Author: healthadmin

An innovative new study from UCSF’s Neuroscape Research Center and consumer electronics giant Samsung aims to understand decade-to-decade changes in brain health. The Neuroscape Technology for Aging Health – Digital Approaches (TAH-DA) longitudinal study aims to use Samsung’s wearable technology to identify biometric predictors of cognitive decline over a one-year period. Samsung collaborates with leading institutions to foster innovation and innovative health research, exploring new health technologies and new norms of health. The TAH-DA study is another example of Samsung’s commitment to understanding the unique relationship between the brain and health. This research is part of Samsung’s Open Innovation Initiative,…

Researchers at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have identified six genetic signatures in microscopic colorectal cancer (CRC) liver metastases that may help predict recurrence after treatment. This finding suggests that these small, often undetectable tumor deposits may serve as tissue-based markers of residual cancer cells, recurrence risk, and chemotherapy resistance. Published today is cancer cellsa comprehensive spatial analysis of CRC metastases used advanced genomic techniques to uncover insights into how micrometastases evolve, evade the immune system, and persist after treatment. The study was co-led by Dipen Mal, MD, professor of anatomic pathology. Scott Kopetz, MD, Professor of…

Researchers at the University of Gothenburg have identified a key protein that allows the virus that causes genital herpes to enter the nervous system. The findings, made in experiments on mice, could pave the way for future vaccines against the disease. Genital herpes is primarily transmitted through sexual contact and is one of the most common viral infections in the world. The HSV-2 virus establishes a lifelong infection by entering nerve cells, where it remains dormant for long periods and later reactivates. Many people who carry the virus do not experience any noticeable symptoms, but some people experience recurring symptoms…

Anxiety disorders affect more than 300 million people worldwide. Several brain regions are thought to be associated with anxiety, but little is known about how these regions are related. By investigating these connections, scientists at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital revealed that epinephrine-producing C1 neurons are regulators of fear and anxiety in mice. They found that although the activity of these neurons typically increases briefly during times of stress, prolonged activity increases anxiety, which can last for days. Inhibiting C1 neurons reduced anxiety-like behavior, suggesting that these neurons may be worth investigating as therapeutic targets for anxiety disorders. The survey…

Cancer, a disease that claims more than 26,000 lives every day, faces physical, mental and economic toll on millions of people, according to a report released today by the World Health Organization (WHO). Cancer remains the second leading cause of death worldwide after cardiovascular disease, with an estimated 20.6 million new infections and nearly 10 million deaths annually. Reversing this trend will require a fundamental shift to a human-centered approach that responds to the health needs and lived experiences of affected people and communities. Without urgent action, the number of annual cancer cases is projected to rise to nearly 35…

New York City is suing several major chemical companies for contaminating the environment with PFAS, commonly known as forever chemicals.In a lawsuit filed Thursday, New York Attorney General Letitia James accuses major chemical companies, including DuPont de Nemours and 3M, of knowingly and permanently contaminating the state’s environment with chemicals linked to health problems such as cancer and birth defects. The lawsuit alleges that the manufacturer misled the public by making consumer products containing PFAS and failing to warn the public about the risks. The state is seeking a court order to stop selling products containing PFAS without warning labels…

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, New York University, and the University of Pennsylvania’s Linguistic Data Consortium have received a two-year, $4 million grant from the Wellcome Trust to develop a scalable, AI-powered platform to train mental health clinicians. STELLAR (Steering-Vector Enhanced LLM Agents for Realistic Digital Twins in Mental Health) creates virtual patients, known as “digital twins,” in the form of AI-driven simulations that allow trainees to practice clinical interviews with patient profiles that can precisely adjust for psychiatric symptoms. One of the challenges in educating mental health clinicians is preparing trainees for the complexities of real-world clinical conversations,…

Ruthia He, founder and former CEO of telehealth startup Done Global, was sentenced Tuesday to six years in prison and a $1 million fine in connection with the Adderall fraud scheme. He was found guilty in November of conspiring to distribute Adderall and other stimulants online, along with a former top doctor at a telemedicine company. A San Francisco jury found He and the company’s former clinical president, David Brody, guilty of two counts of conspiracy (one related to health care fraud) and four counts of distribution of a controlled substance. He was also convicted of conspiracy to obstruct justice.…

The type and amount of toys available in a home may reflect more than just a family’s purchasing habits. Having a large variety of toys in the home is associated with infants’ advanced interaction skills and early language development. These behavioral patterns were recently detailed in a study published in the Journal of Experimental Child Psychology. Interactions in early childhood shape how the brain develops during adulthood. Everyday objects and playthings become tools that parents use to interact with their young children. These tools range from items that encourage formal learning, such as books and shape sorters, to objects that…

A new study from the University of Southern California’s Schaefer Center for Health Policy and Economics finds that Medicare prescriptions for Wegobee have skyrocketed since the program began covering the anti-obesity drug to prevent heart disease, but only for a fraction of beneficiaries who would be eligible for the treatment. Medicare covers GLP-1 for type 2 diabetes, but is prohibited from paying for obesity drugs. However, in March 2024, Medicare clarified that health plans administering Part D benefits may cover Wegovy to reduce the risk of heart complications for beneficiaries with obesity or heart disease, after the U.S. Food and…