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 […]
Robotic surgery is safer and improves patient recovery time
Robot-assisted surgery used to perform bladder cancer removal and reconstruction enables patients to recover far more quickly and spend significantly (20 per cent) less time in hospital, concludes a first-of-its kind clinical trial led by scientists at UCL and the University of Sheffield. The study, published in JAMA and funded by The Urology Foundation with […]
Quinine: Malaria Uses, Warnings, Side Effects, Dosage
What is quinine, and what is it used for? Quinine is a naturally occurring compound (alkaloid) derived from the bark of the cinchona tree. Quinine is used to treat malaria, a disease with high fevers, shaking chills, and flu-like illness. Malaria is caused by microscopic unicellular parasites belonging to the Plasmodium species, and malaria caused […]
How tumor cells use mitochondria to keep growing
Hormone therapy is often used to treat prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, but many patients develop resistance to hormone therapy, causing their disease to become more aggressive and potentially more deadly. “One of the big challenges we have in the field is that the majority of prostate cancer therapies […]
Opinion | ‘I’m a Cardiologist; I’m Used to Doing Things’: What We Heard This Week
“I’m a cardiologist; I’m used to doing things.” — FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, MD, during a press briefing discussing the agency’s proposal to ban menthol in cigarettes and other tobacco products. “It’s just really important to get the word out that we have a lot more tools in the toolkit now.” — Kathy Yang, PharmD, […]
Terahertz imaging reveals hidden inscription on early modern funerary cross
In a multidisciplinary project, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Georgia Tech-Lorraine used terahertz imaging and signal processing techniques to look beneath the corroded surface of a 16th-century lead funerary cross. Led by David Citrin, a professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), the effort brought together imaging scientists, a […]
Producing ammonia through electrochemical processes could reduce carbon dioxide emissions
Ammonia is commonly used in fertilizer because it has the highest nitrogen content of commercial fertilizers, making it essential for crop production. However, two carbon dioxide molecules are made for every molecule of ammonia produced, contributing to excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. A team from the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering at Texas […]
Diagnosing sports-related concussions may be harder than thought: Study raises questions about common concussion assessment tool
The tool being used to diagnose concussions might be overestimating the condition and wrongly identifying symptoms like fatigue and neck pain caused from intense exercise and not a brain injury, according to Rutgers researchers. This new research raises new questions about the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT), a questionnaire widely used along with other methods […]
Physician Advocates for Immigrants, Asylum Seekers Celebrate End of ‘Title 42’
Last week, the CDC announced the end of an emergency public health order that was used over a million times to prevent both children and adult migrants, including asylum seekers, from entering U.S. borders since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The policy, known as “Title 42,” allowed federal health officials expanded leeway to prevent […]
Opinion | Redefining ‘Self-Care’ for Doctors
For many of us, the term “self-care” is synonymous with self-indulgence. I used to think so too. Our thoughts immediately race toward behavior that would require us to take time away from our loved ones or somehow shortchange them of our responsibilities. As a child, I looked to my parents as prime role models. They […]