ScienceDaily: Top Health News

Hormone widely used as an autism treatment shows no benefit

Posted: 13 Oct 2021 02:40 PM PDT

Oxytocin, a naturally occurring hormone that acts as a chemical messenger in the brain, showed no evidence of helping children with autism gain social skills, according to a large national study.

Data supports early COVID-19 vaccination for essential workers

Posted: 13 Oct 2021 12:21 PM PDT

In areas where COVID-19 vaccines are limited, vaccinating essential workers before older adults can reduce infections and deaths, according to a modeling study.

Mosquito-based method to reduce dengue could be highly cost-effective in Singapore

Posted: 13 Oct 2021 12:21 PM PDT

New research suggests that dengue -- a viral infection spread by mosquitos -- could be suppressed in Singapore in a highly cost-effective manner through the release of mosquitos infected with the bacterium Wolbachia.

High BMI independently associated with death and longer ICU stay for COVID patients

Posted: 13 Oct 2021 12:21 PM PDT

In patients with COVID-19, a high body mass index (BMI) is associated with an increased risk of death and prolonged intensive care unit (ICU) stay, according to a new study.

Solving mystery of rare cancers directly caused by HIV

Posted: 13 Oct 2021 12:21 PM PDT

For nearly a decade, scientists have known that HIV integrates itself into genes in cells that have the potential to cause cancer. And when this happens in animals with other retroviruses, those animals often develop cancer. But, perplexingly and fortunately, that isn't regularly happening in people living with HIV. A new study reveals why doctors aren't seeing high rates of T cell lymphomas -- or cancers of the immune system -- in patients with HIV.

Evidence of microtubules’ mechanosensitive behavior

Posted: 13 Oct 2021 12:21 PM PDT

Direct evidence that microtubules function as mechano-sensors and regulate the intracellular transport of molecules has been reported, leading to new possibilities in the fields of biomechanics, medicine, and biosensors.

Telehealth addiction treatment rose rapidly during pandemic; but potential benefits still unclear

Posted: 13 Oct 2021 10:16 AM PDT

During the COVID-19 pandemic, addiction treatment providers rapidly pivoted to providing services via telehealth. New research highlights the potential for telehealth delivery to increase patient engagement by improving access and convenience. However, it also finds limited evidence that telehealth results in better retention or other outcomes relative to in-person treatment.

COVID testing using pooled samples showed high accuracy, low cost

Posted: 13 Oct 2021 10:15 AM PDT

Testing pooled saliva samples twice weekly for SARS-CoV-2 on a residential college campus yielded a greater than 95 percent agreement with the gold standard for accuracy -- nasopharyngeal diagnostic samples tested singly.

Catching malaria evolution in the act

Posted: 13 Oct 2021 09:27 AM PDT

Researchers can now detect brand new mutations in individual malaria parasites infecting humans. Such high resolution could help us understand how parasites develop drug resistance and evade immune responses, and suggest potential treatment targets.

Immune system keeps the intestinal flora in balance

Posted: 13 Oct 2021 08:41 AM PDT

Trillions of benign bacteria live in the intestine. They are kept in a continuous balance by the immune system, which thereby makes them harmless to humans. Researchers have been able to show how certain natural antibodies keep these bacteria in check. The findings could make an important contribution to the development of superior vaccines.

How many people get 'long COVID'? More than half, researchers find

Posted: 13 Oct 2021 08:41 AM PDT

More than half of the 236 million people who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 worldwide since December 2019 will experience post-COVID symptoms -- more commonly known as 'long COVID' -- up to six months after recovering, according to researchers. The research team said that governments, health care organizations and public health professionals should prepare for the large number of COVID-19 survivors who will need care for a variety of psychological and physical symptoms.

Stress on mothers can influence biology of future generations

Posted: 13 Oct 2021 08:41 AM PDT

Biologists have found that mother roundworms can pass stress signals to future generations. The biologists report a mother roundworm exposed to a stressor can even under certain conditions pass the memory of that exposure to their grandchildren.

Estimated pulse wave velocity predicts severe COVID

Posted: 13 Oct 2021 08:41 AM PDT

Researchers found that estimated Pulse Wave Velocity (ePWV), a readily available marker of arterial stiffness, has been shown to be an effective addition in identifying patients at risk of mortality in hospital due to COVID-19.

Scientists develop new strategy that rapidly quantifies transmissibility of COVID-19 variants

Posted: 13 Oct 2021 08:40 AM PDT

Researchers have developed a new nanomechanical technique for fast, one-step, immune-affinity tests, which can quantify the immune response induced by different COVID-19 variants in serum. Their technique provides a new tool for tracking infection immunity over time and for analysing new vaccine candidates.

Fluorescent spray lights up tumors for easy detection during surgery

Posted: 13 Oct 2021 08:40 AM PDT

The prognosis for a cancer patient who undergoes surgery is better if the surgeon removes all of the tumor, but it can be hard to tell where a tumor ends and healthy tissue begins. Now, scientists report that they have developed a fluorescent spray that specifically lights up cancerous tissue so it can be identified readily and removed during surgery.

Minutes matter: Policies to improve care for deadliest heart attacks

Posted: 13 Oct 2021 08:40 AM PDT

Converting advances in scientific knowledge and innovations in cardiac care into improvements in patient outcomes requires comprehensive cardiac systems of care optimize cardiac care delivery. New recommendations support policies that standardize the delivery of cardiac care, lower barriers to emergency care for STEMI heart attacks, ensure patients receive care at appropriate hospitals in a timely manner and improve access to secondary prevention and rehabilitation and recovery resources after a heart attack.

Increases in extreme humid-heat disproportionately affect populated regions

Posted: 13 Oct 2021 07:46 AM PDT

The world is not only getting hotter but also more humid and new research shows people living in areas where humid-heat extremes are already a significant hazard are bearing the brunt of the impact.

Cervical myelopathy screening focusing on finger motion using noncontact sensor

Posted: 13 Oct 2021 07:46 AM PDT

Researchers have developed a simple screening tool using a non-contact sensor for Cervical myelopathy (CM) combining a finger motion analysis technique and machine learning. The tool allows for non-specialists to screen people for the possibility of having CM. The screening test results can be used to encourage those with suspected CM to seek specialist's attention for early diagnosis and early treatment initiation.

New technique combines single-cell and metagenomic analyses to characterize microbes

Posted: 13 Oct 2021 07:46 AM PDT

Metagenomic analysis has greatly advanced our understanding of the complex human microbiome without the need for extensive bacterial isolation and culturing. However, metagenome-assembled genomes may be imprecise and insufficiently differentiate closely related species. Now, researchers have developed a novel integrated framework that combines conventional metagenomics and single-cell genomics and can complement the lacunae in each approach, thus yielding better genome recovery and accurate resolution of complex microbial populations.

Pain relief without side effects with promising technique

Posted: 13 Oct 2021 07:46 AM PDT

Researchers have developed a completely new stimulation method, using ultra-thin microelectrodes, to combat severe pain. This provides effective and personalized pain relief without the common side effects from pain relief drugs.

Warm milk makes you sleepy — peptides could explain why

Posted: 13 Oct 2021 07:46 AM PDT

According to time-honored advice, drinking a glass of warm milk at bedtime will encourage a good night's rest. Milk's sleep-enhancing properties are commonly ascribed to tryptophan, but scientists have also discovered a mixture of milk peptides, called casein tryptic hydrolysate (CTH), that relieves stress and enhances sleep. Now, researchers have identified specific peptides in CTH that might someday be used in new, natural sleep remedies.

Troubling birth findings show importance of timely flu vaccination

Posted: 13 Oct 2021 06:41 AM PDT

Poor timing of influenza vaccination campaigns in the semi-arid region of Brazil led to an increase in premature births, lower birth-weight babies and the need to deliver more babies by cesarean section.

Changes in menstrual cycle length before menopause may predict risk of heart disease

Posted: 13 Oct 2021 05:09 AM PDT

As women near menopause, their menstrual cycle length often becomes longer. The timing of these changes could provide clues about a person's risk of developing cardiovascular disease, according to a new study.

Life expectancy declining in many English communities even before COVID-19 pandemic, study finds

Posted: 12 Oct 2021 03:57 PM PDT

A substantial number of English communities experienced a decline in life expectancy from 2010-2019, researchers have found.

COVID-19-related parenting stress impacted eating habits of children

Posted: 12 Oct 2021 12:48 PM PDT

The incredible stress parents experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative effect on the eating habits of their children, according to a new study.

Scientists discover a highly potent antibody against SARS-CoV-2

Posted: 12 Oct 2021 12:48 PM PDT

Scientists have discovered a highly potent monoclonal antibody that targets the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and is effective at neutralizing all variants of concern identified to date, including the delta variant.

Exposure to childhood adversity is linked to early mortality and associated with nearly half a million annual U.S. deaths, study finds

Posted: 12 Oct 2021 12:48 PM PDT

The findings of a new study suggest that childhood adversity is a major contributor to early and preventable causes of mortality and a powerful determinant of long term physical and mental health. Researchers found that childhood adversity is associated with elevated risk for chronic disease including heart disease and cancer.

Sex matters when it comes to immune responses against infection and disease, study shows

Posted: 12 Oct 2021 12:00 PM PDT

New research shows how anemia can generate different immune responses in males versus females.

Phage therapy research brings scientists a step closer to harnessing viruses to fight antibiotic resistance

Posted: 12 Oct 2021 12:00 PM PDT

Phage therapy is the concept of using viruses (known as phage) to kill bacteria, instead of using antibiotics. Until now, experiments have largely focussed on exposing bacteria to phage in a flask. Now, researchers have developed a new way to mimic these microenvironments, in which a single bacterium would colonize a specific area. Using this method, the team found that in these microenvironments Escherichia coli, a bacterium that is often responsible for food poisoning, does not become genetically resistant to phage, and the majority of the bacterial population is killed by phage.

How human disease-causing genes prevent adaptations to remove them

Posted: 12 Oct 2021 10:07 AM PDT

Scientists have identified a new detrimental effect of genes that cause inherited diseases.