Posts in category: Uncategorized

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is not only among the most common mental illnesses, affecting more than 8% of Americans, but it is also extremely variable from one person to another. Researchers have recently begun making strides toward understanding the neurophysiology underlying different subtypes of depression, which could speed development of better treatments, but much remains to be discovered.

Nearly half of parents who relied on formula to feed their babies during the infant formula shortage last year resorted to potentially harmful feeding methods, according to a survey from researchers at the University of California, Davis. The study was published in the journal BMC Pediatrics.

Respiratory viruses are known for their ability to enter the body through the eyes, nose, or mouth. Our bodies know that too. The nasal cavity is well-equipped with sticky mucus that traps pathogens and serves as an important site for immune cell surveillance and signaling. It may also be our best ally in the fight against SARS-Cov-2.

Thick smoke from Canadian wildfires coated Chicago and the surrounding areas with haze as weather officials issued an air quality alert for parts of the Great Lakes, Lower Mississippi and Ohio valleys Tuesday morning.

…as head gaffer Lameck Banda separates from club

By MICHAEL MIYOBA

ZAMBIA’s flag carried in the CAF Confederations Cup FC Muza have mutually separated with head coach Lameck Banda.

The shocking news comes barely two days after the Zambia Football Coaches Association (ZAFCA) elective annual general meeting which ushered in a new executive and guided that All Super League coaches must have a CAF A Licence beginning the 2024/2025 FAZ Super League season.

Banda, who was named as the ZAFCA General Secretary said he agreed to mutualy separate with the Mazabuka-based outfit to focus on improving his coaching credentials.

“I have left, for now I can’t say much but all I can say is that I have left. For now, it’s a matter of thinking about school. Better I go to school,” Banda said.

“At the ZAFCA elective meeting it was resolved that from the 2024 to 2025 season all coaches should have a CAF A Licence that’s for head coaches and personally that is what I’m going for right now,” Banda said in an interview.

Banda led FC Muza to a top-two finish in the FAZ Super League to qualify for the CAF Confederations Cup.

Banda picked notable victories over formidable Super League opponents such as Zesco United, Zanaco FC, Forest Rangers, Nkana and Green Eagles to claim the Confederations Cup lone spot.

He also led Muza to the Absa Cup final where they lost to Forest Rangers in the final which was played at Woodlands Stadium in Lusaka.

Meanwhile, Muza FC has called for calm among players, fans and all its stakeholders following Banda’s departure.

“F.C Muza management has taken note of the news circulating on various social media platforms concerning the future of our head coach Lameck Banda.

“As club management, we would like to urge our players, fans, supporters and stakeholders to remain calm. The club management will issue a comprehensive statement on the matter in due course,” the clubs media team said.

While vaping provides a pathway to help smokers wanting to quit, for non-smokers it may be the first step on a pathway to taking up smoking, a new study has shown.

An article published in the journal Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy demonstrates the beneficial effects of consuming 500 milligrams (mg) per day of propolis for people living with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. The authors found that the group given propolis, unlike the group given placebo, displayed a significant reduction in plasma levels of malondialdehyde, a marker of oxidative stress. Total antioxidant capacity increased slightly in the same group, reflecting the direct combating of free radicals.

A newly discovered radionuclide-based agent (CB-2PA-NT) has been shown to have high tumor uptake, sustained tumor retention, and high contrast in preclinical models, making it a prime candidate for a novel theranostics approach. Targeting the neurotensin receptors (NTSRs) that are present in a variety of cancers, CB-2PA-NT has the potential to significantly expand the scope of precision medicine. This research was presented at the 2023 Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Annual Meeting.

Molecular imaging with 18F-flubatine PET/MRI has shown that neuroreceptors in the brains of individuals with obesity respond differently to food cues than those in normal-weight individuals, making the neuroreceptors a prime target for obesity treatments and therapy. This research, presented at the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging 2023 Annual Meeting, contributes to the understanding of the fundamental mechanisms underlying obesity and offers valuable insights into potential medical interventions.

The general perception supports the mantra of “lower is better” for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in cardiovascular disease. However, during the acute stage of ischemic stroke, it is unclear how to interpret different LDL-C levels accurately. The evidence on clinical implication of LDL-C levels was mainly derived from long-term follow-up studies. The pathophysiological features of patients under the acute stage of ischemic stroke are different from the chronic stage. Concerns exist over whether low LDL-C levels may lead to adverse outcomes, such as increased mortality risk due to infection. The crosstalk between LDL-C and infection is also garnering increasing amounts of interest.