Cannabis potency has increased worldwide in recent decades and is linked with more people becoming addicted to marijuana, according to a new study published in Lancet Psychiatry. People who use higher concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, are more likely to have addiction and mental health problems, the study authors found. For research, scientists have established a "standard THC unit" as 5 milligrams of THC, which produces a mild intoxication for non-regular users. Low-potency products are 5 to 10 milligrams per gram of THC, the researchers said.

@pritha To assess functional performance, investigators used the ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS-R), which is the most widely used clinical outcome in ALS clinical trials and has been extensively validated. At baseline, the median ALSFRS-R score was 37, reflecting modestly severe ALS (higher scores indicate better function). Investigators used forced vital capacity (FVC) to measure respiratory function. At baseline, the median FVC was 82%, or low normal respiratory function. (A higher FVC percentage indicates better function.) To assess diet, researchers used a shortened version of a previously validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). The questionnaire focused on foods and nutrients considered to be antioxidants; vitamins A, C, and E; β-carotene; calcium; iron; zinc; and selenium. There were also questions on supplement intake.

A small study suggests the frequent use of antibiotics among women with triple-negative breast cancer, may have an impact on overall and breast cancer–specific mortality. The study was recently presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium by Julia D. Ransohoff, MD, of Stanford (Calif.) University. Gut-associated lymphoid tissues are the largest component of the immune system. They influence both local and systemic immune responses, but the use of antimicrobials can decrease circulating and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes that effect the immune repertoire and in turn, the survival of women with triple-negative breast cancer.

@kankana In the genomewide analysis, 366 children 5 to 17 years of age who met diagnostic criteria for ADHD but not schizophrenia or autism and 1047 matched controls without the condition were included. Researchers found that compared with the control group without ADHD, children with the disorder were twice as likely — approximately 15% vs 7% — to have copy number variants (CNVs).

Wisdom increases with age, and although this personality trait is regarded as nebulous by many, there is evidence that it has biological and neuropsychiatric underpinnings. It could even hold the key to reducing loneliness and burnout among older people. o many people, wisdom remains a fuzzy concept that's difficult to operationalize and measure. It's analogous to the concepts of consciousness, emotions, and cognitions, which at one point were considered nonscientific, but today we accept them as biological and scientific entities.

As public attention continues to focus on making insulin affordable, a new online guide is available to help clinicians approach discussions with patients about diabetes medication affordability and access. The resource, "Having Healthcare Cost Conversations to Improve Patient Outcomes: A Practical Guide," was jointly developed by the Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists (ADCES) and Beyond Type 1, the nonprofit patient advocacy organization. Indeed, the guide appeared as President Biden discussed his proposal to cap insulin costs at $35 per insulin vial during the State of the Union address, during which he introduced a young boy with type 1 diabetes in the guest box, as reported by Medscape Medical News. In the same week, Civica, a nonprofit coalition of health systems and philanthropies, announced it plans to manufacture generic insulin at a deeply discounted price, as reported by WebMD Health News.

Cutis laxa (CL), or elastolysis, is a rare, inherited or acquired connective-tissue disorder in which the skin becomes inelastic and hangs loosely in folds. Patients develop a prematurely aged appearance. The clinical presentation and the mode of inheritance show considerable heterogeneity. Autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, and X-linked recessive patterns have been noted in inherited forms. A serine to proline amino acid substitution in the fibulin 5 (FBLN5) gene has been associated with problems in normal elastogenesis, resulting in a recessive form of cutis laxa (elastolysis) in humans. Autosomal recessive cutis laxa is a genetically heterogeneous condition. A combined disorder of N- and O-linked glycosylation has been described in children with congenital cutis laxa in association with severe central nervous system involvement, brain migration defects, seizures, and hearing loss.

A 23-year-old woman presents to the emergency department with a 3-day history of progressively worsening generalized muscle weakness and nonbilious emesis. She has been vomiting once or twice daily, mostly upon awakening. The emesis does not seem to be associated with oral intake. She is also experiencing intermittent hematuria, without any flank pain or dysuria. She denies having fever, diarrhea, chills, headache, abdominal pain, visual disturbances, or paresthesias. Before the onset of symptoms, the patient was in good health, with a medical history significant only for renal colic 8 months before presentation. She had cosmetic rhinoplasty 2 years ago but otherwise has not had any prior major surgery. She has no known allergies and is not taking any medications. Her last menstrual period was 1 month ago. Results of a urine pregnancy test result are positive.

An older age of natural menopause (ANM) appeared to causally increase the risk of lung cancer and decrease the risk of osteoporosis and fracture in analyses of more than 100,000 women that used Mendelian randomization (MR) as a tool to reduce residual confounding. The MR analyses showed no significant association between ANM and breast cancer, endometrial cancer, ovarian cancer, coronary heart disease, ischemic stroke, and Alzheimer's disease.

@nabamita Pott's Disease, also known as tuberculosis spondylitis, is a rare infectious disease of the spine which is typically caused by an extraspinal infection. It begins when tuberculosis spreads to the spine. Tuberculosis is an airborne infection that begins when an individual inhales mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacteria that causes the disease. It is the most dangerous form of musculoskeletal tuberculosis because it can cause bone destruction, deformity, and paraplegia. Pott disease most commonly involves the thoracic and lumbosacral spine. The current medical treatments of spinal surgery and anti-TB chemotherapy are extremely successful at treating and reversing the damage of Pott's Disease, especially if it is caught early.