Anfal Arshad

Open Evidence is a brilliant brilliant resource for healthcare professionals, would've saved me hours and hours of deep digging if I had access to it in med school.

I tell my grad students that the greatest skill they have is to continue to learn by themselves after they have left grad school. Most of the things I have used in my life are things that were invented after I left graduate school and had to keep learning just to keep up with the field.”- Louis Brus

We’re all trapped by our educational backgrounds. You come out of school knowing a certain field but you don’t know about any other fields of science. That limits what you can do for sure. The way to combat this is to every day learn something new.

A black and white photo of two young boys. One is covered in the tell-tale pustules of smallpox while the other boy is not. This photo is courtesy of the Dr. Jenner House Museum.

Photo of two boys - one vaccinated against smallpox, the other not - published in 1901 by Dr. Allan Warner.

Smallpox killed over half a billion people in the 20th century alone. On 8 May 1980, the WHO announced its eradication, which was achieved through #vaccines, surveillance, and containment.

I understand what you're saying, but this is a meta analysis in which they've tried to understand the studies with diabetic mothers, I'm sure there are several other studies in which exclusively parents were tested for these symptoms too.

The primary exposure of interest was maternal diabetes, not maternal ADHD. Some studies included in the meta-analysis adjusted for parental ADHD , but this was not a universal adjustment across these studies.

The association between maternal diabetes and the risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in offspring: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis - European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Mixed results have been reported regarding the link between different types of maternal diabetes and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in offspring. Hence, we conducted a systematic revi...

Intriguing findings: Maternal diabetes (GDM, T1DM, T2DM) is linked to an increased risk of ADHD in offspring. Metabolic, inflammatory, or epigenetic factors could be driving this?

A contemporary, neuroscientifically informed understanding of psychiatric issues empowers clinicians to communicate more effectively and empathetically with patients, fostering a deeper understanding of their conditions and available treatments, promoting greater patient agency and improved outcomes

Quick reminder that if you see a headline from a source you’ve never heard of that isn’t being reported by anyone else, you really should do some due diligence before spreading it around as fact. There’s enough misinformation floating around already; no need to add more.

You're welcome.

Delusional Themes are More Varied Than Previously Assumed: A Comprehensive Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis AbstractBackground and Hypothesis. Delusions are classified into themes but the range of themes reported in the literature has never been examined and the

Just read a fascinating metaanalysis on delusional themes in psychosis turns out they're way more varied than we thought! Persecutory delusions are most common, but 37 themes were identified, many missing from standard scales Cultural influences matter too Thoughts?
academic.oup.com/schizophreni...

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Global Warming Has Accelerated: An Intimate Conversation with Leading Climate Scientists. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joi... Join the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) for an engaging discussion on groundbreaking research that reveals the unexpected drivers behind the recent unprecedented rise in global te...

us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
this virtual event will explore Dr. James Hansen and colleagues' findings in the latest publication, “Global Warming Has Accelerated,” their implications for climate sensitivity, and the urgent need for alternative approaches to mitigate the effects.

Global health is not a luxury, it’s a shared responsibility.

Five years ago, we lost a legend.

Mamba Forever 💛💜

In 1999, Fernanda Montenegro made history as the first Brazilian and Latin American actress to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.

26 years later her daughter, Fernanda Torres, follows in her footsteps, becoming the second Brazilian to be nominated for Best Actress at the #Oscars.

WHO comments on United States announcement of intent to withdraw The World Health Organization regrets the announcement that the United States of America intends to withdraw from the Organization. WHO plays a crucial role in protecting the health and security of the world’s people, including Americans, by addressing the root causes of disease, building stronger health systems, and detecting, preventing and responding to health emergencies, including disease outbreaks, often in dangerous places where others cannot go. The United States was a founding member of WHO in 1948 and has participated in shaping and governing WHO’s work ever since, alongside 193 other Member States, including through its active participation in the World Health Assembly and Executive Board. For over seven decades, WHO and the USA have saved countless lives and protected Americans and all people from health threats. Together, we ended smallpox, and together we have brought polio to the brink of eradication. American institutions have contributed to and benefited from membership in WHO. With the participation of the United States and other Member States, WHO has over the past 7 years implemented the largest set of reforms in its history, to transform our accountability, cost-effectiveness, and impact in countries. This work continues. We hope the United States will reconsider and we look forward to engaging in constructive dialogue to maintain the partnership between the USA and WHO, for the benefit of the health and well-being of millions of people around the globe.

WHO comments on United States announcement of intent to withdraw bit.ly/4hrbeJ7

Climate changes and microbes don't respect borders, the weakest chain in the link makes the whole chain weak.

Again, the World Health Organization is the single most important global entity in preventing, tracking and controlling outbreaks, epidemics and pandemics and is especially important as climate change and deforestation allow pathogens to mutate, become more infectious and spread to new regions

David Lynch gave us the language we needed to better articulate the indescribable strangeness of our shared reality. “Lynchian” is so overused because it’s a viscerally understandable word without any known synonyms. I can’t imagine a more beautiful artistic legacy than that.

If you don’t have a local library card, it should be your New Year’s resolution to get one. It’s an easy resolution to keep and you’ll actually use it, trust me.

Caitlin Hale and Angelo Massagli in 2003

Caitlin Hale and Angelo Massagli this year, now adults, on their wedding day

And now some nice news 🎸🎤🎶

These two kids from School of Rock (now both 33) just got married:

All I want is a cottage in the Scottish Highlands, a freshly-fallen snow, a crackling fire, a riveting mystery novel, a kettle on the stove, and a healthy supply of emotional support scones.

Reshaping the Depressed Brain: A Focus on Synaptic Health

Emily Dickinson described it as a funeral in her brain and Andrew Solomon described it as not the opposite of happiness, but as the loss of vitality. Metaphors lend clinicians and loved ones a glimpse into the experience of depression.

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...

A useful feature they could add to bluesky is labels to clarify if someone in your feed is going through a personal crisis or live reacting to football

New genetic research suggests a link between autism in males and variations in the DDX53 gene on the X chromosome. This finding offers crucial clues about why autism is more common in males.
www.cell.com/ajhg/abstrac...

It also makes it harder for them to ban books.

A wise wizard once said: “Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”

I'm excited to share another project we've been working on: The Transmitter's first book, which includes some of our favorite essays from our first ~9 months. Download a copy here: www.thetransmitter.org/transmitter-...

A painting depicting a nude man, his back is arched and his fists are clenched. He stares up at the ceiling.

Medical historian here to remind you of the benefits of
#vaccines!

This is the final stage of tetanus when nerves fire continuously & body contorts into agonizing posture known as opisthotonus. The mastication muscles clamp down to form the hallmark lockjaw.

A vaccine didn't appear until 1924.