Study evaluates biomarker to help curb unnecessary antibiotic use

Testing for procalcitonin, a blood biomarker that is increased in people with a bacterial infection, could help physicians more quickly and effectively determine whether patients need antibiotics. Knowing that would ultimately reduce the rate of unnecessary antibiotic use, according to a new study from Duke Health and four other U.S. sites. “Lower respiratory infections are one of the most common […]

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AI fails to pass radiology-qualifying examination

Artificial intelligence (AI) is currently unable to pass one of the qualifying radiology examinations, suggesting that this promising technology is not yet ready to replace doctors, finds a study in the Christmas issue of The BMJ. AI is increasingly being used for some tasks that doctors do, such as interpreting radiographs (X-rays and scans) to help diagnose a range of […]

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Heart health tip for older adults in 2023: Step it up a bit

The evidence-based health benefits of walking continue to accumulate, according to ongoing research by a University of Massachusetts Amherst physical activity epidemiologist, who leads an international consortium known as the Steps for Health Collaborative. Findings from the latest study led by Amanda Paluch, assistant professor of kinesiology in the School of Public Health and Health Sciences, show that older adults […]

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Brazilian model for COVID-19 vaccination reduced severe case and mortality even from variants

A study conducted in Serrana, a small town in São Paulo state used as a model for COVID-19 vaccination in Brazil, shows that mass vaccination reduced the severe case and death rates even while the gamma and delta variants were circulating. Gamma and delta were considered alarming because they spread so much faster than previous variants. Based on an analysis […]

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COVID-19 pandemic increased the vulnerability of people living with obesity, warns UK study

The COVID-19 pandemic may have left people living with obesity more vulnerable to the cost-of-living crisis, warns a study led by UCL researchers. Adults with obesity surveyed in the study reported that their mental health—which is known to be associated with weight gain—had deteriorated between the end of the UK’s first COVID-19 lockdown in July 2020 and September 2021. The […]

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Temperature sensitive, shear-thinning hydrogel hemostat works rapidly to stop bleeding from wounds

As outlined in their recent publication in Biomaterials Science, researchers from the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation, (TIBI), have developed an injectable, temperature-sensitive, shear-thinning hydrogel (T-STH) hemostat that works rapidly at body temperature to stop bleeding from a wound. This technology allows anyone to treat victims of traumatic injuries immediately and effectively. Once patient stability is achieved, the T-STH hemostat […]

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