Complete Responses in 100% of dMMR Rectal Cancer With Neoadjuvant PD-1 Inhibition
CHICAGO — Single-agent dostarlimab (Jemperli) led to complete responses in 100% of a small group of patients with locally advanced mismatch repair-deficient (dMMR) rectal cancer, allowing them to avoid surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, at least for the time being. All 14 patients followed for at least 6 months had clinical complete responses with no evidence […]
New gene identified in arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy
Researchers from the group of Eva van Rooij used advanced sequencing technology to better understand the heart disease arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, in which heart muscle tissue is replaced by fat cells. Using explanted human hearts, they found regions in which heart muscle was actively degenerated and identified a new gene, ZBTB11, that drives heart muscle cell […]
Rep. Cori Bush: Biden Should ‘Absolutely’ Say The Word ‘Abortion’ More
WASHINGTON ― As the Senate voted on safeguarding abortion rights Wednesday, a group of House Democrats were there urging their colleagues to vote yes. The Women’s Health Protection Act, which would have created federal protections for providing and accessing abortion services, failed along party lines ― with the exception of West Virginia’s Joe Manchin, the […]
Opinion | As a Fake Neuro Patient, I Got High-Quality Care
I was recently given the opportunity to act as a standardized neurology patient in a case simulation for a group of medical students. When I was in training, we often did simulations with mannequins, but since it is difficult for a mannequin to display subtle neurologic findings, having a neurology-trained doctor play the patient can […]
Scientific-Integrity Watchdog Slaps Lawsuit on Maker of Homeopathic Pills
A nonprofit scientific advocacy group sued Boiron last week for deceptively marketing its homeopathic products, legal documents show. The Center for Inquiry (CFI) filed the lawsuit Thursday against Boiron, a Pennsylvania-based manufacturer that sells homeopathic treatments, claiming that the company deceives customers about the nature and effectiveness of its products. The complaint alleges that Boiron […]
New knowledge on lymphoid cell maturity could lead to more effective IBD therapies
A research group at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden has analysed how certain immune cells known as innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) develop into mature cells that play a part in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The findings could pave the way for more effective treatments against IBD, a disease that causes considerable suffering and that is linked […]
Do older adults using statins have lower risk of developing Parkinsonism later? Study finds drug therapy associated with 16% lower risk
Parkinsonism is a term for a group of neurological conditions that cause movement problems including tremors, slowed movement and stiffness, with Parkinson’s disease being one of the better knowns causes. A new study suggests that older people taking statin drugs have a lower chance of developing parkinsonism later compared to people who were not taking […]
Unusual team finds gigantic planet hidden in plain sight: Gas giant is much closer to Earth than others like it
A UC Riverside astronomer and a group of eagle-eyed citizen scientists have discovered a giant gas planet hidden from view by typical stargazing tools. The planet, TOI-2180 b, has the same diameter as Jupiter, but is nearly three times more massive. Researchers also believe it contains 105 times the mass of Earth in elements heavier […]
Novel immune cell population may trigger inflammation in multiple sclerosis and other brain disorders
A group of immune cells that normally protect against inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract may have the opposite effect in multiple sclerosis (MS) and other brain inflammation-related conditions, according to a new study by Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian researchers. The results suggest that countering the activity of these cells could be a new therapeutic […]
Are Nurse Staffing Agencies Overcharging Hospitals?
A group of U.S. senators and representatives penned a letter to the COVID-19 Response Team and other agencies on Wednesday, urging them to investigate allegations of overpricing by nurse staffing agencies relied on to fill gaps in hospital staffing during the pandemic. In the letter, Sens. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and Bill Cassidy, MD (R-La.), and […]