SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " PIT " 12,882 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Newt Gingrich endorses Bobby Charles for Maine governor
The fundraising pitch goes on to describe Charles’ campaign as one “running on a bold MAGA-style vision” that emphasizes cracking down on crime, tax relief and putting Maine first.
UT Health San Antonio Multispecialty and Research Hospital treats first clinical trial participant in novel cancer study - UT Health San Antonio
Milestone paves the way for advancements in cancer care, innovation and patient care in San Antonio and South Texas. UT Health San Antonio Multispecialty and Research Hospital has enrolled and treated its first clinical trial participant in a novel cancer study, marking a pivotal moment for science and patient-centered cancer care in San Antonio and […]
Candle-Making Business Is the Latest Pop-Up to Join Downtown Revitalization Effort
Visitors on Saturday, March 28 can receive a free gift.
Preview: Two injured forwards return for Avalanche in Pittsburgh
The Avs look to get revenge against Pittsburgh tonight.
Palantir Will No Longer Profit Off of New Yorkers’ Health Data
After The Intercept exposed Palantir’s deal with New York City Health + Hospitals, the public health care system didn’t renew the contract.
NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health Receives Over $1 Million from Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. to Enhance Patient Care Across Queens - NYC Health + Hospitals
Queens, NY — NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health today announced a significant investment of over $1 million from Queens Borough President Donovan
Losses triple for Highmark Health in 2025: ‘We’re still in the middle of the storm’
Despite revenue gains, operating losses continued for the second consecutive year in 2025 at hospital and health insurance giant Highmark Health as the...
Blog explains why context matters in discussions on health care spending
An AHA blog published March 24 responds to a recent KFF brief on the role of hospital care in recent health care spending growth.
Meet the 2026 Influential Women in Business and see the Women’s Leadership Symposium lineup
They run hospitals, build companies, fight cancer and welcome visitors to the Capital Region. Now, nine of the area’s most accomplished women are being recognized as 2026 Influential Women in Business by Baton Rouge Business Report. The honorees will be recognized May 19 at the Influential Women in Business Luncheon, which follows the fourth annual […]
Lee’s Summit weighs permit for seasonal inflatable sports dome
Lee's Summit City Council discusses inflatable high school sports complex with full-size pitch.
Buzzy AI doctor startup raises funds, will meet FDA
In this edition of STAT Health Tech: AI doctor startup raises fresh capital, and what Medicare chief Chris Klomp said at STAT Summit.
ENvue Medical Expands Presence within a Major Michigan Health System and Grows U.S. Hospital Footprint to 39
Premier 714-bed teaching hospital and Level I Trauma Center purchases ENvue™ Navigation Platform system and feeding tubesTYLER, Texas, March 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ENvue Medical, Inc. (NASDAQ: FEED) (“ENvue,” “ENvue Medical” or the “Company”), a medical technology company specializing in the advancement of intelligent, non-invasive solutions for enteral care across clinical and home care settings, today announced a purchase of the ENvue™ Navigation Platform and feeding tubes by a premier t
Alliant Private Client Strengthens Entertainment Practice with Addition of Michelle Quintero
IRVINE, Calif., March 24, 2026--Michelle Quintero has joined Alliant Insurance Services as Executive Vice President with Alliant Private Client. Based on the West Coast and recognized by Risk & Insurance® as a 2026 Entertainment, Hospitality & Gaming Power Broker®, Quintero brings more than 25 years of technical acumen and delivers tailored solutions to high-profile and celebrated individuals in music, film, and live events.
Avalon’s New Challenges, Opportunities in Life Science Investing
LA JOLLA – As Avalon BioVentures wraps up deploying its very first fund, the $135 million ABV1, the early stage focused venture capital firm is already lookin
4 Pitt people were named Pittsburgh Business Times 2026 Women of Influence
The awards recognize the region’s businesswomen, including one Pitt dean and three alumnae, who make impactful change by leading organizations.
Nintendo cuts Switch 2 production amid weakening console sales
Output is reportedly being reduced from six million to four million units, despite the console’s record debut.
Blount: Online sports betting proposal has little support in Senate, would cost casino industry
Sen. David Blount, chairman of the Gaming Committee in the Senate, says a proposal to legalize online sports betting lacks support in the Senate, and could harm the state's casino tourism industry, which provides thousands of jobs and millions in state revenue. Blount also discusses proposed, and recently enacted, changes to the Public Employee Retirement System, and proposals to increase tax credits for private schools.
Context Matters: The Truth about Hospital Spending and Health Care Costs
Recent analyses of national health spending have again placed hospitals at the center of the affordability debate.
Accrington Victoria Hospital site to become health and care hub
Accrington Victoria Hospital closed in 2024 after the building was found to be beyond repair.
SouthCoast Community’s Choice Awards business spotlight: Anchor Animal Hospital
We're in the final stretch! Ready to recognize your favorite local businesses? Submit your SouthCoast Community’s Choice Awards nominations today.
Crowded Democratic Race for California Governor Could Open Door for Republicans
By Joseph Ax and Costas Pitas March 24 (Reuters) - By many measures, California is the center of the Democratic Party's political universe. The most populous U.S. state, it is home to both the party's last presidential nominee, Kamala Harris, and possibly its future one, Governor Gavin Newsom. But ...
RFK Jr. and Dr. Oz have a plan to save rural health care. Here’s the catch.
Top health officials point to AI as the solution for dying hospitals, but experts from rural areas of the country say the solution isn’t that simple.
Florida Democrats hope in special election to flip a state legislative district that includes Mar-a-Lago
Democrats in Florida are hoping to capitalize on the party’s recent special election overperformances and come out on top Tuesday in a special state House election for a Palm Beach district that includes President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence.
Estevao: The rise of Chelsea's teenage Brazilian star
From the dirt pitch to practicing against a rottweiler and Thiago Silva's advice - the foundations of Chelsea forward Estevao's rise.
Amid competition for sponsors, top sports clubs are investing in social media operations
Sponsors used to want hospitality access and pitch-side banners. Now they want access to a club's social following.
We disagreed on politics. We agreed on wine. That was enough.
At the Virginia Governor’s Cup Gala in Richmond earlier this month, a very dapper gentleman approached me and introduced himself. In his light-colored suit and bowtie, he looked very Southern in a classical sense, the sort of Virginia Gentleman you used to see south of the Rappahannock as recently as my college days. “I’m a longtime reader and fan of your writing, if not your politics,” he said. His comment was the proverbial iron fist in a velvet glove, simultaneously conveying praise and disapproval while establishing boundaries. Man, I wish we still discoursed like this instead of shouting bromides and insults to try and “own” our opponents with a funny meme and a furrowed brow. Subscribe “Well, we’ll always have wine to share together,” I said, and thanked him for his kind words. We clinked glasses, exchanged pleasantries about the delicious gold medal-winning wines being poured that evening, and went our separate ways. Our exchange reminded me that more unites us than divides us. Wine brings people together to share a meal and a few hours of joy despite our differences.1 That’s why I refer to the wine community — including readers and consumers — rather than the wine industry. Together, we are so much more than production, distribution and sales statistics. A few minutes later the evening’s awards ceremony began. Applause grew as the 12 winemakers who made the top-scoring wines for the Governor’s Case took the stage, including a loud cheer for Jonathan Wheeler of Trump Winery and his 2018 Blanc de Noir sparkling wine. All the winemakers on stage had reason to be proud, Wheeler perhaps more so. Trump Winery was the only winery to win six gold medals in the competition this year. (Wineries are limited to six entries.) Two of Wheeler’s ciders also won gold medals in a separate competition. When you cover the labels and take the sour taste of politics off your palate, the wines are pretty darn good.2 Then Gov. Abigail Spanberger, newly elected Democrat and Virginia’s first female governor, was introduced to great applause to announce which of the 12 wines had won the Governor’s Cup. She spoke for a few minutes about the importance of wine to Virginia’s economy and tourism and the international acclaim Virginia wine has received. Just two weeks earlier, she gave the Democrats’ response to Trump’s State of the Union speech, but this night wasn’t about politics. That didn’t stop several people in the crowd from speculating on the irony should she have to present the trophy to Trump Winery. In the end, Valley Road Vineyards was displayed on the screen behind Spanberger as the winning winery. Blue Bee Cidery in Richmond took top honors for that category. The crowd cheered a female governor presenting the state’s highest trophy to a female winemaker and then resumed the evening’s festivities, united by their mutual love of wine. A whiff of politics couldn’t dim the cheer of celebration and a community united by its love of wine. In Memoriam: Michel Rolland The global wine community lost a giant March 20, with the passing of Michel Rolland. He was 78. Rolland was the original “flying winemaker,” a globe-trotting consultant who helped Bordeaux regain its mojo in the 1970s and then shaped the rise of Napa Valley cult Cabernet as consultant to Simi, Harlan, Newton, Screaming Eagle, Araujo, Dalle Valle and other wineries. He was instrumental in Argentina’s rise to prominence and even had his own winery, Clos de los Siete, in a partnership with other wine families. Rolland’s career arc paralleled that of Robert Parker, the world’s most influential critic. Parker championed many of the wines Rolland consulted on, helping build his reputation and demand for his services. It also made him a target for Parker’s critics. As W. Blake Gray wrote on Wine-Searcher in his excellent tribute to Rolland: Rolland created the type of wines Parker loved: rich body, plenty of fruit, soft tannins. He sometimes faced the accusation of creating a generic international style of red wine, where the great wines he made in Argentina were indistinguishable from the great wines he made in France. Rolland chafed at that critique, as did many of his fans. He was credited with championing green harvesting and leaf pulling, as well as careful selection of grapes in the winery, practices we nearly universally think of today for high-quality winemaking. “Michel was an incredible innovator who changed how wine was made and how grapes were grown,” Napa Valley winemaker Aaron Pott wrote on Facebook. “His work has transformed the wine trade. He created new ways of looking at wine, tasting wine, evaluating ripeness and quality. … This was not just a man with a ‘style’ that he imposed on vineyards but a man that understood how to make great wine from great sites.” Rolland started his consulting company in 1973 in Libourne, in Bordeaux, with his wife, Dany. Both had graduated the year before from Bordeaux’s Institute d’Oenologie. The couple sold their majority share in the business in 2020, according to Wine Spectator. Over his career, Rolland reportedly worked with more than 100 wineries in 20 countries. He even made it to Virginia, where he consulted for Kluge Estate in the mid-2000s. (Kluge Estate is now Trump Winery.) Reader feedback, please! Last week, I did my first WineLine Live! with Dr. Laura Catena of Catena Zapata winery in Argentina. We enjoyed a fascinating discussion about her efforts to preserve the genetic heritage of old vineyards in Mendoza. I conceived of WineLine Live! for paid subscribers, as a thank you for your financial support. And while only a few people joined live, the video now has more views than I have paid subscribers, so I guess that’s pretty good. Even so, I’m considering opening future installments to anyone on Substack to reach a broader audience. So my questions to you: Should these be public? And what format do you prefer? Live gives a chat feature with the potential for viewers to interact with me and the guest, while a video post would just be that. Another alternative is a podcast, which would just be audio, without video of my chins. Please let me know in the comments. Leave a comment In the Glass A few wines I’ve enjoyed recently: Bonny Doon Vineyard Take Me to Your Liter, Le Cigare Volant, Red Wine of the Earth. 2023, Central Coast, CA. Blend of Grenache, Syrah Cinsaut and Petite Sirah. Delightful wine with expressive red fruit flavors, casual drinking. Doon lovers of a certain age will remember Randall Grahm’s Big House Red; this is more in that style than his original Le Cigare Volant, modeled after Chateauneuf du Pape. The liter bottle makes it an even better value. I see this online at about $15. Great value. Albert Bichot Bourgogne Pinot Noir Origines 2023. 13% - Textbook pinot noir and an excellent, affordable entry (regional) Burgundy. Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Wines of 2025. $24 at Total Wine & More. Loma Larga Pinot Noir 2021 “Coastal Cool Climate Wine”, Valle de Casablanca, Chile. An older sample, showing beautifully. Spicy and fruit forward. I’m seeing widely varied pricing online, from $18-$32. At the lower end, it’s a terrific value. 13.5% Dr. Loosen Riesling Dry 2016, Mosel, Germany. Found this “in the stack.” And it stacked up well, shedding some of its youthful acidity for opulent Riesling character, including a hint of the mineral oil older Riesling often features. A great value, as I’m seeing it as low as $14 online. 12% abv. Red Tail Ridge Blau Franc Blend 2024, Sans Oak, Finger Lakes. 13.4% abv. The name is a neat portmanteau of Blaufrankisch and Cabernet Franc, thus Blau Franc. The blend is 50-50, no oak involved. The Blau dominates on the palate, with the spicy caraway seed (think New York deli rye bread). The Franc adds body. The result is juicy, energetic and joyful. Sokol Blosser Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir 2025, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon. This first rosé of 2025 was a welcome respite to our cold, snowy winter here in the Mid-Atlantic. Oh man, I needed this! Bright and energetic, exuberant even, it perks up the mood and goes down fast. 13%. Certified B Corp. Ingredient and nutrition labeling, and in a modest way that doesn’t occupy a lot of label space. (Since it’s not required, presumably there are no minimum font size requirements.) More wineries should follow this example. Dave McIntyre's WineLine is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Thanks for reading Dave McIntyre's WineLine! This post is public so feel free to share it. Share 1 Some restraint may be required. 2 Especially the bubblies.
Top Senate Republicans coalesce behind plan to end DHS shutdown
Top Senate Republicans on Capitol Hill believe their party is unified behind a plan to reopen the Department of Homeland Security. Now, they need to sell the plan to Democrats.
Entertainment district ordinance repeal not on council agendas despite Ward 7 councilmember claims
Norman City Council will not see an ordinance repeal related to the Rock Creek Entertainment District during Tuesday’s city council meeting, despite a statement from a council member that it
Mullin’s Smooth Confirmation Was a Throwback in the Senate
In choosing Senator Markwayne Mullin, who has warm relationships across the Capitol and the political aisle, President Trump was reverting to a bygone tradition.
Freddie Freeman might hit 5th against some left-handed pitchers
Whether it’s the Teoscar Tax or the Smith Levy, Freeman hasn’t batted lower than 4th since 2016
Former Brazilian leader Bolsonaro's health improves and he could serve sentence under house arrest
One of his doctors says former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been transferred to a regular hospital room in the capital of Brasilia as he continues to recover from pneumonia
Bluffton business delivering support to cancer patients
But at one Lowcountry hospital, patients are getting a boost from an unlikely source.
A mission NASA might kill is still returning fascinating science from Jupiter
We can’t quite afford to support everything that we have done in the past."
Two bills with the potential to increase healthcare competition in Tennessee make headway
Two bills making their way through the Tennessee General Assembly have the potential of shifting the healthcare landscape of our region.
Two bills with the potential to increase healthcare competition in region make headway
Two bills making their way through the Tennessee General Assembly have the potential of shifting the healthcare landscape of our region.
Political traffic signals: waiting for the light to change on the Hill
Congress faces a steep political battle over a $200 billion Iran war spending request, with Trump sending mixed signals on whether the funds are needed.
White House pitches pharma on pricing draft
Plus: Names of the candidates to lead the CDC
After patient deaths, Idaho budget committee approves restoring cut Medicaid mental health programs
The Idaho Legislature will consider restoring mental health programs the state cut to comply with the governor’s order for budget cuts.
S.F. public health boss: Hospital staff stopped stabbing, not sheriff
Daniel Tsai said in a private meeting that protocol failures led to a social worker's death, and contradicted sheriff's account of the incident.
Review: Inside the night Jo Koy and Fluffy made comedy history at SoFi Stadium
The veteran comedians created an intimate experience despite the enormous venue, drawing the crowd together through storytelling and humor from start to finish.
Trump administration adds State Health Officer Dr. Daniel Edney to short list of nominees for CDC director
State Health Officer Dr. Dan Edney is among the contenders to head the nation’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Washington Post reported
No health insurance? Here are other ways to access affordable health care in Alaska
Around 25,000 Alaskans are facing skyrocketing insurance costs in 2026. So we found some other options for accessing affordable care.
NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi | North Central Bronx Brings Novel Minimally Invasive Vascular Surgery Procedures to the Bronx - NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi | North Central Bronx today announced it has begun offering two types of minimally invasive surgical procedures that were
Expanded NICU offers families privacy, innovation
The NICU at Temple Health's new Women and Families Hospital offers twice the space and many more services than its predecessor.
Nominate a Capital Region health care executive who’s making a difference
Who’s running the organizations shaping health care in the Capital Region — and doing it well? That’s the question at the heart of the Outstanding Health Care Executive category in Business Report‘s inaugural Excellence in Health Care Awards. This recognition is for the senior leaders who are making the hard calls, building strong teams and […]
The week ahead: Another big (and tough) week for Penguins
Looking at what the Pittsburgh Penguins need to do to secure their spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season.
New York’s LaGuardia airport closed after plane collision with fire truck kills two pilots
About 40 people taken to hospital after Air Canada Express crash, some with serious injuries
Every NFL franchise's biggest position to improve, plus free agency and draft solutions
The Cowboys need to add to their defense, and they have the draft capital to make it happen.
Building a Culture of Health: BJACH Opens Armed Forces Wellness Center at Fort Polk
FORT POLK, La. — Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital marked a significant step forward in supporting warfighter readiness and community well-being with the grand opening of its new Armed Forces Wellness Center on March 23. The center, located on the first floor inside BJACH, provides Soldiers, Families, civilian employees and beneficiaries with access to personalized health assessments, education and coaching designed to improve overall health and performance.
A Look At PENN Entertainment (PENN) Valuation As Expansion Projects And New Financing Move Ahead
Expansion plans and fresh financing reshape the PENN Entertainment story PENN Entertainment (PENN) has put expansion and balance sheet moves front and center, with new casino and hotel projects in Aurora and Columbus alongside a fresh US$600 million senior notes offering. See our latest analysis for PENN Entertainment. Despite the new projects and financing, PENN’s 1 year total shareholder return of 21.21% and 5 year total shareholder return of 86.08% sit well behind peers. A recent 4.99% 1...
German men's biathlon coaches stay, women's coaches leave after flop
Tobias Reiter und Jens Filbrich have kept their jobs as coaches of Germany's men's biathlon team despite their equivalents in the women's team leaving their roles. The season which finished on Sunday was hugely disappointing for the former biathlon powerhouses, with just one Olympic bronze medal and no World Cup wins.
Best selling author Marie Benedict to talk at the United Theatre
WESTERLY — Marie Benedict, the Pittsburgh-based author known for using real — mostly forgotten — women as inspiration for her bestselling works of historical fiction, was on the phone Tuesday
Power Play Primed – Hurricanes 5, Penguins 1
The Carolina Hurricanes scored three power play goals and dominated the Pittsburgh Penguins, 5-1 on Sunday afternoon in the Steel City. The Canes controlled the puck most of the game and were holding the Pens to a paltry 12 shots on goal until the Pens finally found some offense with five minutes and change to […]
BUSINESS MONDAY: Spotlight on Sarah's Cheesecakes & Cafe in Pittsfield
The small family-owned and -operated operation is celebrating its 20th anniversary—and looking forward to many more years to come.
UTA College of Business to connect students, professionals with networking, elevator pitch event
Students, business professionals and recruiters will mingle from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at the UTA Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology Development.
Statue of Christopher Columbus installed on White House grounds
A statue of Christopher Columbus has been erected outside of an ornate federal office building on the White House grounds — the latest sign of the Trump administration’s efforts to reshape cultural and historical representations across the nation’s capital.
Third annual 'Hop into Health' draws families for free screenings and Easter fun
In Jacksonville Sunday afternoon, Onslow Memorial Hospital hosted a fun and free opportunity for families to enjoy activities like an Easter egg hunt, and take
Two veteran relievers clinch jobs on Diamondbacks' Opening Day roster
Right-handers Jonathan Loaisiga and Joe Ross have made the Diamondbacks' roster for Opening Day. Both will pitch in relief.
Alcaraz eyes clay court season after early Miami exit
World number one Carlos Alcaraz remained confident his game is improving despite a third-round exit at the Miami Open, and after a few days to reset he'll be turning his attention to the clay court season.My mind right now is to take some days off, to reset my mind, reset the batteries, be ready and in good shape for the clay season."
Politics, protests and popular culture: The University of Minnesota community responds to ICE impact through memes and music
Outside Coffman Union on March 3, The University of Minnesota’s Students for a Democratic Society protested Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s presence in Minnesota and on campus, despite reports that Operation...
Phillies pitcher Daniel Robert stable after second medical emergency in six months
Daniel Robert suffered a cardiac event Sunday — the second in six months — but was stable after his defibrillator activated
Student researchers bring Kentucky State University science to Posters-at-the-Capitol
With lawmakers just steps away, three Kentucky State University undergraduates presented research on cattle health, soil amendments and food safety at the Capitol Annex on March 5, bringing student-led agricultural […]
Your Thymus and Your Healthspan
Our thymus gland plays a central role in the development or our immune system, specifically for supporting T cell development (how these cells got their name, maturation and differentiation in the thymus) and discriminating between self and foreign, non-self antigen proteins with production of dendritic cells. As we age, our thymus gland shrinks—the process known as involution—with progressive change from spongy to fatty tissue, with loss of functionality. But this process, with respect to timeline and extent, markedly varies from one person to the next. And to make things even more complicated, our thymus gland anatomy and precise location in the chest also is highly variable. So the famous Frank Netter diagrams from the 1960s (such as at left below) don’t capture the remarkable heterogeneity that a random set of 12 chest CT scans (below at right). What I consider as 2 landmark papers in Nature this week (here and here) used AI to quantify health of the thymus in 2 large cohorts, and then correlate the metric to a broad array of health outcomes. In this edition of Ground Truths, I’m going to cover three questions: (1) How was thymus health determined by AI?; (2) How is thymus health linked to key clinical outcomes? and (3) Are there ways we can promote a healthy (aka rejuvenate) thymus gland in our later years? Subscribe 1. How was thymus health determined by AI? This was accomplished by extensive work developing and validating an AI pipeline for 2 stages, the first for localization and segmentation of the thymus bed, and the second to quantify a digital marker, termed the thymic health score. There’s a lot to this algorithmic development, so I won’t go into all the details, but just provide a rudimentary outline of what was done. The 1st stage used supervised learning with 2 radiologists reviewing 2,461 chest CT scans. That work trained a 3D U-Net model to automatically identify the thymic bed’s 3D cropped region using center of mass coordinates, which reached 99.8% accuracy. The 2nd stage used a foundation model that was pre-trained with SwAV (which stands for Swapping Assignment between multiple Views), a self-supervised model, that generated a high-dimensional thymus representation of 4,096 features. That compares to the radiology reductionist and subjective scoring of 0 to 3 where 0 means the thymus is fully degenerated and fatty, and 3 is considered dense, intact glandular soft tissue. Notably, the self-supervised learning (SSL) performance was superior to supervised (AUC ~0.75 vs 0.55, respectively) reflecting the shallowness of the 0-3 classifier vs SSL’s holistic, self-taught AI. The thymic health score ranged from 0 to 100, with the highest number indexed to fully preserved thymic health. The algorithmic work extended to explainability with both Shapely value distribution, meaning the model was holistic not relying on any “magic” pixel, and occlusion sensitivity, demonstrating the model’s performance was not affected by ribs, sternum, lung tissue, but rather focused on the thymic bed directly. Below are a few saliency maps from the occlusion sensitivity that indicate the thymic bed focus, not affected by neighboring structures, using the jet color scale. Now the AI was ready for processing ~25,000 CT scans, each over 30 MB files, from the 2 large participant cohorts to provide a thymic health score, it did so in less than 14 hours, which is less than 2 seconds per scan! Share 2. How is thymus health linked to key clinical outcomes? The two cohorts were the National Lung Screening Trial, NLST (N=25,031) and the Framingham Heart Study, FHS (N=2,581) each with baseline demographics and long term follow up of >12 years for health outcomes. From the NSLT, you can see below that increased age and body-mass index were correlated to reduced thymic health. And, overall, men had reduced thymic health scores compared with women. There are a lot of graphs in the paper for outcomes, for both the NLST and FHS cohorts. To simplify the major outcomes, below is a composite Figure with striking reduction of all-cause mortality and for the different causes of death. The results were consistent between the 2 cohorts. For example, the cardiovascular mortality hazard ratio average was 0.57 in NLST and 0.38 in FHS (weighted to be 0.53 for the aggregate). The reduction of mortality also extended to digestive diseases and pulmonary disease (data not shown below). Lung cancer incidence was reduced by 36% for high vs low thymic health (Figure below, with a panel -incidence and b panel-mortality, adjusted for age, sex, BMI, smoking status). Notably, there was a smoker’s paradox: lower incidence and improved survival for lung cancer in smokers who had a high thymus health score. Smoking was associated with lower thymic scores whereas alcohol was not. Higher thymic health was linked to higher HDL cholesterol, lower triglycerides, lower fasting blood glucose, and lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Inflammation biomarkers, such as C-reactive protein and interleukin-6, were elevated in the people with lower thymic health scores. In their second paper, the same team looked at the relationship between thymic score and outcomes for 3,476 patients receiving cancer immunotherapy. The non-small cell lung cancer progression-free survival was reduced in patients with low thymic health score. A parallel relationship for survival was seen for other types of cancer including melanoma, breast, and kidney with a 44% lower risk among high thymic scores (Figure). A similar pattern was seen with different immune checkpoint inhibitors. The thymus health score outperformed programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1)and tumor mutation burden (TMB) assay of the tumor and was an independent prognostic marker of progression-free survival. In this dataset, a direct connect with thymus score and adaptive immune function was noted with a correlation before cancer treatment for both T-cell diversity and thymus T-cell production (a metric known as T cell receptor excision circles). Thymus Removal Study There is a highly relevant citation about thymus function before moving onto ways to rejuvenate it. In 2023, a very important study of thymus removal during cardiothoracic surgery was published, with 1146 patients undergoing thymus removal vs 1146 matched controls (mean age 55 years). The adverse outcomes for thymus removal were striking, with a 2.9 higher risk of all-cause mortality and doubling of cancer incidence, 1.5 fold increase in cancer mortality, and 1.5-fold increase in autoimmune diseases. The immune function showed marked compromise after thymus removal, as reflected by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells (Figure below) Share Ground Truths 3. Are there ways we can promote a healthy (aka rejuvenate) thymus gland in our later years? In recent months we’ve learned a lot about the process of thymus involution and the pathways by which this may be modulated. Thymus involution is primarily due to loss to thymus epithelial cells (TECs) and there are 2 subtypes with different functions: the cortical, responsible for positive selection of T cells, and the medullary, for negative selection. When adipose tissue infiltrates the thymus, thymic adipocytes are pro-inflammatory, knocking out T-cell output. Likewise, systemic inflammation, or “inflammaging,” from smoking, obesity, and chronic stress promote thymic adipocytes. Now, from preclinical studies, we know about key pathways that account for these processes. Historically, back in 2014, FOXN1 was recognized as a single master transcription factor essential for TEC function, with studies in mice with forced FOXN1 upregulation leading to thymus regeneration. That laid the foundation for potential regrowth of quiescent thymus cells. It took awhile to find pathways to accomplish this goal and to even refute its role as the master regulator. The Liver-Thymus Axis Feng Zhang and his team recently showed that injection of an mRNA vaccine to the liver encoding DLL1, IL-7 and FLT3-L in combination, factors known to support thymopoiesis (Figure), successfully enhanced immune function in aged mice. However, the effect was transient. The FGF21 Story Two reports in 2025 addressed the thymus gland’s production of FGF21, a growth factor (fibroblast growth factor 21) and its control of thymus involution. This growth factor is also produced by the liver, but it doesn’t have impact on the thymus in aged rodent models. In contrast, The liver’s hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has been shown to reverse senescent TEC structural changes. Growth hormone stimulates production of insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in the liver and the thymus. Two small studies in human participants (TRIIM, for Thymus Regeneration, Immunorestoration, and Insulin Mitigation) of 6 and 50 people, respectively, treated with combined human growth hormone, metformin and DHEA, suggested the potential of slowing epigenetic aging and improving thymus mass and function. But the combination of drugs, small sample, and lack of controls make conclusions murky. Increased thymus FGF21 led to increased CD8 T cells in old mice and extended healthspan and improved physical performance. Building on the previous FOXN1 data, ablation of β-klotho, the obligatory co-receptor for FOXN1, accelerated thymic aging. The benefit to FGF21 was confirmed in a companion paper using an FGF21 knock-in mouse model showing thymus enlargement and increased TECs throughout the lifespan. (schematic Figure below). The accompanying editorial for these 2 papers speculated: “The proposed link between age-associated thymus involution and organismal aging is intriguing, and suggests we might seek to achieve systemic rejuvenation by counteracting thymic involution.” Other Factors Lessons from the Axolotl (Mexican Salamander) In an elegant set of experiments of the axolotl (Figure), known for its complete thymus regeneration after total surgical removal, mediators were identified. Surprisingly FOXN1 was dispensable. But midkine, a growth factor, appeared to be the driver, the initiator of thymus cell growth, survival, and repair. Other components that contributed were Postn+ (periostin-expressing mesenchymal niches) and Ccl19, a chemokine protein from the bloodstream. RANK and RANKL RANK (receptor activator of nuclear factor κB its ligand (RANKL) have been considered key regulators of medullary TECs. In a study of both aged mice and human thymus cell cultures, their key role was confirmed, with multiple benefits of resorting TEC function, recruitment of progenitor cells, and T cell development. Subscribe Summing Up This body of work strongly supports the health of the thymus gland as a critical regulator of human healthspan, not just a correlate or link. The new landmark studies are reinforced by the regenerative biology experimental models that have shown, via an array of mediators, that healthspan of aged mice is at least in part dependent on thymus gland function and its critical role for maintaining adaptive immunity. It sure seems that we’d be better off having an immune reservoir of naive T cells instead of a profile in older adults of exhausted, low quality, memory T cells, with a senescent phenotype. It is striking that we ignored the importance of the thymus gland for many decades. A wake-up call was the results of the thymectomy matched control study reviewed here, with the opposite of high thymic health score improved health outcomes. The convergence of AI and healthspan here is notable. The exceptional and laborious work for developing and validating (no less explaining) the AI to quantify thymus health set the foundation for probing the connect the major health outcomes in two cohorts with extensive follow-up. We’ve never had a way to meaningfully quantify the thymus gland before, so this represents important leverage of supervised, self-supervised, and transformer models. The study wouldn’t have been possible without AI. And it begs the question as to whether there are ways we can maintain our thymus at a high health score. But it’s not so simple to rejuvenate our thymus. There are multiple risks including the induction of autoimmunity, increasing the risk of cancer, and inducing a pro-inflammatory state. For example, factors that increase TEC proliferation could compromise the medulllary negative selection process and leak out auto-reactive (self-attacking) T cells. Thymic cells could be induced to proliferate, but we know, for example, that growth hormone and IGF-1 are associated with an increase risk of cancer. If thymus rejuvenation doesn’t clear out the accumulated senescent cells in older adults, then inflammation within the gland could block the production of TECs. Keeping these risks in mind, we now have identified many ways to keep our thymus healthy as we age that undoubtedly will be tested in clinical trials going forward. Ultimately, the benefit-to-risk tradeoffs will be defined. In the meantime, we have desperately needed an immunome. As I’ve stressed in multiple prior Ground Truths, we have no test in the clinic to assess a patient’s immune status! It was very encouraging for me to get an email from Hugo Aerts, the senior author of the landmark papers in the days after they were published: “I also wanted to say that your Substack on “Why We Need an Immunome” was inspiring for this work. We found it a very compelling perspective and greatly enjoyed reading it.” Just having an assessment of a person’s immune status via a chest CT scan, with millions of these performed per year, might help in guiding the right immunotherapy for cancer (e.g. more intensive, combinations for those with low thymic health scores) and help define people who are increased risk for age-related diseases of cancer, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative. The main theme of Super Agers is that we now have many layers of data (genetics, proteins, biomarkers, organ clocks that can be integrated via multimodal AI) for us to define a person’s specific risk decades before one of these age-related diseases leads to symptoms, enabling prevention. From the new studies this week, we can add thymus health score as yet another way to understand a person’s risk, a window into their adaptive immune system and healthspan. And perhaps someday we will be able to safely rejuvenate the thymus, or maintain its health through one’s life, and use the thymus health score to monitor. NB: I wrote this post (No A.I.) A Quick Poll Loading... ********************************************************************* Thanks to Ground Truths subscribers (now > 200,000) from every US state and 212 countries. Your subscription to these free essays and podcasts makes my work in putting them together worthwhile. Please join! If you found this interesting PLEASE share it! Share Ground Truths Paid subscriptions are voluntary and all proceeds from them go to support Scripps Research. They do allow for posting comments and questions, which I do my best to respond to. Please don’t hesitate to post comments and give me feedback. Let me know topics that you would like to see covered. Leave a comment Many thanks to those who have contributed—they have greatly helped fund our summer internship programs for the past two years. It enabled us to accept and support 47 summer interns in 2025! We aim to accept even more of the several thousand who will apply for summer 2026.
Top 5 states with the highest number of safe hospitals, according to new report
3 restaurants open in Pittsburgh’s East Carson business district
Pittsburgh city leaders celebrated the opening of three new restaurants in the city’s East Carson business district on Friday.
Home health aides epitomize a key problem in the current job market
About 4 million people were employed as home health and personal care aides in 2024. They earn just $16.78 an hour, despite the need for their services being intense.
PICROSS S KONAMI ANTIQUES edition announced for Switch
Jupiter has announced PICROSS S KONAMI ANTIQUES edition for Switch. It will launch via Nintendo eShop on April 30 for $17.99 / €17.99 / £16.19 / ¥1,800.
Phillies extend Cristopher Sánchez through 2032: NL East contenders lock up top pitcher on six-year contract
The extension runs from 2027-31
Game Preview: Carolina Hurricanes @ Pittsburgh Penguins 3/22/2026
Who: Carolina Hurricanes (44-19-6, 94 points, 1st place Metropolitan Division) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (35-18-16, 86 points, 2nd place Metropolitan Division) When: 3:00 p.m. eastern How to Watch: Locally broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and FDSN South, streaming on ESPN+ Pens’ Path Ahead: Quality opponents await in the next week; the Pens host Colorado on Tuesday, an Avs team […]
New law firm formed; new executive director at chamber; hospital picks new chief of staff
Take a look at some of the recent promotions and new hires announced at south Louisiana businesses.
David Suzuki at 90: A life in science, and a warning still unheard
With ninety laps around the sun, David Suzuki reflects on a lifetime of science advocacy and environmental work. Despite decades of effort, he warns that humanity may have already crossed a tipping point on climate change.
Bill Self health scare, explained: Why Kansas coach was hospitalized during 2025-26 season
Bill Self was briefly hospitalized after experiencing symptoms related to heart problems he has dealt with in the past.
Nurses rally in Alameda to protest federal health care cuts
A large group of nurses rallied outside Alameda Hospital as part of a nationwide “Red Alert" tour, protesting proposed federal cuts to Medicare and Medicaid.
Coaches in elite company clash when Kansas faces St. John's
SAN DIEGO -- Only three active head coaches in Division I college basketball have won multiple national championships. Two of them meet for a berth in the Sweet 16 when Bill Self's No. 4 Kansas Jayhawks face Rick Pitino's No. 5 St. John's Red Storm on Sunday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament East Region.
Business investment in the era of digital transformation
The weak performance of business investment across the OECD since the Global Financial Crisis holds back potential growth. However, it masks a strong investment dynamic in digital assets such as hardware, software, and databases. This column describes how this divergence between digital and non-digital assets has intensified from the mid-2010s. The strong investment performance of the US relative to the rest of the OECD is almost exclusively a digital phenomenon. A ‘digital divide’ is emerging, where laggard countries are accumulating digital capital per worker more slowly than those with higher initial starting levels.
I let AI pick my Oscars ballot. It messed up oddly, but still won.
Alistair Barr's AI-assisted Oscars ballot, powered by Anthropic's Claude, outperformed despite missing some categories.
WHO verifies deadly hospital attack in war-torn Sudan
The World Health Organization (WHO) verified on Saturday a hospital attack in war-torn Sudan that killed 64 people.
Top 5 states with the highest number of safest hospitals, according to new report
Healthgrades named 438 hospitals across 40 states for its 2026 Patient Safety Excellence Award, with Texas and Florida among the top-performing states.
Reliever Kyle Backhus hopes to make good on Bryce Harper's text message
Bryce Harper texted Kyle Backhus the day he was traded to the Phillies. Now the side-arming lefty is pitching his way onto the Opening Day roster.
Hundreds of Thousands of Czechs Rally in Anti-Government Protest
Hundreds of thousands of people rallied in the Czech capital of Prague in a demonstration against the cabinet led by billionaire Prime Minister Andrej Babis.
Doctors are in: Stuffed animals get health checks at zoo's Teddy Bear Care Fair
Toddlers Eliza and Olivia Altman watched attentively as Toledo Zoo & Aquarium volunteers performed “surgery” on their nearly decapitated stuffed animals ...
1 person hurt, multiple detained after overnight shooting in Surprise
An overnight shooting has left one person in the hospital in the West Valley on Saturday morning.
Wagering on women. Sports betting industry looks to unlock a new market
Sports betting marketers are wooing females, pitching their gambling as inclusive, empowering and a way to connect with friends.
Ancient DNA reveals a farming shift that pushed a society to the brink
A new study reveals that farming in Argentina’s Uspallata Valley was adopted by local hunter-gatherers rather than introduced by outside populations. Centuries later, a stressed group of maize-heavy farmers migrated into the region, facing climate instability, disease, and declining numbers. Despite these pressures, there’s no sign of violence—instead, families stayed connected across generations, using kinship networks to survive. The research shows how cooperation, not conflict, helped communities navigate crisis.
Congress could be headed for a tipping point, irreversible decline
After nearly two decades covering Capitol Hill, a reflection on how bad things are.
Denver Broncos mock draft: Post-Jaylen Waddle trade
We’re coming back to the mock draft simulator this weekend. The Denver Broncos said ‘f dem picks’ and acquired wide receiver Jaylen Waddle from the Miami Dolphins this week. That trade provided a big boost to the offense, but it will make their 2026 NFL Draft much more challenging. With the reduction in draft capital, […]
Combating youth suicide tilts increasingly toward early intervention
A suicidal child or teenager may never talk of taking their life. Parents, peers and teachers might not even know they’re living with mental illness. Despite younger generations showing greater openness to discussing mental health struggles, fears of punishment or social exclusion remain, experts say. Even at medical appointments, minors
Vertical Farms Tried to Compete With Open Field Farming. It Isn’t Going Well.
The industry was a darling of the venture capital world 10 years ago. With many farms out of business, the remaining companies have scaled back.
Health Ministry: 303 people hospitalized in war with Iran and Hezbollah in past 24 hours
* * *
Alabama's Tyler Fay pitches no-hitter against Florida
Tyler Fay pitched Alabama's first nine-inning, complete-game no-hitter in 84 years, striking out 13 in a 6-0 victory over Florida on Friday night.
Thompson makes 30 stops in Capitals win over Devils
Jesper Bratt scored for the Devils, extending his point streak with three goals and four assists over his last seven games. Jake Allen stopped 26 shots. It was the third meeting between the teams and the first that didn't require extra time.
Entrepreneurs pitch business ideas to investors during Utah filming of 'Meet the Drapers'
A group of entrepreneurs took turns giving pitches in front of venture capitalists and an audience during a live recording of
Steelers re-sign versatile veteran offensive lineman
The Pittsburgh Steelers have re-signed offensive lineman Ryan McCollum to a one-year contract, the team announced on Friday.
Devils' win streak snapped with 2-1 loss to Capitals
Logan Thompson made 30 saves, losing his shutout bid with just 43 seconds remaining, and the Washington Capitals beat the New Jersey Devils 2-1 on Friday night.
Exclusive | Growing Frustration With Chuck Schumer Spurs Talk of Replacing Him
Some Democrats on Capitol Hill are discussing how to get New York’s senior senator to step aside as minority leader amid concerns about his negotiating style and midterms strategy.
Good Sports: El Capitan High School baseball players commit to college together
Cooper Gaoiran and Zach Hunter have always been a package deal. That's been the case for as long as they remember, all the way back to t-ball.
Tao Group to unveil OMNIA Dayclub & Skybar with special entertainment lineup
Tao Group Hospitality will officially unveil its new entertainment complex built from ground up at Caesars Palace next month.
Whitman School Announces Alumnus, Business Leader as 2026 Convocation Speaker
Steven W. Barnes ’82, H’19, a senior advisor at Bain Capital and former Board of Trustees chair, will address graduates at the May 9 ceremony.