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WHO warns of ‘perfect storm’ for Ebola in eastern Congo

The emergencies chief for the World Health Organization says insecurity, public defiance about vaccinations and political jockeying could create a “perfect storm” leading Congo’s latest Ebola outbreak to spread. Dr. Peter Salama says the response is at a “critical juncture” in eastern North Kivu province, where the outbreak was declared nearly two months ago. Health

Net Benefit of Anticoagulants for A-Fib Varies With Stroke Rate

MONDAY, Sept. 24, 2018 — There is variation in the net clinical benefit of anticoagulants based on variation in published atrial fibrillation (AF) stroke rates, according to a study published online Sept. 25 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Sachin J. Shah, M.D., M.P.H., from the University of California in San Francisco, and colleagues examined

How the smell of disease can affect healthy people

Disease and infection can alter bodily odor. This mechanism is an important tool, albeit one that we are not usually aware of, in guiding social interactions self-preservation mechanisms. If we can “sense” that a stranger on the bus has a cold, we may instinctively avoid sitting down next to them. Previous research has shown that

Eight of ten people with cancer risk genes don’t know it

Genomic screening of more than 50,000 people shows that more than 80% of those who carry an identifiable genetic risk for breast, ovarian, prostate, and pancreatic cancer don’t know it despite frequent interaction with the healthcare system. The findings were published Sept. 21 in the journal JAMA Network Open. In the absence of routine screening,

The BMJ questions transparency of information surrounding safety of Pandemrix vaccine

An investigation published by The BMJ today raises fundamental questions about the transparency of information surrounding the safety of GlaxoSmithKline’s Pandemrix vaccine used in 2009-2010. Eight years after the 2009 H1N1 “swine flu” outbreak, new information is emerging of a striking difference in the number and frequency of adverse events reported for three GSK pandemic

Ovary removal may increase risk of chronic kidney disease

Premenopausal women who have their ovaries surgically removed face an increased risk of developing chronic kidney disease, according to a Mayo Clinic study published on Wednesday, Sept. 19, in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. “This is the first study that has shown an important link between estrogen deprivation in younger women

Geographic disparities seen in distribution of dermatologists

(HealthDay)—There are substantial disparities in the geographic distribution of dermatologists that are worsening with time, according to a study published online Sept. 5 in JAMA Dermatology. Hao Feng, M.D., from New York University in New York City, and colleagues analyzed county-level data (1995 to 2013) from the Area Health Resources File to evaluate the longitudinal

How to get rid of bat wings: The best exercises

Many people have excess fat and low muscle tone in the upper arms. A person may notice the skin in this area starting to wobble or droop. Some people refer to this as having “bat wings.” The main muscles in the upper arm are the triceps and biceps. The biceps are at the front of

Total of 43,371 new cases of HPV-associated cancers in 2015

(HealthDay)—A total of 43,371 new cases of human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cancers were reported in 2015, with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) being the most common HPV-associated cancer, according to research published in the Aug. 24 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Elizabeth A. Van Dyne, M.D.,

Opioids Often Prescribed in the Absence of Pain Diagnosis

TUESDAY, Sept. 11, 2018 — Many outpatient opioid prescriptions have no documented medical indication, according to a research letter published online Sept. 11 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Tisamarie B. Sherry, M.D., Ph.D., from the RAND Corporation in Boston, and colleagues examined the percentage of opioid prescriptions with a documented medical indication between 2006

Better understanding of how colon cancer develops and progresses

Researchers from the University of Luxembourg have discovered a molecular mechanism that is responsible for the spread of cancer cells in the body and the development of metastases in patients with colon cancer. Their findings could help to develop treatments that inhibit tumor growth. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is among the most prevalent cancer types worldwide,

Two for the price of one

Mononuclear phagocytes can both promote and inhibit inflammation. An LMU team has now shown that individual phagocytes in the central nervous system can play both roles, sequentially adopting different phenotypes with distinct functions. Mononuclear phagocytes, which recognize, engulf and digest damaged and infected cells, form an important arm of the innate immune system. However, they

What’s a dangerous level of blood pressure in pregnancy?

High blood pressure rates could nearly double in women of childbearing age if the latest guidelines are used, according to a new study. But researchers say more investigation is needed to see if those lower blood pressure targets in pregnant women are safe—or effective. The study, published Sept. 10 in the journal Hypertension, set out