Author: healthadmin
Advocate Health announced Thursday it is partnering with Zipline to launch the nation’s largest hospital-based drone delivery network starting in 2027. The Charlotte, North Carolina-based health system will initially offer delivery using Zipline’s Platform 2 system in the Charlotte market and eventually expand the offer to patients in the Chicago and Milwaukee markets. According to the announcement, if the program is fully utilized, the company plans to make more than 100,000 deliveries per year. “Advocate Health is changing the way health care is delivered by deploying drone technology to deliver medicines and medical supplies,” Colin Lane, executive vice president of…
Starting a family off-planet can be more difficult than expected. New research from the University of Adelaide shows that sperm have a harder time moving in lower gravity, suggesting gravity plays a key role in reaching the egg. Scientists from the Robinson Institute, the School of Biomedical Sciences, and the Masonic Center for Men’s Health and Welfare studied how space-like conditions affect sperm navigation, fertilization, and early embryo development. To simulate microgravity, the researchers used a 3D clinostat machine developed by Dr. Giles Kirby of Firefly Biotech. The device continuously rotates the cell to mimic the disorienting effects of weightlessness.…
Elderly patients with coronary artery disease scheduled for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) had comparable outcomes regardless of whether they underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) before TAVR, according to results from the PRO-TAVI study presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Meeting (ACC.26). TAVR is a minimally invasive surgery in which a new aortic valve is delivered via a catheter, most commonly through the femoral artery in the groin, and implanted within the diseased native valve. PCI, also called angioplasty, is a minimally invasive procedure in which a stent is delivered through a catheter, usually through the radial…
In patients whose hearts have malfunctioning bioprosthetic mitral valves, minimally invasive surgery to insert a new valve is associated with lower rates of death or stroke within one year compared to patients who undergo repeated standard mitral valve replacement surgery, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Meeting (ACC.26). These results suggest that transcatheter valve-in-valve procedures may provide important short-term clinical benefit in selected high-risk patients. However, longitudinal tracking of patient outcomes is essential to better understand the durability and overall role of this approach in clinical practice. ” Dimitri Siqueira, MD, Principal Investigator…
A new study in Nature shows how inflammation caused by parasites in the gut activates the tuft cell-to-serotonin-to-vagus nerve pathway, helping to explain why infections suppress appetite. Research: Parasites cause epithelial cell crosstalk and promote gut-brain signaling. Image credit: Chizhevskaya Ekaterina / Shutterstock In a recent study published in the journal naturea group of researchers investigated how intestinal epithelial cells interact to cause changes in gut-brain signaling and food intake during parasite infection. Did you know that intestinal infections can affect how much you eat and even how you feel? The gastrointestinal tract acts as a sensory system that detects…
At two years of follow-up, patients with compromised heart tricuspid valve function who received optimal medical therapy and a minimally invasive procedure using clips to repair the valve were significantly less likely to die, have a heart attack or stroke, and be 40% less likely to be hospitalized for heart failure compared to similar patients randomly assigned to optimal medical therapy alone. The study was presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Sessions (ACC.26). We showed that transcatheter tricuspid edge-to-edge repair (T-TEER) combined with standard-of-care medications significantly reduced the need for prolonged hospitalization for recurrent heart failure over…
Patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and high blood pressure in the lungs (pulmonary hypertension) had significant improvements in blood pressure and vascular health after taking sotatercept, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Meeting (ACC.26). Group 2 pulmonary hypertension is caused by abnormalities in the left side of the heart. This study is the first to test sotatercept in a specific subset of patients with Group 2 pulmonary hypertension, including HPpEF and severe combined post-precapillary pulmonary hypertension (CpcPH). CpcPH occurs when high pressure caused by heart problems flows back into…
A new study shows that APOE4 restructures brain-related immune and lymphatic pathways in strikingly different ways in women and men, leading to opposite cognitive effects when innate immunity is suppressed. Study: Sex-specific APOE4-dependent innate immunity modulates meningeal lymphatics, brain lipids, neuroinflammation, and cognition. Image credit: ahmetmapush / Shutterstock In a recent study published in the journal neuronResearchers have shown that apolipoprotein E ε4 (APOE4) expression triggers sexually dimorphic inflammatory, lymphatic, lipid, neuroinflammatory, and cognitive responses. APOE is the major lipid carrier in the brain. In humans, the APOE gene has three alleles: APOE2, APOE3 (E3), and APOE4 (E4), with E3/E3…
Women over 40 continue to participate in electronic dance music events to maintain their physical and mental health. The study, published in the journal Music Psychology, reveals how women overcome societal judgments about age and gender to maintain community bonds. The authors found that a deep connection to rhythm and atmosphere kept these participants coming back to the dance floor well into middle age. Electronic dance music is characterized by repetitive beats and synthetic sounds. It is usually played loudly at nightclubs and outdoor festivals. The culture surrounding this music has existed since the late 1980s. The scene has matured…
Video games provide adults with a popular way to connect and unwind, but the specific reasons people pick up a controller can change how they feel stressed and life satisfied. New research reveals that playing primarily for the purpose of winning is associated with increased anxiety, but men and women often report different motivations for starting gaming. These results were published in the Journal of Affective Disorders. People engage with the digital world for a variety of reasons. Some people seek a temporary escape from their daily responsibilities. Others want to challenge their reflexes, connect with faraway friends, and experience…