Scientists identify novel autoimmune driver behind DNA repair breakdown in childhood cancer - News-Medical

Women with autoimmune conditions are up to 74% more likely than men to be told their symptoms are psychological or psychosomatic, and face much longer waits for a diagnosis and treatment, a study suggests. Hundreds of millions of people – about one in 10 globally – are affected by autoimmune conditions, which can cause a range of health issues including fatigue, muscle pain and rashes. But research by the University of Cambridge and University of East Anglia suggests a stark gender divide when it comes to how signs of the conditions are handled by doctors. Women are more likely to have their conditions wrongly attributed to psychiatric causes, more likely to have symptoms misdiagnosed as psychosomatic, and more likely to experience delays in getting a diagnosis, according to the study. The lead author, Melanie Sloan, said: “The damage caused to women by these types of misdiagnosis can be very long lasting in terms of trusting doctors and their own self-esteem.”Sloan, a researcher in the department of public health and primary care at Cambridge and UEA, said some women were forced to wait years before finally getting a diagnosis, causing long delays to treatment for their condition.

A Nature Reviews Neurology review from Dr. Geneviève Bernard’s lab points to one molecular process that keeps appearing in leukodystrophies. When Alexandra Chapleau walked into Dr. Geneviève Bernard’s lab in 2018 as a summer undergraduate student, unsure whether research was for her, she was inspired by her brother, who has leukodystrophy. It was what initially drew her to Dr. Bernard’s lab at The Institute in the Child Health and Human Development program.

Oct 04, 2026 at 07:35 PMAfter getting their first home victory in 2026, the Ravens would be even happier if they were healthier. The 24-18 decision over the Tennessee Titans didn't come without heavy collateral damage. Lamar Jackson (ankle), cornerback Marlon Humphrey (calf), guard Andrew Vorhees (foot), and tight end Durham Smythe (Achilles) left and didn't return. That wasn't part of the game plan. After jumping to a 24-7 lead, the Ravens (3-1) were shut out in the second half as Jackson watched from the sidelines after playing superbly during the first 30 minutes. The Titans (0-4) rallied late, and it wasn't until Malaki Starks recovered an onside kick with one minute, 12 seconds left that the Ravens could truly exhale. Head Coach Jesse Minter said the team's mentality would be to keep finding ways to come out on top, no matter who goes down. Baltimore already entered this game without outside linebacker Trey Hendrickson (finger), their most accomplished pass rusher, three centers, and more. "It's the National Football League, and it's all kind of injuries on every team," Minter said. "Nobody's going to feel sorry for us. We're not going to feel sorry for ourselves.

Bioengineer.org news storyFor people living with HIV, modern antiretroviral therapy can suppress the virus to levels below what standard laboratory tests can detect. Yet some patients on long-term treatment experience a curious phenomenon: a single test result showing a small, transient amount of virus in the blood, followed by an immediate return to undetectable levels. These events, known as viral blips, have puzzled clinicians and researchers for years, raising questions about whether they represent harmless statistical noise, brief bursts of viral production from hidden reservoirs, or early warnings of impending treatment failure. A new nationwide Swedish study, published in BMC Infectious Diseases, offers one of the most comprehensive answers to date. Drawing on the Swedish national InfCareHIV cohort, researchers analyzed data from 4,210 treatment-naïve adults who began antiretroviral therapy from 1 January 2007 onward, with follow-up data extracted through 30 September 2020. The median observation time was 5.5 years, with some individuals followed for as long as 13.7 years.

European Medical Journal news storyPeople living with HIV may experience subtle changes in heart muscle function even when conventional measures of cardiac performance remain normal, according to findings from a systematic review and meta-analysis. Researchers identified significantly impaired global longitudinal strain (GLS) among people with HIV compared with HIV-uninfected individuals, despite preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in both groups. The findings suggest that speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) could provide additional information about early myocardial dysfunction in this population. Read the full news story here.