THE MEDICAL NEWS

The federal policy requiring states to keep Medicaid beneficiaries enrolled during the COVID-19 pandemic extended postpartum Medicaid coverage nationwide and sharply increased the number of individuals remaining insured after childbirth, according to a Rutgers Health researcher.

A new randomized clinical trial found that men with localized, intermediate‑risk prostate cancer recovered faster and experienced less short‑term impact on their daily lives when treated with MRI‑guided, transurethral ultrasound ablation (TULSA) compared with robotic prostate surgery.

This review examines how next-generation protein sequencing and analysis technologies are expanding proteomics beyond the limits of mass spectrometry, especially for detecting proteoforms and analyzing proteins at single-molecule resolution. It highlights maturing fluorescence-based and nanopore-based platforms that could complement existing methods and deepen insight into protein sequence, struc…

A cross-sectional study of 232 young adults in Bangkok found that e-cigarette users were more likely than non-smokers to screen as at risk for cognitive impairment on the MoCA, while no significant differences were seen for ADHD symptom tendency or emotional intelligence. The authors say the findings raise neurocognitive concerns but do not prove causation, and they call for longitudinal research…

A randomized cross-over pilot study in 10 amateur male triathletes found that a beetroot-based multi-ingredient nitrate supplement increased nitric oxide-related and redox biomarkers over 7 days without evidence of lipid oxidative damage. The supplement was generally well tolerated, but the study did not measure whether these biochemical changes improved performance or recovery.

A 12-week single-blind trial in 38 Japanese adults found that daily Fuji apple intake did not significantly change overall host metabolic markers, but responses differed by baseline gut enterotype. Participants in the Bacteroidaceae-dominant enterotype showed significant increases in fecal short-chain fatty acids after apple consumption, suggesting that gut microbiota structure may shape function…

A mouse study in Frontiers in Nutrition found that parental sucralose and stevia intake altered gut microbiota, short-chain fatty acids, and gene expression across generations, with sucralose showing the stronger and more persistent effects. The changes were transmitted to offspring not directly exposed to the sweeteners, although several effects were attenuated by the F2 generation.