Category: 8. Health
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Athletes have no reason to be concerned by their COVID-19 vaccine this winter but timing matters
Credit: CC0 Public Domain It is now almost a rule of thumb: As soon as an athlete falls to the ground with a sudden cardiac arrest, social media is awash with claims that COVID-19 vaccinations are to blame. This was the case with English footballer Charlie Wyke, cyclist Sonny Colbrelli and, most recently, with college…
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Liquid Metal Nanoparticles Used in Photoimmunotherapy
Liquid metals are a new type of material with unique properties. Pure gallium (Ga) and Ga-based alloys are one type of liquid metal used for immunotherapy in cancer treatment. The liquid metal nanoparticles help transition light energy into heat energy which kills the cancer cells. Phototherapy or light therapy is a type of treatment used…
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Intranasal Vaccine for COVID-19 Establishes Protective Immunity
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, much of the world’s concern has subsided. Masks are not required anymore, distance restrictions are eliminated, and most institutions have gotten rid of their policies to reduce the spread of the disease. However, COVID-19 is still a threat, especially for those 65 years old or individuals with a compromised immune system.…
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NIH-funded study focuses on next-day effects of heavy drinking on young adults
Nausea, headaches and difficulty concentrating are just a few of the hangover symptoms that can besiege young adults who drink alcohol to excess. To gain a greater understanding of how heavy drinking impacts young adults, Ashley Linden-Carmichael, Penn State associate research professor of health and human development, is leading a two-year study funded by a…
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Suicide rates continue to rise among Americans
The mental health crisis hitting Americans shows no sign of abating, with provisional numbers for 2022 showing suicides rose by another 2.6% last year. That follows on an overall 5% increase in suicides in 2021, noted officials at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which on Thursday released the early data for 2022.…
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Should you take the new weight-loss drugs?
How safe are the new semaglutide drugs that help with weight loss? A UVA cardiologist gives his take. Credit: Emily Faith Morgan, University Communications The headlines surrounding a new class of weight-loss drugs fluctuate like a patient stepping on and off a scale. The medications, based on the drug semaglutide, are celebrated as a miracle…
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When facing language barriers, having the same home health nurse improves outcomes
Credit: CC0 Public Domain After a hospitalization, home health care enables patients to recover where they feel most comfortable: in their own home. Nurses visit patients there to provide care with the goal of keeping them at home, given that hospital readmissions cost the U.S. health care system more than $41 billion each year. A…
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Social network, food patterns and physical activity influence obesity in rural Brazilian adolescents
Credit: CC0 Public Domain A new study in Northeast Brazil sheds light on the role of social networks, food patterns, and physical activity in contributing to overweight/obesity among adolescents in rural areas. The research, published in the journal Nutrients, provides important insights into the factors influencing the growing incidence of obesity in this demographic. ……
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Tiny particles made from red blood cells may treat atherosclerosis and other diseases
Atherosclerosis is a disease in which fat, cholesterol, and other substances build up inside artery walls. This can lead to plaque formation, which can block arteries and cause heart attacks and strokes. Immune cells play a key role in cleaning the blood, by interacting with red blood cell extracellular vesicles (RBCEVs), which are nano-sized particles…
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Kim Kardashian Promotes $2,500 Body Scan—Here’s What To Know And Why Some Experts Warn Against It
Topline Billionaire Kim Kardashian promoted the use of a Prenuvo scan Wednesday—a preventive full-body scan not covered by insurance—as “life-saving”, but medical experts have recommended against the practice over the cost and inaccessibility of the MRI-like scans to the broader public. Some experts caution against the scans—brought into the mainstream by celebrities like Kardashian—as ……