ScienceDaily: Top Health News

Researchers have developed a new process using machine learning algorithms to match the signals of a microbe's metabolites with its genomic signals and identify which likely correspond to a natural product. Knowing that, researchers are better equipped to isolate the natural product to begin developing it for a possible drug and possibly reinvigorate the search for natural product drugs.

The mystery of why salamanders can regenerate a lost limb, but adult mammals cannot has fascinated observers for thousands of years. Now, a team of scientists has come a step closer to unraveling that mystery with the discovery of differences in molecular signaling that promote regeneration in the axolotl, a highly regenerative salamander, while blocking it in the adult mouse.

The organization of the human genome relies on physics of different states of matter - such as liquid and solid. The findings reveal how the physical nature of the genome changes as cells transform to serve specific functions and point to new ways to potentially better understand disease and to create improved therapies for cancer and genetic disorders.

Researchers detail the mechanism by which HIV infection blocks the maturation process of brain cells that produce myelin, a fatty substance that insulates neurons.

Researchers found that the sleep quality of the surprisingly high number of children who share a bed with their pets is indistinguishable from those who sleep alone.

Nano-sized particles have been engineered in a new way to improve detection of tumors within the body and in biopsy tissue, a research team reports. The advance could enable identifying early stage tumors with lower doses of radiation.

Nerve cells of the vagus nerve fulfill opposing tasks. The gut and the brain communicate with each other in order to adapt satiety and blood sugar levels during food consumption. The vagus nerve is an important communicator between these two organs. Researchers now took a closer look at the functions of the different nerve cells in the control center of the vagus nerve, and discovered something very surprising: although the nerve cells are located in the same control center, they innervate different regions of the gut and also differentially control satiety and blood sugar levels. This discovery could play an important role in the development of future therapeutic strategies against obesity and diabetes.

Researchers discover a paradoxical relationship between the intensity of emotional expressions and how they are perceived.

Humans can observe what and where something happens around them with their hearing, as long as sound frequencies lie between 20 Hz and 20 000 Hz. Researchers have now developed a new audio technique that enables people to also hear ultrasonic sources that generate sound at frequencies above 20,000 Hz with simultaneous perception of their direction.

Prenuptial agreements, or 'prenups,' can be difficult to talk about. But a recent study offers insights into how people can discuss this often taboo subject. One approach? Use metaphors.

Researchers have identified a protein that helps tumors evade the immune system and, in certain types of cancers, is linked to a poorer chance of survival. The protein could become a target for future cancer treatments.

Zebrafish exposed to the leading cannabinoids found in cannabis in the earliest stages of development suffer a significant drop in neural activity later in life, according to a new study that has implications for prenatal development in humans.

Researchers have developed a vaccine that protects animals from Salmonella. These bacteria often escape the effects of vaccination by genetically modifying their protective coat. The researchers have succeeded in manipulating this process to lure the bacteria into an evolutionary trap.

Scientists have found how platelets interacting with white blood cells contribute to the resolution of bacterial lung inflammation in mice. The results may help in the search for therapies to specifically regulate inflammation.

Researchers have uncovered potential mechanisms by which microRNAs (miRNA) drive atherogenesis in a cell-type-specific manner. The study provides novel insight into the miRNA profiles of the main cell types involved in atherosclerosis.

A new study has identified a protein that could be the key to improving treatment outcomes after a heart attack. It suggests that protein kinase A (PKA) plays a role in heart muscle cell necrosis, a major type of cell death that commonly occurs after reperfusion therapy, the treatment used to unblock arteries and restore blood flow after a heart attack.

A healthy diet around the time of conception through the second trimester may reduce the risk of several common pregnancy complications, suggests a new study. Expectant women in the study who scored high on any of three measures of healthy eating had lower risks for gestational diabetes, pregnancy-related blood pressure disorders and preterm birth.

Physical activity is the optimal first treatment choice for adults with mild to moderately elevated blood pressure and blood cholesterol who otherwise have low heart disease risk. About 21% of adults in the US with mild to moderately raised blood pressure and 28-37% of those with mild to moderate elevated cholesterol levels may be best served by a prescription for lifestyle-only treatment, which includes increasing physical activity.

A new study finds people who consume two servings of fruit per day have 36% lower odds of developing type 2 diabetes than those who consume less than half a serving.