Long-term exposure to PM2.5, PM10, NO2 and ozone (O3) air pollution is associated with more hospital admissions for lower respiratory tract infections in adults.

The American College of Physicians (ACP) has developed new recommendations to prevent episodic migraines in nonpregnant adults in outpatient settings.

The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) is concerned that two weeks have passed since the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a pause on mass communications and public appearances that are not directly related to emergencies or critical to preserving health. With the order remaining in effect until a new HHS secretary is confirmed, this unpredictable timeline prolongs uncertainty for both healthcare professionals and the public, and endangers the nation by hindering our ability to detect and respond to public health threats, such as avian influenza (H5N1). Public health officials and healthcare professionals are reliant on continual coordination from local to federal levels to know whether avian influenza is becoming more of a threat to humans, and the local response to this threat has been compromised by this, the longest and most comprehensive communication ban to date. 

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine has awarded a $6 million grant to USC investigators pioneering a new first-of-its-kind genetic therapy for glioblastoma, a severe form of brain cancer. The treatment would be the first gene therapy for glioblastoma to use a novel, more precise delivery system that is less likely to harm non-cancerous cells. The three-year grant, led by USC in collaboration with members of the Zolotukhin Lab at the University of Florida, builds on three advances the team has made towards a novel glioblastoma treatment, with the goal of moving it closer to clinical trials: new drug treatment targets involving key "master regulator" genes typically active only in early fetal development that can drive growth in a tumor; a newly identified AAV (adeno-associated virus) delivery vehicle for gene therapy that appears to target glioblastoma cells while sparing healthy cells; and the development of a new enhanced tumor mapping procedure that could help optimize catheter placement and maximum drug diffusion in the brain.

A new Dartmouth-led study finds that pregnant individuals who were unable to have their desired emotional support persons present during childbirth were more likely to have higher levels of perceived childbirth stress than those who were not missing their support people. The findings are published in Evolution, Medicine, & Public Health.