All Sauce from Weekly Sauce:

Damage to the brainstem could be behind the physical and psychological effects of Long COVID, a new study suggests. Brain scans of 30 Long COVID patients found they had damage to the region of the brainstem associated with breathlessness, fatigue and anxiety, researchers reported Oct. 7 in the journal Brain. “The brainstem is the critical…  read on >  read on >

AI isn’t ready to run a hospital’s emergency room just yet, a new study concludes. ChatGPT likely would ask for unnecessary x-rays and antibiotics for some patients, and admit others who don’t really need hospital treatment, researchers reported Oct. 8 in the journal Nature Communications. “This is a valuable message to clinicians not to blindly…  read on >  read on >

Even as folks in North Carolina continue to clean up following the devastation of Hurricane Helene, a new health danger has emerged: The massive flooding that swept away roads and towns also uprooted the underground nests of yellow jackets, bees and other stinging insects. That has triggered a surge in swarms that attack and sting…  read on >  read on >

A Wisconsin program that sends suspects in minor drug-related crimes to treatment instead of jail is paying off, a new study shows. Researchers who evaluated the Madison Area Recovery Initiative (MARI) found that non-violent offenders who were given a clinical assessment and six months of substance use treatment were less likely to be arrested, jailed…  read on >  read on >

Teens from minority groups seeking treatment at pediatric trauma centers are more likely than their white counterparts to be tested for drugs and alcohol. That’s the takeaway from a new study led by researchers at UCLA and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.  “While screening can positively affect patients if it is followed by counseling and treatment,…  read on >  read on >