Posts in category: Uncategorized

New research led by scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) suggests that many people already have immune cells on standby to fight the H5N1 virus, also known as highly pathogenic avian influenza.

There is a common culprit behind many broken New Year’s resolutions and other unrealized goals, and it can influence your thoughts and actions without your awareness, says Safia Debar, M.B.B.S., a general practitioner and resiliency expert at Mayo Clinic Healthcare in London. If you are having difficulty achieving goals such as exercising more, eating nutritious meals and taking other steps toward a healthier lifestyle, it may be worth considering whether a self-limiting belief is to blame, Dr. Debar says.

A study published in Health Data Science has shed light on the complex relationship between smoking behavior and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Using data from over 500,000 participants in the UK Biobank cohort, the researchers conducted both traditional observational studies and advanced Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses to explore whether smoking behavior directly contributes to CKD.

Inflammation is a crucial part of the body’s defense mechanism, playing a key role in fighting infections and repairing tissue damage. Basophils, a type of immune cell that makes up less than 1% of white blood cells, have recently emerged as critical players in triggering allergic responses by releasing pro-inflammatory cytokines like IL-4. Despite the established role of basophils in inflammation, the molecular mechanisms controlling their cytokine production have remained unclear.

In 2022, Sweden became the first country in the world to allow body checking in women’s ice hockey. Major hockey nations are now following Lund University’s research on the consequences of tougher plays on the ice. A first study shows that almost nine out of ten players in the Swedish women’s hockey league are in favor of body checking—regardless of their own size.

Patient organizations and charities are at risk of aligning their interests with their corporate funders even when this doesn’t benefit their members, according to a new study led by the University of Bath in the UK. To combat this, the researchers are calling for action to safeguard the independence of patient groups.

Acupuncture may improve the symptoms of vertigo, tinnitus, ear fullness, and hearing loss in patients with Meniere disease, according to a review published online Dec. 10 in Frontiers in Medicine.

Vaccines to protect against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in newborns and older adults are being more widely accepted by the American public, while confidence in other vaccines remains unchanged, according to the results of a new Annenberg Public Policy Center survey.

You’re gathering with friends or family and something’s just a bit off in conversation with a loved one.

Anemia is prevalent among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to a study published online Oct. 26 in Cureus.