Science news of the day thread.

[Brian Peacock]

Reality would suffice....grim is pejorative without purpose. If we enjoy bacon then sacrificing a pig for progressing medical understanding is not grim.

I didn't say "grim" though, so stop equivocating. I used an idiom: "grim reality", as in, "The grim reality of medical science". I explained what it meant; how it was used. Please don't put words in my mouth or ascribe to me attitudes or beliefs that I do not have and have not expressed. Cheers.

[macdoc]

its still pejorative despite the apologetics and casts an undeserved negative on what is in reality good news. explain all you want - it was/is a pejorative

[Brian Peacock]

its still pejorative despite the apologetics and casts an undeserved negative on what is in reality good news. explain all you want - it was/is a pejorative

Meh. Still equivocating eh? Where's the pejoratives (other than the 'undeserved negatives' you're bringing to the table)?

I did not disparage, belittle, or impute the researchers, nor did I decry, condemn, denounce, or express disapproval of them, of their methods or their motivation. Telling me that I did, and consequentially impugning me as anti-medical progress is at best defamatory; being outraged on their behalf is just white-knighting.

Again, 'grim reality' is an idiomatic expression. The grim reality is that medical and veterinary science progress by exploring and exploiting suffering, with the ultimate goal of reducing or eradicating suffering. Others suffer so we don't have to. If you know anything about the history of surgery, antiseptics, anaesthetics, analgesias, diagnostics, or anatomy, then you should also be able to grasp the appropriate context of my earlier remark.

Most people here know that in a previous life I worked in hospital administration and finally as the manager of a GP's practice - until my own medical issues forced a relatively early withdrawal from the general workforce. I have a very positive view of medical science, so I'd be grateful if you could stop gaslighting and tone-policing my comments now. Cheers.

[Tero]

Ant sex tricks with other species of ant
https://www.science.org/content/article ... 63280dd086

[Brian Peacock]

Good news for the big boned

Weight-loss drug cuts heart attack risk regardless of kilograms shed, study finds

The weight-loss drug semaglutide cuts the risk of heart attack or stroke regardless of how many kilograms people lose, the largest study of its kind has found.

However, shrinking waist size – a sign of less belly fat – was linked to better heart outcomes, according to the research.

The findings, published in the Lancet, suggest drugs could have wider benefits for patients beyond weight loss so should not be restricted to the most obese patients.

Researchers set out to examine the additional benefits of semaglutide, which is the main ingredient of the weight-loss drug Wegovy.

The select trial, led by University College London (UCL), looked at whether or not people taking the drug went on to suffer a “major adverse cardiac event” – including heart disease deaths, heart attacks or strokes.

They examined data on 17,604 people aged 45 and over who were either overweight or obese.

Half of the people taking part in the study – which took place across 41 countries – were given weekly injections of semaglutide. The other half were given a dummy drug, known as a placebo.

Previous analysis of the data found that semaglutide reduced the risk of major adverse cardiac events by 20%. Researchers have now found the benefit was apparent regardless of how much weight people lost while taking the drug.

Academics said the findings suggested there were multiple ways the drug could benefit the heart, rather than the protective effect achieved solely by weight loss alone...

[Svartalf]

ozempic helps the heart? given the record of all anti diabetes drugs that have been reconverted against indications into weight control ones, I'd take that piece of news with a lorryload of salt.

[Brian Peacock]

It seems to bestow a certain cardiac favourability regardless of the amount of weight loss - tho' losing weight has obvs cardiac benefits too.

[macdoc]

Amongst many other positive health factors.
Don't pontificate svarty on what you don't know about.
That is NOT a small trial

The select trial, led by University College London (UCL), looked at whether or not people taking the drug went on to suffer a “major adverse cardiac event” – including heart disease deaths, heart attacks or strokes.

They examined data on 17,604 people aged 45 and over who were either overweight or obese.

Half of the people taking part in the study – which took place across 41 countries – were given weekly injections of semaglutide. The other half were given a dummy drug, known as a placebo.

Previous analysis of the data found that semaglutide reduced the risk of major adverse cardiac events by 20%. Researchers have now found the benefit was apparent regardless of how much weight people lost while taking the drug.