Aimee Cunningham

3 days ago | autism.einnews.com | Tina Saey |Laura Sanders |Aimee Cunningham

Autism is more common than ever before, a new report suggests. As of 2022, about 1 in 31 children in the United States were diagnosed with autism by the time they were 8 years old, researchers reported online April 15 in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Previous studies had put the number at 1 in 36 in 2020 and 1 in 150 in 2000.

1 week ago | sciencenews.org | Aimee Cunningham

An old drug may find new use as a speedy treatment for venomous snakebites. The drug, called unithiol, has long been used as a therapy for heavy metal poisoning. Research in mice suggests the drug could block damaging proteins that are found in the venom of many vipers. A recent Phase I clinical trial explored different dosages of the drug in people — larger quantities than are used for metal poisoning — and didn’t find safety issues, researchers report in the March eBioMedicine.

1 month ago | sciencenews.org | Aimee Cunningham

In the United States, the number of deaths that didn’t have to happen has risen over time. From 2009 to 2019, the average rate of avoidable deaths rose by 33 per 100,000 people across the country, researchers report March 24 in JAMA Internal Medicine. Meanwhile, other countries trended down: Members of the European Union experienced an average decrease of 24 per 100,000 over the same time period.

1 month ago | sciencenews.org | Aimee Cunningham |Meghan Rosen

About 10 minutes with a therapy dog soothed kids who felt anxious about being emergency room patients. A clinical trial found that after spending time with a dog, young patients reported a significantly larger decrease in their anxiety than kids who didn’t have dog time. The patients’ parents also perceived significantly reduced anxiety in their kids, researchers report March 14 in JAMA Network Open.

1 month ago | sciencenews.org | Aimee Cunningham

Treatment for two rather than one may help prevent another bout of a common and unpleasant vaginal syndrome. For many women who develop bacterial vaginosis, the syndrome returns weeks or months after treatment. A clinical trial of women in monogamous relationships with male partners found that treating both partners significantly reduced the likelihood of recurrence, researchers report in the March 5 New England Journal of Medicine.