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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.

  1. Health & Medicine

    Peptides are unproven as health aids. FDA may unleash them anyway

    Rather than reining in the compounds, the FDA may be poised to broaden access, perhapas even adding peptides to supplements. Experts say “buyer beware.”

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  2. Health & Medicine

    Can AI help doctors avoid missed diagnoses? A new study suggests yes

    AI may help doctors avoid missed diagnoses, but it still needs real-world testing and human oversight before it can guide patient care.

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  3. Health & Medicine

    Prenatal surgery for spina bifida may get a boost from stem cells

    A clinical trial for spina bifida treatment suggests that a surgical approach relying on stem cells is safe for patients. Its efficacy is still being evaluated.

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  4. Health & Medicine

    This dangerous pregnancy complication is common. A new treatment might help

    Preeclampsia complicates 3 to 8 percent of pregnancies. In a recent trial, a blood filter lowered blood pressure and helped prolong some pregnancies.

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  5. Neuroscience

    Imagination is not just replaying what we see and hear

    The findings differ from prior work, showing it's tough to disentangle how similarly our brains register imagined thoughts and real sensations.

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  6. Health & Medicine

    An experimental new drug for stiff person syndrome restores mobility

    CAR T cell therapy wipes out rogue antibodies' source and improves walking speed in people with the same autoimmune disorder that affects Celine Dion.

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  7. Health & Medicine

    Suicide deaths in U.S. teens and young adults fell after 988 launch

    Suicide is a top cause of death for teens and young adults. A study finds a link between the 988 Lifeline and a drop in their suicide mortality.

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  8. Microbes

    How climate change may increase antibiotic resistance

    Rising heat and drought may spur bacteria to exchange antibiotic resistance genes, with potential risks to human health.

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  9. Health & Medicine

    Beyond Inheritance offers a new view of mutations

    In her debut book, science writer Roxanne Khamsi offers a new view of mutations that’s not limited to birth and death.

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  10. Health & Medicine

    Increasing heat can boost malnutrition among children

    In a study of 6.5 million children in Brazil, higher temperatures were associated with worse nutrition outcomes, especially in vulnerable groups.

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  11. Health & Medicine

    A vaccine for Lyme disease could be on the horizon

    The vaccine candidate is the furthest any shot has gotten since the last one was pulled in 2002. Scientists are testing other ways to block infection.

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  12. Anthropology

    How to invent a realistic language for fictional speakers

    Linguists can mix, match or even break the rules of real-world languages to create interesting imaginary ones.

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