Two Pembrolizumab Trials in Head and Neck Cancer Yield Divergent Results
Two first-line trials involving pembrolizumab (Keytruda)-based combinations for the treatment of recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) delivered mixed results. While first-line pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib (Lenvima) significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) and overall response rate (ORR) compared with pembrolizumab alone in patients with recurrent or metastatic HNSCC with PD-L1 combined positive […]
CDC: Fentanyl Overdose Deaths Increased 279% Over Recent Years
Drug overdose death rates involving fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine increased from 2016 through 2021, CDC researchers said. The age-adjusted overdose death rate involving fentanyl rose by 279%, from 5.7 per 100,000 standard population in 2016 to 21.6 per 100,000 in 2021, reported Merianne Rose Spencer, MPH, an epidemiologist in the Division of Analysis and Epidemiology […]
Texas Mifepristone Case Could Lead to Other Drug Approval Lawsuits, Experts Say
As the nation awaits the final outcome of two federal cases — one in Texas and one in Washington state — involving the abortion drug mifepristone (Mifeprex), legal observers are raising the possibility that the Texas case could have repercussions beyond that single drug. “As monumental as the effects will be for abortion and miscarriage […]
Serotonin 2C receptor associated with obesity and maladaptive behavior
A collaborative study involving Baylor College of Medicine, the University of Cambridge and the University of Exeter Medical School reveals a new gene associated with obesity and maladaptive behavior. The evidence shows that rare mutations in the gene for the serotonin 2C receptor play a role in the development of obesity and dysfunctional behaviors in […]
Do our genes determine what we eat? Study could pave the way to personalized nutrition guidance based on our taste perception
Preliminary findings from a new study involving more than 6,000 adults found that taste-related genes may play a role in determining food choices and could, in turn, influence cardiometabolic health. It is one of the first studies to examine how the genetics tied to perception for all five tastes — sweet, salt, sour, bitter, and […]
Amygdala changes in individuals with autism linked to anxiety: Study supports existence of autism-specific types of anxiety
A long-term study involving hundreds of brain scans finds changes in the amygdala linked to the development of anxiety in autistic children. The study by UC Davis MIND Institute researchers also provides evidence of distinct types of anxiety specific to autism. The work was published in Biological Psychiatry. “I believe this is the first study […]
Naloxone Rebound Akathisia: It Could Turn on You
Overdose deaths involving opioids, including prescription opioids, heroin, and synthetic opioids (like fentanyl), have increased over six times since 1999 and have soared nearly 30% in 2020. Before the coronavirus pandemic, the nation was struggling with escalating drug overdose deaths. Now, there are some who are convinced that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to further […]
Body size, digestive systems shape ungulate foraging
Research led by a University of Wyoming graduate student involving about 50 scientists from across the globe has provided new insights into the behavior of ungulates (hoofed animals) as it relates to forage conditions and water availability. Saeideh Esmaeili, who graduated from UW’s Program in Ecology in December 2020 and is now a postdoctoral assistant […]