Tootfinder

🩺 Researchers take major step toward cuff-free blood pressure monitoring
#medicine

Researchers take major step toward cuff-free blood pressure monitoring
Researchers have shown, for the first time, that speckle contrast optical spectroscopy (SCOS) can be used for cuffless blood pressure monitoring. The new technology could improve early detection and management of hypertension.

🫣 Rare tissue samples reveal where HIV hides in different parts of body
#medicine

Rare tissue samples reveal where HIV hides in different parts of body
Researchers at Western and the University of Calgary have discovered how HIV hides in different parts of the body by embedding itself into the DNA of cells in a tissue-specific manner, offering new insights into why the virus is so difficult to eliminate and cure—even decades after infection and treatment.

Update: the insurance person figured out that it was the family deductible that was still $1,000 which is why insurance didn’t take more off.
But she was lovely and found me a way to get a co-pay card for Paxlovid through the manufacturer - I used it and it made the medication FREE. From $1,000 to $0.
Link for anyone else in my predicament (you gotta have private insurance to be eligible): #COVID #US #USPol #healthcare #insurance #medicine

🩸 New blood micro-sampling method may enable early prevention of type 1 diabetes
#medicine

New blood micro-sampling method may enable early prevention of type 1 diabetes
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and SciLifeLab have developed a new method for detecting early signs that the disease type 1 diabetes is going to develop. The study, conducted in an experimental model, shows that analyzing tiny amounts of blood can reveal disease-causing changes in the body, thereby enabling early treatment and disease prevention. The results have been published in the journal Diabetologia.

In a twist of irony - I apparently picked up #COVID on the day of my #US naturalization ceremony.
Went to the doctor today where I got tested and diagnosed - all good. Insurance covered it, I paid $40 co-pay.
They prescribed Paxlovid. Great, definitely want to take it.
Went to the pharmacy, they tell me the 5 days of it will cost $1,777. I nervously laugh, telling them they need to make sure to run it through insurance.
They take my insurance, and say “that’s strange, it’s still really expensive”. New total: $1,000.
They try to add a discount code, but it cancels out the insurance, so the total is $1,500.
I ask if there are generics - nope, not available. I double-check my plan details: I’m $100 away from my deductible and the plan covers basically all prescribed medications. Pharmacy is in-network, supposedly.
Anyway, now I’m home and trying to call my insurance and wondering how in the world people are being made to choose between higher risk of hospitalization and paying $1-1.7k for five days of medication with a private insurance plan.
At least I got to pick up more KN-95 masks to wear while I’m contagious….
#USPol #healthcare #insurance #medicine

Found this article quite interesting: #AI #medicine #health

💝 New clues from heart rhythm test could prevent sudden death in those under age 35
#medicine

New clues from heart rhythm test could prevent sudden death in those under age 35
Cardiovascular scientists at City St George's, University of London, have identified crucial clues from a heart rhythm test that could detect hidden heart disease in young people, according to research published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

😷 Viruses hidden within fungi could be secret drivers of deadly lung infections
#medicine

Viruses hidden within fungi could be secret drivers of deadly lung infections
Researchers have discovered that a virus living inside the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus significantly boosts the fungus's ability to survive stress and cause severe infections in mammals. Removing the virus made the fungus weaker and less virulent, while antiviral treatments improved survival outcomes. This finding reveals a hidden factor driving the deadliness of fungal infections and opens the door to potential new treatments that target the virus rather than the fungus itself.

💉 Research identifies genetic predictor of weight loss with GLP-1RAs
#medicine

Research identifies genetic predictor of weight loss with GLP-1RAs
A new study published by Cleveland Clinic researchers in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism investigating the genetic underpinnings of weight loss response has identified a gene, neurobeachin (NBEA), as a predictor of how individuals respond to GLP-1RAs, the class of medications behind popular treatments like liraglutide and semaglutide.

🫁 Soft robot intubation device, designed specifically for non-expert users, could save lives
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-soft-robot-intubation-device-specifically.html

Soft robot intubation device, designed specifically for non-expert users, could save lives
Maintaining an open airway is a critical priority in emergency medicine. Without the flow of oxygen, other emergency interventions can become ineffective at saving the patient's life. However, creating this airway through endotracheal intubation is a difficult task for highly trained individuals and under the best of circumstances.

🦙 Nanobody neutralizes deadly Nipah and Hendra viruses in lab tests
#medicine

Nanobody neutralizes deadly Nipah and Hendra viruses in lab tests
Researchers have discovered a strategy to neutralize two highly lethal viruses for which there is currently no approved vaccine or cure.