ScienceDaily: Top Health News

Researchers identify biomarker panel that could help predict gestational diabetes in early pregnancy

Posted: 25 May 2022 03:26 PM PDT

Researchers have taken the initial step in identifying what may be an effective way to detect gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) earlier in pregnancy, potentially improving diagnosis and treatment for what is the most common disorder of pregnancy.

Seven healthy habits linked to lower risk of dementia in those with genetic risk

Posted: 25 May 2022 01:38 PM PDT

Seven healthy habits and lifestyle factors may play a role in lowering the risk of dementia in people with the highest genetic risk, according to new research.

Missing link between Alzheimer's and vascular disease found?

Posted: 25 May 2022 01:37 PM PDT

A gene called FMNL2 may explain why people with hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, or obesity have a greater risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

Common prostate cancer medications may be less safe than previously thought

Posted: 25 May 2022 12:17 PM PDT

Men taking either of the two most common oral medications for advanced prostate cancer who had also undergone hormone therapy to treat their disease were at higher risk of serious metabolic or cardiovascular issues than patients who were only receiving hormone therapy, researchers found.

Secrets of thymus formation revealed

Posted: 25 May 2022 10:12 AM PDT

Scientists have identified processes that control the development and composition of thymic tissue throughout life. Specifically, they were able to show that a certain growth factor can maintain progenitor cells even in the aging thymus and thus counteract the age-related shrinkage of the organ and the reduction in the number of powerful immune cells. The results provide new avenues for therapeutic approaches to autoimmune diseases.

Artificial cilia could someday power diagnostic devices

Posted: 25 May 2022 10:12 AM PDT

Researchers have now designed a micro-sized artificial cilial system using platinum-based components that can control the movement of fluids at such a scale. The technology could someday enable low-cost, portable diagnostic devices for testing blood samples, manipulating cells or assisting in microfabrication processes.

Study reveals cause, potential precision therapies for aggressive type of lymphoma

Posted: 25 May 2022 10:11 AM PDT

DNA mutations are essential to the rapid development of an array of antibody-producing immune cells called B cells that collectively can recognize a vast number of specific targets. But this process can go awry in people with a mutation in a gene called SETD2, leading to a type of aggressive blood cancer, according to a new study.

Scientists identify how the brain links memories

Posted: 25 May 2022 08:09 AM PDT

Our brains lose the ability to link related memories as we age. Scientists genetically restored this brain function in middle-aged mice and identified an FDA-approved drug that achieves the same thing. The study suggests a new approach for combating middle-aged memory loss and a possible early intervention for dementia.

High air pollution from fracking in Ohio county

Posted: 25 May 2022 08:09 AM PDT

Residents of Belmont County in eastern Ohio have long suffered from health problems they suspected were the result of air pollution from fracking facilities, but regulators dismissed and downplayed their concerns. With technical assistance from volunteer scientists, local advocacy groups set up their own network of low-cost sensors. They found that the region's three EPA sensors were not providing an accurate picture: The sensors revealed concerning levels of air pollution, and correlations between local spikes and health impacts.

Longer duration of exclusive breastfeeding has protective effect on childhood asthma

Posted: 25 May 2022 08:08 AM PDT

A new study shows that a longer period of exclusive breastfeeding was associated with decreased odds of current asthma.

Genetic roots of 3 mitochondrial diseases ID'd via new approach

Posted: 25 May 2022 08:08 AM PDT

Researchers have identified the genetic causes of three mitochondrial diseases by figuring out what dozens of poorly understood mitochondrial proteins do. The functions of hundreds more mitochondrial proteins remain unknown, indicating that this approach could be a promising path to finding better ways to diagnose and treat the bewildering array of conditions linked to malfunctioning mitochondria.

Wake up and smell the burning rubbish? Secrets of disordered smell found

Posted: 25 May 2022 07:29 AM PDT

Researchers have discovered the secrets of why certain food and drinks smell (and likely taste) disgusting to people with parosmia.

Epigenetic markers predict complications in patients with type 2 diabetes

Posted: 25 May 2022 07:29 AM PDT

A new study supports the notion that patients with type 2 diabetes patient should be divided into subgroups and given individualized treatment. The study demonstrates that there are distinct epigenetic differences between different groups of patients with type 2 diabetes. The epigenetic markers are also associated with different risks of developing common complications in type 2 diabetes, such as stroke, heart attack and kidney disease.

Type 2 diabetes accelerates brain aging and cognitive decline

Posted: 25 May 2022 05:05 AM PDT

Scientists have demonstrated that normal brain aging is accelerated by approximately 26% in people with progressive type 2 diabetes compared with individuals without the disease, reports a new study.

Scientists build subcellular map of entire brain networks

Posted: 25 May 2022 05:05 AM PDT

Researchers have developed an imaging technique to capture information about the structure and function of brain tissue at subcellular level -- a few billionth of a meter, while also capturing information about the surrounding environment. The unique approach, overcomes the challenges of imaging tissues at different scales, allowing scientists to see the surrounding cells and how they function, so they can build a complete picture of neural networks in the brain.

AI can predict cancer risk of lung nodules

Posted: 25 May 2022 05:05 AM PDT

An artificial intelligence (AI) tool helps doctors predict the cancer risk in lung nodules seen on CT, according to a new study.

Nearly 108,000 overdose deaths in US in 2021

Posted: 25 May 2022 05:05 AM PDT

A grim prediction made half a decade ago by epidemiologists and modelers has come true: More than 100,000 people are now dying from drug overdoses annually in the U.S.

New gene identified in arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy

Posted: 24 May 2022 01:36 PM PDT

Researchers have used advanced sequencing technology to better understand the heart disease arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, in which heart muscle tissue is replaced by fat cells. Using explanted human hearts, they found regions in which heart muscle was actively degenerated and identified a new gene, ZBTB11, that drives heart muscle cell degradation.

Scientists discover gene plays critical role in embryo development

Posted: 24 May 2022 12:49 PM PDT

Developing drugs that affect the function of the Cnpy4 gene, which is involved in human embryo development, may provide potential new treatment options for diseases, including cancer.

Researchers shed light on genetic mechanisms of Wilms tumor

Posted: 24 May 2022 09:48 AM PDT

New research provides insights into some of the genetic characteristics resulting in the development of relapse in patients with Wilms tumor (nephroblastoma), the most common type of pediatric cancer of the kidney. The study identified mutations in key genes, including two that had not been previously recognized in Wilms tumor, which offers promise for improving ways to better identify patients who are at risk of relapse and tailoring therapies for these patients.

How eating eggs can boost heart health

Posted: 24 May 2022 09:48 AM PDT

Researchers have shown how moderate egg consumption can increase the amount of heart-healthy metabolites in the blood.

Living with dogs (but not cats) as a toddler might protect against Crohn's disease

Posted: 24 May 2022 09:45 AM PDT

Young children who grow up with a dog or in a large family may have some protection later in life from a common inflammatory bowel disease known as Crohn's disease, according to a new study.

Cornea T cells protect eyes from viral infections, researchers discover

Posted: 24 May 2022 08:07 AM PDT

The cornea -- the transparent protective outer layer of the eye critical to helping us see -- produces a delicate and limited immune response to fight infections without damaging our vision, according to a new study.

'Happy hormone' dopamine plays role in identifying emotions

Posted: 24 May 2022 08:06 AM PDT

Emotion-recognition among people with disorders such as Parkinson's disease or schizophrenia may be affected by changes in the levels dopamine in the brain, say researchers.

How anesthetics affect brain functions

Posted: 24 May 2022 08:06 AM PDT

Researchers have used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to study the precise spatial distribution of synchronously working brain regions in anesthetized humans, long-tailed macaques, common marmosets and rats. The scientists were able to show that the areas where burst-suppression is evident differ significantly in primates and rodents.

Drug that lowers blood sugar also reduces blood vessel dysfunction caused by aging

Posted: 24 May 2022 08:06 AM PDT

An FDA-approved drug to lower blood sugar in adults with Type 2 diabetes also may decrease blood vessel dysfunction associated with aging, according to a new study.

Reducing TV viewing to less than one hour a day could help prevent more than one in ten cases of coronary heart disease

Posted: 24 May 2022 07:06 AM PDT

Watching too much TV is associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease regardless of an individual's genetic makeup, say scientists. The researchers show that -- assuming a causal link -- 11% of cases of coronary heart disease could be prevented if people watched less than an hour of TV each day.

Horses and pigs sense harsh speaking tones

Posted: 24 May 2022 07:05 AM PDT

How we speak matters to animals. Horses, pigs and wild horses can distinguish between negative and positive sounds from their fellow species and near relatives, as well as from human speech. The study provides insight into the history of emotional development and opens up interesting perspectives with regards to animal welfare.

Research boosts 'game-changing' technology to strengthen drug development

Posted: 24 May 2022 07:05 AM PDT

Researchers have boosted pioneering technology to show whether potential treatments are worth progressing into human trials, in a game-changing move that could dramatically reduce the high failure rates in drug discovery and development.

Desire for son in Nepal may impact on girls' health and wellbeing -- new study

Posted: 24 May 2022 07:05 AM PDT

The desire for a son could mean Nepali mothers stop breastfeeding infant daughters sooner, says new research. Girls in Nepal are breastfed for fewer months than boys on average, with girls with older sisters but no brothers being the most disadvantaged, says the study. And this shorter breastfeeding time is linked to a greater risk of death for Nepali infants in the study.

Cystic fibrosis: Restoring airway integrity

Posted: 24 May 2022 07:05 AM PDT

Cystic fibrosis is a rare genetic disease which can cause very serious symptoms. In particular, patients suffer from chronic bacterial infections that can lead to respiratory failure. It is caused by mutations in the CFTR gene, which regulates water movement across the cell membrane. Consequently, mucus quality is altered, it is no longer capable of capturing undesirable bacteria and expelling them. Using a model reproducing a respiratory epithelium -- a protective tissue composed of a monolayer of cells -- scientists have discovered that a simple film of liquid is sufficient to restore the airways' seal and reduce the risk of bacterial infection.

Human or seal? Who has the best underwater hearing?

Posted: 24 May 2022 07:05 AM PDT

We humans do better on land than under water -- also when it comes to our hearing. But now a new study shows that we actually have better underwater hearing than previously thought -- at certain frequencies we hear just as well as the seal.

Scientists discover a potential new marker to personalized therapy for breast cancer

Posted: 24 May 2022 07:05 AM PDT

A new study has discovered that 'crown-like structures' surrounding breast tumors in overweight and obese patients could hinder their response to therapy. The findings of this study could potentially be used to improve personalized treatment for patients with HER2+ overexpressed breast cancer.

Mothers of twins are not more fertile, just lucky

Posted: 24 May 2022 07:05 AM PDT

Are women who have twins more fertile? While previous studies concluded they are, a detailed analysis of more than 100,000 births from pre-industrial Europe by an international team of scientists shows they are not.

Deaf children with learning delays benefit from cochlear implants more than hearing aids

Posted: 24 May 2022 07:05 AM PDT

Typically, infants with hearing loss are first treated with hearing aids, and if these fail to help them develop early language and speech skills, they then become eligible for cochlear implants at 12 months or older. Cochlear implants -- considered the gold standard of treatment -- are small, electronic devices surgically placed under the skin that stimulate nerve endings in the ear to provide a sense of sound. A new study demonstrates the need for early cochlear implant use for deaf children, regardless of developmental impairments.

Population-scale study highlights ongoing risk of COVID-19 in some cancer patients despite vaccination

Posted: 23 May 2022 04:22 PM PDT

A study has found that while COVID-19 vaccination is effective in most cancer patients, the level of protection against COVID-19 infection, hospitalization and death offered by the vaccine is less than in the general population and vaccine effectiveness wanes more quickly.

Girls' chance of success at school in Sub-Saharan Africa shaped by language they are taught in

Posted: 23 May 2022 04:22 PM PDT

A new report argues that efforts to increase girls' participation in education in different parts of Africa should assess the detrimental effect teaching in English is having on learning.

The right moisturizer for children with eczema is the one that they like to use, study finds

Posted: 23 May 2022 04:22 PM PDT

The Best Emollients for Eczema trial has found that no one type of moisturizer is better than another. This study highlights the importance of patient education and choice when deciding which moisturizers to use for children with eczema.

Scientists find sea corals are source of sought-after 'anti-cancer' compound

Posted: 23 May 2022 08:55 AM PDT

The bottom of the ocean is full of mysteries but scientists have recently uncovered one of its best-kept secrets. For 25 years, drug hunters have been searching for the source of a natural chemical that had shown promise in initial studies for treating cancer. Now, researchers report that easy-to-find soft corals -- flexible corals that resemble underwater plants -- make the elusive compound.