ScienceDaily: Top Health News

Spaceflight: Microgravity analog culture profoundly affects microbial infection process in 3-D human tissue models

Posted: 31 May 2022 05:21 PM PDT

Researchers demonstrate that under low fluid shear force conditions that simulate those found in microgravity culture during spaceflight, the foodborne pathogen Salmonella infects 3-D models of human intestinal tissue at much higher levels, and induces unique alterations in gene expression.

Immune recognition of self and non-self explored in new study

Posted: 31 May 2022 04:29 PM PDT

In a new study, researchers explore components of the immune system known as autoantibodies. While they have been implicated as central players in a range of serious autoimmune diseases, the study observes that autoantibodies are also found in healthy individuals.

Investigational drug attacks synovial sarcoma, a rare type of tumor

Posted: 31 May 2022 03:19 PM PDT

Researchers have developed a way to attack synovial sarcoma -- a rare tumor of soft tissues, such as ligaments and muscles -- using an investigational drug that triggers cell death.

Air pollution linked to adverse outcomes in pregnancy

Posted: 31 May 2022 03:19 PM PDT

A new study in mice reveals how exposure to traffic-related air pollutants causes cellular changes in the placenta that can lead to pregnancy complications and affect the health of both mother and offspring.

Researchers identify novel cellular process that help us understand the mechanisms of aging-related diseases

Posted: 31 May 2022 01:13 PM PDT

A team of researchers has identified the molecular and cellular mechanisms that regulate selective autophagy in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. While the function of these processes is increasingly understood in mammals this is one of the first studies in insects. The study of autophagy -- the recycling and repair process within cells -- has huge potential to aid in fighting the ageing process, bacterial and viral infections and diseases including cancer, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

Diabetes may weaken teeth and promote tooth decay

Posted: 31 May 2022 01:11 PM PDT

Inducing Type 1 diabetes in mice significantly reduced enamel and dentin microhardness.

Pregnant moms and depression: Study links rising symptoms to kids' behavioral issues

Posted: 31 May 2022 12:19 PM PDT

Children whose mothers experience rising levels of depression from prepregnancy until the months just after giving birth are at greater risk of developing emotional, social and academic problems, psychology researchers report. Their seven-year study, which tracked mothers and their offspring from preconception until the children were 5 years old, is the first to demonstrate how changes in mothers' level of depression over time may impact early childhood behavioral and emotional stability.

How high-intensity interval training can reshape metabolism

Posted: 31 May 2022 12:19 PM PDT

Scientists have shed new light on the effects that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) has on human skeletal muscle, according to a new study in men.

Eye-movement tracking glasses are used to evaluate mental stress in first naturalistic study of critical care nurses

Posted: 31 May 2022 11:01 AM PDT

New research shows that the mental workload of intensive care unit nurses can successfully be evaluated using eye-movement tracking glasses.

A cloudless future? The mystery at the heart of climate forecasts

Posted: 31 May 2022 11:01 AM PDT

Analyses of global climate models consistently show that clouds constitute the biggest source of uncertainty and instability in predictions. New research on the Frontera supercomputer seeks to better incorporate clouds into global models by breaking models into two parts: a coarse-grained, lower-resolution (100km) planetary model and many small patches with 100 to 200 meter resolution. These simulations can capture the physical processes and turbulent eddies involved in cloud formation and do not produce unwanted side-effects.

Your liver is just under three years old

Posted: 31 May 2022 08:18 AM PDT

The liver has a unique ability to regenerate after damage. However, it was unknown whether this ability decreases as we age. Scientists have now used a technique known as retrospective radiocarbon birth dating to determine the age of the human liver. They showed that no matter the person's age, the liver is always on average less than three years old. The results demonstrate that aging does not influence liver renewal, making the liver an organ that generally replaces its cells equally well in young and old people.

Injured human liver treated for 3 days in a machine and then successfully transplanted

Posted: 31 May 2022 08:18 AM PDT

A multidisciplinary research team has succeeded in doing something during a treatment attempt that had never been achieved in the history of medicine until now: it treated an originally damaged human liver in a machine for three days outside of a body and then implanted the recovered organ into a cancer patient. One year later, the patient is doing well.

Degrading a key cancer cell-surface protein to invigorate immune attack on tumors

Posted: 31 May 2022 08:18 AM PDT

One powerful way cancer cells defend against tumor-killing immune cells is to load up their cell surface with a protein known as PD-L1. Now a team of researchers has identified a method to degrade tumor cell-surface PD-L1, thereby making tumors susceptible to immune attack.

How sleep builds relational memory

Posted: 31 May 2022 08:18 AM PDT

Researchers describe biological mechanism that allows sleep to build relational memories -- associations between unrelated items.

The secret to a longer lifespan? Gene regulation holds a clue

Posted: 31 May 2022 08:18 AM PDT

Researchers investigated genes connected to lifespan. Their research uncovered specific characteristics of these genes and revealed that two regulatory systems controlling gene expression -- circadian and pluripotency networks -- are critical to longevity. The findings have implications both in understanding how longevity evolves and in providing new targets to combat aging and age-related diseases.

Electrical pulses to the back of the neck found to restore breathing after opioid drug use

Posted: 31 May 2022 08:18 AM PDT

Breathing difficulties are the main cause of death following opioid use. In the UK, the number of adults entering treatment for opioid use was 140,863 in 2020/211 and opioid use remains a significant cause of premature death, contributing to 3,726 drug-related deaths last year. Opioid misuse causes death by supressing respiratory activity. New research points to a novel treatment for respiratory depression associated with opioid use that administers electrical pulses to the back of the neck, helping patients regain respiratory control following high dosage opioid use. This could offer an alternative to pharmacological treatments, which can cause withdrawal symptoms, heart problems and can negatively affect the central nervous system.

Roundworms offer new insights into Bardet-Biedl syndrome

Posted: 31 May 2022 08:18 AM PDT

Scientists have identified a new role for a protein complex at the center of a human genetic disorder called Bardet-Biedl syndrome, or BBS, for which there is currently no cure.

Healthy development thanks to older siblings

Posted: 31 May 2022 07:27 AM PDT

During the first years of their lives, children develop the cognitive, social and emotional skills that will provide the foundations for their lifelong health and achievements. However, exposure to environmental stressors during critical periods of life can have negative long-term consequences for their development. One of the most critical stressors for children is maternal stress, which is known to have a detrimental effect on children's health and well-being, already in utero.

Dementia diagnosis often comes as part of costly crisis

Posted: 31 May 2022 07:27 AM PDT

Medicare costs around the time of a dementia diagnosis are much lower for older adults screened proactively rather than those diagnosed while experiencing a health issue.

Researchers investigate the links between facial recognition and Alzheimer's disease

Posted: 31 May 2022 07:27 AM PDT

In recent years Alzheimer's disease has been on the rise throughout the world and is rarely diagnosed at an early stage when it can still be effectively controlled. Using artificial intelligence, researchers conducted a study to identify whether human-computer interfaces could be adapted for people with memory impairments to recognize a visible object in front of them.

Decoding how a protein on the move keeps cells healthy

Posted: 31 May 2022 07:26 AM PDT

Cells rely on a process known as RNA interference (RNAi) to control protein production. The centerpiece of that process is the protein Argonaute, which seeks out and destroys mRNA molecules. Scientists have now discovered how Argonaute efficiently jumps from one target to the next. Their work may help improve current RNAi-based therapies and develop better ones in the future.

What will it take to transform obesity care for all?

Posted: 31 May 2022 07:26 AM PDT

A new framework for managing obesity care in primary care settings, and efforts to educate clinicians about the appropriate use of obesity medications, aim to improve care for this chronic disease.

Nerve stimulation promotes resolution of inflammation

Posted: 31 May 2022 07:26 AM PDT

The nervous system is known to communicate with the immune system and regulate inflammation in the body. Researchers now show how electrical activation of a specific nerve can promote healing in acute inflammation.

Mobile app provides effective support for children with obesity

Posted: 31 May 2022 06:15 AM PDT

A mobile app that shows a child's weight development in real-time for children with obesity provides greater weight loss compared to conventional care. The fact that both families and healthcare professionals can follow the same data facilitates individualized extra support when needed.

Too much self-confidence can endanger health

Posted: 31 May 2022 06:15 AM PDT

Older people who overestimate their health go to the doctor less often. This can have serious consequences for their health, for example, when illnesses are detected too late. By contrast, people who think they are sicker than they actually are visit the doctor more often. This is what a new study based on data from over 80,000 Europeans aged 50 and older found.

Discovery could lead to better cancer immunotherapy

Posted: 31 May 2022 06:15 AM PDT

A type of white blood cell previously known only as a helper in the immune system appears also to be the instigator of the body's defenses against cancerous tumors. The discovery could lead to more effective cancer immunotherapy, a promising treatment which uses the body's own immune system, rather than radiation, to attack cancer cells. In an animal study, researchers found that a population of T cells called CD4-positive helper T cells helped start a chain of antitumor immunity defenses that allow killer cells to better infiltrate melanoma and breast cancer tumors.

Scientists solve long-standing mystery: Why do some asthma patients respond poorly to treatment?

Posted: 30 May 2022 12:31 PM PDT

Identification of growth factors produced in patients with severe asthma may lead to new therapies, a study finds.

Engineers boost signals from fluorescent sensors

Posted: 30 May 2022 09:03 AM PDT

Engineers have found a way to dramatically improve the signal emitted by fluorescing nanosenors. The researchers showed they could implant sensors as deep as 5.5 centimeters in tissue and still get a strong signal. The advance allows the particles to be placed deeper within biological tissue, which could aid with cancer diagnosis or monitoring.