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New research is uncovering the role a specific protein might play in developing Alzheimer’s, a disease that affects 5 million people in the U.S., according to estimates from 2020. In a study published today in Molecular Psychiatry, researchers identified a new gene from mitochondrial DNA that encodes for a “microprotein,” named SHMOOSE. They analyzed the default and mutated versions of this small protein and found that the mutated version is associated with increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease, brain atrophy and changes in energy metabolism. (Hou, 9/20)

“This is a really exciting time in cancer management,” said Dr. Stephen Ansell, the senior deputy director for the Midwest at the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center in Rochester, Minnesota, who wasn’t involved with the report. “We see the death rate from cancer keeps going down.” (Sullivan, 9/21)

Too few U.S. kids with sickle cell anemia get a needed screening for stroke, according to a study released Tuesday. The study found fewer than half get the screening and only about half or fewer get a treatment that can help with pain and anemia. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the study, and called for more screening and treatment. (Stobbe, 9/20)

The American Academy of Pediatrics also advised parents to speak with their teens about which challenges are trending on social media or at school. "Sometimes kids are more willing to talk about their peers than themselves. Asking questions about school trends, friends and fads may yield more answers than direct questions about their own activities," the AAP said on its website. (Singh, 9/20)

The National Transportation Safety Board is recommending that all new vehicles in the U.S. be equipped with blood alcohol monitoring systems that can stop an intoxicated person from driving. The recommendation, if enacted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, could reduce the number of alcohol-related crashes, one of the biggest causes of highway deaths in the U.S. (Krisher, 9/20)

The generator industry’s promised fix for deadly carbon monoxide poisoning was put to the test last year on a narrow patio outside Demetrice Johnson’s home after Hurricane Ida plunged much of Louisiana into darkness. (Trevizo and Hixenbaugh, 9/21)