ScienceDaily: Top Health News

Inhalable COVID-19 vaccine shows promise in rodent model

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 01:22 PM PDT

Researchers have created an inhalable COVID-19 vaccine that is shelf stable at room temperature for up to three months, targets the lungs specifically and effectively, and allows for self-administration via an inhaler.

Nervous system workings related to PTSD, other mental health disorders

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 01:22 PM PDT

A new study measures changes in the human brain's response to a perceived threat following non-invasive stimulation of the nervous system via the vagus nerve. The results have implications for the development of treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health conditions, as well as for increasing alertness and attention during learning.

Most British COVID-19 mourners suffer PTSD symptoms, survey finds

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 01:22 PM PDT

More than eight out of 10 British people who are seeking support for having lost a loved one to COVID-19 reported alarming Post Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms, new research has found.

Discovery could inspire new way to detect brain abnormalities

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 01:22 PM PDT

Scientists have taken a promising step towards a new generation of accurate, affordable and portable devices to detect concussion, epilepsy and dementia.

How immune response triggered by COVID-19 may damage the brain

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 01:22 PM PDT

A new study describes the immune response triggered by COVID-19 infection that damages the brain's blood vessels and may lead to short- and long-term neurological symptoms. The study examined brain changes in nine people who died suddenly after contracting the virus.

COVID-19 virus spike protein flexibility improved by human cell's own modifications

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 01:22 PM PDT

Researchers created atomic-level models of the spike protein that plays a key role in COVID-19 infection and immunity, revealing how the protein bends and moves as it seeks to engage receptors.

Dominant omicron subvariants better at evading vaccines, antibody treatments

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 01:21 PM PDT

The latest omicron subvariants -- especially the currently dominant BA.4 and BA.5 forms -- are even better at eluding vaccines and most treatments, researchers have found.

A rhythmic small intestinal microbiome prevents obesity and type 2 diabetes

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 01:21 PM PDT

Researchers found that in mice how much they ate and when altered the nature of their gut microbiome: too much food too frequently resulted in poorer microbial and metabolic health.

Daily avocados improve diet quality, help lower cholesterol levels, study finds

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 01:21 PM PDT

Eating one avocado a day for six months was found to have no effect on belly fat, liver fat or waist circumference in people with overweight or obesity, according to a new study. However, it did lead to a slight decrease in unhealthy cholesterol levels.

In Krabbe disease, neurons may bring about their own destruction

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 01:21 PM PDT

The gene defect underlying Krabbe disease causes degeneration of neurons directly, independent of its effects on other cell types, according to a new study. The discovery represents a new mechanism of action for the mutant gene, presenting a more accurate picture of the disease process that may help in the development of therapies.

Why it is so hard for humans to have a baby?

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 01:21 PM PDT

Medical researchers find an answer to the mystery of why most human embryos die young.

Scientists discover cancer trigger that could spur targeted drug therapies

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 09:39 AM PDT

Researchers definitively linked the function of a specific domain of proteins important in plant-microbe biology to a cancer trigger in humans, knowledge that had eluded scientists for decades.

Using big data to better understand cancerous mutations

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 08:22 AM PDT

The ideal method of determining what type of cancer mutation a patient has is to compare two samples from the same patient, one from the tumor and one from healthy tissue. Such tests can be complicated and costly, however, so researchers hit upon another idea -- using massive public DNA databases to look for common cell mutations that tend to be benign, so that researchers can identify rarer mutations that have the potential to be cancerous.

Molecule boosts fat burning

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 08:22 AM PDT

A study has identified a molecule -- the purine inosine -- that boosts fat burning in brown adipocytes. The mechanism was discovered in mice, but probably exists in humans as well: If a transporter for inosine is less active, the mice remain significantly leaner despite a high-fat diet.

Nanoparticle vaccine protects against a spectrum of COVID-19-causing variants and related viruses

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 07:38 AM PDT

A new vaccine candidate, named mosaic-8, containing pieces of eight different SARS-like betacoronaviruses provides broad protection against other related coronaviruses.

Unchecked emissions could double heat-related child mortality

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 07:38 AM PDT

If carbon emissions are limited to slow temperature rise, up to an estimated 6,000 child deaths could be prevented in Africa each year, according to new research. New work estimated the impact of climate change on annual heat-related deaths of children under five years old in sub-Saharan Africa, from 1995 -- 2050. It shows that thousands of heat-related child deaths could be prevented if temperature increases are limited to the Paris Agreement's 1.5ºC target through to 2050. However, heat-related child deaths could double in sub-Saharan Africa by mid-century if high emissions continue.

Hereditary factors that increase the likelihood of cancer mutations detailed in new study

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 07:38 AM PDT

A new study reveals 42 hereditary genes which predispose individuals to a higher number of mutations that correlate with a greater probability of developing cancer.

Brain's response to understanding stories changes as we grow up

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 07:38 AM PDT

Scientists have shown how our brain's response to watching emotional and social stimuli in a movie changes between infancy and adulthood.

Study reveals why highly infectious cholera variant mysteriously died out

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 07:38 AM PDT

Scientists say continuous monitoring of the cholera bug genome is key to preventing outbreaks of new variants.

Fertility: Sperm screening might detect harmful mutations before embryo implantation

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 07:38 AM PDT

Screening sperm may help identify potentially harmful new genetic mutations and help fertility specialists prevent them from being passed on to offspring, shows a preliminary study.

Taking Vitamin D during pregnancy could lower the risk of eczema in babies

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 06:38 AM PDT

Taking Vitamin D supplements during pregnancy could substantially reduce the chances of babies up to a year old suffering from atopic eczema, according to a new study.

Link between recognizing our voice and feeling in control

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 06:07 AM PDT

Being able to recognize our own voice is a critical factor for our sense of control over our speech, according to a new study. If people think they hear someone else's voice when they speak, they do not strongly feel that they caused the sound. This could be a clue to understanding the experience of people who live with auditory hallucinations and could help to improve online communication and virtual reality experiences.

Coevolution of mammals and their lice

Posted: 04 Jul 2022 03:09 PM PDT

According to a new study, the first louse to take up residence on a mammalian host likely started out as a parasite of birds. That host-jumping event tens of millions of years ago began the long association between mammals and lice, setting the stage for their coevolution and offering more opportunities for the lice to spread to other mammals.

Genetic atlas for zebrafish 'breakthrough' for biomedical research

Posted: 04 Jul 2022 03:09 PM PDT

Medical and life science researchers will benefit from the most comprehensive atlas yet of genetic data on zebrafish, newly published research suggests.

Connectivity of language areas unique in the human brain

Posted: 04 Jul 2022 03:09 PM PDT

Neuroscientists have gained new insight into how our brain evolved into a language-ready brain. Compared to chimpanzee brains, the pattern of connections of language areas in our brain has expanded more than previously thought.

Researchers develop rapid COVID-19 test to identify variants in hours

Posted: 04 Jul 2022 06:42 AM PDT

In just a few hours, scientists can tell which variant has infected a COVID-19 patient -- a critical task that can potentially influence treatment decisions but takes days or weeks at most medical centers.

Researchers use AI to detect new family of genes in gut bacteria

Posted: 04 Jul 2022 06:42 AM PDT

Using artificial intelligence, researchers have discovered a new family of sensing genes in enteric bacteria that are linked by structure and probably function, but not genetic sequence. The findings offer a new way of identifying the role of genes in unrelated species and could lead to new ways to fight intestinal bacterial infections.

New antibody detection method for coronavirus that does not require a blood sample

Posted: 01 Jul 2022 07:27 AM PDT

Researchers have developed a rapid and effective antibody detection method for SARS-CoV-2 that is minimally invasive and applicable in resource-limited settings. Their methodology, which uses a patch sensor containing porous microneedles and a paper-based immunoassay, could have far-reaching implications for the blood-free detection of COVID-19 and many other infectious diseases.