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Category: health – Page 2

Epidurals not linked to increased harm for newborns or children

Having an epidural during labor is not associated with clinically significant increased risks of harm to newborn babies, including brain injury, severe breathing problems, sepsis and death, or cerebral palsy later in childhood, according to a study published in The BMJ.

The researchers say these findings “support widening availability and equitable access to epidural analgesia as a safe component of intrapartum care.”

Epidural analgesia in labor provides effective pain relief and may help reduce complications in mothers after giving birth, but evidence of its effect on newborn and child health is limited.

The invisible wearable: New skin sensors advance health monitoring

While wearable health sensors are becoming increasingly common, current iterations are awkward to wear. For example, devices attached to the face can draw unwanted attention, increase self-consciousness and influence the signals users are trying to measure. However, recent research may have found a solution by introducing ultrathin sensors that cannot be seen by observers or felt by the wearer.

In an article published in Science Advances, researchers from the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, and collaborating institutions reported developing thin, stretchable on-skin electrodes that are effectively invisible when worn on the face. The new technology can measure biological signals while remaining undetectable by eye and touch, allowing monitoring to take place under more natural conditions.

Biosignals such as eye movements, facial muscle activity and brain activity provide valuable information for health care monitoring and human-machine interaction. However, conventional facial electrodes can alter a person’s appearance and affect social interactions, creating what are called appearance artifacts—changes in behavior or psychological state caused simply by wearing a device that the individual and others can see.

Unlocking the Antimicrobial Potential of Mushrooms: A Natural Defence Against Pathogens

A little know fact is that mushrooms are a natural food to prevent disease especially in superbugs that keep getting stronger. This simple fact allows for better cheaper forms of natural defenses against viruses that can be almost out of control in some areas. Also they are cheaper to make than even antiviral medicines.

Mushrooms have long been celebrated for their culinary and medicinal properties. Species such as Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi) and Lentinula edodes (Shiitake) have been extensively used in traditional medicine for their immune-boosting and anti-inflammatory properties. Despite their well-documented nutritional and health benefits, the antimicrobial potential of mushrooms remains underexplored. Recent studies have shown that compounds like polysaccharides and phenolics found in mushrooms can effectively inhibit the growth of drug-resistant pathogens, including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Candida albicans. For instance, Lentinula edodes extracts have demonstrated antibacterial activity against E. coli and antifungal properties against Candida species, highlighting their potential as a source of novel antimicrobial agents.

Ventricular arrhythmias during exercise in patients with mitral valve prolapse

Background Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) can be associated with ventricular arrhythmias (VA), but little is known about the relationship between VA and exercise in these patients. The aim of this study was to assess the occurrence and severity of VA during exercise tests in patients with MVP, and to explore the association between VA during exercise and the occurrence of arrhythmic events during follow-up.

Methods In this multicentre study, 375 patients with MVP (58 (48–69) years, 53% male) who underwent a clinically indicated exercise test were included. Severity of VA during exercise was defined as: no VA, minor VA (premature ventricular contractions ≥5% or non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (nsVT) 120 beats per minute) and major VA (nsVTs ≥120 beats per minute).

Results During exercise test, 242 (65%) patients showed no VA, 88 (24%) minor VA and 45 (12%) major VA.

Parasites Are Causing Explosive Diarrhea to Surge. Here’s How to Avoid The Worst Ones

The thought of parasites in your food might make you squirm, but they are a reality we must all be wary of.

An outbreak of the parasite Cyclospora in the US, with most cases being reported in Michigan, is a stark reminder of how quickly parasites can spread, even in developed nations.

Michigan health officials have identified lettuce and salad greens as a potential vector for the parasite, since it is transmitted by food and water contaminated by feces.

Plant-based wound dressing fights infection before it takes hold

A new dressing made from plant-based materials can deliver antibiotics directly to wounds during critical early stages of infection, according to researchers from the University of Bath. The study, published in Bioactive Materials, is the first to use this family of sustainable furan-based polymers, previously explored for sustainable plastics and packaging, for infection-fighting wound dressings.

Wound infections are a major challenge for health care systems worldwide and are estimated to cost the NHS alone billions every year. Bacteria can enter a wound and begin forming a protective, slimy layer known as a biofilm within hours, slowing healing and making infections much harder to treat.

The team from the Department of Chemical Engineering and the Department of Chemistry created a novel, two-sided dressing from sustainable polymers, plastic-like materials sourced from plants rather than petrochemicals. One side of the dressing rapidly releases antibiotics into the wound, while the other acts as a barrier to maintain the protected healing environment.

Brains of teens with autism ‘tune in’ less to unfamiliar voices, study finds

Like other teenagers, teens on the autism spectrum are itching to exercise their social muscles. They hope for new friends, fun with people who share their interests, maybe even a romantic relationship.

“Adolescence is a moment of opportunity for these kids,” said Daniel Abrams, Ph.D., clinical associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford Medicine. “They want to build friendships.”

But spreading their social wings is challenging for teens with autism. A new Stanford Medicine-led study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, sheds light on a key factor: how the brains of teenagers with autism handle the sounds of unfamiliar voices. Unlike neurotypical teenagers, the reward centers in autistic teens’ brains don’t become increasingly responsive to strangers’ voices as they mature, the research found.

MIT engineers whip up a more breathable hydrogel

For all their sticky, stretchy, and protective properties, hydrogels lack one key trait: breathability. If worn for too long, a bandage or patch can trap moisture and sweat, which can irritate tissues and reduce the effectiveness of any device that a hydrogel adheres.

Now MIT engineers have come up with a recipe for a hydrogel that is both hydrated and aerated, or permeable to air. The new material is just as soft, stretchy, and robust as conventional hydrogels, but a network of tiny tunnels running through the gel allows air to pass through.

The aerated hydrogel can be worn for longer periods of time compared to conventional hydrogels, without causing skin irritation. It can also reduce sweat buildup, even during exercise. In experiments, volunteers wore wireless heart monitors that were attached to their chest with the new breathable hydrogel. After working out regularly for 10 days, the volunteers showed no signs of skin irritation, and the heart monitors maintained clear readings.

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