Author: healthadmin
Scientists have discovered that the magma chamber associated with the largest volcanic eruption of the Holocene is filling up again. The discovery, led by Kobe University researchers studying Japan’s Kikai caldera, provides new insights into how large caldera systems such as Yellowstone and Toba evolve over time, and could help improve predictions of future eruptions. Some volcanic eruptions are so extreme that they release enough magma to bury the entirety of Central Park within a 7-mile radius. After such an event, the landscape collapses into a wide, relatively shallow crater known as a caldera. Famous examples include Yellowstone in the…
People who do just a few minutes of vigorous exercise each day are less likely to develop eight major diseases, including arthritis, heart disease, and dementia, according to a study published in . european heart journal Today (Monday). Researchers conducted a detailed study of nearly 96,000 people, comparing their overall activity level and amount of strenuous activity, and their subsequent risk of eight major diseases. Researchers have found that even short bursts of more intense exercise, such as running for the bus, can lower your overall risk of illness and death, and are particularly effective against inflammatory diseases such as…
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…