Early research in mice could be getting closer to the roots of what causes Parkinson’s disease. A “pathological” form of a common brain protein, alpha-synuclein, could play a role in the death of dopamine-rich brain cells, according to a team at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore. It’s this steady loss of dopamine cells… read on > read on >
Early results from a trial of a new kidney disease medication show it significantly reduces levels of a urine marker of kidney damage. The experimental drug — called BI 690517 for now — cut levels of the liver protein albumin in the urine in half for patients with chronic kidney disease. Albumin levels in urine… read on > read on >
Cinnamon used in applesauce pouches that have been tied to high lead levels in kids may have been deliberately tainted with the toxic element, a source at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says. “We’re still in the midst of our investigation,” Jim Jones, the FDA’s deputy commissioner for human foods, told Politico. “But so… read on > read on >
Most parents plan to have their kids vaccinated against influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), even as COVID-19 vaccine acceptance flags, a new poll finds. Seven in 10 parents (71%) plan to have their children get an RSV jab and six in 10 (63%) plan to get their kids the flu vaccine, according to poll… read on > read on >
If you’re one of the 50 million Americans with asthma or allergies, 2024 is another year to redouble efforts to manage them. But how? “It’s not always easy to get allergies and asthma under control,” allergist Dr. Gailen Marshall, president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI), said in a tip sheet… read on > read on >
Dandruff becomes more common in the cold winter months, when the chilly air and dry heat causes a person’s scalp to flake and itch. But while it might be an annoying and unattractive condition, dandruff doesn’t mean you are an unclean person, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) says. “It is a common misconception that… read on > read on >
A technology from the 19th century meets one from the 21st to better help doctors predict who’ll survive a heart surgery. Cardiologists from three major U.S. hospitals gathered data from the electrocardiograms (ECGs, invented in 1895) of almost 46,000 patients. They then fed that data into a cutting-edge AI algorithm. AI was 83% correct in… read on > read on >
SATURDAY, Dec. 16It’s that time of year when your kids come home with sniffles and sore throats, but when should you worry if they have a fever? To a certain extent, fevers are the body’s natural way of fighting infection, one expert says. “Fever helps the immune system,” explained Dr. Christopher Tolcher, a pediatrician with… read on > read on >
The first postpartum depression pill approved for use in the United States is now available to women who need it, the drug’s makers announced Thursday. Sold under the name Zurzuvae, the medication can quickly ease severe postpartum depression and help women regain their emotional equilibrium following childbirth. The medication, which is now stocked in specialty… read on > read on >
Low vaccination rates for the flu, RSV and COVID-19 are putting Americans at higher risk for severe illness and hospitalization this winter, a new government alert warned Thursday. There is an “urgent need” to boost vaccination rates as the trio of viruses spread through the country, the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention said.… read on > read on >
