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Global Health NOW: New Avenue for Alzheimer鈥檚 Research; Tapping Traditional Healers; and How 鈥楾he World鈥檚 Worst Wind Chime鈥 Haunted Philadelphia
June 20, 2024
New Avenue for Alzheimer鈥檚 Research
A rare genetic variant in a Colombian woman whose relatives typically develop Alzheimer鈥檚 in their 40s is opening up new possibilities for research into the disease.
- Scientists studying the family zeroed in on Aliria Piedrahita de Villegas, who鈥攗nlike her relatives鈥攔eached her 70s before having even mild cognitive problems, .
- They found she had two copies of a gene called APOE3 with a mutation called Christchurch that seemed to delay the advent of Alzheimer鈥檚.
Would a single Christchurch mutation offer protection? Researchers from Mass General Brigham health system and Colombia鈥檚 University of Antioquia tested 1,000 extended family members and found 27 with a single Christchurch mutation.
- They first had symptoms of Alzheimer鈥檚 at 52鈥攆ive years after their relatives on average, according to a published yesterday.
What does the finding mean? The NEJM study offers the possibility of developing drugs that 鈥渋mitate the rare Christchurch variant of the APOE gene,鈥 .
- In fact, an experimental antibody drug reduced the buildup of tau tangles (an Alzheimer鈥檚 related protein) in the brains of mice genetically predisposed to develop Alzheimer鈥檚-like symptoms, according to an published last year.
Thanks for the tip, Chiara Jaffe!
GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES
The Latest
One-Liners
Air pollution caused 8.1 million deaths worldwide in 2021 and caused debilitating chronic diseases for millions more, from the Health Effects Institute; children under 5 are particularly vulnerable, with air pollution killing 700,000 in this age group in 2021.
South Africa鈥檚 public health care system has run out of insulin pens for people with diabetes, illustrating a growing gap in care for people with diabetes鈥攎ost of whom live in LMICs鈥攁s the pharmaceutical industry prioritizes more profitable weight-loss drugs that use similar delivery devices.
Polish authorities imposed a steep fine on a hospital for refusing to provide an abortion to a woman with a potentially life-endangering pregnancy鈥攁 shift for a country that imposed a strict ban on abortion in 2021.
Use of high-strength e-cigarettes鈥攃ontaining up to 20mg/ml of nicotine鈥攊s growing, rising from 6.6% to 32.5% of vaping adults in 2021, by UCL researchers; 18鈥24-year-olds showed the largest rise in use of the more potent vapes.
HIV/AIDS
Tapping Traditional Healers
To combat HIV in rural South Africa, researchers are tapping into a critical鈥攜et often bypassed鈥攔esource: traditional healers.
First point of contact: Such healers are often the first stop for people with illness in rural regions, which is why they are such important people to bring into intervention efforts, say researchers with the University of Witwatersrand who are training 325+ healers in HIV testing and counseling.
Overcoming stigma: Rural communities in South Africa have some of the highest HIV burdens globally, and stigma around the virus remains high鈥攁nother area in which traditional practitioners could break down barriers.
GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES
RESEARCH
Overlooked Older Women
As major strides are made in research into the health effects of aging, older women remain largely excluded from such studies鈥攍eaving them 鈥渨ithout critically important information鈥 about medical care.
Key research into everything from bone health to cancer risk to mental health has largely focused on male subjects, with results extrapolated to women.
For example: The FDA-approved Alzheimer鈥檚 drug Leqembi reported a 43% slowdown rate of cognitive decline for men compared with a 12% slowdown for women鈥攔aising questions about the drug鈥檚 effectiveness for women.
Changes in sight? The Biden administration has promised to address this problem with a new effort called the .
THURSDAY DIVERSION
How 鈥楾he World鈥檚 Worst Wind Chime鈥 Haunted Philadelphia
For nearly four weeks, visitors to South Philadelphia鈥檚 Italian Market warily peered up a 30-foot pole, seeking a safe distance from shriveling provolone balls and sopressata that dangled 鈥渓ike a dare鈥 above the sidewalk, blowing ominously in the breeze and dripping oil below.
鈥淚鈥檝e been praying it doesn鈥檛 hit anyone,鈥 utility worker Jibri Lee told .
How did such a stinky specter come to haunt the neighborhood?
Origin story: Each year, the 9th Street Italian Market Festival culminates in one of Philly鈥檚 beloved traditions: Competitors clamber up a lard-covered pole to fetch cured meats and cheeses, then throw them down to crowds below.
A crane usually retrieves any leftovers, but this year, 鈥渋n a nose-wrinkling twist, organizers forgot to claim the orphaned treats.鈥
A new banner: Market vendors said they grew accustomed to the new landmark鈥攇leefully pointing it out to tourists and taking bets on how long the leftovers would stay up.
To the victor go the spoils: Festival organizers finally called in a crane to retrieve the remnants last weekend, . After cutting down the provolone, cheesemonger Tommy Amorim declared: 鈥淭he ball has been passed long enough, and here I am holding it.鈥
OPPORTUNITY
Open Call for Gender Equity Project Applications
Global Grants Program is launching a new round of support for projects focused on improving the use and dissemination of sex and gender data for decision-making and policy change.
- Project proposals focused on advancing gender equity to promote public health in core thematic areas of civil registration and vital statistics, data use for decision-making, and population-based cancer registries are welcome.
- Grants of up to $100,000 that focus on any gender鈥攏ot exclusively women and girls鈥攁re available.
Apply in a two-step grant proposal process:
- Submit project ideas by July 7, 2024, for screening.
- Selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal, due by July 22, 2024.
QUICK HITS
Thailand approves landmark same sex marriage equality law 鈥
Long Covid feels like a gun to my head 鈥
The Truth About America鈥檚 Most Common Surgery 鈥
Lab study: Sterilized reused respirators not effective enough against aerosolized particles 鈥
Ignoring Noise Pollution Harms Public Health 鈥
Dollar Tree left lead-tainted applesauce pouches on store shelves for weeks after recall, FDA says 鈥
Five Male Candidates Contest For WHO Africa Regional Director 鈥
Issue No. 2558
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