Explore

Trey Smith discusses unique connection with teammate Kenneth Walker

Trey Smith discusses unique connection with teammate Kenneth Walker

Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman Trey Smith discussed his unique connection with teammate Kenneth Walker III | @EdEastonJr

Could a Tight Hip Muscle Be Behind Your Lower Back Pain?

Could a Tight Hip Muscle Be Behind Your Lower Back Pain?

The iliopsoas muscle, a powerful hip flexor formed by the psoas major and iliacus, is not only vital for movement but also a significant area of cl...

Chronic Pancreatitis Increases Pancreatic Cancer Risk, But Most Cases Do Not Progress to Cancer

Chronic Pancreatitis Increases Pancreatic Cancer Risk, But Most Cases Do Not Progress to Cancer

Chronic pancreatitis, a condition characterized by long-standing inflammation of the pancreas, is a recognized risk factor for pancreatic cancer. However, the vast majority of individuals with chronic pancreatitis will not develop pancreatic cancer. The link between the two conditions stems from the repeated cycles of injury, healing, and scarring within the pancreas. Each cycle prompts pancreatic cells to divide, and frequent cell division increases the likelihood of accumulating genetic damage, which can contribute to cancer development. The duration of pancreatitis is considered a more significant factor than its severity, as a longer period of inflammation means more cycles of damage and repair. It is important to note that chronic pancreatitis is not a direct cause of cancer in the same way an infection causes a fever. Estimates of pancreatic cancer risk in individuals with chronic pancreatitis vary widely across studies due to differences in populations, definitions of the condition, and follow-up du...

WashU Medicine Researchers Identify Immune Cell Ratio Predicting Chronic Disease and Mortality

WashU Medicine Researchers Identify Immune Cell Ratio Predicting Chronic Disease and Mortality

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, in collaboration with Nationwide Children's Hospital and King's College London, have developed a map of human immune aging that identifies a ratio between two types of immune cells as a predictor of future health risks. The study, published in Immunity, analyzed approximately 12.4 million individual immune cells from 2,609 healthy adults aged 20 to over 90 across various cohorts. They found that a higher proportion of granzyme B-producing white blood cells compared to granzyme K-producing cells in healthy individuals was associated with an increased risk of death and chronic conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, liver disease, and renal failure a decade later. Conversely, a healthy immune system tends to shift towards granzyme K cells over time. This suggests that individuals can have different immune aging trajectories, explaining varying health outcomes among people of the same chronological age.

Wegovy Demonstrates 20% Reduction in Cardiovascular Events, Zepbound Shows Greater Weight Loss in Direct Comparison

Wegovy Demonstrates 20% Reduction in Cardiovascular Events, Zepbound Shows Greater Weight Loss in Direct Comparison

A recent analysis comparing GLP-1 receptor agonists Wegovy (semaglutide) and Zepbound (tirzepatide) highlights distinct advantages for each medication. Wegovy has demonstrated a 20% relative reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events, including heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death, in adults with established heart disease and overweight or obesity, based on the SELECT trial. This makes Wegovy the only one of the two with randomized proof of such cardiovascular benefits. In contrast, Zepbound has shown superior average weight loss. The SURMOUNT-5 trial, a direct head-to-head comparison, found that participants on tirzepatide (Zepbound) lost an average of 20.2% of their starting body weight over 72 weeks, compared to 13.7% for those on semaglutide (Wegovy). Both drugs are approved for chronic weight management and share common gastrointestinal side effects like nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. The choice between them depends on individual health history and specific treatment goals, such as pr...

Nighttime Light Exposure Linked to Early Heart Problem Indicators in New Study

Nighttime Light Exposure Linked to Early Heart Problem Indicators in New Study

A new study published in the European Heart Journal has identified a link between nighttime light exposure and an increased risk of developing factors associated with heart disease. Researchers analyzed data from 11,071 participants in the UK Biobank, who wore light sensors for seven days to measure nighttime light exposure. After three years, cardiac MRI scans revealed that individuals exposed to at least three lux of nighttime light (comparable to bright moonlight or light seeping under a door) exhibited thickening in the wall of the heart's left ventricle and reduced flexibility in the heart muscle during each heartbeat. These findings suggest that even low levels of light at night could be an early indicator of inefficient heart function. Dr. Yu-Ming Ni, a cardiologist, explains that this interference with the body's circadian rhythm can disrupt sleep, blood pressure, and metabolism, potentially contributing to cardiovascular risk factors like high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes over time. Dr. C...

Red Light Therapy Shows Promise for Hashimoto's Hypothyroidism, Not a Cure

Red Light Therapy Shows Promise for Hashimoto's Hypothyroidism, Not a Cure

Red light therapy, also known as photobiomodulation or low-level light therapy, is being studied for its potential effects on the thyroid gland, particularly in individuals with Hashimoto's-related hypothyroidism. This therapy utilizes specific wavelengths of red and near-infrared light, which are absorbed by mitochondria in cells, influencing energy production, blood flow, and inflammation. The thyroid gland, located at the base of the neck, is accessible to this light due to its superficial position. Small-scale studies, primarily focusing on Hashimoto's thyroiditis, have indicated that near-infrared laser light (830–850 nm) applied to the thyroid area may reduce the required dosage of levothyroxine (LT4) medication in some patients. However, these studies are limited in number, often small, and have predominantly used medical lasers rather than home-use panels. It is crucial to note that red light therapy is considered a general wellness tool and not a treatment for any medical condition, and endocrinol...

Lonza and Onava Partner to Accelerate AI-Driven Biologic Drug Discovery

Lonza and Onava Partner to Accelerate AI-Driven Biologic Drug Discovery

Lonza and Onava Partner to Accelerate AI-Driven Biologic Drug Discovery

UNMC and Nebraska Medicine Expand Project Health Building, Increasing Size and Cost

UNMC and Nebraska Medicine Expand Project Health Building, Increasing Size and Cost

Construction is currently underway on the Project Health building at the UNMC and Nebraska Medicine campus in Central Omaha. The project, initially approved by the University of Nebraska Board of Regents two years ago, has seen significant expansion. The building's size has increased to over 1.5 million square feet, and its construction cost has risen to $2.75 billion, marking an increase of approximately $500 million. The Board of Regents unanimously approved the additional funding for this expansion. The facility is designed to accommodate research, clinical trials, and clinical learning. The completion of Project Health is anticipated in 2033.

Bowling Green Woman Reunites with Medical Team After Surviving Life-Threatening Blood Clots

Bowling Green Woman Reunites with Medical Team After Surviving Life-Threatening Blood Clots

A Bowling Green woman, Sue Miller, recently reunited with the medical team at TriStar Greenview Regional Hospital that saved her life after she experienced a severe medical emergency involving blood clots in both lungs. Miller's ordeal began when she suddenly found herself unable to breathe and experienced chest pain after a lunch with friends. She managed to drive home, after which a friend took her to urgent care, leading to her transfer to the hospital where the blood clots were discovered. At TriStar Greenview, her care team included Shawn Brennan, Jamie Oakley, Callie Hullett, Amy Arnemann, Lindsey Millam, and critical care pharmacist Mariah Durham. The cardiac catheterization lab team performed a procedure to treat the clots. Miller specifically recalled the calming voice of pharmacist Mariah Durham during the procedure, which provided her comfort and reassurance. The reunion allowed Miller to express her profound gratitude to the healthcare professionals she credits as her 'angels' and 'heroes' for ...

Scientists Uncover Decades-Old Inflammation Mystery, Revealing Dual Role of Key Pathway

Scientists Uncover Decades-Old Inflammation Mystery, Revealing Dual Role of Key Pathway

Scientists at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) have solved a scientific puzzle that has persisted for over 30 years, identifying a previously unnamed enzyme crucial to the body's inflammatory response. The enzyme, responsible for assembling and breaking down the fatty signaling molecule 5-oxoETE, was unmasked by postdoctoral researcher Yanan Ma, Ph.D., who identified the human gene DHRS7 as its blueprint. This discovery, detailed in a study published in Nature, reveals that the 5-oxoETE pathway not only summons immune cells to infection sites but also protects healthy cells from damage caused by the immune response. The research utilized zebrafish models, which proved critical because mice lack the necessary receptor to study this specific pathway. The findings emerged from two converging projects within Dr. Philipp Niethammer's lab, with Dr. Ma's work on enzyme identification and Dr. Miklos Lengyel's research on colitis models in zebrafish unexpectedly revealing the pathway's protective functi...

National Cancer Institute Renews UNC Biostatistics Grant for Genomics and Cancer Research

National Cancer Institute Renews UNC Biostatistics Grant for Genomics and Cancer Research

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has renewed a long-standing training grant for the Biostatistics for Research in Genomics and Cancer program at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. This program, continuously funded by NCI since 2004, is led by Alumni Distinguished Professor Joseph G. Ibrahim, PhD, and Associate Professor Naim Rashid, PhD. It supports five predoctoral trainees at a time, preparing doctoral students for careers at the intersection of statistical methodology, genomics, and cancer research. The program emphasizes rigorous methodological training combined with immersion in cancer and genomics research, allowing trainees to collaborate with cancer biologists, clinicians, and genomic scientists. This interdisciplinary approach addresses research questions that require both new statistical methods and a deep understanding of the underlying science. The curriculum has evolved to include high-dimensional modeling, multimodal data integration, computation, machine learning, and artifi...