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NEWS:
Obesity In Pregnant Women Could Alter The Structure And Function Of The Placenta Increasing The Risk Of Poor Health Outcomes For Both Mother And Baby
Maternal obesity alters the structure of the placenta (a vital organ that nourishes the baby during pregnancy) more than gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM; a condition is diagnosed by poor glucose control in pregnancy). The new insight, published in The Journal of Physiology, enhances understanding about the mechanisms underlying poor pregnancy outcomes and the subsequent greater risk of poor neonatal and offspring health. The identification of specific changes in the placenta could lead to the potential development of future placenta-targeted treatments or screening tests that may improve the health outcomes of the mother and offspring, particularly in low-middle income countries.
The research conducted by scientists in South Africa in alliance with those in England is the first study to investigate the effects of maternal obesity and GDM simultaneously and to be carried out in a low
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Cancer Stage And Receptor Status Indicate A Breast Cancer Survivor’s Risk Of Recurrence
New research indicates that for patients with breast cancer, the cancer’s stage and receptor status can help clinicians predict whether and when cancer might recur after initial treatment. The findings are published by Wiley online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society.
For the study, Heather Neuman, MD, MS, of the University of Wisconsin, and her colleagues analyzed data on 8,007 patients with stage I–III breast cancer who participated in nine clinical trials from 1997–2013 and received standard of care therapy.
Time to first cancer recurrence varied significantly between cancers with different receptors—including estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). Within each receptor type, cancer stage influenced time to recurrence.
Risk of recurrence was highest and occurred earliest for ER−/PR−
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NCSBN Research Projects Significant Nursing Workforce Shortages and Crisis
The data reveals that 100,000 nurses left the workforce during the pandemic and by 2027, almost 900,000, or almost one-fifth of 4.5 million total registered nurses, intend to leave the workforce, threatening the national health care system at large if solutions are not enacted.
NCSBN unveiled its research, titled “Examining the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Burnout & Stress Among U.S. Nurses,” in a panel titled “Nursing at the Crossroads: A Call to Action” in Washington, D.C. at the National Press Club.
For the first time, the research findings reveal how the nursing workforce was impacted by the pandemic and how many left the workforce in this period, and forecast how many nurses in the U.S. have an intent to leave the workforce. The research also examined the personal and professional characteristics of nurses experiencing heightened workplace burnout and stress due to the COVID
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ACR/SBI Statement on New USPSTF Breast Cancer Screening Recommendations
The new United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) Breast Cancer Screening Recommendations are a step in the right direction. However, the American College of Radiology® (ACR®) and Society of Breast Imaging (SBI) urge the USPSTF to go further to recommend annual mammography screening for all average-risk women ages 40 and older.
The USPSTF, ACR, SBI, American Cancer Society and others all agree that the most lives are saved with this annual approach. Medical experts should clear the confusion caused by differing recommendations and agree to recommend yearly mammography for average-risk women starting at age 40.
Mounting evidence shows that Black and other minority women, Jewish women, and others develop and die from breast cancer prior to age 50 — or even age 40 — more often than white women. As our 2021 guidelines for average-risk women and our new (2023) guidelines for hig