SMC Spain

A phase 1 clinical trial has tested the safety and preliminary efficacy of a new form of CAR-T cell therapy - which they call “armed” - in patients with lymphoma. The novelty consists of adding another gene to help increase response. Of the 21 patients treated, all resistant to multiple lines of treatment including approved CAR-T therapies in 20 of them, 81% showed a response and 52% went on to achieve complete remission without significantly greater side effects than with the standard option. The results are published in the journal NEJM.  

Consumption of ultra-processed food is associated with an increased likelihood of having prodromal signs of Parkinson's disease - symptoms that precede the disease - says a study published in Neurology. The analysis is based on data from more than 42,000 healthcare professionals in the US, followed for up to 26 years.

A team has analysed data from a survey of more than 3,000 teenagers aged 11-19 in the UK. Their findings show that those with mental health problems spend an average of 50 minutes more per day on social media than those who do not suffer from them. According to the authors, who publish the results in the journal Nature Human Behaviour, further research is needed to know if this is a causal relationship.

The role of midwives goes far beyond monitoring pregnancies and attending births. We explain why they are such a crucial part of the National Health System, what obstacles they face and what their main demands are.

A team led by the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) in Barcelona and the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) has developed and used a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool called CANYA, together with a large volume of data, to predict when and why protein aggregation takes place. The resource could be used to advance research into neurodegenerative diseases and drug production, according to the joint press release. The results are published in the journal Science Advances.

At this time, it is unknown what caused the massive power outage that left millions of people without electricity on the Iberian Peninsula on Monday. The influence of renewable energy sources is also unknown.

Among the factors affecting human flourishing, Spain has strengths such as friendship and balance in life, and weaknesses such as lack of perceived political voice as well as financial and material worries, according to an international study. The flourishing index is based on questionnaires completed by 200,000 people in 22 middle- and high-income countries. Spain ranks 14th in the ranking excluding financial indicators (ahead of Sweden and Germany), and 18th if financial indicators are considered (behind the same countries). The prosperity of Spanish youth is lower than in other age groups, adds the study published in Nature Mental Health. 

Suffering climate change-related disasters is associated with a cumulative deterioration in mental health, meaning that the effects are exacerbated by successive events, according to an Australian study. The research, published in The Lancet Public Health, is based on longitudinal data from 2009 to 2019 on 5,000 people who suffered damage to their homes after at least one disaster (flood, wildfire, or cyclone).

Power shortages left millions of people in the Iberian peninsula and parts of southern France without electricity on Monday. The situation was exacerbated by the failure of telecommunications, which were vulnerable to the power failure.

A survey conducted in the United States by the Harvard Opinion Research Program shows that more than four in ten American adults (44%) say that changes in federal leadership will cause them to lose confidence in the recommendations of public health agencies, compared to 28% who say they will trust them more. The survey, which included a sample of more than 3,300 participants aged 18 and older, also revealed that other health issues have strong support among Democrats and Republicans, such as chronic disease prevention, pandemic protection, and reducing maternal and infant mortality.