Blog

  • Curling: Pre-Olympic Qualification Event 2025 Day Two

    Curling: Pre-Olympic Qualification Event 2025 Day Two

    Just three teams remain undefeated after a second day of curling wrapped up at the Pre-Olympic Qualification Event 2025 in Aberdeen, Scotland, on Wednesday (8 October).

    Germany’s women, led by skip Kim Sutor, banked back-to-back wins over Mexico…

    Continue Reading

  • Prenatal rilpivirine may be safe in HIV-positive pregnancies

    Prenatal rilpivirine may be safe in HIV-positive pregnancies

    Among pregnant women with HIV infection, oral rilpivirine-based antiretroviral regimens were associated with similar rates of adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes as nonrilpivirine regimens. The prevalence of overall birth defects was lower in the rilpivirine group and did not vary by timing of exposure.

    METHODOLOGY:

    • Researchers analyzed data from the Antiretroviral Pregnancy Registry to compare adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes among pregnant women with HIV infection who received oral rilpivirine-containing antiretroviral regimens and those who did not.
    • They analyzed 4617 pregnancies from the US between 2011 to 2023 (median maternal age, 29 years); 781 received oral tablets or oral fixed-dose combinations of rilpivirine, and 3836 received regimens without rilpivirine.
    • Outcomes included reported stillbirth, induced abortion, and live birth outcomes such as low birth weight (< 2500 g), very low birth weight (< 1500 g), premature birth (< 37 weeks’ gestation), and birth defects.

    TAKEAWAY:

    • The oral rilpivirine and nonrilpivirine groups had similar prevalence for induced abortion (age-adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR], 1.1), stillbirth (aPR, 0.6), premature birth (aPR, 0.8), and very low birth weight (aPR, 0.7; P > .05 for all).
    • The prevalence of overall birth defects was lower in the oral rilpivirine group than in the nonrilpivirine group (aPR, 0.4; P = .0054). Similarly, rates of low birth weight were significantly lower in the oral rilpivirine group (aPR, 0.7; P = .0046).
    • No significant difference was observed in the prevalence of overall birth defects between offspring of women exposed to oral rilpivirine in the first trimester and offspring of women exposed in the second and/or third trimester.

    IN PRACTICE:

    “These findings on the safety of oral RPV [rilpivirine]-containing ARV [antiretroviral] regimens in pregnant women and their offspring are reassuring for patients and HCPs [healthcare providers] and further support the use of oral RPV as per the current guidelines for the treatment of HIV infection during pregnancy,” the authors wrote.

    SOURCE:

    This study was led by William R. Short, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. It was published online on September 11, 2025, in HIV Medicine.

    LIMITATIONS:

    The registry relied on voluntary reports of cases from healthcare providers, which may have led to differential reporting. It was primarily designed to detect teratogenic effects, limiting the robustness of data on pregnancy outcomes. Enrollment of women after negative prenatal testing could have lowered the observed prevalence of birth defects. Moreover, this study could not distinguish the individual effects of other antiretroviral drugs on birth outcomes.

    DISCLOSURES:

    This study was supported byJohnson & Johnson. Six authors reported being employees of the funder and disclosed that they may be holding company stock or stock options. Other authors disclosed receiving consultancy fees or honoraria or having other financial ties with pharmaceutical companies.

    By Devyani Gholap

     

    Continue Reading

  • Trump says Israel and Hamas ‘both sign off’ on first phase of Gaza peace plan

    Trump says Israel and Hamas ‘both sign off’ on first phase of Gaza peace plan

    Rubio passes Trump a note on ‘very close’ dealpublished at 23:45 BST

    Bernd Debusmann Jr
    Reporting from the White House

    Marco Rubio and Donald TrumpImage source, Getty Images

    The first inkling that there was some movement on the Gaza deal tonight came earlier…

    Continue Reading

  • Scientists finally reveal what’s behind long COVID’s mysterious brain fog | The Transmission

    Scientists finally reveal what’s behind long COVID’s mysterious brain fog | The Transmission

    Sci Tech Daily Japanese researchers uncover the molecular signature of Long COVID brain fog, a breakthrough that could bring real treatments closer than ever. Researchers in Japan have pinpointed…

    Continue Reading

  • Olivia Reeves shocks herself to win 77kg gold

    Olivia Reeves shocks herself to win 77kg gold

    The United States of America’s Olivia Reeves shocked the weightlifting world on Wednesday (8 October), lifting a whopping 278kg to claim the women’s 77kg world title at the 2025 IWF World Weightlifting Championships in Førde, Norway.

    Reeves,…

    Continue Reading

  • Only a Few Hours Left to Score the 2025 Moto G Power for a Record-Low $200

    Only a Few Hours Left to Score the 2025 Moto G Power for a Record-Low $200

    You’ve probably been hearing a lot of talk about the iPhone 17, which hit shelves last month. But not everyone wants to spend $800 (or substantially more) on the latest Apple phone. Motorola has some great options for those looking for a more

    Continue Reading

  • Successful Treatment of Pericardial Drainage and Platinum-Based Chemotherapy in a Case of BRCA-Positive Serous Peritoneal Carcinoma Complicated by Cardiac Tamponade

    Successful Treatment of Pericardial Drainage and Platinum-Based Chemotherapy in a Case of BRCA-Positive Serous Peritoneal Carcinoma Complicated by Cardiac Tamponade

    Continue Reading

  • Ebola Outbreak, Kasai Province, DRC – Situation Report #4 | The Transmission

    Ebola Outbreak, Kasai Province, DRC – Situation Report #4 | The Transmission

    Relief Web

    Download Full Report

    FACTS

    • On September 4, the DRC Ministry of Health officially declared an outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in the Bulape and Mweka health zones in Kasai province. Since then, the virus has spread…

    Continue Reading

  • Work begins on new £16m Stirling Studios project

    Work begins on new £16m Stirling Studios project

    Stirling Council An aerial view of a former military base, with a large flat-roofed building in the foreground.Stirling Council

    Work on the studio complex is expected to be completed in March next year

    Work is under way on a £16m project to transform former Ministry of Defence (MoD) land in Stirling into one of Scotland’s largest film production sites.

    Continue Reading

  • All the Key Hotels in Japan

    All the Key Hotels in Japan

    On October 8, 2025, the MICHELIN Guide revealed the brand new One, Two, and Three Key distinctions for the most outstanding hotels in Japan.

    The MICHELIN Guide now includes over 7,000 hotels across the world, and not a single one is…

    Continue Reading