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According to him USC Children's Health Study, which followed a group of children into adulthood, daily exposure to road traffic emissions during childhood May lay the foundation for cardiovascular disease in adulthood.

The research, recently published in the journal Environmental Health, used ultrasound to examine the carotid arteries in participants at age 10 and again a decade later. Changes in the intima-media thickness of the carotid artery is a measure of very early stage atherosclerosis, the underlying cause of most cardiovascular diseases.

Early detection

The study was based on the most recent Children's Health Study cohort: approximately 5,000 children. Children in the current study came from 13 communities in Southern California, representing a mix of backgrounds.

In Xataka Science

Nine million people die annually due to pollution

For each child, the researchers calculated average residential exposures to regional environmental pollutants such as ozone, nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter using regulatory air monitoring data. They estimated exposure to nitrogen oxides based on the proximity of a child's home to busy highways.

Still, future studies will provide a more complete picture of the interaction between diet, physical activity, and pollution exposure.

Early detection of changes in the carotid artery has the potential to improve understanding of how cardiovascular disease develops over time in relation to air pollution, and thereby helping to identify children at risk of cardiovascular disease in adulthood.

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The news

Traffic pollution linked to early markers of cardiovascular disease in children

was originally published in

Xataka Science

by
Sergio Parra

.

As concluded A study Led by The Ohio State University College of Nursing, critical care nurses with poor physical and mental health reported significantly more medical errors than nurses in better health.

The study findings published in the American Journal of Critical Care.

In times of COVID-19 it would be worse

The authors cited research on the prevalence of symptoms of stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout among critical care nurses as a basis for examining the potential correlation between well-being and medical errors. The study surveyed almost 800 members.

In Xataka Science

If you are between 45 and 64 years old, you are currently in the segment with the highest risk of stress

Those who reported poorer health and well-being were 31% to 62% more likely to make medical errors.

The study, which was conducted before the COVID-19 pandemic, also found that "nurses who perceived their workplace to be highly supportive of their well-being were twice as likely to have better physical health."

The authors mention that levels of stress, anxiety and depression probably be even higher in the current environment than before the pandemic, when the study was conducted.

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The news

Taking care of our healthcare personnel is also good, because it prevents medical errors.

was originally published in

Xataka Science

by
Sergio Parra

.

The itch either pruritus It is an irritating sensation that awakens the need to scratch the skin. Sometimes it can feel like something like pain, but it is different. You often feel like one part of your body itches, but sometimes you may feel itchy all over your body. Along with itching, you may also get a rash or hives.

It's a difficult symptom to measure, especially for the millions of children with atopic dermatitis, also known as eczema. Children can only verbalize or quantify their suffering through a survey or scale.. It may also be difficult to objectively measure itch in adults with liver disease, kidney disease, and certain cancers who experience its symptoms.

Therefore, it is difficult to keep track of how well treatments and medications are working.

In Xataka Science

Books that inspire us: 'Hello world. How to remain human in the age of algorithms' by Hannah Fry

Soft electronics + AI

But now there is a wearable sensor that actually quantifies itch by measuring scratching when placed on the hand. Developed by scientists at Northwestern University, while tested in patients with atopic dermatitis, can be used in any condition that causes itching.

The sensor can also support clinical trials for new treatments, track treatment response, and monitor disease worsening, all without leaving home.

In Xataka Science

Artificial intelligence could allow people excluded from clinical trials to access them

This is the first sensor capable of capturing all forms of scratching, related to the movement of the fingers, wrist and elbow. It is also the first validated in a pediatric population where conditions such as atopic dermatitis are the most common..

This sensor combines advances in soft electronics that wrap seamlessly around your hand with machine learning algorithms that specifically identify scratching without being fooled by similar movement-related movements (e.g., hand waving). The sensor measures both low-frequency movement and high-frequency vibrations of the hand to significantly improve accuracy compared to wristwatch tools.

The sensor has been in the Food and Drug Administration's Drug Discovery Tool program. This program allows novel devices like this sensor to be qualified to help in the approval of new medications.

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The news

This portable artificial intelligence device reports the discomfort felt by children with atopic dermatitis

was originally published in

Xataka Science

by
Sergio Parra

.