Summary boxRestrictive non-pharmaceutical interventions against COVID-19 (known as ‘lockdowns’) are associated with health harms However, it is challenging to determine whether lockdowns have caused the harms or whether these harms are a direct consequence of the underlying health disaster of the pandemic Careful analysis of excess mortality suggests that lockdowns are not associated with large… Continue reading Is the cure really worse than the disease? The health impacts of #lockdowns during #COVID-19
#Gut-microbiota-targeted #diets modulate human immune status
Diet intervention with systems profiling reveals links in diet-microbiome-immune axis•High-fiber diet changes microbiome function and elicits personalized immune responses•Fermented-food diet increases microbiome diversity and decreases markers of inflammation SummaryDiet modulates the gut microbiome, which in turn can impact the immune system. Here, we determined how two microbiota-targeted dietary interventions, plant-based fiber and fermented foods, influence… Continue reading #Gut-microbiota-targeted #diets modulate human immune status
The #sulfur microbial diet is associated with increased risk of early-onset #colorectal cancer precursors
Diet may contribute to the increasing incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) before age 50 (early-onset CRC). Microbial metabolism of dietary sulfur produces hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a gastrointestinal carcinogen that cannot be easily measured at scale. As a result, evidence supporting its role in early neoplasia is lacking. MethodsWe evaluated long-term adherence to the sulfur microbial… Continue reading The #sulfur microbial diet is associated with increased risk of early-onset #colorectal cancer precursors
Impaired local intrinsic immunity to SARS-CoV-2 infection in severe #COVID-19
SARS-CoV-2 infection can cause severe respiratory COVID-19. However, many individuals present with isolated upper respiratory symptoms, suggesting potential to constrain viral pathology to the nasopharynx. Which cells SARS-CoV-2 primarily targets and how infection influences the respiratory epithelium remains incompletely understood. We performed scRNA-seq on nasopharyngeal swabs from 58 healthy and COVID-19 participants. During COVID-19, we… Continue reading Impaired local intrinsic immunity to SARS-CoV-2 infection in severe #COVID-19
Association of Oral #Anticoagulation With #Stroke in Atrial #Fibrillation or Heart #Failure: A Comparative Meta-Analysis
Atrial fibrillation and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) are common sources of cardioembolism. While oral anticoagulation is strongly recommended for atrial fibrillation, there are marked variations in guideline recommendations for HFrEF due to uncertainty about net clinical benefit. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates the comparative association of oral anticoagulation with stroke and… Continue reading Association of Oral #Anticoagulation With #Stroke in Atrial #Fibrillation or Heart #Failure: A Comparative Meta-Analysis
The #CHA2DS2-VASc Score for Risk Stratification of #Stroke in Heart Failure With-vs-Without Atrial #Fibrillation
A recent study suggested that the CHA2DS2-VASc score can risk stratify heart failure (HF) patients without atrial fibrillation (AF) for stroke. We performed a retrospective analysis using the national Veteran Affairs database to externally validate the findings. Crude incidence rates of end points were calculated. A Cox proportional model was used to study the association… Continue reading The #CHA2DS2-VASc Score for Risk Stratification of #Stroke in Heart Failure With-vs-Without Atrial #Fibrillation
#EGFR activation limits the response of #liver cancer to lenvatinib
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)—the most common form of liver cancer—is an aggressive malignancy with few effective treatment options1. Lenvatinib is a small-molecule inhibitor of multiple receptor tyrosine kinases that is used for the treatment of patients with advanced HCC, but this drug has only limited clinical benefit2. Here, using a kinome-centred CRISPR–Cas9 genetic screen, we show… Continue reading #EGFR activation limits the response of #liver cancer to lenvatinib
Guiding principles for determining work #shift duration and addressing the effects of work shift duration on performance, safety, and health: guidance from the American Academy of #Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society
Risks associated with fatigue that accumulates during work shifts have historically been managed through working time arrangements that specify fixed maximum durations of work shifts and minimum durations of time off. By themselves, such arrangements are not sufficient to curb risks to performance, safety, and health caused by misalignment between work schedules and the biological… Continue reading Guiding principles for determining work #shift duration and addressing the effects of work shift duration on performance, safety, and health: guidance from the American Academy of #Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society
Patient case strongly suggests link between #COVID-19 vaccine and #Bell’s palsy
The case of a patient who experienced two facial palsies - one after the first and another after the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine - strongly suggests that Bell's palsy (facial nerve palsy of unknown cause) is linked to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, doctors write in the journal BMJ Case Reports. They describe the… Continue reading Patient case strongly suggests link between #COVID-19 vaccine and #Bell’s palsy
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