Other Notable Health Studies & Research From May 20-22, 2022 -

There are dozens of studies, innovations, and research findings released everyday by institutions and clinics across the world. Here’s a look at some of the other notable health reports from May 20-22.

Journal of Parkinson’s Disease Welcomes New Co-Editor-in-Chief Lorraine V. Kalia, MD, PhD, FRCPC
A globally recognized authority on Parkinson’s disease, Lorraine V. Kalia, MD, PhD, FRCPC, is an Associate Professor and Clinician Scientist in the Division of Neurology at the University of Toronto and a Senior Scientist at the Krembil Research Institute of the University Health Network.

Deciphering the biosynthetic gene cluster for potent freshwater toxin
Scientists from Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego, the University of São Paulo and UC Santa Cruz collaborated to discover and validate the enzymes responsible for the production ofone of the most toxic and fast-acting neurotoxins associated with freshwater harmful algal blooms in lakes and ponds.

Resolution Time of COVID Vaccine-Related Lymphadenopathy
According to ARRS’ American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR), axillary lymphadenopathy detected by breast ultrasound after COVID-19 mRNA vaccination lasts longer than reported in initial vaccine clinical trials.

New Guidance Released for Preventing Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia
In the second in series of updates on guidance for infection control in acute-care hospitals, five medical organizations are recommending best practices for preventing hospital-associated pneumonia.

ZBP1 links interferon treatment and dangerous inflammatory cell death during COVID-19
Scientists from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have shown that the innate immune sensor, ZBP1, and its associated inflammatory cell death pathway, PANoptosis, are major contributors to the negative effects of interferon treatment and high interferon levels in some COVID-19 patients.

Scientists smash lethal bacteria that acts like a hammer
New research from The Australian National University (ANU) could lead to better treatment options for a rare but very lethal type of bacterial infection.

New research shows no evidence of structural brain change with short-term mindfulness training
In new research, a team from the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, led by Richard J. Davidson, found no evidence of structural brain changes with short-term mindfulness training.

Children who play adventurously have better mental health, research finds
Children who spend more time playing adventurously have lower symptoms of anxiety and depression, and were happier over the first Covid-19 lockdown, according to new research.

Research Sheds Light on Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Disease Process
Army scientists determined that the body’s own natural immune response contributes to disease severity in mice infected with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), which causes a widespread tick-borne viral infection in humans.

Haywire T cells attack protein in “bad” cholesterol
LJI research reveals how aggressive T cells can make heart disease even worse.

PFAS chemicals do not last forever
Once dubbed “forever chemicals,” per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, might be in the market for a new nickname.

A pioneering study discovers an underlying cause for infantile spasms and points to a novel therapy
A groundbreaking study, conducted in the laboratory of Dr. John Swann, director of the Gordon and Mary Cain Pediatric Neurology Research Foundation labs, investigator at the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s Hospital and professor at Baylor College of Medicine, has found that the levels of insulin growth factor -1 (IGF-1) and its downstream signaling are reduced in the brains of both IS patients and animal models.

UNC-Chapel Hill receives $65M from NIH for antiviral drug development center
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health awarded the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health a $65 million grant establishing an Antiviral Drug Discovery Center to develop oral antivirals that can combat pandemic-level viruses like COVID-19.

Sleep Research Society announces 2022 award
The Sleep Research Society has selected three sleep and circadian scientists and a public health advocate as recipients of the 2022 SRS Awards, which recognize excellence in sleep and circadian research and advocacy.

Sleep societies announce 2022 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Leadership Award recipients
Sleep medicine professors and researchers Chandra Jackson and Girardin Jean-Louis are the recipients of the 2022 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Leadership Award from the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC, a joint initiative of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society.

American Academy of Sleep Medicine announces 2022 award recipients
Four members of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine have been selected as the 2022 AASM award recipients for their contributions to the field of sleep medicine.

Scientists gain ground on rare congenital neurological disorder
Two recent discoveries co-led by scientists at Cedars-Sinai may help lead to new ways to treat patients with Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome (AHDS), a brain development disorder that causes severe intellectual disability and problems with movement.

DNA contained in honey reveals honeybee health
Researchers from the B.S.R.C. “Alexander Fleming” in Greece have optimized a method to characterize DNA traces in honey, revealing the species that honeybees interact with.

University of Limerick research reveals variety of opinions are crucial for ‘fostering trust’ in vaccination
Groundbreaking new University of Limerick research analysing global vaccine hesitancy has revealed that expressions of doubt are essential for promoting trust in vaccines.

Novel preclinical drug could have potential to combat depression, brain injury and cognitive disorders
James Bibb, Ph.D., and colleagues have described a novel preclinical drug that could have the potential to combat depression, brain injury and diseases that impair cognition.

Study identifies new molecular target for cancer therapy
Researchers with The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) have identified a new molecular drug target that could result in new cancer drugs with fewer side effects.

Risk Factors Identified for Autoimmune Hepatitis After Liver Transplant
A multicenter study performed by a large international consortium that includes UT Southwestern has outlined a set of risk factors and outcomes for patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) that recurs after liver transplantation.

Killer T vs. memory – DNA isn’t destiny for T cells
Scientists from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital uncovered how one type of T cell creates two genetically identical, but functionally different, daughter cells.

Study Finds Higher Excess Deaths During Omicron Period Compared to Delta Period in Massachusetts
A new study in JAMA compares excess deaths during the pandemic period when the Delta variant dominated (June 28, 2021-December 5, 2021), during the transition from Delta to the Omicron variant (December 6-26, 2021) and when Omicron dominated (December 27, 2021-February 20, 2022) in Massachusetts.

Incidence and Progression of Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease After Medical Therapy for Alcohol Use Disorder
In this cohort study of 9635 patients with AUD, those who received medical addiction therapy had a significantly lower risk of developing ALD, whereas patients with cirrhosis who received medical addiction therapy had a significantly lower incidence of hepatic decompensation.

Assessment of Bias in Patient Safety Reporting Systems Categorized by Physician Gender, Race and Ethnicity, and Faculty Rank
In this qualitative study of 401 patient safety reports, physicians who were female or members of racial and ethnic minority groups were more likely to be reported for low-severity communication issues compared with their male and White counterparts, respectively.

Trends in Medical Debt During the COVID-19 Pandemic
In the US, with millions of COVID-19 hospitalizations, considerable job losses, and corresponding losses in employer-sponsored health insurance, the COVID-19 pandemic has raised concerns about a substantial increase in medical debt.

Johns Hopkins neuroscientists find brain mechanism tied to age-related memory loss
Working with rats, neuroscientists at Johns Hopkins University have pinpointed a mechanism in the brain responsible for a common type of age-related memory loss.

Climate change likely to reduce the amount of sleep that people get per year
In a study published May 20th in the journal One Earth, investigators report that increasing ambient temperatures negatively impact human sleep around the globe.

Study: App More Accurate Than Patient Evaluation of Stool Samples
An innovative mobile phone application was found to be as good as expert gastroenterologists at characterizing stool specimens, according to a study by Cedars-Sinai.

Peptide created by Brazilian group delays melanoma growth in animal trials
An article published in Scientific Reports describes a study demonstrating the effectiveness of a peptide developed by Brazilian scientists, called Rb4, to combat cancer progression in an animal model, especially malignant melanoma.

Machine learning radically reduces workload of cell counting for disease diagnosis
The use of machine learning to perform blood cell counts for diagnosis of disease instead of expensive and often less accurate cell analyzer machines has nevertheless been very labor-intensive as it takes an enormous amount of manual annotation work by humans in the training of the machine learning model. However, researchers at Benihang University have developed a new training method that automates much of this activity.

Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center Researchers Receive Price Family Foundation Health Equity Research Awards
The National Cancer Institute-designated Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center (MECC) has partnered with the Price Family Foundation to fund eight research teams developing novel cancer therapies and improving cancer outcomes for historically marginalized communities in the Bronx.

Insomnia in midlife may manifest as cognitive problems in retirement age
The Helsinki Health Study at the University of Helsinki investigated the development of insomnia symptoms in midlife and their effects on memory, learning ability and concentration after retirement.

Long Term Use of Clopidogrel Monotherapy Associated With Lower Patient Risk Compared to Aspirin Monotherapy
Results from a real-world study investigating safety and effectiveness of clopidogrel versus aspirin monotherapy beyond 12 months after PCI in high-risk patients during the chronic maintenance period.

Progress CTO—International Chronic Total Occlusion Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Registry Finds Increasing Procedural Success
A new analysis of PROGRESS-CTO (PROspective Global REgiStry for the Study of Chronic Total Occlusion Intervention; www.progresscto.org), an international multi-center registry of chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), was presented today as late-breaking clinical research at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) 2022 Scientific Sessions.

No-Implant Interatrial Shunt Device to Treat Heart Failure Patients Reveals Promising Multi-Center Clinical Data
Results from early clinical evaluation of the Alleviant System to treat heart failure patients with preserved and reduced ejection fraction (HFpEF and HFrEF) was presented today as late-breaking clinical research at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) 2022 Scientific Sessions.

New Long-Term Data of Paclitaxel Devices Continues to Show No Increased Mortality Compared to Non-Drug Coated Devices
New long-term data from the Safety Assessment of Femoropopliteal Endovascular Treatment With PAclitaxel-coated Devices (SAFE-PAD) study were presented today as late-breaking clinical research at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) 2022 Scientific Sessions.

Uncovering new details of the brain’s first line of defense
Researchers report in unprecedented detail how some of the brain’s immune cells develop, and how to distinguish them from other cells.

National ‘Acuity Circles’ Policy Leads to Delays in Liver Donor Procurements, According to New Miller School Study
A national policy change to facilitate the broader sharing of donor livers through “acuity circles” has resulted in procurement delays, according to a researcher at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

Award for meta-analysis on the relationship between job stressors and burnout
Dr. Christina Guthier and Professor Christian Dormann of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) together with Professor Manuel Völkle of Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin have won the 2022 Schmidt-Hunter Meta-Analysis Award for their work on the reciprocal relationship between job stressors and burnout.

New research challenges established ideas about infant crying
Research project at Aarhus University provides a new understanding of what can be defined as normal and excessive crying among infants, says associate professor.

Cancer vulnerabilities could get exposed by ‘game changing’ method
Research from University of Copenhagen shows that a new method called ‘Deep Visual Proteomics’ may be able to help doctors get closer to an answer and expose cancer tumor’s vulnerabilities.

Study Links Thalamus Inhibition in Adolescence to Long-lasting Cortical Abnormalities
A team of Columbia University researchers has reported new evidence that cognitive abnormalities seen in neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia may be traceable to altered activity in the thalamus during adolescence, a time window of heightened vulnerability for schizophrenia.

Children with same-sex parents are socially well-adjusted
A study by Dr Mirjam Fischer and colleagues at the University of Cologne’s Institute of Sociology and Social Psychology (ISS) shows that children and adolescents with same-sex parents are just as well adjusted as those with different-sex parents.

Virtual immune system roadmap unveiled
An article published May 20 in Nature Digital Medicine provides a step-by-step plan for an international effort to create a digital twin of the human immune system.

Venous thromboembolism: Less recurrencies with low-dose apixaban compared to discontinuation of the anticoagulant after negative D-dimer
Patients who have suffered from a first episode of unprovoked venous thromboembolism (VTE) have an eight times higher risk of recurrence if they stop treatment after repeated negative D-dimer tests, instead of continuing with low-dose anticoagulant (apixaban).

Researchers highlight crisis in dental care for people with severe mental illness
People with severe mental illnesses are falling through the cracks when it comes to oral health care, according to new research.

Birmingham research brings hope for spinal cord injury treatment
Scientists from the University of Birmingham have shown an existing drug may reduce damage after spinal cord injury, by blocking the inflammatory response in the spinal cord.

Neuromorphic Memory Device Simulates Neurons and Synapses
Researchers have reported a nano-sized neuromorphic memory device that emulates neurons and synapses simultaneously in a unit cell, another step toward completing the goal of neuromorphic computing designed to rigorously mimic the human brain with semiconductor devices.

Medicinal cannabis shown to reduce pain and need for opiate painkillers among cancer patients
A comprehensive assessment of the benefits of medical cannabis for cancer-related pain found that for most oncology patients, pain measures improved significantly, other cancer-related symptoms also decreased, the consumption of painkillers was reduced, and the side effects were minimal.

Biocompatible binary hologram with drug-elution capabilities
In a new paper published in Light: Advanced Manufacturing, a team of scientists, led by Professor Gleb Sukhorukov from Laboratory of Remote Controlled Biomaterials, V. Zelman Center for Neurobiology and Brain Rehabilitation, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow and co-workers have developed a new manufacturing routine for an application of binary amplitude-only holograms.

Prehistoric faeces reveal parasites from feasting at Stonehenge
A new analysis of ancient faeces found at the site of a prehistoric village near Stonehenge has uncovered evidence of the eggs of parasitic worms, suggesting the inhabitants feasted on the internal organs of cattle and fed leftovers to their dogs.

The Lancet: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) responsible for more than 100,000 deaths worldwide in children under five in 2019
A new study published in The Lancet estimates that RSV-attributable acute lower respiratory infection was responsible for more than 100,000 deaths in children under five across the globe in 2019.

Watch and wait strategy could be better than emergency surgery for patients with severe levels of frailty, says study
New research published in Anaesthesia (a journal of the Association of Anaesthetists) shows that for patients who are very frail, it may be better to adopt a ‘watch and wait’ approach rather than proceeding to emergency surgery for five common medical emergencies.

UCalgary study finds probiotic supplement helps to form a mature microbiome in extremely preterm infants
University of Calgary researchers have shown probiotic supplements can help form a healthy microbiome in the gut of the tiniest infants who are born without a fully formed gut microbiome.

How Have Changes in Anemia Care Affected Patients with Kidney Failure?
A recent study published in CJASN has investigated how 2011 changes to anemia care have impacted clinical outcomes among patients with kidney failure who are receiving hemodialysis.

Should all chemosensory modalities be unified into a single sense?
A new paper published in The Quarterly Review of Biology, entitled “Taste and Smell: A Unifying Chemosensory Theory,” proposes the unification of all chemosensory modalities into a single sense, moving toward an interconnected perspective on the gradual processes by which a wide variety of chemicals have become signals that are crucially important to communication among and within cells, organs, and organisms in a wide variety of environmental conditions.

Within U.S., exporting electricity imports about 700 premature deaths annually, Stanford study finds
About 92% of the health damages linked to U.S. power production that year – and probably still – occurred within the states and regions where the power was both generated and used, the researchers found, but large discrepancies exist within that national total.

Dietary cholesterol worsens inflammation, sickness in mice with influenza
New research from the University of Illinois suggests high levels of dietary cholesterol make mice sicker when infected with influenza.

Milk and water most efficient vehicles for absorbing vitamin D, study finds
According to a new study that will be presented today (Saturday 21 May at 12:00 noon CEST) at the 24th European Congress of Endocrinology in Milan, Italy on vitamin D food fortification working better with water and milk than in juice. By measuring the maximum concentration over time, the researchers found bioavailability of vitamin D to be higher in milk and water.

Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy has a positive impact on well-being
New evidence shows that people who have undergone Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy report high grades of satisfaction with both the physical and psychological effects. A new study on this topic, carried out by researchers in Portugal, will be presented today (21 May 2022) at the 24th European Congress of Endocrinology in Milan, Italy.

Effects of COVID-19 contamination on the thyroid gland are still present after one year, study finds
European Society of Endocrinology Starling House, 1600 Bristol Parkway North, Bristol, BS34 8YU, UK Tel +44 1454 642247 [email protected] www.ese-hormones.org President Martin Reincke Munich, Germany. President-elect Jérôme Bertherat Paris, France. Secretary Mónica Marazuela Madrid, Spain. Treasurer Djuro Macut Belgrade, Serbia.

Speech analysis app predicts worsening heart failure before symptom onset
A voice analysis app used by heart failure patients at home recognises fluid in the lungs three weeks before an unplanned hospitalisation or escalation in outpatient drug treatment.

Cannabis Users Require More Sedation for Endoscopy
Patients who use cannabis required higher levels of sedation during gastric endoscopies than non-users, according to research to be presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2022.

Air pollution linked to deadly heart rhythm disorder
Life-threatening arrhythmias are more common on days with highly polluted air, according to research presented today at Heart Failure 2022, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).

Being unmarried is associated with a higher risk of death in heart failure patients
Unmarried heart failure patients appear less confident in managing their condition and more socially limited compared to their married counterparts, according to research presented today at Heart Failure 2022, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).

Ingestible sensor-enabled Truvada®, taken as pre-exposure prophylaxis against HIV infection, identifies patterns of medication taking that may lead to risk of prophylactic failure in near real-time.
Research from the University of California released in Clinical Infectious Diseases demonstrates that ingestible sensor-enabled Truvada®, taken as pre-exposure prophylaxis to prevent HIV infection (PrEP), can reveal patterns of medication taking behavior that may put persons at risk of prophylactic failure.

Alcohol may be more risky to the heart than previously thought
Levels of alcohol consumption currently considered safe by some countries are linked with development of heart failure, according to research presented at Heart Failure 2022, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).

Liver transplants from drug overdose deaths rose sharply during COVID-19 pandemic
Liver transplants from drug overdose donors rose significantly in the pandemic’s first year, helping keep the number of liver transplants in the U.S. stable despite COVID-19 disruptions, according to a study to be presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2022.

Taste buds can adapt to low salt diet
A taste adaptation intervention lowers salt intake and increases enjoyment of a sodium restricted diet in patients with hypertension, according to a small study presented at ACNAP-EuroHeartCare Congress 2022, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).

SCAI Announces Early Career Research Grants
Today during the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) 2022 Scientific Sessions in Atlanta, SCAI President Sunil V. Rao, MD, FSCAI, announced the establishment of the SCAI Early Career Research Grants.