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MorningMed is the best way to keep up with the world of health and medicine through curated round-ups, useful insights and other practical resources.

Blood donations, especially from young people, have sharply declined due to changes in donation requirements and the lingering impact of the pandemic. Despite a successful campaign encouraging donations among the youth with incentives like Snoopy-themed T-shirts, ongoing efforts are needed to reverse a decades long decline in blood donations, particularly among teens and young adults, with concerns about sustaining blood supplies for hospitals and the potential long-term consequences of decreased participation in donation programs.

A study from Columbia and Rutgers universities reveals that the average liter of bottled water contains nearly a quarter million invisible nanoplastic particles, raising concerns about potential health impacts. Researchers found particle levels ranging from 110,000 to 400,000 per liter, with much of the plastic likely coming from the bottle itself and the reverse osmosis membrane filter.

A new study reveals that hormone-disrupting plastic chemicals, including flame retardants, phthalates, bisphenols, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), cost the US healthcare system over $249 billion in 2018 alone. These chemicals contribute to chronic diseases and early deaths, impacting children's brain development, reproductive health, and immune systems.

Starting January 1, California became the first state to offer health insurance to all undocumented immigrants, regardless of age. Approximately 700,000 undocumented adults between the ages of 26 and 49 qualified for Medi-Cal, the state's version of the federal Medicaid program for people with low incomes.

Prescriptions for medications used to treat attentiondeficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), including stimulants, increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study from the US Food and Drug Administration. The study found about 5.9 million new prescriptions for stimulants in the first two years of the pandemic, representing a 14% spike compared to the two years before the pandemic. New prescriptions for other ADHD medications also increased by 32% during the pandemic.

The article discusses the need for a report from the U.S. surgeon general to provide clarity on the risks and benefits of vaping, like the landmark report on smoking released 60 years ago.

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In the intricate world of human health, the gut microbiome has been the subject of extensive research in recent years. However, while much attention has been directed towards bacteria, the role of fungi within the gut ecosystem has often been overlooked. In this comprehensive article, we delve deep into the fascinating realm of the gut mycobiome and its profound alterations following sepsis and trauma.

Restricting calories is known to improve health and increase lifespan, but much of how it does so remains a mystery, especially about how it protects the brain.

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Is There a Doctor in the House?

A 33-year-old male physician reports for a shift in the emergency department. A nurse alerts you that he noticed a faint odor of alcohol near the physician. When approached, the physician appears tired and more disheveled than usual. There is an odor of alcohol on his breath. He is a skilled and talented physician with no known history of substance or alcohol use disorder. He is married with three children, and his wife is pregnant with twins. The physician was recently hired and has had no actions on his license by any state medical board.

Which of the following is the most appropriate next step?

A new study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases indicates that the annual global death toll from fungal diseases has reached 3.75 million, double the previous estimate. Fungal diseases, often exacerbating existing disorders like leukemia or AIDS, now account for more deaths than single pathogens such as malaria or tuberculosis. The study estimates that around 68% of the deaths linked to fungal diseases, approximately 2.55 million, were directly caused by fungal infections.

A study in mice led by researchers at Harvard Medical School suggests that daydreams can shape the brain's future response to what it sees. By tracking the activity of neurons in the visual cortex of mice while in a quiet waking state, the researchers found that the firing patterns during a mouse's daydreams predicted how the brain's response to an image would change over time. This provides preliminary evidence that daydreams during quiet waking may play a role in brain plasticity, the brain's ability to remodel itself in response to new experiences.

A study led by neuroscientists and neurodegenerative disease specialists in the Netherlands, along with collaborators from the U.S., Belgium, the U.K., and Sweden, has identified five categories of cerebrospinal fluid surrounding the brain in Alzheimer's patients. The researchers discovered differences in protein levels among Alzheimer's patients and classified them into five distinct subtypes, each associated with unique genetic profiles. The findings suggest the possibility of five distinct types of Alzheimer's disease, which could explain the challenges in developing effective individualized therapies for the condition.

The increased risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) in people of northern European ancestry may be linked to genetic variants carried by the Yamnaya, a Bronze Age people who migrated into northwestern Europe around 5,000 years ago, according to a study. Researchers analyzed ancient DNA from the Yamnaya, finding that they carried gene variants associated with increased MS risk in modern populations. The study suggests that these variants may have provided the nomadic herders with an advantage, protecting them from infections carried by their cattle and sheep.

Thank you for reading! More next week,

My best wishes for a productive and idea-filled week ahead. Thanks for your ongoing efforts to improve the lives of the patients we all serve. Please send any news, comments, suggestions and ideas to hello@morningmed.email.

Quiz answer: The correct answer is C) "Relieve the physician of duty and alert the hospital's patient safety officer"

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