Stem cell transplants may have long-lasting benefits for some people with aggressive cases of multiple sclerosis, a new study suggests. Italian researchers found that among 210 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who received a stem cell transplant — with cells from their own blood — two-thirds saw no worsening in their disability 10 years out. That included 71% of patients with relapsing-remitting MS, the most common form of the disease. The sustained level of effectiveness is “pretty dramatic,” said Bruce Bebo, executive vice-president of research programs for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. At the same time, there are important caveats, said Bebo, who was not involved in the study. For one, the patients were not part of a clinical trial that directly tested stem cell transplants against standard MS medications. They all underwent transplants at various Italian medical centers between 1997 and 2019. So it’s unclear exactly how such transplants measure up against the most effective MS drugs now available. Beyond that, Bebo said there are ongoing questions about which MS patients are the best candidates for a transplant, and the optimal timing for it. Those are no small matters, since a stem cell transplant is a major undertaking, he pointed out. “And it’s not reversible, like a medication you can change when it’s not working,” Bebo said. MS is a neurological disorder caused by a…  read on >  read on >

Millionaires, rejoice! It turns out that money can, in fact, buy happiness. And a new study suggests more is better, with well-being rising as earnings grow. “Having more money gives people a greater sense of control over life,” said study author Matthew Killingsworth. The finding stems from more than 1.7 million real-time reports of well-being from more than 33,000 U.S. adults. They were prompted by their cellphones to answer the question “How do you feel right now?” at random times during their waking hours. Previous research had suggested that an annual income of more than $75,000 might not improve people’s day-to-day lives, and that notion has been widely circulated. But this study appears to disagree. Seen from a moment-by-moment angle, Killingsworth said, the data show “evidence that happiness rises continuously, far above $75,000,” which means there’s reason to believe that more money really does improve people’s lives. “If you have more money, you can choose how to spend your time and how to direct your life,” said Killingsworth, a senior fellow at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, in Philadelphia. Stress reduction This study found that a sense of control accounted for as much as 74% of the apparent link between greater income and greater well-being. People who earn more spend less time stressing out about bills, Killingsworth noted. The study found that…  read on >  read on >

Millionaires, rejoice! It turns out that money can, in fact, buy happiness. And a new study suggests more is better, with well-being rising as earnings grow. “Having more money gives people a greater sense of control over life,” said study author Matthew Killingsworth. The finding stems from more than 1.7 million real-time reports of well-being from more than 33,000 U.S. adults. They were prompted by their cellphones to answer the question “How do you feel right now?” at random times during their waking hours. Previous research had suggested that an annual income of more than $75,000 might not improve people’s day-to-day lives, and that notion has been widely circulated. But this study appears to disagree. Seen from a moment-by-moment angle, Killingsworth said, the data show “evidence that happiness rises continuously, far above $75,000,” which means there’s reason to believe that more money really does improve people’s lives. “If you have more money, you can choose how to spend your time and how to direct your life,” said Killingsworth, a senior fellow at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, in Philadelphia. Stress reduction This study found that a sense of control accounted for as much as 74% of the apparent link between greater income and greater well-being. People who earn more spend less time stressing out about bills, Killingsworth noted. The study found that…  read on >  read on >

Millionaires, rejoice! It turns out that money can, in fact, buy happiness. And a new study suggests more is better, with well-being rising as earnings grow. “Having more money gives people a greater sense of control over life,” said study author Matthew Killingsworth. The finding stems from more than 1.7 million real-time reports of well-being from more than 33,000 U.S. adults. They were prompted by their cellphones to answer the question “How do you feel right now?” at random times during their waking hours. Previous research had suggested that an annual income of more than $75,000 might not improve people’s day-to-day lives, and that notion has been widely circulated. But this study appears to disagree. Seen from a moment-by-moment angle, Killingsworth said, the data show “evidence that happiness rises continuously, far above $75,000,” which means there’s reason to believe that more money really does improve people’s lives. “If you have more money, you can choose how to spend your time and how to direct your life,” said Killingsworth, a senior fellow at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, in Philadelphia. Stress reduction This study found that a sense of control accounted for as much as 74% of the apparent link between greater income and greater well-being. People who earn more spend less time stressing out about bills, Killingsworth noted. The study found that…  read on >  read on >

Millionaires, rejoice! It turns out that money can, in fact, buy happiness. And a new study suggests more is better, with well-being rising as earnings grow. “Having more money gives people a greater sense of control over life,” said study author Matthew Killingsworth. The finding stems from more than 1.7 million real-time reports of well-being from more than 33,000 U.S. adults. They were prompted by their cellphones to answer the question “How do you feel right now?” at random times during their waking hours. Previous research had suggested that an annual income of more than $75,000 might not improve people’s day-to-day lives, and that notion has been widely circulated. But this study appears to disagree. Seen from a moment-by-moment angle, Killingsworth said, the data show “evidence that happiness rises continuously, far above $75,000,” which means there’s reason to believe that more money really does improve people’s lives. “If you have more money, you can choose how to spend your time and how to direct your life,” said Killingsworth, a senior fellow at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, in Philadelphia. Stress reduction This study found that a sense of control accounted for as much as 74% of the apparent link between greater income and greater well-being. People who earn more spend less time stressing out about bills, Killingsworth noted. The study found that…  read on >  read on >