Yearly Archives: 2018


Shared and Specific Genes in Psychiatric Disorders

A transcriptomic profiling analysis revealed that there were shared and distinct gene-expression patterns across five major psychiatric disorders—autism (ASD), schizophrenia (SCZ), bipolar disorder (BD), depression (MDD), and alcoholism (AAD)—compared with matched controls. Brain transcriptomes—a quantitative, genome-wide molecular phenotype—were performed using 700 cerebral cortical samples from subjects with ASD (n = […]


Shifting Focus for Stroke

“Time is brain,” the time-focused mantra has been extended in acute stroke care. Findings of 2 recent trials—showing that a mechanical thrombectomy treatment window of 16 to even 24 hours can still benefit imaging-selected patient—have been adopted into the new American Heart Association/American Stroke Association guidelines. Strokes develop differently; some […]


Standing Burned More Calories than Sitting

A systematic review and meta-analysis suggested that replacing sitting with standing could be a potential solution for a sedentary lifestyle to prevent weight gain in the long term. The analysis included 46 studies with 1184 participants. The mean difference in energy expenditure (EE) between sitting and standing was 0.15 kcal/min (0.1 and […]


Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Improved Heart Failure Outcomes

A randomized study concluded that catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with heart failure (HF) was associated with a significantly lower rate of death from any cause or hospitalization for worsening HF than was medical therapy. The study randomly assigned HF patients with symptomatic paroxysmal or persistent AF […]


Changing Heart Rate Prognostic

A retrospective study of a community-based cohort in the US revealed that resting heart rate (HR) and change in heart rate over time (ΔHR) are associated with mortality and nonfatal outcomes of incident heart failure, myocardial infarction, and stroke. The study included 15 680 white and African American participants (55.2% women, […]


New BP Guideline Criticized

The American College of Physicians criticized that the 2017 blood pressure (BP) guideline may fall short in weighing the potential benefits against potential harms, costs, and anticipated variation in individual patient preferences, especially for average- and lower-risk adults 60 and older. Other experts echoed some of the same concerns, arguing […]


Lactation May Lower Diabetes Risk

A multicenter, community-based 30-year prospective cohort study in the US revealed that lactation duration is independently associated with lower incidence of diabetes. The study included 1238 black and white women ages 18 to 30 years without diabetes at baseline (1985-1986) who had 1 or more live births after baseline, reported […]


Mediterranean Diet Reduces Frailty Risk

A systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that adherence to a Mediterranean diet is associated with significantly lower risk of incident frailty in older people. The analysis included four studies, 5,789 community-dwelling older adults (mean age ≥60), with mean follow-up of 3.9 years. Greater adherence to a Mediterranean diet was associated […]


Dos and Dons of Petroleum Jelly

Dermatologists recommend using petroleum jelly to: relieve dry skin, including your lips and eyelids. For the best results, always apply petroleum jelly when your skin is damp. Help injured skin heal for minor wounds such as cuts, scrapes and scratches. As long as the wound is cleaned daily, it is […]