A wearable brain scanner could improve research into Parkinson’s disease, dementia and other debilitating disorders, new research shows. The brain scanner — called the Ambulatory Motion-enabling PET (AMPET) — fits on a person’s head much like a construction worker’s hard hat, the researchers explained. “What we like about the AMPET is that it moves with… read on > read on >
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How Likely Is It That Autism Recurs in One Family?
There’s a good chance that if one child in a family has autism, another will also develop the disorder, a new study suggests. Children are seven times more likely to be diagnosed with autism if an older sibling has the disorder, researchers reported recently in the journal Pediatrics. “Pediatricians and family members have to keep… read on > read on >
Certain Pollens Worse for Triggering Asthma Attacks
Pollen is a known trigger for seasonal allergies and asthma, but new research suggests that certain plant species release pollen that are especially tough on asthmatics. Species-specific pollen alerts could help keep people with asthma safe, the Cornell University researchers reasoned. “Even though the percent of asthma-related emergency department visits associated with pollen overall was… read on > read on >
U.S. Deaths Dropped 6% Last Year, as COVID Fell From 3rd to 10th Leading Killer
Deaths among Americans dropped by a significant 6.1% between 2022 and 2023, a new government tally finds. Much of this was due to COVID-19’s ebbing effect on deaths. During the pandemic, over a million Americans lost their lives, and in 2021 it was the third leading cause of death. However, new data shows that as… read on > read on >
Another Listeria Death, Dozens of Hospitalizations in Outbreak Tied to Boar’s Head Deli Meats
The death toll from listeria linked to tainted Boar’s Head deli meats has risen to three, with nine more cases of the bacterial illness reported in the outbreak, an update issued Thursday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows. The total case count is now 43. “All 43 people have been hospitalized… read on > read on >
Text Messaging Can Help Teens Kick the Vaping Habit
An interactive text-message support program can help teenagers quit vaping, a groundbreaking new clinical trial finds. Teens who subscribed to the anonymous program, called This Is Quitting, were 35% more likely to report not vaping nicotine by the end of a seven-month study, researchers reported Aug. 7 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.… read on > read on >
Many Doctors Underestimate the Pain of IUD Insertion for Women. The CDC Wants to Change That
Plenty of women know that having an IUD inserted in their uterus can be an excruciating experience, but new government guidance issued Thursday may soon make the experience less painful for many. For the first time, updated recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advise doctors to counsel women about pain control… read on > read on >
More Evidence That an Artificial Sweetener Poses Heart Risk
There’s more evidence to suggest that the common artificial sweetener erythritol might pose dangers to consumers’ hearts. The new study, involving 20 healthy adult volunteers, found that at doses commonly found in an erythritol-sweetened soda or muffin, the sweetener was linked to heightened activity of blood platelets, which could make clots more likely. No such… read on > read on >
Cheap, High-Tech ‘Electric Bandage’ Speeds Wound Healing
Newly developed battery-powered electric bandages could help wounds heal more quickly, a new study reports. In animal testing, wounds treated with electric bandages healed 30% faster than wounds treated with conventional bandages, researchers reported Aug. 7 in the journal Science Advances. The bandages could be a game-changer in treating slow-healing wounds caused by diabetes and… read on > read on >
Fish Oil Might Help Keep Cholesterol in Check
People with a genetic predisposition for high cholesterol can lower their levels by taking fish oil supplements, a new study shows. The results indicate that lifestyle can be a powerful influence on artery-clogging cholesterol, even if a person’s genetics tends to make those levels higher, researchers said. “Recent advances in genetic studies have allowed us… read on > read on >