UK health workers were let down by government during COVID pandemic, say doctors

Health and social care workers were often let down by the government whose claims that it was 'guided by the science' when developing policy to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic were questionable, according to an editorial published online today in The BMJ.

UK hospitals face a £2 million per month extra spend this winter due to fuel price surge

Hospital trusts are facing "eye watering" rises in their energy bills this coming winter and have warned that some patient care will have to be reduced to cope, according to an exclusive investigation published online today in The BMJ.

Food and health: The front-of-pack label is not enough if the consumption of ultra-processed foods is not reduced

Foods are not only characterized by their nutritional composition, but also by the degree of processing, which is crucial to determine the overall food health potential. Its indication on the labels would therefore help consumers to choose with greater awareness.

New study links ultra-processed foods and colorectal cancer in men

For many Americans, the convenience of pre-cooked and instant meals may make it easy to overlook the less-than-ideal nutritional information, but a team led by researchers at Tufts University and Harvard University hope that will change after recently discovering a link between the high consumption of ultra-processed foods and an increased risk of colorectal cancer.

Researchers find link between health outcomes and sugarcane smoke exposure

A new study from a Florida State University team estimates that sugarcane fires in South Florida emit harmful particulate matter in quantities comparable to motor vehicles and is a factor in mortality rates across the region.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-science-news/researchers-find-link-between-health-outcomes-and-sugarcane-smoke-exposure

Treating antibiotic-resistant infections with peptides inspired by human saliva

Antibiotic resistance is a problem that impacts tens of millions of people each year worldwide. According to the CDC, "more than 2.8 million antibiotic-resistant infections occur in the United States each year, and more than 35,000 people die as a result." Drug-resistant infections are threatening advances in surgery, wound healing, cancer treatment, organ transplants and many other areas of modern medicine by decreasing our ability to control infections.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-science-news/treating-antibiotic-resistant-infections-with-peptides-inspired-by-human-saliva

Biologists address global extinction crisis

Brook trout are disappearing from American streams. Amphibian habitats are changing. Coral species are dying.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-science-news/biologists-address-global-extinction-crisis

American River Basin Study finds increasing temperatures will impact basin through rest of 21st century

The American River Basin in central California expects to see increasing temperatures and a declining snowpack through the end of the 21st century. The Bureau of Reclamation released the American River Basin Study today, which also found an increased variability of fall and winter precipitation that will amplify the severity of droughts and flooding in the basin. The report is available on Reclamation's Basin Study website.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-science-news/american-river-basin-study-finds-increasing-temperatures-will-impact-basin-through-rest-of-21st-century

Diamonds and rust at the Earth's core-mantle boundary

Steel rusts by water and air on the Earth's surface. But what about deep inside the Earth's interior?

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-science-news/diamonds-and-rust-at-the-earths-core-mantle-boundary

New blood test for ALS promises rapid diagnosis

Patients with ALS, one of the most serious neurological diseases known, have been hampered by the time it takes to receive an accurate diagnosis. The period between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis averages over a year, precious time for a disease in which most patients die between 2-5 years from diagnosis. Researchers estimate that an inaccurate diagnosis occurs in 13-68% of cases.