New technique allows for identification of potential drugs to fight resistant bacteria
Researchers from the Miami University in Ohio have optimized a new technique that will allow scientists to evaluate how potential inhibitors work on antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This technique, called native state mass spectrometry, provides a quick way for scientists to identify the best candidates for effective clinical drugs, particularly in cases where bacteria can no longer […]
Opinion | ‘It’s Total Charlatanism’: What We Heard This Week
“It’s total charlatanism.” — Thomas Albini, MD, of the University of Miami in Florida, discussing eye injuries from unproven stem cell treatments claiming to treat eye and neurological conditions. “To see something like this in my lifetime is pretty impressive.” — Carel Le Roux, PhD, of University College Dublin in Ireland, on how investigational retatrutide […]
Injections Go Head to Head With Surgery for Peyronie’s Disease
MIAMI — Men receiving collagenase clostridium histolyticum (CCH; Xiaflex) injections for Peyronie’s disease had similar levels of overall satisfaction to surgery, and with fewer adverse effects, but they also experienced less curvature correction, a small randomized trial found. All 40 patients in the randomized study received traction and sildenafil (Viagra), but no significant differences at […]
Could a Plant-Based Diet Benefit Men’s Health Below the Belt?
MIAMI — A plant-based or plant-forward diet may offer some protection against prostate cancer and other sexual health issues, according to a systematic review. Twelve of the 23 studies that met the review’s inclusion criteria looked at prostate cancer, and data from large registry trials indicated a link between a plant-based diet and a decreased […]
Good, and Safe, Results Tied to Oral Testosterone in Men With Deficiency
MIAMI — Oral testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) seemed safe and effective in men with testosterone deficiency, according to a meta-analysis. Among nine studies that looked at changes in serum total testosterone, only men with testosterone deficiency who took an oral agent — predominantly testosterone undecanoate — saw a significant increase in total testosterone, with a […]
Vaginal Testosterone Shows Benefit in Postmenopausal Women
MIAMI — Postmenopausal women with frequent urinary tract infections benefited from vaginal testosterone (VT) cream, interim data from the randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled PIVoT trial suggested. Women in the VT group saw improvements in vaginal health and sexual function scores at 9 months compared with placebo, although the placebo group’s sexual function scores also improved, reported […]
Online Gender-Affirming Services Can Be Appealing, Though Often Don’t Take Insurance
MIAMI — Some telemedicine companies offering gender-affirming hormone treatment offered an affordable alternative to traditional care models, a researcher reported at the Sexual Medicine Society of North America (SMSNA) annual meeting. A review of available services from six direct-to-consumer platforms — Folx Health, True U Clinic, QueerDoc, Q, TransClinique, and Plume — found that all […]
8,000 Nerve Endings? Actually, the Clitoris Has More
MIAMI — The oft-cited claim that there are more than 8,000 nerve endings in the clitoris comes from a 1976 book by Thomas Lowry and Thea Lowry, in reference to a study of cows. No one had fact-checked that claim in humans — until now. There are, in fact, an average of 10,280 nerve fibers […]
Honing the Indications for Adjuvant CDK4/6 Inhibition in Breast Cancer
MIAMI BEACH — After a bumpy start, CDK4/6 inhibitors have started to gain traction in early hormone receptor (HR)-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer, according to recent data. Two negative phase III trials of palbociclib (Ibrance) questioned whether the transformative impact of CDK4/6 inhibition in advanced HR+/HER2- breast cancer would carry over into early disease. More recently, the […]
Discovery of ancient underwater landslide could help Middle Eastern nations realize tsunami hazards: 500-year-old landslide and a sizable tsunami
An earth scientist from the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science discovered evidence of an ancient underwater landslide and associated tsunami in the Gulf of Aqaba, a subsidiary of the Red Sea, that should serve as a warning for many nations in the Middle East. Sam Purkis, professor and chair of […]