Stroke is the fifth-leading cause of death in the United States and one of the leading causes of serious long-term disability nationwide, according to the Stroke Awareness Foundation, affecting nearly 800,000 Americans each year.

For decades, it’s been against the law for Medicare to pay for weight-loss medication, but that changed on July 1, with the launch of a new program called Bridge. It gives some people over 65, or who have Medicare for other reasons, access to some weight management medications if they meet certain weight and health criteria.

In a study published April 13 in Nature Communications, scientists at The University of Texas at San Antonio found a link between a bacterium in the gut microbiome and lupus, which could lead to more effective treatment of the disease.

Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement (VIDA) has been awarded a $300,000, two-year grant from Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc. to launch an innovative initiative that integrates evidence-based mental health support into workforce development, strengthening student persistence and expanding access to care for underserved communities across the Rio Grande Valley.