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  • The association between neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, red blood cell distribution width, and physical function in elderly non-dialysis patients with chronic kidney disease | BMC Geriatrics

    The association between neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, red blood cell distribution width, and physical function in elderly non-dialysis patients with chronic kidney disease | BMC Geriatrics

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  • Berkshire Hathaway BRK earnings Q2 2025

    Berkshire Hathaway BRK earnings Q2 2025

    Warren Buffett speaks during the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholders Meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, on May 3, 2025.

    CNBC

    Berkshire Hathaway on Saturday reported a small decline in second-quarter operating earnings as Warren Buffett’s conglomerate warns of negative impacts from steep U.S. tariffs.

    Berkshire’s operating profit — those from the company’s wholly owned businesses including insurance and railroads — dipped 4% year over year to $11.16 billion in the second quarter. The results were impacted by a decline in insurance underwriting, while railroad, energy, manufacturing, service and retailing all saw higher profits from a year ago.

    The Omaha-based conglomerate once again issued a stern warning of President Donald Trump’s tariffs and the potential impact on its various businesses.

    “The pace of changes in these events, including tensions from developing international trade policies and tariffs, accelerated through the first six months of 2025,” Berkshire said in its earnings report. “Considerable uncertainty remains as to the ultimate outcome of these events.”

    “It is reasonably possible there could be adverse consequences on most, if not all, of our operating businesses, as well as on our investments in equity securities, which could significantly affect our future results,” it said.

    Buffett’s cash hoard fell slightly to $344.1 billion, from the $347 billion level at the end of March.

    The conglomerate didn’t repurchase any stock in the first half of 2025 even as shares declined more than 10% from a record high.

    In May, the 94-year-old “Oracle of Omaha” announced that he’s stepping down as CEO at the end of 2025 after experiencing the physical effects of aging. Greg Abel, Berkshire’s vice-chairman of non-insurance operations, is set to take over as CEO, while Buffett will remain as chairman of Berkshire’s board.

    This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.

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  • Deep heat zone may be lifting the Appalachian Mountains

    Deep heat zone may be lifting the Appalachian Mountains

    A massive pocket of unusually hot rock buried deep under the Appalachian Mountains might be a lingering echo of ancient tectonic shifts that split Greenland from North America 80 million years ago.

    This strange heat zone – known as the Northern Appalachian Anomaly (NAA) – sits about 200 kilometers beneath New England.


    For a long time, scientists thought it was a remnant from when North America tore away from Northwest Africa around 180 million years ago.

    But new research from scientists at the University of Southampton, the Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences in Germany, and the University of Florence in Italy points to a different story.

    Appalachian Mountains are still rising

    The Northern Appalachian Anomaly spans about 350 kilometers and is hotter than the surrounding mantle. But it likely didn’t form where it is today.

    According to the researchers, this zone of heat may have originated over 1,800 kilometers away, near the Labrador Sea – between Greenland and Canada – when those landmasses began to split apart between 90 and 80 million years ago.

    Since then, the anomaly has likely crept southwest across the base of the North American continent, traveling at roughly 20 kilometers per million years.

    “This thermal upwelling has long been a puzzling feature of North American geology,” said Professor Tom Gernon from the University of Southampton.

    “It lies beneath part of the continent that’s been tectonically quiet for 180 million years, so the idea it was just a leftover from when the landmass broke apart never quite stacked up.”

    Heat helps the Appalachians rise

    According to Professor Gernon, the team’s research suggests the heat zone is part of a much larger, slow-moving process deep underground that could potentially help explain why mountain ranges like the Appalachians are still standing.

    “Heat at the base of a continent can weaken and remove part of its dense root, making the continent lighter and more buoyant, like a hot air balloon rising after dropping its ballast.”

    “This would have caused the ancient mountains to be further uplifted over the past few million years.”

    How heat moves under continents

    The researchers used seismic imaging, geodynamic simulations, and tectonic plate reconstructions to understand how the anomaly formed and where it came from.

    The team’s work leans on a recent theory they’ve proposed, known as “mantle wave” theory. It describes how pieces of hot, dense rock peel away from the base of tectonic plates and migrate slowly under continents – similar to blobs floating in a lava lamp.

    The slow, deep movements can have surprising effects at the surface, from creating areas of uplift to triggering rare volcanic activity.

    Heat beneath the Appalachians is moving

    “These convective instabilities cause chunks of rock, several tens of kilometers thick, to slowly sink from the base of the Earth’s outer layer known as the lithosphere,” said Professor Sascha Brune of the Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences.

    “As the lithosphere thins, hotter mantle material rises to take its place, creating a warm region known as a thermal anomaly.”

    “Our earlier research shows that these ‘drips’ of rock can form in series, like domino stones when they fall one after the other, and sequentially migrate over time. The feature we see beneath New England is very likely one of these drips, which originated far from where it now sits.”

    If their model is correct, the Northern Appalachian Anomaly will likely continue its slow southwestward journey. In about 15 million years, it may sit directly beneath the New York region. Its current size and depth match what models predict for these types of migrating thermal zones.

    A mirror beneath Greenland

    Interestingly, the team believes a similar heat anomaly exists beneath north-central Greenland – likely formed at the same time, on the opposite side of the Labrador Sea, when the landmasses split.

    Beneath Greenland, this heat zone affects how the ice sheet above moves and melts. “Ancient heat anomalies continue to play a key role in shaping the dynamics of continental ice sheets from below,” said Professor Gernon.

    According to Dr. Derek Keir, a co-author from the University of Southampton, the idea that rifting of continents can cause drips and cells of circulating hot rock at depth that spread thousands of kilometers inland makes us rethink what we know about the edges of continents both today and in Earth’s deep past.

    Deep Earth forces remain active

    The findings add to a growing body of evidence showing that deep Earth processes can stay active long after surface plate movements have stopped.

    Even places like the Appalachians -geologically quiet for millions of years – are still shaped by what’s happening far below.

    “Even though the surface shows little sign of ongoing tectonics, deep below, the consequences of ancient rifting are still playing out,” said Professor Gernon. “The legacy of continental breakup on other parts of the Earth system may well be far more pervasive and long-lived than we previously realised.”

    The full study was published in the journal Geology.

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  • F1- Piastri takes top spot in final practice at Hungaroring ahead of Norris and Leclerc

    F1- Piastri takes top spot in final practice at Hungaroring ahead of Norris and Leclerc

    F1- Piastri takes top spot in final practice at Hungaroring ahead of Norris and Leclerc

    McLaren’s Oscar Piastri beat title rival Lando Norris to top spot in the final practice session for the Hungarian Grand Prix, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc third almost four tenths of a second adrift of top spot. 

    The session got off to a slow start but after 10 minutes, Alpine’s Franco Colapinto posted the first lap of the morning with a lap of 1:18.006. Yuki Tsunoda eased past that with a time Medium-tyre time of 1:17.022 and as the track began to come towards drivers, the Japanese driver’s Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen moved to the top of the order with a time of 1:16.547 set on Softs tyres. Leclerc’ then bypassed that time with a lap of 1:16.406 before George Russell went 0.094s faster. Piastri was on track on the red-banded tyres, however, and the Australian stopped the clock at 1:16.240 to move to P1. 

    Verstappen then went for a second attempt and went clear in P1 with a lap of 1:16.202. Leclerc looked set to beat that time by a margin but an error at Turn 12 cost the Ferrari driver. However, despite dipping a wheel off track he still moved ahead of the Dutchman by 0.065s. Piastri had an answer to that, however, and he moved ahead on 1:15.871. 

    With 15 minutes left in the session, Piastri went out on fresh Softs for a final attempt, and showing blistering pace, he posted a lap of 1:14.916 to go almost 0.8s clear of the next fastest time, which had just been posted by Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton. Norris then posted his lap of 1:14.948 to take P2 just three hundredths of a second off his team-mate. 

    Leclerc was the only driver to manage to close the huge gap to the McLarens and his 1:15.315 left him 0.4s off the pace. 

    Behind them, Hamilton held on to fourth 0.768 off Piastri, while Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli took fifth with his final flyer of 1:15.745.

    Fernando Alonso was sixth for Aston ahead of team-mate Lance Stroll and the second Mercedes of George Russell and the top 10 order was rounded out by the Kick Sauber pair of Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hülkenberg. 

    Oliver Bearman was 11th for Haas and Verstappen could only manage 12th as Red Bull continued to struggle. 

    2025 FIA Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix – Free Practice 3
    1 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1:14.916 17 210.523
    2 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1:14.948 0.032 20 210.433
    3 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:15.315 0.399 17 209.408
    4 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 1:15.684 0.768 18 208.387
    5 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 1:15.745 0.829 18 208.219
    6 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:15.794 0.878 18 208.085
    7 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:15.828 0.912 21 207.991
    8 George Russell Mercedes 1:15.840 0.924 17 207.958
    9 Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber/Ferrari 1:15.978 1.062 19 207.581
    10 Nico Hülkenberg Sauber/Ferrari 1:16.025 1.109 21 207.452
    11 Oliver Bearman Haas/Ferrari 1:16.127 1.211 17 207.174
    12 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:16.162 1.246 19 207.079
    13 Franco Colapinto Alpine/Renault 1:16.247 1.331 21 206.848
    14 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT 1:16.371 1.455 21 206.512
    15 Carlos Sainz Williams/Mercedes 1:16.442 1.526 19 206.321
    16 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1:16.530 1.614 20 206.083
    17 Esteban Ocon Haas/Ferrari 1:16.531 1.615 18 206.081
    18 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 1:16.570 1.654 22 205.976
    19 Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:16.878 1.962 19 205.151
    20 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT 1:16.956 2.040 18 204.943

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  • Amazon Sale 2025 offers: Up to 80% off on home gym essentials like treadmills, kettlebells, yoga mats, and more | Health

    Amazon Sale 2025 offers: Up to 80% off on home gym essentials like treadmills, kettlebells, yoga mats, and more | Health

    If you are setting up a home gym or simply trying to stay fit without stepping outside, there is no better time than now, especially with the Amazon Great Freedom Sale 2025 in full swing. Investing in the right equipment can transform your fitness journey, but that shouldn’t leave you broke, right? To help you grab the best deals and biggest discounts, we have curated a list of top-quality gym gear that can help you stay consistent, save time, and work out comfortably at home. Whether you are into cardio, strength training, or yoga, check out the Amazon Great India Freedom Sale 2025 for gym equipment to suit all fitness levels.

    Find the best fitness equipment to work out at home. Image courtesy: Adobe Stock.

    Amazon Great Freedom Sale 2025: Enjoy huge discounts on the best home gym equipment

    During the Amazon Great Freedom Festival Sale 2025, enjoy massive discounts on top fitness equipment, from treadmills to dumbbells, and build your dream home gym without breaking the bank:

    This treadmill is the perfect fit for working out in the comfort of your home, offering a 4 HP peak DC motor that’s both powerful and quiet. It supports users up to 110 kg and allows a running speed between 0.8 to 12 km/h. Ideal for beginners and intermediate runners, it comes with 12 preset workout programs, making cardio diverse and goal-oriented. Its wide 110 x 40 cm running belt comes with a 6-layer anti-skid surface and shock-absorbing elastomers that reduce impact on joints, making it knee-friendly. Bluetooth connectivity and built-in stereo speakers let you stream music directly, creating a motivating workout environment. What’s more? It is foldable, saving up to 70% space, and comes with free installation and a 2-year motor warranty.

    If you are looking for something more advanced, the Cockatoo A6 is a beast with a 6 HP peak motor and auto incline up to 15%. This treadmill supports users up to 130 kg, making it suitable for both walking and high-intensity running. What makes this treadmill stand out is its wide running belt, comfortable cushioning, and bluetooth-enabled connectivity (via the SPAX app). With 12 preset programs, a 5 LCD display, and MP3 support, it is one of the best treadmills under the Amazon Great Freedom Festival Sale 2025. Foldable and portable, it’s perfect for small spaces too.

    For those looking to improve cardiovascular health and burn calories with low impact, the SPARNOD SAB-05 air bike is a fantastic choice. It combines upper and lower body workouts using dual-action handlebars, perfect for a full-body calorie burn. The adjustable resistance allows for variable intensity, making it suitable for users at different fitness levels. It is compact, supports up to 100 kg, and comes with a cushioned backrest, offering comfort during long sessions. Best of all, it is joint-friendly and burns up to four times more calories than walking, making it one of the best at-home gym options during the Amazon Great Freedom Festival Sale 2025.

    Every home gym needs a solid set of dumbbells, and these Symactive Neoprene Coated Fixed Dumbbells (2kg x 2) are ideal for beginners and intermediate users. Made from sturdy cast iron and coated with soft-touch neoprene, these dumbbells are not only durable but also floor-friendly, preventing scratches or damage to your tiles. Weighing just 2 kg each, they are perfect for toning exercises targeting your arms, shoulders, core, and back. Ideal for beginners and intermediate users alike, these dumbbells are also odour-resistant, making them a clean and convenient option for daily use.

    If you are looking to expand your weight training arsenal, this 16 kg set from Kore includes a curl bar, dumbbell rods, and accessories. It is great for those serious about building strength at home, and you will find it huge discount in the Amazon Great Freedom Festival Sale 2025. The variety in weights and tools allows you to perform compound and isolation movements efficiently. Plus, its space-saving design and budget-friendly pricing make it ideal for home users looking for a complete kit without breaking the bank.

    Resistance bands are a must-have for functional fitness, rehab, and toning. This Fashnex set comes with 5 stackable bands (up to 100 lbs), foam handles, ankle straps, and a door anchor, allowing over 50+ exercises. Perfect for stretching, pilates, strength training, or warm-ups, these bands are portable and easy to use. Whether you are a beginner or travel often, resistance bands offer an effective solution for maintaining muscle tone and flexibility anywhere.

    Want to burn more calories during your workout? The Boldfit Sweat Slim Belt uses neoprene material to increase core temperature, encouraging sweat and aiding in waist trimming. While it is not a substitute for exercise or diet, it enhances calorie burn when combined with workouts. It also provides lower back support, helps correct posture, and is adjustable to fit various body sizes. It is perfect for high-intensity training, home workouts, and yoga.

    A good yoga mat is essential for both stretching and strength training. This extra-thick 8mm NBR yoga mat from Boldfit provides cushioning to your joints during floor exercises. It is sweat-resistant, anti-slip, and comes with a carrying strap for portability. Whether you are into yoga, pilates, or core training, the mat ensures a comfortable and stable surface. Its durability and easy-to-clean material make it a long-lasting investment for your wellness routine.

    If you are looking to improve posture, balance, and core strength, this unique peanut-shaped gym ball is worth exploring. Its anti-burst, anti-slip design is ideal for rehab exercises, pregnancy workouts, and spine alignment. Thanks to its enhanced stability, it is safer for those who find traditional round balls too unstable. It can be used at home, in the office as an office ball chair, or at the gym.

    Beginners often struggle with flexibility during yoga. These high-density EVA foam blocks and straps help bridge the gap between your body and the floor. They offer stability and support, allowing you to safely hold poses longer. Use them for meditation postures, stretches, or balance drills. Their lightweight and sturdy design makes them excellent tools to deepen your practice, prevent injury, and improve flexibility.

    Do not miss these limited-time deals!

    Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

    • Are these products suitable for beginners?

      Yes, the curated list includes beginner-friendly options like lightweight dumbbells, yoga blocks, and resistance bands. Equipment like the Lifelong treadmill and Boldfit yoga mat is also safe for beginners.

    • Can I return or replace gym equipment bought during the sale?

      Amazon’s return policies typically apply during the sale, but this varies by seller and product category. Check the returns section on the product listing before purchasing.

    • Are there EMI or no-cost EMI options available?

      Yes, Amazon usually offers EMI and no-cost EMI on fitness products during sales. Look for the EMI options on the product page or at checkout.

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  • This Bizarre Blazar May Hide The Most Powerful Black Hole Duo Ever Found

    This Bizarre Blazar May Hide The Most Powerful Black Hole Duo Ever Found

    A team of astronomers has captured the most detailed image yet of a powerful jet blasting out from the supermassive black hole at the heart of blazar OJ 287, and what they found is extraordinary. The jet is severely bent, revealing compelling evidence that this object, located about four billion light-years away, could be part of the most extreme binary black hole system ever detected.

    A Blazar Unlike Any Other

    A blazar is a type of quasar viewed almost directly along its jet, making it appear brighter than most other cosmic objects. Quasars themselves are the luminous cores of galaxies, where supermassive black holes feed on vast amounts of surrounding matter. This matter forms an accretion disk so dense and hot that it shines across the universe, while magnetic fields channel charged particles into jets traveling at nearly the speed of light.

    OJ 287, however, defies expectations. Astronomers have been monitoring its fluctuating brightness for around 150 years, uncovering two distinct cycles: one lasting roughly 60 years and another repeating every 12 years. Scientists believe the shorter cycle is caused by a second black hole, roughly 150 million times the mass of the sun, orbiting an even larger primary black hole estimated to weigh in at a staggering 18.35 billion solar masses.

    Every 12 years, the smaller black hole plunges through the accretion disk of its massive companion. This dramatic interaction briefly transforms OJ 287 into a double quasar, as the secondary black hole forms its own temporary accretion disk and jet.

    The Bent Jet and What it Reveals

    The most recent breakthrough came through an unprecedented radio observation of OJ 287, carried out by a network of telescopes including the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) in the United States and the Russian RadioAstron satellite. By linking these instruments between 2014 and 2017, astronomers effectively created a virtual telescope five times the diameter of Earth, allowing them to resolve a region just one-third of a light-year across.

    The resulting image revealed that the jet is not straight but bent at three distinct points. According to lead researcher Efthalia Traianou of Heidelberg University, “We have never before observed a structure in the OJ 287 galaxy at the level of details seen in the new image.” The team also discovered that the jet’s orientation shifts by about 30 degrees close to its origin, likely due to the gravitational influence of the second black hole.

    This gravitational tug could explain the jet’s unusual precession and even its violent outbursts. A shock wave detected within the jet was found to emit an intense stream of gamma rays, recorded by NASA’s Fermi Space Telescope and the Swift mission. Some portions of the jet appear to radiate at an astonishing 10 trillion degrees Celsius, although scientists attribute this to relativistic beaming, where objects moving near light speed appear far brighter and hotter from our vantage point.

    A Gateway To Gravitational Wave Research

    As Traianou explained, “Its special properties make the galaxy an ideal candidate for further research into merging black holes and the associated gravitational waves.” While the two massive black holes in OJ 287 are expected to merge eventually, the event is not imminent.

    In the meantime, their slow inspiral is likely generating faint, long-wavelength gravitational waves that are beyond the reach of current detectors. Instead, astronomers are turning to pulsar timing arrays, which monitor the precise radio signals of pulsars to detect tiny disturbances caused by passing gravitational waves.

    The European Space Agency’s Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA), expected to launch in the mid-2030s, could enable scientists to directly detect the merger of supermassive black holes such as those in OJ 287.

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  • The chemosensory world of mosquitoes: olfactory receptors and their role in blocking mosquito-borne disease transmission | Parasites & Vectors

    The chemosensory world of mosquitoes: olfactory receptors and their role in blocking mosquito-borne disease transmission | Parasites & Vectors

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  • Intermittent preventive treatment, malaria, HIV, hepatitis and pregnancy outcomes in Nigerian women: a cross-sectional study in two healthcare facilities | BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

    Intermittent preventive treatment, malaria, HIV, hepatitis and pregnancy outcomes in Nigerian women: a cross-sectional study in two healthcare facilities | BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

    Malaria during pregnancy poses significant risks to both maternal and foetal health, including increased risks of maternal anaemia, preterm delivery, and low birth weight. Malaria even in mild to moderate parasitaemia leads to alteration in immune and haematological indices (Chukwuanukwu et al., 2025, new [18]). In Nigeria, where malaria is endemic, IPTp has been widely recommended to reduce malaria incidence during pregnancy. Despite these efforts, data on the effectiveness of IPTp and its association with HIV, hepatitis, preeclampsia, and premature rupture of membranes (PROM), remain scarce. The principal findings of the study are that 73.9% of the participants reported using intermittent preventive treatment for malaria. The prevalence of malaria was relatively low, with 5.97% (n = 8) of participants testing positive, which is lower than previously reported rates in the region [17, 19]. Additionally, 3.73% of the participants were HIV positive, 4.47% tested positive for hepatitis B, and 3.73% had preeclampsia. PROM occurred in 2.24% of the participants, whereas 5.2% of the deliveries were preterm.

    In malaria-endemic areas, the WHO has recommended certain interventions for preventing and controlling malaria infection during pregnancy [1]. These recommendations include the use of insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs) and intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy (IPTp) with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine.

    The WHO recommends that all pregnant women in malaria endemic regions of sub-Saharan Africa sleep under ITNs and take monthly doses of IPTp starting from the 2nd trimester of pregnancy [1]. ITN ownership has plateaued and begun to decrease in Nigeria [20]. The proportion of the population that sleep under the ITN has been decreasing [21]. Reports on the use of these interventions among pregnant women vary depending on the population and other factors. In our study, we found the use of ITNs among the study population to be rather low, with only 29.9% of the respondents reporting use. Previous studies conducted in the western and northern regions of Nigeria reported 24.1% and 12.4–24.5% use, respectively [22, 23]. Our findings are similar to those reported in these regions, showing relatively low usage among these pregnant women.

    Nigeria has adopted the 2016 WHO ante-natal care model, which recommends a minimum of eight contacts during pregnancy [21], with a target of 63% of pregnant women receiving IPTp between 2021 and 2025. According to a previous report, the proportion of pregnant women who received at least three doses of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine almost doubled between 2018 and 2021, from 16.6% in 2018 to 31% in 2021 [21]. Factors that hinder IPTp uptake among pregnant women include low antenatal care rates, restrictions that prevent nonpharmacy workers from dispensing sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine, missed opportunities during antenatal visits and nonavailability of the drug [21].

    The findings from our study show that IPTp use was higher (73.9%) in our study population than 31% in a 2021 report [23]. However, among the primigravidae in this study, 65.7% used IPTp. These results show that compliance with the use of IPTp is better among these pregnant women than compliance with the use of ITNs. The much greater use in our study population is most likely because both health institutions from which our study participants were recruited have fully implemented IPTp in antenatal care. Another factor could also be the relatively urban nature of the study locations. There are significant regional, rural‒urban and socioeconomic differences in malaria incidence ranging from 16% in the southern and south-eastern zones to 34% in the north-western zone, with the prevalence in rural areas being 2.4 times greater than that in urban populations [22]. The lower prevalence of malaria in our study population is most likely a reflection of the above factors and the effect of IPTp uptake on this pregnant population.

    Among our study population, 3.73% of the pregnant women were infected with HIV. A population-based survey conducted by the Nigeria HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey [24] reported a prevalence of 1.4% among those aged 15–64 years. The survey reported a prevalence of 1.8% among females and 1.0% among males in this age bracket. There was variation in location within the country, with a 2.2% prevalence in the state of our study. However, among pregnant women, the prevalence of HIV appears to be higher than that in the general population. According to a systematic review and meta-analysis, the pooled prevalence of HIV among pregnant women is 7.2% [7]. The relatively high disparity could be due in part to more testing among the pregnant population than among the general population. With improved coverage of HIV testing among pregnant women [25], detection among this group would be more efficient and well documented. In addition, during pregnancy, the combination of physiological and immunological changes contributes to the dampened immune response which could increase susceptibility to various infections, including malaria and HIV. HIV infection during pregnancy has an impact on both the mother and child if untreated and therefore requires prudent management antenatally, intrapartum and postpartum [26]. Some of the known associated poor outcomes if poorly managed include increased spontaneous miscarriages, stillbirths, increased perinatal mortality and low birth weight [27].

    HBV is a leading cause of chronic hepatitis, maternal complications and neonatal deaths in sub-Saharan Africa [28]. HBV is the most significant form of viral hepatitis due to its high transmission potential through blood and body fluids [29]. The prevalence of HBV in Nigeria among pregnant women is reportedly 6.49% [10]. The findings from our study revealed that 4.47% of the participants were infected with HBV, which is lower than the national prevalence [10]. However, this could be due to regional differences, as the South-east region had a lower prevalence than the national average in the referenced study.

    The incidence of preeclampsia in a study conducted in Jos, Nigeria, was 8.8% [13]. A more recent study reported a lower prevalence of 3.6% [30]. Preeclampsia is reported as a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality in Nigeria [15]. The findings from our study revealed a 3.7% prevalence in our study population. Previous reports reported a wide range of prevalence rates between 1.8% and 16.7% in developing countries. Factors that affect prevalence include access to adequate antenatal services and other associated healthcare and monitoring services.

    Socioeconomic disparities are linked to low birth weight, with varying patterns and inequalities observed across nations [31]. Consistent with the literature, our findings indicate that increased socioeconomic status is positively correlated with increased birth weight. This association is intuitive, as improved socioeconomic standing directly influences maternal well-being, including access to adequate nutrition. Furthermore, our study revealed a significant relationship between socioeconomic status, birth weight, and mode of delivery. Notably, middle-income households presented reduced odds of emergency caesarean Sect. [32]. Additionally, a negative correlation between birth weight and mode of delivery was observed, suggesting that adverse maternal health outcomes may precipitate emergency interventions. This finding underscores the importance of addressing socioeconomic determinants to optimize birth outcomes and minimize the likelihood of complications requiring emergency surgical interventions.

    We found that gestational age was associated with SCBU admission and was positively correlated with birth weight, socioeconomic status and SCBU admission. These findings are in line with the health and foetal maturity of the infant.

    A limitation of the study was loss to follow up. Several of the pregnant women consented and were recruited during antenatal care visits but possibly delivered their babies elsewhere. Another limitation was that some women were excluded based on non-completion of the required IPTp doses.

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  • 3 diets may reduce diabetes, dementia, and heart disease risk

    3 diets may reduce diabetes, dementia, and heart disease risk

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    Dietary choices and quality may affect a person’s risk of developing chronic disease. Nata Segueza/Stocksy
    • Researchers from Karolinska Institutet studied how dietary patterns influence the development of chronic diseases such as heart disease, dementia, and diabetes in older adults.
    • Older adults who regularly ate healthier diets that included vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and healthy fats experienced a slower buildup of chronic illnesses.
    • Those who consumed more red meat, processed foods, and sugary beverages were more likely to develop multiple chronic conditions over time.

    A new study from researchers in Sweden offers hope for older adults concerned about their health.

    When studying what effect diet has on chronic disease, the researchers found that people who consumed healthier diets tended to see a slower progression of chronic health issues and fewer chronic diseases overall.

    In contrast, participants who consumed a pro-inflammatory diet were more likely to develop multiple chronic illnesses.

    While some decline is expected, being proactive about one’s health, including dietary choices, can help reduce the risk associated with chronic conditions.

    The authors of the current study focused on chronic disease in older adults. Some of the health problems they considered included cardiovascular disease, neuropsychiatric diseases, and musculoskeletal diseases.

    The researchers included a group of more than 2,400 older adults from SNAC-K who were an average age of 71.5 years at the baseline.

    The researchers divided the participants into four groups based on the answers they provided on food questionnaires:

    • MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay), which focuses on consuming fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats.
    • AHEI (Alternative Healthy Eating Index), which evaluates diet quality based on foods linked to a lower risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes, such as fish, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
    • AMED (Alternative Mediterranean diet), which focuses on plant-based foods and healthy fats, but adjusts recommendations for some food items such as red meat.
    • EDII (Empirical Dietary Inflammatory Index), which is a pro-inflammatory diet pattern high in red meat, processed foods, and sugary drinks.

    The researchers considered the first three diets healthy, while the EDII represented an unhealthy, inflammation-promoting diet.

    The scientists used 15 years of data to examine how the diets impacted the accumulation of chronic disease.

    The results of this study demonstrated yet another way maintaining a healthy diet is important to health.

    Over a 15-year period, participants who followed one of the healthy diets experienced a slower progression of chronic diseases. Additionally, these participants had up to two fewer diseases compared to people with the least adherence to healthy eating.

    Healthy eaters also experienced a slower rate of heart disease and neuropsychiatric diseases such as dementia.

    The only area where researchers did not find a negative association between a pro-inflammatory diet and health outcome was regarding musculoskeletal disease.

    The protective effects of the MIND and AHEI diets on neuropsychiatric health were strongest among the oldest participants. This suggests that even later in life, adopting a healthy diet can make a difference.

    David Cutler, MD, board certified family medicine physician at Providence Saint John’s Health Center, shared his thoughts about the study with Medical News Today.

    “These results suggest that diet quality is a modifiable risk factor in slowing the rate of chronic disease accumulation among older adults,” said Cutler.

    Cutler emphasized that the study made it clear that a pro-inflammatory diet can be harmful to one’s health.

    While the study demonstrated the importance of healthy eating habits, Cutler noted that “changing eating behaviors is challenging.”

    “This is especially true of [older adults] whose patterns have been ingrained longer, and they may see a shorter period of time to appreciate the benefits of a healthier diet,” Cutler continued.

    Mir Ali, MD, board certified general surgeon, bariatric surgeon, and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center, also spoke with MNT.

    “I thought this was a good study linking a healthier diet to slower disease progression,” said Ali. “Though it is difficult to separate all factors, I think it is reasonable to conclude that diet plays a major role in chronic inflammation and disease.”

    Ali also shared concerns about the difficulty in changing eating patterns for older adults.

    “The older someone is, the harder it is to make long-term changes; furthermore, disease and inflammation can progress more as we age, so it becomes more difficult to reverse these changes,” explained Ali.

    “In general, we recommend to all our patients, including older adults, to reduce carbohydrate and sugar intake and emphasize protein and vegetables. This helps direct the body towards breaking down fats, reducing diabetes and inflammation overall.”
    — Mir Ali, MD

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  • Markets dive after Trump hits more countries with steep tariffs

    Markets dive after Trump hits more countries with steep tariffs

    U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest wave of tariffs on exports from dozens of trading partners sent global stock markets tumbling on Friday and countries and companies scrambling to seek ways to strike better deals.

    As Trump presses ahead with plans to reorder the global economy with the highest tariff rates since the early 1930s, Switzerland, “stunned” by 39% tariffs, sought more talks, as did India, hit with a 25% rate.

    New tariffs also include a 35% duty on many goods from Canada, 50% for Brazil, 20% for Taiwan, which said its rate was “temporary” and it expected to reach a lower figure.

    The presidential order listed higher import duty rates of 10% to 41% starting in a week’s time for 69 trading partners, taking the U.S. effective tariff rate to about 18%, from 2.3% last year, according to analysts at Capital Economics.

    U.S. stocks reeled. The Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI closed down 1.23% at 43,588.58, the S&P 500 .SPX 1.6% to 6,238.01 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC 2.24% at 20,650.13.

    Global shares stumbled, with Europe’s STOXX 600.STOXX tumbling 1.89% on the day.

    Markets also reacted to a disappointing jobs report. Data showed U.S. job growth slowed more than expected in July while the prior month’s data was revised sharply lower, pointing to a slowdown in the labor market.

    Trump responded by ordering the firing of the commissioner of the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, Erika McEntarfer, and claiming, without evidence, that the job figures were “rigged.”

    Meanwhile, Canadian negotiators said a deal with the U.S. could still be weeks away.

    Trump’s new tariffs have created yet more uncertainty, with many details unclear. They are set to take effect on Aug 7 at 0401 GMT, a White House official said.

    Trump administration officials defended the president’s approach.

    “The uncertainty with respect to tariffs … was critical to getting the leverage that we needed to create the circumstance in which the president could create the trade deals we’ve seen over the last few weeks, which have been nothing short of monumental,” Council of Economic Advisers Chair Stephen Miran said on CNBC.

    The European Union, which struck a framework deal with Trump on Sunday, is still awaiting more Trump orders to deliver on agreed carve-outs, including on cars and aircraft, EU officials said, saying the latest executive orders did not cover that.

    Also, it is unclear how the administration intends to define and police the transshipment restrictions, which threaten 40% levies on any exporter deemed to have tried to mask goods from a higher-tariffed originator, such as China, as their own product.

    Trump’s tariff rollout also comes amid evidence they have begun driving up prices.

    U.S. Commerce Department data released Thursday showed prices for home furnishings and durable household equipment jumped 1.3% in June, the biggest gain since March 2022.

    NO WINNERS?

    Some countries hit with hefty tariffs said they will seek to negotiate with the U.S. in hopes of getting a lower rate.

    Switzerland said it would push for a “negotiated solution” with the U.S.

    “It’s a massive shock for the export industry and for the whole country. We are really stunned,” said Jean-Philippe Kohl, deputy director of Swissmem, representing Switzerland’s mechanical and electrical engineering industries.

    South Africa’s Trade Minister Parks Tau said he was seeking “real, practical interventions” to defend jobs and the economy against the 30% U.S. tariff it faces.

    Southeast Asian countries, however, breathed a sigh of relief after the U.S. tariffs on their exports that were lower than threatened and leveled the playing field with a rate of about 19% across the region’s biggest economies.

    Thailand’s finance minister said a reduction from 36% to 19% would help his country’s economy.

    “It helps maintain Thailand’s competitiveness on the global stage, boosts investor confidence and opens the door to economic growth, increased income and new opportunities,” Pichai Chunhavajira said.

    Australian products could become more competitive in the U.S. market, helping businesses boost exports, Trade Minister Don Farrell said, after Trump kept the minimum tariff rate of 10% for Australia.

    But businesses and analysts said the impact of Trump’s new trade regime would not be positive for economic growth.

    “No real winners in trade conflicts,” said Thomas Rupf, co-head Singapore and CIO Asia at VP Bank. “Despite some countries securing better terms, the overall impact is negative.”

    “The tariffs hurt the Americans and they hurt us,” winemaker Johannes Selbach said in Germany’s Moselle Valley, adding jobs and profits on both sides of the Atlantic would be hit.

    L’Oreal OREP.PA and a growing number of European fashion and cosmetics companies are exploring use of an obscure, decades-old U.S. customs clause known as the “First Sale” rule as a potential way to soften the impact of the tariffs.

    The “First Sale” rule allows companies to pay lower duties by applying tariffs to the value of a product as it leaves the factory – much lower than the eventual retail price.

    CANADA, INDIA

    Trump has tapped emergency powers, pressured foreign leaders, and pressed ahead with trade policies that sparked a market sell-off when they were first announced in April.

    His order said some trading partners, “despite having engaged in negotiations, have offered terms that, in my judgment, do not sufficiently address imbalances in our trading relationship or have failed to align sufficiently with the United States on economic and national-security matters.”

    Trump issued a separate order for Canada that raises the rate on Canadian goods subject to fentanyl-related tariffs to 35%, from 25% previously, saying Canada had “failed to cooperate” in curbing illicit narcotics flows into the U.S.

    The higher tariffs on Canadian goods contrasted sharply with Trump’s decision to grant Mexico a 90-day reprieve from higher tariffs of 30% on many goods to allow time to negotiate a broader trade pact.

    Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was disappointed by Trump’s decision, and vowed to take action to protect Canadian jobs and diversify exports.

    India is in trade talks with the U.S. after Washington imposed a 25% tariff on New Delhi, a move that could impact about $40 billion worth of its exports, an Indian government source with knowledge of the talks told Reuters on Friday.

    (Additional reporting by Amanda Cooper, Julia Payne, Dan Burns, Alun John and Brendan O’Brien. Writing by Ingrid Melander and James Oliphant. Editing by Jane Merriman and Alistair Bell)

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