The inappropriate prescribing of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) is well-documented, as are the harms they can cause to patients who don’t need them, ranging from chronic kidney disease and pneumonia to hip fractures.
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Millions of U.S. workers at risk of COVID-19 infections on the job
A University of Washington researcher calculates that 14.4 million workers face exposure to infection once a week and 26.7 million at least once a month in the workplace, pointing to an important population needing protection as the novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19, continues to break out across the U.S.
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Crisis communication researcher: 5 key principles officials should use for COVID-19
Infectious disease outbreaks have killed more people than hurricanes, wildfires or earthquakes. The 1918 influenza pandemic was the most severe pandemic in recent history, with death estimates ranging as high as 50 million worldwide. Almost 700,000 deaths occurred in the U.S.; in some cases, entire families died.
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The brain has two systems for thinking about the thoughts of others
In order to understand what another person thinks and how he or she will behave, people must adopt someone else’s perspective. This ability is referred to as “theory of mind.” Until recently, researchers were at odds concerning the age at which children are able to do such perspective-taking. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences (MPI CBS), University College London, and the Social Neuroscience Lab Berlin shed new light on this question in a study now published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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Study: Women’s hormonal cycles do not affect preferences for men’s behavior
In the past, there has been much excitement over research that purported to show a link between changes in women’s cycle and their degree of sexual attraction. However, new research at the University of Göttingen using the largest sample size to date questions previous results. The new research shows that shifts in women’s cycles did not affect their preferences for men’s behavior. The researchers found, however, that when fertile, women found all men slightly more attractive and, irrespective of their hormone cycle, flirtier men were evaluated as being more attractive for sexual relationships but less attractive for long-term relationships. The results were published in Psychological Science
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New toolkit to repair DNA breaks linked to aging, cancer and MND discovered
A new ‘toolkit’ to repair damaged DNA that can lead to aging, cancer and Motor Neurone Disease has been discovered by scientists at the Universities of Sheffield and Oxford.
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Babies born prematurely can rapidly acquire some adult immune functions after birth
Researchers from King’s College London & Homerton University Hospital have found babies born before 32 weeks’ gestation can rapidly acquire some adult immune functions after birth, equivalent to that achieved by infants born at term.
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Novel MTV-CPR approach improves resuscitation outcomes in emergency departments
Less than 8 percent of people who suffer from cardiac arrest outside of the hospital survive the incident, according to the American Heart Association.
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Around the corner: 3D housing designed for the homeless and needy seniors
Tim Shea is counting the days until he can move into a new, 3D-printed house. Shea, 69, will be the first to live in one of six such rentals created by what some in the housing industry call a futuristic approach that could revolutionize home construction.
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Improving lifestyle habits may be useful additions to management of atrial fibrillation
Weight loss, regular physical activity and other lifestyle changes are effective yet underused strategies that should be added to optimize management of atrial fibrillation (an abnormal heart rhythm), according to “Lifestyle and Risk Factor Modification for Reduction of Atrial Fibrillation,” a new Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association published today in the Association’s flagship journal Circulation.
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