Cameron Webb, University of Sydney
Like all insects, mosquitoes thrive in warmer weather. But what they really need is water. La Niña rainfall and flooding are providing the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes, with numbers exploding in recent weeks.
In his new autobiography, Matthew Perry reveals that his colon burst as a result of his addiction to opioid painkillers. The 53-year-old actor, who played Chandler Bing in Friends, was in a coma for two weeks following the incident and had to wear a colostomy bag for nine months.
RAM Medical Corporation L.L.C. (RMC), based in UAE and Germany, has recently set up its headquarters in Dubai. For the past several years, RMC has been developing the next generation of biosensors for biomedical applications. As of October 2022, RMC innovation has created an IP portfolio of more than 60 sensor patents and operates its R&D facilities, cleanrooms, and research labs in Germany. The Company has developed a revolutionary 3D biomolecular mapping platform called ThEA™ (Terahertz Express Analyzer) for real-time 3D imaging of proteins in hopes of radically changing the drug development and personalized diagnostics industries. Continue reading
Manal Mohammed, University of Westminster
Two new omicron subvariants, BQ.1 and BQ.1.1, are quickly gaining traction in the US, collectively accounting for 27% of infections as of October 29. Both are descendants of BA.5, the omicron variant that has dominated around the world for some months.
Alcohol consumption is a top-ten driver of death, illness and injury, with wide-ranging social and economic harms. Many of the harms related to alcohol disproportionately affect young adults, and surveys from multiple countries suggest that the Covid-19 pandemic has further increased drinking. Today, Vital Strategies announced RESET Alcohol – a groundbreaking new $15 million initiative to reduce alcohol-related harms in hard-hit countries through policy change. Continue reading
Andrea Sturchio, Karolinska Institutet; Kariem Ezzat, Karolinska Institutet, and Samir EL Andaloussi, Karolinska Institutet
In 1906, Alois Alzheimer, a psychiatrist and neuroanatomist, reported “a peculiar severe disease process of the cerebral cortex” to a gathering of psychiatrists in Tübingen, Germany. The case was a 50-year-old woman who suffered from memory loss, delusions, hallucinations, aggression and confusion – all of which worsened until her untimely death five years later.
Michael Head, University of Southampton
The flu seasons of 2020 and 2021 were mild, mostly thanks to measures people took against COVID, such as wearing masks, social distancing and using copious amounts of hand gel. 2022, however, looks like a whole different kettle of fish.
Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX), the leader in diagnostic testing, unveiled a nationwide campaign, titled “Put Your ___ To The Test.” The unexpected, provocative, and fresh campaign empowers consumers to take control of their health with more than 50 lab tests available for purchase directly from questhealth.com, quickly, conveniently, and confidentially, without a doctor’s visit. Continue reading
Chris Bryant, University of Bath
Vegetarians have around twice as many depressive episodes as meat-eaters, according to a new study.
The study, based on survey data from Brazil, chimes with earlier research that found higher rates of depression among those who forgo meat. However, the new study suggests that this link exists independent of nutritional intake.