Past research shows that having high blood pressure can increase a person's risk for several health issues, including stroke, aneurysm, chronic kidney disease, and dementia. In addition to medications, people are able to manage their high blood pressure through a variety of lifestyle changes, including not smoking, getting enough exercise, managing stress, and eating a healthy diet. Another study published in July 2019 showed that following a low carbohydrate diet like the keto diet helped lower blood pressure readings in people with type 2 diabetes. Now, a new study offers further evidence that both the Mediterranean and keto diets can help lower a person's blood pressure and improve cardiovascular health measurements in people who have obesity or overweight. At the study's conclusion, researchers found that participants in both diet groups experienced a decrease in blood pressure and weight loss after three months. Scientists also found that participants in both diet groups experienced an increase in their fat-free mass — the total mass of the body excluding fat — and a decrease in their body fat, blood lipid levels, and insulin concentrations. There was one area where researchers reported a difference between the Mediterranean and keto diets. “Nocturnal dipping refers to the natural decrease in blood pressure that occurs when we sleep,” Cheng-Han Chen, MD, a board certified interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, CA — who is not associated with this study — told Medical News Today. “It is a measure of healthy blood pressure regulation, and abnormal nocturnal dipping patterns have been associated with increased risk of heart disease,” he said. A 10-20% dip in blood pressure while you sleep is considered normal. Past studies show that not experiencing nocturnal dipping, or the reverse of it, known as nocturnal hypertension, can increase a person's risk for cardiovascular disease. “Metabolic syndrome — including high blood pressure, abdominal obesity, high blood sugar, and disordered lipids — remains a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease,” he explained. MNT also spoke with Mir Ali, MD, a board certified general surgeon, bariatric surgeon, and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA, about this research, who commented that its findings are in line with what he recommends to patients. “What is it about these two types of diets that are helpful?,” he asked. We asked Monique Richard, MS, RDN, LDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Nutrition-In-Sight, for her top tips for readers on how to decide which diet is personally best for them to follow if they want to lose weight and lower their blood pressure. “Meeting with a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) is recommended to further explore which dietary pattern may be most appropriate for an individual's needs, current health condition, preferences, goals, genetics and lifestyle,” Richard said. “RDNs are trained to bridge the gap between science and everyday life. I encourage clients and patients to try to move away from chasing labels —‘Mediterranean,' ‘low-carb,' ‘plant-based'— and move toward tuning into how food functions for our unique needs.”— Monique Richard, MS, RDN, LDN A registered dietitian answers key questions about fiber — why we need it, how much we need to consume, whether supplements like psyllium husk can aid… In this episode of our podcast, Medical News Today explores the potential benefits and drawbacks of being on a ketogenic diet for the management of… In this edition of Medical Myths, we challenge some common misconceptions that surround hypertension. Learn about the benefits and see a sample meal plan here. In this edition of Medical Myths, we take a look at eight misconceptions about vegan and vegetarian diets.

Gene expression leading to alterations in the DNA caused by asbestos exposure may explain the development of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (MPM), a rare and aggressive cancer. By analyzing public RNA-seq data through a comprehensive bioinformatics pipeline, scientists working with the Sbarro Health Research Organization (SHRO) have developed an in-depth view of the molecular mechanisms involved in asbestos-induced carcinogenesis. The findings highlight both known and novel genes and pathways, providing valuable insights into the biological processes disrupted in exposed patients. The article, titled "From Asbestos Exposure to Carcinogenesis: Transcriptomic Signatures in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma," describes a new study investigating differential gene expression in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) associated with documented asbestos exposure, with the aim of identifying specific transcriptomic biomarkers that could support advances in precision medicine. Using publicly available RNA sequencing datasets, the research team employed a comprehensive bioinformatics pipeline to perform differential gene expression and functional enrichment analyses. The results identified a distinct set of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in MPM patients with documented asbestos exposure. Many of these genes are involved in key biological processes such as ion homeostasis, oxidative stress response, and cellular component disorganization-hallmarks of asbestos-induced cellular damage that may play a role in tumor initiation and progression. It's about constructing a molecular roadmap of asbestos-induced cancer development. With further validation, this could translate into real-world clinical applications." The findings shed new light on the molecular mechanisms of MPM and offer a foundation for future research into predictive and prognostic biomarkers. By pinpointing specific transcriptomic changes, the study contributes to efforts in precision medicine and supports the development of improved diagnostic tools and potential therapeutic targets for this deadly disease. "This type of precision medicine means that we are one step closer to identifying patients more likely to develop Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma," says Giordano, "and we are closer to developing potential treatments." As the global incidence of mesothelioma continues to rise-due in part to the long latency period of asbestos exposure and ongoing environmental risks-this study represents a critical step toward more personalized and effective management strategies for patients. From asbestos exposure to carcinogenesis: Transcriptomic signatures in malignant pleural mesothelioma. Discover how Unicorn Biotechnologies is revolutionizing lab workflows with cell culture automation. Expert insights from startup co-founders Jack and Adam. Rui Tostoes, Chief Technology Officer at ImmuneBridge, shares how his team is redefining preclinical development and large-scale manufacturing for allogeneic cell therapies. Advancing GPCR drug discovery with fragment screening using GCI technology Evotec's insights into GPCRs and waveRAPID technology reveal new opportunities in drug discovery, focusing on orphan receptors and innovative screening methods. News-Medical.Net provides this medical information service in accordance with these terms and conditions. Please note that medical information found on this website is designed to support, not to replace the relationship between patient and physician/doctor and the medical advice they may provide. Hi, I'm Azthena, you can trust me to find commercial scientific answers from News-Medical.net. Registered members can chat with Azthena, request quotations, download pdf's, brochures and subscribe to our related newsletter content. A few things you need to know before we start. While we only use edited and approved content for Azthena answers, it may on occasions provide incorrect responses. Please confirm any data provided with the related suppliers or authors. Your questions, but not your email details will be shared with OpenAI and retained for 30 days in accordance with their privacy principles. Please do not ask questions that use sensitive or confidential information.

Macrophages and other immune cells are the natural frontline immune warriors of our body, defending the body against invading pathogens and cancer cells. Yet despite their innate "combat" capabilities, precisely directing and activating these cells in vivo has remained challenging. In recent years, the emergence of bio-microrobots has shown great potential to convert these "natural soldiers" into controllable function units using external physical fields and biomimetic design. However, existing approaches typically rely on magnetic, acoustic or optical fields to drive cell movement, but hard to tuning their biological functions. Besides, these methods require exogenous material or genetic modification, raising serious biosafety and immune-rejection concerns. In a new paper published in Light: Science & Applications, a team of scientists led by Professor Hongbao Xin from Jinan University, China, has developed a light-powered phagocytic macrophage microrobot ("Phagobot") that combines innate immune functions with robotic controllability. The phagobot can be "woken up" and navigated simply using a tightly focused near-infrared (NIR) light beam. "We wanted to find a way to control immune cells with the same precision as machines, but without taking away their natural strengths," said Professor Xin, the study's corresponding author. "With this dual-mode optical control strategy, macrophages remain completely natural, yet they can be precisely instructed to move, seek, and phagocytosis of bio-threats both in vitro and in vivo." This chain reaction activates the cell's energy metabolism and leads to a burst of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which is a hallmark of macrophage activation. As a result, the macrophage transforms, extending flexible "arms" called pseudopodia, ready for action. It's like flipping a biological switch with light. Xing Li, the paper's first author and PhD student at Jinan University Researchers used gentle optical forces to manipulate the pseudopodia, enabling precise directional control. In this way, the phagobot could be navigated toward target locations with high spatial accuracy. "Other bio-microrobots that rely on magnetic or acoustic fields to push entire cells, which may inevitably disturb cell activity and immune state. Said the co-corresponding author, Associate Professor Ting Pan. In laboratory tests, the phagobot showed remarkable efficiency in targeting and engulfing a variety of bio-threats, including Staphylococcus aureus, yeast cells, plastic nanoparticles, and tumor cell debris. Using zebrafish models, researchers labeled macrophages with fluorescent markers and successfully activated and navigated them in the complex, constantly moving gut environment. There, the phagobots located and cleared cellular debris without causing any visible tissue damage even after prolonged light exposure. It provides a non-genetic platform for in vivo immune intervention, offering promising applications in targeted therapy and precision immunomodulation," these scientists summarized. Discover how Unicorn Biotechnologies is revolutionizing lab workflows with cell culture automation. Rui Tostoes, Chief Technology Officer at ImmuneBridge, shares how his team is redefining preclinical development and large-scale manufacturing for allogeneic cell therapies. Advancing GPCR drug discovery with fragment screening using GCI technology Evotec's insights into GPCRs and waveRAPID technology reveal new opportunities in drug discovery, focusing on orphan receptors and innovative screening methods. News-Medical.Net provides this medical information service in accordance with these terms and conditions. Please note that medical information found on this website is designed to support, not to replace the relationship between patient and physician/doctor and the medical advice they may provide. Hi, I'm Azthena, you can trust me to find commercial scientific answers from News-Medical.net. Registered members can chat with Azthena, request quotations, download pdf's, brochures and subscribe to our related newsletter content. A few things you need to know before we start. While we only use edited and approved content for Azthena answers, it may on occasions provide incorrect responses. Please confirm any data provided with the related suppliers or authors. Your questions, but not your email details will be shared with OpenAI and retained for 30 days in accordance with their privacy principles. Please do not ask questions that use sensitive or confidential information.

The tear film coating the eye offers a window into a person's systemic and ocular health, carrying biomarkers such as glucose, electrolytes, and proteins. Yet, existing diagnostic approaches-like tonometry or tear sampling-are often invasive, infrequent, and impractical for daily monitoring. Likewise, standard eye drop treatments suffer from poor drug retention due to blinking and drainage, limiting their therapeutic impact. By enabling real-time sensing and controlled drug release directly on the eye, they promise to revolutionize ophthalmic care. Still, incorporating delicate microfluidic features into the curved, flexible surface of soft lenses without compromising vision or comfort remains a formidable engineering challenge. Addressing these barriers calls for continued innovation in fabrication methods and material integration. In a comprehensive review (DOI: 10.1038/s41378-025-00909-3) published April 3, 2025, in Microsystems & Nanoengineering, researchers from the Manipal Institute of Applied Physics and Manipal University Jaipur chart the evolution of Microfluidic contact lenses (MCLs) from concept to clinical possibility. The article examines how fabrication advances-spanning soft lithography, laser patterning, and 3D-printed mold replication-are enabling lenses to measure intraocular pressure, detect biochemical markers, and deliver medication on demand. With these capabilities, contact lenses are poised to become an all-in-one platform for diagnosis, therapy, and patient comfort. The review highlights two core applications for MCLs: sensing and treatment. For diagnostics, deformable microchannels embedded in the lens respond to pressure changes by shifting indicator fluids, enabling accurate intraocular pressure measurements-crucial for glaucoma management. Some designs have achieved sensitivities up to 708 μm/mmHg, far surpassing earlier iterations. MCLs also track tear biomarkers such as pH, glucose, lactate, and proteins via smartphone-readable colorimetric or fluorescent sensors. On the therapeutic front, drug-loaded microchambers release medication in response to external cues like magnets or electrical signals-or internal ones like pH shifts or blinking pressure. Fabrication methods underpin this progress: thermoforming and PDMS replication deliver precision; 3D printing allows for personalized designs; and femtosecond lasers offer ultra-fine microchannel engraving. Though scalable production remains a challenge, these technologies are steadily converging on practical, patient-ready solutions. MCLs represent a convergence of vision care and advanced diagnostics. Our goal is to create a single, wearable device that seamlessly combines biosensing, therapeutic delivery, and user comfort. In healthcare, they offer transformative potential for managing chronic eye conditions like glaucoma and dry eye syndrome, while also treating diseases such as diabetic retinopathy through localized, sustained drug delivery. Paired with mobile interfaces, they enable remote diagnostics and personalized treatment. To fully realize these possibilities, further advancements in scalable manufacturing, regulatory compliance, and long-term safety will be key. But one thing is certain: smart lenses are rapidly transitioning from laboratory prototypes to real-world tools in precision health. Discover how Unicorn Biotechnologies is revolutionizing lab workflows with cell culture automation. Rui Tostoes, Chief Technology Officer at ImmuneBridge, shares how his team is redefining preclinical development and large-scale manufacturing for allogeneic cell therapies. Advancing GPCR drug discovery with fragment screening using GCI technology News-Medical.Net provides this medical information service in accordance with these terms and conditions. Please note that medical information found on this website is designed to support, not to replace the relationship between patient and physician/doctor and the medical advice they may provide. Hi, I'm Azthena, you can trust me to find commercial scientific answers from News-Medical.net. Registered members can chat with Azthena, request quotations, download pdf's, brochures and subscribe to our related newsletter content. A few things you need to know before we start. While we only use edited and approved content for Azthena answers, it may on occasions provide incorrect responses. Please confirm any data provided with the related suppliers or authors. Your questions, but not your email details will be shared with OpenAI and retained for 30 days in accordance with their privacy principles. Please do not ask questions that use sensitive or confidential information.

Four leading organizations in lifestyle medicine, obesity medicine, and nutrition-the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM), the American Society for Nutrition (ASN), the Obesity Medicine Association (OMA), and The Obesity Society (TOS)-have jointly released a clinical advisory titled "Nutritional Priorities to Support GLP-1 Therapy for Obesity." Published across four peer-reviewed journals, this consensus-based guidance reflects an interdisciplinary collaboration to help clinicians support patients receiving GLP-1 receptor agonists for obesity care with evidence-based nutritional and behavioral strategies. GLP-1 therapies, including both single and combination agents, have emerged as powerful tools in the management of obesity, demonstrating average placebo-adjusted weight reductions of 5–18% in clinical trials, along with improvements in metabolic, functional and cardiovascular outcomes. However, sustaining these benefits over time and maximizing patient outcomes require comprehensive care that integrates lifestyle intervention-particularly nutrition therapy-into the treatment plan. "GLP-1s represent an important advancement in obesity care," said lead author and advisory chair Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, DrPH, of Tufts University. The advisory outlines eight key nutritional priorities to support patients on GLP-1 medications, emphasizing the importance of (1) patient-centered initiation of therapy, (2) careful baseline nutritional assessment, (3) management of gastrointestinal side effects, (4) personalized, nutrient-dense, minimally processed diets, (5) prevention of micronutrient deficiencies (6) adequate protein intake and strength training to preserve lean mass, (7) leveraging a good diet to maximize weight reduction, and (8) promoting other lifestyle changes around activity, sleep, mental stress, substance use, and social connections to maximize long-term success. In studies evaluating combined pharmacologic and lifestyle interventions, patients receiving both GLP-1 therapy and structured nutrition guidance achieved greater weight loss, better adherence, and were more likely to sustain weight loss after discontinuing medication compared to those receiving pharmacotherapy alone (Wadden et al., 2021; Kushner et al., 2022). Despite the known benefits, most individuals prescribed GLP-1s do not currently receive adequate nutritional counseling or behavioral support. This advisory seeks to fill that gap with practical, interdisciplinary guidance for implementation in clinical practice. GLP-1s are reshaping the landscape of obesity treatment, but it's clear that medication alone is not a complete solution. This consensus-based guidance highlights the critical role of nutrition in supporting patients on GLP-1 therapy, with clear recommendations for health care providers to optimize outcomes, reduce risks, and fill urgent gaps in care through practical, evidence-informed nutrition strategies." John E. Courtney, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of the American Society for Nutrition While certain considerations-such as GI tolerance and micronutrient balance-are important for clinicians to address, the advisory emphasizes that a proactive lifestyle-based approach can mitigate risks and optimize outcomes. With obesity prevalence continuing to rise worldwide, the integration of nutrition therapy into GLP-1-based care offers a scalable strategy to extend the clinical and economic value of these therapies. Clinicians are encouraged to use the advisory's tools and frameworks to help patients translate nutrition guidance into sustainable behaviors, making lifestyle medicine an active ingredient in every "prescription" for obesity care. Reporters may register to attend NUTRITION 2025 or access selected recorded sessions online with a free. Discover how Unicorn Biotechnologies is revolutionizing lab workflows with cell culture automation. Rui Tostoes, Chief Technology Officer at ImmuneBridge, shares how his team is redefining preclinical development and large-scale manufacturing for allogeneic cell therapies. Advancing GPCR drug discovery with fragment screening using GCI technology News-Medical.Net provides this medical information service in accordance with these terms and conditions. Please note that medical information found on this website is designed to support, not to replace the relationship between patient and physician/doctor and the medical advice they may provide. Hi, I'm Azthena, you can trust me to find commercial scientific answers from News-Medical.net. Registered members can chat with Azthena, request quotations, download pdf's, brochures and subscribe to our related newsletter content. A few things you need to know before we start. While we only use edited and approved content for Azthena answers, it may on occasions provide incorrect responses. Please confirm any data provided with the related suppliers or authors. Your questions, but not your email details will be shared with OpenAI and retained for 30 days in accordance with their privacy principles. Please do not ask questions that use sensitive or confidential information.

In patients with diabetic foot ulcers that looked healed and met the current definition of a closed wound, closed ulcers with functionally defective skin that lost more body water were likely to re-open, according to a new National Institutes of Health (NIH) Diabetic Foot Consortium study, led by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and published today in Diabetes Care. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) currently defines a closed wound as one where the surface is completely covered by new skin and has not had any discharge or drainage for two consecutive weeks. But when it comes to wound healing, looks can be deceiving. A wound that meets the FDA's criteria of wound closure appears to be healed, but it may not be functionally closed. However, invisible wounds have a telltale sign: more moisture evaporates through this compromised barrier compared with healthy skin. This can be detected with a simple handheld point-of-care device that measures trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL). These wounds heal slowly and have high rates of recurrence, which often leads to amputation and death," said Sen. "Our research shows that high TEWL of closed wounds, marking defective barrier function of the skin, is followed by wound recurrence." The new findings suggest that restoration of skin barrier functionality should be incorporated into the existing definition of wound closure to ensure durable wound closure and to better identify patients at risk of wound recurrence. Across seven U.S. study sites of the NIH Diabetic Foot Consortium, the researchers - led by Sen, Gayle Gordillo, M.D., and Sashwati Roy, Ph.D., M.S. - recruited 418 adult participants with type 1 or 2 diabetes and who had a recently healed diabetic foot ulcer. Using a handheld device, they collected baseline TEWL measurements from the closed wound sites and then followed these patients for up to 16 weeks to check for wound recurrence. Further analysis identified that patients with high TEWL values - greater than 30 - were about 2.7 times more likely to have the wound reopen compared to those with lower TEWL levels. Time to recurrence was also shorter in wounds with high TEWL. "Our study suggests that a TEWL of 30 in a healed wound should be considered a red flag for recurrence," said Gordillo, professor of plastic surgery at Pitt and senior medical director of UPMC Wound Healing Services. According to Sen, measuring TEWL as part of standard practice for assessing wound closure could lead to better outcomes for patients with diabetic foot ulcers and other types of wounds. "This study is an important initial step to give clinicians treating diabetic foot ulcers a reliable diagnostic aid for the first time to assess an individual's risk of ulcer recurrence," said Teresa Jones, M.D. program director for the Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, & Metabolic Diseases at NIH's National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). "Foot ulcers are such a confounding issue with diabetes and being able to determine which wounds are at highest risk for recurrence could save many lives and limbs." Sen, C. K., et al. (2025) High Transepidermal Water Loss at the Site of Wound Closure Is Associated With Increased Recurrence of Diabetic Foot Ulcers: The NIDDK Diabetic Foot Consortium TEWL Study. Discover how Unicorn Biotechnologies is revolutionizing lab workflows with cell culture automation. Rui Tostoes, Chief Technology Officer at ImmuneBridge, shares how his team is redefining preclinical development and large-scale manufacturing for allogeneic cell therapies. Advancing GPCR drug discovery with fragment screening using GCI technology Evotec's insights into GPCRs and waveRAPID technology reveal new opportunities in drug discovery, focusing on orphan receptors and innovative screening methods. News-Medical.Net provides this medical information service in accordance with these terms and conditions. Please note that medical information found on this website is designed to support, not to replace the relationship between patient and physician/doctor and the medical advice they may provide. Hi, I'm Azthena, you can trust me to find commercial scientific answers from News-Medical.net. Registered members can chat with Azthena, request quotations, download pdf's, brochures and subscribe to our related newsletter content. A few things you need to know before we start. While we only use edited and approved content for Azthena answers, it may on occasions provide incorrect responses. Please confirm any data provided with the related suppliers or authors. Your questions, but not your email details will be shared with OpenAI and retained for 30 days in accordance with their privacy principles. Please do not ask questions that use sensitive or confidential information.

New research has found that men who carry a common genetic variant are twice as likely to develop dementia in their lifetime compared to women. However, having two copies of the variant more than doubled the risk of dementia in men, but not women. While the genetic variant itself cannot be changed, the brain pathways which it affects – leading to the damage that causes dementia – could potentially be treated if we understood more about it." Professor Olynyk said further research was needed to investigate why this genetic variant increased the risk of dementia for males but not females. "The HFE gene is routinely tested for in most Western countries including Australia when assessing people for haemochromatosis – a disorder that causes the body to absorb too much iron. Our findings suggest that perhaps this testing could be offered to men more broadly," Professor Olynyk said. "While the HFE gene is critical for controlling iron levels in the body, we found no direct link between iron levels in the blood and increased dementia risk in affected men. "This points to other mechanisms at play, possibly involving the increased risk of brain injury from inflammation and cell damage in the body." Co-author Professor Paul Lacaze, from Monash University, said the findings could help improve outcomes for people at risk of developing dementia. Understanding why men with the double H63D variant are at higher risk could pave the way for more personalised approaches to prevention and treatment," Professor Lacaze said. "This study is a great example of how diverse Australian research groups and universities can collaborate effectively to learn more about these progressive diseases and ultimately improve health outcomes for people around the world." The ASPREE trial was a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial of daily low-aspirin in 19,114 healthy older people in Australia and the USA. Primarily undertaken to evaluate the risks versus benefits of daily low-dose aspirin in this cohort, it created a treasure trove of healthy ageing data that has underpinned a wealth of research studies. Haemochromatosis Genotypes and Incident Dementia in a Prospective Study of Older Adults. Discover how Unicorn Biotechnologies is revolutionizing lab workflows with cell culture automation. Expert insights from startup co-founders Jack and Adam. Rui Tostoes, Chief Technology Officer at ImmuneBridge, shares how his team is redefining preclinical development and large-scale manufacturing for allogeneic cell therapies. Advancing GPCR drug discovery with fragment screening using GCI technology Evotec's insights into GPCRs and waveRAPID technology reveal new opportunities in drug discovery, focusing on orphan receptors and innovative screening methods. News-Medical.Net provides this medical information service in accordance with these terms and conditions. Please note that medical information found on this website is designed to support, not to replace the relationship between patient and physician/doctor and the medical advice they may provide. Hi, I'm Azthena, you can trust me to find commercial scientific answers from News-Medical.net. Registered members can chat with Azthena, request quotations, download pdf's, brochures and subscribe to our related newsletter content. A few things you need to know before we start. While we only use edited and approved content for Azthena answers, it may on occasions provide incorrect responses. Please confirm any data provided with the related suppliers or authors. Your questions, but not your email details will be shared with OpenAI and retained for 30 days in accordance with their privacy principles. Please do not ask questions that use sensitive or confidential information.

Prevailing theories about why young people experience psychotic breaks at a young age rely on individual factors like exposure to child abuse, school bullying, or drugs. But a new study from the NYU Silver School of Social Work suggests that broader social factors, such as racial inequality and experience with police violence, might contribute to the proportionately higher rates of psychosis seen among low-income young adults of color. The researchers culled the National Survey of Poly-Victimization and Mental Health to explore individual-level and societal, or structural, impacts on early psychosis risk. Among the respondents, Blacks, Latinos, multiracial, and Indigenous respondents had 60% higher odds of reporting having experienced one or more psychotic episodes in the prior year compared to white respondents, the study determined. Furthermore, those who cited an experience involving police violence in had 52% higher odds of reporting one or more delusional or hallucinatory episode in the prior year. The most widely recognized risk factors for psychosis are spelled out in the "Social Defeat Hypothesis," an influential theoretical framework used by psychiatrists to treat young adults with psychosis. In the study's analysis of the U.S. survey, an individual's sense of "social defeat" can indeed result in psychotic symptoms and can arise from a high frequency of substance use or exposure to bullying, as the theory holds. But the persistence of racial inequality, and related experiences such as exposure to police violence, could also be relevant factors, according to the study. It calls for research into the impact of societal factors that are more prominent in low-income and marginalized communities. Developed in Northern Europe, the "Social Defeat Hypothesis" has been used by U.S. psychiatrists for over two decades to understand the development of psychosis, a condition that could show a young adult to be at higher risk of suicidal thinking or even schizophrenia. Under the hypothesis, social defeats, like feeling humiliated, contribute to long-term neurobiological shifts in the brain and dopamine system especially, and are part of what may bring on instances in which an individual loses touch with reality. In conducting the study, DeVylder, Cosse, and Amos collaborated extensively with fellow social work scholar Lisa Fedina of the University of Michigan, as well as additional NYU Silver doctoral students. Commenting on findings' significance, DeVylder said that structural factors may exert a "substantial" influence on an individual risk for psychosis, and could potentially help explain ethno-racial disparities in psychosis in the U.S. This potentially means that reducing exposure to systemic factors, like societal racism, may provide mental health benefits similar to individual-focused interventions, like psychotherapy." Discover how Unicorn Biotechnologies is revolutionizing lab workflows with cell culture automation. Rui Tostoes, Chief Technology Officer at ImmuneBridge, shares how his team is redefining preclinical development and large-scale manufacturing for allogeneic cell therapies. Advancing GPCR drug discovery with fragment screening using GCI technology Evotec's insights into GPCRs and waveRAPID technology reveal new opportunities in drug discovery, focusing on orphan receptors and innovative screening methods. News-Medical.Net provides this medical information service in accordance with these terms and conditions. Please note that medical information found on this website is designed to support, not to replace the relationship between patient and physician/doctor and the medical advice they may provide. Hi, I'm Azthena, you can trust me to find commercial scientific answers from News-Medical.net. Registered members can chat with Azthena, request quotations, download pdf's, brochures and subscribe to our related newsletter content. A few things you need to know before we start. While we only use edited and approved content for Azthena answers, it may on occasions provide incorrect responses. Please confirm any data provided with the related suppliers or authors. Your questions, but not your email details will be shared with OpenAI and retained for 30 days in accordance with their privacy principles. Please do not ask questions that use sensitive or confidential information.

This study investigates upper gastrointestinal tract (UGIT) involvement in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), a condition traditionally considered limited to the colon. Although extra-colonic manifestations of UC are well recognized, UGIT issues have received less attention. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Ain Shams University over one year. A total of 78 UC patients underwent comprehensive clinical evaluations, including assessments of gastrointestinal complaints, medication history, disease progression, surgeries, and physical examinations. Endoscopic assessments of both the UGIT and colon were performed, accompanied by biopsies for histopathological analysis. Histopathological findings showed notable inflammation, basal cell hyperplasia, and ulcerations in the esophagus, with 51.3% of patients exhibiting chronic gastritis and 38.5% testing positive for Helicobacter pylori infection. The current study concluded that endoscopic and histopathological changes in the esophagus, stomach, and duodenal mucosa are common in Egyptian UC patients. The results of this study provide a rationale for conducting multicenter controlled studies with a larger number of Egyptian UC patients to confirm these findings. Upper Gastrointestinal Manifestations in Adult Egyptian Patients with Ulcerative Colitis: A Cross-sectional Study. Discover how Unicorn Biotechnologies is revolutionizing lab workflows with cell culture automation. Expert insights from startup co-founders Jack and Adam. Rui Tostoes, Chief Technology Officer at ImmuneBridge, shares how his team is redefining preclinical development and large-scale manufacturing for allogeneic cell therapies. Advancing GPCR drug discovery with fragment screening using GCI technology Evotec's insights into GPCRs and waveRAPID technology reveal new opportunities in drug discovery, focusing on orphan receptors and innovative screening methods. News-Medical.Net provides this medical information service in accordance with these terms and conditions. Please note that medical information found on this website is designed to support, not to replace the relationship between patient and physician/doctor and the medical advice they may provide. Hi, I'm Azthena, you can trust me to find commercial scientific answers from News-Medical.net. To start a conversation, please log into your AZoProfile account first, or create a new account. Registered members can chat with Azthena, request quotations, download pdf's, brochures and subscribe to our related newsletter content. A few things you need to know before we start. Please check the box above to proceed. While we only use edited and approved content for Azthena answers, it may on occasions provide incorrect responses. Please confirm any data provided with the related suppliers or authors. Your questions, but not your email details will be shared with OpenAI and retained for 30 days in accordance with their privacy principles. Please do not ask questions that use sensitive or confidential information.

Emerging theories suggest that communication challenges arise from differing perspectives between autistic and non-autistic partners rather than individual socio-cognitive deficits. Their study highlights the need for more culturally sensitive socio-cognitive measures to assess autistic traits. Autism spectrum disorders are associated with difficulties in social communication, long attributed to individual socio-cognitive deficits. Emerging theories suggest that communication difficulties may rather arise from mismatches in perspectives between autistic and non-autistic partners. Addressing this mismatch collaboratively could transform the understanding of autism and improve communication outcomes. Gestures, eye contact, and body language that are considered appropriate in one culture may be perceived differently in another. Nevertheless, current socio-cognitive assessments largely reflect Western norms, limiting their applicability to non-Western populations. To bridge this gap, researchers from Japan conducted a cross-cultural analysis to compare mentalizing difficulties, or challenges in understanding the thoughts and feelings of others, in British and Japanese autistic and non-autistic adults. Led by Dr. Bianca Schuster, a researcher at Waseda University, Japan, with co-authors Associate Professor Yuko Okamoto and Professor Rieko Osu from Waseda University, Professor Hirotaka Kosaka from the University of Fukui, and Dr. Masakazu Ide from the National Rehabilitation Center for Persons With Disabilities, the study highlights the importance of considering neurodivergent perspectives rather than attributing difficulties solely to autistic individuals. Such a mismatch in perspectives can lead to difficulties in understanding each other's respective social cues – a problem termed the 'double empathy problem.' This theory has received a lot of attention in recent years, but there are still very few studies that have formally tested it." Their findings were published in Volume 16 of Molecular Autism on May 14, 2025. The researchers used animations showing social scenes, depicted by moving triangles, and asked participants to interpret what was happening. They found that non-autistic British adults struggled to interpret animations created by their autistic peers. In contrast, British autistic adults demonstrated similar performances when interpreting animations made by both autistic and non-autistic people. The fact that British autistic adults did not perform better with animations made by their own neurotype may reflect that, in comparison to neurotypical groups, the perspectives of British neurodivergent individuals may be too varied. Conversely, Japanese autistic and non-autistic adults interpreted animations created by their own and the respective other group with comparable accuracy. Notably, cross-cultural analyses revealed that while there was no difference in performance between Japanese and British non-autistic adults, Japanese autistic participants outperformed both groups of British participants. Nevertheless, motor performance was comparable across all participants. An inclusive environment that values socially diverse behaviors can support autistic individuals and enhance their mental well-being. Furthermore, the observed results do not likely mean that Japanese people are better at mentalizing than British individuals, because real-world difficulties in communication and social understanding do exist between autistic and non-autistic people in Japan, too. "Cultural differences related to the diagnosis of autism may be subtle but can still lead to misclassification of cases and therefore have a significant impact on the lives of individuals. A cross-cultural examination of bi-directional mentalising in autistic and non-autistic adults. Discover how Unicorn Biotechnologies is revolutionizing lab workflows with cell culture automation. Expert insights from startup co-founders Jack and Adam. Rui Tostoes, Chief Technology Officer at ImmuneBridge, shares how his team is redefining preclinical development and large-scale manufacturing for allogeneic cell therapies. Advancing GPCR drug discovery with fragment screening using GCI technology Evotec's insights into GPCRs and waveRAPID technology reveal new opportunities in drug discovery, focusing on orphan receptors and innovative screening methods. News-Medical.Net provides this medical information service in accordance with these terms and conditions. Please note that medical information found on this website is designed to support, not to replace the relationship between patient and physician/doctor and the medical advice they may provide. Hi, I'm Azthena, you can trust me to find commercial scientific answers from News-Medical.net. Registered members can chat with Azthena, request quotations, download pdf's, brochures and subscribe to our related newsletter content. A few things you need to know before we start. While we only use edited and approved content for Azthena answers, it may on occasions provide incorrect responses. Please confirm any data provided with the related suppliers or authors. Your questions, but not your email details will be shared with OpenAI and retained for 30 days in accordance with their privacy principles. Please do not ask questions that use sensitive or confidential information.

Researchers at the Ragon Institute have made a significant discovery about how antibodies can directly enhance the body's ability to fight Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the bacteria responsible for tuberculosis (TB). Despite decades of research, TB remains one of the deadliest infectious diseases worldwide, with about 10 million new cases and 1.6 million deaths annually. Currently, there is no highly effective vaccine, highlighting the urgent need for new insights and treatments. In a study published today in Immunity, Ragon faculty member Galit Alter, PhD and previous post-doctoral trainee Patricia Grace, PhD, now at University of Pittsburgh, partnered with Bryan Bryson, PhD, associate member Sarah Fortune, PhD and a team of collaborators, to collect the largest library of monoclonal antibodies to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) the bacteria that causes Tuberculosis. This research reveals critical new insights into how antibodies interact with immune cells in the lungs to restrict Mtb infection, laying the groundwork for potential antibody-based therapies or vaccines against tuberculosis, both of which are urgently needed. They screened a broad library of these antibodies, targeting many different components of the bacteria, to determine which could effectively reduce bacterial growth in infected mice. They found that particular antibodies targeting different parts of the bacteria-both surface proteins and internal antigens-could effectively restrict Mtb growth, challenging previous assumptions that only antibodies recognizing surface structures could help fight TB. To better understand the mechanisms behind this antibody-mediated protection, researchers closely examined one particularly effective antibody targeting a molecule called lipoarabinomannan (LAM), found on the bacterial cell surface. This discovery highlights a previously unrecognized way antibodies can work against TB not merely by neutralizing pathogens directly, but by reshaping immune cell functions within infected tissues. Given the rise in antibiotic resistant bacteria, understanding these immune mechanisms opens new avenues for novel therapeutic and vaccine design that are urgently needed to combat TB. Moreover, this study unlocks future approaches to rapidly discover and design monoclonal therapeutics to a broader array of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the future. Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard Discover how Unicorn Biotechnologies is revolutionizing lab workflows with cell culture automation. Expert insights from startup co-founders Jack and Adam. Rui Tostoes, Chief Technology Officer at ImmuneBridge, shares how his team is redefining preclinical development and large-scale manufacturing for allogeneic cell therapies. Advancing GPCR drug discovery with fragment screening using GCI technology Evotec's insights into GPCRs and waveRAPID technology reveal new opportunities in drug discovery, focusing on orphan receptors and innovative screening methods. News-Medical.Net provides this medical information service in accordance with these terms and conditions. Please note that medical information found on this website is designed to support, not to replace the relationship between patient and physician/doctor and the medical advice they may provide. Hi, I'm Azthena, you can trust me to find commercial scientific answers from News-Medical.net. Registered members can chat with Azthena, request quotations, download pdf's, brochures and subscribe to our related newsletter content. A few things you need to know before we start. While we only use edited and approved content for Azthena answers, it may on occasions provide incorrect responses. Please confirm any data provided with the related suppliers or authors. Your questions, but not your email details will be shared with OpenAI and retained for 30 days in accordance with their privacy principles. Please do not ask questions that use sensitive or confidential information.