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New machines measure back surgery benefits Researchers who have been using Fitbit data to help predict surgical outcomes have now come up with a new method to more accurately gauge how an individual may recover from spine surgery. Using machine learning techniques developed at the AI for Health Institute at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, the team developed a novel way to predict recovery more accurately from lumbar spine surgery. This latest model has outperformed previous models...
Preventing memory loss on a daily basis When it comes to your brain, use it or lose it. The harder your brain works at your job, the less likely you may be to have memory and thinking problems later in life, according to a new study published in the journal Neurology. The study does not prove that stimulating work prevents mild cognitive impairment (MCI). It only shows an association. “We examined the demands of various jobs and found that cognitive stimulation at work during different stages i...
A chatbot app to quit smoking Researchers in Seattle, Wash. have now developed an artificial intelligence (AI) -powered chatbot app called QuitBot to help more people successfully quit smoking cigarettes. The app is available for free on Apple and Android devices and is a comprehensive app that provides users personalized support. Developed using scientifically backed answers vetted by scientists and experienced smoking cessation clinicians, QuitBot combines evidence-based structured conversatio...
Music’s healing properties: Don’t worry be happy Whether it’s singing in a choir, playing the living room piano, joining in hymns at church, or just whistling along with the radio, a new poll finds that nearly all older adults report music brings them far more than just entertainment. Three-quarters of people age 50 to 80 say music helps them relieve stress or relax and 65% say it helps their mental health or mood, according to a new poll on healthy aging from the University of Michigan. The sur...
New wearable robotics for Parkinson’s disease “Freezing,” a temporary, involuntary inability to move, is one of the most common and debilitating symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, a neurodegenerative disorder that affects more than 9 million people worldwide. When individuals with Parkinson’s disease freeze, they suddenly lose the ability to move their feet, often mid-stride, resulting in a series of staccato stutter steps that get shorter until the person stops altogether. These episodes...
Improving brain health through exercise A new study is suggesting a fascinating link between regular exercise and better brain health. Researchers looked at 10,125 Individuals with MRI brain scans and found that being physically active is related to increased size of brain areas important for memory and learning. The study revealed that those who regularly engaged in physical activities such as walking, running or sports had larger brain volumes in key areas. This includes the gray matter,...
Drones equipped with defibrillators may help save lives Researchers have evaluated the possibility of alerting drones equipped with automated external defibrillators (AED) to patients with suspected cardiac arrest. In more than half of the cases, the drones were ahead of the ambulance by an average of three minutes. In cases where the patient was in cardiac arrest, the drone-delivered defibrillator was used in a majority of cases. Swedish researchers at Karolinska Institutet evaluated the use...
New help for those with low vision or blindness Australian researchers have developed a new type of technology known as acoustic touch and it helps people “see” using sound. The technology has the potential to transform the lives of those who are blind or have low level vision. Researchers from the University of Technology Sydney and the University of Sydney have developed new smart glasses that translate visual information into distinct sound icons. “Smart glasses typically use computer visio...
New nasal spray for rapid heartbeats A fast-acting medication delivered as a nasal spray may soon allow individuals with intermittent rapid heartbeats to treat the problem themselves as soon as they develop symptoms, according to a new study. This new medication is still waiting approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). “This is a potential new and exciting option for patients to safely self-treat their rapid heartbeat without direct medical supervision to avoid emergency r...
Discount cards with Amazon and GoodRx versus out of pocket payments A nationally representative study is suggesting that at least one out of five prescriptions for commonly prescribed generic medications are cheaper through Amazon Prime or GoodRx Gold discount cards compared to actual out-of-pocket payments made by patients. The authors also highlight the disproportionately higher frequency of out-of-pocket payments exceeding discount card pricing for various vulnerable subgroups like the...
Olive oil packs powerful punch against dementia Switching your cooking oils to olive oil may have important hidden brain benefits. A new study is suggesting that incorporating olive oil into your diet may help reduce the risk of dying from dementia. As many countries face rising rates of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, the study offers hope that healthy lifestyle factors such as diet can help to prevent or slow the progression of brain deterioration. “Our study reinforces die...
Alaskan Native men warned about lack of screening for prostate cancer Men in Alaska age 50 or older may want to discuss prostate cancer screening with their healthcare provider. A new study from Wake Forest University School of Medicine is suggesting that American Indian and Alaska Native men are less likely to be screened for prostate cancer compared to other racial/ethnic groups and it is coming with a high price tag. The study appears in the online journal called Cancer Causes & Control, and...
Adopting some self-care techniques may reap huge health benefits. Self-care is defined as the process of establishing behaviors to ensure holistic well-being of oneself. It is about taking the time to really understand your true needs beyond just impulses. We all engage in some form of self-care daily with food choices, exercise, sleep, reading, and so forth. However, self-care also involves a person's spiritual and social well-being. Origins and concepts The concept of self-care has ancient...
New pill may help prevent knee and hip replacements A new study is suggesting that a low dose of colchicine may be associated with lower incidences of both total knee replacement and total hip replacement surgeries. The analysis, published in Annals of Internal Medicine, suggests this might be a simple and safe way of lowering the risks for knee and hip replacements. Osteoarthritis is an increasingly common joint disease that can be associated with low-grade inflammation in response to...
Forget about dieting. A new electrical “pill” may be able to regulate a person’s appetites without any drugs or invasive medical procedures. It is a promising advance in treating eating disorders and other medical conditions that benefit from adjusting someone’s food intake. Developed by a research team from NYU Tandon School of Engineering and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the pill has been dubbed FLASH. It delivers electrical impulses to the stomach lining once it’s sw...
COVID-19 transmission continues to occur in many communities across Alaska, although overall case counts continue to slowly decline, according to state officials who are tracking the virus. Most COVID-19 infections in Alaska at this time are caused by viruses belonging to either the XBB.1.5 lineage or to BQ lineages. While many infections with the virus that causes COVID-19 are not detected or reported, changes over time in the number of reported cases still provide useful information about the...
Powerful benefits from wild blueberries for older adults New research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition further supports daily consumption of wild blueberries for improving memory, brain function and blood pressure in older adults. A 12-week clinical trial called BluFlow, led by Dr. Ana Rodriguez-Mateos, an associate professor in Nutrition at the Department of Nutritional Sciences of King’s College London, investigated the cognitive and vascular benefits of daily wild blueb...
Northwestern University researchers in Chicago have developed a first-of-its-kind small, flexible, stretchable bandage that accelerates healing by delivering electrotherapy directly to the wound site. In an animal study, the new bandage healed diabetic ulcers 30% faster than in mice without the bandage. The bandage also actively monitors the healing process and then harmlessly dissolves into the body after it is no longer needed. The new device could provide a powerful tool for patients with dia...
Preventing heart attacks in new ways After years of research, scientists have now developed a wearable cardiac ultrasound imager that can non-invasively capture real-time images of the human heart for an extended period of time. The patch, which is about the size of a postage stamp, is comparable to a commercial ultrasound device. Further, the imager can be worn during exercise and provide valuable cardiac information when the heart is under stress. “While existing wearable patches in d...
Making exercise fun and easy Ongoing research is showing that there are significant cardiovascular benefits at 6,000 daily walking steps at any pace. The evidence-based health benefits of walking are continuing to accumulate, according to ongoing research by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Findings from the latest study led by Amanda Paluch, an assistant professor of kinesiology in the School of Public Health and Health Sciences, show that older adults who walked between...
A mind-controlled wheelchair can help a paralyzed person gain new mobility by translating users’ thoughts into mechanical commands. Researchers have demonstrated that individuals with the inability to voluntarily move the upper and lower parts of the body can operate mind-controlled wheelchairs in a natural, cluttered environment after training for an extended period. “We show that mutual learning of both the user and the brain-machine interface algorithm are both important for users to suc...
Almonds may pack important hidden health benefit Eating a handful of almonds a day can greatly benefit your tummy because almonds significantly increase the production of butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that promotes gut health, according to a recent study. A team of researchers from King’s College London investigated the impact of whole and ground almonds on the composition of gut microbes. The gut microbiome consists of thousands of microorganisms living in the gut. These play a vital r...
Walking away from breast cancer Boosting physical activity levels and curbing sitting time are highly likely to lower breast cancer risk, according to a newly published study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. The findings were generally consistent across all types and all stages of breast cancer. Observational studies show that physical inactivity and sedentary behavior are linked to higher breast cancer risk, but proving they cause breast cancer is another matter. The researchers used...
Hold on, I am getting a message from my knee It is now possible to receive data from your knee about how it is healing. Knee replacements are getting smarter and may improve outcomes, thanks to a new joint component that securely tracks and transmits knee motion data. Physicians are using the data to optimize patient monitoring and recovery. The new component is called the Persona IQ Smart Knee implant. It includes a 10-year battery and sensors that constantly capture long-term postoperative...
Monitoring health through sweat Researchers now have come up with a smart biosensor necklace that can track health status through sweat. In a new study published in the journal Science Advances, researchers at Ohio State University demonstrated a battery-free, wireless biochemical sensor that detected the blood sugar levels through substances excreted from their skin when they exercise. The Ohio State team fabricated a “smart necklace,” which has a functional clasp and pendant. Once placed aro...
