Shutterstock Have you ever sat and wondered, why are Dominican last names so long? This is because Dominican naming conventions are similar to those of the Spanish. A Dominican name would consist of two given names, the father’s surname, followed by the mother’s surname. The Dominican Republic is a Latin-American country located in the Caribbean
Month: April 2024
Image: Momjunction Design Team Did you know that Victoria was the goddess of victory in Roman mythology? This Latin word for ‘victory’ has today become a popular choice in almost every country. It has been used for decades, starting from majestic queens in the late medieval age to celebrities and stars of the present day.
Despite having an overall survival rate of 94%, B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), the most common childhood cancer, can prove challenging to treat, with survival among relapsed or resistant cases falling between 30-50%. Recent work by St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital scientists discovered which tumor cells resist treatment and why. This enabled the rational design of a
In a recent study published in the journal Eurosurveillance, researchers discuss the recent pertussis epidemic in Denmark, focusing on age-specific incidences, infant hospitalization rates, and the effectiveness of maternal vaccination to enhance infant protection. Study: Pertussis epidemic in Denmark, August 2023 to February 2024. Image Credit: Kateryna Kon / Shutterstock.com What is pertussis? Whooping cough, or pertussis,
In a recent study published in the journal Nutrients, researchers investigated how United States (US) adults perceive “ultra-processed” labels on food packaging and their potential to influence consumer behavior towards healthier choices. Study: How Promising Are “Ultraprocessed” Front-of-Package Labels? A Formative Study with US Adults. Image Credit: Drazen Zigic / Shutterstock Background Ultra-processed foods (UPFs), characterized by
A new study suggests that children who felt lonely for more than 6 months before the age of 12 are more likely to experience an episode of psychosis than children who did not, with women more affected than men. Psychosis refers to a collection of symptoms that affect a person’s mind, where there has been
An increase in sedentary time from childhood is associated with a significant increase in blood insulin concentration, a new study shows. However, light physical activity could reduce the risk of excess insulin and insulin resistance. The study was conducted in collaboration between the Universities of Bristol and Exeter, and the University of Eastern Finland, and
Researchers show how mutations of gene transcription and chromatin regulation-related genes cause autism. The loss-of-function mutation of KMT2C, a gene involved in histone modification, leads to the development of autism and other neurodevelopmental deficits. However, the precise mechanism of the disease progression is still unknown. Now, researchers from Japan have developed an animal model and elucidated
The SUNRISE European Study Group, led by experts in physical activity and children’s health, is urgently appealing to countries across Europe to take specific measures to promote healthy movement behaviors in children aged under five years. Under the leadership of Jesús del Pozo, an expert in the Epidemiology of Physical Activity and (children’s) health and
Researchers have discovered a blood protein that could help detect which children will experience ongoing concussion symptoms more than two weeks after an injury. The research, led by Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) and published in the Journal of Neurotrauma, found the protein was a potential biomarker for delayed recovery from concussion in children. For
In a recent review published in the journal Nutrients, researchers explored the role of maternal factors in preventing food allergies. Study: Food Allergy Risk: A Comprehensive Review of Maternal Interventions for Food Allergy Prevention. Image Credit: Pixel-Shot / Shutterstock Background Food allergies are a serious worldwide health problem, especially among youngsters, resulting in higher healthcare expenses. Common
In a recent study published in the journal Nature Medicine, researchers evaluated associations between maternal diabetes mellitus (MDM) and the risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the offspring. Sixteen percent of pregnant individuals experience hyperglycemia worldwide. The prevalence of MDM has increased globally, which is associated with the advancing maternal age, the growing obesity epidemic,
The risk of increased health care utilization among children with a chronic medical condition is higher for those who also have a sleep disorder, according to a new study that examined Medicaid claims data. The study found that among children who had a chronic medical condition, those who also had a diagnosed sleep disorder were
In a report published on March 21, 2024 in EMBO Molecular Medicine (A replication competent Plasmodium falciparum parasite completely attenuated by dual gene deletion) investigators at Seattle Children’s Research Institute and Sanaria Inc. describe the development of a whole malaria parasite vaccine strain that infects the liver, develops to the late liver stage, and then
A new study found that during the pandemic pediatric emergency departments (EDs) saw more children and adolescents who needed a psychiatric admission, as well as an increase in severe conditions, such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and substance use disorders. The higher demand for a psychiatric inpatient bed often exceeded availability, resulting in over 12-hour stays
On March 27, 2024, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago treated its first patient with ELEVIDYS (delandistrogene moxeparvovec-rokl), the first gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy – a rare, genetic disease characterized by progressive muscle damage and weakness. Lurie Children’s is the first in Illinois to administer this treatment after ELEVIDYS received
A collaboration between research groups at the University of California, TU Dresden in Germany and Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s in Los Angeles has identified a mechanism by which embryonic cells organize themselves to send signals to surrounding cells, telling them where to go and what to do. While these signaling centers have been known to science
The lab of Yongchao C. Ma, PhD, at Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago discovered a fundamental biological mechanism that could lead to new treatments for neurological diseases, such as spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and autism, as well as different cancers. The study was published in
A 17-year-old boy with shaggy blond hair stepped onto the scale at Tri-River Family Health Center in Uxbridge, Massachusetts. After he was weighed, he headed for an exam room decorated with decals of planets and cartoon characters. A nurse checked his blood pressure. A pediatrician asked about school, home life, and his friendships. This seemed
A research team led by the University of California, Irvine has built the first genetic reference maps for short lengths of DNA repeated multiple times which are known to cause more than 50 lethal human diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington’s disease and multiple cancers. The UC Irvine Tandem Genome Aggregation Database enables researchers to