Two new papers in Nature Medicine by a global research team highlight the economic value of reducing avoidable deaths.  The first paper "applies novel methods to estimate the economic value of reducing avoidable deaths worldwide, finding that in 2019, 40 million deaths were avoidable—i.e., could have been prevented or delayed if individuals in all countries had access to the best available healthcare. The economic value of reducing these avoidable deaths is equivalent to 23% of annual global income, suggesting that ...

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — From 2011 to 2020, the Veterans Health Administration spent $78 billion to care for U.S. military veterans enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans, raising questions about federal overpayments to those private plans. That’s according to an analysis by researchers from Brown University and the Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Published in JAMA, the study notes that because Medicare Advantage plans receive fixed per-patient payments for health care services without having payments reduced when veterans receive care ...

A new study by researchers at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix and the University of California Davis Health identified a new target for developing a therapy to treat atrial fibrillation, the most common type of abnormal heart rhythm. Atrial fibrillation, commonly called AFib or AF, causes about 1 in 7 strokes, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and is associated with a significant increase in the risk of morbidity and mortality. More than 12 million people are expected to have AFib by 2030, according to the American Heart Association, and current treatment ...

Irvine, Calif., Oct. 4, 2024 — A research team from the University of California, Irvine is the first to reveal that a molecule in the brain – ophthalmic acid – unexpectedly acts like a neurotransmitter similar to dopamine in regulating motor function, offering a new therapeutic target for Parkinson’s and other movement diseases.   In the study, published in the October issue of the journal Brain, researchers observed that ophthalmic acid binds to and activates calcium-sensing ...

TAMPA, Fla. (Oct. 4, 2024) — A new study published in Cell Press reveals critical insights into the role of gamma-delta T cells across 33 cancer types, shedding light on their potential as clinical biomarkers and therapeutic targets in cancer treatment. Led by a team of researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center, this comprehensive analysis represents a significant advancement in the understanding of these unique immune cells and their implications for patient outcomes in cancer therapy. Despite their minority status within the T cell community, gamma-delta T cells are increasingly recognized for their dual capability to engage both ...

A new study from researchers at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) shows environmental conditions in migratory birds’ winter homes carry over to affect their ability to survive spring migration and the breeding season.  While scientists have long known that the quality of winter, or non-breeding, habitat influences migratory birds’ migration timing and reproductive success, the study, published today in Current Biology, marks the first time researchers have linked winter ...

CHICAGO – The Society for Neuroscience (SfN) is supporting 445 neuroscience trainees to attend Neuroscience 2024, SfN’s annual meeting and the world’s largest gathering of neuroscientists, through the Trainee Professional Development Award (TPDA) program. Over $560,000 in generous donations — the largest amount raised for this program — were contributed by individual donors to the Friends of SfN Fund, foundation and corporate supporters, and SfN Council. SfN Council leads this TPDA fundraising initiative and matched many of the donations. “SfN is delighted to support ...

RESEARCH SUMMARY Study Title: Nonpathogenic E. coli displaying decoy-resistant IL18 demonstrate potent anti-tumor responses and boost CAR-NK cell therapy Publication: Nature Biotechnology Dana-Farber Cancer Institute authors: Rizwan Romee, MD, Shaobo Yang, Michal Sheffer, PhD, David Barbie, MD, Catherine Wu, MD, Robert J. Soiffer, MD, Jerome Ritz, MD Summary: Recent research has shown that certain forms of E. coli bacteria tend to colonize hypoxic ...

Magic tricks make the impossible seem possible. Magicians have long captivated audiences with visual tricks, such as pulling a bunny from a hat or sawing someone in half, but tricks that rely on sound are scarce. A new article published in the Cell Press journal Trends in Cognitive Sciences on October 4 explores why creating a magical experience using only sound may be challenging and underscores the importance of making magic accessible to people with blindness. "Given that magic is about the conflict between perceptual processes and our beliefs, we should be able to experience magic in ...

For more information, contact: Nicole Fawcett, nfawcett@umich.edu   EMBARGOED for release at 11 a.m. ET Oct. 4, 2024   Research points to potential new treatment for aggressive prostate cancer subtype In two separate papers, U-M researchers describe how a gene alteration drives prostate cancer and a potential degrader that stops it   ANN ARBOR, Michigan — When researchers at the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center first identified a new subtype of aggressive prostate cancer, they knew they needed to understand how this genetic alteration was driving cancer and how to target it with treatment.   In two new papers, ...

A decade after the establishment of the certified community behavioral health clinic (CCBHC) model, more than 60 percent of the US population has access to such facilities and the mental health and substance use disorder treatment services they provide, according to a new study led by researchers at the NYU School of Global Public Health. Moreover, these clinics are expanding the availability of crisis mental health services, including mobile crisis response teams and stabilization. “Certified community behavioral health clinics have become a cornerstone of bipartisan strategies to increase access to and improve the ...

About The Study: This cross-sectional study of U.S. adults suggests that social risk factor domains were associated with decreased odds of receiving preventive services; this association was cumulative. There is a need to address social risk factors to optimize receipt of recommended preventive services.  Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Leonard E. Egede, MD, MS, email legede@buffalo.edu. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at ...

About The Study: The findings of this study suggest that online pharmacies play an increasingly critical role in direct-to-patient medication abortion provision, especially with virtual-only platforms. These findings suggest that barriers to accessing online pharmacies for abortion care should be removed.  Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Caila Brander, MSc, email cbrander@ibisreproductivehealth.org. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.34675) Editor’s ...

Injured adolescents from marginalized groups treated at pediatric trauma centers are more likely to be tested for drugs and alcohol than white adolescents, even when accounting for injury severity, a study led by researchers at UCLA and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles suggests. The findings, to be published October 4 in the peer-reviewed JAMA Network Open, suggest that clinician biases could influence the selection of adolescents for biochemical substance use screening at pediatric trauma centers, said Dr. Jordan Rook, a general surgery resident at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the study’s lead author. ...

The evolutionary adaptations that allowed ancient pterosaurs to grow to enormous sizes have been pinpointed for the first time by palaeontologists in the Centre for Palaeobiology and Biosphere Evolution at the University of Leicester. The discovery revealed a surprising twist – the ability to walk efficiently on the ground played a crucial role in determining how large the biggest flying animals could grow, with some reaching wingspans of up to 10 metres. In a new study published today (4 October) in Current ...

University of Maryland biologists identified a hidden sensory talent in geckos that’s shaking up what we thought we knew about animal hearing. In a new study published in Current Biology on October 4, 2024, the researchers revealed that geckos use the saccule—a part of their inner ear traditionally associated with maintaining balance and body positioning—to detect low-frequency vibrations. According to the researchers, this special “sixth sense” also plays a complementary role to the geckos’ normal hearing and the way they sense ...

LONDON, Ont. and REGINA, Sask. – People who inject drugs are dying at an alarming rate from endocarditis, a serious but treatable heart-valve infection. But their odds of survival improve dramatically, even five years after their first admission to hospital, if they’re treated not just for heart infection but are also provided with addiction support while in hospital, a Canadian study shows. The study also highlights that women who inject drugs are particularly vulnerable to endocarditis and are affected in disproportionately high numbers. “Endocarditis is potentially lethal and always costly,” says Dr. Michael Silverman, an infectious ...

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (Sept. 30, 2024) — An experimental blood test detects early-stage pancreatic cancer more effectively than other available tests, reports a new study published in Cancer Letters. The findings pave the way for further evaluation of the test in a clinical setting, an important step toward approval as a potential diagnostic method for pancreatic cancer. “Catching pancreatic cancer early dramatically improves survival, but our current tools for doing so are limited,” said the study’s co-corresponding author Brian Haab, Ph.D., a professor at Van Andel Institute. “Our results reveal that our combination ...

Researchers at Oxford Brookes University have pioneered a groundbreaking method to tackle one of the world’s most persistent environmental threats—toxic chemicals in global water supplies.    They have developed a new machine called a hydrodynamic reactor that uses bubbles which form and collapse due to changes in pressure, a process called cavitation. The reactor removes toxic per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals” from water.    PFAS chemicals were invented in the 1930s and used in convenience products ...

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 3, 2024 — Jefferson Health has been awarded $2.4 million by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) to implement evidence-based patient education and coaching programs for weight loss across Jefferson Primary Care.  U.S. adult obesity rates have risen to over 40% in the past two decades, increasing risks of diabetes, heart disease and premature death. Led by Baligh Yehia, M.D., MPP, MSHP, President of Jefferson Health, this project will implement sustainable health education programs ...

(WASHINGTON – October 4, 2024) In the first study to report real-world outcomes from ciltacabtagene autoleucel (cilta-cel), a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T therapy for multiple myeloma, patients experienced efficacy and safety results similar to those seen in clinical trials, according to results published today in Blood. Of 236 patients who received cilta-cel infusions at 16 U.S. medical centers in 2022, 89% saw their cancer respond to the treatment and 70% had a complete response, meaning there was no detectable cancer after the treatment. These numbers ...

A dedicated team of researchers from City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) is pioneering cutting-edge generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) technologies on a collaborative innovation network platform, aimed at transforming science, technology and innovation (STI) services to empower research and innovation. This innovative project is set to revolutionise the related service delivery by creating a secure GenAI model and digitally transforming processes, thereby facilitating research development and technology innovation, while enhancing data security and service efficiency. STI services, including ...

A recent position paper in the Asia-Pacific Journal of Ophthalmology explores the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in ophthalmology. Led by Lama Al-Aswad, Professor of Ophthalmology and Irene Heinz Given and John La Porte Given Research Professor of Ophthalmology II, of the Scheie Eye Institute, the work represents a collaboration among researchers from Penn Engineering, Penn Medicine, the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center, St. John Eye Hospital in Jerusalem, and Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine in Korea. With fundus photography enabling the visualization ...

Vegetation cover across the Antarctic Peninsula has increased more than tenfold over the last four decades, new research shows. The Antarctic Peninsula, like many polar regions, is warming faster than the global average, with extreme heat events in Antarctica becoming more common. The new study – by the universities of Exeter and Hertfordshire, and the British Antarctic Survey – used satellite data to assess how much the Antarctic Peninsula has been “greening” in response to climate change. It found that the area of vegetation ...

Every second, more than 3,000 stars are born in the visible universe. Many are surrounded by what astronomers call a protoplanetary disk – a swirling "pancake" of hot gas and dust from which planets form. The exact processes that give rise to stars and planetary systems, however, are still poorly understood. A team of astronomers led by University of Arizona researchers has used NASA's James Webb Space Telescope to obtain some of the most detailed insights into the forces that shape protoplanetary disks. The observations offer glimpses into what our solar system may have looked like 4.6 billion years ago. Specifically, the team was able to trace so-called ...