Cart is empty Findings from a scientific online poster presented during the 2023 ARRS Annual Meeting, held April 16–20 at the Hawaiian Convention Center, suggest that correctly occluded left atrial appendages (LAAs) could present maximal reduction in left atrial (LA) flow stasis and thrombogenicity, offering a clinical goal for the procedure in patients with atrial fibrillation.
Researchers find connections in the brain involved in epileptic seizures
Researchers at the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology have discovered a network of connections in the brain linked to seizures in people with epilepsy.
Study links poor diet to 14 million cases of type 2 diabetes globally
A research model of dietary intake in 184 countries, developed by researchers at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, estimates that poor diet contributed to over 14.1 million cases of type 2 diabetes in 2018, representing over 70% of new diagnoses globally. The analysis, which looked at data from 1990 and 2018, provides valuable insight into which dietary factors are driving type 2 diabetes burden by world region. The study was published April 17 in the journal Nature Medicine.
Depression found to affect the care and survival of patients with breast cancer
In a recent study, having depression before or after a breast cancer diagnosis was associated with a lower likelihood of survival. The findings are published in the journal Cancer.
A new breakthrough in Alzheimer’s disease research: Visualizing reactive astrocyte-neuron interaction
Recently, a team of South Korean scientists led by Director C. Justin Lee of the Center for Cognition and Sociality within the Institute for Basic Science made a discovery that could revolutionize both the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease. The group demonstrated a mechanism where the astrocytes in the brain uptake elevated levels of acetates, which turns them into hazardous reactive astrocytes. They then went on to further develop a new imaging technique that takes advantage of this mechanism to directly observe the astrocyte-neuron interactions.
Researchers identify genes that can improve stroke diagnosis and treatment
Genes are full of clues about a person’s health. They might also show the way for stroke recovery. A recent UC Davis Health study published in BMC Medicine suggests that this may be possible, thanks to time-sensitive gene analysis that allows for faster stroke diagnosis and treatment.
AI diagnoses lung disease based on X-rays
Skoltech researchers have trained a neural network to search for lung pathologies on X-ray images and come up with brief verbal descriptions to accompany them. This task is currently performed by physicians, and it takes several minutes to complete. According to the creators of the artificial intelligence solution, the technology lowers this time to about 30 seconds when no considerable text revision is required. In most cases, the radiologist merely has to confirm the suggested diagnosis—e.g., fibrosis, enlarged heart, or a suspected malignant tumor—or absence thereof. The study has been published in Scientific Reports.
3D SVR MRI helps delineate fetal optic nerve pathway
A Scientific Online Poster presented during the 2023 ARRS Annual Meeting, held April 16–20 on the island of Oahu, explained how the novel technique of three-dimensional (3D) slice-to-volume (SVR) MRI allows for precise delineation and measurement of the fetal optic pathway (FOP).
Study: Mortality in people with intellectual disabilities extended beyond deaths from COVID itself
New research presented at this year’s European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (Copenhagen, April 15–18) and published in The Lancet Public Health shows that the impact of COVID-19 on mortality in people living with intellectual disabilities extended beyond deaths from the virus itself, and was linked with increased mortality in several other conditions. The study is by Dr. Maarten Cuypers, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands, and colleagues.
ZRA seizes more than 200 bags on mealie meal at Vic Falls border in Livingstone
By ANDREW MUKOMA
THE Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) at the Victoria Falls border Post in Livingstone has seized over 250 bags of mealie meal that was smuggled from the country and destined to be sold in neighboring Zimbabwe.
A total of 296 kilograms (296 X25KG) bags of mealie meal were confiscated from traders that wanted to smuggle the commodity into Zimbabwe.
Zambia Revenue Authority Commissioner General Dingani Banda disclosed that authority will in collaboration with other state authorities ensure that all exports of mealie meal and other maize products have valid permits and authorization before being exported out of the country.
Mr Banda said that the food shortage in the neighboring countries have seen mealie meal fetching very lucrative prices when exported there.
He said that any consignment being attempted to be smuggled out of the country are liable to seizure including the vessels that are used to convey them.
Mr Banda accompanied by other senior ZRA officials has since donated the smuggled mealie meal to three public benefit organizations based in Livingstone namely the Catholic Diocese of Livingstone, the SOS Children’s Village and the Sons of thunder.
He has warned that the authority will not relent in ensuring that all forms of smuggling activities are curtailed, saying both the products and vessels used in the process will be seized and forfeited to the state.