In the first study of its kind, researchers from Sanford Burnham Prebys have uncovered molecular changes within the aging brains of individuals with Down syndrome that could help explain their cognitive challenges, including the uniform development of Alzheimer’s disease in these individuals later in life. The findings, published in the…
Study reveals tactics used by US stem cell clinics to market their treatments
Stem cell clinics continue to thrive in the US and worldwide, building their business on misleading advertising and offering unapproved and unproven stem-cell-based interventions (SCBI). Research recently published in Stem Cell Reports by Emma Frow, David Brafman, and colleagues from Arizona State University, asked what kinds of claims and evidence…
Study finds higher deaths among veterans in 2020, but less than general population
More U.S. veterans died in 2020 than in prior years, but the increase was less than the increase in the general population, a new study of Veterans Health Administration (VA) data by researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) and Boston University (BU) finds. Overall, the study, published in The…
Study: Children with pneumonia leaving hospital can have antibiotic treatment reduced to three days
The results of the largest study in a high-income country looking at antibiotic dosing and duration for children hospitalized with pneumonia show that the number of doses given can be reduced safely, without impacting recovery. Pneumonia (sometimes called a chest infection) is common in young children. It is usually treated…
Study identifies expanded role for metabolic enzyme in kidney cancer
A team of investigators has discovered that the underexpression of a specific metabolic enzyme is a common and adverse epigenetic modulating feature in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), according to a recent study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The findings demonstrate that functional deficiency of…
Study: Children’s screen time surged during pandemic
Children have been spending almost triple the recommended amount of screen time during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new Western-led study. Published in the Journal of Affective Disorders Reports, the research found that, on average, children had nearly six hours of screen time each day. Some children in the…
Study examines internet gaming disorder in college students
In a Journal of Addictions & Offender Counseling study of college students, investigators identified internet gaming disorder in 1.25% of participants. Among students who engaged in internet gaming in the past 30 days, 22% likely had internet gaming disorder. Also, male students were more likely to engage in internet gaming. Gaming…
Study: It is safe for people to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and influenza at the same time
Research has found that it is safe for people to receive a flu vaccine at the same time as a COVID-19 vaccine. Reported side effects were mainly mild to moderate, and there were no negative impacts on the immune response produced by either vaccine when both were given on the…
Study finds statins may also help treat ulcerative colitis
Statins don’t just lower cholesterol! Study finds cheap pills may also help treat ulcerative colitis Stanford University researchers said a simple statin could reduce symptoms Data showed it left ulcerative colitis patients half as likely to need surgery It occurs when the colon and rectum become inflamed and have ulcers …
Study finds raw wastewater ‘leading indicator’ of future COVID-19 outbreaks
A global team of researchers has found that future COVID-19 outbreaks, variants, hospitalizations and ICU admissions can be reliably predicted by detecting and quantifying the amount of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in raw wastewater. The scientists analyzed daily wastewater samples from one of the largest wastewater treatment plants in the world which…
Study sounds note of caution on effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines for patients with lymphoid malignancies
Patients with lymphoma or other lymphoid cancers should continue to take steps to protect themselves from COVID-19 even if they have been vaccinated against the disease, a new study led by investigators at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute reports. The study, published online by the journal Blood Advances, found that patients who…