ScienceDaily: Top Health News

Biomaterial vaccines ward off broad range of bacterial infections and septic shock

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 02:03 PM PDT

Researchers have developed a biomaterial-based infection vaccine (ciVAX) approach as a solution that could be broadly applied to challenges in infection medicine.

How a large cat deity helps people to share space with leopards in India

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 02:03 PM PDT

A new study documents how a big cat deity worshipped by Indigenous Peoples facilitates coexistence between humans and leopards.

Imaging test may predict patients most at risk of some heart complications from COVID-19

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 02:03 PM PDT

Researchers have shown that a type of echocardiogram, a common test to evaluate whether a person's heart is pumping properly, may be useful in predicting which patients with COVID-19 are most at risk of developing atrial fibrillation -- an irregular heartbeat that can increase a person's risk for heart failure and stroke, among other heart issues.

Our genes shape our gut bacteria

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 02:03 PM PDT

Researchers discovered that most bacteria in the gut microbiome are heritable after looking at more than 16,000 gut microbiome profiles collected over 14 years from a long-studied population of baboons in Kenya's Amboseli National Park.

Regular rapid testing detects COVID-19 soon enough to stop transmission in schools

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 11:39 AM PDT

Proactive, frequent rapid testing of all students for COVID-19 is more effective at preventing large transmission clusters in schools than measures that are only initiated when someone develops symptoms and then tests positive, researchers have found.

Animal study looks at anxiety differences between females and males

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 11:39 AM PDT

Researchers recently examined how biological factors impact anxiety disorders. The team studied male and female rodent models to better understand sex differences in biological responses related to anxiety.

Scientists show how light therapy treats depression in mice model

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 11:39 AM PDT

Light therapy can help improve the mood of people with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) during short winter days, but exactly how this therapy works is not well understood. A new study finds that light therapy's beneficial effects come from activating the circadian clock gene Period1 in a part of the brain involved in mood and sleep-wake cycles.

Newborns to three months should be stimulated to hold and reach for objects, study says

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 10:53 AM PDT

When newborns observe adults performing everyday tasks, their social, motor and cognitive development is stimulated.

A novel neurological disorder associated with the Polycomb complex identified

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 10:53 AM PDT

A multi-institutional study has discovered spontaneous mutations in RNF2 (RING2) gene as the underlying cause of a novel neurological disorder.

Inhaled COVID-19 vaccine prevents disease and transmission in animals

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 10:53 AM PDT

In a new study assessing the potential of a single-dose, intranasal COVID-19 vaccine, researchers found that the vaccine fully protects mice against lethal COVID-19 infection. The vaccine also blocks animal-to-animal transmission of the virus.

Researchers overcome winking, napping pigs to prove brain test works

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 10:49 AM PDT

If you've ever been to an eye doctor, there's a good chance you've felt the sudden puff of air to the eye that constitutes a traditional test for glaucoma. It's no one's favorite experience, but the puff is non-invasive and harmless. Scientists use a similar method to test learning and memory in animals and humans.

Handwriting beats typing and watching videos for learning to read

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 08:15 AM PDT

Though writing by hand is increasingly being eclipsed by the ease of computers, a new study finds we shouldn't be so quick to throw away the pencils and paper: handwriting helps people learn certain skills surprisingly faster and significantly better than learning the same material through typing or watching videos.

An antioxidative stress regulator protects muscle tissue in space, mouse study shows

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 08:14 AM PDT

Researchers have found that nuclear factor E2-related factor 2, a master regulator of the oxidative stress response, affects muscle composition in microgravity. Targeting this protein could help protect against muscle changes during space flight, and could also have implications for muscle wasting in conditions such as cancer and aging.

Potential marker for success of immunotherapy in the treatment of lung cancer

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 07:36 AM PDT

Lung cancer has the highest mortality rate of all cancers, and treatment options are extremely limited, especially for patients with oncogenic mutations in the KRAS gene. Some patients respond very well to treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors while it is completely ineffective in others. A research group identified a potential marker for the success of immunotherapy in lung cancer patients and explained the underlying molecular processes.

Do I buy or not?

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 07:36 AM PDT

Psychologists have studied the phenomenon of impulse buying behavior. People who focus on enjoyment act differently than people who play it safe.

Repurposed drugs present new strategy for treating COVID-19

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 07:36 AM PDT

Researchers have identified repurposed drugs for COVID-19 treatment through virtual screening and cell-based assays. The team suggested the strategy for virtual screening with greatly reduced false positives by incorporating pre-docking filtering based on shape similarity and post-docking filtering based on interaction similarity. This strategy will help develop therapeutic medications for COVID-19 and other antiviral diseases more rapidly.

EHR alerts go unread, do not lead to deprescribing of medicines linked to dementia

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 05:39 AM PDT

The vast majority of electronic health record (EHR) alerts attempting to reduce prescribing of high-risk medications linked to dementia in older adults went unread in a new study.

Cell-type-specific insight into function of risk factors in coronary artery disease

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 05:39 AM PDT

Using single cell technology, a new study sheds light on the significance of genetic risk factors for, and the diversity of cells involved in, the development of coronary artery disease. The researchers analysed human atherosclerotic lesions to map the chromatin accessibility of more than 7,000 cells.

Climate changed the size of our bodies and, to some extent, our brains

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 05:39 AM PDT

The average body size of humans has fluctuated significantly over the last million years and is strongly linked to temperature. Colder, harsher climates drove the evolution of larger body sizes, while warmer climates led to smaller bodies. Brain size also changed dramatically but did not evolve in tandem with body size.

Novel study of high-potency cannabis shows some memory effects

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 05:38 AM PDT

Researchers observed participants over Zoom as they used high-potency cannabis they purchased themselves from dispensaries in Washington state, where recreational cannabis is legal. After administering cognitive tests, researchers found no impact on users' performance on decision-making tests in comparison to a sober group but did find memory impairments related to free recall, source memory and false memories. This study is one of the few to investigate cannabis flower and concentrates containing more than 10% THC.

Malaria and dengue predicted to affect billions more people

Posted: 07 Jul 2021 03:53 PM PDT

An estimated 8.4 billion people could be at risk from malaria and dengue by the end of the century if emissions keep rising at current levels, according to a new study.

Without strong mitigation measures, climate change will increase temperature-attributable mortality in Europe

Posted: 07 Jul 2021 03:53 PM PDT

If global warming is not curbed, the increase in heat-related deaths will outstrip the decline in cold-related mortality, especially in the Mediterranean Basin, a new study concludes.

Faulty memories of our past whereabouts: The fallacy of an airtight alibi

Posted: 07 Jul 2021 01:05 PM PDT

Where were you this time last week? How about two weeks ago? A month? Recalling where you were at a specific time on a specific date may seem like a simple task, but new research reveals that our recollections of our past whereabouts are often imperfect.

Researchers record brainwaves to measure 'cybersickness'

Posted: 07 Jul 2021 01:05 PM PDT

In a new study, researchers used electroencephalography to better understand and work toward solutions for virtual reality-induced discomfort.

Could ketogenic diet be helpful with brain cancer?

Posted: 07 Jul 2021 01:05 PM PDT

A modified ketogenic diet may be worth exploring for people with brain tumors, according to a new study. The small study found that the diet was safe and feasible for people with brain tumors called astrocytomas. The study was not designed to determine whether the diet could slow down tumor growth or improve survival.

When taste and healthfulness compete, taste has a hidden advantage

Posted: 07 Jul 2021 01:05 PM PDT

You dash into a convenience store for a quick snack, spot an apple and reach for a candy bar instead. Poor self-control may not be the only factor behind your choice, new research suggests. That's because our brains process taste information first, before factoring in health information, according to new research.

'Fortunate accident' may yield immunity weapon against antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Posted: 07 Jul 2021 01:04 PM PDT

Researchers have announced an accidentally discovered, potentially game-changing treatment -- one that may one day provide an alternative immune-based solution to the danger of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections.

Study gauges hospital preparedness for the next national medical crisis

Posted: 07 Jul 2021 01:02 PM PDT

Use of a new preparedness tool can help hospitals determine their ability to respond to unexpected surges due to mass shootings, terrorist attacks, or future pandemics.

Tiny tools: Controlling individual water droplets as biochemical reactors

Posted: 07 Jul 2021 11:07 AM PDT

Scientists develop a method to better manipulate tiny droplets in lab-on-a-chip applications for biochemistry, cell culturing, and drug screening.

New imaging technique may boost research in biology, neuroscience

Posted: 07 Jul 2021 11:06 AM PDT

A research team presents a new process that uses computational imaging to get high resolution images at a rate 100 to 1,000 times faster than other state-of-the-art technologies that use complex algorithms and machine learning.

Microscopy technique makes finer images of deeper tissue, more quickly

Posted: 07 Jul 2021 11:03 AM PDT

A team of researchers has developed a modified version of two-photon imaging that can scan deeper within tissue and perform the imaging much faster than previously possible.

Mapping dengue hot spots pinpoints risk for Zika and chikungunya

Posted: 07 Jul 2021 10:30 AM PDT

Data from nine cities in Mexico confirms that identifying dengue fever 'hot spots' can provide a predictive map for future outbreaks of Zika and chikungunya. All three of these viral diseases are spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito.

New study shows mathematical models helped reduce the spread of COVID-19

Posted: 07 Jul 2021 10:30 AM PDT

Researchers have published new findings that take a first look at the use of SARS-CoV-2 mathematical modeling to inform early statewide policies enacted to reduce the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in Colorado. Among other findings, the authors estimate that 97 percent of potential hospitalizations across the state in the early months of the pandemic were avoided as a result of social distancing and other transmission-reducing activities such as mask wearing and social isolation of symptomatic individuals.

Next generation cytogenetics is on its way

Posted: 07 Jul 2021 08:25 AM PDT

New research shows that Optical Genome Mapping (OGM) detects abnormalities in chromosomes and DNA very quickly, effectively and accurately. Sometimes even better than all existing techniques together, as they describe in two proof-of-concept studies. This new technique could radically change the existing workflow within cytogenetic laboratories.