US syphilis epidemic slowed dramatically last year, gonorrhea cases fell and chlamydia cases remained below prepandemic levels, according to federal data released Tuesday. The numbers represented some good news about sexually transmitted diseases, which experienced some alarming increases in past years due to declining condom use, inadequate sex education, and reduced testing and treatment when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Last year, cases of the most infectious stages of syphilis fell 10% from the year before — the first substantial decline in more than two decades. Gonorrhea cases dropped 7%, marking a second straight year of decline and bringing the number below what it was in 2019.

"I’m encouraged, and it’s been a long time since I felt that way” about the nation’s epidemic of sexually transmitted infections, said the CDC’s Dr. Jonathan Mermin. “Something is working.” More than 2.4 million cases of syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia were diagnosed and reported last year — 1.6 million cases of chlamydia, 600,000 of gonorrhea, and more than 209,000 of syphilis.

Syphilis is a particular concern. For centuries, it was a common but feared infection that could deform the body and end in death. New cases plummeted in the U.S. starting in the 1940s when infection-fighting antibiotics became widely available, and they trended down for a half century after that. By 2002, however, cases began rising again, with men who have sex with other men being disproportionately affected.

STD in India

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) remain a significant public health concern in India, affecting millions of people each year. Despite progress in awareness and healthcare infrastructure, the prevalence of STDs continues to be high, largely due to factors such as limited access to sexual health education, cultural stigmas, and inadequate preventive measures.

Common STDs in India include HIV/AIDS, syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia. The country's diverse population, varying levels of healthcare access, and high rates of unprotected sex contribute to the spread of these infections. In rural areas, misinformation and traditional taboos around discussing sexual health further exacerbate the problem. The government has launched awareness campaigns and free testing and treatment services in an effort to curb the rise in infections. However, greater efforts are needed in terms of education, better healthcare services, and encouraging safe sexual practices to address this ongoing public health challenge.

Pets are one of the best additions to families. While their form of communication may be different, they grow to share a special bond with us. Pets are recommended by many specialists, healthcare professionals, people who work with children development etc. While you may have come across many ‘why you should become a pet parent’ or ‘how your pets help children develop’ articles, one must make sure they check all potential points before making the leap.

Becoming a pet parent is a big deal, not just as a financial commitment, but it will also affect different aspects of your life like your social life, your professional life etc. Another aspect one should be aware of is the role it could play in affecting your child’s health. If you are wondering about pet hair and dander allergies, they are the least of your worries. There are other things that you should take precautions against and ensure proper steps, which will not only keep your kid safe, but also the pet, happy and healthy.

Pets Can Help Us Tackle Loneliness

According to the Journal of Advanced Pediatrics and Child Health traditional pets can lessen loneliness and quickly improve mental wellness in humans. While much focus has been on adults, newer research highlights the potential positive effects of pet ownership on children's emotional, cognitive, behavioral, educational, and social growth. However, this growth also comes with risks.

Even though pets are great, they can also bring germs into the house. Kids are more likely to get sick from these germs than adults. This is because kids might not have all their shots yet and their bodies aren't as good at fighting off sickness. Also, kids might get bitten by a pet they know because they have lots of energy and do things that can make the animal feel like it needs to protect itself.

Common Pet and Common Germs

Most people in America have "regular" pets like dogs and cats. We love them like furry friends, but they can carry germs that can make kids sick. Dogs, especially, can spread different kinds of bacteria that parents should know about, like Campylobacter jejuni, Clostridium difficile, and Pasteurella.

If you have a puppy, there's a higher chance of getting a germ called Campylobacter jejuni. It's not always the dog's fault, though. Dogs often get this germ from eating leftover food from the kitchen. Then, the dog can pass it on to the child. Kids who get this might have diarrhea, fever, and stomach pain. Sometimes, the germ can get into the blood after the stomach problems start. Usually, the body fights it off quickly. But if a child has a weak immune system, the sickness might come back.

When dogs lick or "kiss" kids, they can easily pass on Clostridium difficile. This germ can also cause diarrhea and stomach cramps because it makes a big part of the gut swollen.

Dogs and cats have Pasteurella germs in their noses and throats. If a dog or cat scratches a child, these germs can get in. The most common problem is a skin infection called cellulitis. Sometimes, it can also cause infections in the brain, bones, or lungs.

Germs More Common with Cats

While both dogs and cats can give kids Pasteurella, some germs are more likely to come from cats. One common one is Toxoplasma gondii. Kids usually get it by eating or swallowing something that has cat poop in it. This can happen easily because kids are curious and might touch the cat's litter box. The sickness feels like the flu, with fever, swollen glands, body aches, and feeling tired.

Cats also often carry Bartonella germs, which they get from fleas or from other sick cats. Many healthy cats, especially kittens, have this in their blood. If a child gets Bartonella, they might have swollen and sore glands a week or two after being around a cat, a scab where the germ got in, and sometimes heart problems. Kids under 15 get sick most often, but it's also important to watch out if a child has a weak immune system.

Animals can naturally have germs that can pass to kids, especially those with weak immune systems. It's important for parents to know the signs of these illnesses and the germs that their pets might carry, especially if they have young children at home.

As summer sets in and swimming season kicks off, you might notice a familiar sight: your fingertips turning wrinkly after a long soak in water. But what may seem like a simple quirk of nature is actually a complex biological response — and it’s more consistent and significant than you might think.

It’s Not Just Skin Swelling

For a long time, people assumed that "pruney" fingers were just a result of water making the skin swell. But Guy German, a biomedical engineering professor at Binghamton University (State University of New York), has found otherwise. According to German, the wrinkling is caused by blood vessels under the skin constricting, not the skin absorbing water.

This reaction is part of a natural nervous system response and has evolved to possibly improve grip in wet conditions — think of it as nature’s own anti-slip mechanism.

Do the Wrinkles Always Look the Same?

That’s the question that sparked the latest round of research. German had already explored the phenomenon back in 2023. But when a student asked whether these wrinkles always formed the same way, he realized no one had ever looked into that specific detail.

This curiosity led to a new study published in the Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials. Working with graduate student Rachel Laytin, German set out to test whether wrinkle patterns were repeatable.

Participants soaked their fingers in water for 30 minutes, had their wrinkles photographed, and then repeated the experiment at least a day later. The results showed that the patterns — loops, ridges, and furrows — consistently reappeared in the same way.

Why the Patterns Stay the Same

The explanation lies beneath the skin. “Blood vessels don’t change their position much,” said German. “They move a bit, but in relation to other vessels, they’re mostly static. That means the wrinkles should form the same way — and they do.”

In other words, the architecture of your vascular system shapes your wrinkle pattern like a biological blueprint.

What Happens When Nerves Are Damaged?

One unexpected discovery was that some people don’t wrinkle at all — specifically, those with median nerve damage in their hands. In one case, a student volunteered that they had such damage. When tested, their fingers showed no wrinkling after soaking.

This lack of response confirms that the wrinkling process is neurologically driven — not just a passive reaction to water.

Implications for Forensics

The research has potential applications beyond the pool. Forensic investigators, for example, could use wrinkle patterns to help identify bodies that have been exposed to water or assist in fingerprint analysis where traditional methods might fail.

German, whose father was a police officer, says the work feels personally relevant. “Biometrics and fingerprints are built into my brain,” he shared. “This stuff is just fascinating.”

With so much still unknown about skin and its responses, German and his team are excited to keep digging into the science. “I feel like a kid in a candy store,” he said. “There’s so much here that I don’t know — and that’s the fun part.”

You may have heard cancer survivor stories and how they inspired people through their journey. They fought and are now living proof of what ‘coming out stronger’ looks like.

Linda Burchett, 75 years old, this year celebrates the 10 years of being cancer free, explaining how she is the ‘encourager’, who 'encourages’ people to never give up on their hopes. For her, the cancer diagnosis started off as a mere indigestion-like symptom. " I thought I was having indigestion, and the pain had started radiating through to my back. I asked my husband to google heart attacks in women because I thought maybe that was what was happening." Upon their arrival at the doctors, she was diagnosed with pancreatitis. Having prior experience with this condition through her daughter, Linda was familiar with the diagnostic process, which included an endoscopic ultrasound.

Unexpected Cancer Revelation

During the ultrasound, the doctor expressed a low expectation of finding anything significant, a sentiment Linda shared. However, within 24 hours, she received the unexpected news that she had pancreatic cancer. Despite this serious diagnosis, Linda, who describes herself as having a naturally calm and peaceful disposition, calmly anticipated surgery as the next step, believing the tumor would be removed and life would continue normally.

But things didn't go as planned for Linda. “It (the cancer mass) was going to be removed, and life would go on. Well, that changed. About four or five days before the surgery the surgeon said your mesenteric artery is 80% compromised so the surgery is not possible.” Because of this, the doctors couldn't do the surgery. The conversation quickly changed, and the surgeon asked Linda where she wanted to have her chemotherapy treatment. Linda said that the chemotherapy made her feel very sick all the time, which was a difficult experience for her to go through on a daily basis.

New Hopes For Recovery And Treatments

Even though the chemotherapy was hard, Linda had something wonderful to look forward to. About a month after she was diagnosed with cancer, she found out that she was going to have a grandchild.

This news gave her a strong reason to keep fighting and to want to live so she could spend time with her new grandchild. The chemotherapy actually helped shrink the tumors enough that the doctors could try the Whipple surgery after all, but they needed a vascular surgeon to be there during the operation to help.

What Is Whipple Surgery?

According to the Whipple Procedure (Pancreaticoduodenectomy, the Whipple surgery, also called pancreaticoduodenectomy, is the main operation doctors use to take out tumors in the pancreas. If doctors can remove the tumor with surgery, it gives the best chance to control all kinds of pancreatic cancer for a long time. The Whipple surgery is a big and complicated operation because it involves taking out and putting back together a large part of the digestive system.

The recovery following the Whipple surgery was far from straightforward. What was anticipated to be four weeks of daily radiation and chemotherapy was complicated by an infected port, dangerously low blood pressure, high temperatures, and low white blood cell counts. This extended her recovery period to approximately three months. During this intense time, Linda, a lifelong Christian, found herself drawing immense strength and comfort from her deepened connection with God.

Milestone And New Hope For Life

Linda had her first scan that showed no signs of cancer on October 15th. The very next day, October 16th, her grandson was born. It was the happiest week of her life – being cancer-free and becoming a grandmother.

After she recovered, Linda would go back to the place where she had her treatments to encourage other people who were still going through it. She felt that because she had so many problems during her own treatment, she could really understand what they were experiencing. She said that no one there had gone through anything she hadn't also been through.

“This is not a journey for you to take by yourself.” she encouraged people to reach out to their loved ones and not to lose hope. “Because of being able to bless other people that's what I really want to accomplish to make connections with other people going through this journey and I'm just enjoying and celebrating every day.”

Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer

The American Cancer Society explains that pancreatic cancer may not cause signs and symptoms, by the time you do notice something different, it could have grown quite large and spread outside the pancreas. Here are some symptoms of it you should know.

• Fatigue or abnormal weakness
• Jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes)
• Dark urine
• Light-colored or greasy stools
• Itchy skin
• Weight loss and poor appetite
• Belly or back pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Gallbladder or liver enlargement
• Blood clots
• New-onset or poorly controlled diabetes