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GGood morning! We have a lot of news to share today, including another post from Drew about the Nobels. Let’s get started.
Physics Nobel goes to pioneers of machine learning
John Hopfield of Princeton University and Geoffrey Hinton of the University of Toronto, two researchers behind the development of machine learning, won the Nobel Prize in Physics on Tuesday. The Nobel Committee called them “fundamental discoveries and inventions that enable machine learning with artificial neural networks.”
In announcing the prize, the Nobel Committee described Hopfield and Hinton’s work not only as helping to advance research in various areas of physics – from materials science to particle physics to astrophysics – but as something that is already changing everyday life was, with technology such as facial recognition and language translation building on the research.
Ellen Moons, the chair of Nobel’s physics committee, also pointed to applications in medicine, saying that “machine learning can help people make faster and more reliable decisions, for example in diagnosing medical conditions.”
But Moons also nodded to the thorny questions that such a powerful technology has raised. “Its rapid development has also raised concerns about our future,” she said.
More here from Drew.
Position is important: Measuring blood pressure incorrectly can lead to overdiagnosis
When you reach your doctor’s exam room, do you sit on the paper-covered table when your blood pressure is taken? If so, they’re doing it wrong. You should sit in a chair with your arm on a desk or other surface, keeping the cuff in line with your heart. Monday’s study in JAMA Internal Medicine tells us that measurements taken with the patient’s arms on their lap or hanging at their sides overestimate blood pressure by as much as 4 mm Hg for the top number (systolic, or when the blood is pumping) and almost 7 mm Hg for the bottom number ( diastolic). or when the heart rests between beats).
These higher numbers may not seem very large compared to the recommended arm positions, and the study only included 133 participants. But the authors estimate that improper arm positioning could mean that 16% of American adults, or 40 million Americans, would be incorrectly diagnosed with hypertension using a cutoff of 140 mmHg and higher, and that 22%, or 54 million people, would be misclassified based on the lower limit of 130 mmHg. That could make the difference between a prescription for an antihypertensive drug or a recommendation to make lifestyle changes alone. – Liz Cooney
Can life expectancy continue to increase?
If I had been born in 1870, I probably would have died at the age I am now: 30 years young (thanks). Needless to say, people now live much longer than they used to, and people in rich countries generally live evenly longer than those in poorer countries. But there may be a limit to the amount of time wealth can produce on earth. A study published yesterday in Nature Aging states that “humanity’s struggle for longevity is largely accomplished.”
That message stands in stark contrast to what some of the longevity field’s most vocal proponents are saying about how lifestyle and diet changes can allow people to live as long as 150 to 180 years. Researchers analyzed data from 1990 to 2019 in the eight countries with the longest-living populations, as well as the United States and Hong Kong. The increase in life expectancy slowed in all these populations. And when the authors modeled a scenario in which life expectancy is 110 years, they concluded that this would require curing most of today’s leading causes of death. Read more from STAT’s Jonathan Wosen.
The Forces Behind the GOP Aim to ‘Make America Healthy Again’
At a recent roundtable on Capitol Hill, the newcomer siblings Calley and Casey Means were seated alongside old favorites of the political right, such as psychologist and famous beef eater Jordan Peterson. Outside of the event, the siblings buzz in the same orbit as even bigger names: Tucker Carlson, Joe Rogan, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and even former President Donald Trump.
So who are the resources? The shortest answer is that Calley, 39, is a startup founder, while his sister Casey, 37, is a doctor. The full picture is more complicated. As emerging conservative media figures, they are working to build a “Make America Healthy Again” identity for the Republican Party. Trump is prioritizing the chronic disease epidemic, Calley Means told STAT’s Isa Cueto in an exclusive interview. And in public appearances they emphasize how polluted health care, government and science have all become due to perverse financial incentives. Their messages tend to activate conservative concerns about personal freedoms, family values, and institutional corruption.
I asked Isa how she heard about the Meanses, and why she decided to write about them. “It seemed like they were popping up everywhere and sparking a conversation about chronic disease — and the big systemic issues underlying disease — that people were really excited about,” she said. “It was also fascinating to me how the Meanses turned traditionally left-wing ideas, like Food Is Medicine, into GOP priorities. Like a total political ouroboros.”
Read more in Isa’s profile.
HIV in breast milk: is undetectable still untransmittable?
When it comes to the transmission of HIV through sex, the science has long been clear: if the virus is undetectable, then it is not transmissible. But does this also apply to people who want to breastfeed? For mothers taking antiretroviral therapy, the risk of transmitting HIV to babies through breast milk is extreme lowbut not exactly zero. In lower-income countries, the risk of transmission has long been seen as secondary to the benefits of breastfeeding. But in high-income countries, where safe formula and clean water are readily available, guidelines have been more cautious and recommend avoiding breastfeeding altogether.
This is evident from a study published yesterday in the Annals of Internal Medicine provides important evidence as the first study of the viral load in breast milk of people with long-term viral suppression.
Researchers collected breast milk from three cisgender women: one HIV-positive patient who maintained an undetectable viral load for nine years without medication, another HIV-positive patient who took antiretrovirals for five years with an undetectable viral load, and one without HIV. The team found no RNA copies of HIV, and extremely low levels of DNA copies, in both women with HIV.
Here’s what it means: There was no evidence of an intact virus, or of a virus strong enough to replicate and infect cells. Although the small study was not specifically designed to assess transmission risk, the data support a revision of recommendations on infant feeding in resource-rich settings, according to a study. editorial that accompanied the study.
Hospital lobby calls for national emergency due to IV shortage
Hurricane Helene killed more than 230 people when it swept through the southeastern U.S. just over a week ago. The storm also closed an IV plant in Marion, North Carolina, which is responsible for approximately 60% of IV solutions for the US. While the Baxter company deals with the damage, the American Hospital Association is asking the Biden administration to declare a shortage of IV solutions and invoke national emergency powers to alleviate the crisis.
It is unclear how long it will take before the Marion plant is operational again. Some hospitals have already reported internal shortages and limited IV use, and as Hurricane Milton barrels toward central Florida, another IV plant is in its current path. Read more from STAT’s Brittany Trang.