Abstracts & Commmentary
Wearable Devices: Usable or Useless Information?
05-22-2019 Fitness trackers and similar technologies, a multibillion dollar industry, provide users with a plethora of information. Many collect data not just on step count or miles covered, but on physiologic measures of fitness and health such as heart rate and sleep patterns. But how reliable is the data?
Light Therapy Glasses for Depression in Teens
05-22-2019 Clinical trial finds a novel mode of blue light delivery improves mood in teenagers suffering from depression.
Outdoor Light Pollution Linked to Increased Depression and Suicide Risk
05-22-2019 Light at night (LAN), often called “light pollution,” has been identified as a public health threat. A recent study links LAN specifically to increased prevalence of depression and suicide or suicidal ideation.
Should Aggression Be Added to Melatonin’s Adverse Effects?
05-22-2019 Melatonin use among adults has nearly doubled in the last decade, but comprehensive data on adverse effects is lacking. A recent randomized controlled trial used a creative setup to explore whether or not melatonin increases aggressive tendencies, an effect that has been observed in animals.
Clock Genes and Aging in the Elderly
05-22-2019 Clock genes help control circadian rhythms. Several polymorphisms of the CLOCK gene, one of the first such genes to be discovered, have been identified. Could variations in the CLOCK gene explain differences in aging quality?
Melatonin to Prevent ICU Delirium
05-01-2019 Delirium is a common complication among patients in the intensive care unit, but treatment options are limited and pose additional risks. Could melatonin, a simple and nontoxic intervention, be an effective therapy for this condition?
Childhood Residential Green Space Exposure Predicts Future Risk of Psychiatric Diagnosis
05-01-2019 Exposure to green space has been shown to improve mental health in both children and adults. A large study involving nearly 1 million people is the first to show a relationship between green space exposure during childhood and risk of mental illness in adulthood.
The Importance of Beta Cell Preservation in Newly Diagnosed Type 1 Diabetes
05-01-2019 A retrospective study finds that children with type 1 diabetes who experience partial remission (“honeymoon” phase) have lower low-density cholesterol levels up to 5 years post-diagnosis, prompting the question: could interventions to protect islet cells prevent long-term complications?
Sleep Deprivation and Alzheimer's Disease
04-17-2019 Research shows lack of sleep disrupts glymphatic clearance of β-amyloid, revealing a potential association between sleep disturbance and neurodegenerative disorders of the brain.
Fish Oil and Bleeding Risk: Time to Face Facts
04-03-2019 Practitioners often recommend that patients stop taking fish oil before surgery because of concerns that omega-3 fatty acids increase bleeding risk. A large, multinational, placebo-controlled study suggests such concerns may not be warranted.
ALCAT Testing for Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity
04-03-2019 Sales of gluten-free products have skyrocketed in recent years, as many consumers who do not have celiac disease attribute their gastrointestinal symptoms to the wheat protein. Could a laboratory test predict gluten insensitivity in this population?
Air Pollution Impacts Cognitive Performance
04-03-2019 A survey-based study of a large population in China finds air pollution is associated with declining performance on verbal and mathematical tests, with variations in effects related to both age and gender.
Intravenous Vitamin C and Radio Sensitization in Pancreatic Cancer
03-06-2019 A combination of in vitro and in vivo studies, including a phase I clinical trial, supports the addition of intravenous vitamin C to a regimen of chemotherapy and radiation therapy for treatment of pancreatic cancer.
Breakfast Improves Cardiometabolic Health Measures in Men with Prediabetes
03-06-2019 In 2017, the American Heart Association established that not skipping breakfast is associated with better health and even lower cardiovascular risk. The results of a controlled feeding trial involving prediabetic men corroborate—eating earlier in the day improved several measures of cardiometabolic health.
Probiotics for Bipolar Disorder Mania
03-06-2019 Randomized controlled trial finds bipolar patients on probiotics have fewer rehospitalizations compared to those on placebo.
Early-life Alcohol Consumption and High-Grade Prostate Cancer
03-06-2019 Study finds a positive association between heavier alcohol exposure from the ages of 15 to 49 and the diagnosis of high-grade prostate cancer at time of biopsy.
Residential Green Space and Cardiovascular Disease Risk
02-06-2019 The beneficial effects of green space on cardiovascular disease have been recognized for years, but a new study is one of the first to use biomarkers to elucidate a mechanism of action.
Eating Organic Food Reduces Cancer Risk
02-06-2019 In a large prospective study, participants who ate an organic diet had a reduced overall risk of cancer, with reductions in several specific cancer types. However, some of the findings conflict with results from a previous, larger study.
Curcumin for Cognitive Function in Aging Adults
02-06-2019 Since the 1990s we have suspected that curcumin protects against dementia, but results of actual trials have been mixed. Exciting results from a recent randomized trial using an enhanced form of curcumin give credence to what we suspected all along.
Probiotic Selection for Acute Pediatric Diarrhea
02-06-2019 A comparison of 2 probiotic supplements in children with acute diarrhea reveals a clear favorite and supports the use of probiotics as adjunct treatment for diarrheal illness.