Fetus Removed From Brain of 1-Year-Old Girl
A very rare intraventricular fetus-in-fetu was surgically removed from a 1-year-old girl with motor delay and an enlarged head circumference, a report from China showed. The fetiform mass was a malformed monochorionic diamniotic twin, reported Chunde Li, MD, of Beijing Tiantan Hospital, and co-authors in Neurology. Genetic sequencing showed identical single-nucleotide variants in the host […]
Mediterranean diet the best prevention against prostate cancer
Men who consume colourful fruits and vegetables on a regular basis are less likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer (PC), according to new research by University of South Australia scientists. A rainbow of foods rich in certain micronutrients helps to prevent prostate cancer (PC) as well as speed up recovery among men who undergo […]
Can a Fungus Cause a COVID-Style Pandemic?
The television series “The Last of Us” describes a human pandemic with a mind controlling cordyceps fungus. When asked whether a COVID-19 pandemic with a pathogenic fungus is possible, my answer has generally been some variation of “yes, but it’s unlikely.” Cordyceps fungi turn ants into zombies, establishing the precedent that this group of organisms […]
Autopsies Show Relationship Between Alzheimer’s Pathology and Diet in Older Adults
Healthy, plant-based dietary patterns were linked with less postmortem Alzheimer’s disease pathology, primarily beta-amyloid load, in older adults. Both MIND diet scores (β -0.022, P=0.035; standardized beta -2.0) and Mediterranean diet scores (β -0.007, P=0.039; standardized beta -2.3) were significantly associated with lower global Alzheimer’s pathology, reported Puja Agarwal, PhD, of Rush University in Chicago, […]
Depressive Symptoms Linked to Higher Risk of Acute Stroke
Symptoms of depression were associated with an increased risk of acute stroke, according to an international case-control study. Among more than 26,000 participants in the INTERSTROKE study, self-reported depressive symptoms were associated with significantly greater odds of acute stroke (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.34-1.58), including ischemic stroke (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.32-1.58) and intracerebral hemorrhage […]
CDC Offers Tentative Guidance for Severe Mpox Treatment
With no clinical trial data yet available for treating severe mpox, the CDC has published an interim report with guidance. There are many FDA-regulated drugs and biologics stockpiled for smallpox preparedness that can be used to treat severe mpox; however, there are many clinical considerations when using these to help manage strategic decision-making, the CDC […]
Possible Role for Ipilimumab in Metastatic Bladder Cancer, Study Suggests
A tailored immunotherapy regimen using nivolumab (Opdivo) induction and “boosts” with nivolumab and high-dose ipilimumab (Yervoy) as second-line treatment for metastatic urothelial cancer was associated with higher response rates compared with historical controls, the phase II TITAN-TCC trial showed. Among 83 patients in the intention-to-treat (ITT) population, a confirmed investigator-assessed objective response occurred in 33% […]
Dementia Incidence Linked With Vitamin D Supplements
Vitamin D supplements were linked with lower dementia incidence and longer dementia-free survival, prospective data showed. In a sample of 12,000 older adults, exposure to vitamin D supplementation was associated with a 40% lower dementia incidence rate compared with no exposure (adjusted HR 0.60, 95% CI 0.55-0.65), reported Zahinoor Ismail, MD, of the University of […]
Forgoing one food treats eosinophilic esophagitis as well as excluding six, study finds: Results of first multi-site randomized trial comparing the two diets
Eliminating animal milk alone from the diet of adults with eosinophilic esophagitis, or EoE, is as effective at treating the disease as eliminating animal milk plus five other common foods, a clinical trial funded by the National Institutes of Health has found. For people with EoE whose disease remains active after they forgo animal milk, […]
FDA Flags Potential Guillain-Barre Risk With RSV Vaccine Candidates
Ahead of a 2-day meeting with FDA’s vaccine advisors, reviewers at the agency highlighted a rare but potential risk for Guillain-Barré syndrome with two vaccine candidates for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). On Tuesday and Wednesday, the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) will recommend whether the risk-benefit profile with Pfizer and GSK’s vaccine […]