Cart is empty UCLA researchers have described a previously unknown step in the complex process by which dietary cholesterol is processed in the intestines before being released into the bloodstream—potentially revealing a new pathway to target in cholesterol treatment.
Side-effect avoiding treatment shows early promise against breast cancer in mice
New experimental evidence suggests that substances known as narrow-spectrum Wnt signaling inhibitors—which could have fewer side effects than other related substances—are capable of suppressing the growth of breast cancer tumors in mice. Aina He of Shanghai Jiaotong University Affiliated Sixth People’s Hospital, China, and colleagues presented these findings November 9 in the open access journal PLOS Biology.
AAO: Research highlights vision issues seen in pediatric sickle cell disease
For pediatric patients with sickle cell disease (SCD), ophthalmologic complications include nonproliferative retinopathy (NPR) and proliferative retinopathy (PR), which occur in 33 and 6 percent, respectively, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, held from Nov. 3 to 6 in San Francisco.
Botulinum toxin may be beneficial for isolated, essential head tremor
For patients with isolated or essential head tremor, injection of botulinum toxin into each splenius capitis muscle on day 0 and during week 12 is more effective than placebo for reducing tremor severity, according to a study published in the Nov. 9 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
NY is developing education program on harms of medically unnecessary surgery on intersex children
New York is requiring state health officials to develop an outreach program to educate parents and doctors about the harmful impacts of medically unnecessary treatments performed on young children born intersex.
Team calls for more research into the emotional and motivational brain mechanisms behind social media use
With nearly 5 billion users worldwide spending an average of more than two hours daily on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, the impact of social media on mental health and well-being has garnered increasing attention. Concerns about excessive and problematic usage, particularly among vulnerable adolescents, have led to discussions around terms such as “brain hacking,” “dopamine trigger,” and “social media addiction.” However, there is limited scientific understanding of the relationship between social media and the brain.
Q&A: Drug shortages, lack of action to blame in congenital syphilis crisis, public health expert says
Cases of STIs—sexually transmitted infections—are at epidemic levels in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Administration of testosterone may help with exposure therapy for those with social anxiety disorder
People with social anxiety disorder who receive exposure therapy may potentially benefit from testosterone administration. This is the conclusion of research by Moniek Hutschemaekers, who will be defending her Ph.D. thesis at Radboud University on 10 November.
UN report warns that working in the sun causes skin cancers
New data from two United Nations agencies shows that millions of workers toiling under the sun’s glare is fueling skin cancer cases around the world.
Coadministration of COVID-19, influenza vaccines seems effective
Coadministration of the BNT162b2 BA.4/5 bivalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (BNT162b2-biv) and seasonal influenza vaccine (SIV) generally has similar effectiveness against COVID-19- and SIV-related outcomes compared with administration of each vaccine alone, according to a study published online Nov. 8 in JAMA Network Open.