Ever wondered why some people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) feel less abdominal pain? Scientists have been puzzling over this for a while now. It turns out that a specific gene variation might play a key role. This gene is linked to Na v 1. 8, a protein that helps detect pain signals in our
Ever thought about how hospitals could help save the planet? Well, they're starting to do just that! Hospitals are big places, and they use lots of energy. This means they also produce a lot of carbon emissions, which hurt the environment. But now, many hospitals are trying to change that. They're a
Biodiversity is key to keeping ecosystems healthy and achieving sustainable goals. But, unfortunately, biodiversity loss is a global issue. Researchers used data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Eora database to calculate biodiversity loss in 188 countries. They
Ever wondered what goes on in the minds of scientists working on genomics? A recent study dove into their thoughts and feelings about their work and how they collaborate with others. Researchers from diverse backgrounds were interviewed, and their insights were grouped into two main categories: day-
Patient organizations play a crucial role in health technology assessments (HTAs), particularly for ultra-rare diseases. But how much do their inputs really matter? A recent study dug into 15 NICE appraisals from January 2022 to August 2024. They found that patients mainly talked about the disease i
Let's talk about a cool new way doctors are treating severe cases of a condition called idiopathic epiretinal membranes (iERM). This happens when a thin layer of tissue grows on the surface of the eye's retina, and in severe cases, it can have extra layers in the center of the eye. Now, the interes
You know how some kids have a slight overbite or underbite? Well, this kid had something much bigger to deal with: a giant open bite due to a large tongue, or what doctors call macroglossia. This isn't very common and makes it tough to bite and chew properly. It also affects the way the face looks.
Ever wondered how your health insurance fund's budget behaves with the economy? Let's zoom in on the Czech Republic, where the health care system is largely funded through Statutory Health Insurance. This scheme relies heavily on contributions from both employees and employers, which are based on wa
Imagine having trouble seeing out of one eye suddenly. You might think it's just a temporary thing, but doctors now suggest that a serious condition could be hidden behind it. This condition is called acute retinal artery ischemia. It's when the blood supply to the eye gets cut off, leading to visio
Imagine you're a business leader in China. Would you believe that paying taxes on pollution could actually boost your exports? Well, that's what happened with the Environmental Protection Tax Law (EPTL) introduced in 2018. This law charged companies for the pollution they produced, and the result? A
