A recent scientific survey conducted by DermTech, Inc. identified a number of alarming trends concerning the sun exposure habits and skin health knowledge of millennials and Gen Xers. The survey’s findings emphasize the need for increased education on skin cancer risks and the importance of preventative measures. To address the need for further education in …
Hormone Could Be Key to Accelerated Sobering and Recovery from Alcohol Poisoning
For thousands of years, people have been searching for an antidote to consuming too much alcohol — an intervention that could accelerate the sobering process. Ancient Greeks drank from amethyst chalices because they believed it would help reduce drunkenness. People continue to use modern remedies, such as coffee, cold showers, and food. Although these may …
Can the Brain Heal the Body? Research Examines the Possibilities
Scientists have been exploring the mind-body connection for centuries. Current investigations are examining how the brain affects the body’s immune responses. Gaining a better understanding of the mechanisms at work could allow physicians to leverage the mind’s influence to improve healing. For example, this knowledge could be used to enhance the placebo effect, target cancers, …
Can Species-Spanning Studies Inform Women’s Health?
Can adaptations observed in female animals be used to inspire solutions to unmet women’s health challenges? Research suggests that this approach, known as bio-inspired medicine, may hold promise. Barbara Natterson-Horowitz, cardiologist and professor of medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, specializes in bio-inspired medicine and reported in Scientific American on how the emerging …
Do Obesogens Cause Obesity?
For years, obesity and weight gain have been blamed on the “calorie concept”: the idea that obesity is caused by taking in more calories (through diet) than one burns off (through exercise). But as the obesity epidemic across the globe continues to grow — even as caloric consumption has stayed flat and, in some cases, …
Can We Reverse Aging by Targeting Old Cells?
James Kirkland and Tamara Tchkonia, researchers at the Mayo Clinic, are at the forefront of a movement focused on stopping chronic disease by targeting aging cells. These so-called “senescent” cells are cells that stop dividing but don’t die. They can build up in tissues due to damage, stress, or — most commonly — aging. And …
Harnessing the Power of Monoclonal Antibodies in the Fight Against Malaria
Monoclonal antibodies have been deployed to treat a variety of diseases, from cancer to COVID-19. Now this treatment approach, which doesn’t depend on the body’s ability to build immunity like vaccines do, is targeting malaria. In a Phase II clinical trial, a monoclonal antibody known as CIS43LS was found to be 88 percent effective in …
The Resurgence of Strep A and the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic
An unexpected increase in cases of streptococcal A (strep A) infection in the United Kingdom is troubling for families, healthcare practitioners, and researchers. Although strep A infections typically peak sometime in the spring and summer, the case counts continued to climb through the fall of 2022. The abnormal surge resulted in the deaths of 13 …
The Unlikely Role of Hops in the Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease
A team of Italian scientists from the University of Milan-Bicocca have recently discovered a possible use of hops, the flowers used to enhance both the aroma and flavor of beer, as a means of preventing the biological changes that eventually result in the onset of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Headed by Cristina Arioldi and Alessandro Palmioli, …
Costly, Life-Changing Type 1 Diabetes Drug Delays Disease, Receives FDA Approval
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved teplizumab-mzw (TZIELD™), a drug developed by New Jersey-based Provention Bio to delay the onset of type 1 diabetes (T1D). T1D, also known as insulin-dependent, juvenile, or childhood-onset diabetes, is marked by deficient insulin production and affects an estimated 8.4 million people globally. Teplizumab is the first and …
