Teens and young adults with autism show marked differences in their brains’ white matter compared to those without the disorder, a new study finds. “If you think of gray matter as the computer, white matter is like the cables,” said study co-author Clara Weber, a postgraduate research fellow at Yale University School of Medicine. The… read on > read on >
An experimental Lyme disease vaccine shows promise in animal studies and could also help protect against other tick-borne diseases, researchers say. The vaccine — which relies on the same mRNA technology used by some COVID-19 vaccines — protected guinea pigs against infection by Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease. The vaccine doesn’t trigger… read on > read on >
COVID-19 booster shots trigger much stronger and longer protection than full vaccination with two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, according to a small study. It also found that the response to a booster is even greater in fully vaccinated people who have had infections. “Because these antibody levels are so robust, the booster… read on > read on >
Pfizer Inc. said Monday that its coronavirus vaccine provides long-term protection in youth ages 12-15, according to data from a company clinical trial that included more than 2,200 participants. In a company clinical trial that included more than 2,200 adolescents, getting two doses of the vaccine was 100% effective against the coronavirus from seven days… read on > read on >
The evidence against vaping is mounting, and a new study now links e-cigarettes with an increased risk for broken bones. Over time, vaping appears to increase the risk for fracture of the hip, spine and wrist by 46%, according to the findings. Researchers said these fractures happen from falls while standing and even from lower… read on > read on >
Don’t drive drunk. That’s simple and obvious advice. And it appears ridesharing services are making it easier for people to take it. In a new study that looked at Chicago data, more rideshare trips meant fewer alcohol-involved crashes. “This study was designed to look specifically at drunk driver crashing,” said study author Christopher Morrison. “When… read on > read on >
Most prescriptions for the medication gabapentin are for unapproved uses — and many patients end up taking it along with drugs that create potentially dangerous interactions. That’s the conclusion of a new study that looked at “off-label” use of gabapentin. In the United States, the drug is officially approved for treating certain seizures and some… read on > read on >
As American families sit down to celebrate Thanksgiving, a majority of parents say they want to raise grateful kids but they don’t think they’re succeeding. Four out of five respondents to a new nationwide poll said children aren’t as thankful as they should be, and half worry that they overindulge their own kids. Two in… read on > read on >
About 4 in 10 stroke survivors who were smokers still puff away after their stroke, which puts them at increased risk for another stroke or heart disease, a new study shows. “If you told a stroke neurologist that 40% of their patients don’t have their blood pressure controlled or weren’t taking their aspirin or their… read on > read on >
Though airborne exposure causes most cases of COVID-19, the virus lurks on objects near the beds of infected nursing home patients, according to a new study. “Coronavirus is ubiquitous and persistent in the rooms of nursing home residents with COVID-19, and highlight the ongoing importance of rigorous cleaning and protection of staff and visitors,” first… read on > read on >
