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As summer slows, schools and families are gearing up for the back-to-school season. This year, many schools will be navigating in-person learning for the first time since the start of the pandemic. But as they welcome children back into the classroom, schools will now also be tasked with preventing the Delta variant from spreading. Key Takeaways The highly transmissible Delta variant is making returning to in-person schooling tricky.Currently, children under 12 years of age are not eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine....

A virus is a small infectious agent made up of genetic material, either DNA or RNA. They can only multiply inside the cells of other living things. The cell they multiply in is called the host cell. When a virus invades the host cell, it essentially “rewrites” the instructions for the way the cell operates. While occupying its host, a virus replicates (makes copies of itself) so that it can survive until moving on to the next....

For patients who are experiencing organ failure and are in need of a transplant, finding a living related organ donor can be the best way to get a transplant without an extended waiting period. Living related donation is the original type of organ donation, starting with the first kidney transplant in 1954, with a kidney donated by the patient’s identical twin. Living related donation is becoming more popular as patients are waiting longer than ever for a transplant....

Muscle spasms in the middle back can often be relieved by stretching. If that doesn’t help, try hydrotherapy—ice, moist heat, or a warm bath or shower. Over-the-counter pain relievers like Aleve (naproxen), Advil (ibuprofen), or Tylenol (acetaminophen) can also ease the discomfort of back spasms. If muscle spasms do not respond to at-home treatments or occur frequently, talk to your healthcare provider. Middle-back muscle spasms can be due to an underlying problem like a herniated disk in the thoracic spine....

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) usually begins during the teenage or young adult years. It causes symptoms such as hair growth on the face or chest, acne, and irregular periods. Each person who has PCOS can have a different combination and timing of these symptoms. PCOS typically runs in families, and researchers have recently identified some of the genes involved in the syndrome. This article reviews how to diagnose and manage PCOS in teenagers....

If the brain were a corporation, the hypothalamus would kind of be like the “utilities” department. While a lot of the credit and attention goes towards parts of the brain that communicate, create, and act, the hypothalamus is responsible for heating, water flow, and other basic things that keep the entire system running. The basic function of the hypothalamus can be summarized with the word homeostasis, which means keeping the internal state of the body as constant as possible....

Hypoxemia is a condition that occurs when you don’t have enough oxygen in your blood. Though this can happen for a variety of reasons, hypoxemia appears to be relatively common in people with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It also may result from other conditions, such as asthma, anemia, sleep apnea, and pneumonia. Symptoms Symptoms of hypoxemia include: Confusion Shortness of breath Increases in your heart rate, as your body tries to compensate for the low oxygen in your bloodstream People with COPD who suffer from hypoxemia when they’re at rest are more likely to have trouble concentrating and remembering, and those problems get worse as their hypoxemia does....

Birth control pills are oral contraceptives that are taken every day in order to prevent pregnancy. This contraceptive method consists of hormones like those in a woman’s body. Taking birth control pills every day maintains a steady level of hormones. This helps to prevent pregnancy in different ways. Types The pill come in two forms: Progestin-only pills Combination birth control pills (contain estrogen and progestin) Combination Pills Birth control pills are categorized as being monophasic, biphasic or triphasic — depending on whether or not the hormone levels stay the same during the first three weeks of the pill pack....

The long thoracic nerve is a long, thin, and relatively superficial nerve that courses from your cervical spine to the side of your trunk. It supplies motor function to the serratus anterior muscle of your thorax, helping to stabilize your shoulder blade. Injury to this nerve may cause limited or abnormal motion in your shoulder and shoulder blade, including difficulty raising your arm during overhead reaching. The long thoracic nerve is also referred to as the posterior thoracic nerve or the external respiratory nerve of Bell....

The astonishing success of COVID-19 shots may signal a breakthrough in disease prevention technology. Key Takeaways Moderna’s mRNA technology was so effective in its COVID-19 shot that the company is using the same approach to develop vaccines against other viruses like flu and HIV.Unlike traditional vaccines, the mRNA technology can build proteins that teach the immune system to recognize a virus—it’s more effective against variants.If successful, the COVID-19 pandemic may have provided scientists with the tools to combat viruses that have been plaguing humans for decades....

Nasal steroid sprays may reduce the severity of COVID-19, according to a new study. Key Takeaways A study shows that people using corticosteroid sprays who contracted COVID-19 generally had less severe outcomes.These nasal sprays are available over the counter and are relatively inexpensive. The study is observational; researchers need to conduct clinical trials to know whether whether this is a safe and effective COVID-19 prevention approach. Researchers found that for people who regularly used a prescription corticosteroid like Beconase or Nasonex before getting sick with COVID-19, the risk of severe outcomes like hospitalization and death dropped by as much as 25%....

While some drugs show promise for slowing Alzheimer’s progression, there’s currently no cure for the disease. A new study published in Science Advances suggests this may be because treatments need to go beyond a one-size-fits-all approach. Key Takeaways Researchers have found three new subtypes associated with Alzheimer’s disease, which are potentially beneficial in planning personalized treatments and clinical trials.Clinical trial results show the experimental drug donanemab may aid in slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, but not preventing it....

According to a new study, genetically modified plants might be able to help you get omega-3 fatty acids in your diet if you do not eat fish. Key Takeaways DHA and EPA are omega-3 fatty acids important to our health, yet many Americans are not meeting the daily recommended intake.Omega-3s are naturally found in oily fish. For those who avoid fish products, a newly-created genetically modified source of DHA and EPA offers similar effects on plasma levels as fish oil....

The rheumatoid arthritis (RA) drug pipeline—what’s currently in development by manufacturers—contains some promising new medications. They could help improve the outlook and quality of life for people with this debilitating disease. Drugs that have been in development include: PeficitinibPlivensiaIberiotoxinOthers too new to have names This article tracks their progress through the testing and approval phase. RA Drug Trends The introduction of biologics in the late 1990s revolutionized the treatment of RA....

An autopsy or post-mortem examination is a surgical procedure performed by a forensic pathologist to examine a deceased human body and its organs to determine the cause of death. If authorities consider a death suspicious, they will order an autopsy, but only around 8% of all deaths in the U.S. are autopsied. Reasons Why Requesting an Autopsy May Be Important Even in cases of natural death, however, the next-of-kin may still wish to request an autopsy for several reasons:...

Hip fractures are unfortunately common in older adults, and dementia increases this risk. Osteoporosis often develops as people age and so bones are less likely to remain intact in a fall. Falls are the cause of 95% of hip fractures, and 75% of those hip fractures occur in women. What Is a Hip Fracture? A hip fracture is a broken bone in the hip, often in the socket area or at the very top of the femur bone....

A visual illusion is a distortion of movement, form, size or color in the visual field. Visual illusions can be the result of a stroke in the occipital lobe, which is located at the back of the cerebral cortex and is the main center for visual processing. Stroke can be caused either by a clot obstructing the flow of blood to the brain (called an ischemic stroke) or by a blood vessel rupturing and preventing blood flow to the brain (called a hemorrhagic stroke)....

Today, President Biden was inaugurated as the 46th president of the United States. With a new administration comes a fresh wave of health policies, including reproductive ones. According to health policy experts, the reproductive health landscape will most likely change under the new Biden administration. Key Takeaways Under the Biden administration, health policy experts expect to see a reversal of the policies put in place by former President Trump and his administration....

Amoxicillin and Augmentin (amoxicillin clavulanate) are similar drugs with important differences. Both are antibiotics commonly prescribed to treat bacterial infections. Augmentin, however, contains a second active ingredient. This means Augmentin is better for treating some infections, and amoxicillin is better for others. Other infections can be effectively treated with either drug. Ultimately, the antibiotic a healthcare provider prescribes will depend on the type of illness being treated and the bacteria responsible for it....

If you’re pregnant, you may wonder if it’s safe to use antihistamines. These are commonly used to treat allergic rhinitis as well as insomnia, nausea, vomiting, motion sickness, and dizziness. Nearly 15% of pregnant women report taking an antihistamine during their first trimester. Studies have shown that most antihistamines do not appear to be linked to birth defects and that certain medications, such as Zyrtec (cetirizine) and Claritin (loratadine), may be safe to use during pregnancy....