Series: More cooperation needed among various types of health organizations to protect against public health crises

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed weaknesses in the world's global health security networks, says a new four-paper series published in The Lancet. The series authors argue that we must implement a "One Health" approach globally, with human, animal and environmental health organizations working together to prevent, monitor and respond to public health emergencies.

Stroke symptoms, even if they disappear within an hour, need emergency assessment

Stroke symptoms that disappear in under an hour, known as a transient ischemic attack (TIA), need emergency assessment to help prevent a full-blown stroke, according to a new American Heart Association scientific statement published today in the Association's journal Stroke. The statement offers a standardized approach to evaluating people with suspected TIA, with guidance specifically for hospitals in rural areas that may not have access to advanced imaging or an on-site neurologist.

Vaccination provides protection against increased risk of pregnancy complications due to COVID-19 omicron variant

The global network led by the Oxford Maternal and Perinatal Health Institute (OMPHI) at the University of Oxford has published in the journal Lancet the results of the '2022 INTERCOVID Study' conducted in 41 hospitals across 18 countries, including Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago.

Commonly used antiretroviral drugs used to treat HIV and hepatitis B reduce immune cells' energy production

New UCLA-led research suggests that antiretroviral drugs called TAF and TDF directly reduce energy production by mitochondria, structures inside cells that generate the power that cells use to function. Both drugs led to reduced cellular oxygen consumption rates, a measure of the ability of the mitochondria to produce energy, compared with controls. But in combination with other antiretrovirals, TAF appeared to result in a larger energy reduction than TDF did. Whether this is a cause for concern is not known at this point.

Genetic diagnosis helps guide care of childhood hearing loss

Advances in understanding the many different genetic causes of childhood-onset hearing loss indicate that genomic testing could assist in treatment planning, including optimal timing of treatment.