Health & Medicine
Unravelling the links between substance use and binge-like eating disorders
Binge eating disorder (BED) and substance use disorders (SUD) are characterised by maladaptive responses in the reward system of the brain. Dr Mary C Olmstead at Queen’s University, Canada, and Dr Katia Befort, University of Strasbourg, France, are using rodent models to explore how a part of the reward system, called the endocannabinoid system (ECS), affects the two conditions. They hope […]
Read More… from Unravelling the links between substance use and binge-like eating disorders
Understanding neonatal brain injury proteinopathy: Implications for adult-onset neurodegenerative disease
Neonatal encephalopathy is damage to the brain caused by the disruption of its blood supply before and during childbirth and other reasons such as prematurity and maternal-foetal infection. It can often lead to death. Survivors can have long-term cognitive, emotional, and behavioural effects. Lee J Martin, Professor of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine and Pathology at Johns Hopkins University, USA, […]
Psychotropic medications for behavioural disorders in children: Are we getting it right?
Psychotropic medications are used to treat mental health conditions by regulating the levels of certain chemicals in the brain. In children, they are often used to treat behavioural issues including attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). As one of many treatment options, psychotropic medicines should not always be the first choice for children, especially since their effects on their developing brain are […]
Glycomimetic peptides as powerful anti-inflammatory treatments
Glycan (sugar)-binding lectin-type receptors on immune cells have the potential to serve as therapeutic targets. However, many of these receptors are not targeted because of a lack of suitable binding agents. Professor J Kenneth Hoober and Dr Laura L Eggink, co-founders of Susavion Biosciences, Inc, and Wild Boar Biosciences, LLC, have created peptide mimetics of glycans that show greater flexibility […]
Read More… from Glycomimetic peptides as powerful anti-inflammatory treatments
Meditation Without Expectations™: A novel meditation program
Levels of stress and worry have increased globally in recent years. This emotional strain paired with workplace pressures can negatively affect employee wellbeing and be detrimental to an organization’s performance. Developed by Dr. Annie Weisbrod, Meditation Without Expectations™ (MWE) is an eight-week live-streaming meditation program that has been scientifically proven to positively impact employee wellbeing. By offering access to the […]
Read More… from Meditation Without Expectations™: A novel meditation program
Nivolumab against lung cancer: How is the gut–lung axis involved?
The study of the gut microbiome, which is the total of all the microbes living in the intestines, has been shown to not only play an important role in the health of the bowel itself, but also in the health of distant organs such as the lungs. Lung cancer is one of the diseases that is often difficult to treat […]
Read More… from Nivolumab against lung cancer: How is the gut–lung axis involved?
Do joint manipulation sounds make a difference in physical therapy outcomes?
Joint manipulation, a manual technique used to decrease pain and improve joint mobility in physical therapy, is often accompanied by audible pops called joint manipulation sounds. Practitioners and patients tend to believe that feeling or hearing these pops means that their treatment was successful and that their symptoms will improve. Dr Rob Sillevis at Florida Gulf Coast University has evaluated […]
Read More… from Do joint manipulation sounds make a difference in physical therapy outcomes?
The ‘Nuggets’ of Knowledge (NoK) platform: How past experiential health emergency knowledge can inform future responses
The knowledge gained during the COVID-19 pandemic and other health emergencies could prove invaluable for devising responses to and planning for future health crises. Dr Landry Ndriko Mayigane and Dr Stella Chungong from the Health Security Preparedness Department of the World Health Organization’s Health Emergency Programme recently devised the ‘Nuggets’ of Knowledge (NoK) platform, an open-source platform, to facilitate effective […]
Rare disease drug development: Time for a new approach?
A limited patient population is a key challenge in rare disease drug development. Professor Shein-Chung Chow of Duke University School of Medicine, USA and his research partners explore innovative approaches to overcome this challenge. These include using external control, selecting appropriate study endpoints, and justifying sample size based on probability statements. They propose the use of a complex innovative two-stage […]
Read More… from Rare disease drug development: Time for a new approach?
Irreversible electroporation: A safe and effective therapy for low to intermediary prostate cancer risk profiles
Prostate cancer affects millions of men globally, and is also the third-largest cause of cancer-related deaths among men. Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is one of the more targeted, focal, and minimally aggressive therapies for prostate cancer ablation in comparison to radiotherapy, thermal, or cryo-based ablation methods. Distinguished scientist Professor Olivier Cussenot, surgeon urologist expert for the French National Cancer Institute, is […]