ScienceDaily: Top Health News

Common medication used to reduce cholesterol levels may reduce COVID-19 severity

Posted: 15 Jul 2021 04:36 PM PDT

Using anonymized medical records from a national registry, researchers confirmed earlier findings that statins may substantially minimize adverse outcomes from SARS-CoV-2 infection.

When fawns perceive constant danger from many sources, they almost seem to relax

Posted: 15 Jul 2021 12:38 PM PDT

Burnout. It is a syndrome that is said to afflict humans who feel chronic stress. But after conducting a novel study using trail cameras showing the interactions between white-tailed deer fawns and predators, a researcher suggests that prey animals feel it, too.

Human cells harness power of detergents to wipe out bacteria

Posted: 15 Jul 2021 11:23 AM PDT

Researchers have discovered that a molecule found within many of the body's cells kills germs by dissolving their protective membranes.

Red blood cell 'traffic' contributes to changes in brain oxygenation

Posted: 15 Jul 2021 11:23 AM PDT

Adequate blood flow supplies the brain with oxygen and nutrients, but the oxygenation tends to fluctuate in a distinct, consistent manner. The root of this varied activity, though, is poorly understood. Now, researchers have identified one cause of the fluctuations: inherent randomness in the flow rate of red blood cells through tiny blood vessels called capillaries.

Accurate protein structure prediction now accessible to all

Posted: 15 Jul 2021 11:23 AM PDT

Protein design researchers have created a freely available method, RoseTTAFold, to provide access to highly accurate protein structure prediction. Scientists around the world are using it to build protein models to accelerate their research. The tool uses deep learning to quickly predict protein structures based on limited information, thereby compressing the time for what would have taken years of lab work on just one protein. Predicting intricate shapes of proteins vital to specific biological processes could speed treatment development for many diseases.

Glaucoma test 'best yet'

Posted: 15 Jul 2021 09:46 AM PDT

The latest investigations into a promising new genetic test for glaucoma - the leading cause of blindness worldwide - has found it has the ability to identify 15 times more people at high risk of glaucoma than an existing genetic test.

Human waste contaminating urban water leads to 'superbug' spread

Posted: 15 Jul 2021 09:45 AM PDT

Contamination of urban lakes, rivers and surface water by human waste is creating pools of 'superbugs' in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC) - but improving access to clean water, sanitation and sewerage infrastructure could help to protect people's health, a new study reveals.

Researchers create reptile-derived 'super glue' that stops bleeding in seconds using visible light

Posted: 15 Jul 2021 09:45 AM PDT

Western University bioengineer Kibret Mequanint and his international collaborators have found a novel use for snake venom: a body tissue 'super glue' that can stop life-threatening bleeding in seconds.

Engineers find imaging technique could become treatment for deep vein thrombosis

Posted: 15 Jul 2021 09:45 AM PDT

Researchers set out to develop technology capable of localizing and imaging blood clots in deep veins. Turns out their work may not only identify blood clots, but it may also be able to treat them.

What does the sleeping brain think about?

Posted: 15 Jul 2021 09:45 AM PDT

Using an artificial intelligence approach capable of decoding brain activity during sleep, scientists were able to glimpse what we think about when we are asleep. By combining fMRI and EEG, they provide unprecedented evidence that the work of sorting out the thousands of pieces of information processed during the day takes place during deep sleep. Indeed, the brain can evaluate all of these memories in order to retain only the most useful ones.

Hollow nano-objects made of DNA could trap viruses and render them harmless

Posted: 15 Jul 2021 07:30 AM PDT

To date, there are no effective antidotes against most virus infections. Scientists have now developed a new approach: they engulf and neutralize viruses with nano-capsules tailored from genetic material using the DNA origami method. The strategy has already been tested against hepatitis and adeno-associated viruses in cell cultures. It may also prove successful against corona viruses.

A rapid method to quantify antibodies against SARS-CoV-2

Posted: 15 Jul 2021 07:30 AM PDT

Scientists have developed a rapid, highly accurate test to detect antibodies against the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 in human serum, opening a new avenue for understanding the full extent of the pandemic and evaluating the effectiveness of vaccines.

Biomolecular bonsai: Controlling the pruning and strengthening of neuron branches

Posted: 15 Jul 2021 07:30 AM PDT

How neuronal circuits remodel themselves over time, especially during early development, is a major question in neurobiology. Using mice, researchers have uncovered a biomolecular mechanism behind the strengthening of connections from neurons called mitral cells. The team found that the protein BMPR-2 is a key regulator of selective stabilization of neuron branching and that strengthening of a branch happens only when neural signals are transmitted.

Study highlights how resilience is dynamic, not a static character trait

Posted: 15 Jul 2021 07:30 AM PDT

A new study finds resilience is a dynamic process, rather than a fixed trait - and suggests this may have significant ramifications for the business world.

Spending time outdoors has positive effect on our brains

Posted: 15 Jul 2021 07:30 AM PDT

If you're regularly out in the fresh air, you're doing something good for both your brain and your well-being.

Researcher creates cell lines to help treat mitochondrial diseases in children

Posted: 15 Jul 2021 07:30 AM PDT

The mitochondrion has garnered quite the reputation for its role as the 'powerhouse of the cell.' These tiny, but mighty organelles play various life-sustaining roles, from powering our own cells and organs to fueling chemical and biological processes. But when they aren't working properly, a number of rare diseases can occur.

Hope for psychosis sufferers

Posted: 15 Jul 2021 06:08 AM PDT

Scientists have opened the door to improved treatment of brain dysfunction which causes psychosis.

Thinking without a brain

Posted: 15 Jul 2021 06:08 AM PDT

If you didn't have a brain, could you still navigate your surroundings? Thanks to new research on slime molds, the answer may be 'yes.' Scientists discovered that the brainless Physarum polycephalum uses its body to sense mechanical cues in its environment, and decides where to grow based on that information. This finding provides a model for understanding different types of cognition, including our own.

Study shows strong association between perceived risk, availability and past-year cannabis use

Posted: 15 Jul 2021 06:08 AM PDT

Combined perceptions of the risk and availability of cannabis influence the risk of cannabis use more than perceived risk and perceived availability alone, according to a new study. Researchers observed that those who perceived cannabis as low-risk and available were more likely to report using the drug in the past year and almost daily compared to those individuals who perceived cannabis as high-risk and unavailable. This is the first study to consider the joint effects of perceived risk and perceived availability.

Heart problems resolve in majority of kids with COVID inflammatory syndrome, study finds

Posted: 15 Jul 2021 06:08 AM PDT

Most of the heart and immunologic problems seen in children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) -- a condition linked to COVID -- were gone within a few months, researchers have found.

Identification of over 200 long COVID symptoms prompts call for UK screening programme

Posted: 15 Jul 2021 06:08 AM PDT

Patients who experience long COVID have reported more than 200 symptoms across 10 organ systems, in the largest international study of 'long-haulers' to date.

A new avenue for fighting drug-resistant bacteria

Posted: 15 Jul 2021 06:08 AM PDT

A small regulatory RNA found in many problematic bacteria, including Escherichia coli, appears to be responsible for managing the response of these bacteria to environmental stresses. Researchers see a promising avenue for more effective treatment of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Pandemic of antibiotic resistance is killing children in Bangladesh, researchers find

Posted: 15 Jul 2021 06:06 AM PDT

Pneumonia is the leading cause of death in children worldwide. A new study identifies an unusual pattern of deadly bacteria with resistance to all standard antibiotic therapy in children with pneumonia in Bangladesh. The findings signal an emerging pandemic of fatal antibiotic resistance.

Ultra-processed food linked to higher risk of IBD

Posted: 14 Jul 2021 03:34 PM PDT

A higher intake of ultra-processed food is associated with higher risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), finds a new study.

New study suggests benefit-to-harm balance of statins for healthy adults 'generally favorable'

Posted: 14 Jul 2021 03:34 PM PDT

Statins are associated with a small increased risk of side effects in patients without a history of heart disease, but these effects are mild compared with the potential benefits of treatment in preventing major cardiovascular events, say researchers.

Think about this: Keeping your brain active may delay Alzheimer's dementia 5 years

Posted: 14 Jul 2021 02:01 PM PDT

Keeping your brain active in old age has always been a smart idea, but a new study suggests that reading, writing letters and playing card games or puzzles in later life may delay the onset of Alzheimer's dementia by up to five years.

Adult children with college degrees influence parents' health in later life

Posted: 14 Jul 2021 12:12 PM PDT

Having no children who completed college is negatively associated with parents' self-rated health and positively associated with depressive symptoms. Additionally, among parents with the highest propensity for having no children who complete college, the consequences on depressive symptoms are greatest.

Molecular bridge mediates inhibitory synapse specificity in the cortex

Posted: 14 Jul 2021 12:11 PM PDT

Researchers have discovered that the cell adhesion protein IgSF11 determines the layer-specific synaptic connectivity of a distinct class of cortical interneurons.

Melanoma of the eye: Preclinical tests show path toward treatment

Posted: 14 Jul 2021 10:20 AM PDT

A preclinical study offers hope for treatment of uveal melanoma, a rare and deadly cancer of the eye. A small molecule inhibitor has been identified that dampens the potent drivers of this tumor. In mouse models, the inhibitor strongly limited primary disease in the eye and metastatic tumor dissemination to the liver, and animals survived longer, without overt side effects.

Newfound human brain cell type helps center people in mental maps

Posted: 14 Jul 2021 10:19 AM PDT

A previously unknown kind of human brain cell appears to help people center themselves in their personal maps of the world, according to a new study from neuroscientists. This discovery shed light on the cellular mechanisms underlying navigation and memory in humans, as well as what parts of the brain might get disrupted during the kinds of memory impairments common in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.

Antidepressants may improve outcomes in people with diabetes and depression

Posted: 14 Jul 2021 10:19 AM PDT

People with diabetes and depression who take antidepressants may have a lower risk of death and of serious diabetes complications, according to a new study.

Brain organoid study highlights potential role of genetic and environmental interaction in autism spectrum disorder

Posted: 14 Jul 2021 10:19 AM PDT

Researchers have shown in a brain organoid study that exposure to a common pesticide synergizes with a frequent autism-linked gene mutation.

New spray could someday help heal damage after a heart attack

Posted: 14 Jul 2021 10:19 AM PDT

Heart attack, or myocardial infarction, is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Although modern surgical techniques, diagnostics and medications have greatly improved early survival from these events, many patients struggle with the long-term effects of permanently damaged tissue, and the 5-year mortality rate remains high. Now, researchers have developed a minimally invasive exosome spray that helped repair rat hearts after myocardial infarction.

Antibiotics in early life could affect brain development

Posted: 14 Jul 2021 08:05 AM PDT

Antibiotic exposure early in life could alter human brain development in areas responsible for cognitive and emotional functions, according to researchers.

Study shows Cannabis terpenes provide pain relief, contribute to 'entourage effect'

Posted: 14 Jul 2021 08:04 AM PDT

Researchers have found that terpenes mimic cannabinoids and produce similar pain-relieving effects, which are amplified when the two are used together.