Forget “Jaws”: The remarkable wound-healing power of shark skin could end up helping humans, new research claims. Shark skin is coated with a special film of mucus that more closely resembles mucus generated by people than that generated by other types of fish, noted researchers at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute, in Stockholm. They conducted their investigation… read on > read on >
When doctors advise patients to lose weight, an optimistic approach is more likely to get results. Researchers found that patients were more likely to participate in the recommended program and shed pounds if doctors presented obesity treatments as an “opportunity.” They compared that upbeat approach to emphasizing the negative consequences of obesity or using neutral… read on > read on >
Patients with osteoarthritis in their thumbs can get good long-term outcomes with orthotics and exercise therapy, and avoid surgery at the same time, new research shows. “Our findings support nonsurgical treatment as the first treatment choice and suggest that treatment effects are sustainable” in patients with problems in the thumb carpometacarpal joint, said study author… read on > read on >
Many people with type 2 diabetes also struggle with depression, and this combination can lead to premature death, researchers say. “More than 35 million Americans have diabetes, and more than 95 million have prediabetes, making diabetes one of the leading causes of death in the U.S.,” said study co-author Jagdish Khubchandani. He is a professor… read on > read on >
Exposure to wildfire-related air pollution in western states has taken its toll on U.S. patients who are on dialysis. New research linked it to elevated risks of hospitalization and death in patients who were receiving in-center hemodialysis treatment in Washington, Oregon and California. Wildfires have been increasing in frequency and severity. The researchers studied nearly… read on > read on >
Gun violence causes a ripple effect that creates a lasting impact on young people lucky enough to survive being shot, as well as their families, a comprehensive new study finds. Child and teenaged gunshot survivors carry the physical and emotional scars of violence, and their families suffer even more dramatic aftereffects, the Harvard-associated researchers found.… read on > read on >
A growing number of people have become unpaid caregivers for loved ones, and a new report says many are overlooking the financial consequences of their selflessness. One in five adults now provide uncompensated care to family and loved ones with health problems, according to the report from the TIAA Institute and the University of Pennsylvania… read on > read on >
When states have restrictive abortion laws in place, more children end up in foster care, new research finds. This happened even before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, the investigators noted. The study, published Nov. 7 in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, found an 11% overall increase in children placed in foster… read on > read on >
People who regularly smoke medical marijuana may be increasing their risk for a heart attack, heart failure or stroke, new research suggests. One study found that cannabis use among older patients increases the risk of heart attack or stroke by 20%. The second study found that using cannabis increased the risk of heart failure by… read on > read on >
Advisors to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have voted to recommend that health providers wear masks during routine care for patients who are thought to be contagious. Still, health care workers were frustrated that the draft recommendation does not specify what kind of mask should be worn — loose-fitting surgical masks or… read on > read on >
