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Hospital germs and pathogens are not always transmitted directly from person to person. They can also spread via germ-contaminated surfaces and objects.
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NEW YORK, Nov. 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Hearst announced today that Carolyn Wong Simpkins, M.D., Ph.D., has been named president of its Zynx Health business unit, effective immediately. The announcement was made by Steven R. Swartz, president and chief executive officer of Hearst; Gregory Dorn, M.D., president of Hearst Health; and Charles Tuchinda, M.D., executive vice president of Hearst Health.
“With all the demands on clinicians today, supporting care delivery with smart and efficient clinical solutions is more important than ever,” said Dorn. “Carolyn brings the right expertise to lead the Zynx business forward in its mission.”
Simpkins joined Zynx in April 2023 as vice president of product, drawing upon her strong background in solution development, healthcare workflow integration, go-to-market strategy and commercial relationship building. As president, she will oversee all strategic and operational aspects of the business. She succeeds Tuchinda, who has served as president of Zynx since 2019 in addition to his Hearst Health group leadership responsibilities.
“The steadiness of the Zynx business, combined with its balanced approach to meeting the needs of customers while pursuing new opportunities, makes the timing of this leadership transition as seamless as possible,” said Tuchinda. “I have known Carolyn for many years and have tremendous professional respect for her expertise. I could not be more pleased to have someone of her professional caliber lead Zynx.”
Some of the notable roles Simpkins has held include Chief Medical Informatics Officer at the healthcare data and analytics company Health Catalyst, and General Manager and Clinical Director for the British Medical Journal (BMJ), North America division. During her nine-year tenure at BMJ, she led the launch of an order set product, mobile product and outcomes measurement initiative. She has served as a medical director at Greenville Health System, focusing on an interdisciplinary cardiovascular risk reduction program and women’s health.
“Zynx has been a leader in giving clinicians tools to help with their electronic workflow challenges for nearly three decades,” said Simpkins. “I am excited to work with the incredibly talented and dedicated people here to accelerate our development of new strategic applications of technology, which will help healthcare professionals deliver excellent care more easily.”
Simpkins received her undergraduate degree in biological sciences from Stanford University and completed her medical degree and doctorate in pharmacology and molecular cancer biology at Duke University. She trained in internal medicine at Johns Hopkins.
About Zynx
Founded in 1996, Zynx Health is a pioneer and market leader in evidence- and experience-based clinical solutions that help health systems improve patient outcomes, financial outcomes, clinical engagement and technology performance. Part of the Hearst Health network, Zynx Health helps healthcare organizations exceed industry demands for delivering high-quality, standardized care at lower costs under value-based reimbursement models. To learn more, visit ZynxHealth.com or call 888-996-9435. Follow Zynx Health on LinkedIn @Zynx-Health.
About Hearst Health
The mission of Hearst Health is to help guide the most important care moments by delivering vital information into the hands of everyone who touches a person’s health journey. Care guidance from Hearst Health reaches the majority of people in the U.S. The Hearst Health network includes FDB (First Databank), Zynx Health, MCG, Homecare Homebase and MHK. Hearst also holds a minority interest in the precision medicine and oncology analytics company Aster Insights. Follow Hearst Health on LinkedIn @Hearst-Health.
About Hearst
Hearst is a leading global, diversified information, services and media company with operations in 40 countries. Its major interests include global financial services leader Fitch Group; Hearst Health, a group of medical information and services businesses; Hearst Transportation, which includes CAMP Systems International, a major provider of software-as-a-service solutions for managing maintenance of jets and helicopters; ownership in cable television networks such as A&E, HISTORY, Lifetime and ESPN; 35 television stations; 24 daily and 52 weekly newspapers; digital services businesses; and nearly 260 magazines around the world. Follow us on Twitter @Hearst. To learn more about Hearst, visit Hearst.com.
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BERLIN—Bayer Chief Executive Bill Anderson said the company would bounce back quickly from a recent spate of bad news, and warned that a breakup of the pharmaceutical and agricultural company was no universal cure for its ailments.
A stream of negative news has rekindled calls from investors for Bayer to unlock value by spinning off its units into separate businesses. But in an interview with The Wall Street Journal this week, Anderson said the company couldn’t be distracted from the tough restructuring to fix the businesses.
Copyright ©2023 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8
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Stock futures pointed higher Friday as Wall Street returned for a shortened trading session following the Thanksgiving holiday. Retailers will be in focus on Black Friday, which marks the unofficial start to the Christmas shopping season.
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Newswise — ROCHESTER, Minnesota—Si usted corre el riesgo de enfermedad cardíaca, el equipo de atención médica podría utilizar la herramienta de la ecuación de cohorte agrupada para determinar su riesgo a largo plazo y si la administración de estatinas (medicamentos para reducir el colesterol) es una buena opción.
El Dr. Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, cardiólogo de Mayo Clinic de Rochester, Minnesota, afirma que es importante saber quiénes se benefician más de la administración de estatinas.
Las estatinas son medicamentos que reducen la cantidad de colesterol que produce el hígado.
“El colesterol se forma en las placas que se acumulan y crecen en el interior de las arterias, a veces hasta el punto de que esas arterias se obstruyen”, explica el Dr. López-Jiménez.
Y esa obstrucción puede derivar en una enfermedad cardíaca. Sin embargo, ¿se pueden administrar las estatinas a todas las personas?
“Los pacientes que más se beneficiarán de la administración de estatinas serán las personas con antecedentes de ataques cardíacos, accidentes cerebrovasculares y otras afecciones que se sabe que se producen por las placas de colesterol”, afirma.
La alimentación también desempeña un papel importante. El Dr. Lopez-Jimenez recomienda comer menos carne procesada y más cereales, frutas y verduras.
“Los cambios de mayor impacto que las personas pueden hacer para reducir el colesterol incluyen consumir menos productos de origen animal que no sean pescado y consumir menos grasas saturadas”, afirma.
¿Qué ocurre si el equipo de atención médica recomienda medicamentos además de cambios en el estilo de vida?
“Tome los medicamentos indicados, verifique las cantidades, asegúrese de que todos esos factores estén bien controlados”, afirma el Dr. Lopez-Jimenez.
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Información sobre Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic es una organización sin fines de lucro, dedicada a innovar la práctica clínica, la educación y la investigación, así como a ofrecer pericia, compasión y respuestas a todos los que necesitan recobrar la salud. Visite la Red Informativa de Mayo Clinic para leer más noticias sobre Mayo Clinic.
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Newswise — مدينة روتشستر، ولاية مينيسوتا—إذا كنت مهددًا بخطرالإصابة بمرض القلب فقد يستخدم فريق الرعاية الصحية أداة معادلة تقييم المخاطر المُشتركة بين الفئات العمرية(PCE) لتحديد خطر إصابتك على المدى الطويل وما إذا كان تناول أدوية خافِضة للكوليسترول — أدوية خفض الكوليستيرول، خيار مناسب لك أم لا.
يقول الدكتور فرانسيسكو لوبيز جيمينيز،طبيب القلب لدى مايو كلينك في مدينة روتشستر، ولاية مينيسوتا إنه من المهم أن نفهم من هم الأكثر استفادةً من تناول أدوية خافِضة للكوليسترول.
أدوية خافِضة للكوليسترول هي أدوية تعمل على خفض مقدار الكوليستيرول الذي يصنعه الكبد.
يقول الدكتور لوبيز جيمينيز: “الكوليستيرول يتراكم في اللويحات التي تتجمع وتنمو داخل الشرايين، ويصل الأمر أحيانًا إلى انسداد هذه الشرايين.”
والشرايين المسدودة تؤدي إلى مرض القلب التاجي. ولكن هل تناول أدوية خافِضة للكوليسترول مناسبة للجميع؟
يقول الدكتور جيمينيز: “المرضى الأكثر استفادةً من تناول أدوية خافِضة للكوليسترول هم الأشخاص الذين لديهم تاريخ الإصابة بالنوبات القلبية والسكتات الدماغية وغير ذلك من الحالات المعروف أنها تنشأ عن لويحات الكوليستيرول.”
كما أن الحمية الغذائية لها دور مهم. يقول الدكتور لوبيز جيمينيز إنه يجب الإقلال من أكل اللحوم المُصنَّعة والإكثار من الحبوب والفاكهة والخضروات.
ويقول أيضًا: “التغييرات الأكثر تأثيرًا التي يجب على الناس إجراؤها للحد من الكوليستيرول تشمل الإقلال من أكل المُنتجات الحيوانية بخلاف الأسماك والإقلال من تناول الدهون المُشبَّعة.
وماذا إذا أوصاك فريق الرعاية الصحية بالأدوية إلى جانب تغييرات نمط الحياة؟
يقول الدكتور لوبيز جيمينيز: “خُذ الأدوية، وافحص مستويات الكوليسترول لديك، وتأكد أن كل العوامل تحت السيطرة.”
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مايو كلينك هي مؤسسة غير ربحية تلتزم بالابتكار في الممارسات السريرية والتعليم والبحث وتوفير التعاطف والخبرة لكل مَن يحتاج إلى الاستشفاء والرد على استفساراته. لمعرفة المزيد من أخبار مايو كلينك، تفضَّل بزيارة شبكة مايو كلينك الإخبارية.
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Newswise — ROCHESTER, Minnesota—Se você está sob o risco de ter uma doença cardíaca, a equipe de cuidados médicos pode usar a ferramenta de equação de coorte agrupada (PCE) para determinar o seu risco de longo prazo, e se a administração de estatinas (medicamentos para reduzir o colesterol) é uma boa opção.
O Dr. Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, cardiologista da Mayo Clinic em Rochester, Minnesota, explica que é importante entender quem mais se beneficia com a administração de estatinas.
As estatinas são medicamentos que reduzem a quantidade de colesterol produzida pelo fígado.
“O colesterol se forma nas placas que acumulam e crescem dentro das artérias. Às vezes, o acúmulo chega ao ponto de as artérias ficarem bloqueadas”, explica o Dr. Lopez-Jimenez.
E artérias bloqueadas podem ocasionar o surgimento de doença cardíaca. Mas, as estatinas podem ser usadas por todas as pessoas?
“Os pacientes que mais serão beneficiados com a administração de estatinas são aqueles com um histórico de ataques cardíacos, acidentes vasculares cerebrais e outras condições conhecidas decorrentes das placas de colesterol”, ele explica.
A dieta também tem um papel importante. O Dr. Lopez-Jimenez recomenda consumir menos carne processada e mais grãos, frutas e vegetais.
“As mudanças mais impactantes que as pessoas podem fazer para reduzir o colesterol incluem consumir menos produtos de origem animal, exceto peixes, e menos gordura saturada”, explica o Dr. Lopez-Jimenez.
E se a equipe de cuidados médicos recomendar o uso de medicamentos além das mudanças do estilo de vida?
“Tome os medicamentos, verifique as suas taxas e tenha a certeza de que todos os fatores estarão sob controle”, ele explica.
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A Mayo Clinic é uma organização sem fins lucrativos comprometida com a inovação na prática clínica, educação e pesquisa, fornecendo compaixão, conhecimento e respostas para todos que precisam de cura. Visite a Rede de Notícias da Mayo Clinic para obter outras notícias da Mayo Clinic.
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Newswise — Living cells compete with each other and try to adapt to the local environment. Cells that are unable to do so are eliminated eventually. This cellular competition is crucial as the surrounding normal epithelial cells use it to identify and eliminate mutant cancer cells. Studies have reported that when activating mutants of “Ras” proteins are expressed in mammalian epithelial cells, they are pushed toward the lumen, excreted along with other bodily waste, and eliminated by competition. Epithelial cells containing Ras mutants have been reported to be removed in this manner in several organs, including the small intestine, stomach, pancreas, and lungs. This suggests that cell competition is an innate defense system orchestrated by epithelial cells to prevent the accumulation of incidentally produced cancerous cells and thereby suppress cancer formation.
In general, mutations in multiple genes accumulate in a stepwise manner when normal cells become cancerous. However, it is not known how cell competition is affected by this process. For instance, human colorectal cancer develops when the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene becomes dysfunctional and activates “Wnt signaling,” followed by the activation of Ras signaling.
In a recent study, a team of researchers from Japan, led by Associate Professor Shunsuke Kon of the Department of Cancer Biology, Institute of Biomedical Research and Innovation, Tokyo University of Science (TUS), examined the effects of the accumulation of stepwise gene mutations on cell competition and investigated the role of cell competition in the actual cancer formation process. Their study was published in Nature Communications on November 3, 2023 with Mr. Kazuki Nakai, a third year PhD student at the Graduate School of Life Sciences in TUS, as the lead author.
The study results showed that when Wnt signals were activated in epithelial cells, cell competition function was altered. Activated Ras mutant epithelial cells, which would normally be eliminated into the lumen, instead infiltrated diffusely into the tissue to form highly invasive cancerous tumors.
As senior author Dr. Kon explains, “We discovered that in epithelial tissues where Wnt and Ras signals, which commonly occur in human colorectal cancer, are activated in stages, the function of cell competition is altered. It was revealed that the production of cancer cells that diffusely infiltrate into the interstitium is promoted.”
Further, the research team identified an increased expression of matrix metalloproteinase 21 (MMP21) as one of the mechanisms underlying the production of diffusely invasive cancer cells in early colorectal cancer due to abnormal cell competition. This, in turn, was shown to be directly caused by activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signals via the innate immune system. Blocking NF-κB signaling restored the luminal elimination of Ras mutant epithelial cells. These findings raise some intriguing questions, such as “How do transformed cells sense the cellular content that leads to the NF-B-MMP21 pathway?” and “How do surrounding cells recognize transformed cells and prepare them for cellular extrusion?” These questions will almost certainly need to be addressed in the future.
The results of this research show that cancer cells with accumulated, sequential genetic mutations, alter the function of cell competition and use it to enhance their own invasive ability. Instead of being eliminated to the lumen, they infiltrate into the tissue, producing high-grade cancer cells. While the research team did note that the cancer histopathology of the mice used in this study resembled diffuse-type cancer in humans, future research is needed to determine whether the NF-κB-MMP21 pathway is relevant to other cancers. For instance, investigating scirrhous gastric cancer, a typical diffuse-type cancer, would be particularly interesting.
Overall, these findings demonstrate that Wnt activation disrupts cell competition, and confers invasive properties on transformed cells to escape primary epithelial sites. Understanding how the molecular landscape is re-modeled to change the fate of cancer cells with high mutational burdens could be used for therapeutic purposes. This could be of interest to researchers focused on Wnt signaling or cancer research, such as those at the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT and Cancer Research UK, who are working towards common goals.
Dr. Kon concludes by saying, “This study further brings forth the prospect that cell competition constrains the order of appearance of mutations during tumor development, highlighting a link between cell competition and carcinogenesis. We hope that this will pave the way for the development of new cancer treatments from the standpoint of cell competition and infiltration for the benefit of our society.”
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Reference
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-42774-6
About The Tokyo University of Science
Tokyo University of Science (TUS) is a well-known and respected university, and the largest science-specialized private research university in Japan, with four campuses in central Tokyo and its suburbs and in Hokkaido. Established in 1881, the university has continually contributed to Japan’s development in science through inculcating the love for science in researchers, technicians, and educators.
With a mission of “Creating science and technology for the harmonious development of nature, human beings, and society,” TUS has undertaken a wide range of research from basic to applied science. TUS has embraced a multidisciplinary approach to research and undertaken intensive study in some of today’s most vital fields. TUS is a meritocracy where the best in science is recognized and nurtured. It is the only private university in Japan that has produced a Nobel Prize winner and the only private university in Asia to produce Nobel Prize winners within the natural sciences field.
Website: https://www.tus.ac.jp/en/mediarelations/
About Dr. Shunsuke Kon from Tokyo University of Science
Dr. Shunsuke Kon is a Junior Associate Professor in the Cancer Biology Department of the Research Institute for Biomedical Sciences. He obtained his Ph.D. from the Tohoku University Graduate School of Life Sciences in 2008. He was previously associated with the Institute of Genetic Medicine at Hokkaido University. His primary research interest has been in the field of tumor biology. He has more than 20 publications to his credit. In addition, he has received the Best Articles of the Year award.
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Newswise — Knee replacement surgery in the morning, and back home that evening? Many patients are surprised to learn it is an option. Forgoing a night in the hospital has become increasingly common, and improvements in knee replacement technology, surgical technique and pain management make it possible, says Martin W. Roche, MD, an orthopedic surgeon and director of joint replacement at HSS Florida in West Palm Beach.
Many patients are pleased to spend the first night after surgery in the comfort of their own home, he says. “We’ve come a long way in terms of being able to get people up and out of the hospital quickly, and that motivates them mentally, as well,” he explains.
Dr. Roche points to advances over the past five years or so that benefit patients and can lead to a faster recovery: a CT scan before surgery to create a 3D model of the patient’s knee to plan a highly personalized procedure; the use of surgical robotics and sensors that allow for a high degree of precision and accuracy; less invasive, muscle-sparing surgery performed with smaller incisions; and a program called “pre-habilitation,” in which patients begin physical therapy to get stronger prior to knee replacement.
A longer-lasting regional nerve block and a technique known as multimodal analgesia result in better pain control after surgery − another advantage for patients wishing to leave the hospital the same day, according to Dr. Roche. The technique uses various medications that target multiple pain pathways, as needed, and generally lessens the need for opioid medications.
The best candidates for outpatient knee replacement are highly motivated individuals in good general health who have the right home environment, including support from family, a friend or a caregiver.
Seventy-three-year-old Robert Fleetwood fit the bill. He was motivated to have joint replacement in both knees not only to relieve arthritis pain, but to get back to the athletic activities that were once his passion. He said he was happy to learn he was a candidate for ambulatory surgery. He had two knee replacements several months apart last year and each time went home the same day.
Dr. Fleetwood, who lives in Stuart, says it changed his life. This year, he participated in a 1K Navy SEAL memorial open water swim, competing with many people half his age. He came in second out of participants ages 60 and up, and 30th out of about 150 swimmers. He is also back to running for exercise for the first time in more than 20 years.
Dr. Fleetwood, who has a PhD in clinical and industrial organization psychology, travels to Atlanta about 12 times a year for work. Before the knee replacements, he dreaded all the walking at the airport. He is thrilled that he can now travel pain-free.
“It changes your perspective on life. It makes you feel so much more alive and dynamic when you’re not living with chronic pain that becomes debilitating,” he explains. “I’m very happy now.”
About HSS
HSS is the world’s leading academic medical center focused on musculoskeletal health. At its core is Hospital for Special Surgery, nationally ranked No. 1 in orthopedics (for the 14th consecutive year), No. 2 in rheumatology by U.S. News & World Report (2023-2024), and the best pediatric orthopedic hospital in NY, NJ and CT by U.S. News & World Report “Best Children’s Hospitals” list (2023-2024). In a survey of medical professionals in more than 20 countries by Newsweek, HSS is ranked world #1 in orthopedics for a fourth consecutive year (2023). Founded in 1863, the Hospital has the lowest readmission rates in the nation for orthopedics, and among the lowest infection and complication rates. HSS was the first in New York State to receive Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing Service from the American Nurses Credentialing Center five consecutive times. An affiliate of Weill Cornell Medical College, HSS has a main campus in New York City and facilities in New Jersey, Connecticut and in the Long Island and Westchester County regions of New York State, as well as in Florida. In addition to patient care, HSS leads the field in research, innovation and education. The HSS Research Institute comprises 20 laboratories and 300 staff members focused on leading the advancement of musculoskeletal health through prevention of degeneration, tissue repair and tissue regeneration. In addition, more than 200 HSS clinical investigators are working to improve patient outcomes through better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat orthopedic, rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. The HSS Innovation Institute works to realize the potential of new drugs, therapeutics and devices. The HSS Education Institute is a trusted leader in advancing musculoskeletal knowledge and research for physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, academic trainees, and consumers in more than 165 countries. The institution is collaborating with medical centers and other organizations to advance the quality and value of musculoskeletal care and to make world-class HSS care more widely accessible nationally and internationally. www.hss.edu.
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Newswise — University of B.C. researchers have uncovered startling connections between micronutrient deficiencies and the composition of gut microbiomes in early life that could help explain why resistance to antibiotics has been rising across the globe.
The team investigated how deficiencies in crucial micronutrients such as vitamin A, B12, folate, iron, and zinc affected the community of bacteria, viruses, fungi and other microbes that live in the digestive system.
They discovered that these deficiencies led to significant shifts in the gut microbiome of mice—most notably an alarming expansion of bacteria and fungi known to be opportunistic pathogens.
Importantly, mice with micronutrient deficiencies also exhibited a higher enrichment of genes that have been linked to antibiotic resistance.
“Micronutrient deficiency has been an overlooked factor in the conversation about global antibiotic resistance,” said Dr. Paula Littlejohn, a postdoctoral research fellow with UBC’s department of medical genetics and department of pediatrics, and the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute. “This is a significant discovery, as it suggests that nutrient deficiencies can make the gut environment more conducive to the development of antibiotic resistance, which is a major global health concern.”
Bacteria naturally possess these genes as a defence mechanism. Certain circumstances, such as antibiotic pressure or nutrient stress, cause an increase in these mechanisms. This poses a threat that could render many potent antibiotics ineffective and lead to a future where common infections could become deadly.
Antibiotic resistance is often attributed to overuse and misuse of antibiotics, but the work of Dr. Littlejohn and her UBC colleagues suggests that the ‘hidden hunger’ of micronutrient deficiencies is another important factor.
“Globally, around 340 million children under five suffer from multiple micronutrient deficiencies, which not only affect their growth but also significantly alter their gut microbiomes,” said Dr. Littlejohn. “Our findings are particularly concerning as these children are often prescribed antibiotics for malnutrition-related illnesses. Ironically, their gut microbiome may be primed for antibiotic resistance due to the underlying micronutrient deficiencies.”
The study, published this week in Nature Microbiology, offers critical insights into the far-reaching consequences of micronutrient deficiencies in early life. It underscores the need for comprehensive strategies to address undernutrition and its ripple effects on health. Addressing micronutrient deficiencies is about more than overcoming malnutrition, it may also be a critical step in fighting the global scourge of antibiotic resistance.
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These Stocks Are Moving the Most Today: Plug Power, Trade Desk, Doximity, Unity Software, Illumina, Wynn, and More
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Newswise — A four-year, $2.6 million grant to study circadian rhythm and novel therapies to protect the heart during a heart attack or cardiac surgery has been awarded to UTHealth Houston by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health.
Principal investigator Holger Eltzschig, MD, PhD, professor, and co-investigator Wei Ruan, MD, PhD, assistant professor, from the Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, are studying translational, pharmacologic, and interventional strategies targeting circadian rhythm and hypoxia signaling that could help patients who are experiencing a heart attack or undergoing open-heart surgery.
Previously published research in 2012 and 2021 by Eltzschig and Ruan showed that biological rhythms affect myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury (IRI) severity. IRI can occur in the setting of a heart attack, open-heart surgery, or during circulatory arrest, where blood flow is temporarily cut off (ischemia). During this period, the affected heart tissues suffer from inadequate oxygen supply (hypoxia). Once the obstruction is removed and blood flow resumes (reperfusion), rather than bringing immediate relief, this sudden influx of blood can lead to additional stress and damage to the heart.
The previous research further indicated that larger infarctions or higher incidences of heart failure happen in patients with morning onset heart attacks rather than later in the day. This daytime variation of myocardial injury hints at a potential interaction between circadian rhythm and hypoxia signaling.
“My laboratory has been very interested in studying IRI for over two decades,” said Eltzschig, the John P. and Kathrine G. McGovern Distinguished University Chair and the director of the Center for Perioperative Medicine at McGovern Medical School. “We undertook an unbiased look to understand the molecular mechanisms of why there are differences in heart attacks in the early morning versus the late afternoon.”
In studies that led up to the current grant application, the team of scientists analyzed heart tissue samples from circadian rhythm-trained mice following heart attacks at different time points of the day. In addition, they analyzed samples derived from the left heart ventricle of patients undergoing cardiac surgery at different times of the day. They identified a highly differentially expressed gene, BMAL1, a core circadian transcription factor. The genetic deletion of BMAL1 in mouse hearts eliminates daytime variations in cardiac injury.
Natural protective molecules called hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) are activated due to a lack of oxygen and promote the adaptation to limited oxygen availability. In addition, HIFs limit excessive tissue inflammation in order to prevent further tissue damage. Specifically, researchers uncovered that HIF2A works together with BMAL1 in heart tissues to provide circadian-dependent heart protection.
With this grant, researchers will aim to understand how BMAL1 and HIF2A interact and their functional roles in modulating daytime variation of cardiac injury. High-resolution imaging techniques will be employed to study the molecular interactions between BMAL1 and HIF2A by Kuang-Lei Tsai, PhD, co-principal investigator and assistant professor, and postdoctoral researcher Tao Li, PhD, from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at McGovern Medical School. They will further explore the possibility of targeting the BMAL1 and HIF2A pathways as therapeutic strategies to protect the heart from injuries during surgery.
“We are using data to see if the pathways and transcriptional regulations are occurring in patients undergoing cardiac surgery in the morning or the afternoon,” Eltzschig said.
The other co-principal investigator of the study is Jochen Daniel Muehlschlegel, MD, MMSc, MBA, professor and chair of the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University. NIH Grant R01HL165748 funds this research.
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Newswise — HOUSTON ― The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center today announced the launch of its Institute for Data Science in Oncology (IDSO), which integrates the most advanced computational and data science approaches with the institution’s extensive scientific and clinical expertise to significantly improve patient’s lives by transforming cancer care and research.
Bringing top data scientists from a variety of fields together with clinicians and cancer scientists, the institute builds on MD Anderson’s culture of collaboration and connectivity to tackle the field’s most pressing needs in new and innovative ways. IDSO’s efforts have been catalyzed by philanthropic and institutional support of more than $61 million, representing significant progress toward an initial fundraising goal of $100 million.
“The answers to overcoming cancer are within our reach, and we owe it to our patients and their families to move beyond traditional approaches to find those answers quickly,” said David Jaffray, Ph.D., director of IDSO and chief technology and digital officer at MD Anderson. “The institute is changing the way we work, incorporating the next generation of computational approaches and team data science across MD Anderson. By making data part of every decision, we will ensure progress for our patients and their families at the pace needed to address the urgent problem of cancer.”
MD Anderson generates an immense amount of data annually, including complex clinical information and expansive laboratory datasets. Building on the most advanced data and computational scientific methods available, IDSO is revolutionizing how the institution leverages data to fuel new discoveries, optimize the patient experience and personalize cancer care.
“At MD Anderson, we are intimately familiar with the urgent needs and challenges facing our patients, and we will find the best solutions possible by unlocking the full power of the growing and increasingly complex data,” said Caroline Chung, M.D., director of Data Science Development and Implementation for IDSO and chief data officer at MD Anderson. “The institutional commitment to this effort enables us to build an unmatched oncology data ecosystem that fuels effective collaborations across MD Anderson and around the world.”
Through its work, IDSO not only allows for better analysis of existing data but also changes how MD Anderson generates, collects and manages data. This comprehensive approach enables research and clinical teams to derive new and deeper insights that can be applied to accelerate drug discovery and development, to improve scheduling and access for patients, to enhance the safety and quality of care, and to allow for personalized treatment decisions based on results and predictions from diagnostic tests.
“The Institute for Data Science in Oncology positions MD Anderson as a leader in data science for cancer care, discovery and clinical operations. Its innovative programs will be, in many cases, the first generation of data science applied to the challenge of ending cancer,” said Peter WT Pisters, M.D., president of MD Anderson. “The institute is a critical element of our institutional strategy, and it will transform how MD Anderson uses data to advance discoveries and make the greatest impact on humanity.”
Teaming up on focused areas of opportunity
The institute unites MD Anderson’s clinical and research communities in transformative data efforts, offering new opportunities for collaborations across the institution and with external researchers and industry colleagues. Located in the Texas Medical Center’s Helix Park and housed in the TMC3 Collaborative Building, IDSO brings together experts in medicine, science, academia and industry.
Led by Jaffray and Chung, IDSO is engaging top data science experts to direct established focus areas. Current co-leads who already have joined IDSO include Bissan Al-Lazikani, Ph.D., professor of Genomic Medicine; Heiko Enderling, Ph.D., professor of Radiation Oncology; Jeffrey Siewerdsen, Ph.D., professor of Imaging Physics; and Yinyin Yuan, Ph.D., professor of Translational Molecular Pathology.
IDSO is focused on five initial priority areas, selected based on alignment with clinical practice and the existing technology required for meaningful progress. These include:
The institute continues to recruit top scientists from around the world and is training the next generation of pioneers in the field, creating a diverse and inclusive environment that facilitates seamless engagement with MD Anderson’s clinicians and researchers. The IDSO Fellows program, led by Christopher Gibbons, Ph.D., associate professor of Symptom Research, is designed to offer postdoctoral training opportunities for junior clinicians and researchers that will empower them to become leaders in data science for oncology.
Together with Dan Shoenthal, chief innovation officer at MD Anderson, IDSO is engaging with leaders in the field to establish relationships that can advance priority initiatives, including ongoing initiatives with industry collaborators as well as The University of Texas at Austin Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences and the Texas Advanced Computing Center, Rice University and Break Through Cancer.
Philanthropic support accelerates the impact of data science
Generous support from dedicated donors across the nation is accelerating the far-reaching, long-term possibilities of IDSO. Philanthropic investments enable the institute to hire and train exceptional talent and to rapidly build the necessary infrastructure to carry out its work, resulting in meaningful improvements for patients and their families.
IDSO has received significant commitments from the Commonwealth Foundation for Cancer Research, Lyda Hill Philanthropies, the Hackett Family, the Laura and John Arnold Endowment and more, including an anonymous donor. Matching funds are expected from multiple organizations, including the Commonwealth Foundation.
“The inspired actions of our donors speak volumes about the potential of this institute to make meaningful impacts on the next era of cancer research and care,” Jaffray said. “We are grateful for their boundless generosity and their dedication to our mission to end cancer.”
Read this press release in the MD Anderson Newsroom.
– 30 –
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University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
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Amazon.com Inc.
AMZN,
said Wednesday that it will offer Prime members primary care for $9 a month through its healthcare business One Medical.
The new One Medical membership includes unlimited round-the-clock virtual care nationwide, Amazon said. Prime members who sign up for the benefit can also schedule same-day or next-day in-person appointments at One Medical primary care offices, but they must use their insurance or pay out-of-pocket for office visits, the company said.
The $99 annual cost of One Medical for Prime members represents a $100 discount off the standard One Medical annual membership fee. Prime membership costs $139 a year.
The new offer comes as the e-commerce giant has been expanding its health services with Amazon Pharmacy and the online healthcare service Amazon Clinic as well as its $3.9 billion acquisition of One Medical, which closed earlier this year. The company’s healthcare efforts could be an important driver of future sales, potentially generating an extra 1 percentage point of revenue growth in 2026, D.A. Davidson analysts wrote in a September research note.
Amazon is among several retailers pushing into the primary care business. Costco Wholesale Corp.
COST,
recently started offering members access to healthcare, including $29 virtual primary care visits, through a deal with online marketplace Sesame. Walmart Inc.
WMT,
has been setting up Walmart Health centers, providing primary care, dental care, labs and other services, inside some of its Walmart Supercenters.
Although One Medical has hundreds of locations scattered across roughly two dozen metro areas, it doesn’t have the same presence as some companies that have established healthcare services in their retail locations. CVS Health Corp.
CVS,
for example, has more than 1,100 MinuteClinic locations.
Amazon shares were roughly flat Wednesday morning and have gained 70% in the year to date, while the S&P 500
SPX
has gained 14%.
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Newswise — WASHINGTON — Reducing health disparities in incidence and mortality for major types of cancers can be aided by sophisticated computer modeling efforts, according to new, wide-ranging perspectives from researchers at Georgetown University’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center and colleagues around the country. The collection of articles appears in the November 8, 2023, special issue of JNCI and are devoted to outlining a path forward in cancer disparities modeling.
The issue was edited by Georgetown Lombardi’s Jeanne Mandelblatt, MD, MPH; Amy Trentham Dietz, PhD, professor of Population Health Sciences at the University of Wisconsin, Madison; and Rafael Meza, PhD, adjunct professor at the School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia, Canada, and comprises articles by dozens of co-authors.
The studies in JNCI used modeling to synthesize data specifically for the overall U.S. population compared to the U.S. Black population to quantify the contributions of different aspects of cancer care to the impact on disparities in cancer mortality.
Given the high cost and long time periods needed to obtain results from clinical trials looking at interventions to prevent and treat many cancers and the chronic lack of sufficient enrollment of Black people in these trials, simulating cancer outcomes in diverse populations with sophisticated computer modeling tools is recommended by the National Academy of Sciences and others as a high-quality alternative assessment method. To that end, the Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network (CISNET) has been funded by the National Cancer Institute, a part of the National Institutes of Health, since the year 2000 to advance modeling science for the disease.
The CISNET studies in this issue of JNCI considered an antiracism framework that aims to identify strategies to advance health equity among Black people and other populations underrepresented in medical research. The authors define health equity as “the absence of unfair, avoidable or remediable differences in health outcomes so that no one is disadvantaged by socioeconomics or other factors.”
“We have framed systemic racism as the root cause of inequity that can exert significant effects on cancer incidence and mortality and competing comorbidities,” says Mandelblatt, director of the Georgetown Lombardi Institute for Cancer and Aging Research as well as a professor of oncology and medicine at the Georgetown University School of Medicine. “Because of these research efforts, we hope that we have provided a framework to support the next generation of cancer population simulation models.”
Significantly, the researchers were able to confirm that CISNET modeled incidence and mortality rates closely matched observed cancer statistical trends over time, lending validity to the modeling approach.
The racial group-specific modeling in this issue is the first collaborative effort from virtually the entire CISNET Consortium addressing a single research question designed to identify leverage points that could be targeted to increase equity in cancer burden among Black populations. The resulting body of research illustrates how population simulation modeling can be applied to address critical public health issues.
Taken together, the results of the modeling analyses included several notable patterns:
The researchers hope that future models can better capture relationships between systemic racism and cancer outcomes and replace or extend single-level race variables with measures that capture structural, interpersonal, and internalized racism.
###
Mandelblatt reports having no personal financial interests related to these perspectives.
Research referenced in the perspectives was supported by National Cancer Institute grants U01 CA253911, U01 CA253858, R351CA 97289, R35CA283926, U01 CA199218 and P30CA014520 and a National Institute on Aging grant R21AG075008.
About Georgetown University’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center
Georgetown’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center is designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) as a comprehensive cancer center. A part of Georgetown University Medical Center, Georgetown Lombardi is the only comprehensive cancer center in the Washington D.C. area. It serves as the research engine for MedStar Health, Georgetown University’s clinical partner. Georgetown Lombardi is also an NCI recognized consortium with John Theurer Cancer Center/Hackensack Meridian Health in Bergen County, New Jersey. The consortium reflects an integrated cancer research enterprise with scientists and physician-researchers from both locations. Georgetown Lombardi seeks to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancer through innovative basic, translational and clinical research, patient care, community education and outreach to service communities throughout the Washington region, while its consortium member John Theurer Cancer Center/Hackensack Meridian Health serves communities in northern New Jersey. Georgetown Lombardi is a member of the NCI Community Oncology Research Program (UG1CA239758). Georgetown Lombardi is supported in part by a National Cancer Institute Cancer Center Support Grant (P30CA051008). Connect with Georgetown Lombardi on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgetownLombardi) and Twitter (@LombardiCancer).
About Georgetown University Medical Center
Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC) is an internationally recognized academic health and science center with a four-part mission of research, teaching, service and patient care (through MedStar Health). GUMC’s mission is carried out with a strong emphasis on public service and a dedication to the Catholic, Jesuit principle of cura personalis — or “care of the whole person.” The Medical Center includes the School of Medicine and the School of Nursing & Health Studies, both nationally ranked; Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, designated as a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute; and the Biomedical Graduate Research Organization, which accounts for the majority of externally funded research at GUMC including a Clinical and Translational Science Award from the National Institutes of Health. Connect with GUMC on Facebook (Facebook.com/GUMCUpdate) and Twitter (@gumedcenter).
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Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University
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Newswise — CAR-T cell therapy is a last hope for many patients with blood, bone marrow or lymph gland cancer when other treatments such as chemotherapy are unsuccessful. A limiting factor of this otherwise very effective and safe therapy is that the cells used in the process quickly reach a state of exhaustion. Researchers at the University of Freiburg have now been able to prevent this exhaustion and thus significantly improve the effect of the therapy in a preclinical animal model. The new results have been published in the journal Nature Immunology.
Using the body’s own defences against cancer
CAR-T cells are one of the personalised cancer therapies and have been used in specialised centres in Europe since 2018. In this complex treatment, immune cells, or more precisely T cells, are taken from the blood of cancer patients, genetically engineered in the laboratory with a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and then re-administered. The receptor helps the T cells to identify and kill cancer cells. As a result, the therapy utilises the body’s own cells to permanently eradicate the cancer.
A simplified T-cell receptor
The CAR functions like a sensor with which the T cell recognises characteristic surface features of cancer cells. The synthetic CAR consists in part of elements of the natural T cell receptor, but its structure is greatly simplified in comparison. The CAR has only one of the four different subunits that transmit the signals that trigger the activation of the immune response in unmodified T cells.
“The CARs authorised by the drug authorities all use the so-called zeta chain, which triggers a particularly strong activation of the T cell as soon as the CAR binds to the surface of a cancer cell. Whether the other three signalling chains of the T-cell receptor – gamma, delta and epsilon – can also be used for CARs has not yet been investigated,” explains Prof. Dr Susana Minguet, who led the current study together with Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schamel. Both are members of the Cluster of Excellence CIBSS – Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies at the University of Freiburg and are researching how the various subunits of the T cell receptor transmit signals in order to trigger an immune response.
For their current study, the researchers produced four types of CAR-T cells, each expressing a CAR with each of the four signalling subunits, and tested them in a mouse model of leukaemia. “Surprisingly, the zeta chain, the domain used in clinically applied CAR-T cells, showed a lower anti-tumour effect than the other three domains. These eliminated the cancer cells in the leukaemia model significantly better,” explains Schamel.
Strong activation is a downside
The researchers explain the result by the fact that although the zeta chain transmits a strong activating signal to the cell, this also quickly exhausts the cell. “It’s as if we were making the cells run an ultramarathon at maximum speed,” explains Minguet. In contrast, the delta chain, which showed the best efficacy in the current study, triggers an inhibitory signal parallel to the activation of the T cell. “This allows the immune cell to run at its optimum speed,” says Minguet.
Results relevant to clinical research
“Our results show that CARs that use one of the other signalling domains instead of the zeta chain could mitigate or prevent the disadvantages of existing therapies with CAR-T cells,” summarises Schamel. The researchers conclude that the development of new CAR therapies should therefore consider strategies that can achieve a more balanced immune response.
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University of Freiburg
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Butlr Care is the first ambient monitoring platform built using anonymous thermal sensor technology; offers market-leading accuracy, privacy, and ease of deployment
BURLINGAME, Calif., November 6, 2023 (Newswire.com)
–
Butlr, a leading provider of anonymous people-sensing technology, today announced the availability of Butlr Care. The solution offers a new option for senior living communities to improve safety and care while protecting privacy and simplifying daily life for residents and staff. By passively monitoring movement patterns via thermal sensors, Butlr Care can alert caregivers when seniors need assistance. Butlr also announced partnerships with leading solution providers that are deploying the technology.
By 2031, the U.S. will need an additional 9.3 million care workers to help support its estimated 74 million seniors. Bultr’s announcement is part of its effort to provide technology that enables seniors to age with dignity while empowering care workers and communities to deliver better outcomes – despite persistent labor shortages.
Available today, Bultr Care gives senior living communities and solutions providers a range of rules-based capabilities designed to bridge care gaps and make residents safer. The highly accurate system alerts staff to wandering, out of bed and bathroom events, and situations where no motion is observed to detect potential falls. These alerts enable faster response times and help care providers mitigate the impact of acute health risks.
“We’re thrilled to offer a new technology option for senior living communities and solutions providers that delivers real value,” said Honghao Deng, CEO and co-founder of Butlr. “Our aim is to make ambient monitoring part of a new care standard – one that protects privacy, simplifies caregiving, and strengthens the bottom line.”
The solution is powered by Butlr’s unobtrusive, ceiling-mounted sensors that take minutes to install. A typical studio apartment requires two sensors; a one-bedroom apartment requires three. The sensors detect only body heat to accurately measure human movement, gait speed, and activity in real time. Delivered by trusted solution providers, Butlr’s platform integrates seamlessly via API with the tools that care teams already use, resulting in minimal change management and high adoption rates.
Health professionals also gain access to predictive care insights, which identify unexpected changes in resident behavior tied to new conditions that might require revisions to a plan of care. Examples include UTIs (increased trips to the restroom), sleep quality and restlessness, and frailty (gait speed, daily activity). Butlr recently announced a research partnership on frailty detection with UMass Amherst and Dr. Dae Kim of Harvard University.
Together, Bultr’s capabilities are designed for empowered care, an approach that enables health professionals to minimize distractions and gain leverage on their time. Without learning a new piece of software, a caregiver can do passive check-in and rounding, and get alerted when a resident requires needs-based care. This can be especially valuable for understaffed night shifts that can implement a “Night Watch” to know when and where to focus their care.
As part of today’s announcement, Butlr also made public partnerships with a select number of leading solutions providers and technology companies, including Notify Nurse Call, 9 Solutions, and IDP Sante. By complementing Butlr Care with software and services, these partners offer turnkey solutions for delivering the benefits of ambient monitoring to residents, care staff, and senior community operators.
“We’re proud to partner with Bultr to bring the benefits of ambient monitoring to communities across the country,” said Greg Robertson, General Manager of Notify Nurse Call. “Customers can receive alerts sent by Butlr Care directly in the Notify app – saving time and enabling staff to focus on delivering high-quality, needs-based care.”
Butlr is attending Leading Age 2023 in Chicago, November 5-8, 2023. To learn more, stop by Booth 1018 or visit Butlr’s website.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Kathy Keating
Public Relations
617-460-2702
kkeating@prosincomms.com
About Butlr
Spun out of the MIT Media Lab in 2019 with offices in Silicon Valley and Boston, Butlr was founded by Forbes 30 Under 30 entrepreneurs Honghao Deng and Jiani Zeng with a mission to make the built environment people-aware. The company’s award-winning people sensing platform uses body heat and machine learning to detect occupancy, headcount and activity, and generate accurate, real-time and historical spatial insights while being incapable of collecting personally identifiable information. Butlr’s patented technology architecture makes for easy deployment in minutes with a low total cost of ownership.
Source: Butlr Technologies
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Highlights
Newswise — Philadelphia, PA (November 4, 2023) — Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors lower blood sugar levels and have additional beneficial effects on kidney and heart health for individuals with and without diabetes, but little is known about the safety and efficacy of these medications in kidney transplant recipients. Research that examined this will be presented at ASN Kidney Week 2023 November 1–November 5.
For the study, investigators analyzed the electronic medical records of 3,450 adult kidney transplant recipients treated with SGLT2 inhibitors who were matched to 3,450 similar patients who did not receive SGLT2 inhibitors, using a statistical technique called propensity matching adjusted for demographic data, baseline heart disease and blood test.
Kidney transplant patients treated with SGLT2 inhibitors were 59%, 64%, 33%, and 40% less likely to experience kidney transplant rejection, kidney transplant failure, major adverse cardiac events, and mortality, respectively, over 3 years. They were also 44% less likely to experience urinary tract infections.
“To date, all major SGLT2 inhibitor studies have excluded kidney transplant patients. This study was the largest observational study demonstrating the benefits of SGLT2 inhibitors in patients with kidney transplants,” said corresponding author Nageen, Anwar, MD, of the Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. “This study is a big step towards qualifying transplant patients to benefit from the many positive effects of SGLT2 inhibitor use and sets the precedence for a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the long-term kidney and cardiovascular outcomes of SGLT2 inhibitor therapy in kidney transplant patients.”
Study: “Outcomes Associated with Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors in Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Real-World Analysis Using a Global Federated Database”
The world’s premier nephrology meeting, ASN Kidney Week, brings together approximately 12,000 kidney professionals from across the world. The largest nephrology meeting provides participants with exciting and challenging opportunities to exchange knowledge, learn the latest scientific and medical advances, and listen to engaging and provocative discussions with leading experts in the field.
About ASN
Since 1966, ASN has been leading the fight to prevent, treat, and cure kidney diseases throughout the world by educating health professionals and scientists, advancing research and innovation, communicating new knowledge and advocating for the highest quality care for patients. ASN has nearly 21,000 members representing 140 countries. For more information, visit www.asn-online.org and follow us on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
# # #
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American Society of Nephrology (ASN)
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BYLINE: Valerie Goodwin
Newswise — For patients with multiple sclerosis, a regular exercise routine is important for managing symptoms. But due to different causes of chronic pain, physical exercise can be more difficult for some.
Research published in the Journal of Pain from the University of Michigan found that widespread pain with nociplastic features can make engaging in physical activity a painful task for patients with MS.
“Widespread pain with nociplastic features is a chronic and diffuse pain which can be challenging to localize or describe precisely,” said Libak Abou, Ph.D., research assistant professor and lead author of the paper.
“In a person with MS, this type of pain arises from altered processing signals within the central nervous system. This is opposed to pain that arises from specific tissue damage, classified as nociceptive pain, or pain related to demyelination and axonal damage, classified as neuropathic pain.”
Abou and fellow researchers surveyed patients with MS to see if those with a higher indication of widespread pain with nociplastic features were more likely to be insufficiently active or sedentary when compared to their MS counterparts with no chronic pain, nociceptive pain, or neuropathic pain.
Each of the participants was self-reporting with their data.
The results of the survey showed that those who experienced WPNF in addition to their MS were not sufficiently active due to the chronic pain they were experiencing.
“There is a growing need to consider what type of pain MS patients are experiencing before giving them an exercise plan,” said Abou.
“The concept of considering widespread pain with nociplastic features when creating exercise plans for MS is newer but could help many patients get to an activity level that will help ease symptoms without causing them intense pain.”
For the future, Abou hopes that clinicians can begin doing screenings for underlying pain mechanisms in patients with MS that are struggling to stay active to help further tailor their physical routines to their personal needs.
“The end goal is to help those with MS maintain their functional independence,” said Abou.
“It is also important to remember that these patients will likely need extra support from their physical therapy team to keep them on a path with less pain.”
Additional authors: Libak Abou, Daniel Whibley, and Anna L. Kratz from the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan as well as the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Daniel J. Clauw from the Department of Anesthesiology, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Paper cited: “Widespread Pain With Nociplastic Features is an Independent Predictor of Low Physical Activity in People with Multiple Sclerosis,” The Journal of Pain. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2023.09.005
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Michigan Medicine – University of Michigan
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Newswise — Does electromagnetic radiation emitted by mobile phones affect semen quality? While various environmental and lifestyle factors have been proposed to explain the decline in semen quality observed over the last fifty years, the role of mobile phones has yet to be demonstrated. A team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), in collaboration with the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), has published a major cross-sectional study on the subject. It shows that frequent use of mobile phones is associated with a lower sperm concentration and total sperm count. However, researchers did not find any association between mobile phone use and low sperm motility and morphology. Read the results in Fertility & Sterility.
Semen quality is determined by the assessment of parameters such as sperm concentration, total sperm count, sperm motility and sperm morphology. According to the values established by the World Health Organization (WHO), a man will most probably take more than one year to conceive a child if his sperm concentration is below 15 million per milliliter. In addition, the percentage chance of pregnancy will decrease if the sperm concentration is below 40 million per milliliter.
Many studies have shown that semen quality has decreased over the last fifty years. Sperm count is reported to have dropped from an average of 99 million sperm per millilitre to 47 million per millilitre. This phenomenon is thought to be the result of a combination of environmental factors (endocrine disruptors, pesticides, radiation) and lifestyle habits (diet, alcohol, stress, smoking).
Assessing the impact of mobile phones
Is the mobile phone also to blame? After conducting the first national study (2019) on the semen quality of young men in Switzerland, a team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) has published the largest cross-sectional study on this topic. It is based on data from 2886 Swiss men aged 18 to 22, recruited between 2005 and 2018 at six military conscription centres.
In collaboration with the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), scientists studied the association between semen parameters of 2886 men and their use of mobile phones. ‘‘Men completed a detailed questionnaire related to their lifestyle habits, their general health status and more specifically the frequency at which they used their phones, as well as where they placed it when not in use,’’ explains Serge Nef, full professor in the Department of Genetic Medicine and Development at the UNIGE Faculty of Medicine and at the SCAHT – Swiss Centre for Applied Human Toxicology, who co-directed the study.
These data revealed an association between frequent use and lower sperm concentration. The median sperm concentration was significantly higher in the group of men who did not use their phone more than once a week (56.5 million/mL) compared with men who used their phone more than 20 times a day (44.5 million/mL). This difference corresponds to a 21% decrease in sperm concentration for frequent users (>20 times/day) compared to rare users (<1 time>
Is 4G less harmful than 2G?
This inverse association was found to be more pronounced in the first study period (2005-2007) and gradually decreased with time (2008-2011 and 2012-2018). ‘‘This trend corresponds to the transition from 2G to 3G, and then from 3G to 4G, that has led to a reduction in the transmitting power of phones,’’ explains Martin RÖÖsli, associate professor at Swiss TPH.
‘‘Previous studies evaluating the relationship between the use of mobile phones and semen quality were performed on a relatively small number of individuals, rarely considering lifestyle information, and have been subject to selection bias, as they were recruited in fertility clinics. This has led to inconclusive results,’’ explains Rita Rahban, senior researcher and teaching assistant in the Department of Genetic Medicine and Development in the Faculty of Medicine at the UNIGE and at the SCAHT, first author and co-leader of the study.
It doesn’t matter where you put your phone
Data analysis also seems to show that the position of the phone – for example, in a trouser pocket – was not associated with lower semen parameters. ‘‘However, the number of people in this cohort indicating that they did not carry their phone close to their body was too small to draw a really robust conclusion on this specific point,’’ adds Rita Rahban.
This study, like most epidemiologic studies investigating the effects of mobile phone use on semen quality, relied on self-reported data, which is a limitation. By doing so, the frequency of use reported by the individual was assumed to be an accurate estimate of exposure to electromagnetic radiation. To address this limitation, a study funded by the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) was launched in 2023. Its aim is to directly and accurately measure exposure to electromagnetic waves, as well as the types of use – calls, web navigation, sending messages – and to assess their impact on male reproductive health and fertility potential. The data will be collected using an application that each future participant will download to their mobile phone. The research team is actively recruiting participants for this study.
The aim is also to better describe the mechanism of action behind these observations. ‘‘Do the microwaves emitted by mobile phones have a direct or indirect effect? Do they cause a significant increase in temperature in the testes? Do they affect the hormonal regulation of sperm production? This all remains to be discovered,’’ concludes Rita Rahban.
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Universite de Geneve (University of Geneva)
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