Kick-starting the genome in early development

IMAGE: Merged image showing a colony of mouse embryonic stem cells fluorescently stained for Dppa2 in red, Dppa4 in green and DNA in blue. view more  Credit: Dr Melanie Eckersley-Maslin, Babraham Institute Key points: Researchers identify factors responsible for activating the zygotic genome A small number of mouse embryonic stem cells mimic the two-cell embryo stage,…

A ‘compelling call’ for pediatricians to discuss firearm safety

IMAGE: This is Kavita Parikh, M.D., a pediatric hospitalist at Children’s National Health System, and senior author of the invited commentary; Lead Author Shilpa J. Patel M.D., MPH, emergency medicine specialist;… view more  Paradoxically, as overall firearm ownership decreased in U.S. households with young children from 1976 to 2016, the proportion of these families who owned…

Study examines long-term opioid use in patients with severe osteoarthritis

New research published in Arthritis & Rheumatology, an official journal of the American College of Rheumatology, reveals that prescription opioids are commonly used long-term to treat pain in older patients with severe osteoarthritis. The study also found substantial statewide variation in rates of treatment with long-term opioid therapy for osteoarthritis, which was not fully explained…