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  • Gut bacteria in mothers and newborns may shape infants’ risk of early respiratory infections

    Gut bacteria in mothers and newborns may shape infants’ risk of early respiratory infections

    A large Finnish cohort study reveals that subtle shifts in maternal and infant gut bacteria could signal a higher risk of respiratory infections in babies, pointing to new avenues for prevention in early life.

    Study: The association of maternal and infant early gut microbiota with respiratory infections in infants. Image Credit: New Africa / Shutterstock

    In a recent article published in the journal Pediatric Research, researchers in Finland studied whether gut microbiota composition in mothers and young infants is linked to the risk of developing a respiratory tract infection (RTI) during the first six months of the infant’s life.

    They found that infants with RTIs had differences in the relative abundance of specific bacterial taxa compared with those without, while overall alpha and beta diversity remained similar. Microbial communities in mothers also showed differences.

    Background

    RTIs are common in infancy. Healthy, full-term infants in high-income countries experience four to ten episodes in their first year. These infections affect infants’ well-being and have social and economic consequences. They can increase parental stress and cause missed work.

    Interest is growing in how early gut microbiota might influence RTI susceptibility. Animal studies suggest gut microbes shape respiratory immunity. However, human study findings remain inconsistent.

    Some research links low microbial diversity and reduced beneficial gut bacteria with higher risks of wheezing and asthma in childhood. Important bacteria include Bifidobacterium, Faecalibacterium, Ruminococcus, and Roseburia.

    However, much less is known about direct associations between gut microbiota and RTIs in infancy, largely because longitudinal studies with standardized infection tracking and early-life stool sampling are limited.

    Most previous studies have focused on later outcomes, such as asthma, rather than acute RTIs in early life. Furthermore, maternal microbiota, which may influence the infant gut microbiome, has rarely been examined.

    About the study

    Researchers hypothesized that early infant gut microbiota, along with maternal microbiota, could be associated with the occurrence of RTIs during the first six months of life. They used a nested case-control analysis that included healthy full-term non-twin Finnish infants with birth weights of at least 2.5 kg.

    RTI cases were defined as infants who developed upper RTI with fever, otitis media, or lower RTI during the first six months of life. Families recorded infection symptoms and medical visits in an online diary weekly during the first four months and biweekly until seven months, allowing precise tracking of RTIs.

    Fecal samples were collected from mothers around their due date and from infants at three and six weeks of age. Samples were frozen immediately at home and later processed for DNA extraction and 16S rRNA gene sequencing to characterize microbiota composition.

    Of 1052 infants in the Helsinki cohort, 189 developed RTIs within six months. Microbiota data were available for 178 infants and 136 mothers in the RTI group, and for 143 infants and 125 mothers in the control group, totaling 461 infant and 261 maternal samples.

    Analyses compared microbial diversity (alpha and beta) and the relative abundance of bacterial taxa between groups. Sensitivity analyses excluded infants with infections prior to stool sampling and matched cases and controls by relevant factors (season of birth, sex, and delivery mode).

    Key findings

    Among 178 infants who developed an RTI within the first six months and 143 controls, the median RTI duration was 11 days. Most cases were upper RTIs with fever (49%) or otitis media (47%), while only 4% were lower RTIs.

    About 30% of RTI cases occurred within the first three months, most commonly otitis media. Over half of the affected infants visited a doctor, and 14% required emergency care, whereas far fewer controls had medical visits.

    In maternal microbiota, overall diversity and richness did not differ between groups, but mothers of infants with RTIs had higher abundances of Citrobacter, Enterobacter, and Enterococcus, while Clostridium was lower. These bacteria were described by the authors as opportunistic pathogens, suggesting that maternal microbial instability could play a role in shaping infant risk.

    For infants, overall microbial composition at 3 and 6 weeks was similar between groups. However, at three weeks, those who later developed RTIs showed higher levels of several bacterial families (such as Rikenellaceae, Prevotellaceae, and Verrucomicrobiaceae) and genera, including Alistipes, Akkermansia, Faecalibacterium, Peptoniphilus, and Serratia. The higher abundance of Faecalibacterium was notable because previous studies had often linked lower levels of this genus to respiratory problems, highlighting a potential contradiction with earlier findings.

    At six weeks, Prevotellaceae remained elevated in infants who developed RTIs within three months, while reduced Anaerostipes, another butyrate producer, was observed. Anaerostipes depletion may alter lactate and butyrate metabolism, with possible downstream effects on immune function.

    Sensitivity analyses confirmed these findings, showing consistent associations with higher abundances of butyrate-producing genera (Pseudobutyrivibrio, Faecalibacterium, and Roseburia), and Proteus, and lower Veillonella and Anaerostipes in infants who developed RTIs.

    Comparison between mothers of infants who developed a respiratory tract infection episode (RTI) in the first 6 months of life and mothers of randomly selected infants with no such infection episode. PCoA plots based on Bray-Curtis dissimilarities of the samples, showing the richness of the microbiota as background (a). Clusters are shown by circles, which were drawn based on the standard deviations of the data points in each category of the samples (a). The comparisons are between mothers of infants who developed an RTI in the first 6 months of life and mothers of infants remaining healthy (p = 0.39). Clustered stacked column graphs demonstrate microbiota differences at the family level (b). The comparisons are between mothers of infants who developed an RTI in the first 6 months of life (YES) and mothers of infants remaining healthy (NO).

    Comparison between mothers of infants who developed a respiratory tract infection episode (RTI) in the first 6 months of life and mothers of randomly selected infants with no such infection episode. PCoA plots based on Bray-Curtis dissimilarities of the samples, showing the richness of the microbiota as background (a). Clusters are shown by circles, which were drawn based on the standard deviations of the data points in each category of the samples (a). The comparisons are between mothers of infants who developed an RTI in the first 6 months of life and mothers of infants remaining healthy (p = 0.39). Clustered stacked column graphs demonstrate microbiota differences at the family level (b). The comparisons are between mothers of infants who developed an RTI in the first 6 months of life (YES) and mothers of infants remaining healthy (NO).

    Conclusions

    In conclusion, maternal and early infant gut microbiota composition may influence early susceptibility to RTIs, highlighting potential targets for preventive interventions in future studies. The authors emphasized these are associations, not proof of causation, and that the analysis was exploratory with a false discovery rate (FDR) threshold of 0.1. They further proposed that the early appearance of adult-type butyrate producers, such as Faecalibacterium and Roseburia, could represent a “premature gut microbiota maturation” that predisposes infants to infection.

    The strengths of this analysis include the large, longitudinal birth cohort, systematic parental reporting of mild RTIs, and analysis of both infant and maternal samples. However, limitations involve the relatively homogenous, high-income population, universal breastfeeding, and restriction to healthy, full-term infants, limiting generalizability.

    Note

    Some microbial associations (e.g., with Faecalibacterium, Roseburia, and Pseudobutyrivibrio) were most evident in sensitivity analyses that excluded infants with early infections and matched controls by perinatal factors. These were not always present in the main unmatched analysis. Readers should interpret these findings as exploratory associations rather than consistent causal signals.

    Journal reference:

    • The association of maternal and infant early gut microbiota with respiratory infections in infants. Hyvönen, S., Saarikivi, A., Mälkönen, J., Solasaari, T., Korpela, K., de Vos, W.M., Salonen, A., Ruuska-Loewald, T., Kolho, K. Pediatric Research (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41390-025-04326-0, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41390-025-04326-0

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  • Microsoft is bringing PC gaming apps and stores to its Xbox app on Windows

    Microsoft is bringing PC gaming apps and stores to its Xbox app on Windows

    Microsoft has started testing another handheld-friendly addition to its Xbox app, allowing PC gamers to quickly install and launch third-party apps like browsers, gaming utilities, and even rival storefronts. A new “My apps” feature is being tested in the Xbox app for Windows 11, and it looks like another way to avoid having to launch the main Microsoft Store or hunt for downloads online if you’re on a gaming PC.

    “My apps is a new tab within the Xbox PC app’s library that allows players to locate, view, and download third-party applications and most commonly used storefronts,” explains Devin Dhaliwal, a product manager for Xbox experiences. “By consolidating gaming apps in one location, this feature supports the new aggregated gaming library, making it more straightforward to find, download, and launch games from multiple locations.”

    Microsoft has already been adding Steam, Battle.net, Ubisoft Connect, and other PC games into to a unified library inside its Xbox app, but this my apps view will be useful on a handheld PC where you want to avoid using the Windows desktop interface as much as possible. “My apps enables players on an ROG Xbox Ally or other Windows 11 handhelds to more easily navigate between applications from the Xbox full screen experience,” says Dhaliwal.

    I’ve briefly tested the My apps view today and it lists Battle.net, Chrome, and GOG Galaxy. I have Chrome and Battle.net installed, so it simply launches these apps, but with GOG Galaxy it tries to download and install the app all within the Xbox UI. I say try because it failed to install during my testing, but this is a beta so there are bound to be bugs.

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  • Luka Doncic headlines Slovenia’s 12-man roster at FIBA EuroBasket 2025

    Luka Doncic headlines Slovenia’s 12-man roster at FIBA EuroBasket 2025

    The official EuroBasket app

    BELGRADE (Serbia) – Slovenia have officially confirmed their 12-man roster for the upcoming FIBA EuroBasket 2025, headlined by none other than one of the competition’s brightest stars, Luka Doncic.

    Head coach Aleksander Sekulic finalized the squad right after the tough 34-point defeat to Serbia in Belgrade, which concluded their preparation campaign ahead of the tournament.

    SLOVENIA’S ROSTER FOR FIBA EUROBASKET 2025

    Luka Doncic, Gregor Hrovat, Robert Jurkovic, Martin Krampelj, Edo Muric, Aleksej Nikolic, Alen Omic, Mark Padjen, Klemen Prepelic, Rok Radovic, Leon Stergar, Luka Scuka

    The FIBA EuroBasket 2017 champions had a tough preparation for the most-awaited event of the summer, winning only one friendly game out of six.

    They lost twice to Germany to begin their preparation tour, and then suffered defeats to Lithuania, Latvia, and ultimately Serbia. Their only win came against Great Britain.

    Who is playing at FIBA EuroBasket 2025?

    Roster tracker: Who is playing at FIBA EuroBasket 2025?

    Tracker: Preparation games for FIBA EuroBasket 2025

    It has been a difficult summer for the Slovenian national team, which will place their hopes on one of the best basketball players on the planet, answering to Luka Doncic’s name.

    The Dragons will play the Group Phase in Katowice, alongside Poland, France, Israel, Belgium, and Iceland in Group D.

    They will begin their campaign against Poland on August 28 at 20:30 CET. That will be a rematch of the Semi-Finals at FIBA EuroBasket 2022.

    FIBA

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  • FilmOut celebrates 25 years of LGBTQ+ cinema in San Diego

    FilmOut celebrates 25 years of LGBTQ+ cinema in San Diego

    FilmOut, San Diego’s LGBTQ+ film festival, turns 25 this year. So the time seemed right to remind people how it all started.

    Origin story: From thesis to festival

    FilmOut has its roots at San Diego State University and a student named Joe Ferrelli.

    “So the festival started when I was at San Diego State doing my master’s,” Ferrelli explained. “I decided to do this festival as a thesis project. There was no queer film festival in San Diego at the time. I found out that the last time that there was something was in 1984, and it was put on by the Men’s Center and it was at the Ken. My thesis was about identifying a queer sensibility in otherwise unqueer films, if you will. Things like Terence Davies, the first time I saw his ‘Distant Voices, Still Lives,’ I knew that he was a gay filmmaker, even though there was nothing about the film that was gay. So I decided to explore this a little bit and went back through a history of queer films. And as I was doing this, I decided that it would be a good time to start a film festival.”

    The first year was at the Ken Cinema in 1999, then it moved to the Museum of Photographic Arts for its second year. Then Ferrelli left San Diego and, after a short hiatus, Michael McQuiggan took on the role of program director.

    “The first few years were rocky,” Ferrelli admitted. “It was hit and miss. Crowds were very small, and the films to pick from were very few compared to what Michael gets now. But I just hoped that it would become something that could feature LGBTQ+ representation in films. I didn’t want to focus on only those kinds of films. So I looked at the works of directors that I knew were gay but that didn’t make outwardly gay films, people like Terence Davies. And that got me thinking that there was this underlying queer sensibility, especially in the time when you had the Hays Code, where you couldn’t talk about homosexuality. So filmmakers would have to work to get their ideas across to like-minded people. The first year of the festival, I also showed some gay silent films.”

    One of the things I love about the festival is that foundation Ferrelli laid, embracing a queer sensibility that went beyond the LGBTQ+ films focused primarily on identity and activism. That meant audiences could find a diverse array of genre films, which were rare in the early years of the festival.

    Celebrating 25 years of FilmOut

    McQuiggan confessed to being exhausted on the eve of the festival as he dealt with projection issues involving digital DCP formats.

    “I can’t believe the last 21 years since I’ve been involved with FilmOut, and here we are at this milestone event,” McQuiggan said. “I think we’re selling tickets better than we ever have. I don’t know if the 25th anniversary has anything to do with it, but we’ve already made more in ticket sales than we did all of last year.”

    Two posters from the archives: the first from the year it was branded as OutFest, and the second from 2005, when it returned to the name FilmOut.

    Before working with FilmOut, McQuiggan had volunteered for OutFest up in Los Angeles. Then he worked with OutFest as it briefly tried its hand at running an LGBTQ+ festival in San Diego. That’s where he met Ferrelli. Then McQuiggan, Ferrelli and Krista Page relaunched the festival in 2004 as FilmOut.

    McQuiggan, who has a passion for genre films, noted: “Joe has probably more taste than I do as far as quality cinema. But that was how it all began.”

    But McQuiggan keeps Ferrelli’s love for films with a queer sensibility alive in the festival programming, especially in the monthly screenings, where he can indulge in his passion for genre cinema.

    This year’s film lineup

    The festival opens tonight with a Brazilian rom-com musical called “The Best Friend.” But the lighthearted tone of the film contrasts with the reality of running a film festival in today’s tense political climate.

    “We had every intention of bringing the director and the two lead actors in from Brazil,” McQuiggan said. “But with the current political situation between the United States and Brazil, there’s a concern with them as far as maybe being denied entry. For them to fly 21 hours here and maybe not be allowed to come into the country or be detained or whatever, it was a little bit tricky. So we decided not to. But the opening night short film called ‘Mean Goals,’ the entire cast is coming for that.”

    The festival also boasts the world premiere of “Exit Interviews,” about a man (played by Tuc Watkins of “Desperate Housewives”) who decides to make a documentary about all his exes and why they left him.

    “It’s a world premiere, and they’re all coming, so we’re excited,” McQuiggan said. “Then ‘Plainclothes’ is the Russell Tovey film (best known as the werewolf George Sand in the BBC’s “Being Human”) that is the hot ticket on the festival circuit. That’s on Saturday. And closing night I was really surprised that I was able to get the film ‘Twinless’, a big hit at Sundance. I think that’s the film that’s probably going to take a lot of awards home.”

    Spotlight on short films

    In addition to feature films, FilmOut showcases a number of short films. There is a late-morning block of shorts on Saturday and then a short paired with each feature. Filmmakers often use short films as calling cards or proof of concept that they hope will lead to a feature film or other employment. But there is also a particular craft and art to the short-film format.

    Aaron Lovett's "DemonBoy" will screen at FilmOut 2025.
    Aaron Lovett’s “DemonBoy” will screen at FilmOut 2025.

    L.A. filmmaker Aaron Lovett describes his short “DemonBoy” as “a film about isolation at its core. It’s an erotic thriller. It’s a supernatural thriller. But I made it thinking about the experience of desiring intimacy and connection in the digital age and how difficult that is, especially as a queer person living in Los Angeles. So it touches on some deep themes, but in the package of a pretty short thriller. At its core, my film is a horror movie because horror movies are often a way to find catharsis out of something about the human experience that’s distressing.”

    There’s also a horror element to Jonathan Hammond’s very funny “Fireflies in the Dusk,” which he calls “a time travel, Victorian, romance, parody, slasher film.”

    “I have a deep love of the movie ‘A Room with a View,’ and I was also raised by a mother who worships the movie ‘Somewhere in Time,’ which I never really warmed up to,” Hammond explained. “My nature is someone who likes to make fun of things that I love and don’t love. And I just have this need to make something that is different and to give people a story that becomes unexpected.”

    And “Fireflies in the Dusk” does take some unexpected turns and boasts an appearance by Drew Droege. There are also surprises to be found in Aaron Immediato’s “The Last Story on Earth.”

    “I’ve been wanting to do a sci-fi alien invasion short film for a while now with a queer twist. So ’The Last Story on Earth’ is very much what I’ve been calling my sci-fi love letter to drag queens, and drag artists,” Immediato said. “It is very much a creative response to the attacks that drag story hours and drag storytimes have gotten from folks around the country and around the world. I’ve felt that these attacks — especially targeting drag artists, focusing on them somehow not being safe for kids — has been especially offensive to me as a queer person who wishes when I was a kid, I would have been able to attend a drag story hour.”

    Beth’s Recommended Viewing

    “Pooja Sir” (Friday, 1 p.m.)
    “State of Firsts” (Friday, 3 p.m.)
    “Heart of the Man” (Friday, 9:30 p.m.) paired with “Strangers on a Beach”
    LGBTQ+ Shorts (Saturday, 11 a.m.)
    “Plainclothes” (Saturday, 7:30 p.m.)
    “Who Wants to Marry an Astronaut?” (Saturday, 9:30 p.m.)
    “Sauna” (Sunday, 1:30 p.m.) paired with “DemonBoy”
    “Four Mothers” (Sunday, 3:30 p.m.) paired with “Fireflies in the Dusk”
    “#300 Letters” (Sunday, 5:30 p.m.)
    “Twinless” (Sunday, 7:30 p.m.)

    Immediato noted that filmmakers often work in silos, especially during editing. So it is great to be able to show a film at a festival and sit with an audience to see how a film actually plays. Hammond, who recently won the Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival Award for Best Humor/Comedy Film, loves watching his films with an audience.

    “Watching my movies — and particularly this movie, which has a twist — and you can hear an audible gasp, it makes me giddy,” Hammond said. “But watching people, hearing people laugh, and then just that gasp, you know you have your hooks into them. As a filmmaker, it’s like a cookie. It’s delicious.”

    Hammond has roots in San Diego and has been attending the festival for two decades, with “Fireflies in the Dusk” being his fourth film screened there.

    “FilmOut means a huge, tremendous amount to me,” Hammond noted. “Michael McQuiggan has been so supportive of me as well as San Diego filmmakers. The second film I played, the viewing was like a filmmaker’s dream. People were laughing when they were supposed to laugh and they were scared when they were supposed to be scared. The people sitting next to me said, ‘That was so good.’ And the lineup was incredible. So to have your film in those kinds of (screenings), but also have that reaction, in a way, it’s tattooed on my brain, and I’ve been chasing that dragon ever since. And it’s really one of the things that gave me a confidence to continue following my dream of becoming a filmmaker. And again, I just can’t overstate how meaningful, impactful Michael McQuiggan’s support of me and of the local filmmakers has been.”

    Drag queen Pickle plays Lady Pixie Dust in "The Last Story on Earth." (2024)
    Drag queen Pickle plays Lady Pixie Dust in “The Last Story on Earth” (2024).

    Panel: Queer joy on screen

    Saturday at 4 p.m., FilmOut will host a panel called Queer Joy on Screen, led by actor-writer-producer Ben Bauer.

    For Hammond, “Queer joy is absolutely an act of rebellion because, to be blunt, the current administration is doing everything they can to subvert and take away the joy. They’re trying to literally make illegal who you are. So I think by being joyful and being proud of who you are is counter to everything they stand for.”

    Lovett added, “I think joy is a tough word because sometimes it can be hard to be joyful, depending on what’s going on. I think if you’re a person who’s aware and seeing things and thinking critically, I think it can be really hard to be joyful. But I think there’s something to say for having space for all the different ranges of human emotion, all of which are very valid at a time like this. And I think to ignore or relegate joy to the sidelines and say, well, we don’t have time or space for that right now, I think is a mistake. I think it’s a huge tragedy. And I think it’s so important to find joy, which sounds like a cliché, but I think is actually true. And I think that makes it so much more powerful in a dark moment.”

    Immediato said, “Queer folks have always been under attacks, and we always will be. Elections come and go, leaders, politicians come and go, this fight will never end. There will always be fights and struggles for equality in this country and around the world. We need to see joy and we need to see pain and sorrow.”

    But McQuiggan noted that he likes to try to steer the festival clear of overt political messaging.

    “It is challenging,” McQuiggan said. “I just want people to come to be entertained. And I’m gearing away from a lot of the films that were really in your face, aggressive to deal with the current political climate. But I want people just to come in to get away from that for at least four days and just come and enjoy cinema. That’s what my goal is.

    “And it’s interesting. I’m not sure what the future for FilmOut is going to hold after this year. I did some research the other day, and there are only 171 LGBTQ film festivals left. I think when we started this, there were like 700. It’s changing. I don’t know how we’re going to evolve. We need to completely reassess the entire organization to see what we can do to stay relevant. That’s what’s going to happen after this festival. We’ll see.”

    Still, just having the festival can feel political.

    “Having a festival like this in this particular time, just showing up, I believe, is a political act,” Hammond said. “I think just being yourself and supporting your community is beyond important. I think just being who you are and being a part of your community and letting yourself be seen and your voice heard, it’s subversive right now given the nature of the administration. So I encourage everyone to show up and support.”

    Lovett agreed, “I think right now it’s incredibly important to appreciate whatever opportunities we have to share queer work, to be in community with queer people, to engage in the culture in a way that acknowledges the current political climate, while also just making space to exist — I don’t think there’s any other option. And I think at this point, queer people have to continue to do what they’ve been doing, even if right now it feels like it might not be working. I think it’s also important to not let that completely disrupt or stop queer existence and queer life and what it means to be queer and to make queer art and to share it with people, not only other queer people, but straight people and cis people as well. I think that’s more important probably now maybe than it’s ever been in recent history.”

    For 25 years, FilmOut has played a role not just in the LGBTQ+ community but also in the broader film community.

    It makes Ferrelli proud.

    “Seeing what Michael has done with it — Michael and company — it’s just been wonderful. It’s just been an amazing thing. I could never imagine it would have (lasted) this long or been this successful,” Ferrelli said.

    FilmOut kicks off Thuresday at The Nat with “The Best Friend” and then moves to the Museum of Photographic Arts for Friday through Sunday. Check out the full lineup.

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  • Sony Raises PlayStation Prices in Tough Market

    Sony Raises PlayStation Prices in Tough Market

    If you’ve been planning to buy Sony’s PlayStation 5, expect to pay a bit more.

    “Similar to many global businesses, we continue to navigate a challenging economic environment,” the tech company wrote in a company blog post Wednesday (Aug. 20). “As a result, we’ve made the difficult decision to increase the recommended retail price for PlayStation 5 consoles in the U.S. starting on Aug. 21.”

    The company is recommending $50 price hikes for the three versions of the video game console, meaning the standard PlayStation 5 would now sell for $549.99, the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition for $499.99, and the PlayStation 5 Pro for $749.99, the post said.

    Sony is the last of the big three video game companies to raise prices, Ars Technica reported Wednesday. Microsoft increased Xbox prices in March, while Nintendo has gone through two rounds of price hikes, one for Switch and Switch 2 accessories in April and a second for other accessories and Switch 1 consoles earlier this month.

    Such price increases would have been inconceivable a decade ago, as console makers typically lowered prices because of aging hardware, the report said. However, tariffs imposed by the White House have made it more expensive to bring consoles to the United States and are affecting shipping rates, as well as manufacturing and assembling costs.

    Tariff-related costs and a decline in consumer confidence have led to a drop in spending and caused many retailers to lower their forecasts.

    During an earnings call Wednesday, Target Chief Financial Officer Jim Lee said the retailer is taking a “cautious approach” for the back half of the year.

    Meanwhile, Home Depot said during an earnings call Tuesday (Aug. 19) that it is maintaining its guidance, while rival Lowe’s indicated during its earnings call Wednesday that it will continue to be challenged by the effects of high mortgage rates and consumer caution for the remainder of the year.

    As PYMNTS CEO Karen Webster wrote in a column this week, consumers are already seeking ways to cut back on their retail spending. That can mean everything from grocery shoppers swapping out branded goods for private labels to families putting off appliance replacements to people deciding that some aspects of their healthcare can now be discretionary.

    “Tariffs amplify this shift,” Webster wrote. “They are a silent tax that households and businesses ultimately pay. Importers pass the costs on, and consumers encounter them in checkout lanes and grocery aisles. Essentials consume more of the budget, and discretionary categories shrink.”

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  • Alopecia Linked With Increased Cardiovascular Disease Risk

    Alopecia Linked With Increased Cardiovascular Disease Risk

    Patients with alopecia areata (AA) face an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, a new meta-analysis found.1 The findings add weight to the theory that there is an underappreciated interplay between AA and cardiovascular disease. The new analysis was published in Frontiers in Immunology.

    AA has already been linked with several comorbidities, including inflammatory and gastrointestinal diseases, the study authors noted. Previous research has suggested that there might likewise be an association between cardiovascular disease and AA.

    The authors performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies examining cardiovascular disease and alopecia areata. | Image credit: Thirakun – stock.adobe.com

    A 2021 study showed significant associations between cardiovascular, atherosclerosis, and immune pathways and Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) scores in patients with AA.2 A subsequent study showed that levels of a key atherosclerosis biomarker were higher in patients with more severe AA.3

    Still, the authors said the mechanistic links between AA and cardiovascular disease are not well understood.1 Moreover, they said the issue of a relationship between AA and cardiovascular disease remains controversial.

    In an effort to clarify the issue, the authors performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies examining cardiovascular disease and AA. They searched 4 academic databases looking for studies on the relationship between AA and cardiovascular disease. They found a total of 5 studies, which together represented 238,270 patients with AA from three countries. 

    The investigators found that patients with AA were indeed at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, with an odds ratio of 1.71 for cardiovascular disease (95% CI, 1.0-2.92; P < .01) compared with controls without AA.

    However, they found that the correlation was complicated; it depended heavily on the AA subtype. The data showed that patients with alopecia totalis or alopecia universalis had a substantially higher risk of cardiovascular disease (OR, 3.80; 95% CI, 1.65-8.73; P < .01). However, the data failed to show a correlation between patch-type AA and cardiovascular disease, nor with ischemic stroke or myocardial infarction.

    The investigators said they believe their study is the first meta-analysis to systematically study links between AA and cardiovascular disease. They said the findings underscore the benefits of early intervention in AA.

    “Given the higher immune alterations of AA scalp and the correlation between its clinical severity and biomarkers of immune and cardiovascular dysregulation, early systemic treatments are highly recommended in patients with significant AA involvement,” they wrote.

    The authors cited several possible reasons for the associations. They noted that both AA and cardiovascular disease share common immunological mechanisms and that immune dysregulation in follicular air epithelium beyond the scalp may contribute to circulatory abnormalities in patients. Additionally, they noted that CD8+ T cells play a key role in both AA and cardiovascular disease.

    Still, the authors said there is a limited number of published studies on such associations, so they said additional research is needed. They also noted that the available studies were based on patients from the United States, Taiwan, and Korea, and so they may not be representative of all patients. In addition, they noted that the diagnosis of different types of AA is reliant upon the judgment of dermatologists, and thus there may be subjective variability in subtype classification.

    Still, the authors concluded the analysis supports the idea that people with AA are at an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease, even if the exact mechanisms and nuances of the association remain unclear.

    References

    1. Lu J, Cao X, Feng Y, Yu Y, Lu Y. Association between alopecia areata and cardiovascular disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Immunol. Published August 6, 2025. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2025.1643709.

    2. Glickman JW, Dubin C, Renert-Yuval Y, et al. Cross-sectional study of blood biomarkers of patients with moderate to severe alopecia areata reveals systemic immune and cardiovascular biomarker dysregulation. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2021;84(2):370-380. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2020.04.138

    3. Waśkiel-Burnat A, Niemczyk A, Blicharz L, et al. Chemokine C-C motif ligand 7 (CCL7), a biomarker of atherosclerosis, is associated with the severity of alopecia areata: a preliminary study. J Clin Med. 2021;10(22):5418. doi:10.3390/jcm10225418

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  • Doja Cat announces first-ever arena tour dates across Australia and New Zealand on ‘Ma Vie World Tour’

    RETURNS WITH NEW SINGLE AND MUSIC VIDEO “JEALOUS TYPE”
    LISTEN HERE / WATCH HERE

    DojaCat-JealousType

    FIFTH STUDIO ALBUM VIE SET TO BE RELEASED ON SEPTEMBER 26TH
    PRE-SAVE ALBUM HERE
    WATCH ALBUM TRAILER HERE

    MELBOURNE, Friday August 22, 2025: GRAMMY award-winning global superstar Doja Cat has today announced the “Ma Vie World Tour”, with dates confirmed for New Zealand and Australia on her first-ever arena tour across the region. It will also include stops in Manila, Tokyo, and more, before wrapping on Sunday, December 21 in Kaohsiung at Kaohsiung Arena. The announcement follows her highly successful 2023 outing, “The Scarlet Tour”.

    The “Ma Vie World Tour” will launch on Tuesday November 18 in Auckland at Spark Arena, followed by Perth’s RAC Arena on Saturday November 22, Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne on Tuesday November 25, Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Saturday November 29, concluding in Sydney at Qudos Bank Arena on Monday December 1.

    TICKETS – NZ + AUS: 
    Tickets for the New Zealand and Australia dates will be available starting with an artist presale on Monday August 25 at 10am local time, running until Thursday August 28 at 10am.

    NZ:
    One NZ
    One NZ customers can be among the first to secure tickets during a 48-hour presale starting Monday 25 August at 10am. Head to one.nz/music.

    Mastercard
    Mastercard cardholders have special access to presale tickets in New Zealand. Mastercard Presale starts Monday 25 August at 10am and ends Thursday 28 August at 10am. Plus, Preferred ticket access to some of the best tickets are available from Thursday 28 August at 11am. Check out priceless.com/music for details.

    Live Nation
    The Live Nation Presale starts Wednesday August 27 at 10am running until Thursday August 28 at 10am or until allocation is exhausted. To access presale tickets, sign up now at livenation.co.nz/register.

    AU:
    Vodafone
    Vodafone mobile customers can be among the first to secure tickets during a 48 hour presale commencing 10am Monday, August 25. Visit vodafone.com.au/ticket to find out more.

    Commbank Yello Mastercard
    Eligible CommBank Yello customers with a CommBank Mastercard have special access to presale tickets starting from Monday 25 August at 10am until Thursday 28 August at 10am as well as access to exclusive preferred tickets from Thursday 28 August at 11am (local time). Tickets are available exclusively to eligible CommBank Yello customers using a CommBank Mastercard at checkout. Visit www.commbank.com.au/mastercardpresales to find out more.

    Live Nation
    The Live Nation Presale starts Wednesday August 27 at 10am running until Thursday August 28 at 10am or until allocation is exhausted. To access presale tickets, sign up now at livenation.com.au/register.

    General onsale will begin Thursday August 28 at 11am at dojacat.com/tour.
    All times are local.

    VIP: The “Ma Vie World Tour” will also offer a variety of different VIP packages and experiences for fans to take their concert adventure to the next level. Packages vary but include tickets, access to the pre-show VIP Lounge, exclusive VIP merch item, early entry into the venue & more. VIP package contents vary based on the offer selected. For more information, visit https://www.livenation.com.au/vipexperiences or https://www.livenation.co.nz/vipexperiences

    In further exciting news for fans, Doja Cat returns with her new single and music video “Jealous Type” out now via Kemosabe Records/ RCA Records – click HERE to listen / click HERE to watch. Doja Cat’s new track “Jealous Type” was produced by Jack Antonoff (Taylor Swift, Lorde) and Y2K (Ariana Grande, Tate McRae), with the music video directed by Boni Mata and filmed in Los Angeles. Doja Cat first teased her new track “Jealous Type” in her Summer ’25 campaign with Marc Jacobs. “Jealous Type” will appear on her highly anticipated fifth studio album, Vie, which is slated for release on September 26th. Pre-save album HERE.

    Most recently, Doja Cat headlined the 2025 Outside Lands Music Festival in San Francisco, CA. During her electrifying set, she surprised fans by debuting “Jealous Type” live on stage. Following her performance, she hosted a surprise album listening after-party at San Francisco’s legendary drag venue, Oasis, where a select group of fans received an exclusive first listen to tracks from her forthcoming album, Vie.

    Last year, Doja Cat released her deluxe album Scarlet 2 CLAUDE. The deluxe featured previously released hits such as “Attention”, “Paint The Town Red”, “Agora Hills”, alongside a collection of brand-new tracks and features. Doja Cat’s hit single “Paint The Town Red” spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming the first rap song to reach the top spot in 2023. The track also held the No. 1 position on the Billboard Global 200 chart for four consecutive weeks. Additionally, her fan-favorite track “Agora Hills” reached No. 1 on Top 40 Radio in February 2024, marking her eighth No. 1 at the format. “Agora Hills” also peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

    DojaCat-1080x1080-AUNZ


    MA VIE WORLD TOUR 2025 DATES
    NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIA

    SPARK ARENA, AUCKLAND
    TUESDAY NOVEMBER 18
    RAC ARENA, PERTH
    SATURDAY NOVEMBER 22
    ROD LAVER ARENA, MELBOURNE
    TUESDAY NOVEMBER 25
    BRISBANE ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE, BRISBANE
    SATURDAY NOVEMBER 29

    QUDOS BANK ARENA, SYDNEY
    MONDAY DECEMBER 1
    General tickets onsale Thursday, August 28 at 11am at http://dojacat.com/tour.

    Artist Presale: Monday, August 25 at 10am – Thursday August 28 at 10am
    One NZ: Monday August 25 at 10am – Wednesday August 27 at 10am
    Mastercard NZ: Monday August 25 at 10am – Thursday August 28 at 10am
    Vodafone: Monday August 25 at 10am  – Wednesday August 27 at 10am
    Commbank Yello Mastercard: Monday August 25 at 10am – Thursday August 28 at 10am
    Live Nation: Wednesday August 27 at 10am – Thursday August 28 at 10am
    All times are local.


    MA VIE WORLD TOUR 2025 – INTERNATIONAL DATES
    Dec 07 – Manila – SM Mall of Asia Arena
    Dec 10 – Singapore – Singapore Indoor Stadium
    Dec 13 – Seoul – Kintex Hall 10
    Dec 15 – Tokyo – K-Arena Yokohama
    Dec 18 – Bangkok – Impact Exhibition Hall 5-6
    Dec 21 – Kaohsiung – Kaohsiung Arena

    DOJA Alternative Press 1

    About DOJA CAT:
    GRAMMY award-winning global superstar Doja Cat made her first upload to Soundcloud in 2013 at just 16 years old. Having grown up in and around the LA area, she developed a knack for music by studying piano and dance as a kid and listening to the likes of Busta Rhymes, Erykah Badu, Nicki Minaj, Drake, and more. Signed to Kemosabe/RCA Records in 2014, she released her Purrr! EP followed that with her debut album Amala in spring 2018, but it was her August 2018 release of “MOOO!” which catapulted her into the mainstream and was met with critical acclaim. 

    Doja Cat released her sophomore GRAMMY-nominated platinum album Hot Pink in November 2019 to mass critical acclaim; the album has garnered 7 billion streams worldwide. It features “Streets”, the viral sensation that soundtracked the ‘Silhouette Challenge,’ one of the biggest TikTok trends to date, and her GRAMMY-nominated #1 smash record “Say So” which has been RIAA certified 6x platinum and catapulted Doja Cat into global superstardom.  

    With over 36 billion worldwide streams to date, Doja Cat’s creativity and showmanship as a performer have been praised time and time again, she has delivered unique and show-stopping performances on nearly all the major Award Show stages and music festivals throughout the world. Doja Cat’s GRAMMY award-winning album Planet Her came out in June 2021 and dominated the charts, debuting at #1 on the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart and #2 on the Billboard Top 200 and Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and generated the highest first day Spotify streams for an album by a female rapper. GRAMMY award-winning “Kiss Me More” ft. SZA, the lead single off Planet Her is certified 5x platinum by the RIAA and hit #1 at Top 40 and Rhythm radio with over 3 billion streams worldwide. That fall, Doja Cat became the first rapper to have 3 songs in the Top 10 at Top 40 radio.

    Her hit track “Woman” went to the top of the Billboard Rhythmic Airplay charts which ascended her to become the first woman to have four #1 hits from one album, other hits including “You Right” with The Weeknd and “Need to Know.” She went on to land at #1 on the Billboard Artist 100 chart for the first time. Amongst others, Doja Cat has won 5 AMAs, 5 Billboard Music Awards, 5 MTV VMAs, 3 BMI Awards, 2 MTV EMAs, 1 GRAMMY Award, and 1 NAACP Image Award along with garnering a total of 19 GRAMMY Award nominations. Additionally, Doja Cat has been nominated for 20 Billboard Music Awards, 18 MTV VMAs, 9 AMAs, 10 BET Awards, 8 MTV EMAs, 5 BMI Awards, and dozens more. Doja Cat was named one of TIME100’s Most Influential People of 2023, where she was featured on the April 2023 cover issue and performed at the TIME100 Gala in New York City.  

    In September 2023, Doja Cat released her fourth studio album, Scarlet, which has been RIAA certified platinum and features smash hits “Agora Hills” (RIAA certified 2x platinum) and “Paint The Town Red” (RIAA certified 4x platinum). After releasing Scarlet, Doja Cat went on her first-ever North American headline tour, “The Scarlet Tour”. In April 2024, Doja Cat released her latest deluxe album, Scarlet 2 CLAUDE. In that same month, Doja Cat headlined Coachella 2024 and delivered an unforgettable performance. Doja Cat continues to redefine global pop stardom with her boundary-pushing artistry and undeniable impact on music and culture, solidifying her place as one of the most influential voices of her generation.

    Buy/Stream “Jealous Type”:
    Multi: https://dojacat.lnk.to/jealoustype
    YouTube: https://dojacat.lnk.to/JealousTypeVideo

    Pre-Save Vie:
    https://dojacat.lnk.to/vie

    Follow Doja Cat at:
    Instagram |  Facebook | Twitter | YouTube


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  • Karen Gillan to be tragically outlived by Henry Cavill’s Highlander

    Karen Gillan to be tragically outlived by Henry Cavill’s Highlander

    Although he’s been talking it up for years, it’s starting to sound like Chad Stahelski’s efforts to reboot cult ’80s action-fantasy flick Highlander are finally genuinely coming to fruition. We’ve previously reported on a bunch of big names signing on to the Henry Cavill-led film, including Russell Crowe in the part previously filled by Sean Connery, and Dave Bautista as the new movie’s take on baddie Clancy Brown. Now THR reports that MCU veteran Karen Gillan has just signed on to the remake from the John Wick director, where she’ll play the loving wife of Cavill’s title character—who, given the whole “married to an immortal swordfighter” thing, is probably due for some kind of tragic ending.

    For those unfamiliar with Highlander, the basic thing you need to know is that he’s one of the princes of the universe; no man can be his equal; he’s got to be the ruler of you all. Also, he’s a guy living in 16th century Scotland who finds out he’s immortal in the most direct way possible, i.e., when someone sticks a sharp piece of metal through his chest, kicking off several centuries of swordfights and, occasionally, moping about non-immortal dead wives. Cavill’s been attached to the part previously played by Christopher Lambert for years at this point, even as Stahelski’s reputation has continued to grow on the backs of four consistently kickass (if also sometimes highly convoluted) John Wick movies. Production on the remake finally picked up some momentum earlier this year, as Crowe and Industry‘s Marisa Abela both signed on for the movie, which is supposed to go into production next month. (Bautista formally signed a deal just a few weeks ago, but his name’s been associated with this thing for a full decade at this point.)

    Gillan’s casting suggests that Stahelski is going to hew pretty closely to the plot of Russell Mulcahy’s 1986 original, right down to her character keeping the same name, Heather, that Beatie Edney sported in the original film. (She’s also actually Scottish, something of a rarity for a franchise extremely happy to pass a French-American off as a Scottish Highlander, and its only genuinely Scottish star as an immortal Spaniard.) Gillan most recently appeared on film in Mike Flanagan’s The Life Of Chuck; she also still regularly fulfills her franchise duties, voicing Guardians Of The Galaxy member Nebula as recently as last year’s third season of What If…?

    More from A.V. Club

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  • Coco Gauff Faces Difficult Draw At U.S. Open

    Coco Gauff Faces Difficult Draw At U.S. Open

    If Coco Gauff is to win a second U.S. Open crown in three years, she will likely have to navigate one of the more difficult draws on the women’s side.

    The No. 3 seed and 2023 U.S. Open champion, Gauff opens play against Asla Tomljanovic, ranked No. 84 in the world.

    Gauff, who recently hired Gavin MacMillan to work with her on her serve, could face four-time major champion and No. 23 seed Naomi Osaka in the fourth round.

    After that, Gauff could potentially have to beat three other major winners, including Australian Open champion and fellow American No. 6 Madison Keys in the quarters.

    In the semis, Gauff was drawn to meet Iga Swiatek, the No. 2 seed who is coming off winning the Cincinnati Open on hardcourts and also won Wimbledon this summer.

    In the final, Gauff could potentially meet defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, winner of three hardcourt majors.

    Gauff, the highest-paid women’s tennis player in 2025 at $35.2 million, did not participate in the highly successful Mixed Doubles event this week at the U.S. Open, preferring not to “waste mental energy” on it, so she could focus on singles.

    She now has a new coaching team in place, with an aim to improve her troubled serve. She was out with MacMillan on Arthur Ashe on Wednesday – and the practice courts – to work on her serve.

    “She wants to get better and she’s open to hearing from different people,” Patrick McEnroe said on an ESPN call.

    “But it does tell you that there continues to be a problem with her serve, as it’s been consistently inconsistent.”

    Gauff parted ways with Brad Gilbert last year after Gauff’s fourth-round exit at the U.S. Open, where she failed to defend her title.

    Gauff is 4-4 since winning Roland Garros and lost to Jasmine Paolini in the quarterfinals in Cincinnati.

    “It’s crazy how quickly you can lose your confidence,” ESPN’s Mary Joe Fernandez said this week on air. “You win a Grand Slam title and you think you’re riding this wave and it’s going to carry over and it doesn’t always happen. For Coco, she had a really tough draw at Wimbledon, playing [Dayana] Yastremska in the first round, a big powerful hitter, so that was I think unfortunate for her not being able to work her way into the tournament.

    “And then on the hardcourts she has struggled, primarily with her serve. I think that’s the one shot that if she can settle down and find a way to feel confident that she’s going to make a majority of her first serves and rely on what she did a couple years ago, winning when she wasn’t playing her best and making her opponents beat her some how, making it more physical, then I think she’ll get back to it. But right now, for me, it’s mental.”

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