It is sometimes assumed that the rapidity of biogenesis on Earth suggests that life is common in the Universe. Here we critically examine the assumptions inherent in this if-life-evolved-rapidly-life-must-be-common argument. We use the observational constraints on the rapidity of biogenesis on Earth to infer the probability of biogenesis on terrestrial planets with the same unknown probability of biogenesis as the Earth. We find that on such planets, older than approximately 1 Gyr, the probability of biogenesis is > 13% at the 95% confidence level. This quantifies an important term in the Drake Equation but does not necessarily mean that life is common in the Universe.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/153110702762027871 | DOI Listing |
Rheumatology (Oxford)
January 2025
Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
Objectives: Peripheral Sensory Neuropathy (PSN) is an under-recognized feature in systemic sclerosis (SSc). Moreover, SSc foot involvement is frequent but poorly investigated. We aimed to provide a detailed characterization of foot PSN in a large cohort of SSc patients, describing its associations with disease-specific features, physical disability, and Quality of Life (QoL).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Vis Exp
January 2025
State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University;
Cough is one of the most common symptoms of many respiratory diseases. Chronic cough significantly impacts quality of life and imposes a considerable economic burden. Increased cough sensitivity is a pathophysiological hallmark of chronic cough.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPain Ther
January 2025
Department of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University La Sapienza, 00185, Rome, Italy.
Introduction: Elbow ailments are common, but conventional treatment modalities have shortcomings, offering only interim pain relief rather than targeting the underlying pathophysiology. The last two decades have seen a marked increase in the use of autologous peripheral blood-derived orthobiologics (APBOs), such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP), to manage elbow disorders. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is the most widely used APBO, but its efficacy remains debatable.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFR I Med J (2013)
February 2025
Professor of Medicine, Clinician Educator, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University; Associate Chief, Cardiology, Brown University Health Cardiovascular Institute, Providence, Rhode Island.
Chest pain is one of the most common chief complaints seen in both the emergency department (ED) and primary care settings.1,2 It is estimated that 20-40% of the general population will suffer from chest pain at some point throughout their lives.3 Interestingly although obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) prevalence has declined, chest pain as a presenting symptom has become increasingly common over the last decade.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLaeknabladid
February 2025
Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland.
Trigeminal neuralgia is the most common cause of facial pain in individuals over 50 years old and can have a profoundly negative impact on quality of life. Epidemiological studies have measured the annual incidence of trigeminal neuralgia at around 4-5 cases per 100,000 inhabitants per year. In Iceland, this would amount to about 16-20 new cases annually.
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