The internet is bad for us. Right? It’s commonly accepted that using the internet and social media has lots of risks. But, according to a new study in Technology, Mind and Behaviour, people with internet access score 8% higher on measures of “life satisfaction, positive experiences, and contentment with their social life.” So, instead of prescribing nature bathing, you could prescribe… internet bathing? 🤔

☕️Postcall’s one-sip markets update:

We’re off to the races! After sliding 4.2% last month, the S&P 500 has risen 3.7% so far in May and is less than 1% from its record high. This rally was driven by a pretty good earnings season from big companies. However, guidance from tech-y consumer companies (Airbnb, Disney, Shopify, etc.) was that they expect demand to slow down a bit later this year.

Oh, and good ol’ meme-stock Gamestop’s (GME) shares are popping off due to the return of “Roaring Kitty” to X.

Ready for this week’s stories? (6 min read)

1. Diabetes double whammy 

2. Google vs. OpenAI conversation rap beef?

3. Data on using MDMA to treat PTSD is under scrutiny

4. How many deaths were caused by antimicrobial resistance last year?

5. See how housing prices have changed in your zip code

6. Postcall Crossword and Image Challenge

Staying #Up2Date 🚨

1. Diabetes double whammy 

A UK study with 6K patients with diabetes found that those who started GLP-1 agonists and later added SGLT-2i had significantly lower risks of major adverse cardiovascular events and serious adverse renal events compared to those taking GLP-1 agonists alone. Similarly, compared to those on SGLT-2i alone, those on both medications had significantly reduced cardiovascular risks and slightly lower renal risks. 

2. Bad bugs: bacteria leading to colorectal cancer (CRC) 

A new study published in Nature provides further support for the hypothesis that bacteria can cause CRC. The bug, Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn), is usually found in the oral cavity rather than in the lower GI tract of healthy individuals. A specific sub-subspecies, F. nucleatumanimalis C2 (Fna C2), is found in human CRC tumors, in the stools of CRC patients, and is capable of producing CRC in mice. The bottom line: Fna C2 contains genes that plausibly could cause CRC.

👨‍💻Heidi’s Tech Bites

1: 🩷 A contactless breast cancer screening tool is undergoing a clinical trial in Canada this summer. Developed by a Toronto-based startup, this screening tool detects heat patterns and blood flow in breast tissue using thermography with an infrared sensor.

2: 🐄 You may have heard of the Drake / Kendrick rap beef. But have you heard of the OpenAI / Google beef? OpenAI released a new flagship model called GPT-4o, with capabilities so improved it’s like the Her movie came to life. But then yesterday, Google shot back with their own crazy demo of Gemini. Here’s a GPT-4o to blow your mind:

Honestly, just about all of these demos are pretty mind-blowing 🤯.

3: 👾 The long-awaited Switch 2 (not its official name) is finally coming. Or, rather, an announcement about it is coming. Leaked news about the new console includes that the controllers will connect with magnets, the screen will be 8 inches, and it’s expected to be backward compatible.

4: 🧑‍💻 We all know auroras affect electronic devices, right? If you weren’t directly impacted… you were probably indirectly this past weekend (in your group chats).

Want to use AI instead of just reading about it? Try Heidi, the only free AI scribe.

No Ecstasy for PTSD 💊 

What happened: Ecstasy, also known as MDMA, is under the microscope. The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) released a report casting doubt on the integrity of recent clinical trials that suggest ecstasy could help treat PTSD. The report points to potential biases and underreported negative outcomes in studies conducted by Lykos Therapeutics.

Why it’s interesting:

• MDMA has been eyed as a groundbreaking treatment for PTSD, particularly for veterans, and could be the first psychedelic-based treatment approved in the US.

• A crucial meeting is scheduled for June 4, where FDA advisers will review Lykos Therapeutics’ application, with a final decision expected by August.

• PTSD is notoriously difficult to treat effectively, often requiring a combination of medication and psychotherapy. MDMA’s promise lies in its potential to ease fear responses and enhance therapeutic outcomes.

• A citizen's petition last month highlighted significant safety risks and shortcomings in the clinical trials, questioning the reliability of the findings.

• While some participants reported improvements, others experienced worsening conditions or severe side effects, leading to concerns about the trials' conduct and oversight.

Yes, but: Despite the ICER’s critical assessment, Lykos Therapeutics stands firm on the validity of its research, asserting that the trials were robustly designed and the results reliable. Key figures involved in the study — like Jennifer Mitchell, a neurology and psychiatry professor at UCSF — defended the data’s integrity and the research conduct, emphasizing their independence from undue influence by the sponsor.

Postcall’s Take: As the debate heats up over the potential approval of MDMA for PTSD, the crux of the matter hinges on the rigor of scientific validation.

Notable Numbers 🔢

1.27 million: the estimated number of deaths caused by bacterial antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in 2019, the WHO reported last week. AMR also contributed to an additional 4.95 million deaths the same year.

20,000: the number of people with sickle cell disease in the US who are eligible for a commercially approved gene therapy. An estimated 20,000 in the US have sickle cell.

1 in 5: the number of women seeking abortions at the end of 2023 who turned to teleheath, letting them bypass state laws banning the procedure, according to a national report released Tuesday.

Postcall Picks ✅ 

📺 Watch: the first Jeopardy spin-off show for a major streaming service, Pop Culture Jeopardy.

🧐 Analyze: if housing prices are coming down in your area. See how housing prices have changed in your zip code. 

 📖 Read: about the women fed up with industry prices and are turning to Facebook… for sperm.

🤭 Chuckle: pharmacists, ready to save the day, one prescription correction at a time. Medical Intern Calling Pharmacy - YouTube

❤️‍🩹 Heal: Medscape has come out with their Family Physician Burnout & Depression Report 2024. Read that here.

Game ⛳️

First question: What do you call a fungal infection of the nail?

Image Challenge

(The % of folks who selected each answer will be revealed after you select an answer)

Source: Originally published on NEJM