The World Health Organization on Wednesday made the rare move of declaring an ongoing African outbreak of mpox a global health emergency. A new clade (strain) of the virus, plus its troubling spread throughout the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and nearby countries in central Africa, drove the declaration, said WHO director general Dr. Tedros… read on > read on >
Casey Harrell was losing his ability to speak due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. “Not being able to communicate is so frustrating and demoralizing. It is like you are trapped,” said Harrell, 45. But a new brain-computer interface is allowing Harrell to speak to others once more, with his… read on > read on >
Some comatose patients with severe brain injury might be paying closer attention to their surroundings than previously thought, a new study says. About 1 in 4 patients respond to instructions covertly, with their brains showing activity even though their bodies aren’t moving, researchers found. When asked to imagine opening and closing their hand, those comatose… read on > read on >
When it comes to Medicaid and vision care, how much coverage people get depends on the state in which they live, a new study finds. Most Medicaid enrollees have at least some routine vision coverage, but an estimated 6.5 million adults live in states without comprehensive coverage for routine eye exams, researchers found. Likewise, about… read on > read on >
Untreated high blood pressure in your 60s could raise your risk for Alzheimer’s disease later, new research shows. The good news: Simple steps can ease hypertension, researchers said. The global study found that “taking blood pressure medications was associated with decreased risk of Alzheimer’s disease throughout later life,” said study lead author Dr. Matthew Lennon,… read on > read on >
Black employees in a toxic workplace are more susceptible to depression and sleep loss than whites are, according to new research. Black workers being mistreated by employers got an estimated 100 fewer minutes of sleep per night than white workers or Black people not enduring mistreatment did, results showed. They also were more likely to… read on > read on >
A new implant could help prevent overdose deaths by automatically administering the OD-reversing drug naloxone, a new study shows. The implant, about the size of a stick of gum, is placed under the skin, where it monitors vital signs like heart rate and breathing, researchers say. When the implant determines an OD has occurred, it… read on > read on >
Americans continue to rank dead last in life expectancy among English-speaking countries, a new study finds. People in the United States more often fall prey at younger ages to accidental deaths, homicides and chronic diseases, researchers reported Aug. 13 in the BMJ Open journal. On the other hand, Australians had the longest life expectancy of… read on > read on >
Child safety experts have warned about the sometimes lethal dangers of toy water beads. Now, a report finds a doubling in just one year of U.S. pediatric ER visits linked to the products. “The number of pediatric water bead-related emergency department visits is increasing rapidly,” said study senior author Dr. Gary Smith, who directs of… read on > read on >
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Natural grass playing fields pose a greater concussion risk for young football players than artificial turf, a new study shows. Athletes who sustained a concussion on grass reported more than 10 symptoms, on average, compared with about six for those injured on artificial turf, researchers found. Players on natural grass fields also had an average… read on > read on >
