EPI

Dec 01 2024HEALTH

Heart Failure and Gut Bugs: A Surprising Connection

You might not think your gut and your heart have much in common, but they're actually connected in a big way. The tiny microorganisms living in your gut, known as gut microbiota, can impact your heart health. As we age, our heart's health can decline, and heart failure becomes more common. This is w

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Nov 30 2024HEALTH

The First Year's Meds: A Closer Look at Antipsychotics After First Psychotic Episode

So, you've just experienced your first psychotic episode. It's a tough time, and one of the first things docs often recommend is antipsychotic meds. But how's that playing out in real life? A recent study dove into this, checking out how often these meds are started in the year after a first-time ps

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Nov 30 2024HEALTH

Unlocking Secrets of Epilepsy: A New Way to Spot Crucial Brain Activity

Epilepsy is a brain condition that causes unusual electrical activity, often leading to seizures. These seizures start in a specific area of the brain, known as the epileptogenic focus. But not all epileptic brain activity, called interictal epileptiform spikes, is helpful in pinpointing this focus.

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Nov 29 2024HEALTH

Unraveling the Surprising Consequences of Intravenous Catheters in Seizure Monitoring Units

Have you ever heard the phrase "the best intentions can backfire"? This is exactly what happened in an epilepsy monitoring unit. Inserting a peripheral intravascular catheter is a common procedure, but it comes with unforeseen risks. Some patients developed a severe bloodstream infection, Staphyloco

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Nov 29 2024HEALTH

Fentanyl in Blood: Trends and Redistribution in Harris and Orange Counties

Since the opioid crisis was announced in 2017, the number of fentanyl-related deaths and the need to understand postmortem blood tests have grown. One crucial factor in interpreting these cases is postmortem redistribution, where drugs move within the body after death. Previous studies on fentanyl r

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Nov 29 2024SCIENCE

How Memories Become General Knowledge: A Social and Individual Journey

Memories start as personal experiences, called episodic memories. Over time, they lose detail and blend into our general knowledge, becoming semantic memories. This process is called semantization. Scientists have been studying how these two types of memories interact for a long time. They're especi

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Nov 29 2024HEALTH

Icy vs. Hot: Do Thermal Treatments Really Boost Muscle Gains?

Athletes often use cold or heat treatments to speed up muscle recovery. But do these thermal interventions really make a difference? Some research shows that cold might not be so great for growing muscles. It can slow down protein creation and muscle repair after workouts, leading to weaker gains. O

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Nov 28 2024HEALTH

Epilepsy Trigger: When Hippocampal Neurons Are Gone

You might have heard that inflammation and neuron death are linked to epilepsy, but do these changes actually cause seizures? To find out, scientists created a unique mouse model. They inserted a special protein that makes certain brain cells sensitive to a toxin. This protein, tied to a specific ge

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Nov 28 2024ENTERTAINMENT

DWTS Season 33 Finale: Record-Breaking Ratings and a Night to Remember!

ABC's hit dance show, Dancing With the Stars, ended its 33rd season with a bang! The finale drew in a whopping 6. 4 million viewers, the biggest audience the show has seen in four years. This was no easy feat, considering it was up against tough competition like NBC's The Voice. In the crucial 18-49

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Nov 27 2024SCIENCE

New Hope in Leukemia Fight: The First BRD4 BD2-Selective Inhibitor

Imagine being able to target a specific part of a protein to fight leukemia with less side effects. That's what scientists are working on with a new drug called XY221. This drug, XY221, is special because it sticks to a tiny part of a protein called BRD4 BD2. This part is like a keyhole, and XY221 i

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