Charles A. Nelson
Charles A. Nelson
Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
This study examines how prenatal exposure to maternal psychological distress, such as stress, anxiety, and depression, can impact fetal brain development. Findings suggest that these stressors may lead to changes in brain volume and structure, with potential long-term effects on behavioral development. The research highlights the importance of maternal mental health during pregnancy, indicating th...
Posted 5 months ago
Seema A. Khan
Seema A. Khan
Department of Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicaqgo, Illinois
This article addresses the role of progesterone exposure in breast cancer risk, focusing on both biological and technical barriers in studying progesterone’s impact. Research indicates that higher progesterone levels in postmenopausal women may modestly increase breast cancer risk, with a stronger association for invasive breast cancers. The study also highlights the complex relationship between...
Posted 5 months ago
Daniel J Corsi
Daniel J Corsi
School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
In the study by Hernandez et al., the spatial distribution of diabetes in India was examined, revealing a concentration in southern and eastern regions. The study also explored the potential overlap between diabetes and tuberculosis prevalence, but found no significant spatial correlation between the two. This work highlights the importance of spatial epidemiology in understanding disease patterns...
Posted 5 months ago
Vasily Giannakeas
Vasily Giannakeas
Women’s College Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Canonical predictors for the prognosis of breast cancer include estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and ERBB2 (formerly HER2) receptor. In most cases, positive ER status is auspicious, but there are exceptions (young women, black women, and BRCA2 mutation carriers). The simplest designation, hormone receptor–positive cancers, includes tumors that express ER and/or PR (hormone rec...
Posted 5 months ago
Ruth A. Etzel
Ruth A. Etzel
Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC
The study by Zhang et al. explores the link between preconception exposure to phthalates and an increased risk of preterm birth. Phthalates, commonly found in food and consumer products, are endocrine disruptors. The research found that higher concentrations of specific phthalate metabolites in maternal urine were associated with a 50% increased risk of preterm birth. The findings suggest that int...
Posted 5 months ago
R. Tamara Konetzka
R. Tamara Konetzka
Department of Public Health Sciences, Biological Sciences Division, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
The study by Song et al. explores the relationship between work environment factors in nursing homes and missed or rushed care. Key findings highlight the importance of organizational slack, social capital, and culture, although the unexpected association between organizational culture and rushed care raises questions. The study, however, does not identify causal pathways and only establishes asso...
Posted 5 months ago
Joel Lexchin
Joel Lexchin
School of Health Policy and Management, Faculty of Health, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
To paraphrase something that Mark Twain is alleged to have said, “Everybody talks about drug prices, but nobody does anything about them.” The last part of the paraphrase is not quite accurate, but to date, none of the major federal proposals to lower drug prices have been enacted, and state legislation, such as the California Preserving Access to Affordable Drugs Act, is under legal challenge...
Posted 5 months ago
Urine human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) is a promising, non-invasive tumor marker for ovarian cancer (OC), offering advantages in early detection and monitoring. Studies show urine HE4 concentrations are higher than serum levels, with comparable sensitivity and specificity for detecting OC. It can aid in the differential diagnosis, monitor chemotherapy response, and track disease recurrence. Howeve...
Posted 5 months ago
Valdas Banys,
Valdas Banys
Department of Physiology, Biochemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
Goda Aleknavičiūtė-Valienė
Goda Aleknavičiūtė-Valienė
Center of Laboratory Medicine,Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos, Vilnius, Lithuania
Hepatic cirrhosis is a major health problem across the world, causing high morbidity and mortality. This disease has many etiologies, yet the result of chronic hepatic injury is hepatic fibrosis causing cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, as the liver’s architecture is progressively destroyed. While liver biopsy is currently the gold standard for fibrosis staging, it has significant disadvan...
Posted 5 months ago
Bernhard Strasser,
Bernhard Strasser
Kepler University Hospital Linz, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Linz, Austria
Sebastian Strasser,
Sebastian Strasser
Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
Josef Tomasits
Josef Tomasits
Kepler University Hospital Linz, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Linz, Austria
Creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) are first-line laboratory parameters in the diagnosis of various renal diseases. In recent decades, cystatin C (cysC) has furthered the laboratory repertoire regarding renal status assessment and has been implemented in many clinical guidelines. Accordingly, with the establishment of cysC as a renal routine biomarker, further opportunities...
Posted 5 months ago
