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Diagnostic value of plasma circular RNA based on droplet digital polymerase chain reaction in lung adenocarcinoma

Healthcare News

Healthcare Companies Preparing To Introduce Self-Collection Model For Cervical Cancer Screening, Prevention

The New York Times (8/15, Friedman) reports “a handful of health care companies are preparing to introduce a new model for cervical cancer screening and prevention that would” act as an alternative to Pap smears. The self-collection model involves a woman swabbing “her vagina in the doctor’s office, using only a narrow swab that looks similar to the one used during a Covid test.” After “the sample is collected, a lab would test it for the strains of human papillomavirus, or HPV, most likely to cause cervical cancer.” An important “change in HPV screening has made the technique possible: Labs are now able to test using samples taken from the vaginal walls, as opposed to from the cervix itself.”

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WHO Declares Mpox An International Health Emergency As Outbreak In Africa Grows

The Washington Post (8/14, A1, Nirappil, Chason) reports, “The World Health Organization on Wednesday again declared mpox an international health emergency in response to a growing outbreak in Africa.” The WHO’s “declaration comes after suspected and confirmed cases in Africa exceeded 15,000 this year, exceeding the toll in all of 2023.” Mpox cases “reached record highs in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the virus has been endemic for decades and the vast majority of African cases are concentrated.” Meanwhile, “a new form of the virus, known as clade 1b, has spilled into eastern parts of the African nation and has been reported in other countries for the first time, including Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.” The New York Times (8/14, Mandavilli) reports WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “The detection and rapid spread of a new clade of mpox in eastern D.R.C., its detection in neighboring countries that had not previously reported mpox, and the potential for further spread within Africa and beyond is very worrying.” Reuters (8/14, Satija, Rigby) reports “an emergency committee met earlier on Wednesday to advise” Tedros “on whether the disease outbreak constitutes a ‘public health emergency of international concern,’ or PHEIC.” According to Reuters, “PHEIC status is WHO’s highest level of alert and aims to accelerate research, funding and international public health measures and cooperation to contain a disease.” Tedros said, “It’s clear that a coordinated international response is essential to stop these outbreaks and save lives.” Also reporting are the AP (8/14, Cheng), NBC News (8/14, Bendix), and CNN (8/14, Davis).

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Human Body Undergoes Two Bouts Of Rapid Physical Transformation On Molecular Level During Middle Age, Research Finds

The Washington Post (8/14, Sands) reports new research found that middle age is “when the human body undergoes two dramatic bouts of rapid physical transformation on a molecular level.” In the study, scientists “tracked age-related changes in over 135,000 types of molecules and microbes, sampled from over 100 adults.” Researchers “discovered that shifts in their abundance – either increasing or decreasing in number – did not occur gradually over time, but clustered around two ages.” The study found that “on average, the changes clustered around the ages of 44 and 60.” The findings were published in Nature Aging. NBC News (8/14, Carroll) reports the changes “may be causing significant differences in cardiovascular health and immune function.”

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TSI Bioassays More Sensitive Than Binding TSH-R-Abs Assays Among Patients With AITD, Study Suggests

Endocrinology Advisor (8/14, Nye) reports, “Thyroid-stimulating [immunoglobulin] (TSI) bioassays are more sensitive than binding thyrotropin receptor antibodies (TSH-R-Abs) assays among patients with autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD), according to results of a study.” The researchers concluded that “TSH-R-Ab is an important biomarker in the evaluation and management of patients with AITD in general and [Graves disease] in particular.” The findings were published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

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In-House Testing For HSV Via PCR Improves Efficiency, Quality Of Neonatal HSV Evaluations, Study Suggests

Infectious Disease Advisor (8/14, Kuhns) reports, “In-house testing for herpes simplex virus (HSV) via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was found to significantly improve the efficiency and quality of neonatal HSV evaluations, leading to reduced acyclovir exposure, shorter hospital stays, and more complete diagnostic workups, according to study results.” The researchers said “in-house performance of HSV PCR testing should be considered to minimize acyclovir exposure, expedite discharge, and improve outcomes in neonates warranting evaluation for HSV.” The findings were published in the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society.

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Healthcare Companies Preparing To Introduce Self-Collection Model For Cervical Cancer Screening, Prevention

WHO Declares Mpox An International Health Emergency As Outbreak In Africa Grows

Human Body Undergoes Two Bouts Of Rapid Physical Transformation On Molecular Level During Middle Age, Research Finds

TSI Bioassays More Sensitive Than Binding TSH-R-Abs Assays Among Patients With AITD, Study Suggests

In-House Testing For HSV Via PCR Improves Efficiency, Quality Of Neonatal HSV Evaluations, Study Suggests