Latest news with #NationalInstitutesofHealth
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Yale doctor: New vaccine for Lyme disease shows promise
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — A potential breakthrough in treating Lyme disease with a possible vaccine is on the horizon. The disease and others are spread by tick bites. 'The deer tick transmits Lyme disease, babesoisis, anaplasmosis are the three main ones,' Dr. Eugene Shapiro, professor at Yale School of Medicine, says cases of Lyme disease have nearly doubled in the last 20 years. Now, new promise in a preventative vaccine that works after a tick bites.'The people who are immunized develop antibodies,' Shapiro said. 'The tick feeds on it (cut to) their blood with the antibodies goes into the tick. It kills the bacteria in the tick.'The National Institutes of Health reports about a half a million cases of tick borne infections each disease is the most common. Shapiro says a rash develops seven to 14 days after a tick bite, and some will develop symptoms such as facial nerve palsy, meningitis, carditis, inflammation of the heart and Lyme arthritis. Caught early, Lyme disease is treatable with antibiotics, but it's important to take precautions avoid being bit. Experts advise wearing repellent, wear light colored clothing and do a thorough tick check after being outside. This vaccine has been a possibility for decades and could finally be approved later this year. In early trials it has shown to be effective. Other vaccines for tick-borne diseases are also being worked on. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
The Trump administration's big week of gaslighting and censorship
President Donald Trump has a well-deserved reputation for gaslighting, and several members of his Cabinet have taken great efforts to continue his willful duplicity. Over the course of the past week alone — in the name of academic, scientific and online 'freedom' — Trump and his administration's bigwigs have explicitly threatened free speech in at least a half-dozen different ways. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. — who during the 2024 campaign frequently cosplayed as a free speech activist and a victim of censorship — said on a podcast Tuesday that he might bar government scientists from publishing in some of the most venerable and respected, peer-reviewed medical journals. 'They're all corrupt,' Kennedy claimed, citing the fact that they sometimes publish studies that are funded by pharmaceutical companies. Kennedy also said he'd like to create an in-house publication, a nifty way of controlling what government-employed scientists publish. Already, Dr. Kevin Hall, a nutrition scientist at the National Institutes of Health, resigned last month, citing censorship of his work 'because of agency concerns that it did not appear to fully support preconceived narratives of my agency's leadership about ultra-processed food addiction.' In an interview with CNBC on Wednesday, Education Secretary Linda McMahon was asked about the administration's intent to cancel all federal grants to Harvard University — upwards of $9 billion in research funding. The secretary's reply was telling: 'Universities should continue to be able to do research as long as they're abiding by the laws and in sync, I think, with the administration and what the administration is trying to accomplish.' The free speech tourists of the Trump administration probably know this already — which is why it's fair to call it gaslighting — but it is not the mission of academic institutions to be 'in sync' with any presidential administration. They're supposed to be bastions of free thought and inquiry, and though many (especially Harvard) haven't kept to those principles in recent decades, it's hard to fathom how blackmailing colleges into ideological submission could possibly further anyone's rights to freedom of expression. Moreover, McMahon's justification for sanctions on Harvard — that the university violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by insufficiently policing antisemitism on its campus — is remarkable insincerity. For starters, just this week the administration promoted Kingsley Wilson — who posted multiple antisemitic conspiracy theories online last year — to Defense Department press secretary. On Thursday, Trump announced his nomination of former far-right podcast host Paul Ingrassia to lead the U.S. Office of Special Counsel. Ingrassia, in 2023, advocated for conservatives to welcome 'dissident voices' like antisemitic white nationalist Nick Fuentes into the larger MAGA movement. And then there's the matter of President Trump's executive order earlier this month directing the federal government to stop using a key enforcement mechanism of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that Trump has threatened another lawsuit against CBS in his brazen attempt to shake down Paramount Global for millions of dollars to settle a bogus lawsuit over what he erroneously claims was a deceptively edited '60 Minutes' interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris. The president's harassment — and Paramount controlling shareholder Shari Redstone's apparent prioritization of getting federal approval for a business merger over journalistic integrity — have already led to the departures of '60 Minutes' long-time executive producer Bill Owens and CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon. Let's be very clear: Trump is threatening both costly litigation and government retaliation against a news organization over its interview with a political rival. That's censorship, plain and simple, because the threats themselves have widespread speech-chilling effects. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday offered a particularly bold stroke of free speech gaslighting, announcing in a post on X 'a new visa restriction policy that will apply to foreign officials and persons who are complicit in censoring Americans.' Basically, Secretary Rubio is threatening to ban anyone who enforces online content moderation laws and policies abroad that affect U.S. citizens. One former State Department official put a rhetorical question to Politico, 'If there's an American Nazi posting stuff in France and France is like, banning pro-Nazi stuff, is Rubio going to say that the owners of that French platform doing content moderation are barred from entry to the United States?' If that weren't enough free speech gaslighting, this is all happening as the U.S. detains and attempts to expel from the country foreign students for such offenses as writing op-eds critical of Israel for their college newspapers. 'Every time I find one of these lunatics I take away their visa,' Rubio said in March. On Wednesday the State Department issued a cable to embassies and consulates advising them to halt student visa interviews 'in preparation for an expansion of required social media screening and vetting.' And on Friday, the department announced it would be starting this program with Harvard. Even the lack of a public-facing social media presence would be used by the government as evidence against student applicants, as it 'may be reflective of evasiveness and call into question the applicant's credibility.' Put plainly, the Trump administration is going to scour international students' social media posts for potential thought crimes against America — or even a lack thereof — in the name of protecting American values. 'Free speech is essential to the American way of life — a birthright over which foreign governments have no authority,' Rubio posted Wednesday. Rhapsodizing about the glories of free speech out of one side of his mouth while threatening draconian censorship out of the other is a long-standing Trumpian tactic. And some of Trump's most senior deputies this week proved adept at matching their boss's deception and hypocrisy. This article was originally published on
Newsweek
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Woman Goes for Pedicure—Forgets One Small Detail That Ruins It: 'Help'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. During a pedicure, some technicians go the extra mile by exfoliating not just the feet, but the legs too. However, one pedicurist was recently caught on camera removing more than just dead skin. The footage quickly went viral, amassing 1.4 million views. It shows Megan Shumate (@megshum)'s legs and a male nail technician rubbing her calves—which are notably a different shade than above her knee—with a scrub. "When I noticed my legs were getting lighter, I was so confused but then remembered I had fake tan on," she told Newsweek. "I just moved to Florida and forgot how pale I was under the fake tan, so that was my sign to hit the beach as soon as possible." The 26-year-old, who works as a senior analyst, added text explaining what happened to the video, followed by "help." She notes that the man didn't acknowledge it, despite many users commenting on how they believe he is feeling. One user wrote: "He's probably freaking out inside," and another chimed in: "I KNOW he's panicking." Shumate, who lives in Tampa, added that she was getting pampered ahead of a party. "Luckily it was themed, and I was wearing cowgirl boots so it covered my extremely pale calves!" she said. She jokes in the caption: "My legs are literally reflecting against the Florida sun," earning 63,000 likes. "You live in Florida and couldn't tan regularly?" asked one user. But using tanning products isn't unusual, in fact, many people opt against sunbathing to prevent their skin cancer risk. In 2015, a study conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that 17.7 percent of women aged 18–49 reported using sunless tanning products. Specifically, 15.3 percent used lotion tanning, 6.8 percent used spray tanning, and 23.7 percent of sunless tanners also engaged in indoor tanning. Newsweek previously spoke to Dr. Beth Goldstein, a board-certified dermatologist at the Central Dermatology Center in North Carolina, about sunless tanning. Fake tan lotions typically contain an ingredient called dihydroxyacetone (DHA), a color additive that darkens the skin by reacting with amino acids in the skin's surface. It is FDA-approved and typically deemed "safer," Goldstein told Newsweek. She said: "There are some safety considerations around DHA, particularly in people with an altered skin barrier, such as the creation of oxidative damage." But given that there is little to no penetration beyond the top layer of the skin with these lotions, "this is likely not to cause any serious concerns with normal skin," she added.
NDTV
19 hours ago
- Health
- NDTV
Why Cucumber Juice Should Be Your Summer Secret To Easy Weight Loss
Show Quick Read Summary is AI-generated, newsroom-reviewed When the summer heat starts making you feel sluggish, nothing beats sipping something cool and refreshing. Thanks to the season's bounty of fruits and vegetables, summer offers plenty of healthy options. One of the most popular and tasty choices is cucumber juice. Not only is it delicious, but it also helps you shed those stubborn kilos. It is not just another detox trend flooding Instagram; cucumber juice genuinely benefits your body. If you want a healthier alternative to sugary summer drinks, this is it. Best part? It is affordable, weight-loss-friendly, and requires zero fancy preparation. Just blend and sip! Here is how adding cucumber juice to your daily routine might help you achieve that summer body you want. Here Are 5 Ways Cucumber Juice Supports Weight Loss And Hydration: 1. Keeps You Hydrated Hydration is often overlooked in weight loss. Research from the Web of Science shows cucumber is about 95 per cent water. Drinking cucumber juice quenches your thirst and supports your body's natural detox. Dehydration causes your body to hold on to water, making you feel bloated and puffy. So, drink cucumber juice to stay hydrated and keep your weight in check. 2. Low In Calories, High In Satisfaction No one wants to starve on a diet. According to the United States Food and Drug Administration, 99 grams of cucumber has just 10 calories. Yes, just 10! Plus, its volume helps you feel full longer. When your stomach feels satisfied, you are less tempted to reach for chips or fried snacks after lunch. 3. Reduces Bloating And Water Retention Water retention and bloating often happen when you eat salty or processed food without enough fluids. Cucumber juice, with its high-water content, helps flush out toxins. Its mild diuretic properties remove extra water and sodium, reducing puffiness around your face and belly. It is also gentle on your stomach, helping your digestion stay smooth. 4. Detoxifies With Antioxidants And Anti-Inflammatory Compounds Cucumber juice is packed with antioxidants, vitamin K, and compounds called cucurbitacins. For those who are not familiar, cucurbitacins have been shown to fight inflammation and diabetes, according to research from the National Institutes of Health. Clearing inflammation and toxins helps your metabolism run better, which supports weight loss. 5. Keeps You Feeling Light And Energised Heavy snacks can leave you sluggish, but cucumber juice does the opposite. It cools and refreshes, making it a perfect summer drink for weight loss. Loaded with natural electrolytes like potassium and magnesium, it balances your body fluids and keeps fatigue away. This makes it a great drink before or after a workout - light on the stomach, hydrating, and helpful in managing weight. So, if you want to shed those extra kilos without drama, make cucumber juice your summer go-to.
Miami Herald
21 hours ago
- Health
- Miami Herald
Five-decade study: Black girls build on preschool success, while Black boys struggle in some measures
Decades before the Trump administration forbade using federal funding for research into the topic, Craig Ramey wondered if high-quality early education for Black children in North Carolina might improve their life outcomes. Armed with a grant from the National Institutes of Health, Ramey established the Abecedarian Project at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. The study assigned infants, most of them Black, who had been born into low-income families between 1972 and 1977, to an intervention group that received full-time, high-quality child care from infancy through age 5. (The project name was drawn from an old-fashioned term meaning someone who is just learning their ABCs.) In the 1960s and '70s, researchers lacked a full understanding of why children from disadvantaged backgrounds had developmental delays compared to their more advantaged peers, said Ramey, now 81 and a professor and researcher at Virginia Tech. "What I wanted to address is whether we could prevent that delay from occurring in the first place," he said. The children in the intervention group received individualized prescriptions of educational activities and games that focused on social, emotional and cognitive areas of development, withe particular emphasis on language. Researchers tracked the participants well into their mid-40s, comparing them to a control group that did not receive the services. Their latest findings, published last year in the Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, found different results for Black boys and Black girls who were enrolled in the program. Both boys and girls in the early education intervention group showed significant gains through their elementary, middle and high school years. That finding matches that of other long-running early education research programs, such as the Perry Preschool Project, which tracked subjects in Ypsilanti, Michigan, from their toddler years into their 50s. Related: Young children have unique needs and providing the right care can be a challenge. Our free early childhood education newsletter tracks the issues. But the study also showed that while Black women continued to build on those cognitive gains into adulthood, the progress of Black men stalled out. By their mid-40s, the students' cognitive outcomes were significantly different, with Black women continuing to gain in IQ, reading and math skills while Black males wound up scoring the same as those in the control group - their gains virtually erased. "When boys hit adolescence they face some rocks in the road that are maybe different from what girls face," Ramey said. The latest research looked only at results on cognitive measures; other research into the Abecedarian participants found long-lasting positive outcomes in other areas, such as health and social development. What the Abecedarian Project showed, Ramey says, is that at-risk children don't have to enter the education system already further behind. "We can change that and we can change it much more dramatically with much bigger and with longer-lasting results than anyone would have bet 30 years ago," he said. "In part that's due to a lot of our findings, and I'm proud of that." But few, if any, programs have been able to successfully bridge that gender gap in long-term results. And now, many efforts to figure out how to support Black boys - or young Black children in general - are on the chopping block, as the Trump administration shuts down federal funding for research related to promoting educational equity. Related: Sending your boy to preschool is great for your grandson, new research shows Brian Wright, an associate professor and program coordinator for early education at the University of Memphis, said he has already had one research project canceled as a result of the Trump administration's sweeping elimination of federal grants and programs. That project, which would have been funded by the National Science Foundation, was to be a longitudinal study following kindergarteners through third grade to better understand, through a racial equity lens, their access and participation in STEM classes. In late April, the Trump administration told the National Science Foundation to stop awarding new grants and funding existing ones. In fact, few - if any - programs today provide low-income children of color with the level of support that the Abecedarian Project did. "I've been from the West Coast to the East Coast, I've interviewed teachers and families and children all over the nation," said Wright. "I get asked often this question of can I identify programs that are exemplars. I'm usually not able to do that." Wright's research has illuminated which elements are essential for such high-quality early education programs, starting with educators who have deep training in elevating and celebrating the culture, race and traditions of students of color, who create spaces for them to play, enjoy childhood and feel understood, and whose class libraries and lessons reflect students' own experiences and realities. Related: Behind the findings of the Tennessee pre-K study that found negative effects for graduates And for Black boys in particular, Wright said, these elements need to be paired with programs later in middle school and high school that preserve their childhood instead of rushing them through adolescence to prepare them for adulthood and the workforce. The question, however, is how much more of that work can be done under the current administration. Earlier this month, Wright and other policy experts and practitioners who focus on building high-quality education programs for students of color hosted a panel discussion at George Washington University to sound the alarm on the fact that not only is there a dearth of programs equipped to support Black boys, but federal officials are actively eliminating the best of those programs' practices. "There are pockets where these things exist, but there's certainly more work that needs to be done," Wright says. "The fact that we can't name programs that are exemplars is telling that we have a lot of work to do." This story about Black boys was produced by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Sign up for the Hechinger newsletter. The post Five-decade study: Black girls build on preschool success, while Black boys struggle in some measures appeared first on The Hechinger Report.
