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ScienceDaily: Top Health News |
| Seeing more species at the coast improves wellbeing: Yet another benefit of biodiversity Posted: 11 May 2022 07:28 AM PDT Seeing a larger number of species on urban coastlines -- from marine animals to seaweed -- is likely to improve the wellbeing of local people and visitors, new research has revealed. The findings provide further evidence that biodiversity brings wide-ranging benefits. Studies of land-based environments such as meadows, woodlands, and city parks have shown that people often find places that contain lots of different types of plant and animal life to be more visually pleasing and interesting, as well as more likely to relieve stress. However, we know much less about seashore species and whether they generate the same positive feelings that land-based wildlife does, despite almost half of the world's population living close to the coast. |
| Research shows the role empathy may play in music Posted: 11 May 2022 07:28 AM PDT Can people who understand the emotions of others better interpret emotions conveyed through music? A new study by an international team of researchers suggests the abilities are linked. |
| Toxoplasmosis: Propagation of parasite in host cell stopped Posted: 11 May 2022 07:28 AM PDT A new method blocks the protein regulation of the parasite Toxoplasma gondii and causes it to die off inside the host cell. |
| Posted: 11 May 2022 07:28 AM PDT Many doctors caution their pregnant patients to avoid cat feces; even the family pet's litter box is off-limits. Now a group of researchers from Clemson University have discovered a promising therapy for those who suffer from toxoplasmosis, a disease caused by the microscopic protozoa Toxoplasma gondii. |
| Some shunts used after epilepsy surgery may risk brain shifting and chronic headaches Posted: 11 May 2022 07:27 AM PDT A new study associates some types of shunts used after epilepsy surgery with brains shifting toward the side of the skull. |
| Posted: 11 May 2022 07:27 AM PDT The condition, known as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), can result in severe brain damage, which is why researchers are studying the condition to evaluate how HIE is treated and develop new, more effective options. |
| Posted: 11 May 2022 06:22 AM PDT Learning from others can mitigate harmful risk aversion, even if the others we learn from tend to avoid risky, but profitable decisions themselves. This is shown in mathematical modelling and large-scale online experiments by social psychologists. |
| Effects of stress on adolescent brain's 'triple network' Posted: 11 May 2022 06:22 AM PDT Stress and trauma during adolescence can lead to long-term health consequences such as psychiatric disorders, which may arise from neurodevelopmental effects on brain circuitry. A new study has used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine the effects of acute stress and 'polyvicitimization,' or repeated traumas, on three brain networks in adolescents. |
| Rising income inequality linked to Americans' declining health Posted: 11 May 2022 05:57 AM PDT Rising levels of income inequality in the United States may be one reason that the health of Americans has been declining in recent decades, new research suggests. |
| Multiple diagnoses are the norm for mental illness; A new genetic analysis helps explain why Posted: 11 May 2022 05:57 AM PDT An analysis of 11 major psychiatric disorders offers new insight into why comorbidities are the norm when it comes to mental illness. The study suggests that while there is no single gene or set of genes underlying risk for all of them, subsets of disorders -- including bipolar disorder and schizophrenia; anorexia nervosa and obsessive-compulsive disorder; and major depression and anxiety --s hare a common genetic architecture. |
| How 'calming' our spinal cords could provide relief from muscle spasms Posted: 11 May 2022 05:57 AM PDT Poor sleep, difficulty moving and injuries from hitting something accidentally are just some of the challenges faced by suffers of often-painful involuntary muscle spasms. However, a new study investigating motoneurons in the spine has revealed two methods can make our spinal cords less 'excitable' and could potentially be used to treat muscle spasms. |
| Single cell RNA sequencing uncovers new mechanisms of heart disease Posted: 10 May 2022 03:55 PM PDT Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a heart disease that leads to a stressed, swollen heart muscle. Due to a poor understanding of underlying mechanisms, effective clinical treatments are not available. Patients receive generic heart medication and sometimes need open-heart surgery to remove excess tissue. Researchers have now successfully applied a new revolutionary technology (scRNA-seq) to uncover underlying disease mechanisms, including specifically those causing the swelling. The extensive 'big data' set is a treasure trove of novel observations that give insight in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and potential new therapeutic venues. |
| Artificial cell membrane channels composed of DNA can be opened and locked with a key Posted: 10 May 2022 03:55 PM PDT Scientists describe the design and construction of artificial membrane channels, engineered using short segments of DNA. The DNA constructions behave much in the manner of natural cell channels or pores, offering selective transport of ions, proteins, and other cargo, with enhanced features unavailable in their naturally occurring counterparts. |
| How tumor cells use mitochondria to keep growing Posted: 10 May 2022 03:54 PM PDT Investigators have discovered that tumor cells use mitochondria to control their growth and detect stress that can destroy a tumor cell if it is not controlled. |
| Brain searches for the best way to move the body Posted: 10 May 2022 12:15 PM PDT Research that examines how the body adapts to new movements is shedding new light on how the nervous system learns, and could help to inform a wide range of applications, from customized rehabilitation and athletic training to wearable systems for healthcare. |
| Cells take out the trash before they divide Posted: 10 May 2022 09:24 AM PDT Researchers have discovered that before cells start to divide, they toss waste products. Using a new method they developed for measuring the dry mass of cells, the researchers found cells suddenly lose mass as they enter cell division. |
| Exploring dynamics of blood flow in vascular, atherosclerotic diseases Posted: 10 May 2022 09:24 AM PDT Researchers present clinicians with information about the risk factors for atherosclerotic plaque formation from a mechanical point of view. The scientists are exploring whether it is possible to screen and intervene early for people at risk for atherosclerotic disease from the perspective of hemodynamics, using color Doppler ultrasound, coronary computed tomography angiography, and other screenings. The researchers used a multipoint, noncontact laser flow measurement method called microparticle image velocimetry. |
| Diets high in fiber associated with less antibiotic resistance in gut bacteria Posted: 10 May 2022 09:24 AM PDT Healthy adults who eat a diverse diet with at least 8-10 grams of soluble fiber a day have fewer antibiotic-resistant microbes in their guts, according to a new study. The results lead directly to the idea that modifying the diet has the potential to be a new weapon in the fight against antimicrobial resistance. And this does not require eating some exotic diet, but eating a diverse diet, adequate in fiber, a diet that some Americans already eat. |
| Opioid use disorder: Medication that lowers risk of overdose underused Posted: 10 May 2022 09:24 AM PDT Researchers found that less than half of Americans who received treatment for opioid use disorder over a five-year period were offered a potentially lifesaving medication. The numbers were even lower for those with what's known as polysubstance use disorder -- when opioid users also misuse other substances. |
| Researchers identify pathway that regulates lipid synthesis and contributes to tumor survival Posted: 10 May 2022 09:24 AM PDT Researchers show that cancer cells in an acidic environment undergo lipid synthesis and accumulation. The team identified the key signaling molecules responsible for these changes and discovered that these alterations are associated with poor outcomes and disease progression among breast cancer patients. |
| Tumor release of lactate forces nearby cells into supportive role Posted: 10 May 2022 09:24 AM PDT Tumors can force neighboring cells into supporting cancer growth by releasing lactate into their local environment, according to researchers. The findings pave the way for future drug treatments that thwart that defense mechanism to help cancer patients. |
| Gene therapy could treat Pitt-Hopkins syndrome, proof-of-concept study suggests Posted: 10 May 2022 07:30 AM PDT Scientists reported on an experimental gene-therapy-like technique to restore the normal activity of the TCCF4 gene deficient in individuals with Pitt-Hopkins syndrome. |
| Study of pregnant women finds increasing chemical exposure Posted: 10 May 2022 07:29 AM PDT A national study that enrolled a highly diverse group of pregnant women over 12 years found rising exposure to chemicals from plastics and pesticides that may be harmful to development. |
| Posted: 10 May 2022 07:29 AM PDT It's always rewarding when what started out as largely an academic endeavor turns out to impact a lot of people -- in this case women. Women suffering from endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and preeclampsia may be protected from future heart disease if they carry a specific common genetic variant on the surface of cells (insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor, or IGF1R). The research suggests new options for personalized screening and surveillance for cardiovascular disease. |
| Psychopathic individuals are more likely to have larger striatum region in the brain Posted: 10 May 2022 07:29 AM PDT Neuroscientists have established the existence of a biological difference between psychopaths and non-psychopaths. |
| Study identifies potential target for treating childhood blood cancer Posted: 10 May 2022 07:29 AM PDT Scientists have pinpointed a possible new target for treating patients with the blood cancer juvenile myelomonocytic leukaemia (JMML), according to a new study. |
| Rare discovery: How a gene mutation causes higher intelligence Posted: 10 May 2022 07:29 AM PDT When genes mutate, this can lead to severe diseases of the human nervous system. Researchers have now used fruit flies to demonstrate how, apart from the negative effect, the mutation of a neuronal gene can have a positive effect -- namely higher IQ in humans. |
| Marine sponge chemical and synthetic derivatives hijack human enzyme to kill cells Posted: 10 May 2022 07:29 AM PDT A human enzyme converts chemicals produced by marine sponges and related synthetic derivatives into cell-killing compounds, shows a new study. |
| Complex human childbirth and cognitive abilities a result of walking upright Posted: 10 May 2022 07:29 AM PDT Childbirth in humans is much more complex and painful than in great apes. It was long believed that this was a result of humans' larger brains and the narrow dimensions of the mother's pelvis. Researchers have now used 3D simulations to show that childbirth was also a highly complex process in early hominins that gave birth to relatively small-brained newborns -- with important implications for their cognitive development. |
| Novel tool targeting unusual RNA structures for potential therapeutic applications Posted: 10 May 2022 07:29 AM PDT Ribonucleic acids (RNAs), which decode the genetic code stored in DNA and produce proteins, fold into diverse structures to govern fundamental biological processes in all life forms, including humans. Targeting disease-associated RNA structures with drug-like small molecules has been one of the gold standards for developing RNA-targeting drugs in the scientific field. Recently, a research team has developed a new type of RNA structure targeting tool to specifically recognize unusual four-strand RNA structures, which are associated with diseases such as cancer and neurological disorders. |
| Chagas disease: Hybrid strains make insidious parasite more dangerous Posted: 10 May 2022 07:29 AM PDT Researchers have mapped how the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi forms new variants that are more effective at evading the immune system and causing disease. Their findings can give rise to new methods for diagnosing, preventing and treating Chagas disease, which affects millions of people in Central and South America, causing thousands of deaths every year. |
| What benefits nutrition in Africa the most? Posted: 10 May 2022 07:29 AM PDT Malnutrition in developing countries is best addressed not by increasing the variety of crops grown on smallholder farms, but by improving access to markets. More variety in animal production, however, does show positive effects. |
| AI predicts infant age, gender based on temperament Posted: 10 May 2022 07:28 AM PDT A new study used machine learning to classify infants as either male or female at 0-24 weeks of age, 24-48 weeks of age and older than 48 weeks based off 14 temperament dimensions. Accuracy rates increased with age, ranging from a low of 38% for age group one, to 57% for age group three. |
| Joubert Syndrome: Intellectual disability and defects in the hippocampus Posted: 10 May 2022 07:28 AM PDT An important link has been found between the intellectual disability experienced by children with the rare disease Joubert Syndrome (JS) and defects in the hippocampus. The hippocampus is the part of the brain associated with learning and memory. It also plays a role in various neurological and psychiatric disorders. Joubert Syndrome is a rare childhood disease that leads to poor muscle coordination, developmental delay, abnormal eye movements and neonatal breathing abnormalities. It is estimated that between 1 in 80,000 and 1 in 100,000 newborns are affected by the condition. |
| Stress may be associated with fertility issues in women Posted: 10 May 2022 07:28 AM PDT Female rats exposed to a scream sound may have diminished ovarian reserve and reduced fertility, according to a small animal study. |
| Poor eyesight unfairly mistaken for brain decline Posted: 09 May 2022 05:49 PM PDT Millions of older people with poor vision are at risk of being misdiagnosed with mild brain decline due to cognitive tests that rely on vision-dependent tasks. |
| Exposure to wildfires increases risk of cancer Posted: 09 May 2022 04:15 PM PDT A new study finds higher incidence of lung cancer and brain tumors in people exposed to wildfires. The study, which tracks over two million Canadians over a period of 20 years, is the first to examine how proximity to forest fires may influence cancer risk. |
| Crystal study may resolve DNA mystery Posted: 09 May 2022 02:10 PM PDT Bioscientists have uncovered a tiny detail that could help us understand how DNA replicates with such astounding accuracy. |
| Methylation of tRNA-derived fragments regulates gene-silencing activity in bladder cancer Posted: 09 May 2022 02:10 PM PDT Researchers describe a novel form of gene regulation that is altered in bladder cancer, leading to the boosting of a gene pathway that helps the cancer cells survive during rapid growth. The work focuses on a 22-base fragment of transfer RNA, tRF-3b, which is modified by the enzyme complex TRMT6/61A. In bladder cancer, the levels of TRMT6/61A -- a methyltransferase -- are elevated. The methylation modification prevents tRF-3bs from silencing the expression of various genes in the unfolded protein response pathway in the cancer cells. |
| Stopping lung damage before it turns deadly Posted: 09 May 2022 01:28 PM PDT New research shows that hypoxia can activate the same group of immune cells that cause inflammation during asthma attacks. |
| Drugs showing promise in cancer trials reduce scarring for scleroderma Posted: 09 May 2022 01:28 PM PDT Epigenetic drugs that have shown promise in cancer trials significantly reduce scarring in the cells of patients with scleroderma, a new study shows. Results reveal that drugs that inhibit BRD4, known to play a role in cancer, also affect fibrosis in scleroderma. Researchers tested BRD4 inhibitors on the skin fibroblasts of scleroderma patients and in mouse models of skin fibrosis, finding that the treatment stopped scarring in both human-derived cells and in animals. |
| Researchers identify key factors impacting adaptive therapy Posted: 09 May 2022 01:28 PM PDT Researchers have been investigating an alternative treatment approach called adaptive therapy that focuses on maintaining disease control instead of complete tumor cell elimination. Researchers used mathematical modeling to reveal that the spatial organization of a tumor is an important factor that governs how cells compete with one another and the effectiveness of adaptive therapy. |
| Gene therapy shows promise in treating neuropathy from spinal cord injuries Posted: 09 May 2022 12:07 PM PDT Researchers report that a gene therapy that inhibits targeted nerve cell signaling effectively reduced neuropathic pain with no detectable side effects in mice with spinal cord or peripheral nerve injuries. |
| Hypertensive pregnancy disorders linked to future cardiac events Posted: 09 May 2022 12:07 PM PDT Women who experienced complications related to developing high blood pressure, or hypertension, during pregnancy had a 63% increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease later in life, according to new research. |
| Quantifying cognitive decline in dogs could help humans with Alzheimer's disease Posted: 09 May 2022 12:07 PM PDT Researchers have found that a suite of complimentary tests can quantify changes in dogs suspected of suffering from cognitive decline. The approach could not only aid owners in managing their elderly canine's care, but could also serve as a model for evaluating cognitive decline progression in -- and treatments for -- humans with Alzheimer's disease. |
| 'New and improved' supermarkets trim childhood obesity in NYC Posted: 09 May 2022 08:20 AM PDT Access to newer supermarkets that offer fresh foods in some of New York City's poorest neighborhoods was linked to a 1% decline in obesity rates among public school students living nearby, a new study shows. The modernized markets were also tied to reductions of between 4% and 10% in the average student BMI-z score, a measure of body weight based on height for each age group by gender. |
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