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The National Institutes of Health will cancel or cut back dozens of grants for research on why some people are reluctant to be vaccinated and how to increase acceptance of vaccines, according to an internal email obtained by The Washington Post on Monday.

At the end of February 2025, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 164 cases of measles in 9 jurisdictions in Alaska, California, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, Rhode Island, and Texas. An outbreak of measles is considered when there are 3 or more related cases, and 3 outbreaks have been reported in 2025 with most cases in Texas. A large majority of these cases were unvaccinated individuals and 20% were hospitalized with one confirmed death. This is a cause of alarm for the public as measles was declared to have been eliminated in 2000 in the United States. Hence, we need to be cognizant of precautions and preventive measures.

The newer class of drugs called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists such as semaglutide (Ozempic®) or tirzepatide (Mounjaro®, Zepbound®) are gaining popularity all over the world. It is reported that already 2-3% of Americans are taking these drugs. J.P. Morgan Research projects that by 2030, approximately 30 million people, or 9% of the U.S. population may be taking GLP-1 agonists.

Dr. Manoj Sharma, a Professor of Social and Behavioral Health and Internal Medicine, answers queries on schizophrenia.

Gut bacteria are an integral part of the human body and reside in the intestines from birth until death. Recent advancements in gene sequencing, bioinformatics, and culturomics have fostered more research into microbiota. Recent research suggests that a gut bacterium, Akkermansia muciniphilia, which degrades mucin, a sugary protein secreted by the intestinal epithelium, is beneficial for metabolic health. It was first isolated in 2004 by Derrien and colleagues in The Netherlands.

In 2025, the Maha-Kumbh began in Prayagraj on January 13, 2025, with the Pausha Purnima Snan, and concludes on February 26, 2025, with the Shahi Snan, corresponding with Maha Shivaratri. It is envisaged that it will be a large gathering of over 100 million pilgrims attending it.

Rajinder*, a 68-year-old first-generation Indian immigrant, and Saroj*, 65, a first-generation immigrant, are a married couple living in Ohio. They are now retired. Rajinder worked with the US Postal Service and Saroj was a Retail Manager at a grocery chain. They have one adult daughter, Neerja*, who lives close by and has a family with two young children. Saroj has noticed recently that Rajinder has become forgetful to the extent that he forgets to keep track of monthly bills.

This Mela is considered as a penance to purify oneself and various limbs of yoga are reflected in the prescribed practices and austerities recommended as Kalpavas during this period.