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☆ The Panda Factories
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-15 | by ( Mara Hvistendahl | Joy Dong | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +30 min

They show that, from the beginning, zoos saw panda cubs as a pathway to visitors, prestige and merchandise sales. Panda keepers with cubs at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, in China, in 2022. A Chinese giant panda at the Panda Park in Al Khor, in Qatar, in 2022. Smithsonian Institution Archives A panda wakes up from anesthesia in March 1999 during a seminal study by American and Chinese researchers into panda breeding. Smithsonian Institution Archives Giant panda Mei Xiang taken out of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Wolong, Sichuan Province, in 2000, for shipment to the National Zoo in Washington.

Persons: Ariana Drehsler, Kati Loeffler, “, ’, Loeffler, Kimberly Terrell, ”, Terrell, Soraya, Xin Bao, zookeepers, Richard M, Nixon, Pat Nixon, Annalisa Meyer, Melissa Songer, Heather Bacon, Bacon, Don Kohlbauer, JoGayle Howard, Darting, Howard, Ping Ping, Thomas Hildebrandt, Dr, Hildebrandt, Lei Lei, Meyer, Lung Yuan Chih, Lung, James Ayala, . Hildebrandt, Ayala, interjected, Mei Xiang, Ken Cedeno, Tian Tian, Xiang, David Wildt, Mei, Mei Xiang vomited, Qi Ji, Agnes Bun, scrawled, Pierre Comizzoli, Mads Frost Bertelsen, Meng Lan, Su Weizhong Organizations: Zoo Washington, Factories, Chengdu Research Base, Archives San Diego Zoo, The New York Times Chengdu Research Base, China, National Zoo, New York Times, Smithsonian Institution, Times, Pandas, Agence France, Memphis Zoo, Tulane University, Smithsonian, San Diego Zoo, The New York, Smithsonian . Pandas, Zoo, Associated Press, University of Central, Bear Care Group, China Conservation and Research Center, San Diego Union Tribune, Feature, Future Publishing, Getty, U.S . Fish, Wildlife Service, ”, Leibniz Institute for Zoo, Wildlife Research, National Zoo Washington, Institution Archives Chengdu Research Base, Breed, The New York Times, Beijing Zoo, Tsinghua University, Animal Studies, Visitors, New York Times China Conservation and Research Center, Smithsonian National, Associated, Smithsonian’s, and Wildlife Service, National, Fujifilm, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Reuters, Smithsonian Channel, “, Copenhagen Zoo Locations: China, Chengdu, Sichuan, Archives San Diego Zoo California, Washington, Louisiana, Japan, San Diego, San Francisco, Indonesia, Qatar, Al Khor, University of Central Lancashire, England, U.S, San, Fuzhou, United States, Feature China, Sichuan Province, Beijing, Berlin ., Wolong, Taiwan, American, estrus, New York Times China, Europe, Washington ,, Washington , DC, Beijing Zoo Beijing

☆ 18 Best Pregnancy-Safe Skin Care in 2024, According to Experts
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-07 | by ( Macaela Mackenzie | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +32 min

SKIP AHEAD The best pregnancy-safe skin care products in 2024 | How to shop for pregnancy-safe skin care | Why trust NBC Select? How I picked the best pregnancy-safe skin care productsI asked board-certified dermatologists about common pregnancy skin concerns like dryness and sensitivity and for their recommendations on pregnancy-safe formulas. The best pregnancy-safe skin care products in 2024When you’re pregnant, it may feel like you have to abandon your skin care routine and start new, but experts say that is not always the case. The fragrance-free formula has broad-spectrum protection, which means it keeps your skin safe from both UVA and UVB rays. How to shop for pregnancy-safe skin careWhen shopping for pregnancy-safe skin care, experts say the best approach involves assessing your skin’s changing needs and talking with your doctor about what ingredients you feel comfortable using.

Persons: Sejal Shah, ”, Rachel Nazarian, Erum Ilyas, you’re, Shah, La, Mili Godio, It’s, niacinamide, EltaMD, Posay’s, ceramides, Ilyas, Nazarian, “, Squalane, “ It’s, dullness, There’s, Melasma, you’ve, they’re, retinoids, it’s, “ it’s, Oxybenzone, clary, TikTok Organizations: NBC, Dermatology, Neutrogena’s Hydro, La Roche, American Academy of Dermatology, OB, American College of Obstetricians, Alpha, National Institutes of Health, NIH, Facebook, Twitter Locations: New York, Pennsylvania, erring

☆ Microplastics in the brain: New research finds plastics in olfactory bulb
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-16 | by ( Kaitlin Sullivan | Kaitlin Sullivan Is A Contributor For Nbcnews.Com Who Has Worked With Nbc News Investigations. She Reports On Health | Science | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

The latest research looked at a part of the brain called the olfactory bulb, which processes information about smell. Connecting the olfactory bulb and the nasal cavity is the olfactory nerve. Some researchers worry the olfactory pathway may also be an entry point for microplastics getting into the brain, beyond the olfactory bulb. Mauad and her team took samples of olfactory bulb tissue from 15 cadavers of people who died between the ages of 33 and 100. The presence of microplastics in the olfactory bulb doesn’t automatically mean there are microplastics elsewhere in the brain, such as regions related to cognition.

Persons: ”, Thais Mauad, Mauad, ” Mauad, “, Matthew Campen, ” Campen, wasn’t, Campen, it’s, Mary Johnson, Harvard T.H, Johnson Organizations: JAMA, microplastics, University of São Paulo Medical School, University of New, Harvard, of Public Health Locations: Brazil, University of New Mexico, Chan

☆ How pregnancy changes the brain
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-16 | by ( Kristen Rogers | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Researchers have created one of the first comprehensive maps of how the brain changes throughout pregnancy, substantially improving upon understanding of an understudied field. What brain changes mean for parentsThe functional implications these brain changes may have for birthing parents have yet to be determined, said Dr. Elseline Hoekzema, head of the Pregnancy and the Brain Lab at Amsterdam University Medical Center, via email. However, some of Hoekzema’s previous work has indicated associations between pregnancy-related brain changes and the ways a birthing parent’s brain and body respond and bond to infants’ cues, Hoekzema added. These findings are also in line with animal studies showing brain changes that were critical for the onset and continuation of maternal care. “Of the 50,000 brain imaging articles published in the last 30 years, less than half of 1% focus on health factors unique to women, like pregnancy.

Persons: Elizabeth R, Chrastil, ”, Emily Jacobs, ” Jacobs, Jacobs, Jodi Pawluski, Pawluski wasn’t, Magdalena Martínez García, wasn’t, Elseline Hoekzema, Hoekzema wasn’t, Hoekzema, ” Pawluski, “, ” Hoekzema, Pawluski, haven’t, Ann S, Bowers, Chan Zuckerberg, we’ve Organizations: CNN —, Neuroscience, University of California, UC Santa Barbara, Jacobs Lab, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Brain Health Initiative Locations: Santa Barbara, France, Spain

☆ Ozempic predecessor suggests potential for GLP-1 drugs in Alzheimer’s in early trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-30 | by ( Meg Tirrell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

“This is the first study that actually looked at a relatively large number of patients for whether there is any neuroprotective effect in Alzheimer’s disease,” Edison said. The trial enrolled predominantly people with mild Alzheimer’s disease, measured by a test known as the Mini-Mental State Examination, a scale that goes up to 30. The GLP-1 drug class also includes Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro and Zepbound, which use the active ingredient tirzepatide, which mimics not just the hormone GLP-1 but another called GIP. But it hasn’t announced any trials of its GLP-1 drugs in Alzheimer’s. GLP-1 drugs can have side effects, though, primarily gastrointestinal problems like nausea and vomiting.

Persons: liraglutide, “, ”, Maria Carrillo, Carrillo, Paul Edison, ” Edison, Edison, Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro, Alzheimer’s Lilly, hasn’t, Lilly, Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen, there’s, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, semaglutide Organizations: CNN, Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, Alzheimer’s Association, Novo Nordisk, Imperial College London, ”, Nordisk, ” Novo Nordisk, CNN Health, University of Oxford, Alzheimer’s Society, Alzheimer’s Locations: United Kingdom, Philadelphia, Alzheimer’s, ” Novo, Danish

☆ Twice-yearly shot proves successful at preventing HIV infection among women, trial data shows
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-24 | by ( Jacqueline Howard | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —Two shots a year of a drug currently used to treat HIV infections were dramatically effective at preventing infections in a study among young women and adolescent girls in Africa. The twice-yearly injection of the drug lenacapavir can provide total protection against HIV infections, demonstrating 100% efficacy in Phase 3 trial data released by drugmaker Gilead and published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine. The twice-a-year injections of lenacapavir could add another option at preventing HIV infections to the toolbox. The latest Phase 3 findings are part of Gilead’s PURPOSE program, which comprises five HIV prevention trials around the world. “While Gilead awaits additional phase 3 clinical trial data and the potential regulatory filings for HIV prevention administered twice-yearly, it is too early to state the price of lenacapavir for PrEP (prevention).

Persons: drugmaker Gilead, ” Linda, Gail Bekker, Desmond Tutu, “, ”, Dan Barouch, hasn’t, Gilead, Dr, Jason Zucker, Barouch, ” Zucker, Lenacapavir, Gilead spokeperson, lenacapavir, Sanjay Gupta, Daniel O’Day Organizations: CNN, New England, of Medicine, International AIDS, PrEP, University of Cape, International AIDS Society, Center, Virology, Vaccine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical, United, lenacapavir, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, ”, US Food and Drug Administration, AIDS, CNN Health, People’s Medicines Alliance, Medicines Locations: Africa, Munich, University of Cape Town, South Africa, Uganda, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Thailand, United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Gilead, Europe

☆ ‘Sugary food is a drug for me’: A growing number of children are addicted to ultraprocessed foods
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-27 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

“I really gravitated towards the sugary ultraprocessed foods — it was like a physical drive, I had to have it,” he said. While many people addicted to food will say that their symptoms began to worsen significantly in adolescence, some recall a childhood focused on ultraprocessed food. The Institute of Food Technologists, an association of food professionals and technologists, does not agree with the research on ultraprocessed food addiction. “Children who eat a lot of ultraprocessed foods could well be malnourished.”According to the International Food and Beverage Alliance, however, there is no clear, objective, reliable or scientifically validated definition for “ultraprocessed” food. “Each time I would pray, ‘Please be it, please make this the answer.’ But I would ultimately start binging on ultraprocessed foods,” Odwazny said.

Persons: Jeffrey Odwazny, “, ”, Ashley Gearhardt, Ann Arbor, Gearhardt, ” Gearhardt, David Wiss, Bryan Hitchcock, Rocco Renaldi, Odwazny, ” Odwazny, ‘, ’ ”, Jeffrey Odwazny “, “ I’ve, ” Wiss, Sugar, Alexandra DiFeliceantonio, DiFeliceantonio, salivates, Laura Oliverio, —, Kimberly Dennis, Dennis, ‘ That’s, Kimmy Organizations: CNN, Chicago, Yale, University of Michigan, National Survey, Los, The, Food Technologists, World Health, International Food and Beverage Alliance, Food and Agriculture Organization, United Nations, Virginia Tech, Center, Health, Nutrition, University of Illinois Chicago College of Medicine, “ Locations: United States, Ann, Los Angeles, Blacksburg, Chicago, ’

☆ Starbucks debuts fruity energy drink less than two months after Panera discontinues highly caffeinated Charged Lemonade
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-25 | by ( Elizabeth Chuck | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The fruity energy drink debuts less than two months after bakery-cafe chain Panera Bread announced it was discontinuing its controversial Charged Lemonade, a beverage that lawsuits blamed for two deaths and referred to as a "dangerous energy drink." The Iced Energy comes in three flavors, including its most caffeinated flavor, Tropical Citrus, which has 205 milligrams of caffeine, according to Starbucks' website. Panera started phasing out the Charged Lemonade on May 7, and it has denied any wrongdoing, saying it removed the beverage as part of a broader menu transformation. Except for its Frozen Tropical Citrus Iced Energy with Strawberry Puree, Iced Energy is sugar-free, containing artificial sweeteners. Charged Lemonade and Iced Energy are part of a growing category called "functional beverages" that chains big and small are eager to jump into, according to experts.

Persons: Brian Warrener, Panera, Dunkin, Bull Organizations: Starbucks, Energy, Center for Beverage Education, Innovation, Johnson & Wales University, Consumers, Drug Administration, American Academy of Pediatrics Locations: Providence , Rhode Island, Chicago, Russia, U.S, Coke

☆ Tiny plastic shards found in human testicles, study says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Human testicles contain microplastics and nanoplastics at levels three times higher than animal testes and human placentas, a new small study found. “They look like little shards, tiny broken bits from very, very old plastics,” said Campen, a regents’ professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. Researchers expected to find more plastic shards in the testicles of older men in the study, but that wasn’t the case, Campen said. “In testes, the levels of plastic was three times as much as we saw in placentas,” Campen said. In studies of pregnant mice, researchers have found plastic chemicals in the brain, heart, liver, kidney and lungs of the developing fetus 24 hours after the pregnant mother ingested or breathed in plastic particles.

Persons: ”, Matthew Campen, Campen, ” Campen, “ We’re, Adrienne Bresnahan, Kimberly Wise White, Leonardo Trasande, don’t, Trasande Organizations: CNN, micron, Sciences, University of New, Endocrine Society, Getty, American Chemistry Council, placentas, American Academy of Pediatrics, NYU Langone Health, Natural Resources Defense Council, Invest Locations: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States, placentas, Beijing

☆ Fitness influencers swear by the 'carnivore diet'—it's 'basically a terrible idea,' doctor says
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-30 | by ( Renée Onque | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Here's what experts have to say about the safety and sustainability of the carnivore diet. The diet, similar in style to the Atkins and keto diets, goes by many names: carnivore diet, lion diet, high-fat diet and animal-based diet. Beef, butter, bacon and eggs — that's what some influencers swear by for the " carnivore diet ." Weight loss is one of the huge benefits that people who follow the carnivore diet claim they've experienced since adding more animal-based products to their diet. "You can think [that] if you're eating that kind of meal, you're helping bring down another tree on the other side," he adds.

Persons: TikToker @steakandbuttergal, Atkins, Walter Willett, Harvard T.H, Willett, Georgia Ede, Ede, There's Organizations: Harvard, of Public Health, Internal Medicine, Harvard Health Publishing, CNBC Locations: Chan, Europe, United States

☆ FDA approves new drug that may help stop and even reverse a rare, fatal condition that doctors call a ‘ticking time bomb’
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Brenda Goodman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

These proteins cause the walls of a person’s blood vessels to keep growing and thicken over time. As the blood vessels narrow, the heart is forced to work harder to pump blood to the lungs. Treatment with a combination of drugs that dilate, or relax, blood vessels can improve this outlook, but they are not a cure. Both groups were also taking the standard medications for the condition, which help relax blood vessels to improve blood flow. But Galiatsatos said that as promising as the drug looks, there are still many unknowns, including whether the drug will benefit all PAH patients equally.

Persons: Katrina Barry, Barry, “, ”, Winrevair, Merck Winrevair, Vallerie McLaughlin, Panagis, Galiatsatos, isn’t, ” Barry, I’m, fanny, She’s, sotatercept, PAH, Sotatercept, “ There’s, Kristin Highland, Highland, ” Merck, Merck, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, Aaron Waxman, Barry’s, he’s, they’ve, Johnson –, Waxman, “ I’ve, “ It’s, who’ve Organizations: CNN, American Lung Association, US Food and Drug Administration, Merck, FDA, University of Michigan, PAH, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, New England, of Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Institute, Clinical, CNN Health, Brigham, Women’s Hospital, Johnson Locations: PAH, American, Greece, Boston

☆ Nanoplastics linked to heart attack, stroke and early death, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

“Should exposure to microplastics and nanoplastics be considered a cardiovascular risk factor? Nanoplastics have been found in human blood, lung and liver tissues, urine and feces, mother’s milk, and the placenta. The examination found “visible, jagged-edged foreign particles” scattered in the plaque and external debris from the surgery, the study said. Presence of microplastics and nanoplastics, and subsequent inflammation, may act to increase one’s susceptibility to these chronic diseases,” Stapleton said in an email. However, calling the study results “a direct link to cardiovascular disease is a stretch for the findings,” she added.

Persons: ”, Raffaele Marfella, Marfella, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Philip Landrigan, ” Landrigan, nanoplastics, Landrigan, Mary Conlon, —, that’s, Andrew Freeman, Phoebe Stapleton, Rutgers University’s Ernest Mario, “, ” Stapleton, Leonardo Trasande, don’t, Trasande Organizations: CNN, New England, of Medicine, University of Campania, Boston College, Program, Global Public Health, Global, Planetary Health, International, Water Association, Surgeons, Jewish Health, Rutgers, Rutgers University’s Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Getty, American Academy of Pediatrics, NYU Langone Health, Natural Resources Defense Council, Invest Locations: Naples, Italy, Denver, Piscataway , New Jersey

☆ 4 aging secrets of Japanese supercentenarians, from a longevity researcher whose great-grandmother lived to 115
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Serafina Kenny | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

She's noticed a few things Japanese supercentenarians do which might contribute to their longevity. AdvertisementA longevity researcher who verifies the ages of supercentenarians, and whose great-grandmother lived to the age of 116, shared four aging secrets from the longest-living people in Japan. So, Yamamoto knows a thing or two about longevity, particularly what Japanese people with long lives have in common. Like in other Blue Zones, super-agers in Japan tend not to eat much meat and spend lots of time with family. "One thing I've noticed about Japanese supercentenarians and centenarians is that they're very disciplined and strict on themselves in terms of straight posture ," she said.

Persons: Yumi Yamamoto, She's, —, Fusa Tatsumi, Shigeyo Nakachi, Yamamoto, LongeviQuest, Kane Taneka Organizations: Business, Service, LongeviQuest, Food and Drug Administration, Radio, Research Locations: Japan, Okinawa, what's

☆ Common pesticides in food reducing sperm count worldwide, study says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Sperm concentration is a measure of sperm per milliliter of semen, while sperm count is the millions of sperm in the entire ejaculate. However, sperm concentration “is an important measure of sperm quality for comparing men across studies because it adjusts for variability in semen volume,” Perry said. Animal studies have shed light on how these pesticides may impact sperm, according to the study. “Sperm is an incredibly sensitive endpoint when it comes to overall health for men,” Perry said. In their 2023 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce, researchers found 210 different pesticides on the 12 foods.

Persons: ”, Melissa Perry, ” Perry, Alexander Pastuszak, “, Tatiana Maksimova, It’s, Alexis Temkin, ” Temkin, “ Steer Organizations: CNN, Pesticides, College of Public Health, George Mason University, US Centers for Disease Control, The University of Utah School of Medicine, Environmental, Produce, US Food and Drug Administration Locations: Fairfax , Virginia, Salt Lake City

James is recovering well from the dual transplant last May and the donated eye looks remarkably healthy. Whatever happens next, James' surgery offers scientists an unprecedented window into how the human eye tries to heal. The hurdle is how to regrow the optic nerve, although animal studies are making strides, Goldberg added. James’ optic nerve clearly hasn't healed. Yet when light was flashed into the donated eye during an MRI, the scan recorded some sort of brain signaling.

Persons: Aaron James ’, James, ” James, there’s, ”, “ We’re, Eduardo Rodriguez, Rodriguez, James ’, Jeffrey Goldberg, Goldberg, ” Goldberg, Allie, “, Meagan James, Vaidehi Dedania, Steven Galetta, David Klassen, “ we’re Organizations: — Surgeons, NYU Langone Health, NYU, Associated Press, Stanford University, United Network, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP Locations: Springs , Arkansas, U.S

☆ High mobile phone use may impact sperm count, study says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Male sperm count has fallen by more than 50% globally in the last 50 years, leaving researchers scrambling to understand why. The men also had a 30% higher risk for a low sperm concentration, a less important measure of sperm count in a milliliter of semen. On the positive side, researchers found that as phone technology improved over the 13 years of the study, the impact on sperm count began to ease. As cell phone usage climbed, sperm count dropped, with the lowest levels among men using their phone 20 or more times a day. The greatest association between low sperm count and concentration and phone use were between 2005 and 2007.

Persons: ”, Allan Pacey, Alison Campbell, Campbell, Alexander Pastuszak, Pastuszak, Luis Alvarez, ” Pacey, “, it’s, ” Pastuszak Organizations: CNN, University of Manchester, Mobile, “, The University of Utah School of Medicine, California Department of Public Health Locations: United Kingdom, Salt Lake City

☆ Lab models of human embryos raise hopes and concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

From the moment sperm fuses with an egg, human embryo development involves a string of complex and little understood processes. What happens during human embryo development, particularly in the crucial first month, remains largely unknown. However, 14 days is an important milestone because it is when permitted lab research on cultured human embryos routinely ends. He said, in the future, it might be possible to go as far as 40 days with human embryo models. Some in the field envision a “tipping point” wherein human embryo models might be afforded some protection like those surrounding human embryos, as scientific advances diminish the differences between the embryo models and their real-life counterparts.

Persons: CNN — It’s, ”, Jacob Hanna, demystify, they’ve, Hanna, “ It’s, ” Hanna, “, Peter Rugg, Gunn, it’s, …, Robin Lovell, Francis Crick, Naomi Moris, Francis Crick Institute’s, Moris, we’ve, ” Moris, It’s, Bobbie Farsides, ” Farsides Organizations: CNN, Weizmann Institute of Science, Weizmann Institute, Israel, Weizmann, Babraham Institute, International Society for Stem Cell Research, Stem Cell, Francis, Francis Crick Institute, Genetics, Development, ”, Sussex Medical School Locations: Israel, London, Brighton

☆ What to Know About the Link Between Red Meat and Type 2 Diabetes
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Knvul Sheikh | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The study does not show that eating red meat directly causes Type 2 diabetes; it only shows an association between how much red meat you eat and your risk of disease. But the study’s findings echo other research that raises concerns about eating large amounts of red meat, and suggest that dietary changes could make an impact. Why might red meat be harmful to your health? “Red meat has pros and cons,” said Dr. Ruchi Mathur, an endocrinologist at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles who was not involved in the study. But red meat is also high in saturated fat, and “depending on the processing, can be high in sodium and preservatives,” Dr. Mathur said.

Persons: —, ”, Ruchi Mathur, Dr, Mathur Locations: Cedars, Sinai, Los Angeles

☆ Putting Women at the Center of Human Evolution
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Sarah Lyall | More About Sarah Lyall | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The idea is that by examining how women evolved differently from men, Bohannon argues, we can “provide the latest answers to women’s most basic questions about their bodies.” These include, she says: Why do women menstruate? Thanks to regulations established in the 1970s, clinical trials in the United States have typically used mostly male subjects, from mice to humans. For example: “From 1996 to 2006, more than 79 percent of animal studies published in the scientific journal Pain included only male subjects,” she writes. As she points out in “Eve,” antidepressants and pain medications are considered gender-neutral, despite evidence that they affect women differently than they do men. “When we put the female body back in the frame, even people who don’t have female bodies have a better of idea of where we all stand in this huge evolutionary story.”

Persons: Bohannon, ” Bohannon, ” Organizations: National Institutes of Health Locations: United States, Seattle

☆ Ozempic, Wegovy may curb drinking, smoking and other addictive behaviors – here's what we know
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Jaap Arriens | Nurphoto | Getty ImagesHeather Le Biller shed 9 pounds within the first week of taking Novo Nordisk 's blockbuster diabetes drug Ozempic – and then even more as she continued treatment. That means it could take years before the Food and Drug Administration and other regulators worldwide approve drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy as addiction treatments. Jerlhag and her colleagues at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden have studied the effect of GLP-1s on addictive behaviors for more than a decade. "The mechanism in the brain that regulates overeating is important in regulating addictive behaviors as well," Leggio told CNBC. Still, NIDA's Leggio advises against using GLP-1s off-label to reduce addictive behaviors, "simply because there's not enough evidence in humans that they work."

Persons: Jaap Arriens, Heather Le Biller, Ozempic –, Le Biller, they're, Angela Fitch, Brandon Bell, Dr, Lorenzo Leggio, semaglutide, –, Eli Lilly, pharmacologist, Jerlhag, George Frey, NIDA's, Leggio, Steven Batash, Batash, NIDA's Leggio Organizations: Nurphoto, Novo Nordisk, CNBC, Wegovy, Obesity Medicine Association, and Drug Administration, Pharma, National Institute on Drug, University of Gothenburg, Company, Reuters, Brigade, Getty Locations: Riga, Latvia, France, Ozempic, Novo, U.S, Italian, Austin , Texas, Sweden, Provo , Utah, Queens , New York

☆ A massive new genetic database of canine tumors reveals that dog and human cancers are more similar than previously thought and may speed up cancer treatment for both
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Maiya Focht | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A new study shows human and dog cancers share a high degree of genetic overlap. The study comes from a company that uses genetic information and AI to find biologic cancer treatments. A massive new database of genetic information from dog tumors aims to use what we know about dog cancer to better treat it in humans. She wants to use AI to analyze the database's genetic information to match a dog's tumor to the type of treatment that's most effective. Using FidoCure, they selected dogs with a type of cancer that genetically mirrored human breast cancer.

Persons: Christina Lopes, Lopes, Gene, Eribulin, Eisai, Gerald Post Organizations: Service, National Cancer Institute, University of Georgia, FDA, Reuters, Eisai, NIH, FidoCure Locations: Wall, Silicon

Aspartame is one of the world's most popular sweeteners, used in products from Coca-Cola diet sodas to Mars' Extra chewing gum. In its first declaration on the additive, announced early on Friday, the Lyon-based International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) said aspartame was a "possible carcinogen". Several scientists not associated with the reviews said the evidence linking aspartame to cancer is weak. There was also some limited evidence that aspartame has some chemical properties that are linked to cancer, the IARC said. Scientists with no links to the WHO reviews said the evidence that aspartame caused cancer was weak.

Persons: Francesco Branca, " Branca, JECFA, Branca, Mary Schubauer, Paul Pharaoh, Pharaoh, Kate Loatman, Frances Hunt, Wood, Richa Naidu, Caroline Humer, Catherine Evans Organizations: World Health Organization, WHO, Agency for Research, Cancer, Food, Agriculture Organization, FAO, Reuters, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, International Council of Beverage Associations, International, Thomson Locations: Lyon, Geneva, United States, Europe, Cedars, Los Angeles

[1/6] Jan Gilpin poses with a bottle of the asthma and allergy drug Singulair, first prescribed to her son when he was three-years-old, at her home in Newton, Massachusetts, U.S., June 21, 2023. That team found in 2015 that the drug’s distribution into the brain was more significant than its label described. Lawsuits filed against Merck cite this 1996 patent as evidence of Merck’s knowledge of the drug’s potential brain impacts. Marschallinger and her colleagues in Austria came away with a different finding when they reviewed Merck’s original research and did some of their own. Marschallinger said it would have been logical for the FDA to require Merck to investigate the brain impacts more thoroughly once reports of mental-health problems emerged.

Persons: Jan Gilpin, Singulair, Brian Snyder, Merck, Julia Marschallinger, Marschallinger, ” Marschallinger, “ It’s, Robin Respaut, Dan Levine, Janet Roberts, Brian Thevenot Organizations: REUTERS, Brian Snyder Companies Merck, Co, FDA, Molecular Regenerative, Singulair, Merck, Thomson Locations: Newton , Massachusetts, U.S, Austria

☆ How promising are new drugs to treat obesity?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Katia Hetter | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —The pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly announced last week that a medication developed to treat diabetes, tirzepatide, also had a substantial effect on reducing weight. Another pharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk, manufactures the medication semaglutide, which the FDA has already approved to treat diabetes under the brand name Ozempic and to treat obesity under the brand name Wegovy. How promising are they to treat obesity? CNN: How promising are these drugs to treat obesity? It is really important to treat obesity as the disease that it is — and having effective medications to do so is crucial.

☆ EPA cracks down on 'forever chemicals' in tap water: What PFAS are, where they are, and why they're harmful
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | Jessica Orwig | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

The US Environmental Protection Agency just released a proposal for enforceable standards for six PFAS compounds in drinking water. The new EPA proposal would set the threshold for those two substances at 4 nanograms per liter of drinking water. It also proposes a "hazard index" to set a limit on the combined quantity of four other PFAS in drinking water: PFNA, GenX, PFBS, and PFHxS. Communities across the US have especially high PFAS contamination in their drinking water, often due to a nearby industrial or military facility. "You can't just regulate in drinking water, without addressing the other side," Sunderland said, adding that you have to "turn off the source."

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