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Metformin found safe for men with type 2 diabetes planning for parenthood

Potential fathers with type 2 diabetes can be reassured that taking the drug metformin is not associated with birth defects in their offspring, concludes a large study of more than 3 million pregnancies published by The BMJ today.

17 Oct 2024

Gut bacteria protect against PFAS-induced kidney harm

New research has revealed that the connection between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, and kidney damage may be tied to dysregulation of the gut microbiome, which is made up of bacteria and other microorganisms that live in the digestive tract.

17 Oct 2024

Genetic analysis shows smoking and high BMI increase dementia risk, but education and exercise protect

Mendelian randomization of 400,000 participants reveals smoking, high BMI, and high cholesterol as major genetic risk factors for dementia, while longer education and physical activity reduce risks.

17 Oct 2024

New protein shows potential for treating systolic heart failure

The heart is a muscle like no other, beating 60 to 100 times per minute on average, around the clock. But when it grows weak, it can lead to serious problems: from debilitating shortness of breath and swelling in the legs and feet, to fluid in the lungs and even death.

16 Oct 2024

Groundbreaking antimicrobial bandage offers rapid hemostasis in accidents

Without proper medical invention, injuries sustained from traffic collisions, serious workplace accidents or weapons may result in fatal hemorrhaging.

16 Oct 2024

FDA-approved breast cancer drug shows promise for appendix cancer

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine found an FDA-approved drug used to treat breast cancer has the potential to be an effective therapeutic for a specific type of appendix cancer.

16 Oct 2024

Immunotherapy sets new standard for Hodgkin lymphoma care

A treatment that rallies the immune system to destroy cancer raised the survival rate for advanced Hodgkin lymphoma patients to a remarkable 92 percent, suggesting a new standard therapy for the disease.

16 Oct 2024

Study shows safety of kidney transplants among those with HIV infections

It is just as safe and effective for people with HIV in need of kidney transplantation to get their organ from donors who are also HIV positive as it is from donors who are not infected with the virus, a new study shows.

16 Oct 2024

New handheld device promises rapid blood diagnostics

Patients who go to the doctor to provide a blood sample are typically faced with a needle and syringe and hours or days of waiting to get results back from a lab.

16 Oct 2024

Clot-busting drug tenecteplase shows promising results for stroke recovery

For people with ischemic stroke, treatment with the clot-busting drug tenecteplase is associated with a slightly higher likelihood of an excellent recovery and reduced disability three months later than the drug alteplase, according to a meta-analysis published in the October 16, 2024, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

16 Oct 2024

Adenine base editors show potential to correct X-CGD-causing mutations

A collaborative effort between investigators at the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system, demonstrates the potential of precise genome editing technologies, called adenine base editors, to correct disease-causing mutations in stem cells from patients with X-linked chronic granulomatous disease (X-CGD), a rare genetic disorder characterized by high susceptibility to infections.

16 Oct 2024

Bioelectronic device that delivers pulsed electricity could help treat drug-resistant hypertension

Several medications are available to treat high blood pressure, but more than 10 million Americans do not respond to the treatments, according to the American Heart Association.

16 Oct 2024

Folic acid supplementation during pregnancy mitigates neurotoxic effects of lead in children

New research gives another reason to take folic acid supplements while pregnant.

16 Oct 2024

Study provides detailed analysis of mRNA vaccine circulation and breakdown

A study led by researchers from RMIT University and the Doherty Institute has provided the first detailed analysis of how mRNA vaccines circulate and break down in the human bloodstream.

16 Oct 2024

Young adults face rising risk of large vessel occlusion strokes

New research published in the Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases confirms that strokes thought to happen in older adults are possible in the younger (defined as 18-50 years old) population.

16 Oct 2024

New blood test rapidly diagnoses heart attacks

With heart attacks, every second counts. A new blood test diagnoses them in minutes rather than hours and could be adapted as a tool for first responders and people at home.

16 Oct 2024

Menopause transition linked to increased heart disease risk

The risk of heart disease increases with age for most people, however, for women that may be even more true.

16 Oct 2024

Bacteriophages unveil auxiliary genes critical for infection

Viruses that infect bacteria—known as bacteriophages - could be used in a targeted manner to combat bacterial diseases.

16 Oct 2024

Genetic risk factors for long-COVID uncovered in a large multi-ethnic study

Researchers identified genetic loci and phenotypes linked to long-COVID in the largest multi-ethnic GWAS, revealing increased risk factors for chronic conditions like fatigue, depression, and fibromyalgia.

16 Oct 2024

Structural biology uncovers the molecular basis of b1 vitamin transport and deficiency

Vitamin B1, also known as thiamine, is essential for the survival of our cells. The human body can't produce it, but we can maintain healthy levels of this vitamin by eating foods like salmon, legumes, and brown rice.

16 Oct 2024