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This research letter documents bone cancer in a 240-million-year-old stem-turtle from the Triassic period, helping to provide more data about the history of cancer in tetrapod evolution. This is a case study about a highly malignant bone tumor on the femur of a shell-less stem-turtle. The appearance of the tumor in the fossilized specimen conforms with present-day periosteal osteosarcoma in humans.

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Benzodiazepines (tranquilizers) are a large class of drugs with lots of potential uses from treating anxiety to other conditions including insomnia, seizures and neuropathic pain. This study used nationally representative data to examine patterns in outpatient prescribing of benzodiazepines and included more than 386,000 ambulatory care visits from 2003 through 2015.

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An earthquake and subsequent tsunami led to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant disaster in Japan in 2011. This observational study examined associations between the earthquake and power plant disaster with birth rates in Fukushima City, the capital of the prefecture.

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Nearly 250 patients ended up at two Southern California emergency departments with injuries associated with standing electric scooter use and few riders were wearing helmets. This observational study used medical record review to examine injuries associated with standing electric scooter use over a one-year period; 228 patients were injured as riders and 21 as nonriders.

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Millions of adults now entering middle age were exposed to high levels of lead as children, with childhood lead exposure linked to lower IQ, greater rates of child behavior problems, hyperactivity and antisocial behavior. This study included nearly 600 children in New Zealand who had their blood lead levels measured at age 11 and their mental health assessed periodically through age 38.

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Less access to care and lower insurance coverage are among the reasons for racial disparities in breast cancer survival in the United States. Eligible beneficiaries in the U.S. Military Health System have insurance and access to care. This study examined whether racial differences existed in time to surgery and whether any differences in that time might explain racial disparities in overall survival between nearly 1,000 black and 3,900 white women diagnosed with breast cancer in the military health system. Researchers report black women had greater estimated time to surgery than white women but that those delays don’t appear to explain racial disparities in survival.

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Neonatal abstinence syndrome describes symptoms (including jitteriness, high-pitched crying, sweating and diarrhea) that primarily occur in newborns exposed to opioids during pregnancy. Finding an optimal drug therapy to treat newborns for neonatal abstinence syndrome may reduce the length of treatment and hospital stay.

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The proportion of liver transplants in the United States for alcohol-associated liver disease increased between 2002 and 2016, with much of the increase associated with a decrease in liver transplant for hepatitis C virus infection because of antiviral therapy. This observational study used data from the United Network for Organ Sharing for all liver transplants during the 15-year period and the national study group consisted of nearly 33,000 patients, including 9,438 patients with a diagnosis of alcohol-associated liver disease. Study findings suggest five-year survival after transplant was lower in patients with alcohol-associated liver disease.

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This study analyzed combined results from 13 randomized clinical trials with more than 164,000 participants to assess aspirin use with the prevention of cardiovascular events and bleeding in people without cardiovascular disease. Results suggest aspirin use was associated with lower risk (absolute risk reduction of 0.38 percent) for cardiovascular events (a composite of cardiovascular death, nonfatal heart attack and nonfatal stroke) and increased risk of major bleeding (absolute risk increase of 0.47 percent).

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Media advisory: To contact corresponding study author Madeline Penn, B.S., B.A., email Michelle Spivak at [email protected]. The full study, invited commentary and a summary podcast are linked to this news release.

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Media advisory: To contact corresponding study author Scott E. Hadland, M.D., M.P.H., M.S., email Jenny Eriksen at [email protected]. The full study, invited commentary and a summary podcast are linked to this news release and a visual abstract is below.

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In a randomized clinical trial, researchers compared the effect of a stem cell transplant using a non-myeloablative regimen (a lower-dose, short course of more tolerable immune specific chemotherapy and antibodies to suppress the immune system) versus continuing disease-modifying therapy in 110 patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

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Survey data suggest at least 1 in 10 U.S. adults are food allergic and nearly 1 in 5 believe they have a food allergy. Food allergies are expensive and potentially life-threatening conditions.

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An estimated 40 to 54 million Google searches for sexual harassment and assault were recorded in the United States in the eight months after public accusations against film producer Harvey Weinstein and the ensuing #MeToo movement. Searches related to reporting and preventing such actions also were up based on the results of a study that monitored and analyzed search activity.

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Pelvic floor disorders such as urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse (when one or more of the pelvic organs drop from their normal position) are associated with childbirth and affect millions of women in the United States. This study examined the risk of pelvic floor disorders based on the method of childbirth delivery among 1,500 women a decade or two after giving birth.

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A study of French women suggests a lower risk of type 2 diabetes was observed among women who reported current migraines compared with women with no history of the painful headaches.

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This study used Danish nationwide registries to investigate an association between infections treated since birth and subsequent risk of treated childhood and adolescent mental disorders.

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In a small survey of patients at an urban diabetes center, 1 in 4 reported skimping on their prescribed insulin because of cost and this was associated with poor glycemic control.

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The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends providing interventions during pregnancy and after birth to support breastfeeding. The report appears in the October 25 issue of JAMA.

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In a study appearing in the October 18 issue of JAMA, David R. Flum, M.D., M.P.H., of the University of Washington, Seattle, and colleagues assessed working status and change in productivity in the first 3 years following bariatric surgery for severe obesity.