Health Fitness Archives - Page 3 of 7

Fungus ‘hacks’ natural immune system causing neurodegeneration in fruit flies

A fungal infection has been shown to trigger a fruit fly’s own immune system to destroy brain cells leading to signs of neurodegeneration, a new study has found. The paper published in PLOS Biology today found that a fungus called Beauveria bassiana was able to make the fly’s innate immune system trigger a process that…

Jacket uses AI to keep you comfortable

Electronic textiles, such as heating pads and electric blankets, can keep the wearer warm and help ease aches and pains. However, prolonged use of these devices could possibly cause heat-related illnesses, including hyperthermia or burns. Recently, a group of researchers designed and tested a “smart” jacket equipped with environmental sensors, heat-generating and color-changing yarns, and…

Brake pad emissions can be more toxic than diesel exhaust

A study by the University of Southampton (UK) has found microscopic particles emitted from certain types of commonly fitted brake pads can be more toxic than those found in diesel vehicle exhaust. The research shows that a higher concentration of copper in some pads is associated with increased harmful effects on sensitive cells from people’s…

Mouse study finds impaired cell development: Intermittent fasting could be unsafe for teenagers

A recent study reveals that age plays a significant role in the outcomes of intermittent fasting. Researchers from Technical University of Munich (TUM), LMU Hospital Munich, and Helmholtz Munich discovered that chronic intermittent fasting disrupted the development of insulin-producing beta cells in young mice. The findings raise concerns about potential risks for humans, especially teenagers.…

Biohybrid hand gestures with human muscles

A biohybrid hand which can move objects and do a scissor gesture has been built by a team at the University of Tokyo and Waseda University in Japan. The researchers used thin strings of lab-grown muscle tissue bundled into sushilike rolls to give the fingers enough strength to contract. These multiple muscle tissue actuators (MuMuTAs),…

Dessert stomach emerges in the brain

To find the cause of the “dessert stomach,” the researchers investigated the reaction of mice to sugar and found that completely satiated mice still ate desserts. Investigations of the brain showed that a group of nerve cells, the so-called POMC neurones, are responsible for this. These neurones become active as soon as the mice were…

Stronger, safer, smarter: Pioneering Zinc-based dissolvable implants for bone repair

Monash research could transform how broken bones are treated, with the development of a special zinc-based dissolvable material that could replace the metal plates and screws typically used to hold fractured bones together. Surgeons routinely use stainless steel or titanium, which stay in the body forever, can cause discomfort and may require follow-up surgeries. A…

Long-term yogurt consumption tied to decreased incidence of certain types of colorectal cancer

Yogurt, which contains live strains of bacteria, is thought to protect against many types of diseases, with some reports indicating it could reduce risk of colorectal cancer. A new study led by investigators from Mass General Brigham finds that yogurt consumption over time may protect against colorectal cancer through changes in the gut microbiome. Using…

As more Americans work later in life, poll shows positive health impacts, especially for those over 65

Having a job — whether it’s working for someone else or being their own boss — gives older Americans more than just a way to earn money or get health insurance, a new poll finds. More than two-thirds of those who work after age 50 say that working boosts their physical health, mental health, and/or…

Mechanical heart valve replacements have better long-term survival

Patients aged between 50 to 70 years with a mechanical heart valve replacement had better long-term survival compared to those with a biological valve, new research led by the University of Bristol has found. The study is published in the European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. The last two decades have seen an increase in the use…

Born too late? Climate change may be delaying births

New Curtin University research has found exposure to outdoor air pollution and extreme temperatures during pregnancy may increase the risk of prolonged pregnancy, offering new insights into the impact of climate change on maternal health. The study analysed data from nearly 400,000 births in Western Australia and found that higher exposure to fine particulate air…

New treatment may offer quick cure for common cause of high blood pressure

Doctors at Queen Mary University of London, Barts Health NHS Trust, and University College London have led the development of a simple, minimally invasive Targeted Thermal Therapy (Triple T) that has the potential to transform medical management of a common, but commonly overlooked, cause of high blood pressure. This breakthrough, published today in The Lancet,…

From muscle to memory: New research uses clues from the body to understand signaling in the brain

Our biceps and our brain cells may have more in common than previously thought. New research led by the Lippincott-Schwartz Lab shows that a network of subcellular structures similar to those responsible for propagating molecular signals that make muscles contract are also responsible for transmitting signals in the brain that may facilitate learning and memory.…

Pregnancy complications linked to cardiovascular disease in the family

Women who have experienced pregnancy complications have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Now, a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in the European Heart Journal shows that sisters of women with complicated pregnancies are also at higher risk, even if they had uncomplicated pregnancies. The findings suggest that genes and shared environmental factors may…

Co-located cell types help drive aggressive brain tumors

A type of aggressive, treatment-resistant brain tumor has a distinct population of immune cells that support its growth, according to new research led by investigators at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Searching for subtypes of immune cells seen only in the…

Mitochondria may hold the key to curing diabetes

Mitochondria are essential for generating energy that fuels cells and helps them function. Mitochondrial defects, however, are associated with the development of diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Patients who suffer from this disorder are unable to produce enough insulin or use the insulin produced by their pancreas to keep their blood sugar at normal…

Potential new pathway to fight viruses

Five years removed from the COVID-19 outbreak, scientists around the world are still studying its effects and, more importantly, ways those effects can be mitigated in the future. An international team of researchers may have just found a critical clue in the quest, and a laboratory at Texas Tech University played a key role. The…

Clot-busting meds may be effective up to 24 hours after initial stroke symptoms

The clot-dissolving medication, alteplase, improved stroke patients’ recovery by more than 50% when given up to 24 hours after the beginning of an ischemic stroke, according to preliminary late-breaking science presented today at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2025. The conference, in Los Angeles, Feb. 5-7, 2025, is a world premier meeting for…

Researchers achieve total synthesis of ibogaine

Ibogaine — a psychoactive plant derivative — has attracted attention for its anti-addictive and anti-depressant properties. But ibogaine is a finite resource, extracted from plants native to Africa like the iboga shrub (Tabernanthe iboga) and the small-fruited voacanga tree (Voacanga africana). Further, its use can lead to irregular heartbeats, introducing safety risks and an overall…

Scientists discover brain mechanism that helps us overcome fear

Researchers at the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre (SWC) at UCL have unveiled the precise brain mechanisms that enable animals to overcome instinctive fears. Published today in Science, the study in mice could have implications for developing therapeutics for fear-related disorders such as phobias, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The research team, led by Dr Sara…

Researchers find improved method for treating rare, aggressive, pregnancy-related cancer

A new drug delivery system shows promise for treating a rare, aggressive form of cancer affecting pregnant women and new mothers, and it has potential with other cancers as well. Scientists led by Olena Taratula, a nanomedicine researcher at Oregon State University, have found a way to better ensure the drug used to combat the…

Obese and healthy | ScienceDaily

Although obese individuals are at greater risk of diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol, not all obese people develop metabolic diseases of this kind. With around a quarter of all obese individuals are healthy, scientists are trying to work out why some obese people become unhealthy while others do not. Now, a comprehensive study…

Pickleball program boosts health and wellness for cancer survivors

A new community-based pickleball program called Project Rally is helping cancer survivors improve their physical and social well-being, according to a recent pilot study led by researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center. The program, which is offered in partnership with the YMCA of the Suncoast, has shown strong results in terms of participation, enjoyment, and physical…

Maternal stress during pregnancy could leave traces in the placenta that could affect the baby’s development

Maternal stress could leave epigenetic imprints on genes in the placenta associated with cortisol — a necessary hormone for fetal development — and this would affect the baby’s development from very early stages, as stated in a paper published in the journal European Neuropsychopharmacology. The study suggests that a mother’s emotional wellbeing during pregnancy is…

Innovative program helps seniors manage stress

A Canadian research team has released the results of a study on stress resilience in seniors. Their findings were published on January 5, 2025 in Frontiers in Psychology.The study involving 170 seniors with an average age of 76 found that O’stress, a six-week stress management program, had beneficial effects on the emotional health of participants.…

Slow traffic, fast food: Study links road delays with unhealthy eating

Ever notice how much more tempting it is to pick up fast food for dinner after being stuck in traffic? It’s not just you. New University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign research shows that traffic delays significantly increase visits to fast food restaurants, leading to unhealthier eating for millions each year. “In our analysis focusing on Los…

The big chill: Is cold-water immersion good for our health?

From early ocean dips to ice-cold polar plunges, cold-water immersion is increasingly popular among athletes and wellness warriors. But how much of the hype is backed by science? In the most comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of its kind, University of South Australia researchers have taken a deep dive into the effects of cold-water immersion…

Researchers identify protective properties of amniotic fluid

Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have made new discoveries about amniotic fluid, a substance historically not well understood in medical research due to the difficulty in obtaining it during pregnancy, especially across gestation. Amniotic fluid is the vital fluid that surrounds and protects a fetus during pregnancy. In addition to providing much-needed cushion…

This delicate nanoflower is downright deadly to bacteria

A carnation-like nanostructure could someday be used in bandages to promote wound healing. Researchers report in ACS Applied Bio Materials that laboratory tests of their nanoflower-coated dressings demonstrate antibiotic, anti-inflammatory and biocompatible properties. They say these results show these tannic acid and copper(II) phosphate sprouted nanoflower bandages are promising candidates for treating infections and inflammatory…

New research unlocks key to long-lasting immune response in cancer and chronic diseases

Prolonged illnesses like cancer and chronic infections often leave the immune system in a state of exhaustion, where its frontline defenders — T cells — lose their ability to function effectively. Research, led by the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity (Doherty Institute) and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre (Peter Mac), have identified a…

With generative AI, chemists quickly calculate 3D genomic structures

Every cell in your body contains the same genetic sequence, yet each cell expresses only a subset of those genes. These cell-specific gene expression patterns, which ensure that a brain cell is different from a skin cell, are partly determined by the three-dimensional structure of the genetic material, which controls the accessibility of each gene.…

Sound is a primary issue in the lives of skateboarders, study shows

Sound plays a significant and often poignant part of skateboarders’ relationship with their sport, a new study shows. Skateboarders develop the skill to tune into the noise of urban surfaces. They both hear and feel noise and this means images and videos alone are a poor insight into the sport. They use sound to verify…

Regular dental flossing may lower risk of stroke from blood clots, irregular heartbeats

Flossing your teeth at least once a week may be linked to a lower risk of stroke caused by a blood clot blocking brain blood flow and irregular heartbeats, according to a preliminary study to be presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2025. The meeting is in Los Angeles, Feb. 5-7, 2025,…

Topical mupirocin lowers lupus inflammation

Systemic lupus erythematosus, more commonly known as lupus, has a variety of symptoms and room for improvement when it comes to treatment. Cutaneous lupus erythematosus is a common manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus. The condition is characterized by rashes on various parts of the body including the face and scalp, hair loss and scarring of…

The benefits of speaking multiple languages

Encouraging bilingualism at home can have many cognitive benefits, which may be particularly helpful to kids with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), new research from the University of Miami College of Arts and Sciences indicates. A team of researchers led by Celia Romero, a graduate student in clinical psychology, along with associate professor Lynn Perry, professor…

Scientists ‘mimic real biological processes’ using synthetic neurons

Artificially engineered biological processes, such as perception systems, remain an elusive target for organic electronics experts due to the reliance of human senses on an adaptive network of sensory neurons, which communicate by firing in response to environmental stimuli. A new collaboration between Northwestern University and Georgia Tech has unlocked new potential for the field…

People with schizophrenia have an altered ability to visually perceive contrast

Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder that affects around 1% of the world’s population. Researchers of the University of Barcelona have identified a deficit in contrast perception in people with schizophrenia. According to a review of more than 600 studies, these patients have an impaired ability to see differences in light intensity between adjacent areas,…

Individual cells can be connected to plastic electrodes

Researchers at Linköping University have succeeded in creating a close connection between individual cells and organic electronics. The study, published in Science Advances, lays the foundation for future treatment of neurological and other diseases with very high precision. “We could target individual cells and explore how this affected their ability to stay healthy and functional,”…

Transforming longevity research: AI paves the way for personalized treatments in aging science

A collaborative study between researchers from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine), and the Institute for Biostatistics and Informatics in Medicine and Ageing Research, Rostock University Medical Center, Germany, investigated how advanced AI tools, like Large Language Models (LLMs), can make it easier to evaluate interventions for ageing…

Some proteins find their ‘soulmate’ at birth

A study by UNIGE and the Weizmann Institute reveals how certain proteins assemble as soon as they are synthesized, ensuring their stability and efficiency. Proteins, the pillars of cellular function, often assemble into “complexes” to fulfill their functions. A study by the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and the Weizmann Institute, in collaboration with the Technion,…

A therapeutic HPV vaccine could eliminate precancerous cervical lesions

A therapeutic vaccine targeting human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) induced regression in high-grade precancerous cervical lesions, according to the results from a phase II clinical trial published in Clinical Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. “Nearly all premalignant cervical lesions and cervical cancers are caused by HPV infection, with HPV16…

Sepsis, or death by lethal message

Like a poison pen, dying cells prick their neighbors with a lethal message. This may worsen sepsis, Vijay Rathinam and colleagues in the UConn School of Medicine report in the Jan. 23 issue of Cell. Their findings could lead to a new understanding of this dangerous illness. Sepsis is one of the most frequent causes…

Study unveils key immune cells found to boost cancer treatment success in acute myeloid leukemia

A research team from Columbia Engineering and the Irving Institute for Cancer Dynamics made a pivotal discovery in the field of cancer immunotherapy. In a paper published today in Science Immunology, the team identified a specific population of immune cells that play a critical role in successful treatment of relapsed acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This…

Combination of dual-targeted therapies and chemotherapy shows high response rates in BRAF-mutated metastatic colorectal cancer

Patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) harboring BRAF V600E mutations benefitted from first-line treatment with the targeted therapies encorafenib and cetuximab plus a mFOLFOX6 chemotherapy regimen, according to results from the Phase III BREAKWATER trial led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The findings, presented today at the American Society…

VR subway experiment highlights role of sound in disrupting balance for people with inner ear disorder

The vestibular system is a network of organs in the inner ears that detects the motions and position of the head. The brain uses this information, along with inputs from the eyes and joints, to maintain the body’s balance. Visual information has long been proven to affect balance—for example, strobe lights and swirling images can…

Scientists design peptides to enhance drug efficacy

A team of scientists has developed a groundbreaking approach using specially designed peptides to improve drug formulations. This innovative method significantly enhances anti-tumor efficacy, as demonstrated in leukemia models. The study, published in the journal Chem, was led by researchers at the Advanced Science Research Center at the CUNY Graduate Center (CUNY ASRC) and Memorial…

New combination immunotherapy for melanoma and breast cancer

A research team at the Medical University of Vienna led by Maria Sibilia has investigated a new combination therapy against cancer. This therapy employs systemic administration of the tissue hormone interferon-I combined with local application of Imiquimod. This combination showed promising results in topically accessible tumors like melanoma and breast cancer models: The therapy led…

Artificial intelligence in biomedicine: A key to analyzing millions of individual cells

In recent years, researchers have made considerable progress with single-cell technology. This makes it possible to investigate tissue on the basis of individual cells and simply to determine the various functions of the individual cell types. The analysis can be used, for instance, to make comparisons with healthy cells to find out how smoking, lung…

T cells rise up to fight infections in the gut

Your gut is a battleground. The cells that line your small intestine have to balance two seemingly contradictory jobs: absorbing nutrients from food, while keeping a wary eye out for pathogens trying to invade your body. “This is a surface where pathogens can sneak in,” says La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) Assistant Professor Miguel…

Exposure to stress during early pregnancy affects offspring into adulthood

Maternal stress hormone levels during early pregnancy can have a lasting effect on the stress system of the offspring. The results of a long-term study on wild Assamese macaques in Thailand indicate that maternal stress in the first half of pregnancy is particularly relevant. Elevated stress hormones later during pregnancy or after birth did not…

Can DNA-nanoparticle motors get up to speed with motor proteins?

DNA-nanoparticle motors are exactly as they sound: tiny artificial motors that use the structures of DNA and RNA to propel motion by enzymatic RNA degradation. Essentially, chemical energy is converted into mechanical motion by biasing the Brownian motion. The DNA-nanoparticle motor uses the “burnt-bridge” Brownian ratchet mechanism. In this type of movement, the motor is…

Antibiotics, vaccinations and anti-inflammatory medication linked to reduced risk of dementia

Antibiotics, antivirals, vaccinations and anti-inflammatory medication are associated with reduced risk of dementia, according to new research that looked at health data from over 130 million individuals. The study, led by researchers from the universities of Cambridge and Exeter, identified several drugs already licensed and in use that have the potential to be repurposed to…

Inflammation may explain stomach problems in psoriasis sufferers

People with the skin condition psoriasis often have invisible inflammation in the small intestine with an increased propensity for ‘leaky gut’, according to new research at Uppsala University. These changes in the gut could explain why psoriasis sufferers often have gastrointestinal problems and are more prone to developing Crohn’s disease. The study is published in…

Violence on TV: What happens to children who watch?

Results of new study led by Linda Pagani, Professor at the Université de Montreal’s School of Psychoeducation, long-term associated risks of early exposure to violent content in childhood and later teen antisocial behavior, more than a decade later. “Although past evidence showing causal links between modelling and getting rewarded for violence had an immediate impact…

Extreme rain heightens E. coli risks for communities of color in Texas

Nobody wants to share a day on the water with E. coli. The bacteria is a sure sign of fecal contamination, which is washed into waterways from farm fields or sewage systems by rain. The microbes are also dangerous — exposure to E. coli can lead to illness, hospitalization and even death. Still, as many…

Immune complex shaves stem cells to protect against cancer

A group of immune proteins called the inflammasome can help prevent blood stem cells from becoming malignant by removing certain receptors from their surfaces and blocking cancer gene activity, according to a preclinical study by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators. The study, published Jan. 2 in Nature Immunology, may lead to therapies that target the earliest…

Insights into how populations conform or go against the crowd

Cultural traits — the information, beliefs, behaviors, customs, and practices that shape the character of a population — are influenced by conformity, the tendency to align with others, or anti-conformity, the choice to deliberately diverge. A new way to model this dynamic interplay could ultimately help explain societal phenomena like political polarization, cultural trends, and…

‘Ding-dong:’ A study finds specific neurons with an immune doorbell

FAU neuroscientists have identified that the receptor IL-1R1 plays a critical role in enabling neurons to directly communicate with the immune system. The new study provides the most detailed mapping of neuronal IL-1R1 (nIL-1R1) expression in the mouse brain, clarifying prior inconsistencies. Researchers were able to tag neuronal populations that express nIL-1R1 using a clever…

In the Northeast, 50% of adult ticks carry Lyme disease carrying bacteria

Across most of the Northeast, getting bitten by a blacklegged tick — also called a deer tick — is a risk during spring, summer, and fall. A new Dartmouth study, published in Parasites and Vectors, finds that 50% of adult blacklegged ticks carry the bacteria that causes Lyme disease while 20% to 25% of the…

Astronomers capture unprecedented view of supermassive black hole in action

Active galactic nuclei are supermassive black holes at the center of certain galaxies. As matter falls into these black holes, enormous amounts of energy are released, making active galactic nuclei, or AGN, one of the most energetic phenomena that can be observed in space. University of Arizona astronomers have now produced the highest resolution direct…

Fine-tuned brain-computer interface makes prosthetic limbs feel more real

You can probably complete an amazing number of tasks with your hands without looking at them. But if you put on gloves that muffle your sense of touch, many of those simple tasks become frustrating. Take away proprioception — your ability to sense your body’s relative position and movement — and you might even end…

Child undernutrition may be contributing to global measles outbreaks, researchers find

Amid a global surge in measles cases, new research suggests that undernutrition may be exacerbating outbreaks in areas suffering from food insecurity. A study involving over 600 fully vaccinated children in South Africa found those who were undernourished had substantially lower levels of antibodies against measles. Researchers from McGill University, UC Berkeley School of Public…

Is eating more red meat bad for your brain?

People who eat more red meat, especially processed red meat like bacon, sausage and bologna, are more likely to have a higher risk of cognitive decline and dementia when compared to those who eat very little red meat, according to a study published in the January 15, 2025, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal…

Researchers identify three psychological profiles that could determine the evolution of mental, cognitive and brain health in aging

An international study published in the journal Nature Mental Health has identified three psychological profiles associated with different patterns of cognitive and brain decline in ageing. The study, which analysed more than 1,000 middle-aged and older adults, shows that the specific psychological characteristics of each profile may influence the risk of developing dementia, as well…

Putting a lid on excess cholesterol to halt bladder cancer cell growth

Like all cancers, bladder cancer develops when abnormal cells start to multiply out of control. But what if we could put a lid on their growth? Previous studies showed that a protein called PIN1 helps cancers initiate and progress, but its exact role in tumor development has remained unclear. Now, cancer biologists at the Salk…

Saliva activates coagulation in persons with hemophilia A

A recent study led by MedUni Vienna provides new insights into the mechanisms of coagulation in persons with haemophilia A, the most common form of haemophilia. The research team was able to show that saliva contains special vesicles that trigger rapid coagulation of the blood of haemophilic patients. The results, which were recently published in…

New study identifies how blood vessel dysfunction can worsen chronic disease

Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have uncovered how specialized cells surrounding small blood vessels, known as perivascular cells, contribute to blood vessel dysfunction in chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes and fibrosis. The findings, published today in Science Advances, could change how these diseases are treated. The study, led by Luiz Bertassoni, D.D.S.,…

DNA nanorobots can alter artificial cells

Scientists at the University of Stuttgart have succeeded in controlling the structure and function of biological membranes with the help of “DNA origami.” The system they developed may facilitate the transportation of large therapeutic loads into cells. This opens up a new way for the targeted administration of medication and other therapeutic interventions. Thus, a…

Dementia with Lewy bodies has been difficult to diagnose early, but comprehensive cognitive testing could change that

Cognitive profiles for early diagnosis of Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) have been outlined in a new study, out today in Alzheimer’s & Dementia. Although DLB is the second most common neurodegenerative dementia following Alzheimer’s Disease, it is usually misdiagnosed, preventing affected people from accessing care better tailored to their prognosis. “Criteria for better identifying…

Dangerous bacterial biofilms have a natural enemy

If your teeth have ever felt fuzzy after skipping a brushing, you’ve encountered biofilm — a slimy bacterial layer that clings to surfaces. In medical settings, biofilms make infections harder to treat when they form protective shields for bacteria on devices like catheters and implants. UC Riverside scientists have now discovered a chemical that plants…

Lower access to air conditioning may increase need for emergency care for wildfire smoke exposure

As Los Angeles County battles the most destructive wildfires in its history, a new study suggest that US policies should prioritize equity and education regarding the measures people can take to protect themselves from the harmful pollutants in wildfire smoke. People who have limited access to air conditioning may be at higher risk of seeking…

Feeding your good gut bacteria through fiber in diet may boost body against infections

The group of bacteria called Enterobacteriaceae, including Klebsiella pneumoniae, Shigella, E.coli and others, is present at low levels as part of a healthy human gut microbiome. But at high levels — caused for example by increased inflammation in the body, or by eating contaminated food — these bugs can cause illness and disease. In extreme…

Self-destructing vaccine offers enhanced protection against tuberculosis in monkeys

A self-destructing vaccine administered intravenously provides additional safety and protection against tuberculosis (TB) in macaque monkeys, suggests new University of Pittsburgh research published today in Nature Microbiology. The in-built safety mechanisms circumvent the possibility of an accidental self-infection with weakened mycobacteria, offering a safe and effective way to combat the disease that was named as…

T cells’ capability to fully prevent acute viral infections opens new avenues for vaccine development

Scientists from Duke-NUS Medical School and the Singapore General Hospital have discovered that T cells — white blood cells that can destroy harmful pathogens — can completely prevent viral infection, to an extent previously thought only possible due to neutralising antibodies. Their findings, shown experimentally for the first time in human studies, reshape our understanding…

Researchers find betrayal doesn’t necessarily make someone less trustworthy if we benefit

Imagine this scenario: Two people cheat on their partners with each other and then leave their partners to be together. Should they trust each other, or “once a cheater, always a cheater”? Intuition and past research suggest that whether people deem someone trustworthy depends on that person’s past behavior and reputation for betrayal. But now,…

Science behind genetic testing for identifying risk of opioid misuse remains unproven

Opioid misuse and specifically opioid use disorder (OUD), continues to represent a significant U.S. public health threat, with more than 6 million Americans aged 12 and older meeting the criteria for OUD in 2022. Efforts to ease the crisis have included the development of genetic testing to identify individuals most at risk for OUD. New…

A new era in genetic engineering

Influential inventions often combine existing tools in new ways. The iPhone, for instance, amalgamated the telephone, web browser and camera, among many other devices. The same is now possible in gene editing. Rather than employ separate tools for editing genes and regulating their expression, these distinct goals can now be combined into a single tool…

Researchers unravel a novel mechanism regulating gene expression in the brain that could guide solutions to circadian and other disorders

A collaborative effort between Mount Sinai and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center has shed valuable light on how monoamine neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and now histamine help regulate brain physiology and behavior through chemical bonding of these monoamines to histone proteins, the core DNA-packaging proteins of our cells. By uncovering how these histone modifications…

Ketamine use on the rise in U.S. adults; new trends emerge

A recent study analyzing data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) found that past-year recreational ketamine use among adults has increased dramatically since 2015, including significant shifts in associations with depression and sociodemographic characteristics such as race, age and education status. Ketamine use has shown promise in clinical trials therapy for…

Your work habits may be threatening your sleep

People whose jobs are highly sedentary — an estimated 80% of the modern workforce — experience a much higher risk of insomnia symptoms, according to a new study led by University of South Florida psychologist Claire Smith. The findings, newly published in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, show that among more than 1,000 employees…

Study finds chemotherapy antidote could improve recovery after chemotherapy-induced kidney toxicity

An FDA-approved medication called glucarpidase could serve as an antidote to kidney toxicity in patients receiving the chemotherapy drug methotrexate (MTX), according to a new study by investigators at Mass General Brigham. Using data from 28 major U.S. cancer centers*, the researchers examined the association between glucarpidase treatment — which rapidly clears MTX from the…

Mixed signals: How the brain interprets social cues

Imagine you’re at a dinner party, but you can’t smell the food cooking or hear the dinner bell. Sounds like a dream, right? What if it wasn’t? “When we experience the world and interact with people, we use all our senses,” Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Professor Stephen Shea says. “That’s true for animals and humans.”…

Age matters: Kidney disorder indicator gains precision

Annual health checkups regularly include urine tests that serve several purposes, including checking for symptoms of kidney disease. The presence of albumin in the urine is one indicator as is glomerular filtration rate. In diabetic nephropathy, albuminuria first appears, leading to excessive filtration and eventually a decrease in GFR. In the elderly, however, excessive filtration…

Approaches against metastatic breast cancer: mini-tumors from circulating cancer cells

Tumor cells circulating in the blood are the “germ cells” of breast cancer metastases. They are very rare and could not be propagated in the culture dish until now, which made research into therapy resistance difficult. A team from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), the Heidelberg Stem Cell Institute HI-STEM* and the NCT Heidelberg**…

Surprising ‘two-faced’ cancer gene role supports paradigm shift in predicting disease

A genetic fault long believed to drive the development of oesophageal cancer may in fact play a protective role early in the disease, according to new research published in Nature Cancer. This unexpected discovery could help doctors identify which individuals are at greater risk of developing cancer, potentially leading to more personalised and effective preventive…

One of the world’s largest social programs greatly reduced tuberculosis among the most vulnerable

Brazil’s Bolsa Família Program (BFP) is one of the largest conditional cash transfer programmes implemented worldwide. Since 2004, the BFP has provided financial support to the poorest families in Brazil, on the condition that they fulfil certain conditions such as taking their children to the doctor and ensuring school attendance. While these programmes are well-known…

Scientists unveil surprising human vs mouse differences in a major cancer immunotherapy target

Since its discovery in the 1990s, “programmed cell death protein 1,” or PD-1, has been regarded as a leading target in cancer treatments. A “checkpoint” receptor that often resides on the surface of immune system cells, the PD-1 molecule works as a type of off switch that keeps immune cells from attacking other cells. After…

AI can improve ovarian cancer diagnoses

A new international study led by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden shows that AI-based models can outperform human experts at identifying ovarian cancer in ultrasound images. The study is published in Nature Medicine. “Ovarian tumours are common and are often detected by chance,” says Professor Elisabeth Epstein at the Department of Clinical Science and…

Research on clozapine safety: Big-data evidence on rare blood cancer cases

An inter-departmental research team at the LKS Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) has conducted the world’s first analytic real-world cohort study on the association of clozapine, a highly efficacious antipsychotic drug, with the incidence of blood cancer. Their findings show that the risk of blood cancer associated with the use…

Ancient DNA unlocks new understanding of migrations in the first millennium AD

Researchers can bring together a picture of how people moved across the world by looking at changes in their DNA, but this becomes a lot harder when historical groups of people are genetically very similar. In research published today in Nature, researchers report a new data analysis method called Twigstats1, which allows the differences between…

Key players in brain aging: New research identifies age-related damage on a cellular level

Scientists at the Allen Institute have identified specific cell types in the brain of mice that undergo major changes as they age, along with a specific hot spot where many of those changes occur. The discoveries, published in the journal Nature, could pave the way for future therapies to slow or manage the aging process…

System to auto-detect new variants will inform better response to future infectious disease outbreaks

Researchers have come up with a new way to identify more infectious variants of viruses or bacteria that start spreading in humans — including those causing flu, COVID, whooping cough and tuberculosis. The new approach uses samples from infected humans to allow real-time monitoring of pathogens circulating in human populations, and enable vaccine-evading bugs to…

People who are immunocompromised may not produce enough protective antibodies against RSV after vaccination

Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers have shown that people 60 years or older with weakened immunity — primarily organ transplant recipients who take immunosuppressive medications to reduce the risk of rejection and others with immune system disorders — do not respond as strongly to vaccines against the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) as people in the same…

Brain structure differences are associated with early use of substances among adolescents

A study of nearly 10,000 adolescents funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has identified distinct differences in the brain structures of those who used substances before age 15 compared to those who did not. Many of these structural brain differences appeared to exist in childhood before any substance use, suggesting they may play…

Preclinical study finds surges in estrogen promote binge drinking in females

The hormone estrogen regulates binge drinking in females, causing them to “pregame” — consume large quantities of alcohol in the first 30 minutes after it’s offered, according to a preclinical study led by scientists at Weill Cornell Medicine. The study establishes-for what is thought to be the first time-that circulating estrogen increases binge alcohol consumption…

Adoption of ‘hospital-at-home’ programs remains concentrated among larger, urban, not-for-profit and academic hospitals

Hospitals that have adopted the Center for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) “hospital-at-home” program, which serves as an alternative to admission to brick-and-mortar facilities, are concentrated in large, urban, not-for-profit, and academic hospitals, new research suggests. The findings are among the first to portray the landscape of hospitals participating in this rapidly growing care model, said…

New research identifies key cellular mechanism driving Alzheimer’s disease

Researchers with the Advanced Science Research Center at the CUNY Graduate Center (CUNY ASRC) have unveiled a critical mechanism that links cellular stress in the brain to the progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The study, published in the journal Neuron, highlights microglia, the brain’s primary immune cells, as central players in both the protective and…

Researchers develop tool to fast-track measurement of protein interactions for drug discovery

A team led by researchers at the University of Toronto has created a platform, called SIMPL2, that revolutionizes the study of protein-protein interactions by simplifying detection while improving measurement accuracy. Interactions between proteins play a significant role in biological processes, including those involved in disease. The team behind the SIMPL2 platform designed it to optimize…

High-quality nanodiamonds for bioimaging and quantum sensing applications

Quantum sensing is a rapidly developing field that utilizes the quantum states of particles, such as superposition, entanglement, and spin states, to detect changes in physical, chemical, or biological systems. A promising type of quantum nanosensor is nanodiamonds (NDs) equipped with nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers. These centers are created by replacing a carbon atom with nitrogen…

Foundational technology to make cancer cells revert to normal cells?

Despite the development of numerous cancer treatment technologies, the common goal of current cancer therapies is to eliminate cancer cells. This approach, however, faces fundamental limitations, including cancer cells developing resistance and returning, as well as severe side effects from the destruction of healthy cells. KAIST (represented by President Kwang Hyung Lee) announced on the…

Digital healthcare consultations not enough for safe assessment of tonsillitis

Digital healthcare consultations are not enough for a safe assessment of tonsillitis, according to a study from the University of Gothenburg. Reliability will not be sufficient, thus increasing the risk of over- or undertreatment of a sore throat. Tonsillitis is a common reason for visits to the doctor and prescriptions of antibiotics in primary care.…

New drug to prevent migraine may start working right away

A drug recently approved to prevent migraine may start working right away, according to a study published in the December 23, 2024, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study looked at the drug atogepant, which is a calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonist taken by mouth. “With…

Singles differ in personality traits and life satisfaction compared to partnered people

Although being married or in a long-term relationship is often seen as the norm, more people are staying single for life. But singlehood can bring economic and medical disadvantages, especially as people get older and may become more reliant on others. New research in Psychological Science reveals that lifelong singles have lower scores on life…

Virus that threatened humanity opens the future

Professor Sangmin Lee from POSTECH’s Department of Chemical Engineering, in collaboration with 2024 Nobel Chemistry Laureate Professor David Baker from the University of Washington, has developed an innovative therapeutic platform by mimicking the intricate structures of viruses using artificial intelligence (AI). Their pioneering research was published in Nature on December 18. Viruses are uniquely designed…

New scan method unveils lung function secrets

A new method of scanning lungs is able to show the effects of treatment on lung function in real time and enable experts to see the functioning of transplanted lungs. This could enable medics to identify sooner any decline in lung function. The scan method has enabled the team, led by researchers at Newcastle University,…

Scientists discover a ‘Goldilocks’ zone for DNA organization, opening new doors for drug development

In a discovery that could redefine how we understand cellular resilience and adaptability, scientists at Scripps Research have unlocked the secret interactions between a primordial inorganic polymer of phosphate known as polyphosphate (polyP), and two basic building blocks of life: DNA and the element magnesium. These components formed clusters of tiny liquid droplets-also known as…

Public shows greater acceptance of RSV vaccine as vaccine hesitancy appears to have plateaued

A year after becoming available, vaccines to protect against RSV in newborns and older adults are being more widely accepted by the American public, according to a new Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) health survey conducted in November 2024. Over half of U.S. adults (52%) think the vaccine given to pregnant individuals to protect their…

Propranolol reduces tremors in Parkinson’s disease

The standard medication levodopa does not always work against tremors in Parkinson’s disease, especially in stressful situations. Propranolol, however, does work during stress, providing insight into the role of the stress system in tremors. MRI scans reveal that propranolol directly inhibits activity in the brain circuit that controls tremors. Doctors may consider this medication when…

Gene editing tool reduces Alzheimer’s plaque precursor in mice

A new gene editing tool that helps cellular machinery skip parts of genes responsible for diseases has been applied to reduce the formation of amyloid-beta plaque precursors in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign report. The application in live mice shows the improved efficiency of the tool, called…

AI may help researchers with medical chart review, study finds

Stanford Medicine researchers have built an artificial intelligence tool that can read thousands of doctors’ notes in electronic medical records and detect trends, providing information that physicians and researchers hope will improve care. Typically, experts seeking answers to questions about care need to pore over hundreds of medical charts. But new research shows that large…

A tropical disease in Switzerland: Call for coordinated action on Chagas disease

The Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), in collaboration with the World Health Organization and other partners conducted a comprehensive review of Chagas disease in Switzerland. Although typically found in Latin America, Chagas disease affects between 2,000 and 4,000 people in Switzerland. The review, published yesterday in the Swiss Medical Weekly, underscores the…

Researchers discover replication hubs for human norovirus

Human norovirus, a positive-strand RNA virus that is the leading cause of viral gastroenteritis accounting for an estimated 685 million cases and approximately 212,000 deaths globally per year, has no approved vaccines or antivirals. Paving the way for improved drug therapies, researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer…

Research points the way to lifesaving antiparasitic drugs while unlocking a scientific mystery

A breakthrough in understanding how a single-cell parasite makes ergosterol (its version of cholesterol) could lead to more effective drugs for human leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease that afflicts about 1 million people and kills about 30,000 people around the world every year. The findings, reported in Nature Communications, also solve a decades-long scientific puzzle that’s…

Microscopic discovery in cancer cells could have a big impact

In 2022 alone, over 20 million people were diagnosed with cancer, and nearly 10 million died from the disease, according to the World Health Organization. While the reaches of cancer are massive, the answer to more effective treatments may be hidden within a microscopic cell. Led by Texas A&M University graduate students Samere Zade of…

Can the heart heal itself? New study says it can

A research team co-led by a physician-scientist at the University of Arizona College of Medicine — Tucson’s Sarver Heart Center found that a subset of artificial heart patients can regenerate heart muscle, which may open the door to new ways to treat and perhaps someday cure heart failure. The results were published in the journal…

By looking at individual atoms in tooth enamel, researchers are learning what happens to our teeth as we age

Teeth are essential for helping people break down the food they eat, and are protected by enamel, which helps them withstand the large amount of stress they experience as people chew away. Unlike other materials in the body, enamel has no way to repair damage, which means that as we age, it risks becoming weaker…

Brain inflammation alters behavior according to sex, mouse study finds

Inflammation in the hippocampus — the brain’s memory centre — significantly alters motivation and behaviour in mice, including food-seeking behaviour, with notable differences between males and females, a recent study reveals. The hippocampus plays a crucial role in memory formation, learning and emotional regulation. Hippocampal neuroinflammation occurs in a range of diseases and disorders such…

After lockdown, immune system reacts more strongly to viruses and bacteria

Research from Radboud university medical center shows that the lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on people’s immune response to microorganisms. During the lockdown, inflammation level in the body was low, but afterwards, the immune system reacted more intensely to viruses and bacteria. The results are now published in Frontiers of Immunology.…

Human-like artificial intelligence may face greater blame for moral violations

In a new study, participants tended to assign greater blame to artificial intelligences (AIs) involved in real-world moral transgressions when they perceived the AIs as having more human-like minds. Minjoo Joo of Sookmyung Women’s University in Seoul, Korea, presents these findings in the open-access journal PLOS ONE on December 18, 2024. Prior research has revealed…

App helps alleviate mental health symptoms in bereaved parents

A new study shows that an app can help parents who are mourning the loss of a child. Parents who used the app for three months reported reduced symptoms of prolonged grief and post-traumatic stress, and also had fewer negative thoughts. Some parents thought the app should be offered early in the mourning process. This…

Brain cells remain healthy after a month on the International Space Station, but mature faster than brain cells on Earth

Microgravity is known to alter the muscles, bones, the immune system and cognition, but little is known about its specific impact on the brain. To discover how brain cells respond to microgravity, Scripps Research scientists, in collaboration with the New York Stem Cell Foundation, sent tiny clumps of stem-cell derived brain cells called “organoids” to…

Tiny robots, big impact: Revolutionizing infertility treatment with magnetic microrobots

Infertility affects an estimated 186 million people worldwide, with fallopian tube obstruction contributing to 11%-67% of female infertility cases. In AIP Advances, from AIP Publishing, researchers at the SIAT Magnetic Soft Microrobots Lab have developed an innovative solution using a magnetically driven robotic microscrew to treat fallopian tube blockages. “This new technology offers a potentially…

The psychological implications of Big Brother’s gaze

A new psychological study has shown that when people know they are under surveillance it generates an automatic response of heightened awareness of being watched, with implications for public mental health. In a paper published in the journal Neuroscience of Consciousness psychology researchers from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) worked with 54 participants to…

Problems developed faster among gamers who started early

People who started playing video games at an early school age developed problematic gaming more quickly compared to those who started playing a few years later. This has been shown by a study by the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. The first author of the study is Annika Hofstedt, PhD student at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of…

Unlocking the potential to better target cancer with immunotherapy

Australian-led research is unlocking new ways for immunotherapy to better target cancer. Cancer immunotherapy has revolutionised treatment for patients, whereby the body’s own immune system is harnessed to destroy cancer cells. Typically, several molecules restrain the ability of T cells to target cancer cells and developing approaches to limit this restraining effect can lead to…

AI tool analyzes placentas at birth for faster detection of neonatal, maternal problems

A newly developed tool that harnesses computer vision and artificial intelligence (AI) may help clinicians rapidly evaluate placentas at birth, potentially improving neonatal and maternal care, according to new research from scientists at Northwestern Medicine and Penn State. The study, which was published Dec. 13 in the print edition of the journal Patterns and featured…

Key regulator that induces cancer-killing capacity in T cells under hypoxia is identified

Immune checkpoint blockades, or ICBs, have revolutionized treatment for various advanced cancers. However, their effectiveness has plateaued due to therapeutic resistance that renders tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, or TILs, ineffective. Thus, finding ways to disarm that resistance and rejuvenate anti-cancer TILs — so they can kill tumor cells — is an important goal for cancer clinicians. Yet…

A low omega-6, omega-3 rich diet and fish oil may slow prostate cancer growth

A new study led by UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center investigators offers new evidence that dietary changes may help reduce cancer cell growth in patients undergoing active surveillance, a treatment approach that involves regular monitoring of the cancer without immediate intervention. The findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, show that a diet…

Generic platinum chemotherapy shortages did not increase deaths

During a shortage of the generic platinum chemotherapy drugs cisplatin and carboplatin that began in early 2023, there was no difference in mortality rates among patients with advanced cancer compared to the previous year, and prescription rates for the two drugs fell less than three percent overall — and 15.1 percent at the peak —…

As wildfires intensify, prolonged exposure to pollution linked to premature death

Researchers have found evidence that living in areas prone to wildfire smoke may negatively impact an individual’s life expectancy. In many parts of the contiguous United States, wildfires are rapidly growing more intense, endangering the humans and wildlife that live in the region. Even once fires are doused, serious health risks remain because of the…

A dial for tuning the immune system: Discovery sheds light on why COVID makes some sicker than others

For years, scientists have looked to a critical piece of immune system machinery — known as the interferon pathway — for answers. There, when our cells sense an infection, they release a protein known as interferon, which warns other cells to fight the virus. Studies show that when this signaling goes awry and leads the…

Study finds new blood test predicts prognosis for advanced prostate cancer patients

Published in Nature Communications, a new study led by the University of Minnesota Medical School and Duke University found that a DNA sequencing test for advanced prostate cancer patients can distinguish between patients with poor and favorable prognoses. The new blood-based test — called AR-ctDETECT — is designed to detect and analyze small fragments of…

Early-onset colorectal cancer cases surge globally

A new study led by American Cancer Society (ACS) researchers shows that early-onset colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence rates are rising in 27 of 50 countries/territories worldwide, 20 of which have either exclusive or faster increases for early-onset disease. In 14 countries, including the United States, rates are increasing in young adults while stabilizing in those…

Enabling AI to explain its predictions in plain language

Machine-learning models can make mistakes and be difficult to use, so scientists have developed explanation methods to help users understand when and how they should trust a model’s predictions. These explanations are often complex, however, perhaps containing information about hundreds of model features. And they are sometimes presented as multifaceted visualizations that can be difficult…

Social factors affect pediatric cardiac arrest outcomes

The odds on whether a child survives a cardiac arrest may depend on where they live, according to a new study from the University of Missouri School of Medicine. This study found that certain social factors that influence health are associated with lower odds of children receiving CPR, application of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and…

Shape-changing device helps visually impaired people perform location task as well as sighted people

A groundbreaking piece of navigation technology that uses the ability to sense information through touch can help people with visual impairment perform a location task as well as sighted people, according to new Imperial-led research. Researchers from Imperial College London, working with the company MakeSense Technology and the charity Bravo Victor, have developed a shape-changing…

Study helps solve mystery between repeated head impacts in sports and location of brain degeneration in CTE

A new study from researchers at the Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease and CTE Center is helping solve the mystery as to why the brain shrinks in a unique pattern, known as atrophy, in chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Published in Acta Neuropathologica, this research provides novel evidence that cumulative repetitive head impacts are driving the specific…

A healthy diet helps the weighty battle with chronic pain

Chronic pain is an acute and debilitating condition that affects millions of people worldwide. And while pain interventions are available, many people struggle without treatment at all. Now new research from the University of South Australia shows that adopting a healthy diet can reduce the severity of chronic pain, presenting an easy and accessible way…

CAST mouse model: A crucial tool for future COVID-19 outbreaks

Researchers at The Jackson Laboratory and Trudeau Institute have identified the first mouse strain that is susceptible to severe COVID-19 without the need for genetic modification. This development, reported in Scientific Reports, marks a pivotal step forward in infectious disease research, providing an essential tool to develop vaccines and therapeutics for future coronavirus variants and…

Getting to the bottom of things: Latrine findings help researcher trace the movement of people and disease

A McMaster researcher has uncovered evidence of intestinal parasites in a 500-year-old latrine from Bruges, Belgium, and while the finding may induce queasiness in some, it is expected to provide important scientific evidence on how infectious diseases once spread through travel and trade. The findings, which have been published in the journal Parasitology, present some…

Why people remember certain things and not others

Exactly why do people remember what they remember? A recently published review paper from researchers at Rice University sheds light on this fundamental question and the relationship between factors that influence human memory. “Tell me why: The missing w in episodic memory’s what, where and when” appears in a special issue of Cognitive, Affective &…

Early detection of high-altitude hypoxic brain injury

People who climb too fast or too high risk acute altitude sickness, which can lead to life-threatening hypoxic brain injury. By using in vivo electrochemistry, researchers demonstrated that characteristic changes occur in the oxygen content of various brain regions before injury. As a team reports in the journal Angewandte Chemie, the risk of brain damage…

MRI could be key to understanding the impact a gluten free diet has on people with Celiac disease

Experts have used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to better understand the impact a gluten free diet has on people with coeliac disease, which could be the first step towards finding new ways of treating the condition. The MARCO study — MAgnetic Resonance Imaging in COliac disease — which is published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology…

Imaging technique allows rapid assessment of ovarian cancer subtypes and their response to treatment

An MRI-based imaging technique developed at the University of Cambridge predicts the response of ovarian cancer tumours to treatment, and rapidly reveals how well treatment is working, in patient-derived cell models. The technique, called hyperpolarised carbon-13 imaging, can increase the detected signal in an MRI scanner by more than 10,000 times. Scientists have found that…

Mothers massively change their intestines during pregnancy and nursing

When women are pregnant and nurse their babies, their bodies change and various organs, such as the breasts or the immune system, are adapted to ensure the health of both mother and child. This happens throughout evolution in all mammals. An international research team led by Josef Penninger and Masahiro Onji, Medical University of Vienna,…

Research study shows the cost-effectiveness of AI-enhanced heart failure screening

Earlier research showed that primary care clinicians using AI-ECG tools identified more unknown cases of a weak heart pump, also called low ejection fraction, than without AI. New study findings published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Digital Health suggest that this type of screening is also cost-effective in the long term, especially in outpatient settings. Incremental…

Eating high-processed foods impacts muscle quality, study finds

A diet high in ultra-processed foods is associated with higher amounts of fat stored inside thigh muscles, regardless of the amount of calories consumed or level of physical activity, according to a study being presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). Higher amounts of intramuscular fat in the…

The heart has its own ‘brain’

New research from Karolinska Institutet and Columbia University shows that the heart has a mini-brain — its own nervous system that controls the heartbeat. A better understanding of this system, which is much more diverse and complex than previously thought, could lead to new treatments for heart diseases. The study, conducted on zebrafish, is published…

Research on neurodegeneration in spider brain leads neuroscientists to groundbreaking new discovery in Alzheimer’s-affected human brains

Researchers from Saint Michael’s College and the University of Vermont have made a groundbreaking new discovery that provides a better understanding of how Alzheimer’s disease develops in the human brain. Guided by previous research of spider brains, the scientists uncovered evidence of a “waste canal system” in the human brain that internalizes waste from healthy…

How a middle schooler found a new compound in a piece of goose poop

A group of young students became bonafide biomedical scientists before they even started high school. Through a partnership with a nearby university, the middle schoolers collected and analyzed environmental samples to find new antibiotic candidates. One unique sample, goose poop collected at a local park, had a bacterium that showed antibiotic activity and contained a…

Even low levels of arsenic in drinking water raise kidney cancer risk

New research findings from the Texas A&M University School of Public Health indicate that exposure to even low levels of arsenic poses significant health risks, including an increased risk of kidney cancer. The incidence of kidney cancer in the United States rose by an average of 1.2 percent each year between 2011 and 2019 to…

Smallest walking robot makes microscale measurements

Cornell University researchers have created the smallest walking robot yet. Its mission: to be tiny enough to interact with waves of visible light and still move independently, so that it can maneuver to specific locations — in a tissue sample, for instance — to take images and measure forces at the scale of some of…

First new treatment for asthma attacks in 50 years

An injection given during some asthma and COPD attacks is more effective than the current treatment of steroid tablets, reducing the need for further treatment by 30%. The findings, published today in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, could be “game-changing” for millions of people with asthma and COPD around the world, scientists say. Asthma attacks and…

Preschool education: A key to supporting allophone children

Learning French while also developing language skills in one’s mother tongue is no easy task. As a result, allophone children often face learning and communication difficulties in kindergarten, which can negatively impact their educational journey. However, solutions are emerging. According to a study led by Sylvana Côté, preschool education services significantly help bridge the gap…

Hormone therapy affects the metabolic health of transgender individuals, study finds

New research from Karolinska Institutet shows that long-term sex hormone treatment in transgender individuals can lead to significant changes in body composition and risk factors for cardiovascular disease, particularly in transgender men. The study is published in the Journal of Internal Medicine. “We saw that transgender men treated with testosterone increased their muscle volume by…

Structural link for initiation of protein synthesis in bacteria

Within a cell, DNA carries the genetic code for building proteins. To build proteins, the cell makes a copy of DNA, called mRNA. Then, another molecule called a ribosome reads the mRNA, translating it into protein. But this step has been a visual mystery: scientists previously did not know how the ribosome attaches to and…

Bacteria ditch tags to dodge antibiotics

Bacteria modify their ribosomes when exposed to widely used antibiotics, according to research published today in Nature Communications. The subtle changes might be enough to alter the binding site of drug targets and constitute a possible new mechanism of antibiotic resistance. Escherichia coli is a common bacterium which is often harmless but can cause serious…

Clinical trial reveals twice-yearly injection to be 96% effective in HIV prevention

For oral medications that prevent new HIV infection to be effective, the patient must take certain actions, including attending doctor’s visits every three months and — most importantly — consistency. These daily oral antiretrovirals, more commonly referred to as PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), such as Truvada®, are extremely effective at HIV prevention, but only if they…

For those with CTE, family history of mental illness tied to aggression in middle age

People who have chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) who have a family history of mental illness may have a higher risk of aggression in middle age, according to a study published in the November 27, 2024, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. CTE is a neurodegenerative disease associated with…

Nanorobot hand made of DNA grabs viruses for diagnostics and blocks cell entry

A tiny, four-fingered “hand” folded from a single piece of DNA can pick up the virus that causes COVID-19 for highly sensitive rapid detection and can even block viral particles from entering cells to infect them, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers report. Dubbed the NanoGripper, the nanorobotic hand also could be programmed to interact with…

Sound of traffic increases stress and anxiety, study finds

Manmade sounds such vehicle traffic can mask the positive impact of nature soundscapes on people’s stress and anxiety, according to a new study published November 27, 2024, in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Paul Lintott of the University of the West of England, U.K., and Lia Gilmour of the Bat Conservation Trust, U.K. Existing…

Long COVID brain fog linked to lung function

In patients with long COVID, lower pulmonary gas exchange may be associated with impaired cognitive function, according to a study being presented next week at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). According to the National Center for Health Statistics, approximately 17.6% of adults in the U.S. have experienced a post-COVID…

It might be wrecking the climate, but carbon dioxide is actually good for your cells

The cells in our bodies are like bustling cities, running on an iron-powered system that uses hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) not just for cleaning up messes but also for sending critical signals. Normally, this works fine, but under stress, such as inflammation or a burst of energy use, oxidative stress damages cells at the genetic level.…

Potential new biomarker for psychosis diagnosis

The current standard of care for psychosis is a diagnostic interview, but what if it could be diagnosed before the first symptom emerged? Researchers at the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience at the University of Rochester are pointing toward a potential biomarker in the brain that could lead to more timely interventions and personalized care.…

Revolutionary bioengineering research may transform type 1 diabetes care, pave way for tackling cancer and autoimmune disease

Regenerative medicine holds the extraordinary promise that future patients in need of new cells, tissues or organs will no longer have to rely on donors. Organ shortages and cell type mismatches will become past problems, replaced by safe, on-demand options for anyone who needs a transplant. This revolutionary field still faces many challenges, including the…

New model of neuronal circuit provides insight on eye movement

Working with week-old zebrafish larva, researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine and colleagues decoded how the connections formed by a network of neurons in the brainstem guide the fishes’ gaze. The study, published Nov. 22 in Nature Neuroscience, found that a simplified artificial circuit, based on the architecture of this neuronal system, can predict activity in…

Scientists identify key mechanism in development of skin cancer

LMU researchers have discovered how the interplay between a key protein and an endolysosomal ion channel promotes tumor development in skin cancer. Melanoma arising from pigment-producing cells known as melanocytes is the deadliest form of skin cancer. A major cause of melanoma is excessive exposure to ultraviolet light, from sunlight or other sources, which can…

New insights into sleep uncover key mechanisms related to cognitive function

While it’s well known that sleep enhances cognitive performance, the underlying neural mechanisms, particularly those related to nonrapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, remain largely unexplored. A new study by a team of researchers at Rice University and Houston Methodist’s Center for Neural Systems Restoration and Weill Cornell Medical College, coordinated by Rice’s Valentin Dragoi, has…

How Golgi stress affects T-cells’ tumor-fighting ability

The Golgi apparatus modifies, sorts and packages proteins to be sent to their final destinations, whether that’s within or outside of the cell. It’s a core function, but little studied in the setting of cancer immunology, especially when compared to other organelles like the mitochondria or endoplasmic reticulum. “So we were interested in looking a…

Troubling spike in severe pregnancy-related complications

A new study from Northwestern Medicine reveals a troubling rise in severe maternal health issues and birth complications in Illinois from 2016 to 2023, closely linked to increases in chronic health conditions affecting pregnancy, such as high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, mental health disorders and especially obesity, which saw the largest increase in annual rates.…

Overthinking what you said? It’s your ‘lizard brain’ talking to newer, advanced parts of your brain

We’ve all been there. Moments after leaving a party, your brain is suddenly filled with intrusive thoughts about what others were thinking. “Did they think I talked too much?” “Did my joke offend them?” “Were they having a good time?” In a new Northwestern Medicine study, scientists sought to better understand how humans evolved to…

From food crops to cancer clinics: Lessons in extermination resistance

Just as crop-devouring insects evolve to resist pesticides, cancer cells can increase their lethality by developing resistance to treatment. In fact, most deaths from cancer are caused by the evolution of therapeutic resistance. In a new review, Arizona State University researchers, working with colleagues around the world, explore how established agricultural pest management strategies could…

Scientists find a region of the mouse gut tightly regulated by the immune system

The intestine maintains a delicate balance in the body, absorbing nutrients and water while maintaining a healthy relationship with the gut microbiome, but this equilibrium is disrupted in parts of the intestine in conditions such as celiac disease, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn’s disease. Scientists don’t fully understand how different regions of the organ resist or…

Weight-loss drug reduces risk of early death for patients with heart failure, trial finds

Weight-loss and diabetes drug tirzepatide can reduce the risk of death or worsening heart failure for patients with heart failure, preserved heart pump function and obesity, new research from UVA Health reveals. The drug, from pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Co., was tested in the SUMMIT clinical trial at 146 sites in the United States…

Climate change and air pollution could risk 30 million lives annually by 2100

A new study projects a sharp rise in temperature- and pollution-related mortality, with the impact of temperature surpassing that of pollution for a fifth of the global population. Mortality attributable to air pollution and extreme temperatures is a major concern, and it is expected to heighten in the future. In a new study led by…

Changing the definition of cerebral palsy

In the United States, there are currently more adults living with cerebral palsy than children. Despite this, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still label cerebral palsy as “the most common motor disability in childhood.” This definition not only ignores cerebral palsy as a lifelong condition but contributes to a lopsided research focus directed…

Study identifies potential new drug for Parkinson’s-related cognitive decline, dementia

A recently published study by researchers at the University of Arizona Health Sciences found that a tiny protein called PNA5 appears to have a protective effect on brain cells, which could lead to treatments for the cognitive symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and related disorders. Parkinson’s disease, a neurological disorder best known for causing tremors, stiffness,…

A new model to explore the epidermal renewal

The mechanisms underlying skin renewal are still poorly understood. Interleukin-38 (IL-38), a protein involved in regulating inflammatory responses, could be a game changer. A team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) has observed it for the first time in the form of condensates in keratinocytes, the cells of the epidermis. The presence of IL-38 in…

Cocoa or green tea could protect you from the negative effects of fatty foods during mental stress

New research has found that a flavanol-rich cocoa drink can protect the body’s vasculature against stress even after eating high-fat food. Food choices made during periods of stress can influence the effect of stress on cardiovascular health. For example, recent research from the University of Birmingham found that high-fat foods can negatively affect vascular function…

Traditional Mayan practices have long promoted unique levels of family harmony: But what effect is globalization having?

A new paper in the journal Child Development shows how some aspects of family interaction among Indigenous people in Guatemala have fundamentally shifted with rapid globalization, yet families have still maintained a unique level of harmony in their interactions. UC Santa Cruz psychologist Barbara Rogoff has been working with Mayan communities in San Pedro la…

Achilles heel of antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Recent estimates indicate that deadly antibiotic-resistant infections will rapidly escalate over the next quarter century. More than 1 million people died from drug-resistant infections each year from 1990 to 2021, a recent study reported, with new projections surging to nearly 2 million deaths each year by 2050. In an effort to counteract this public health…

Climate change and eye maladies

Clinical visits by patients suffering ocular surface eye conditions more than doubled during times when ambient particulate matter from air pollution was in the atmosphere, signaling a possible association between climate change and ocular health, according to a new study from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. The study, published Wednesday in the journal…

‘Jekyll and Hyde’ leaders do lasting damage, new research shows

There’s only one thing worse than an abusive boss — and that’s a boss who thinks they can make up for their bad behavior by turning on the charm the following day. That’s the key finding from a new study from researchers at Stevens Institute of Technology, which shows that employees’ morale and job performance…

Scientists develop novel plug-and-play test to evaluate T cell immunotherapy effectiveness

A novel test developed by Duke-NUS researchers enables real-time monitoring of T cells that have been engineered to fight cancer, after re-introduction into the body of a cancer patient. This simple and innovative test provides clinicians with the ability to track the function of these cancer-fighting cells over the course of the treatment. T cells…

New study shows how salmonella tricks gut defenses to cause infection

A new UC Davis Health study has uncovered how Salmonella bacteria, a major cause of food poisoning, can invade the gut even when protective bacteria are present. The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, explains how the pathogen tricks the gut environment to escape the body’s natural defenses. The digestive…

New discovery enables gene therapy for muscular dystrophies, other disorders

Gene therapy can effectively treat various diseases, but for some debilitating conditions like muscular dystrophies there is a big problem: size. The genes that are dysfunctional in muscular dystrophies are often extremely large, and current delivery methods can’t courier such substantial genetic loads into the body. A new technology, dubbed “StitchR,” surmounts this obstacle by…

It’s my brain’s fault! Why teenagers make often unwise decisions

Adults exhibit a general tendency to make better decisions than adolescents, and this improvement drives an increase in specific and more sophisticated choice behaviors, according to a study published November 14 in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Vanessa Scholz and Lorenz Deserno from the University of Würzburg, Germany, and colleagues. Learning and decision-making change…

Children’s gut bacteria may hold the key to diarrhea treatment

Diarrhea claims the lives of 500,000 children each year in low- and middle-income countries. Now, Danish and Ethiopian researchers have linked chronic diarrhea to a specific pattern of gut bacteria, a discovery that could pave the way for new treatments capable of saving lives. Our intestines are home to a microbiotic universe in which bacteria…

Organ donation: Opt-out defaults do not increase donation rates, study finds

A recent study by the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, in collaboration with the MSB Medical School Berlin and the Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, shows that switching to an opt-out organ donation policy, where all adults are presumed organ donors unless they explicitly opt out, does not increase…

From pets to pests: Researchers explore new tool to fight disease-carrying insects

Arkansas researchers are testing a product commonly used to treat ticks and fleas on pets to target fly and mosquito larvae with the goal of helping reduce the spread of diseases carried by these insects. After switching to fluralaner as a veterinary medication for her dog, Emily McDermott, assistant professor of medical and veterinary entomology…

Synthetic cells emulate natural cellular communication

A research team from the University of Basel has succeeded in synthesizing simple, environmentally sensitive cells complete with artificial organelles. For the first time, the researchers have also been able to emulate natural cell-cell communication using these protocells — based on the model of photoreceptors in the eye. This opens up new possibilities for basic…

AI can detect serious neurologic changes in babies in the NICU using video data alone

A team of clinicians, scientists, and engineers at Mount Sinai trained a deep learning pose-recognition algorithm on video feeds of infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to accurately track their movements and identify key neurologic metrics. Findings from this new artificial intelligence (AI)-based tool, published November 11 in Lancet’s eClinicalMedicine, could lead to…

Bystander CPR up to 10 minutes after cardiac arrest may protect brain function

The sooner a lay rescuer (bystander) starts cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on a person having a cardiac arrest at home or in public, up to 10 minutes after the arrest, the better the chances of saving the person’s life and protecting their brain function, according to preliminary research to be presented at the American Heart Association’s…

SARS-CoV-2 ‘steals’ our proteins to protect itself from the immune system

Researchers at the Medical University of Vienna and the Medical University of Innsbruck discovered that SARS-CoV-2 hijacks three important host proteins that dampen the activity of the complement system, a key component of early antiviral immunity. This significantly impairs viral clearance which may affect the course of both acute COVID-19 infections and post-COVID-19 sequelae. The…

New option for treating prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men worldwide. Despite medical advances in recent years, this type of tumour is still responsible for one in eight male cancer deaths in Austria alone. An international research team led by MedUni Vienna has now investigated a new strategy for the development of treatment options that…

Dog-owner interaction is reflected in heart rate variability

A study at the University of Jyväskylä showed that the heart rate variability of a dog and its owner adapt to each other during interaction. High heart rate variability is associated with relaxation, while low heart rate variability indicates stimulation. The study deepens our understanding of the emotional connection between a dog and its owner,…

Groundbreaking research unlocks precision therapy for drug-resistant leukaemia

Scientists from Duke-NUS Medical School and their collaborators have identified an inherited genetic variation prevalent among East Asians that contributes to drug resistance, driving the aggressive growth of cancer cells in patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia. To address this, the team’s pioneering approach involves inhibiting the action of a protein called MCL-1, with laboratory studies…

Current test accommodations for students with blindness do not fully address their needs

Researchers at University of Tsukuba have demonstrated that the current accommodations for examinees with blindness for examinations such as those related to admissions are inadequate, particularly for examinations requiring the reading of complex tables. Specifically, the provision of a time extension of 1.5 times the standard duration for answering examination questions with complex tables presented…

Signals from the gut could transform rheumatoid arthritis treatment

Changes in the gut microbiome before rheumatoid arthritis is developed could provide a window of opportunity for preventative treatments, new research suggests. Bacteria associated with inflammation is found in the gut in higher amounts roughly ten months before patients develop clinical rheumatoid arthritis, a longitudinal study by Leeds researchers has found. Affecting more than half…

Researchers develop robotic sensory cilia that monitor internal biomarkers to detect and assess airway diseases

Xiaoguang Dong, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, is leading a team of researchers that has developed a system of artificial cilia capable of monitoring mucus conditions in human airways to better detect infection, airway obstruction, or the severity of diseases like Cystic Fibrosis (CF), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD) and lung cancer. The research was…