Notre Dame economists William Evans and Ethan Lieber examined the prescription practices of physicians in the late 1990s and found that they had increased the frequency and extent to which they prescribed opioids for treating chronic pain, contributing to the overall increase in opioid use and subsequent overdose deaths across the country.

An integrative review led by the Afrifa-Yamoah research team and co-authored by scholars from Canada, Australia and other countries has been published in Eye & ENT Research. Against the backdrop of the global myopia epidemic, this paper systematically elaborates the genetic, optical and environmental mechanisms driving the onset and progression of myopia, and analyzes the underlying principles of relevant risk factors. It also classifies mainstream myopia correction and control measures, summarizes their clinical effects, and puts forward clinical strategies for personalized and combined interventions. This study provides comprehensive and authoritative theoretical references for clinical ophthalmology practice, myopia prevention and control, as well as future research.

This report presents the first documented case of an extraosseous Ewing’s sarcoma (ES) arising primarily in the retropharyngeal space of an adult. A 59-year-old female presented with progressive dysphagia and acute stridor, initially mimicking a retropharyngeal abscess. However, intraoperative findings showed no pus, and further immunohistochemistry and genetic testing confirmed ES with CD99 positivity and EWSR1 rearrangement. Despite multimodal considerations, the disease was extensive at diagnosis, and the patient deteriorated rapidly, passing away within two months.

A recent case report from Mayo Clinic in Eye & ENT Research documents the first-ever case of vocal fold paralysis (VFP) following Z-POEM. A 68-year-old male developed hoarseness one day after the procedure, and laryngoscopy later confirmed left VFP. This finding breaks the prior safety record of Z-POEM and highlights the vulnerability of the recurrent laryngeal nerve, which lies close to the diverticulum base and is at risk during septal division. This article presents the case from anatomical, diagnostic, and management perspectives, offering a critical safety reference for clinicians performing Z-POEM.

 

A comprehensive Cal Poly study examining North American bird population data reveals that environmental change does not affect all species equally. The research, assessing data collected across North America over nearly 30 years, found that no single environmental factor explained bird population changes across all species. Instead, species responded in highly individualized ways because of their interactions with their environment. While human-caused disturbances such as light pollution and air pollution can negatively affect bird populations, ecological traits can help predict species' sensitivity and forecast how well they will respond to ongoing environmental change. The study also highlights the importance of local conservation action. While climate change and regional air pollution require broad policy solutions, many environmental factors affecting birds can be addressed at the level of cities or counties.

Apoptosis, a type of programmed cell death, is essential for staying healthy, and its dysregulation contributes to cancer and developmental disorders. In a recent study, researchers from Japan identified the protein Zbtb38 as a direct regulator of a key apoptosis inhibitor called X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP). They showed that Zbtb38 activates XIAP independently of other major regulatory mechanisms, revealing a new pathway for controlling cell survival with potential implications for treating apoptosis-resistant cancers.