The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a wearable device for the treatment of opioid withdrawal symptoms, including agitation, anxiety, depression, and opiate cravings, according to the manufacturer. Electrical pulses flow to ear-fitted needles from the auricular neurostimulator (Drug Relief, DyAnsys, Inc), which was designed to provide both comfort and mobility to patients. Continuous treatment from the wearable device can be provided for up to 5 days, but there have been reports of reductions in symptoms of opioid withdrawal within 30 to 60 minutes after treatment starts, the company said in a press release.

@arpan Several previous studies have demonstrated a link between hyperglycemia and worse outcomes in COVID-19, and at least one diabetes diagnosis, but this is the first to focus specifically on that group of patients. Wang and colleagues found that a fasting blood glucose of 7.0 mmol/L (126 mg/dL) or greater on admission — present in 45.6% of those without a prior diabetes diagnosis — was an independent predictor of 28-day mortality.

Even mild cases of COVID-19 are associated with brain changes including decreased gray matter, an overall reduction in brain volume, and cognitive decline, a new imaging study shows. In the first study to use magnetic resonance brain imaging, before and after COVID-19, investigators found "greater reduction in grey matter thickness and tissue-contrast in the orbitofrontal cortex and parahippocampal gyrus, greater changes in markers of tissue damage in regions functionally connected to the primary olfactory cortex and greater reduction in global brain size." However, the researchers urge caution when interpreting the findings.

@sandesh With a "living biotherapeutic" – or an engineered bacteria strain – Cubillos-Ruiz and colleagues believe they may have another solution. They modified a strain of Lactococcus lactis, which is safe for humans to eat and is often used in cheese production, to deliver an enzyme that can break down beta-lactam antibiotics. Many of the most prescribed antibiotics in the U.S., including penicillin, ampicillin, and amoxicillin, fall under that category. With gene editing, the researchers modified how the strain synthesizes the enzyme to prevent it from transferring that ability to other bacteria. In other words, the treatment reduces the harmful effects of antibiotics but still allows them to work against infections.

The American Diabetes Association's "living" Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes have been updated with recent data from clinical trials regarding cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease in type 2 diabetes and delay of type 1 diabetes. Since 2018, the ADA's Standards of Care have been issued as a living document, meaning that they are updated online as new evidence arises or new products are approved, rather than just once every calendar year as in the past.

@preyashi Among patients who had events, subsequent treatments, including surgery, radioiodine administration, or both, were necessary for four patients in the no-radioiodine group and 10 in the radioiodine group, and additional treatments were not necessary for the other patients who experienced events. There were no differences between those who did and did not experience events in terms of molecular alterations, and 50 of the tumors had BRAF mutations, with no significant differences between groups. Of the adverse events that occurred in 30 patients, none were determined to be related to treatment, and there were no thyroid-related deaths. The recurrence rates align with the rates observed overall with low-risk thyroid cancer, the authors note.

Hello, How to teach my boy to become more focused in studies? He is 7 years old and extremely active. I believe that all kids can learn strategies and engage in practices that help improve their ability to focus and sustain their attention. Please provide me some useful tips.

@preyashi India has the second-highest death rate due to cervical cancer, and HPV is its most common cause. Over 1,22,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year, and around 67,000 women die of it every year. In addition, over 25 percent of all cervical cancer deaths in the world occur in India. There are over 100 kinds of the virus, of which 13 are known to cause cancer. Two types of HPV - type 16 and type 18 - are responsible for about 70% of cervical cancer cases. The FDA first approved first-generation Gardasil, produced by Merck, in 2006, which prevented infection of four strains of HPV – 6, 11, 16, and 18. In December 2014, Gardasil 9 was approved by the FDA. This vaccine protects against 9 strains of HPV: the four strains approved in the previous Gardasil vaccine, as well as 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58. It is a nano-valent vaccine given as an intramuscular injection, in a total of 3 doses spread over 6 months. In girls aged between 9-26 years, a 3-dose regimen is scheduled at 0, 2 & 6 months for cervical, vulvar, vaginal, and anal cancer; precancerous or dysplastic lesions; genital warts; and persistent infections caused by HPV. In boys aged between 9-15 years, the same 3-dose regimen is advised for prevention of infections caused by HPV such as anal cancer, penile cancer and genital warts.

@ajmal As staff members dispense and administer more vaccines, the probability that a mix-up can occur increases. Pharmacy staff members should proactively assess areas in the pharmacy where vaccines have been handled and stored and develop a safety plan. Signing up for CDC and drug manufacturer newsletters to stay abreast of safety warnings can help. Staff members should label and segregate high-risk inventory to prevent errors. Many experts recommend using baskets and/or color coding on refrigerators and shelves based on whether the vaccines are used for adults or children. Prepackaging and labeling kits for high-risk vaccines can distinguish among booster, pediatric, or standard doses. All pediatric vaccines should be stored in a separate area of the pharmacy and administration areas away from the adult doses.

@ajmal A goiter only needs to be treated if it is causing symptoms. Treatments for an enlarged thyroid include:
Thyroid hormone replacement pills if the goiter is due to an underactive thyroid
Small doses of Lugol's iodine or potassium iodine solution if the goiter is due to a lack of iodine
Radioactive iodine to shrink the gland if the thyroid is producing too much thyroid hormone
Surgery (thyroidectomy) to remove all or part of the gland