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Many individuals who lost their sense of smell when infected with COVID-19 show structural and functional brain alterations on imaging, according to new work published in Nature. Now, experts are concerned that the symptoms could be associated with long-term brain alterations. In a group of people who reported anosmia as one of their COVID symptoms, experts recently observed an association between the loss of smell and decreased functional activity during decision-making tasks, reduced cortical thickness and other neural measures.

In a cohort of over 600,000 hospitalized patients, each day of low RN staffing was associated with an increased risk of death within 30 days of admission (adjusted HR 1.08, 95% CI 1.07-1.09), as was each day of low nurse support staffing (aHR 1.07, 95% CI 1.06-1.08), reported Peter Griffiths, RN, PhD, of the University of Southampton, and co-authors in JAMA Network Open.

While these findings aren't novel, knowing the level of nurse staffing for every single day of a patient's stay makes it more likely that the findings are causal, Griffiths told MedPage Today. Of note, when low staffing was prevented with the use of temporary staff, the risk of patient death was reduced but remained elevated compared with the baseline, the authors said.

It's amazing to feel the different air currents moving across my body. I can sense the air breaking on my nose, swirling around my neck, then flowing down my back, tracing along the edges of my spine. I can even feel it gliding over my arms, each movement distinct and alive. Does anyone else have this happen exactly? This is brand new and just started happening.

Hey everyone,

This is a question that I've had for a while that I would like to get some opinions on.

While I'm aware regular energy drinks would not be useful for weight loss due to their sugar content alone, I was curious if sugar-free energy drinks can be used to help the weight loss process at all.

Reason why I'm asking is that zero sugar energy drinks are low in calories, typically being 10 calories for a can of Monster, and contain large amounts of B vitamins, which I'm aware are essential for metabolism. On top of this, while the amount of it is a concern ofc, caffeine seems to have been shown to boost metabolism in the short term.

Would these facts be enough to justify having a zero sugar energy drink every now and again, or am I misunderstanding and exaggerating things, or missing key details that might change the way I see them?

Thanks in advance.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/18671978

If you have noticed a sudden accumulation of wrinkles, aches and pains or a general sensation of having grown older almost overnight, there may be a scientific explanation. Research suggests that rather than being a slow and steady process, aging occurs in at least two accelerated bursts.

The study, which tracked thousands of different molecules in people aged 25 to 75, detected two major waves of age-related changes at around ages 44 and again at 60. The findings could explain why spikes in certain health issues including musculoskeletal problems and cardiovascular disease occur at certain ages.

“We’re not just changing gradually over time. There are some really dramatic changes,” said Prof Michael Snyder, a geneticist and director of the Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine at Stanford University and senior author of the study.

“It turns out the mid-40s is a time of dramatic change, as is the early 60s – and that’s true no matter what class of molecules you look at.”

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Researchers used advanced techniques to detect if patients in a coma or vegetative state were following instructions.

A quarter of patients left unresponsive after a severe brain injury can still perform cognitive tasks, a study suggests.

The syndrome known as cognitive motor dissociation (CMD) can happen when a person in a coma or vegetative state appears unresponsive, but still shows brain activity related to intentional thinking.

To detect if patients were following instructions, researchers analysed brain imaging scans called functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), as well as a test that records the electrical activity in the brain, known as electroencephalography (EEG).

In 2016, medical device giant Abbott issued a recall for its MitraClip cardiac device — “a Class I recall, the most serious type,” the FDA said.

“Use of this device may cause serious injuries or death,” an FDA notice about the recall said.

But neither the manufacturer nor the FDA actually recalled the device or suspended its use. They allowed doctors to continue implanting the clips in leaky heart valves in what has become a common procedure.

In a notice, the manufacturer explained, “Abbott is not removing product from commercial distribution.” Rather, Abbott revised instructions for use and required doctors who implant the clips to undergo training.

When it comes to medical devices, recalls can include not only “removals,” in which the device is removed from where it is used or sold, but also “corrections,” which address the problem in the field — for instance, by repairing, adjusting, relabeling, or inspecting a device.

“It’s very oxymoronic,” said Rita Redberg, a cardiologist at the University of California-San Francisco and former editor-in-chief of the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. “A recall makes it sound like it’s recalled. But that is not actually what it means.”

A study offers insights into the inequity in trauma activation fees, showing that for-profit hospitals have trauma activation charges that are 60% higher than those at nonprofit hospitals. What's more, "much of the variation in trauma fees can't be explained by clinical need, indicating that the current system for financing trauma centers is inequitable for both the patients receiving care and the hospitals themselves, the researchers said."