Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Molecule Might Hold Key To Strengthening Muscles Without Exercise, Study Finds
Newsweek: Scientists Get A Step Closer To Strengthening Muscles Without Exercise
A naturally occurring molecule released during exercise may hold the key to strengthening muscles without physical activity. Researchers at the University of Leeds found that a molecule known as L-β-aminoisobutyric acid, or L-BAIBA, plays a key role in helping muscles adapt to exercise. (Gray, 8/18)
More research of interest —
MedPage Today: Multi-Joint Arthritis Bodes Poorly For Healthy Aging
Frailty worsened more for individuals with osteoarthritis (OA) affecting two or more joints versus those with single-joint or no OA, data from a long-running, population-based study indicated. (Gever, 8/17)
MedPage Today: Cold-Stored Platelets Safe In Cardiac Surgery
Extending the shelf life of platelets with refrigeration didn't hurt their hemostatic function for people undergoing complex cardiac surgery, the landmark CHIPS trial found. (Lou, 8/17)
MedPage Today: Genomic Newborn Screening Could Identify Childhood Cancer Predisposition
Adding genomic testing to routine newborn screening identified children at increased risk of developing certain childhood cancers, researchers found. By analyzing archived newborn dried blood spots from nearly 2,000 children who later developed a solid or brain tumor by age 8 years, and using a panel of 11 genes linked to pediatric cancer predisposition syndromes, pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants were found in 132 children (6.8%), reported Lisa Diller, MD, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, and colleagues. (Bassett, 8/14)
CIDRAP: New Study Sheds Light On Why Tuberculosis Disproportionately Affects Men
Across the globe, men develop tuberculosis (TB) at substantially higher rates than women. New research suggests that this disparity may have more to do with men's greater risk of becoming infected in the first place than with a greater likelihood of the infection progressing to disease. (Bergeson, 8/17)
The Guardian: Rising Number Of People Seeking ADHD Diagnosis Without Treatment, Say Experts
People are increasingly seeking to an obtain an ADHD diagnosis without pursuing treatment, according to experts who have called for more research to understand why. Some people now regard ADHD as “an identity, rather than a disorder”, with the result that many obtain assessments from poor quality private providers, which lead them to “believe they have a condition needing treatment”, said the psychiatrist Dr Marios Adamou, the founder of the UK Adult ADHD Network. (Hall, 8/18)
