Medicine and Health news

 

Medicine and Health news

	The tendency to imitate others is shared across 22 countries, study finds Among over 4,400 participants across 22 countries, responses were slower when observed finger movements conflicted with required movements, consistent with automatic imitation. No compelling evidence linked stronger imitation to greater cultural collectivism, suggesting this tendency is broadly shared across cultures.
	AI gets more diagnoses right than generalist doctors in medical challenge In simulated diagnostic tasks, DxO achieved 83.2% accuracy on complex published cases and 80.3% on emergency admission cases, versus 36.1% and 46.8% for generalist physicians. These results reflect idealized information conditions and do not establish superiority in clinical practice or improved patient outcomes.
	Six-gene scoring system could help predict leukemia survival A six-gene expression score, PHFScore, stratified acute myeloid leukemia patients by survival more accurately than PHF19 alone. Low PHF19 expression was associated with shorter survival and lower remission rates. In mouse leukemia models, PHF19 loss maintained immature cell states and reduced responses to differentiation-inducing drugs.
	Children who eat more ultraprocessed foods show stronger brain responses to appetizing foods Among 46 children aged 7–10, higher ultraprocessed food intake was associated with stronger dorsal striatum responses to food images. Stronger responses were linked to increases in BMI and body fat percentage one year later. The observational findings do not establish causation.
	How cancers evade chemotherapy by entering a 'zombie-like state' Inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) block death receptor–mediated killing after chemotherapy, allowing cancer cells to enter premature senescence and release inflammatory signals that promote wound-healing responses. IAP antagonists selectively eliminated these senescent cells by reactivating death receptor–mediated cell death.
	Gut microbiome may help explain why sleep improvement varies after hydrogen supplementation In an eight-week randomized trial with 44 completers, hydrogen supplementation did not significantly improve sleep quality versus placebo. Exploratory analyses linked lower abundance of hydrogen-producing gut bacteria to greater improvements in sleep and mental stress after supplementation, requiring confirmation in larger trials.
	Who decides when medical AI may be updated? AEGIS uses preapproved change-plan rules to determine whether medical AI updates can be deployed and existing models need review. Sepsis detection and brain tumor segmentation demonstrations tested decision rules, not clinical safety or effectiveness. It detects input-data shifts but not changes in data–outcome relationships; each application requires clinical validation.
	Tackling diabetes with an electronic implant: How a tiny catalyst lowers blood sugar A wirelessly powered implant uses an inorganic catalyst to convert glucose into gluconate, with glucose sensors controlling activation. In diabetic mice, it regulated blood glucose and reduced weight over six weeks, with no observed tissue damage. Human safety and efficacy remain untested.
	What can people who remember everything teach us about the brain? A person with highly superior autobiographical memory experienced spontaneous personal memories far more often than average, despite typical performance on standard memory tests. The case highlights involuntary recall as an aspect of memory that conventional assessments may miss.
	Brain activity could help measure virtual reality sickness as it happens In 40 participants exposed to VR vergence-accommodation conflict, cybersickness was associated with reduced high-frequency frontal and low-frequency occipital EEG activity. These changes are candidate physiological markers for continuous cybersickness assessment alongside symptom questionnaires.
	How psilocybin reshapes brain circuits In mice, psilocybin accelerated dendritic spine formation and maturation, with effects depending on prior stress. It enhanced spine growth and reduced spine loss in stressed brains. Serotonin 2A receptors in layer 5 pyramidal neurons were necessary and sufficient for structural plasticity, but not for the head-twitch response, a proxy for hallucinogenic activity.
	Cancer cells' own carbon monoxide fuels anticancer drug production in lab tests An albumin-protected palladacycle used endogenous carbon monoxide to synthesize phenanthridinones in cultured cancer cells, but not in a noncancerous cell line or blood. A cytotoxic derivative synthesized inside liver cancer cells caused toxic effects. The approach remains a proof of concept requiring animal testing.
	A precision T-cell therapy stalls treatment-resistant cancers in clinical trial In a phase 1/2 trial, optimal-dose invikafusp alfa controlled disease in 16 of 27 patients (59.3%) with advanced solid tumors, mostly resistant to checkpoint inhibitors; four (14.8%) had tumor shrinkage exceeding 30%. Side effects were generally manageable, and treatment selectively expanded targeted T-cell populations. These early results require confirmation.
	Social determinants linked with kidney failure risk among survivors of critical illness and acute kidney injury Among 30,498 survivors of critical illness with acute kidney injury, 1% developed kidney failure over up to two years. Adjusted risk was 43% higher in Black than white patients and 40% lower in insured patients; neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation was independently associated with higher risk.
	Potassium binder may ease the burden of dietary potassium restriction in people on dialysis In an eight-week randomized trial involving 183 hemodialysis patients, sodium zirconium cyclosilicate plus nutritional counseling improved potassium control and diet-related quality of life versus counseling alone. Rescue treatment was needed in no treated patients versus 25 of 92 controls. No serious treatment-related adverse events or deaths occurred.
	Fruits and vegetables outperform medication for treating metabolic acidosis in chronic kidney disease In a 10-year randomized trial of 108 adults with stage 3 CKD and metabolic acidosis, acid-reducing fruits and vegetables lowered hospitalizations, emergency visits and progression to dialysis versus usual care. Sodium bicarbonate did not improve these outcomes versus usual care. The dietary intervention did not increase overall health-system or societal costs.
	Standardized kidney biopsy protocol is safe in high-risk patients Among 1,096 kidney biopsies in high-risk patients managed with a standardized safety protocol, severe complications occurred in 0.8%, with no nephrectomies or procedure-related deaths. All biopsies were diagnostically adequate, and severe complication rates did not differ significantly between inpatient and outpatient procedures.
	Clinical support tool helps primary care health professionals detect and treat chronic kidney disease Treat CKD uses electronic health records to identify chronic kidney disease, classify risk and recommend guideline-based care. Its kidney failure and cardiovascular risk scores fully matched manual calculations. Primary care clinicians reported ease of use and minimal workflow burden; effects on patient outcomes remain unestablished.
	First-of-its-kind trial tests low-dose radiation to target brain inflammation in Parkinson's disease A trial plans to enroll 20 adults with early-stage Parkinson’s disease to test whether targeted low-dose brain radiation reduces inflammation and slows progression. Treatment spans five days, with biomarkers, imaging and symptoms monitored for up to 12 months. No results are reported.
	Blood test can help clinicians better identify brain injury severity in patients Blood GFAP levels measured within 24 hours of traumatic brain injury distinguished patients with imaging-confirmed injury, including MRI abnormalities missed by CT, from those without imaging abnormalities. UCH-L1 was less discriminative. GFAP thresholds may support identification and triage of patients needing further evaluation.
	Researchers show how leukemia cells 'hide' from treatment Computer modeling validated in patient cells showed that some chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells can use TLR9 signaling when the B-cell receptor pathway is blocked by BTK inhibitors. This alternative survival pathway may help explain treatment resistance without detectable resistance-associated mutations.
	Mindfulness and self-compassion can alleviate premenstrual symptoms Among 228 participants aged 18–52, self-compassion, mindfulness and a stronger sense of coherence were associated with weaker links between stress and premenstrual symptom severity. Nonjudgmental awareness and the ability to describe emotions also moderated associations between past trauma and symptoms.
	Can Reddit help strengthen health communications on extreme heat? Analysis of r/heat_prep posts and survey responses highlighted demand for practical, low-cost cooling advice and gaps in official heat-health guidance. Reddit communities may complement public health messaging through peer support and dialogue, with moderation needed to limit misinformation.
	Updated cancer treatment framework offers new guidance on actionability and resistance biomarkers ESCAT v2 refines evidence tiers for matching cancer biomarkers to targeted therapies, adding criteria for tumor-agnostic treatments and guidance on prospective and real-world evidence. A parallel resistance scale classifies biomarkers linked to reduced or absent treatment benefit to inform treatment selection and sequencing.
	Plant-first food pyramid brings international dietary guidelines together in adaptable global guide An international food pyramid synthesizes dietary guidelines and evidence from over 250 publications. It emphasizes plant foods, healthier protein sources, unsaturated fats and high-quality carbohydrates while limiting refined grains and sugary drinks. Its principles accommodate local foods, cultural preferences and vegetarian or vegan diets.
	Women are more optimistic about aging—until memory problems emerge Memory complaints were associated with more negative expectations about aging in both cognitively healthy adults and those with mild cognitive impairment. Adults with mild cognitive impairment also had more negative aging expectations than those without impairment.
	4 ways to help your body adjust to the fall time change The fall time change can disrupt circadian rhythms, with adjustment usually taking days to a week. Consistent sleep schedules, daylight, dim lighting near bedtime and limiting late caffeine may support sleep. Later-afternoon light may help counter early sleepiness and waking, but its ability to speed adjustment remains experimentally unverified.
	How much autonomy do women actually have when giving birth? In Australia, pregnant women with decision-making capacity may refuse or withdraw consent to treatment, even if this risks harm to themselves or the fetus. Coercion invalidates consent and can constitute battery. Maternity care should provide clear information on risks and alternatives, time for decisions, and continued support after refusal.
	5 great cardio workouts you can do at home Aerobic activity improves cardiovascular fitness. Adults should aim for 150–300 minutes of moderate or 75–150 minutes of vigorous activity weekly; short bouts count. Jumping rope, stair climbing, power yoga, brisk housecleaning and gardening can contribute, depending on intensity; inactive adults should increase activity gradually.
	AI tool may support dermatologists in assessing skin lesions for cancer risk In a retrospective analysis of 261 biopsied skin lesions, DEXI scores ≥3.0 detected 93.4% of cancers with 75% specificity. Performance was poorer for severely atypical nevi and early evolving melanomas. The AI tool may support biopsy or monitoring decisions but requires clinical context and further validation.
	AI breast cancer survival model could improve accuracy and personalize care A breast cancer survival model combining statistical methods, deep learning, and simulated gene expression features outperformed comparison models on data from 1,980 patients. Larger, more diverse datasets are needed to validate its accuracy and potential to support personalized care.
	Using AI in the global fight against HIV An AI approach prioritizes users for incentivized peer referrals to HIV services in underserved South African populations. Retrospective analysis of about 16,000 outreach prompts estimated more successful referrals than alternative strategies. An ongoing trial compares AI-guided with random selection; effectiveness remains unconfirmed.
	Melanoma vaccine reduces death or cancer recurrence by 42% In a phase III trial of 1,137 patients with resected high-risk melanoma, personalized mRNA vaccine intismeran plus pembrolizumab reduced recurrence or death risk by 42% versus pembrolizumab alone (HR 0.58; 95% CI 0.45–0.75). Vaccine-related adverse effects were generally mild and transient, without increased pembrolizumab toxicity.
	Study identifies potential new treatment targets for the most common type of bowel cancer AI-assisted analysis of 2,000 colorectal tumor samples identified therapeutic vulnerabilities in microsatellite-stable cancers. Drug combinations including trametinib reduced tumor growth and extended survival in laboratory models. These findings remain preclinical; safety and efficacy in patients are unproven.
	Overlooked 'off switch' in lung tumors may explain why immunotherapy doesn't work for everyone Lung tumors can inactivate STAT2 through altered RNA splicing rather than mutations. Long-read RNA sequencing identified thousands of previously unrecognized RNA variants. In two atezolizumab trials, specific STAT2 splicing patterns were associated with longer survival after immunotherapy.
	Study finds patients experienced rapid weight gain after starting antipsychotic medication In health records from nearly 97,000 adults with severe mental illness, weight and HbA1c rose fastest during the first 90 days after starting second-generation antipsychotics, then slowed. Weekly increases averaged 0.21 kg and 0.12 mmol/mol, respectively. These observational findings support early metabolic monitoring but do not establish causality.
	Diagnostic uncertainty: Why losing a diagnosis can be as difficult as receiving one Losing a diagnosis can cause distress by removing an explanation for persistent symptoms, treatment expectations and social support. Diagnoses can also shape symptom interpretation and expectations. Clear communication, validation of symptoms and continued care are essential when diagnoses change or remain uncertain.
	Scientists propose national microbiome plan to prevent chronic disease A proposed microbiome agenda outlines 10 priorities for testing causal links between microbial disruption and chronic disease and developing preventive or restorative interventions. It emphasizes pregnancy and early childhood, standardized methods and public education; implementation requires funding, and causal links remain unproven.
	Hip fracture in older adults is far more than an orthopedic injury Nearly half of adults aged 85 or older died within one year after hip fracture. Dementia, alone or with depression, was associated with higher mortality over three years; depression alone was not. Recovery was variable, with difficulties persisting at one year for some, supporting care tailored to physical, medical and psychological needs.
	New resources now available to help prevent suicide and self-harm in young people Guidance on youth suicide and self-harm is often inconsistent, with unclear evidence bases and limited lived-experience input. Ten practice principles combine research, professional expertise and lived experience to guide supportive environments, nonjudgmental care, staff training and planning for responses to suicide deaths.
	FDA approves hepatitis B shot that may let some patients stop all treatment The FDA approved bepirovirsen for adults with suppressed chronic hepatitis B, low surface antigen levels and no cirrhosis. In trials, 19% maintained viral control with undetectable surface antigen six months after stopping all treatment. Boxed warnings cover severe liver reactions and low platelet counts; frequent blood monitoring is required.
	Real-world results confirm benefit of antigen therapy for prostate cancer In 3,709 patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, ¹⁷⁷Lu-PSMA-617 yielded median progression-free survival of 7.6 months and PSA-defined disease control in 82%. Outcomes were broadly consistent with VISION, with more favorable outcomes among patients less heavily pretreated with taxane chemotherapy.
	Procedure standard/procedure guideline for ventilation–perfusion pulmonary scintigraphy published Updated guidelines standardize ventilation–perfusion, ventilation-only and perfusion-only lung scintigraphy for pulmonary embolism and other lung diseases. Recommendations address SPECT, SPECT/CT and newer ventilation agents, alongside imaging protocols, interpretation, reporting, quality control and safety.
	ESMO: New analysis reinforces survival benefits of targeted therapy for advanced pancreatic cancer In a phase 3 trial of previously treated metastatic pancreatic cancer, daraxonrasib improved median overall survival to 13.2 months versus 6.7 months with chemotherapy. Benefits were consistent across RAS mutation groups, including tumors without identified RAS mutations, and chemotherapy comparators. Small subgroup sizes limit certainty.
	Mental health disparities persist for LGBTQ+ college students nationwide, largest study of its kind finds Among 17,942 LGBTQ+ college students, campus discrimination was associated with 84% higher likelihood of depression, 87% higher likelihood of anxiety and 78% higher likelihood of suicidal thoughts. Health care denial was associated with over 200% higher likelihood of suicidal thoughts. Some students avoided needed care because of discrimination concerns.
	A third of young adults turn to AI for substance-use information In a survey of nearly 1,000 adults aged 18–29, over 32% used AI chatbots for substance-use information, mainly about risks and consequences. About half of these users did so at least monthly. Use was more common among Black and male respondents, and participants perceived AI tools as trustworthy, reliable and helpful.
	Online resources and coaching helped people seek genetic testing for cancer In a randomized trial of 793 adults eligible for cancer genetic evaluation, online education and phone coaching increased testing completion or stated intent compared with usual care. Overall, only 10% completed testing within a year, indicating that substantial barriers remained.
	Could fish consumption reduce the risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy? Among 86,009 women in Japan, higher fish intake before pregnancy was associated with lower odds of early-onset hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Higher intake during pregnancy was linked to lower odds of overall and late-onset disorders, particularly in first pregnancies. These observational findings do not establish that fish prevents these disorders.
	Discrimination fuels mental health crisis among LGBTQ+ youth, national report finds Over two years, anxiety and depression increased among nearly 1,700 LGBTQ+ youth, while about 40% reported suicidal thoughts. Conversion therapy exposure or threats were associated with nearly triple the risk of suicidal thoughts or behaviors. Access to mental health care improved, while self-harm and suicide attempts declined slightly.        SOURCE:Science X Newsletter Fri, Oct 23