UF Health Podcasts

UF Health Podcasts

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UF Health Podcasts episodes

  • Florida contends with dengue outbreak

    The buzzing whine of a mosquito has always been a nuisance. Now, for residents in Florida, it might be cause for concern.

    This fall marks the state’s largest outbreak of dengue [DEHN’-gay] in decades. Previously, its worst year was 2023.
    The virus, whose accompanying body aches have earned it the alias of break-bone fever, is ferried between hosts by a warm-weather mosquito. Some people might get infected and show no signs. Others will display fever and flu-like symptoms. In severe cases, victims experience bleeding, shock and death.
    There are four different types of dengue. Becoming sick with one will leave protective antibodies against that type inside the body, but won’t help against the other three. In some cases, antibodies from one type will actually help another kind infiltrate the body — which has been a key roadblock in developing an effective vaccine for the disease.
    Experts say travel patterns and shifts in climate have contributed to the outbreak.
    As workers tackle the problem by spraying for the insect and eliminating areas of standing water, you and your family can take a few steps, too.
    Nighttime isn’t the only time mosquitoes are out and about, so those in impacted areas like Hillsborough County should consider applying bug spray, ideally with DEET, in addition to their daily sunscreen. Wearing loose clothing like long-sleeved shirts and pants will make it harder for mosquitoes to bite.
    Researchers say the insects are most active around dawn and dusk, so keep a watchful eye — and ear — around then. And it can’t hurt to check your property and surrounding areas for puddles and other forms of standing water.
    After that, consider heading indoors.

    2 min
  • December holidays play a role in cancer diagnoses

    Everybody loves the holiday season. It’s filled with gift-giving, parties and good times with family and friends. People take time off from work while life gets put on hold.

    Cancer, however, doesn’t take a break.
    A recent study by researchers at University of Florida Health analyzed 30 million cancer diagnoses nationally between 2001 and 2019. They found that December has the fewest cancer diagnoses of any other month on the calendar and worse survival odds.
    January, by comparison, has the most. The researchers tracked all types of cancer.
    Researchers don’t believe this is a statistical fluke. Several factors likely contribute to the findings. People with concerning symptoms might delay a visit to a specialist until after the holidays. Also, limited specialist office hours and health system staffing in December could contribute.
    Another potential factor deals with insurance. Individuals might wait until January for insurance calendar resets, policy activation and deductible status updates.
    The proportion of distant-stage diagnoses, or those cancers that have spread in the body, is also highest in January. Researchers think this could be related to delayed diagnoses.
    Scientists drew their data from two national cancer registries that record cancer diagnoses and are largely representative of the U.S. population.
    A quirk in the data might be telling.
    Breast cancer diagnoses rise in October. That month also had the highest proportion of cancers diagnosed at an early stage and the best five-year survival of any month.
    Why are so many women getting screened in October?
    It’s Breast Cancer Awareness month.

    2 min
  • Snake blood could hold the secret to a potent new antivenom

    Getting bitten by a venomous snake can be scary and demands immediate medical attention. Currently, good antivenom medications exist that are created from the snakes’ own venom. But what if we could create an even more powerful antidote?

    Rattlesnakes have natural defenses that keep them from dying when struck by another snake, and that biology could open doors for new medical innovation.
    Researchers at the University of Maryland have discovered rattlesnake blood contains proteins that could neutralize venom from several types of snakes.
    They tested a series of toxin-blocking proteins taken from rattlesnake blood and found it was able to thwart the venom of Western diamondback rattlesnakes and several other rattlesnake species. These reptiles, which typically sport triangle-shaped heads in addition to their rattling tails, are extremely venomous.
    Although the group of toxin-blocking proteins were effective, they still had limitations. For example, none of the individual proteins on their own were enough to completely prevent death from a bite. Researchers said finding the right mixture of proteins will be an important next step.
    Available antivenoms are usually effective and save lives, but new treatments could be helpful — and ideally drive down production cost. Antivenoms can be expensive to create, and their effectiveness varies based on which snake species bit the patient.
    According to the World Health Organization, about 80,000 to 140,000 people die each year from venomous snake bites. Even more are left with permanent disabilities.
    Given that venomous snakes are known to have built-in immunity, researchers hope Mother Nature will eventually share her secrets with them.

    2 min
  • Ways to keep kids safe on Halloween

    For kids, the faux danger that lurks in the night is a big part of what makes Halloween one of the best times of the year.

    But “faux” is the key word. No one wants to see kids face real danger.
    So, let’s review some of the National Safety Council’s best tips to keep them safe, even as they roam the neighborhoods in search of a good scare. Not to mention approaching neighbors to demand candy.
    Costume safety is key. Everything needs to fit so that nothing drags on the ground. If they wear a mask when they go up to ring a neighbor’s doorbell, be sure they take it off and can see before heading to the next stop. Face makeup is a better option than a mask.
    If children will be out after dark, load them up with reflective tape, glow sticks and flashlights. Children are more than twice as likely to be hit and killed by a car on Halloween than any other night of the year, so drivers must be able to see them.
    An adult should accompany young children for trick-or-treating. Older kids can go in a group, but agree ahead of time on when they’ll come home and what route they’ll take.
    All trick-or-treaters should know never to go into a stranger’s home or car and not to eat any of their hard-earned candy until an adult has looked it over. Look to be sure no wrappers are missing, punctured or torn. Toss any that are. Be sure there’s no “adult” items like cannabidiol, or CBD products, marketed for children.
    Drivers, please beware. Slow down, don’t let yourself be distracted and stay alert for little ones who might turn up somewhere they shouldn’t be.
    And now that we are all ready: Let the tricks and treats commence.

    2 min
  • Research finds taking the stairs is a step toward a longer life

    It’s a simple choice: to take the stairs or the elevator?

    A new study from researchers in the United Kingdom might help with that decision.
    The team looked at data from about 480,000 people across nine studies. People involved in these studies, who ranged in age from 25 to 84, were evaluated for a median of 14 years.
    Researchers found that people who regularly took the stairs were 39% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease. They were also 24% less likely to die from any cause, compared with people who rarely took the stairs.
    The study was published in the American Journal of Cardiovascular Drugs.
    Researchers say cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, and a small change — like taking the stairs — can be a practical way to build one’s heart health. Brief bursts of physical activity can help one’s heart, even if it’s only a few minutes long. In short: There are things you can do to improve your health without devoting endless hours to a stair climbing machine.
    Now, one large study did suggest that climbing six flights of stairs each day gave the most benefit … but, before you start sweating, scientists noted that even one flight of steps was beneficial. Though our focus is on the heart, you stand to build a little muscle, too.
    Because climbing the stairs is a simple, flexible activity that can be incorporated into daily life, it’s a pretty good exercise option for people with limited time. It might also help those of us with limited access to exercise options like a gym or a sport. Stairs, after all, are almost everywhere.
    We’ll just take them one step at a time.

    2 min
  • Extra weight in older adults might not necessarily be bad

    Everybody knows that losing weight if you’re overweight or obese is a healthy goal.

    In older adults, however, it gets more complicated. A recent study by University of Rhode Island researchers found that older adults classified as overweight using body mass index, or BMI, faced a lower mortality risk than those of normal weight.
    Even more interesting is that they also documented that older adult men who were mildly or moderately obese also had a lower risk of dying.
    Where we carry that weight on our bodies makes a big difference. The study found that fat around the belly carried a higher risk of death. That held true even when those individuals were considered of normal, healthy weight.
    The scientists analyzed data from nearly 7,000 adults aged 65 and over between 2011 and 2024. They tracked weight and changes in participants’ body mass index and waist circumference during that time.
    The research noted that someone classified as having a normal BMI had a higher risk of death when they carried excess belly fat.
    BMI, which uses a ratio of weight to height to predict overall health, has its critics. That’s because it doesn’t reflect the difference between muscle, bone and body fat. Nor does it show where that fat is stored or reflect differences in age and sex.
    The study’s findings are more than a reflection of BMI’s weaknesses. It points to a real fact that extra weight might not be all bad in this population. Scientists believe preserved muscle and metabolic reserve play a role. That means the cells of older adults are better able to resist stress and recover faster.
    It might also be, investigators say, that folks who live that long are just hardier.

    2 min
  • Why do we overeat fatty foods? This part of the brain could be the key.

    Exercising self-restraint and eating just one potato chip is not for the faint of heart. Now, new research points to a potential scapegoat: a brain protein that might be responsible for whether people overeat fatty foods.

    The protein, called optic atrophy one, or OPA1, controls appetite — and could be responsible for regulating how appealing fatty food is to us.
    Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University in Japan tested this by giving mice unlimited access to soybean oil, as well as to standard feed. Mice without the OPA1 protein in their brains ate more oil and gained more weight.
    Eventually, they developed obesity.
    The protein is found in neurons of the hypothalamus, which is the part of the brain responsible for your body’s endocrine and nervous systems.
    Researchers also tested what happened with mice who didn’t have OPA1 when they were given an anti-obesity medication.
    They gave all the mice setmelanotide [set-mel-an-oh-tide], a prescription medication used to regulate weight in people whose obesity is affected by genetics or a hypothalamic condition.
    Both male mice in the control group and male mice without this type of protein had reduced appetites and lost weight while taking this medicine. But for female mice without the protein, researchers found there was little to no shift in appetite while on the drug.
    Scientists say this could mean a body’s appetite control isn’t only a matter of its brain physiology but also of sex differences. Takeaways like this have the potential to inform future studies on the need for personalized medicine regarding weight management. Until then, we’ll try to steer clear of foods that incur bottomless cravings.

    2 min
  • A mindfulness study lowers blood pressure in eight weeks

    Heart health is second to none. So, if there was a way to help your ticker stay its healthiest — without immediately needing to hop on a treadmill — wouldn’t you be interested?

    A group of researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign reviewed results from 18 randomized controlled trials that looked at the impacts of positive psychology and mindfulness interventions on mental or physical health. Many of them varied in the amount of time each intervention lasted, and the team wanted to understand what amount of time proved to be most beneficial for folks looking to improve their minds and their bodies.
    The programs with the most physiological benefit? Those that made frequent contact with their participants. One standout, an eight-week program on a messaging platform, paired weekly sessions with small, daily tasks that encouraged users to be physically active, improve diets and take prescribed medications.
    But the best recommendation? Researchers said improvements in blood pressure, inflammation and heart tissue function were most consistently linked with daily practice — supported by weekly sessions over eight to 12-week periods. Frequent doses of therapy were required to incite behavioral change in people and ensuing heart health benefits, but a less rigorous follow-up helped ensure those changes would be maintained.
    Researchers say the study findings further emphasize the importance of attending to both mental and behavioral health for cardiovascular disease prevention and health optimization. You just can’t have one without the other.

    2 min
  • Spontaneous versus planned laughter have distinct brain origins, study finds

    Most of us can spot a fake laugh, or come up with a good one ourselves. Now, researchers from London and Italy have discovered that different types of laughter originate from different parts of our brain.

    There are two different types of laughs: spontaneous and volitional. Spontaneous laughter is exactly what it sounds like — uncontrollable. You just can’t stop cracking up. Volitional, by contrast, is when people are speaking to each other and both start laughing — and stop — at the same time. Researchers say that points to a degree of control from the brain that is not there with uncontrollable laughter.
    Sometimes, spontaneous laughter occurs during procedures like deep brain stimulation. To better understand the brain circuitry behind it, the team analyzed reports of presurgical brain stimulation in patients with epilepsy. During these procedures, doctors typically identify brain regions to target for surgery by electrically stimulating different areas of the brain while patients are awake.
    The team found two distinct networks for each type of laugh. The spontaneous network was linked to brain regions used in motor control and emotional regulation. When these areas are stimulated, people laugh and feel euphoria. The voluntary network, by contrast, is more closely related to areas that only deal with the physical control of smiling and laughing. If you stimulate these, you get laughter without all the warm fuzzies.
    Researchers theorize these different areas had different evolutionary roots: one older, associated with preventing aggression and fostering social bonding, and another for purpose-driven laughter amid conversation.
    Perhaps it really is a laughing matter after all.

    2 min
  • Women taking estrogen had fewer signs of Alzheimer’s

    Over the decades, women have had an on-again, off-again relationship with hormone replacement therapy since it arrived on the healthcare scene in the 1800s.

    In a nutshell, hormone replacement therapy is meant to replace the estrogen a woman’s body produces less of after menopause.
    Now, a research study from Stanford University has found that women who used hormone therapy later in life had lower risk of developing dementia.
    Researchers stressed their findings only show an association, not proof, that taking estrogen can help prevent dementia.
    Their study examined data from more than 21,000 women, both hormone therapy users and non-users. Among those who used it, 18% showed no signs of Alzheimer’s disease at autopsy, compared with 10% of women who did not.
    After accounting for age, education, genetics, race and hypertension, hormone therapy was associated with 35% lower odds of showing signs of Alzheimer’s disease at autopsy.
    The new research adds another twist in a long, strange history of trying to treat menopause symptoms, which can include hot flashes, fatigue, insomnia, brain fog and painful sex.
    The first treatments injected women with ovarian tissue from cows. Near the turn of that century, there was an option made from powdered cow ovaries.
    By 1941, the aptly named treatment called Premarin used urine from pregnant mares.
    Hormone replacement therapy’s popularity blossomed through the ’60s and ’70s until worries about endometrial cancer risk dampened enthusiasm.
    It bounced back in the 1980s and 1990s, until a 2002 study suggested it might increase cancer risk. Later studies contradicted it.
    Since 2023, the therapy has once again enjoyed a resurgence.

    2 min

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