Medical pros of electroconvulsive therapy may be exaggerated while cons are downplayed

Swansea University has helped uncover a surprising new role for platelets—one that could significantly advance early cancer detection.

Every party needs balloons. These just happen to be filled with laughing gas.

Columbia University investigators report an increased risk of breast lymphomas after postmastectomy implant-based reconstruction, including anaplastic large-cell lymphoma and several B-cell and T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma histologies.

It has long been understood that experiencing two senses simultaneously, like seeing and hearing, can lead to improved responses relative to those seen when only one sensory input is experienced by itself. For example, a potential prey that gets visual and auditory clues that it is about to be attacked by a snake in the grass has a better chance of survival.

Pop-up screening for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk held at community pharmacies and large-scale sporting events can identify people with uncontrolled cardiovascular risk factors, according to a study published in JACC and simultaneously presented at the 73rd Annual Scientific Meeting of the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand.

New research from the Edinburgh Business School at Heriot-Watt University and Queen's Business School in Belfast has examined the impact of the Great Irish Famine (1845–1852) on human height.

Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDPs) are a group of complications marked by high blood pressure, including chronic hypertension—where elevated blood pressure is present before pregnancy or before 20 weeks—and gestational hypertension, which arises after 20 weeks. These conditions raise the risk of serious health problems or death for both mothers and babies. HDPs are also linked to premature birth, neonatal intensive care admission, and increased infant mortality.

Summer heat, outdoor fun ... and cold and flu symptoms?

Tiny pond worms could help find new ways to treat schizophrenia, develop an understanding of drug addiction and test new medicines for mental illnesses—all while reducing the number of mice and rats used in early medical research.

A large international study has found that spironolactone, a medication for high blood pressure and heart failure, does not reduce the risk of heart-related death or hospitalizations in people with kidney failure receiving dialysis, despite earlier smaller studies suggesting benefit.

SGLT-2 inhibitor and GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs should be used in all or almost all adults with type 2 diabetes at higher risk of cardiovascular and kidney complications, and in the majority of adults at moderate risk of complications, says a panel of international experts in The BMJ.

Eye tracking has proved valuable for assessing whether the user of a prosthetic arm perceives the device as a part of their body or experiences additional cognitive load in manipulating the artificial limb. In the experiments, when the test subject received feedback from the prosthesis in the form of electrical stimulation, the user was less likely to look at the limb and therefore did not concentrate their attention on the device as much.

In lupus nephritis, attainment of complete renal response (CRR)/partial renal response (PRR) and lupus low disease activity state (LLDAS) is associated with best relapse-free survival, with independent associations seen with lupus nephritis relapse risk reduction, according to a study published online July 20 in Arthritis Care & Research.

Compared with other dietary indices, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) and the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) provide chronic kidney disease (CKD) risk discrimination, according to a study published online Aug. 5 in Renal Failure.

Imagine you decide to walk to the park. As you head out the front door, you take a left and walk for about a block. At that point, you realize it would've been a faster journey if you had taken a right turn when you'd left your house. Though you're still close enough to head back to your front door and go on the faster route, would you turn back?

Scientists have developed a faster method for measuring the elasticity of airway walls, a property that can reveal important information about respiratory health. The technique, reported in the Journal of Biomedical Optics, could help assess conditions such as airway obstruction or burn injury during a standard bronchoscopy exam, without adding significant time or risk to the procedure.

The COVID-19 pandemic was an unprecedented challenge worldwide, but for many mothers, it brought an even heavier burden. Mothers took on increased responsibilities at home—from childcare to remote learning—while also navigating disruptions in work and personal life. These added demands contributed to rising stress levels, mental health concerns and a loss of identity for many.

The Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS) has developed a diagnostic platform that amplifies the unique optical signals of molecules by more than a hundred million times, enabling the precise detection and quantification of trace amounts of Alzheimer's disease biomarkers in body fluids.