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Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) are living in an environment that contains higher levels of potentially harmful chemicals than seen in American homes, new research reveals. The discovery is important because it could guide the design of future spacecraft. “Our findings have implications for future space stations and habitats, where it may be possible to exclude many contaminant sources by careful material choices in the early stages of design and construction,” said study co-author Stuart Harrad, from the University of Birmingham, in the United Kingdom. “While concentrations of organic contaminants discovered in dust from the ISS often exceeded median values found in homes and other indoor environments across the U.S. and western Europe, levels of these compounds were generally within the range found on Earth,” he explained in a university news release. Among the contaminants found in this “space dust” were polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD), “novel” brominated flame retardants (BFRs), organophosphate esters (OPEs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). BFRs and OPEs are used in many countries to meet fire safety regulations in consumer and commercial applications, such as electrical and electronic equipment, building insulation, furniture fabrics and foams, according to the study. PAH can be found in hydrocarbon fuels and emitted from combustion processes. PCBs were used in building and window sealants and in electrical… read on > read on >

Patients with a type of multiple sclerosis (MS) known as relapsing-remitting MS could have less fatigue if they got more active and were in better physical shape, according to new research. The study also found that a lower disability rate was also associated with less fatigue. “The findings are interesting and support previous studies very well,” said corresponding author Marko Luostarinen, a doctoral researcher at the University of Eastern Finland, in Kuopio. “Patients with MS should find a suitable form of exercise, taking into account their disability, which maintains their functional capacity and reduces fatigue.” In relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), patients experience periods of new symptoms or relapses that are followed by quiet periods of remission that can last months or even years. Fatigue is a common MS symptom. The aim of the study was to investigate the connection between fatigue and disability in patients with RRMS. The study used several methods to gauge this, including measures of fatigue, disability and physical activity. Patients whose level of disability, as assessed by a measure called the expanded disability status scale (EDSS), was moderately low (0 to 2.5) had a higher level of fatigue than healthy participants with whom they were compared, the study found. At the same time, they had less fatigue than patients whose disability was higher (EDSS of 3 to 5.5). The researchers found a… read on > read on >

A large clinical trial weighing the medical merits of the obesity drug Wegovy has unearthed a significant positive side effect. Taking the medication cut the risk of serious heart problems by 20%, drug maker Novo Nordisk announced Tuesday. “People living with obesity have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease but, to date, there are no approved weight-management medications proven to deliver effective weight management while also reducing the risk of heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death,” Martin Holst Lange, executive vice president for development at Novo Nordisk, said in a company news release. According to Dr. Howard Weintraub, clinical director of the Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease at NYU Langone Heart, in New York City, “There is now a drug that is well-tolerated and safe from a cardiovascular perspective, that also lowers body weight in an effective manner. On top of all of this, there is significant reduction in the cumulative outcome of nonfatal MI [heart attacks], cardiac death and stroke.” “This is a very important study,” he added, “as no other weight loss medication has been shown to reduce cardiovascular events. It is likely that the beneficial impacts of this drug go above and beyond just weight loss. We were part of this important trial, and I think we all agree that this was a very important study.” However, Novo Nordisk did… read on > read on >

An investigation into a high number of cancers at a Montana nuclear missile base has led to the discovery of unsafe levels of a likely carcinogen. The hundreds of cancer cases appear to be connected to underground launch control centers at Malmstrom Air Force Base. Levels of PCBs, an oily or waxy substance that is considered a likely carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), were higher than the agency’s recommended threshold. The finding “is the first from an extensive sampling of active U.S. intercontinental ballistic missile bases to address specific cancer concerns raised by missile community members,” Air Force Global Strike Command said Monday in a news release. Gen. Thomas Bussiere, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, has directed “immediate measures to begin the cleanup process for the affected facilities and mitigate exposure by our airmen and Guardians to potentially hazardous conditions.” At least nine current or former missileers at Malmstrom have been diagnosed with a rare blood cancer that uses the body’s lymph system to spread, according to a military briefing obtained by the Associated Press. A grassroots group of former missile launch officers and their surviving family members, the Torchlight Initiative, has said there are at least 268 people who served at the nuclear missile sites or their family members who have been diagnosed with cancer, blood diseases or other… read on > read on >

Underage drinking is an issue in many U.S. communities, but the number of law enforcement agencies using alcohol-related enforcement strategies has remained low or dropped in the past decade. In a new study, researchers tracked law enforcement strategies for underage drinking, impaired driving and sales to obviously intoxicated persons between 2010 and 2019. The research updated an earlier study on the topic. Among the findings were that, back in 2010, nearly 42% of agencies used compliance checks, in which law enforcement supervise undercover youth who attempt to purchase alcohol. But by 2019, only 36.4% of agencies used this strategy. Enforcement of laws prohibiting adults from providing alcohol to underage persons also dropped, from 48.5% to almost 34%. Enforcing underage possession and/or consumption of alcohol also declined, 84.7% in 2010 to 66.5% in 2019. “Use of all three types of underage drinking enforcement efforts that we examined significantly decreased from 2010 to 2019,” said lead study author Kathleen Lenk, a researcher at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. “In addition, enforcement aimed at underage drinkers themselves, versus the alcohol outlets and adults who supply alcohol, were the most commonly used enforcement strategies at both time points,” she said in a university news release. “This is a common enforcement approach, but studies demonstrate it is more effective to focus on reducing access to alcohol, rather… read on > read on >

A new brain-zapping technology may help ease the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children without some of the side effects stimulant medications can cause, a small, preliminary study suggests. Marked by trouble concentrating, sitting still and/or controlling impulsive behaviors, ADHD affects about 5.3 million children, according to Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD). The new technology, called transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS), involves placing two electrodes on the brain where they emit a mild, painless electrical current. The study was funded by Tech Innosphere Engineering Ltd., the device manufacturer. “A novel form of noninvasive, safe and painless brain stimulation led to a significant effect on ADHD symptoms reduction that persisted three weeks after the end of the intervention,” said study author Roi Cohen Kadosh, head of the School of Psychology at the University of Surrey in England. Still, the new technology is not ready for prime time yet, he added. “The results are promising, but we need to extend it to a larger population of patients, which we are planning to start this year,” Cohen Kadosh said. Exactly how the technology works to reduce ADHD symptoms isn’t fully understood yet, added study author Mor Nahum, head of the Computerized Neurotherapy Lab at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. “In ADHD kids, we know that some of the frontal brain areas may be less… read on > read on >

In the midst of a childhood obesity epidemic, a new study is pointing to a way to help school kids maintain a healthier weight: clean, accessible drinking water. The decidedly low-tech solution emerged in a study of 18 California elementary schools that serve largely low-income minority families. Researchers found that when they kicked off a “Water First” program — which included putting tap water stations in the schools — it made a difference in kids’ weight gain. At the nine schools where the program launched, the percentage of kids who fell into the overweight category held fairly steady over 15 months. In contrast, that figure rose by almost 4 percentage points at schools without the water program. Experts said the impact was striking, given that encouraging kids to drink water is just one simple step. “I think the fact that they were able to find this difference is pretty remarkable,” said Marlene Schwartz, director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at the University of Connecticut. It’s generally tough to move the needle when it comes to kids’ weight, because it is influenced by so many factors, noted Schwartz, who was not involved in the study. Dr. Anisha Patel, who led the research, pointed to the relative simplicity of the tactic — which could have multiple benefits, including cavity prevention and keeping kids… read on > read on >

Early and gradual exposure to peanuts under medical supervision curbed infants’ allergies, according to a new study. While researchers had seen that peanut oral immunotherapy was well tolerated by toddlers, this research focused on an even younger age group. “We’ve seen how peanut oral immunotherapy is well-tolerated in toddlers, but there is limited real-world evidence available to demonstrate the benefits in babies,” said Dr. Sandra Hong, director of the Food Allergy Center of Excellence at the Cleveland Clinic. “We leveraged data from infants in our program to better understand the safety and efficacy of this treatment in children 12 months and younger.” The clinic’s Food Allergy Center of Excellence offers oral immunotherapy for babies, toddlers and young children who are allergic to peanuts. There, children under age 4 eat tiny amounts of peanuts in a step-by-step, controlled process. This study enrolled 22 infants between 7 and 11 months old. With an allergist and parent, the babies started on a daily dose of 18 milligrams of peanut protein in the form of peanut butter or peanut powder. That’s roughly twice the weight of a grain of table salt. Over six months, they were slowly given larger servings to consume until they reached a maintenance dose of 500 milligrams, the equivalent of two peanut kernels. Each of the 22 babies reached this milestone. More than half experienced… read on > read on >

Whether you got a tattoo on a whim or after much thought, that ink on your body is fairly permanent. Tattoo removal is possible, but it comes with risks, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which regulates tattoo ink and pigment, as well as the laser devices used to remove them. State and local authorities typically oversee tattooing practices. The FDA has cleared several types of lasers for tattoo lightening or removal. They are to be used by or under the supervision of a health care professional. The process requires using the correct type of laser, understanding how tissue will react and knowing how to treat the area after the procedure. One challenge with removal is that tattoos are more than skin deep. The needle injects ink into the skin, penetrating the epidermis, or outer layer. And it also deposits a drop of ink into the dermis, the layer underneath. The cells of the dermis are more stable than those of the epidermis, which, the FDA said, means the ink will mostly stay in place for a person’s lifetime. Lasering is the most common method for removing or lightening tattoos, according to the FDA. Laser light energy shatters the tattoo ink into small particles, and the immune system clears these particles over time. Different types of lasers may be used depending on the… read on > read on >

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved a new pill, called zuranolone, that may quickly ease severe postpartum depression and help millions of women regain their emotional equilibrium following childbirth. Taken as a pill once a day for two weeks, zuranolone (Zurzuvae) showed “rapid, significant and sustained” reductions in depressive symptoms when compared to a placebo, according to a recent study of nearly 200 women, the FDA said. These improvements occurred in as few as three days and were still evident 28 and 45 days later. That’s compared to the many weeks it typically takes for standard antidepressants to start taking full effect. “Postpartum depression is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition in which women experience sadness, guilt, worthlessness — even, in severe cases, thoughts of harming themselves or their child. And, because postpartum depression can disrupt the maternal-infant bond, it can also have consequences for the child’s physical and emotional development,” Dr. Tiffany Farchione, director of the Division of Psychiatry in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in an agency statement. “Having access to an oral medication will be a beneficial option for many of these women coping with extreme, and sometimes life-threatening, feelings.” As many as 1 in 8 women in the United States develops depression just before or after giving birth. “Women report severe sadness or loss… read on > read on >

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All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

Chemical Contamination on International Space Station Exceeds That Found Back Home

Fatigue Can Plague People With MS. Exercise May Help

Wegovy Lowered Users’ Heart Risks in New Trial

Carcinogens Found at Montana Nuclear Missile Base as Cancer Cases Rise Nearby

Police Often Fail to Enforce Laws on Underage Drinking: Study

‘Brain Zap’ Therapy Shows Promise in Quieting Childhood ADHD Without Meds

Some Schools Respond to Child Obesity by Focusing on Water

Study Confirms That Exposure Therapy in Infancy Can Stop Peanut Allergy

Tattoo Regret? Here’s Tips on Safely Getting Old ‘Ink’ Removed

FDA Gives Approval to Pill to Ease Postpartum Depression