ScienceDaily: Top Health News

BPA exposure of the placenta could affect fetal brain development

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 11:50 AM PST

Scientists demonstrate the direct transmission of bisphenol A (BPA) from a mother to her developing child via the placenta could negatively impact fetal brain development.

Face masks cut distance airborne pathogens could travel in half, new study finds

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 09:15 AM PST

The effectiveness of face masks has been a hotly debated topic since the emergence of COVID-19. However, a new study offers more evidence that they work. Researchers found that face masks reduce the distance airborne pathogens could travel, when speaking or coughing, by more than half compared to not wearing a mask.

Assessing Progression Risk in Cancer

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 09:15 AM PST

A molecular feature in prostate cancer, called endogenous retroviral (ERV) RNA, has been found to have prognostic value and also distinguish differences between men of African and European or Middle Eastern ancestry, according to a new study. The team also identified ERV expression signatures that may be useful for identifying prostate cancer patients at greatest risk of progression regardless of ancestry, which may also extend to progression in other cancers.

New treatment target ID’d for radiation-resistant cervical cancer

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 09:15 AM PST

Understanding how cells die is key to developing new treatments for many diseases, whether the goal is to make cancer cells die or keep healthy cells alive in the face of other illnesses, such as massive infections or strokes. Two new studies have identified a previously unrecognized pathway of cell death -- named lysoptosis -- and demonstrate how it could lead to new therapies for cervical cancer.

Mouse study identifies bacterial protein associated with colorectal cancers

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 09:15 AM PST

The discovery raises the possibility that some of the roughly two million new cases of colorectal cancer every year around the world originate from brief and seemingly mild food-poisoning events.

Study challenges evolutionary theory that DNA mutations are random

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 09:15 AM PST

Researchers have found that DNA mutations are not random. This changes our understanding of evolution and could one day help researchers breed better crops or even help humans fight cancer.

Could gene networks resembling air traffic explain arteriosclerosis?

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 09:15 AM PST

Up to 60 percent of the risk associated with coronary arteriosclerosis may be explained by changes in the activity of hundreds of genes working together in networks across several organs in the body. Moreover, fat processing hormones may play a central role in coordinating this activity. That is the primary result of a study that began nearly 20 years ago on a hunch and involved hundreds of coronary artery disease patients from Northern Europe.

Nature helps us cope with body image ‘threats’

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 07:57 AM PST

A new study has found that being in nature helps people deal with negative body image by removing some of the triggers of body image anxiety, such as the focus on social media, and strengthening coping mechanisms to keep negative feelings in perspective.

Chewing to stay slim: How to savor your food better and dodge weight gain

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 07:56 AM PST

Chewing well helps in digestion. Chewing is also known to help prevent obesity, possibly by increasing the thermic effect of food consumption. But the factors behind this heat-generating effect of chewing remain less explored. A new study has revealed that oral stimuli, which are linked with the duration of tasting liquid food in the mouth, and the duration of chewing, play a positive role in increasing energy expenditure after food intake.

Why we feel confident about decisions we make

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 07:56 AM PST

A team of researchers has shown for the first time that decisions feel right to us if we have compared the options as attentively as possible -- and if we are conscious of having done so. This requires a capacity for introspection.

Lymphoma: Key signaling pathway involved in tumor formation identified

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 07:56 AM PST

There are myriad reasons why cancers develop. By studying genes which are altered in people with lymphoma, a multidisciplinary team of researchers has identified a key mechanism involved in disease development. This signaling pathway, which the researchers describe in detail, controls the repair of DNA damage.

Novel therapeutic target in multiple myeloma

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 07:56 AM PST

Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the bone marrow, with a life expectancy of less than 5 years post-diagnosis. Proteasome inhibitors, the therapeutic backbone of current treatments, are very effective in treating newly diagnosed cancers but resistance or intolerance to these molecules inevitably develop, leading to relapses. While studying a neglected tropical disease , Buruli ulcer, researchers discovered a novel therapeutic target for multiple myeloma that could allow to bypass this resistance.

Biologists identify neural circuits associated with aging

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 07:56 AM PST

Biologists have identified neural circuits associated with aging in fruit flies. Some circuits remain the same no matter the fly's age, while others weaken over the fly's life span.

Alzheimer’s: Inflammatory markers are conspicuous at an early stage

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 07:56 AM PST

Long before the onset of dementia, there is evidence for increased activity of the brain's immune system. Researchers from DZNE and the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) come to this conclusion based on a study of more than 1,000 older adults. To this end, various proteins were measured in the cerebrospinal fluid: They served as so-called biomarkers that indicate inflammatory processes of the nervous system. As it turned out, some of these molecules seem to be part of a damage control program of the immune system, which could be useful for the development of new drugs.

New study reveals how the lung's immune cells develop after birth

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 07:56 AM PST

From our first breath, our lungs are exposed to microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses. Thanks to immune cells in the lungs, so-called macrophages, we are protected from most infections at an early age. Researchers now show how lung macrophages develop; new findings that can help to reduce organ damage and that are significant for the continued development of important lung disease treatments.

Long-term use of blood pressure drugs may cause kidney damage, study suggests

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 06:40 AM PST

New kidney research is raising concerns that long-term use of ACE inhibitors and other drugs commonly prescribed to treat high-blood pressure and heart failure could be contributing to kidney damage.

To destroy cancer cells, team 'travels back in time'

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 06:40 AM PST

When an individual suffers from cancer, the process of programmed cell death called apoptosis does not occur normally, permitting abnormal cells to thrive.

Chemical commonly found in consumer products may disrupt a hormone needed for healthy pregnancy

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 06:40 AM PST

Exposure to phthalates -- a group of chemicals found in everything from plastics to personal care products to electronics -- may disrupt an important hormone needed to sustain a healthy pregnancy, according to a new study. The study has examined the impact that phthalates, added to plastics to increase flexibility, have on the placental corticotropin releasing hormone (pCRH) that is produced by the placenta and increases throughout the course of pregnancy.

Images of enzyme provide insights into cause of hereditary neurological disease

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 06:40 AM PST

Researchers have produced the first molecular images of an enzyme that controls proteins to signal and communicate with each other in human cells. The discovery could help to solve the mystery cause of a rare group of hereditary neurodegenerative diseases linked to deregulation of this enzyme.

Learning through ‘guided’ play can be as effective as adult-led instruction up to at least age eight

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 06:40 AM PST

Teaching younger children through 'guided' play supports key aspects of their learning and development at least as well - and sometimes better - than the traditional direct instruction they usually receive at school, a new analysis finds. Guided play broadly refers to playful educational activities which, although gently steered by an adult using open-ended questions and prompts, give children the freedom to explore a learning goal in their own way. The new study gathered data about the impact of this approach on 3,800 children aged three to eight. It found that guided play can be just as effective as more traditional methods of classroom instruction in the development of key literacy, numeracy and social skills - as well as the acquisition of executive functions (a cluster of essential thinking skills). The findings also suggest that children may master some skills - notably in maths - more effectively through guided play than via other methods.

Remembering faces and names can be improved during sleep

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 06:40 AM PST

New research has documented the effect reactivating memory during sleep has on face-name learning. The researchers found that people's name recall improved significantly when memories of newly learned face-name associations were reactivated while they were napping. Key to this improvement was uninterrupted deep sleep.

New findings may contribute to better diagnosis and treatment of liver cancer

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 06:39 AM PST

In a new study, researchers have identified the presence of a specific connection between a protein and an lncRNA molecule in liver cancer. By increasing the presence of the lncRNA molecule, the fat depots of the tumor cell decrease, which causes the division of tumor cells to cease, and they eventually die. The study contributes to increased knowledge that can add to a better diagnosis and future cancer treatments.

Tomato concentrate could help reduce chronic intestinal inflammation associated with HIV

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 06:39 AM PST

New research in mice suggests that adding a certain type of tomato concentrate to the diet can reduce the intestinal inflammation that is associated with HIV. Left untreated, intestinal inflammation can accelerate arterial disease, which in turn can lead to heart attack and stroke.

Possibility of vaccine to prevent skin cancer

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 06:38 AM PST

Research suggests that a vaccine stimulating production of a protein critical to the skin's antioxidant network could help people bolster their defenses against skin cancer.

Decoding inner language to treat speech disorders

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 06:37 AM PST

What if it were possible to decode the internal language of individuals deprived of the ability to express themselves? Researchers have now managed to identify promising neural signals to capture our internal monologues. They were also able to identify the brain areas to be observed to try to decipher them in the future.

Alcohol consumption is affected by a protein linked to the circadian rhythm

Posted: 11 Jan 2022 04:30 PM PST

Researchers announce that the presence of the Bmal1 gene in the striatum affects alcohol consumption in both male and female mice in a sexually dimorphic manner. Male mice without the protein consumed more alcohol than those that had it, while female mice without the protein consumed less than females with it.

Researchers determine nutritional properties of protein in cricket, locust and silkworm pupae insect powders

Posted: 11 Jan 2022 04:30 PM PST

Animal farming has traditionally fulfilled human nutritional requirements for protein, but insects may serve as an alternative for direct human consumption in the future. Researchers are working to lay a foundation to develop efficient protein isolation techniques by determining the nutritional and functional properties of protein for cricket, locust and silk worm pupae powders.

Using only 100 atoms, electric fields can be detected and changed

Posted: 11 Jan 2022 04:30 PM PST

The body is full of electrical signals. Researchers have now created a new nanomaterial that is capable of both detecting and modulating the electric field. This new material can be used in vitro studies for 'reading and writing' the electric field without damaging nearby cells and tissue. In addition, researchers can use this material to conduct in vitro studies to understand how neurons transmit signals but also to understand how to potentially shut off errant neurons. This may provide critical insights on neurodegeneration.

Computer model seeks to explain the spread of misinformation, and suggest counter measures

Posted: 11 Jan 2022 12:37 PM PST

Researchers have come up with a computer model that mirrors the way misinformation spreads in real life. The work might provide insight on how to protect people from the current contagion of misinformation that threatens public health and the health of democracy.

Study identifies predictors of severe outcomes in children with COVID-19

Posted: 11 Jan 2022 12:36 PM PST

A new international study offers a clearer picture of the impact of COVID-19 infection and the risk of severe outcomes on young people around the world.

Mechanism controlling tertiary lymphoid structure formation in tumors discovered

Posted: 11 Jan 2022 12:36 PM PST

Tertiary lymphoid structures are formations that occur outside of the lymphatic system. They contain immune cells and are similar in structure and function to lymph nodes and other lymphoid structures. However, little is known about how tertiary lymphoid structures form. In a new article published in Immunity, Moffitt Cancer Center researchers report on the molecular and cellular mechanisms that control tertiary lymphoid structure formation within tumors.

How much do students learn when they double the speed of their class videos?

Posted: 11 Jan 2022 12:36 PM PST

A new study shows that students retain information quite well when watching lectures at up to twice their actual speed. With 85% of college students surveyed as part of the study reporting they "speed-watched" lecture videos, the researchers engaged students in a series of experiments to test how faster speeds affected learning. Recorded lectures have become a routine part of course instruction during COVID-19.

Brain-based method to determine impairment from cannabis intoxication

Posted: 11 Jan 2022 12:36 PM PST

A new study shows that imaging of brain activity with functional near-infrared spectroscopy might offer a more accurate and reliable way to distinguish impairment from cannabis intoxication.

Wearable air sampler assesses personal exposure to SARS-CoV-2

Posted: 11 Jan 2022 09:04 AM PST

Researchers have developed a passive air sampler clip that can help assess personal exposure to SARS-CoV-2, which could be especially helpful for workers in high-risk settings, such as restaurants or health care facilities.

Behind enemy lines: Research finds a new ally in the fight against cardiovascular disease hidden within the vessel wall itself

Posted: 11 Jan 2022 09:04 AM PST

Researchers have discovered a new role for macrophages in the fight against cardiovascular disease. Macrophages have mostly been thought to drive inflammation and promote plaque build-up, but a new study shows that a subset of macrophages is actually fighting against plaque build-up within the artery.

Stem cell model of albinism to study related eye conditions

Posted: 11 Jan 2022 08:20 AM PST

Researchers have developed the first patient-derived stem cell model for studying eye conditions related to oculocutaneous albinism (OCA).

Researchers identify signaling mechanisms in pancreatic cancer cells that could provide treatment targets

Posted: 11 Jan 2022 08:20 AM PST

Scientists have provided new insights into molecular 'crosstalk' in pancreas cancer cells, identifying vulnerabilities that could provide a target for therapeutic drugs already being studied in several cancers.

Older adult opioid overdose death rates on the rise

Posted: 11 Jan 2022 08:20 AM PST

A new study that analyzed 20 years of fatal opioid overdose data in adults 55 and older found that between 1999 and 2019, opioid-related overdose deaths increased exponentially in U.S. adults ages 55 and older, from 518 deaths in 1999 to 10,292 deaths in 2019: a 1,886% increase.

Rwandan genocides chemically modified the DNA of victims and victims’ offspring

Posted: 11 Jan 2022 08:20 AM PST

Scientists have taken a significant step in providing the people of Rwanda the scientific tools they need to help address mental health issues that stemmed from the 1994 genocides of the Tutsi ethnic group.

Researchers develop new method to increase effectiveness of nanomedicines

Posted: 11 Jan 2022 08:20 AM PST

Researchers have discovered a new, more effective method of preventing the body's own proteins from treating nanomedicines like foreign invaders, by covering the nanoparticles with a coating to suppress the immune response that dampens the therapy's effectiveness.

Obscure protein is spotlighted in fight against leukemia

Posted: 11 Jan 2022 08:19 AM PST

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a cancer of white blood cells. Researchers discovered that AML cancer cells depend on a protein called SCP4 to survive. They think the previously little-known protein is involved in a metabolic pathway the cancer cells need to survive. SCP4 provides researchers with a potential new therapeutic approach for this aggressive cancer.

Researchers reveal how skin cells form a first line of defense against cancer

Posted: 11 Jan 2022 08:19 AM PST

A new study reveals important insights into the molecular mechanisms that underpin the body's natural defences against the development of skin cancer. The protein CSDE1 coordinates a complex chain of events that enable senescence in skin cells. The senescent cells act as a firewall against cancer, suppressing the formation of tumours. The findings are surprising because CSDE1 has been previously linked to driving the formation of cancers. The results offer new clues into the behavior of skin cancer at the cellular level, paving the way for potential new therapeutic targets to treat the disease.

Simple screening for common lung disease could relieve millions globally

Posted: 11 Jan 2022 08:19 AM PST

The global burden of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), a group of common lung conditions that affects more than 300 million people, could be significantly reduced with a simple health assessment, concludes a large-scale international study.

Researchers reduce breast cancer metastasis in animal models by modifying tumor electrical properties

Posted: 11 Jan 2022 07:00 AM PST

Researchers have found that manipulating voltage patterns of tumor cells -- using ion channel blockers already FDA-approved as treatments for other diseases -- can in fact significantly reduce metastasis in animal models of breast cancer.

Modular super-enhancer controls retinal development

Posted: 11 Jan 2022 06:13 AM PST

Scientists have identified distinct functions for regions of a super-enhancer that controls gene expression during retina formation, calling it a 'modular' super-enhancer.

Researchers use artificial intelligence to guide the search for the next SARS-like virus

Posted: 10 Jan 2022 03:49 PM PST

Scientists have demonstrated the power of artificial intelligence to predict which viruses -- like SARS-CoV-2, the virus that led to the COVID-19 pandemic -- could infect humans, which animals host them, and where they could emerge.

Flu shots, measles vaccines could also help 'flatten the curve' for COVID-19, research suggests

Posted: 10 Jan 2022 03:48 PM PST

While the world has celebrated the arrival of highly effective vaccines against COVID-19, new work shows that even unrelated vaccines could help reduce the burden of the pandemic. The study crystallizes decades of evidence suggesting that the generalized immune-boosting properties of many vaccines can cross-protect patients against multiple pathogens.