ScienceDaily: Top Health News

An experimental gene therapy for sickle cell disease restored blood cells to their normal shape and eliminated severe pain crises for years after treatment, a multicenter study has found.

Recently published research has found that most cancer-free individuals over age 60 carry at least 100 billion cells harboring at least one oncogenic, or tumor-causing, mutation.

Combining two agents to block a parasitic worm's life cycle boosted survival from a potentially deadly tropical disease to 85% in animal models, far better than either treatment alone, according to a proof-of-concept study.

Researchers have discovered a nanoparticle released from cells, called a 'supermere,' which contains enzymes, proteins and RNA associated with multiple cancers, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease and even COVID-19.

A new copper surface that kills bacteria more than 100 times faster and more effectively than standard copper could help combat the growing threat of antibiotic-resistant superbugs.

Researchers report they were able to ameliorate Fragile X syndrome symptoms after inserting the Fmr1 gene into the brains of very young transgenic mice that had been genetically engineered to lack this gene. When the researchers measured brain activity for signs of anxiety and hyperactivity in response to stimuli such as stresses and sounds, they found that the reactivation of the gene in these mice had led them to no longer show Fragile X syndrome symptoms.

COVID-19 convalescent plasma showed a likely benefit for patients early in the pandemic before remdesivir and corticosteroids were in use, according to results of a landmark study.

New research sheds light on why a fecal transplant can benefit patients with dangerous recurrent C. difficile infections -- and suggests a way to improve patient outcomes.

Using cannabis alongside other drugs may come with a significant risk of harmful drug-drug interactions, new research suggests. The researchers looked at cannabinoids--a group of substances found in the cannabis plant -- and their major metabolites found in cannabis users' blood and found that they interfere with two families of enzymes that help metabolize a wide range of drugs prescribed for a variety of conditions. As a result, either the drugs' positive effects might decrease or their negative effects might increase with too much building up in the body, causing unintended side effects such as toxicity or accidental overdose. While more research needs to be done, the authors said one early takeaway from these studies is that it's important to be careful when using cannabis with other prescription drugs.

Computer- and smartphone-based treatments appear to be effective in reducing symptoms of depression, and while it remains unclear whether they are as effective as face-to-face psychotherapy, they offer a promising alternative to address the growing mental health needs spawned by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new research.

Embryonic development follows delicate stages: for everything to go well, many genes must coordinate their activity according to a very meticulous scheme and tempo. This precision mechanism sometimes fails, leading to more or less disabling malformations. By studying the Pitx1 gene, one of the genes involved in the construction of the lower limbs, a team has discovered how a small disturbance in the activation process of this gene is at the origin of clubfoot, a common foot malformation. Indeed, even a fully functional gene cannot act properly without one of its genetic switches.

Researchers found that while just three days of lying flat induced enough pressure to slightly alter the eyeball's shape, no such change occurred when the suction technology was used.