Author: healthadmin

Language barriers can be especially detrimental in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), where families face difficult and often life-changing medical decisions. In many hospitals, members of the medical team, rather than family members, decide when to use interpreter services. In the first study to examine the impact of providing families with direct access to interpretation technology, researchers at Chicago’s Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital found that families who spoke a language other than English doubled the amount of time they spent communicating with their health care team. The results were published in a magazine Hospital Pediatrics. …

Reducing vulnerability to air pollution since 1990 saved around 1.7 million lives in 2019, according to a new study.Particle pollution has improved in 139 out of 193 countries. The largest increases were seen in Europe and North America, while declines were smaller across Africa and Asia.Breathable particle pollution outdoors caused an estimated 3.8 million premature deaths in 1990. By 2019, this number had increased to 5.1 million. If the population grows and particle pollution remains at current levels, the global death toll from air pollution is projected to exceed 10 million per year by 2050.Dr Chris Murray from the University…

A large-scale genetic study has uncovered a surprisingly common recessive cause of neurodevelopmental disorders, revealing how hidden changes in small RNA genes can disrupt brain development and open new avenues for diagnosis and family counseling. Research: Biallelic mutations in RNU2-2 cause the most common recessive neurodevelopmental disorder known. Image credit: Lightspring / Shutterstock In a recent study published in natural geneticsA group of researchers identified and characterized a recessive neurodevelopmental disorder caused by biallelic mutations in the RNU2-2 gene and investigated its clinical and molecular features. background Neurodevelopmental disorders affect millions of children worldwide and often lead to lifelong cognitive,…

A multidisciplinary panel of experts says plain, unsweetened yogurt can be introduced from six months of age as part of a complementary diet, providing useful nutrients and live microorganisms, while helping to debunk common myths about dairy products in infants. Review: Yogurt in infant nutrition: answers to frequently asked questions. Image credit: Dombrovschi Natalia / Shutterstock A recent expert panel special article published in Archivos Argentinos de Pediatría provides a multidisciplinary, evidence-based overview of yogurt in infant nutrition. Based on insights from a multidisciplinary panel including pediatricians, nutritionists, pediatric gastroenterologists, psychiatrists, and microbiologists, this review highlights that yogurt is a…

Researchers at Cornell University are using technology in the form of mirrored robots to bring people together. Members of the Architectural Robotics Institute, led by Keith Evan Green, have created a four-foot-tall robot called Mirrorbot. Mirrorbot is equipped with two mirrors that, when placed in front of a pair of strangers, allows each participant to see themselves in one mirror and the other person in the other mirror. In a study with participants in a waiting room environment, Mirrorbot facilitated conversations, playful exchanges, and other interactions between strangers. The findings suggest that robots can function not only as conversation partners…

The water-to-land transition is one of the most important events in vertebrate evolution, giving rise to two major groups of modern terrestrial vertebrates, amniotes and amphibians, which occupy markedly different ecological niches. Currently, aquatic amphibians are diversified, but their body sizes are limited to small ones, ranging from 0.03 to 10,800 grams. This limitation may be due to constraints imposed by the respiratory system, which is characterized by cutaneous gas exchange and buccal pumping (i.e., use of the oral cavity) for pulmonary ventilation. While these modes of breathing are efficient in water, they are less efficient in air due to…

Fast fashion provides an affordable way to cater to children who quickly outgrow clothes. However, new and early research suggests that some of these clothing may contain lead, a dangerous substance. After analyzing shirts from multiple retailers, undergraduate researchers found that all products tested exceeded U.S. federal safety standards for lead. Their findings also suggest that even brief chewing of these doughs (something young children often do) can expose children to dangerous levels. The results were presented at the American Chemical Society (ACS) Spring Meeting. Why researchers started studying lead in clothing Camila Devers, who led the project, became interested…

Men prescribed semaglutide for obesity saw a dramatic reduction in alcohol consumption over 10 months, adding new real-world evidence to the idea that GLP-1 drugs can help curb alcohol cravings and highlighting the need for better screening in primary care. Case study: The role of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in promoting meaningful improvement in alcohol use disorder. Image credit: Love Employee / Shutterstock In a recent study published in Primary Care and Community Health Journalresearchers detail a 10-month case report of a 34-year-old man with comorbid class 2 obesity and alcohol use disorder (AUD). This case study revealed that after…

Salt has been used as a seasoning and food preservative for thousands of years, but when consumed in excess, it can cause a variety of illnesses, including high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and kidney disease. Excessive salt intake is also known to accelerate cognitive decline. To avoid an increased chance of developing such diseases due to excessive salt intake, the WHO recommends that adults consume no more than 5 grams of salt per day. Salt added to food after cooking accounts for 6-20% of total salt intake. Behavior is known to vary by sociodemographic group, but given different cultural and…

A large-scale new genetic analysis reveals that the biological characteristics underlying autism risk are the same among people of different ancestral backgrounds. By testing the DNA of thousands of Latin Americans, researchers have shown that the rare genetic changes associated with autism occur in the exact same genes across different populations. The results were published in a magazine natural medicinepoints to a universal genetic basis for autism and emphasizes the need for more comprehensive medical testing. Over the past decade, researchers have identified dozens of genetic variations that increase the likelihood of developing autism. These mutations tend to appear in…