Some astronauts experience vision changes while in space, a condition called Spaceflight-Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome. “We still do not know exactly what causes this syndrome, and not everyone gets it,” said UTMB’s Dr. Sara Zwart but her research study, which is making its way to the International Space Station, will test whether a daily B vitamin supplement can prevent or mitigate the problem.

Dr. Stan Watowich penned a piece for The Academic about NNMT inhibitors, a new class of drugs that could change how people age. “Imagine a world where ageing doesn’t mean losing strength but gaining a new lease on life,” Watowich writes. “That’s the promise of NNMT inhibitors, and it’s an exciting future that could soon become a reality.”

A more severe variant of the monkeypox virus is driving the 2024 mpox outbreak, write Drs. Megan Berman and Richard Rupp for this week’s Vaccine Smarts column. The good news is that effective vaccines are available, they write.

Drs. Norbert Herzog and David Niesel discuss the origins of coffee in their latest Medical Discovery News column.

This is “a compelling study” with several important insights about risks, says UTMB’s Dr. Gregory Gray about a study that shows that animals farmed for fur are loaded with viruses that could cause harm to humans.

“As we move past Labor Day weekend, the symbolic start of fall, it’s the perfect time to think about vaccinations to prepare for the colder months ahead,” write Vaccine Smarts columnists Drs. Megan Berman and Richard Rupp. Flu and Covid vaccines are a top priority and are recommended by the CDC for everyone six months and older, they write.

Dr. Victor S. Sierpina argues for giving peace a chance as war is “one of the most enduring threats to public and personal health.”