Diamonds that find cancer; almonds to curb oxidative stress; West Virginia sues Evernorth Health over opioid role – Morning Medical Update

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Diamonds that can find cancer

Researchers at the University of Warwick have developed a handheld diamond-based sensor that can spot cancer spread by tracing tiny amounts of magnetic fluid injected into the body. The device, described in Physical Review Applied, uses diamond’s unique nitrogen vacancy centers to detect lymph nodes affected by metastasized breast cancer without the need for radioactive tracers or dyes. Small enough for endoscopic surgery, the sensor could make cancer detection safer and more precise, with potential applications beyond breast cancer to lung, liver and other cancers.

A cup of almonds to curb oxidative stress

A new meta-analysis in Scientific Reports suggests that eating more than 60 grams of almonds a day can improve the body’s antioxidant defenses. Reviewing eight clinical trials with 424 participants, researchers found almond supplementation lowered key oxidative stress markers — malondialdehyde, 8-OHdG and uric acid — while boosting antioxidant enzyme activity. The findings support almonds as a potential functional food for managing oxidative stress, though the authors caution that more standardized trials are needed to pin down ideal dosing and duration.

West Virginia sues Evernorth Health over opioid role

The state of West Virginia filed a federal lawsuit Monday against health care company Evernorth Health Inc., formerly Express Scripts Holding Co., accusing the pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) of conspiring with opioid manufacturers and pharmacies to fuel the state’s drug epidemic. State Attorney General John McCuskey, J.D., said accountability, not just money, is the goal, though he suggested a $1 billion settlement could resolve the case. The complaint alleges Express Scripts sold its data analytics to drugmakers to sharpen deceptive opioid marketing while ignoring red flags in distribution. West Virginia — which leads the nation in overdose deaths per capita — is already slated to receive about $1 billion from opioid settlements over the next 17 years.