxylamine) or another similar OTC cough and cold medication, presumably to eat. The challenge sounds ridiculous. But it could also be very unsafe. Boiling a medication can make it much more concentrated and change its properties in other ways. Even if you don’t eat
Lucas, a San Diego Zoo African Penguin, Gets Custom Orthopedic Footwear
Lucas, a 4-year-old African Penguin living at the San Diego Zoo was diagnosed with a degenerative foot condition known as bumblefoot 3 years ago. Left untreated, his condition could lead to sepsis and death. The zoo’s wildlife care specialists called on Thera-Paw, an organization which creates rehabilitative and assistive products for animals with special needs to help. Thera-Paw created custom-designed
Prostasin: A New Potential BioMarker for Diabetes and Cancer Mortality
Understanding the link between diabetes and cancer has been the focus of intense research for many years. A new study suggests that people with elevated levels of the plasma protein prostasin may be at higher risk of developing diabetes. The findings also indicate that individuals with elevated levels of both blood sugar and prostasin appear at a significantly greater risk
BA.5 Variant Dominant in the US, While New Strain (BA.2.75, AKA: Centaurus) Emerges in India
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that the BA.5 Variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is now the most dominant strain in the US. Currently, there is no evidence that this variant causes more serious illness. However, case numbers and hospitalizations do seem to be rising and it has been suggested that this new variant may be able to
Whole Exome Sequencing May Predict Response to Immunotherapy for Some Cancer Patients
Researchers have developed a two-step approach using whole exome sequencing to predict whether cancer patients will respond to immunotherapy. Immunotherapies, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, have transformed the treatment of advanced cancers. However, these therapies have not worked for everyone. To better predict who will benefit from immunotherapy, scientists have developed various biomarkers that help anticipate immunotherapy treatment response. Several
CDC Activates Emergency Operations Center for Monkeypox
The number of West African monkeypox cases in the US has risen significantly in the last week to 349. In response, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has launched an Emergency Operations Center that will monitor and coordinate the emergency response to monkeypox and mobilize additional personnel and resources. The Center is staffed by 300 CDC staff in collaboration with
Gene Variants May Affect Survival in Parkinson’s Patients
How long someone lives with Parkinson’s disease may depend on specific gene mutations, according to new research presented at the 8th European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress in Vienna Austria. Researchers studied the records of 2,037 Parkinson’s disease patients from their first hospital visit and believe the genetic variants may shed light on how fast or slow Parkinson’s disease progresses
14th Century DNA Links Origin of Medieval Black Death to Kyrgyzstan
The debate about the origins of the medieval Black Death pandemic (AD 1346–1353) has focused on evidence from cemeteries in the Chüy Valley near Lake Issyk-Kul in modern-day Kyrgyzstan. These sites are thought to have victims of a 14th-century epidemic because of the tombstone dated 1338–1339 that attributes deaths to ‘pestilence’. In a new study, an international team of researchers reports
Vegan Diet Promotes Weight Loss
A new study finds that weight loss was most associated with an increased intake of legumes, and decreased intake of meat, fish, and poultry. Participants on the vegan diet lost an average of 13 pounds and 9.1 pounds of fat mass. Body weight and fat mass did not decrease in the group that made no diet changes. “Our research shows
Priorix Approved for the Prevention of Measles, Mumps and Rubella
Today the FDA approved Priorix for the prevention of measles, mumps and rubella in individuals 12 months of age and older. Measles is an acute viral respiratory illness that is characterized by a prodrome of fever, malaise, cough, coryza, and conjunctivitis, and pathognomonic enanthema (Koplik spots) followed in 1- 2 days by a maculopapular rash. Signs and symptoms usually appear
Possible Link Between Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Depression
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affects some 1.6 million Americans. Approximately 30% of these patients develop depression. Is there a link between the 2 conditions? A new study from Keck Medicine of USC shows that patients diagnosed with IBD were 9 times as likely to develop depression then the general population. In addition, their siblings who did not suffer from IBD were almost twice as