ScienceDaily: Top Health News

Lithium treats intellectual defects in mouse model of Bardet-Biedl Syndrome

Posted: 22 Apr 2021 03:19 PM PDT

Mice with symptoms that mimic Bardet-Biedl Syndrome (BBS) have difficulty with learning and generating new neurons in the hippocampus. However, according to a new study, these mental defects can be successfully treated with lithium.

Pregnant women with COVID-19 face high mortality rate

Posted: 22 Apr 2021 03:18 PM PDT

In a worldwide study of 2,100 pregnant women, those who contracted COVID-19 during pregnancy were 20 times more likely to die than those who did not contract the virus.

Study of 'breakthrough' cases suggests COVID testing may be here to stay

Posted: 22 Apr 2021 09:36 AM PDT

Two new cases helped scientists confirm what many have come to suspect: that people can get infected by SARS-CoV-2 variants even after successful vaccination. The findings suggest continued testing may be needed to prevent future outbreaks in a post-vaccine world.

How we know whether and when to pay attention

Posted: 22 Apr 2021 09:36 AM PDT

International team of researchers identifies cognitive computations underlying human predictive behavior.

Fighting harmful bacteria with nanoparticles

Posted: 22 Apr 2021 09:36 AM PDT

Multi-resistant pathogens are a serious and increasing problem in today's medicine. Where antibiotics are ineffective, these bacteria can cause life-threatening infections. Researchers are currently developing nanoparticles that can be used to detect and kill multi-resistant pathogens that hide inside our body cells. The team published the study in the current issue of the journal Nanoscale.

Among COVID-19 survivors, an increased risk of death, serious illness

Posted: 22 Apr 2021 09:36 AM PDT

Researchers showed that COVID-19 survivors -- including those not sick enough to be hospitalized -- have an increased risk of death in the six months following diagnosis with the virus. They also have catalogued the numerous diseases associated with COVID-19, providing a big-picture overview of the long-term complications of COVID-19 and revealing the massive burden this disease is likely to place on the world's population in the coming years.

Artificial intelligence model predicts which key of the immune system opens the locks of coronavirus

Posted: 22 Apr 2021 06:39 AM PDT

A new artificial intelligence (AI) method is helping researchers link immune cells to their targets and, for example, uncouple which white blood cells recognize SARS-CoV-2. The tool has broad applications in understanding the function of the immune system in infections, autoimmune disorders, and cancer.

Faster air exchange in buildings not always beneficial for coronavirus levels

Posted: 22 Apr 2021 06:38 AM PDT

Vigorous and rapid air exchanges might not always be a good thing when it comes to levels of coronavirus particles in a multiroom building, according to a new modeling study. Particle levels can spike in downstream rooms shortly after rapid ventilation.

More belly weight increases danger of heart disease even if BMI does not indicate obesity

Posted: 22 Apr 2021 06:38 AM PDT

Research on how obesity impacts the diagnosis, management and outcomes of heart and blood vessel disease, heart failure and arrhythmias is summarized in a new statement. Waist circumference, an indicator of abdominal obesity, should be regularly measured as it is a potential warning sign of increased cardiovascular disease risk. Interventions that lead to weight loss improve risk factors yet may not always lead to improvement in coronary artery disease outcomes.

Membranes unlock potential to vastly increase cell-free vaccine production

Posted: 22 Apr 2021 06:38 AM PDT

Researchers discovered that enriching cell-free vaccine extracts with cellular membranes increased the yields of protein-based vaccines by five-fold, significantly broadening access to potentially lifesaving medicines.

Average-risk individuals may prefer stool-based test over colonoscopy for cancer screening

Posted: 22 Apr 2021 06:38 AM PDT

When given a choice, most individuals with an average risk of colorectal cancer said they would prefer a stool-based screening test for colorectal cancer over colonoscopy, the method most often recommended by health care providers.

Higher mushroom consumption is associated with a lower risk of cancer

Posted: 21 Apr 2021 05:01 PM PDT

Higher mushroom consumption is associated with a lower risk of cancer, according to a new study. The systematic review and meta-analysis examined 17 cancer studies published from 1966 to 2020. Analyzing data from more than 19,500 cancer patients, researchers explored the relationship between mushroom consumption and cancer risk.

Collaborative research could help fine-tune the production of antimalarials, chemo drugs

Posted: 21 Apr 2021 05:01 PM PDT

Much of common pharmaceutical development today is the product of laborious cycles of tweaking and optimization. In each drug, a carefully concocted formula of natural and synthetic enzymes and ingredients works together to catalyze a desired reaction. But in early development, much of the process is spent determining what quantities of each enzyme to use to ensure a reaction occurs at a specific speed.

Study explains 'cocktail party effect' in hearing impairment

Posted: 21 Apr 2021 01:00 PM PDT

Plenty of people struggle to make sense of a multitude of converging voices in a crowded room. Commonly known as the 'cocktail party effect,' people with hearing loss find it's especially difficult to understand speech in a noisy environment. New research suggests that, for some listeners, this may have less to do with actually discerning sounds. Instead, it may be a processing problem in which two ears blend different sounds together - a condition known as binaural pitch fusion.

Mechanical engineers develop new high-performance artificial muscle technology

Posted: 21 Apr 2021 12:12 PM PDT

Researchers have developed a new, high-performance artificial muscle technology. The new technology enables more human-like motion due to its flexibility and adaptability, but outperforms human skeletal muscle in several metrics.

Creativity and community: How modern humans overcame the Neanderthals

Posted: 21 Apr 2021 07:09 AM PDT

A new study is the first-ever to identify the genes for creativity in Homo sapiens that distinguish modern humans from chimpanzees and Neanderthals. The research identified 267 genes that are found only in modern humans and likely play an important role in the evolution of the behavioral characteristics that set apart Homo sapiens, including creativity, self-awareness, cooperativeness, and healthy longevity.