There’s strong evidence of a ‘threshold effect’ in English hospitals’ efforts to comply with the 18-week referral to treatment standard, concludes a long term data analysis of performance against the target, published online in the journal BMJ Quality & Safety. The target focused activity on meeting the threshold requirement for patients on the waiting list after which it tailed off—the so-called threshold effect–rather than instigating pervasive improvement in practice, the analysis indicates. Clinical need may be a secondary consideration for meeting the target, suggest the researchers. In 2012, an 18-week ...

The hyperactivity disorder, usually referred to as ADHD, is an independent risk factor for several common and serious mental health issues, finds research published in the open access journal BMJ Mental Health. It is associated with major depression, post traumatic stress disorder, the eating disorder anorexia nervosa, and suicide attempts, the findings show, prompting the researchers to recommend vigilance by health professionals in a bid to ward off these disorders later on. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition in children and teens that extends into adulthood in up to around two thirds of cases. Worldwide, its prevalence ...

The rotating shoulders and extending elbows that allow humans to reach for a high shelf or toss a ball with friends may have first evolved as a natural braking system for our primate ancestors who simply needed to get out of trees without dying. Dartmouth researchers report in the journal Royal Society Open Science that apes and early humans likely evolved free-moving shoulders and flexible elbows to slow their descent from trees as gravity pulled on their heavier bodies. When early humans left forests for the grassy savanna, the researchers say, their versatile appendages were essential ...

Limestone spheroids, enigmatic lithic artifacts from the ancient past, have perplexed archaeologists for years. While they span from the Oldowan to the Middle Palaeolithic, the purpose behind their creation remains a subject of intense debate. Now, a study conducted by a team from the Computational Archaeology Laboratory of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, in collaboration with researchers from Tel Hai College and Rovira i Virgili University seeks to shed light on these mysterious objects, offering insights into the intentions and skills of early hominins. Spheroids ...

Across the globe, and particularly in Brazil, lies an embarrassment of riches that also stage a showdown as mitigating climate change and protecting biodiversity square off against growing food. In this week’s Science of the Total Environment, scientists from and once affiliated with Michigan State University’s Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability (MSU-CSIS) identify ways for landowners in rural areas to be able to capitalize on win-win situations, whether they have fruitful land ...

Among 2,055 adults with a wide range of glomerular diseases, the COVID-19 vaccination did not adversely affect kidney function or worsen kidney damage and appeared safe in this population. Patients with glomerular disease (GN) may be at increased risk of severe COVID-19, yet concerns over vaccines causing disease relapse may lead to vaccine hesitancy. Researchers examined the associations of COVID-19 with longitudinal kidney function and proteinuria and compared these to similar associations with COVID-19 vaccination. In this cohort study of 2,055 patients with minimal change disease (MCD), focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), membranous nephropathy, or ...

INDIANAPOLIS—A new multi-site study led by Indiana University School of Medicine found increasing pediatric readiness in emergency departments reduces, but does not eliminate, racial and ethnic disparities in children and adolescents with acute medical emergencies. The study also involved researchers from Oregon Health and Science University and UC Davis Health. They recently published their findings in JAMA Open Network. “Ours is a national study group focused on pediatric emergency department readiness,” said Peter Jenkins, MD, associate professor surgery at IU School of Medicine and first ...

AMHERST, Mass. – States that enacted laws permitting children to carry and apply sunscreen at school experienced an increased interest in sun protection and a higher rate of sunscreen use among adolescents, according to new research by a University of Massachusetts Amherst resource economist.  Brandyn Churchill, assistant professor of resource economics at UMass Amherst, is co-author of the study that is the first to examine state-level “SUNucate” laws, which permit students to apply sunscreen at school and wear sun-protective clothing even if it does not ...

Right at the bottom of the deep sea, the first very simple forms of life on earth probably emerged a long time ago. Today, the deep sea is known for its bizarre fauna. Intensive research is being conducted into how the number of species living on the sea floor have changed in the meantime. Some theories say that the ecosystems of the deep sea have emerged again and again after multiple mass extinctions and oceanic upheavals. Today's life in the deep sea would thus be comparatively young in the history of the Earth. But there is increasing evidence that parts of this world are much older than previously thought. A research team led by the University ...

Images EAST LANSING, Mich. – Advancements that could lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment for diabetic retinopathy, a common complication that affects the eyes, have been identified by a multi-department research team from Michigan State and other universities. Their findings were recently published in Diabetologia, the official journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes. Additional contributors are from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Case Western Reserve University and Western University ...

FAMU-FSU College of Engineering researchers want Floridians to be prepared when the next pandemic or hurricane hits the state. A new study published in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction examines the best locations for field hospitals that can supplement health care facilities when resources are stretched thin. “One of the goals of RIDER is to look after our most vulnerable when disasters hit,” said Eren Ozguven, director of the Resilient Infrastructure ...

Researchers have discovered a new avenue of cell death in Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. A new study, led by scientists at Oregon Health & Science University and published online in the journal Annals of Neurology on Aug. 21, reveals for the first time that a form of cell death known as ferroptosis — caused by a buildup of iron in cells — destroys microglia cells, a type of cell involved in the brain’s immune response,  in cases of Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia. The ...

Reston, VA—The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) has issued a new consensus statement to provide standardized guidance for the selection and management of metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients being treated with 177Lu-PSMA radionuclide therapy. The statement, published in the July issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine, also reviews current clinical struggles physicians face during treatment with 177Lu-PSMA-617 radionuclide therapy. Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved 177Lu-PSMA-617 for the treatment of men with mCRPC after progressing on taxane-based chemotherapy ...

Plant-based alternatives such as tempeh and bean burgers provide protein-rich options for those who want to reduce their meat consumption. However, replicating meat's flavors and aromas has proven challenging, with companies often relying on synthetic additives. A recent study in ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry unveils a potential solution: onions, chives and leeks that produce natural chemicals akin to the savory scents of meat when fermented with common fungi. When food producers want to make plant-based meat alternatives taste ...

When we determine which communities are more likely to get their water from contaminated supplies, median household income is not the best measure. That’s according to a recent study led by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin that found social factors — such as low population density, high housing vacancy, disability and race — can have a stronger influence than median household income on whether a community’s municipal water supply is more likely to have health-based water-quality violations. In general, rural communities and communities that grew up around large industries that have since left are most likely to face water-quality issues. About 10% ...

A team of scientists from Ames National Laboratory developed a new machine learning model for discovering critical-element-free permanent magnet materials. The model predicts the Curie temperature of new material combinations. It is an important first step in using artificial intelligence to predict new permanent magnet materials. This model adds to the team’s recently developed capability for discovering thermodynamically stable rare earth materials. High performance magnets are essential for technologies such as wind energy, data storage, electric vehicles, ...

“Overall, our study identified previously unknown circadian transcriptome reorganization of pancreas by aging [...]” BUFFALO, NY- September 5, 2023 – A new research paper was published in Aging (listed by MEDLINE/PubMed as "Aging (Albany NY)" and "Aging-US" by Web of Science) Volume 15, Issue 16, entitled, “Reorganization of pancreas circadian transcriptome with aging.” The evolutionarily conserved circadian system allows organisms to synchronize internal processes with 24-h cycling environmental timing cues, ensuring optimal adaptation. Like other organs, the pancreas function is under circadian control. Recent evidence ...

Invasive medical procedures, such as surgery requiring local anesthesia, often involve the risk of nerve injury. During operation, surgeons may accidentally cut, stretch, or compress nerves, especially when mistaking them for some other tissue. This can lead to long-lasting symptoms in the patient, including sensory and motor problems. Similarly, patients receiving nerve blockades or other types of anesthesia can suffer from nerve damage if the needle is not placed at the correct distance from the targeted peripheral nerve. Consequently, researchers have been trying to develop medical imaging techniques to mitigate the risk of nerve damage. For instance, ultrasound and magnetic resonance ...

LOS ANGELES – Almost one-third of government appointees to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) leave to take jobs in private industry, according to a study by the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics and Harvard University. The study, published in Health Affairs, is the first to quantify the personnel movement between health-care industries and the government agencies that regulate them, according to the authors. Although there are understandable reasons for people to move between the public and private sectors, the study notes that such a revolving door could make government agencies more vulnerable to pro-industry bias. “Laws passed ...

The use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) was associated with a reduction in dementia risk compared to traditional blood thinners—like warfarin—in atrial fibrillation patients, particularly in Asian patients. According to a study published today in JACC: Asia, this benefit may reverse with increased age and necessitates further follow-up study. “Asian patients are more likely to be sensitive to vitamin K antagonism, which puts them at high risk for bleeding events, contributing to dementia development ...

ITHACA, N.Y. – Male fruit flies don’t usually like each other. Socially, they reject their fellow males and zero in on the females they discern via chemical receptors – or so scientists thought. New research from Cornell University biologists suggests the fruit fly’s visual system, not just chemical receptors, are deeply involved with their social behaviors. The work sheds light on the possible origin of differences in human social behaviors, such as those seen in people with bipolar disorder ...

New research from Tulane University may shed light on how parasite strain diversity can impact Chagas disease progression and severity. Chagas, a lesser-known and studied tropical disease,  is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi parasites, which are transmitted by kissing bugs. In the Americas, the disease affects 6 million people in 21 countries, with approximately 30,000 new cases each year. While most infected patients remain asymptomatic, about 20-40 percent of those infected will develop chronic heart disease ...

New simulations model traffic-related air pollution over the region surrounding Chicago, North America’s largest freight hub In the simulations, the researchers modeled a scenario in which 30% of current on-road heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) were replaced by electric HDVs Electrifying HDVs would substantially reduce air pollution and save hundreds of lives annually in the region, with particularly large health benefits in predominantly Black, Hispanic and Latinx communities  The region also would save nearly $6 billion annually in avoided ...

The diagnosed severity of aortic stenosis strongly correlates with clinical outcomes, new Kaiser Permanente research shows. But the study also suggests that fine-tuning physician assessment of those patients with moderate aortic stenosis could help improve outcomes and better determine which patients might benefit from surgery. The study found that patients diagnosed with moderate aortic stenosis have outcomes most similar to those categorized with mild aortic stenosis while only those with moderate-to-severe aortic stenosis had outcomes similar to those with ...

The University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies (SONHS) has been awarded an unprecedented $23.57 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to join the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program. The interdisciplinary grant, the largest award to date in the Coral Gables Campus’ history, is funding an ambitious project spearheaded by Hudson Santos, RN, PhD, FABMR, FAAN, the lead Principal Investigator and Vice Dean for Research Affairs, with Professor Michael Paidas, MD, chair of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicines Department of Obstetrics, ...