ScienceDaily: Top Health News

Can isometric resistance training safely reduce high blood pressure?

Posted: 20 Aug 2021 08:11 AM PDT

This very accessible and easy to perform intervention could have a strong effect on reducing blood pressure, say researchers.

Fertility:Key protein helps sperm do their job in timely fashion

Posted: 20 Aug 2021 08:11 AM PDT

Researchers detail how a ubiquitous signaling molecule plays a critical role in male fertility, orchestrating key steps that promote sperm motility, survival and fertilization success.

New imaging tool visualizes cell functions in a microphysiological system

Posted: 20 Aug 2021 08:10 AM PDT

A microphysiological system (MPS) is a 3D organ construct using human cells. They show us how organs respond to drugs and environmental stimuli. Now, researchers have developed a new imaging tool for MPS using scanning probe microscopy.

Hundreds of millions of Africans lack basic means of preventing SARS-CoV-2 transmission, research finds

Posted: 20 Aug 2021 08:10 AM PDT

Millions of people across the African continent are at risk of contracting COVID-19 because of a lack of the most basic public health tools to protect themselves -- including the essentials of soap and water.

Cardiovascular disorder genetic testing in children presents unique challenges

Posted: 20 Aug 2021 06:34 AM PDT

Genetic testing for cardiovascular disorders is rapidly expanding, including among children. In its first scientific statement focused on the issue of cardiovascular genetic testing specifically among children, the American Heart Association provides information and guidance on the topic, including issues of timing, consent, family counseling before and after testing, and follow-up.

Novel AI blood testing technology can ID lung cancers with high accuracy

Posted: 20 Aug 2021 06:34 AM PDT

A novel artificial intelligence blood testing technology was found to detect over 90% of lung cancers in samples from nearly 800 individuals with and without cancer.

Anticoagulants help moderately ill COVID-19 patients, study finds

Posted: 20 Aug 2021 06:33 AM PDT

Moderately ill patients hospitalized with COVID-19 have better chances of survival if treated with therapeutic-dose anticoagulation, according to a new study.

Online product displays can shape your buying behavior

Posted: 20 Aug 2021 06:33 AM PDT

One of the biggest marketing trends in the online shopping industry is personalization through curated product recommendations; however, it can change whether people buy a product they had been considering, according to new research.

Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors: Next big thing in blood flow measurement

Posted: 19 Aug 2021 04:51 PM PDT

Diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) is used for noninvasive detection of blood flow. However, current DCS devices need to be improved to increase the signal-to-noise ratio for more accurate measurements. Now, researchers have developed a superconducting nanowire single-photon detector (SNSPD) -- based DCS device with a high signal-to-noise ratio and high sensitivity for blood flow.

Cognitive rehabilitation improves cognitive impairment in people with multiple sclerosis

Posted: 19 Aug 2021 04:50 PM PDT

Experts in MS research suggest that cognitive rehabilitation is an effective approach to improving MS-related cognitive impairment.

Study reveals existing drugs that kill SARS-CoV2 in cells

Posted: 19 Aug 2021 04:34 PM PDT

A new study reveals several drug contenders already in use for other purposes that have been shown to block or reduce SARS-CoV2 infection in cells. The study uses artificial intelligence-powered image analysis of human cell lines during infection with the novel coronavirus.

Scientists harness human protein to deliver molecular medicines to cells

Posted: 19 Aug 2021 11:27 AM PDT

Researchers have developed a new way to deliver molecular therapies to cells. The system, called SEND, can be programmed to encapsulate and deliver different RNA cargoes.

How ions get their electrons back

Posted: 19 Aug 2021 11:27 AM PDT

Very unusual atomic states are produced at TU Wien: Ions are created by removing not just one but 20 to 40 electrons from each atom. These "highly charged ions" play an important role in current research. For a long time, people have been investigating what happens when such highly charged ions hit solid materials. This is important for many areas of application in materials research. Therefore it is crucial to know how the charge state of the ions change when they penetrate a material -- but this is exactly what has been impossible to observe directly until now. New measurements at TU Wien (Vienna) show that the ions obey remarkably simple laws.

New study sheds light on how an autoimmune disorder may underlie male infertility

Posted: 19 Aug 2021 11:27 AM PDT

Investigators have found that the absence of autoimmune regulator (Aire) in mice results in fertility problems similar to those affecting men with autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type I (APS-1). Aire-dependent central tolerance plays a critical role in maintaining male fertility by preventing autoimmune attack against multiple reproductive targets, they report.

Study of East Africans illuminates new genetic factors underlying human faces

Posted: 19 Aug 2021 11:27 AM PDT

A new study of the genetics underlying facial features finds that East Africans have some unique facial genetics and some that are shared with Europeans. The findings add to our understanding of how genetics shape the human face.

A master gear in the circadian clock

Posted: 19 Aug 2021 10:43 AM PDT

A gene called Npas4, already known to play a key role in balancing excitatory and inhibitory inputs in brain cells, appears to also be a master timekeeper for the brain's circadian clock, new research suggests. The finding broadens understanding of the circadian clock's molecular mechanisms, which could eventually lead to new treatments for managing challenges such as jet lag, shift work, and sleep disorders.

Varying immune cell levels in canine brain tumors could provide therapeutic targets

Posted: 19 Aug 2021 10:43 AM PDT

A new study reveals that high-grade gliomas, or brain tumors, in dogs contained more immune cells associated with suppressing immune response than low-grade gliomas.

A parent’s genes can influence a child’s educational success, inherited or not

Posted: 19 Aug 2021 09:52 AM PDT

A child's educational success depends on the genes that they haven't inherited from their parents, as well as the genes they have, according to a new study.

Study shows uptick in U.S. alcohol beverage sales during COVID-19 pandemic

Posted: 19 Aug 2021 08:30 AM PDT

During the COVID-19 pandemic months of March 2020 to September 2020, U.S. alcohol retail store sales increased compared to usual trends while food services and drinking places sales decreased markedly during the same period, according to a new study. These results indicate an increase in home drinking in the U.S.

Study could offer hope to Pompe disease patients

Posted: 19 Aug 2021 08:30 AM PDT

Pompe disease is a rare genetic disorder that disables heart and skeletal muscles and can lead to early death if untreated. The only available treatment for the disease is enzyme replacement therapy that must be injected regularly, sometimes every few days, for life. The treatment can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. Researchers have now developed a method that could make enzyme replacement therapy more efficient, less expensive and less frequent.

CRISPR screening tool identifies new drug target for leukemia

Posted: 19 Aug 2021 07:27 AM PDT

A CRISPR screening tool identified a new therapeutic target to treat acute myeloid leukemia (AML) that has the potential to leave patients with fewer side effects than current approaches.

You’re cooler than you think! Hypothermia may go unnoticed when exercising in the cold

Posted: 19 Aug 2021 07:27 AM PDT

An exercise physiology study has demonstrated that perception of core body temperature is altered by low-intensity exercise in cold environments. The findings have provided important information about the role of temperature sensation in thermoregulation and suggest that, during activities performed in the water or in the winter, the possibility of accidental hypothermia should be kept in mind.

New approach identifies T cells in COVID-19 patients

Posted: 19 Aug 2021 07:27 AM PDT

T cells play a decisive role in fighting the coronavirus and preventing infected individuals from becoming seriously ill. They identify and fight the virus directly within the infected cells. Researchers have produced a precise profile of the T cells that respond to SARS-CoV-2 and described them at various stages of the illness. This novel methodological approach may in the future also help to assess the efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines or in the development of T cell-based treatments for serious cases.