Health

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Common tests for preterm birth not useful for routine screening of first-time pregnancies

Two methods thought to hold promise in predicting preterm delivery in first-time pregnancies identified only a small proportion of cases and do not appear suitable for widespread screening, according to a large study by a National Institutes of Health research network.

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US “global gag” anti-abortion rule a major setback for women’s health, say MEPs

Political group speakers reacted to President Donald Trump’s reinstatement of the “global gag” rule in a debate with EU humanitarian aid Commissioner Christos Stylianides on Tuesday. The executive order, signed on 23 January, obliges US-funded foreign NGOs to certify that they will not perform or actively promote abortion.

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Study identifies African-specific genomic variant associated with obesity

Findings highlight the importance of genomic studies in diverse populations.

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NIH-funded study helps explain how zebrafish recover from blinding injuries

Decrease in neurotransmitter GABA triggers stem cell production in the retina.

Researchers at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, have discovered that in zebrafish, decreased levels of the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) cue the retina, the light-sensing tissue in the back of the eye, to produce stem cells. The finding sheds light on how the zebrafish regenerates its retina after injury and informs efforts to restore vision in people who are blind.

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This World Kidney Day, pledge to maintain a healthy weight

NIH statement from Dr. Griffin P. Rodgers, Director, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

This World Kidney Day, improve your kidney health by making a commitment to reach or maintain a healthy weight. Extra weight increases the risk of developing diabetes and high blood pressure, the two most common causes of chronic kidney disease (CKD). People affected by obesity have an 83 percent higher risk of developing CKD compared to those who have a healthy weight.

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Yemen: UNICEF vaccination campaign reaches five million children

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A little boy is vaccinated against polio in Sa’ada, Yemen.

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RD calls for renewed approaches to health in Nairobi

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Dr Moeti in a selfie with young people after the town hall engagement at the AHAIC conference

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The cost of a polluted environment: 1.7 million child deaths a year, says WHO

More than 1 in 4 deaths of children under 5 years of are attributable to unhealthy environments. Every year, environmental risks – such as indoor and outdoor air pollution, second-hand smoke, unsafe water, lack of sanitation, and inadequate hygiene – take the lives of 1.7 million children under 5 years, say two new WHO reports.

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MEPs propose ways to make medicines more affordable

New medicine prices in the EU have risen over the past few decades, to the point of being unaffordable for many EU citizens and threatening the sustainability of national health care systems, say MEPs in a resolution voted on Thursday. To strike a better balance between EU countries’ public health interests and those of the pharmaceutical industry, it calls for measures to improve the traceability of R&D costs, public funding and marketing expenditure.

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No benefit in treating mildly low thyroid function in pregnancy, NIH network study finds

There appears to be no benefit to treating mildly low thyroid function during pregnancy, according to a study by a National Institutes of Health research network.