ScienceDaily: Top Health News

Behavior resembling human ADHD seen in dogs

Posted: 15 Oct 2021 03:42 PM PDT

A study involving some 11,000 dogs demonstrated that the gender, age and breed of the dog, as well as any behavioral problems and certain environmental factors, are connected to hyperactive and impulsive behavior and inattention (ADHD).

Flu and heart disease: The surprising connection that should convince you to schedule your shot

Posted: 15 Oct 2021 03:42 PM PDT

Patients who have cardiovascular disease are at increased risk of serious complications from the flu, according to a new study. The study found that not only are traditional flu-related outcomes worse among some patients with CVD, but infection in those patients also is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events. Getting the influenza vaccine, however, substantially reduces cardiovascular risks.

Why do we remember stressful experiences better?

Posted: 15 Oct 2021 03:42 PM PDT

When the brain stores memories of objects, it creates a characteristic pattern of activity for each of them. Stress changes such memory traces.

Monitoring glucose levels, no needles required

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 02:27 PM PDT

Noninvasive glucose monitoring devices are not currently commercially available in the United States, so people with diabetes must collect blood samples or use sensors embedded under the skin to measure their blood sugar levels. Now, with a new wearable device less intrusive glucose monitoring could become the norm.

Genes play key role in exercise outcomes

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 11:20 AM PDT

A new study has found that genes can explain up to 72% of the difference in outcome between people after a specific fitness exercise. The research involved data from 3,012 adults and has identified a number of specific genes which influence the outcomes of different physical activities.

'Broken heart' syndrome is on the rise in women

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 11:20 AM PDT

Researchers have discovered two alarming trends in Takotsubo cardiomyopathy -- also known as 'broken heart' syndrome -- a condition that is often triggered by stress or loss and can lead to long-term heart injury and impaired heart function.

Brain ‘noise’ may hold the keys to psychiatric treatment efficacy

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 10:12 AM PDT

It remains a central challenge in psychiatry to reliably judge whether a patient will respond to treatment. Researchers now show that moment-to-moment fluctuations in brain activity can reliably predict whether patients with social anxiety disorder will be receptive to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

Hedges reduce pollution at breathing height in shallow street canyons, study confirms

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 10:12 AM PDT

An extensive field study into air quality along a road lined with buildings has confirmed that hedges can help mitigate traffic-related pollution up to 1.7m, reducing the pollutants breathed by pedestrians, young children and cyclists.

Possible alternative treatment for Lyme disease

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 10:11 AM PDT

Researchers have described a new antibiotic that appears to have the potential to cure Lyme disease.

Clues emerge: How harmless bacteria go rogue turning into deadly flesh-eating variants

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 10:11 AM PDT

A new study found that the environmental lifestyle that bacteria possess reveal why some go rogue and turn deadly while others remain harmless to humans. The findings focus on Vibrio vulnificus, better known as the flesh-eating bacteria. However, what the scientists found could help create a model that may well extend to other human pathogens.

New statistical study finds link between protein evolution and thermal variation

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 08:12 AM PDT

A recent statistical study has revealed some of the constraints and directions in the evolution of the structure and function of proteins. Better models of protein structural dynamics may allow researchers to understand more of this fundamental mystery in living organisms.

Ranking healthfulness of foods from first to worst

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 08:12 AM PDT

Food Compass, a new nutrient profiling system, rates the healthfulness of foods, beverages, and mixed meals on a score of 1-100 based on a wide range of science-based attributes. This adaptable tool aims to encourage healthier choices, spur industry reformulation, and guide nutrition policies.

Scientists map brain circuit that drives activity in fertile females

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 07:20 AM PDT

Scientists have known for a century that female animals become more active just as they are about to ovulate, a behavior that evolved to enhance their chances of mating when they are fertile.

Cell-based influenza vaccine provides protection against the flu in children

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 07:20 AM PDT

A cell-based influenza vaccine has effectively provided protection against the flu in children and adolescents, according to a new study.

Bone-loss discovery points to new treatment for osteoporosis

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 07:02 AM PDT

A new discovery about osteoporosis suggests a potential treatment target for that brittle-bone disease and for bone loss from rheumatoid arthritis.

Artificial intelligence-based technology quickly identifies genetic causes of serious disease

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 07:02 AM PDT

An artificial intelligence (AI)-based technology rapidly diagnoses rare disorders in critically ill children with high accuracy. The benchmark finding foreshadows the next phase of medicine, where technology helps clinicians quickly determine the root cause of disease so they can give patients the right treatment sooner.

Brain activity patterns after trauma may predict long-term mental health

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 07:01 AM PDT

The way a person's brain responds to stress following a traumatic event, such as a car accident, may help to predict their long-term mental health outcomes, according to new research. The study followed more than 3,000 people for up to a year after exposure to a traumatic event.

Unique underpinnings revealed for stomach’s acid pump

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 07:01 AM PDT

Researchers have improved understanding of the molecular mechanisms of a key protein that makes the stomach acidic. Their findings could lead to better drugs for stomach ulcers and shed light on the functions of similar proteins across the human body.

It’s all in the delivery – Antibodies improve nanoparticle delivery of therapeutic nucleic acids

Posted: 13 Oct 2021 09:27 AM PDT

This improved technological platform can be used to develop new treatments, molecular diagnosis strategies or vaccines for various diseases.

Stem cell transplant: How skin-derived T cells can damage other organs

Posted: 13 Oct 2021 07:46 AM PDT

More than 40,000 allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplants are carried out worldwide every year, mostly for patients suffering from leukemia or other diseases of the hematopoietic system. Very often, the so-called graft-versus-host reaction occurs, an inflammatory disease that can affect different organs and is caused by an unwanted defense reaction of the donor cells and the body's own T cells. Scientists now show how these endogenous, tissue-derived T cells enter other organs, such as the intestine, via the blood and contribute to inflammation there. The study provides important approaches to better therapy in stem cell transplantation and new diagnostic options.