Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Regular exercise benefits immunity -- even in isolation

A new analysis highlights the power of regular, daily exercise on our immune system and the importance of people continuing to work-out even in lockdown.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200331162314.htm

R.I.P. Lorena Borjas, a Transgender Latinx Activist Lost to COVID-19

Watch an inspiring video about the beloved New Yorker who operated HIV-testing programs and syringe exchanges for people taking hormones.


from POZ RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/rip-lorena-borjas-transgender-latinx-activist-lost-covid19

Cells must age for muscles to regenerate in muscle-degenerating diseases

Exercise can only improve strength in muscle-degenerating diseases when a specific type of muscle cell ages, report researchers.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200331130039.htm

New quantum technology could help diagnose and treat heart condition

The conductivity of living organs, such as the heart, could be imaged non-invasively using quantum technology, which has the potential to revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of atrial fibrillation.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200331130059.htm

A new mechanism triggering cell death and inflammation: A left turn that kills

Researchers describe their discovery of a new mechanism that could contribute to the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases. The scientists found that ZBP1, a protein best known for defending against incoming viruses, is activated by sensing an unusual form of cellular genetic material (Z-nucleic acids), leading to cell death and inflammation.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200331130051.htm

Solving a medical mystery and changing CDC screenings for COVID-19

UC Davis Health physicians and medical staff detail the diagnosis and treatment for first known case of community transmission of COVID-19 in the US. The case reveals how the patient's symptoms matched -- and sometimes varied from -- published studies of COVID-19 infection at the time.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200331130045.htm

Caring for seniors during COVID-19 pandemic

Scientists lay out guidelines and best practices for healthcare providers and family caregivers who are providing care for older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200331130117.htm

International Transgender Day of Visibility 2020

Jevon Martin, CEO of Princess Janae Place, addresses the challenges facing trans people—including COVID-19.


from POZ RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/international-transgender-day-visibility-2020

Fracking chemical may interfere with male sex hormone receptor

A chemical used in hydraulic fracturing, commonly called fracking, has the potential to interfere with reproductive hormones in men, according to new research.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200331093302.htm

Consuming extra calories can help exercising women avoid menstrual disorders

Exercising women who struggle to consume enough calories and have menstrual disorders can simply increase their food intake to recover their menstrual cycle, according to a new study.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200331093259.htm

Wearable device lets patients with type 2 diabetes safely use affordable insulin option

Adults with type 2 diabetes requiring insulin therapy can safely achieve good blood sugar control using regular human insulin (RHI) in a wearable, patch-like insulin delivery device called V-Go®.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200331093256.htm

Wastewater test could provide early warning of COVID-19

Researchers are working on a new test to detect SARS-CoV-2 in the wastewater of communities infected with the virus. The wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) approach could provide an effective and rapid way to predict the potential spread of novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) by picking up on biomarkers in feces and urine from disease carriers that enter the sewer system.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200331092713.htm

Monday, March 30, 2020

Blood test detects over 50 types of cancer, some before symptoms appear

In a study involving thousands of participants, a new blood test detected more than 50 types of cancer as well as their location within the body with a high degree of accuracy, according to an international team of researchers.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200330203241.htm

Coronavirus Detected in Some Patients Even After Symptoms Have Stopped

A study of 16 patients suggests that the virus that causes COVID-19 can live inside the body for up to eight days after symptoms end.


from POZ RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/coronavirus-detected-patients-even-symptoms-stopped

How at risk are you of getting a virus on an airplane?

Fair or not, airplanes have a reputation for germs. However, there are ways to minimize the risks. This research is especially used for air travel where there is an increased risk for contagious infection or disease, such as the recent worldwide outbreak of the coronavirus, which causes COVID-19 disease.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200330152126.htm

COVID-19 found in sputum and feces samples after pharyngeal specimens no longer positive

Clinicians found that some patients had positive real-time fluorescence polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results for SARS-CoV-2 in the sputum or feces after the pharyngeal swabs became negative.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200330110348.htm

Study helps to identify medications which are safe to use in treatment of COVID-19

A recent study has found that there is no evidence for or against the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen for patients with COVID-19.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200330152143.htm

Experimental AI tool predicts which COVID-19 patients develop respiratory disease

An artificial intelligence tool accurately predicted which patients newly infected with the COVID-19 virus would go on to develop severe respiratory disease, a new study found.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200330152135.htm

Researchers find way to improve cancer outcomes by examining patients' genes

Genetics researchers say a new approach could benefit all sorts of serious health conditions, and they're urging scientists to quickly pluck 'low hanging fruit' for the benefit of patients.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200330152130.htm

Hopes for pandemic respite this spring may depend upon what happens indoors

How much spring and summer affect the COVID-19 pandemic may depend not only on the effectiveness of social distancing measures, but also on the environment inside our buildings, according to a new review on how respiratory viruses are transmitted.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200330152128.htm

COVID-19 infection prevention and control in long-term care facilities

Scientists have recently released guidance for prevention and management of COVID-19 among elderly in long term care facilities. The article outlines the objective of WHO interim guidance on Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) in Long-Term Care Facilities (LTCF) in the context of COVID-19 which is to prevent COVID-19-virus from entering the facility, spreading within the facility, and spreading to outside the facility.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200327101733.htm

Air pollution linked to dementia and cardiovascular disease

People continuously exposed to air pollution are at increased risk of dementia, especially if they also suffer from cardiovascular diseases, according to a new study. Therefore, patients with cardiovascular diseases who live in polluted environments may require additional support from care providers to prevent dementia, according to the researchers.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200330110342.htm

Extreme, high temperatures may double or triple heart-related deaths

In Kuwait, a country known for hot weather, death certificates reveal that on days when the temperatures reached extremes of an average daily temperature of 109 degrees Fahrenheit, the number of deaths from cardiovascular disease dramatically increased. With unprecedentedly high temperatures, people living in inherently hot regions of the world may be at particularly high risk of heat-related cardiovascular death.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200330093429.htm

New research sheds light on potentially negative effects of cannabis

Coughing fits, anxiety and paranoia are three of the most common adverse reactions to cannabis, according to a recent study.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200330130543.htm

Hidden messages in protein blueprints

Scientists have identified a new control mechanism that enables stem cells to adapt their activity in emergency situations. For this purpose, the stem cells simultaneously modify the blueprints for hundreds of proteins encoded in the gene transcripts. In this way, they control the amount of protein produced and can also control the formation of certain proteinisoforms. If this mechanism is inactivated, stem cells lose their self-renewal potential and can no longer react adequately to danger signals or inflammation.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200330122412.htm

How we perceive close relationships with others determines our willingness to share food

Researchers said a better understanding of the links between attachment and food could potentially help inform efforts to extend help to people during the current coronavirus pandemic -- particularly among people with high attachment avoidance.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200330122407.htm

Lessons from the Spanish flu: Early restrictions lowered disease, mortality rates

A review of published data and analysis on the Spanish flu, found that cities that adopted early and broad isolation and prevention measures had disease and mortality rates that were 30% to 50% lower than other cities.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200330110344.htm

COVID-19 Criminalization: Seven Lessons From the HIV Response

Plus: Any restriction of civil and political rights must meet these five specific criteria.


from POZ RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/covid19-criminalization-seven-lessons-hiv-response

Sunday, March 29, 2020

Some COVID-19 patients still have coronavirus after symptoms disappear

Researchers found that half of the patients they treated for mild COVID-19 infection still had coronavirus for up to eight days after symptoms disappeared.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200327091234.htm

Reusable respirators may be a suitable alternative to disposable respirators

Researchers have found that reusable respirators may be a suitable alternative to disposable N95 respirators currently in high demand.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200326144344.htm

Saturday, March 28, 2020

A new way to study HIV's impact on the brain

Using a newly developed laboratory model of three types of brain cells, scientists reveal how HIV infection -- as well as the drugs that treat it -- can take a toll on the central nervous system.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200327170441.htm

Friday, March 27, 2020

Lipid helps heal the eye's frontline protection

A species of a lipid that naturally helps skin injuries heal appears to also aid repair of common corneal injuries, even when other conditions, like diabetes, make healing difficult, scientists report.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200326080840.htm

UK local authorities not ready for the number of deaths from Covid-19

Even if fatality rates are at the lower end of expectations -- one percent of virus victims -- it is highly likely that death and bereavement services will be overwhelmed.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200327141526.htm

Gene mutation enhances cognitive flexibility in mice

Researchers have discovered in mice what they believe is the first known genetic mutation to improve cognitive flexibility -- the ability to adapt to changing situations.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200327141518.htm

AIDS 2020 Will Be a Virtual Conference

In the face of the COVID-19 crisis, organizers say the health and safety of the HIV community is their highest priority.


from POZ RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/aids-2020-will-virtual-conference

HIV2020 Global Conference Canceled Because of COVID-19

Alternatives for the event, originally slated for July in Mexico City, are being discussed.


from POZ RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/hiv2020-global-conference-canceled-covid19

Standardizing COVID-19 data analysis to aid international research efforts

Researchers have launched a new database to advance the international research efforts studying COVID-19. The publicly-available, free-to-use resource can be used by researchers from around the world to study how different variations of the virus grow, mutate and make proteins.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200327122315.htm

Forgotten tale of phage therapy history revealed

In the current situation when the fear of virus infections in the public is common, it is good to remember that some viruses can be extremely beneficial for humankind, even save lives. Such viruses, phages, infect bacteria. Recent research shed some light on the phage therapy history. It revealed that Brazil was a strong user and developer of phage therapy in 1920-40's.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200327113647.htm

Disasters can affect cervical cancer screening for years

Screening is important for the early detection of cervical cancer, but rates were significantly affected, in some areas for years, following a devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200327104114.htm

Microbiome may hold key to identifying HPV-infected women at risk for pre-cancer

Gardnerella bacteria in the cervicovaginal microbiome may serve as a biomarker to identify women infected with human papillomavirus (HPV) who are at risk for progression to precancer, according to a new study.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200326144408.htm

How to boost immune response to vaccines in older people

Identifying interventions that improve vaccine efficacy in older persons is vital to deliver healthy aging for an aging population. Immunologists have identified a route for counteracting the age-related loss of two key immune cell types by using genital wart cream to boost immune response to vaccination in aged mice. After this validation in mice, the findings offer an attractive intervention to tailor the make-up of vaccines for older people.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200327113752.htm

COVID-19 linked to cardiac injury, worse outcomes for patients with heart conditions

COVID-19 can have fatal consequences for people with underlying cardiovascular disease and cause cardiac injury even in patients without underlying heart conditions, according to a new review.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200327113743.htm

Legal marijuana products too strong for pain relief

More than 90% of the legal marijuana products offered in medical dispensaries are much stronger than what clinical studies have shown that doctors recommend for chronic pain relief, according to a new study.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200326144354.htm

Scientists create model to measure how cells sense their surroundings

Our body's ability to detect disease, foreign material, and the location of food sources and toxins is all determined by a cocktail of chemicals that surround our cells, as well as our cells' ability to 'read' these chemicals. Cells are highly sensitive. In fact, our immune system can be triggered by the presence of just one foreign molecule or ion. Yet researchers don't know how cells achieve this level of sensitivity.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200326144348.htm

How robots can help combat COVID-19

Can robots be effective tools in combating the COVID-19 pandemic? A group of leaders in the field of robotics say yes, and outline a number of examples. They say robots can be used for clinical care such as telemedicine and decontamination; logistics such as delivery and handling of contaminated waste; and reconnaissance such as monitoring compliance with voluntary quarantines.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200325143812.htm

Cellular train track deformities shed light on neurological disease

A new technique allows researchers to test how the deformation of tiny train track-like cell proteins affects their function. The findings could help clarify the roles of deformed 'microtubules' in traumatic brain injuries and in neurological diseases like Parkinson's.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200327101731.htm

Completely new antibiotic resistance gene has spread unnoticed to several pathogens

Aminoglycoside antibiotics are critically important for treating several types of infections with multi-resistant bacteria. A completely new resistance gene, which is likely to counteract the newest aminoglycoside-drug plazomycin, was recently discovered.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200327091232.htm

Longer lives not dependent on increased energy use

Growing consumption of energy and fossil fuels over four decades did not play a significant role in increasing life expectancy across 70 countries. New research has quantified the importance of different development factors to improvements in physical health on an international scale.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200326193906.htm

Testing for COVID-19 With Machines Usually Used for HIV and Hepatitis

A Canadian hospital lab adapts two Roche diagnostic systems, allowing for over 2,000 COVID-19 tests a day. How many are in the U.S.?


from POZ RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/testing-covid19-machines-usually-used-hiv-hepatitis

Thursday, March 26, 2020

Mechanisms to prevent Crohn's disease unveiled

In a series of four studies published today, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) researchers describe the identification of predictive tools and a new understanding of environmental factors that trigger IBD.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200326144445.htm

Brain mapping study suggests motor regions for the hand also connect to the entire body

Investigators report that they have used microelectrode arrays implanted in human brains to map out motor functions down to the level of the single nerve cell. The study revealed that an area believed to control only one body part actually operates across a wide range of motor functions. It also demonstrated how different neurons coordinate with each other.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200326144409.htm

The genetic quest to understand COVID-19

The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 is now likely to become the fifth endemic coronavirus in humans. Scientists are working to decipher its genome to help us stop other coronaviruses entering the human population.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200326144357.htm

Missing link in coronavirus jump from bats to humans could be pangolins, not snakes

As scientists scramble to learn more about the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, two recent studies of the virus' genome reached controversial conclusions: namely, that snakes are intermediate hosts of the new virus, and that a key coronavirus protein shares 'uncanny similarities' with an HIV-1 protein. Now, a study refutes both ideas and suggests that scaly, anteater-like animals called pangolins are the missing link for SARS-CoV-2 transmission between bats and humans.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200326144342.htm

Worldwide scientific collaboration unveils genetic architecture of gray matter

For the first time, more 360 scientists from 184 different institutions have contributed to a global effort to find more than 200 regions of the genome and more than 300 specific genetic variations that affect the structure of the cerebral cortex and likely play important roles in psychiatric and neurological conditions.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200326160801.htm

How to identify factors affecting COVID-19 transmission

Professors describe potential transmission pathways of COVID-19 and their implications.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200326160759.htm

In politics and pandemics, trolls use fear, anger to drive clicks

A new CU Boulder study shows that Facebook ads developed and shared by Russian trolls around the 2016 election were clicked on nine times more than typical social media ads. The authors say the trolls are likely at it again, as the 2020 election approaches and the COVID-19 pandemic wears on.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200326155925.htm

Opioid Overdose Death Rate Finally Falls

However, the overdose death rate resulting from synthetic opioids, especially fentanyl, rose between 2017 and 2018.


from POZ RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/opioid-overdose-death-rate-finally-falls

A possible treatment for COVID-19 and an approach for developing others

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease is more transmissible, but has a lower mortality rate than its sibling, SARS-CoV, according to a new review article.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200326124159.htm

Experiments in mice and human cells shed light on best way to deliver nanoparticle therapy for cancer

Researchers in the cancer nanomedicine community debate whether use of tiny structures, called nanoparticles, can best deliver drug therapy to tumors passively -- allowing the nanoparticles to diffuse into tumors and become held in place, or actively -- adding a targeted anti-cancer molecule to bind to specific cancer cell receptors and, in theory, keep the nanoparticle in the tumor longer. Now, new research on human and mouse tumors in mice suggests the question is even more complicated.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200326080836.htm

Despite failures, chemo still promising against dangerous childhood brain cancer, DIPG

The pediatric brain cancer known as diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is almost uniformly fatal. In part, this is due to where and how it grows, forming as a diffuse net of cells in a part of the brainstem called the pons, which controls essential functions like breathing and swallowing. Another factor that makes DIPG especially dangerous is a lack of treatments - currently, there are no targeted therapies or immunotherapies proven effective to treat the condition, and the many chemotherapy clinical trials seeking to treat DIPG have been uniformly unsuccessful.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200325212207.htm

Regular tub bathing linked to lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease

Regular tub bathing is linked to a lower risk of death from heart disease and stroke, indicates a long term study, published online in the journal Heart.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200324202027.htm

Weedy rice is unintended legacy of Green Revolution

Weedy rice is a feral form of rice that infests paddies worldwide and aggressively outcompetes cultivated varieties. A new study led by biologists at Washington University in St. Louis shows that weed populations have evolved multiple times from cultivated rice, and a strikingly high proportion of contemporary Asian weed strains can be traced to a few Green Revolution cultivars that were widely grown in the late 20th century.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200325212152.htm

Engineers find ankle exoskeleton aids running

Researchers find that a motorized device that attaches around the ankle and foot can drastically reduce the energy cost of running.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200325154058.htm

Ultrasound solves an important clinical problem in diagnosing arrhythmia

Researchers have used an ultrasound technique they pioneered a decade ago -- electromechanical wave imaging (EWI) -- to accurately localize atrial and ventricular cardiac arrhythmias in adult patients in a double-blinded clinical study. They evaluated the accuracy of EWI for localization of various arrhythmias in all four chambers of the heart prior to catheter ablation: the results showed that EWI correctly predicted 96% of arrhythmia locations as compared with 71% for 12-lead ECGs.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200325143828.htm

Computational human cell reveals new insight on genetic information processing

Researchers have developed the first computational model of a human cell and simulated its behavior for 15 minutes -- the longest time achieved for a biological system of this complexity. In a new study, simulations reveal the effects of spatial organization within cells on some of the genetic processes that control the regulation and development of human traits and some human diseases.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200325143817.htm

Solving a 50-year-old puzzle in signal processing

The same engineers, who announced the solution to a 50-year-old puzzle in signal processing last fall, have followed up with more research results. The engineers say their new algorithm is more useful and just as fast as the one previously used.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200325161123.htm

An aspirin a day does not keep dementia at bay

Taking a low-dose aspirin once a day does not reduce the risk of thinking and memory problems caused by mild cognitive impairment or probable Alzheimer's disease, nor does it slow the rate of cognitive decline, according to a large study.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200325161120.htm

Class of compounds capable of killing candida auris identified

Researchers have discovered that rocaglate compounds are capable of killing Candida auris. The study offers hope of finding a treatment for this troubling, emerging pathogen.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200325154054.htm

Supply of Our HIV and Hepatitis Meds Is Secure, Says Gilead

The assurance arrives as the pharma giant cuts off most emergency access to remdesivir, a potential COVID-19 treatment.


from POZ RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/supply-hiv-hepatitis-meds-secure-says-gilead

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Patients at risk of drug-induced sudden cardiac death in COVID-19

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, continues to spread, leading to more than 20,000 deaths worldwide in less than four months. Efforts are progressing to develop a COVID-19 vaccine, but it's still likely 12 to 18 months away.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200325212209.htm

A critical enzyme for sperm formation could be a target for treating male infertility

Researchers have identified an enzyme essential for the process of male meiosis, the type of cell division that produces sperm. The protein, SKP1, controls one of the key transitions in meiosis. Understanding its role may help scientists develop new approaches to treating male infertility.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200325212205.htm

Modelling study estimates impact of physical distancing measures on progression of COVID-19 epidemic in Wuhan

A new study suggests extending school and workplace closures in Wuhan until April, rather than March, would likely delay a second wave of cases until later in the year, relieving pressure on health services.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200325212154.htm

Yes, Young Adults Can Have Severe COVID-19

Although people over 60 are at greatest risk, younger people can develop serious complications from the new coronavirus too.


from POZ RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/yes-young-adults-can-severe-covid19

Too much salt weakens the immune system

A high-salt diet is not only bad for one's blood pressure, but also for the immune system. Mice fed a high-salt diet were found to suffer from much more severe bacterial infections. Human volunteers who consumed additional six grams of salt per day also showed pronounced immune deficiencies. This amount corresponds to the salt content of two fast food meals.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200325143815.htm

Heat takes its toll on mental health

Hot days increase the probability that an average adult in the US will report bad mental health, according to a new study.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200325143802.htm

Mother/infant skin-to-skin touch boosts baby's brain development and function

As the world prioritizes social distancing due to COVID-19, research shows that extended use of Kangaroo Care, a skin-to-skin, chest-to-chest method of caring for a baby, can positively benefit full-term infants and their mothers, with important implications for post-partum depression. The study provides evidence that the physiology of mothers and their full-term infants is influenced by Kangaroo care: it increases oxytocin levels in mothers, and during infancy, can favorably influence both neurodevelopmental trajectories and infant neurobiological functioning.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200325110913.htm

Teeth serve as 'archive of life,' new research finds

Teeth constitute a permanent and faithful biological archive of the entirety of the individual's life, from tooth formation to death, a team of researchers has found. Its work provides new evidence of the impact that events, such as reproduction and imprisonment, have on an organism.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200325110912.htm

COVID-19: Low risk of coronavirus spreading through tears

A new study found no virus in tears of COVID-19 infected patients.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200325143826.htm

Analysis predicts purified fish oil could prevent thousands of cardiovascular events

Researchers have conducted a statistical analysis that predicts more than 70,000 heart attacks, strokes and other adverse cardiovascular events could be prevented each year in the U.S. through the use of a highly purified fish oil therapy.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200325131536.htm

Diet, nutrition have profound effects on gut microbiome

A new literature review suggests that nutrition and diet have a profound impact on the microbial composition of the gut.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200325131539.htm

COVID-19: Stopgap measure to treat respiratory distress

Researchers propose a stopgap measure to help Covid-19 patients in acute respiratory distress: a drug called tissue plasminogen activator, which dissolves blood clots.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200325120845.htm

New mathematical model can more effectively track epidemics

As COVID-19 spreads worldwide, leaders are relying on mathematical models to make public health and economic decisions. A new model improves tracking of epidemics by accounting for mutations in diseases. Now, the researchers are working to apply their model to allow leaders to evaluate the effects of countermeasures to epidemics before they deploy them.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200325110855.htm

How trans fats assist cell death

Researchers have uncovered a molecular link between some trans fats and a variety of disorders, including cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Their findings implicate their role in enhancing a mitochondrial signalling pathway that leads to programmed cell death.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200325110844.htm

Study shows how diligent we have to be to keep surfaces germ-free

A recent study suggests that even organized efforts to clean surfaces can fall short, a reminder for us all that keeping our surroundings clean may require some additional work.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200325120849.htm

Ultrafast repeated staining and destaining of cell samples for tumor diagnostics

In the treatment of tumors, microenvironment plays an important role. It often contains immune cells that are so changed that they promote tumor growth. Scientists have introduced a method by which cell samples from tumors and their surroundings can rapidly (under 1 hour) be cycled through staining, destaining, and then restaining with fluorescent antibodies -- through attachment of a ''black hole quencher'' (fluorescence quencher) by means of ''click chemistry''.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200325120853.htm

R.I.P. Terrence McNally, Who Penned AIDS Play “Love! Valour! Compassion!”

The celebrated and prolific playwright, 81, died of complications related to the novel coronavirus.


from POZ RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/rip-terrence-mcnally-penned-aids-play-love-valour-compassion

Tuesday, March 24, 2020

New device quickly detects harmful bacteria in blood

Engineers have created a tiny device that can rapidly detect harmful bacteria in blood, allowing health care professionals to pinpoint the cause of potentially deadly infections and fight them with drugs.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200323085214.htm

How bacteria form communities on the human tongue

Using a recently developed fluorescent imaging technique, researchers in the United States have developed high-resolution maps of microbial communities on the human tongue. The images reveal that microbial biofilms on the surface of the tongue have a complex, highly structured spatial organization.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200324202035.htm

Higher daily step count linked with lower all-cause mortality

In a new study, higher daily step counts were associated with lower mortality risk from all causes.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200324202033.htm

Past your bedtime? Inconsistency may increase risk to cardiovascular health

Researchers found that individuals going to bed even 30 minutes later than their usual bedtime presented a significantly higher resting heart rate that lasted into the following day.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200324131818.htm

Brain or muscles, what do we lose first?

From the age of 50, there is a decline not just in physical activity but also in cognitive abilities since the two are correlated. But which of them influences the other? Researchers used a database of over 100,000 people aged 50-90 whose physical and cognitive abilities were measured every two years for 12 years. The findings show that cognitive abilities ward off inactivity much more than physical activity prevents the decline in cognitive abilities.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200324113419.htm

Scientists reveal how proteins team up to repair DNA

Scientists have revealed an important mechanism in the repair of DNA double-strand breaks, according to new research.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200324113416.htm

Cannabis helps fight resistant bacteria

Bacteria are increasingly becoming resistant to antibiotics. By combining antibiotics with the cannabis compound, cannabidiol, researchers have found a way to enhance the antibiotic effect.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200324131833.htm

Scientists investigate why females live longer than males

An international team of scientists found that, like humans, female wild animals tend to live longer than males.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200324131821.htm

Research breakthrough: Humans are not the first to repurpose CRISPR

We humans are far from the first to exploit the benefits of CRISPR. Groundbreaking research has helped to redefine what CRISPR is. Researchers have discovered that primitive bacterial parasites weaponize CRISPR to engage in battle against one another. This discovery opens up the possibility to reprogram CRISPR to combat multi-drug resistant bacteria.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200324131820.htm

COVID-19 Advice for People With HIV From the Experts Who Know

Interim guidance from HIVMA and AIDSinfo covers lab visits, opioid treatment programs, pregnant women and more.


from POZ RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/covid19-advice-people-hiv-experts-know

Engineers model mutations causing drug resistance

Whether it is a drug-resistant strain of bacteria, or cancer cells that no longer react to the drugs intended to kill them, diverse mutations make cells resistant to chemicals, and 'second generation' approaches are needed. Now, a team of engineers may have a way to predict which mutations will occur in people, creating an easier path to create effective pharmaceuticals.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200324131837.htm

Singapore modelling study estimates impact of physical distancing on reducing spread of COVID-19

A new modelling study conducted in a simulated Singapore setting has estimated that a combined approach of physical distancing interventions, comprising quarantine (for infected individuals and their families), school closure, and workplace distancing, is most effective at reducing the number of SARS-CoV-2 cases compared with other intervention scenarios included in the study.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200324131843.htm

Antibiotic intercepts building blocks of the bacterial envelope

One of the last arrows in the quiver in the fight against dangerous bacteria is the reserve antibiotic daptomycin. It is used primarily when conventional drugs fail due to resistant bacteria. Although the antibiotic was developed around 30 years ago, its exact mode of action was previously unclear. Scientists have now deciphered the puzzle: Daptomycin blocks the integration of important building blocks into the cell wall of the pathogens.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200320132247.htm

Removing belly fat before it sticks to you

Researchers are producing in the lab a human protein tasked with removing triglycerides from the blood stream. Unlocking the secrets of human protein APOA 5 gives us a leg up in treating heart disease.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200319194146.htm

Sensing internal organ temperature with shining lights

A cheap, biocompatible white powder that luminesces when heated could be used for non-invasively monitoring the temperature of specific organs within the body. Scientists have now conducted preliminary tests to demonstrate the applicability of this concept.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200324131924.htm

Development of a solid material capable of slowly releasing H2S and NO

Scientists have developed a solid material capable of slowly releasing hydrogen sulfide and nitric oxide when exposed to air. These gases can induce physiologically favorable effects at low concentrations (e.g., reducing inflammation and expanding blood vessels). However, their medical use has been limited due to difficulties in storing them and regulating their concentration. This material can release these gases safely and conveniently and will facilitate their medical use.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200324131901.htm

Teaching old transition metals new tricks: Chemists activate palladium catalysis by light

In the production of compounds, chemists have the goal of finding strategies that are most selective and avoid waste products. This helps to drive industrial innovation and drug development. In this context, a team of researchers has developed a new approach to so-called allyl functionalization.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200324131857.htm

Commonly used mouthwash could make saliva significantly more acidic, change microbes

The first study looking at the effect of chlorhexidine mouthwash on the entire oral microbiome has found its use significantly increases the abundance of lactate-producing bacteria that lower saliva pH, and may increase the risk of tooth damage. "In the face of the recent COVID-19 outbreak many dentists are now using chlorhexidine as a pre-rinse before doing dental procedures. We urgently need more information on how it works on viruses," said one of the researchers.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200324131851.htm

COVID-19 survey of New York CIty residents

Nearly three in ten New York City residents (29%) report that either they or someone in their household has lost their job as a result of coronavirus over the last two weeks. In addition, 80% of NYC residents said they experienced reduced ability to get the food they need, and two-thirds (66%) reported a loss of social connection in the past week, suggesting that compelled isolation is taking a toll on residents.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200324102718.htm

How well do you know the back of your hand, really?

Many of us are spending a lot of time looking at our hands lately and we think we know them pretty well. But research shows the way our brains perceive our hands is inaccurate.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200324102716.htm

Immunotherapy using 'young cells' offers promising option against cancer

A new study suggests that the age of certain immune cells used in immunotherapy plays a role in how effective it is. These cells -- natural killer (NK) cells -- appear to be more effective the earlier they are in development, opening the door to the possibility of an immunotherapy that would not utilize cells from the patient or a matched donor. Instead, they could be developed from existing supplies of what are called human pluripotent stem cells.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200323112056.htm

To sleep deeply: The brainstem neurons that regulate non-REM sleep

Researchers identified neurons that promote non-REM sleep in the brainstem in mice. These neurons commonly expressed the gene that encodes the neuropeptide neurotensin. Activation of these neurons induced non-REM sleep. Moreover, direct administration of neurotensin into the ventricle induced NREM sleep-like brain activity. These findings contribute to our understanding of sleep promotion and sleep disorders, and could tell us more about the evolution of sleep architecture in mammals.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200323104153.htm

Tighten up law on keeping dangerous snakes as pets, demand animal welfare experts

The law on keeping dangerous snakes as pets should be tightened up, animal welfare experts demand.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200319194135.htm

Coronavirus massive simulations completed on Frontera supercomputer

A coronavirus envelope all-atom computer model is being developed. The coronavirus model builds on success of all-atom infuenza virus simulations. Molecular dynamics simulations for the coronavirus model tests ran on up to 4,000 nodes, or about 250,000 of Frontera's processing cores. Full model can help researchers design new drugs, vaccines to combat the coronavirus.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200324102720.htm

Anxious about COVID-19? Stress can have lasting impacts on sperm and future offspring

Prolonged fear and anxiety brought on by major stressors, like the coronavirus pandemic, can not only take a toll on a person's mental health, but may also have a lasting impact on a man's sperm composition that could affect his future offspring.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200323132410.htm

Social policies might not only improve economic well-being, but also health

A comprehensive review of US social policies evaluated for their health outcomes found suggestive evidence that early life, income, and health insurance interventions have the potential to improve health. Scientists have long known that 'social' risk factors, like poverty, are correlated with health. However, until this study, there was little research carried out to understand whether it was actually possible to improve population health by addressing these risk factors with social policies.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200319125148.htm

'Feeling obligated' can impact relationships during social distancing

In a time where many are practicing 'social distancing' from the outside world, people are relying on their immediate social circles more than usual. Does a sense of obligation -- from checking on parents to running an errand for an elderly neighbor -- benefit or harm a relationship? A study found the sweet spot between keeping people together and dooming a relationship.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200319125132.htm

Monday, March 23, 2020

Stroke: When the system fails for the second time

After a stroke, there is an increased risk of suffering a second one. If areas in the left hemisphere were affected during the first attack, language is often impaired. In order to maintain this capability, the brain usually briefly drives up the counterparts on the right side. But what happens after a second attack? Medical researchers have now found an answer by using virtual lesions.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200323135251.htm

Concrete solutions that lower both emissions and air pollution

Some common strategies to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of concrete production could have unintended consequences for local air pollution and related health damages, according to a new study.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200323132416.htm

How skin cells prepare to heal wounds

Researchers have published the first comprehensive overview of the major changes that occur in mammalian skin cells as they prepare to heal wounds. Results from the study provide a blueprint for future investigation into pathological conditions associated with poor wound healing, such as in diabetic patients.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200319161530.htm

Melanoma is killing fewest Americans in decades

Advances in treatment have led to the largest yearly declines in deaths due to melanoma ever recorded for this skin cancer, results of a new study suggest.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200319161525.htm

Portable AI device turns coughing sounds into health data for flu and pandemic forecasting

Researchers have invented a portable surveillance device powered by machine learning - called FluSense - which can detect coughing and crowd size in real time, then analyze the data to directly monitor flu-like illnesses and influenza trends.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200319125126.htm

Blood platelets trigger events that cause organ damage after heart surgery

Damage to kidneys and other organs after heart surgery is not so much triggered by the surgical repair of the heart itself but rather by the massive inflammatory response, which arises from multiple factors: the machinery used to keep blood and oxygen flowing, changes of blood flow during the surgery, and tissue responses to the surgical trauma.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200318143741.htm

Patients with exercise-related hyponatremia advised to 'drink to thirst'

Hyponatremia is a condition of low sodium concentration in the blood. Prolonged overhydration during exercise is the primary cause of all forms of exercise-associated hyponatremia (EAH) and should be avoided. Updated clinical practice guidelines stress that individuals engaged in physical and endurance activities should drink to satisfy their thirst (known as ''drink to thirst'') to avoid overhydration.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200318143737.htm

New technology helps in hunt for new cancer drug combinations

A revolutionary new technology has been applied to reveal the inner workings of individual cancer cells - potentially identifying more effective treatment combinations for people with cancer.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200319103221.htm

Synergy emergence in deep reinforcement motor learning

Human motor control has always been efficient at executing complex movements naturally, efficiently, and without much thought involved. This is because of the existence of motor synergy in the central nervous system (CNS). Motor synergy allows the CNS to use a smaller set of variables to control a large group of muscles; thereby simplifying the control over coordinated and complex movements.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200319103217.htm

Common therapeutic vulnerability for a genetically diverse and deadly leukemia

Scientists have devised a novel drug combination that could treat a particularly deadly form of leukemia, known as blast crisis (BC) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). The team has also developed strategies that may identify patients with early stage or chronic phase (CP) CML who are at increased risk of developing BC, and potentially preventing disease progression.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200318143650.htm

Stem cells and nerves interact in tissue regeneration and cancer progression

Researchers show that different stem cell populations are innervated in distinct ways. Innervation may therefore be crucial for proper tissue regeneration. They also demonstrate that cancer stem cells likewise establish contacts with nerves. Targeting tumor innervation could thus lead to new cancer therapies.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200323125619.htm

Alzheimer's disease: Inflammation triggers fatal cycle

An immune reaction in the brain seems to play a major role in the development of Alzheimer's disease. In a way, it ''adds fuel to the fire'' and apparently causes an inflammation that, in a sense, keeps kindling itself.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200318143648.htm

Graphite nanoplatelets on medical devices kill bacteria and prevent infections

Graphite nanoplatelets integrated into plastic medical surfaces can prevent infections, killing 99.99 per cent of bacteria which try to attach -- a cheap and viable potential solution to a problem which affects millions, costs huge amounts of time and money, and accelerates antibiotic resistance.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200323104801.htm

New brain disorder discovery

A study has uncovered a new neurodegenerative disorder in which children experience developmental regression and severe epilepsy.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200320101636.htm

AI may help predict responses to non-small cell lung cancer systemic therapies

Using standard-of-care computed tomography (CT) scans in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), researchers utilized artificial intelligence (AI) to train algorithms to predict tumor sensitivity to three systemic cancer therapies.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200320101621.htm

How 'pioneer' protein turns stem cells into organs

Early on in each cell, a critical protein known as FoxA2 simultaneously binds to both the chromosomal proteins and the DNA, opening the flood gates for gene activation, according to a new study. The discovery helps untangle mysteries of how embryonic stem cells develop into organs.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200318143633.htm

New 3D printing method could transform recycling material behind medical isotope

For the first time in the US, scientists have used 3D printing to scale up the recycling of the precursors of an important medical isotope.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200318143626.htm

ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers may increase the risk of severe COVID-19

Medical researchers have proposed a possible explanation for the severe lung complications being seen in some people diagnosed with COVID-19.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200323101354.htm

Alzheimer risk genes converge on microglia

Our DNA determines a large part of our risk for Alzheimer's disease, but it remained unclear how many genetic risk factors contribute to disease. A team now shows that many of risk factors affect brain maintenance cells called microglia, and more particularly their response to amyloid-beta, one of the proteins aggregating in the brains of Alzheimer patients.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200318104501.htm

Loss of protein disturbs intestinal homeostasis and can drive cancer

An international team of researchers has identified a novel function for the cell death regulating protein MCL1: It is essential in protecting the intestine against cancer development -- independent of bacterial-driven inflammation. These findings have implications for the use of MCL1 inhibitors, currently being tested for cancer treatment.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200318104435.htm

COVID-19 Concerns: How Will the Health Department Protect Those With HIV?

U.S. senators send letter urging the Trump administration to ensure equal access to care for all.


from POZ RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/covid19-concerns-will-health-department-protect-hiv

Sunday, March 22, 2020

Control mechanism of force-induced cell-to-cell adhesion

Scientists have demonstrated that physical forces, enhance cell-to-cell attachment and increase the stiffness of embryonic tissues as a result of force induced cell shape change. They have also elucidated a part of the signaling pathway underlying the phenomenon. This work reveals how physical forces build-up the structurally robust and stable embryonic tissue architectures during development.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200318104409.htm

High levels of iron in the lung linked to increased asthma severity

Iron build-up in the lung cells and tissues is associated with worse asthma symptoms and lower lung function, according to new research. The researchers say that the study, which includes data from asthma patient samples and mouse models, is the first to definitively show a relationship between iron build-up in the lung cells and tissues and the severity of asthma.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200317215628.htm

Vitamin D boosts chances of walking after hip fracture

Senior citizens who are not vitamin D deficient have a better chance of walking after hip fracture surgery. The findings suggest that vitamin D deficiency could limit mobility in older adults, according to one of the researchers.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200317175446.htm

Saturday, March 21, 2020

New brain reading technology could help the development of brainwave-controlled devices

A new method to accurately record brain activity at scale has been developed. The technique could lead to new medical devices to help amputees, people with paralysis or people with neurological conditions such as motor neuron disease.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200320192743.htm

Device could 'hear' disease through structures housing cells

Researchers have built a device that uses sound waves to detect the stiffness of an extracellular matrix, a structural network that contains cells. Changes in the stiffness of this structure can indicate the spread of disease.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200320132229.htm

Coronavirus SARS-CoV2: BESSY II data accelerate drug development

A coronavirus is threatening human health. SARS-CoV-2 is highly infectious and can cause severe pneumonia (COVID-19). A team has now found a promising approach to understanding the virus. Using the high-intensity X-ray light from the Berlin synchrotron source BESSY II, they have decoded the 3D architecture of the main protease of SARS-CoV-2. This protein plays a central role in the reproduction of the virus.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200320101631.htm

Friday, March 20, 2020

Study reveals how long COVID-19 remains infectious on cardboard, metal and plastic

The virus that causes COVID-19 remains for several hours to days on surfaces and in aerosols, a new scientific study has found. The study suggests that people may acquire the coronavirus through the air and after touching contaminated objects.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200320192755.htm

How and where to allocate stockpiled ventilators during a pandemic

Key factors must be taken into account in determining the need for and allocation of scarce ventilators during a severe pandemic, especially one causing respiratory illness.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200320192729.htm

Global human genomes reveal rich genetic diversity shaped by complex evolutionary history

A new study has provided the most comprehensive analysis of human genetic diversity to date, after the sequencing of 929 human genomes. The study uncovers a large amount of previously undescribed genetic variation and provides new insights into our evolutionary past, highlighting the complexity of the process through which our ancestors diversified, migrated and mixed throughout the world.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200319141026.htm

National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day 2020

The 2020 theme is “Resiliency + Action: Ending the HIV Epidemic in Native Communities.”


from POZ RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/national-native-hivaids-awareness-day-2020

Thursday, March 19, 2020

Coronavirus-Driven Restrictions Could Fuel the Opioid Epidemic

Experts are calling for greater flexibility in clinicians’ ability to deliver treatments for opioid use disorder.


from POZ RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/coronavirusdriven-restrictions-fuel-opioid-epidemic

The Math That Got America to Tackle COVID-19 With Extreme Measures

Without swift unprecedented action, more than 2 million Americans could die.


from POZ RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/math-coronavirus-extreme-measures

Researchers find brain cell that triggers tremor and how to control it

Researchers have improved our understanding of how tremor -- the most common movement disorder -- happens, opening the possibility of novel therapies for this condition.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200319144649.htm

A State-by-State Guide to the Novel Coronavirus

U.S. state health departments are providing information about COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.


from POZ RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/statebystate-guide-novel-coronavirus

High-speed microscope captures fleeting brain signals

Neuroscientists can now capture millisecond electrical changes in neurons in the cortex of an alert mouse, allowing tracing of neural signals, including subthreshold events, in the brain. The new technique combines all-optical scanning with two-photon fluorescence imaging to produce a 2D rasterized picture every 1,000-3,000 milliseconds. That and another technique that allows 3D imaging of large areas of the mouse cortex to a depth of 650 microns will aid study of neural circuits.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200319161523.htm

Step it up: Higher daily step counts linked with lower blood pressure

The smart watches seen on the wrists of roughly 1 in 5 Americans could be more than just a fun gimmick but a potentially useful research tool to track habitual physical activity levels. People who took more steps daily, as tracked by their watch, had lower blood pressure on average than those taking fewer steps.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200319090238.htm

Music as medicine? 30 minutes a day shows benefits after heart attack

Listening to music can be enjoyable, but is it also good for your heart? Patients who suffered episodes of chest pain soon after a heart attack, known as early post-infarction angina, had significantly lower levels of anxiety and pain if they listened to music for 30 minutes a day, according to a new study.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200318104453.htm

Getting too little -- or too much -- sleep may be bad for the heart

Compared with people who slept for longer or shorter periods of time, those who reported sleeping seven or eight hours a night had significantly less evidence of stiffness in their arteries, indicating a lower chance of developing heart disease or suffering a stroke, according to new research.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200318104451.htm

To reap heart benefits of a plant-based diet, avoid junk food

A new study suggests that people following a plant-based diet who frequently consumed less-healthful foods like sweets, refined grains and juice showed no heart health benefit compared with those who did not eat a plant-based diet.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200318104449.htm

Renowned AIDS Doctor Tests Positive for COVID-19

Michael Saag, MD, opened an HIV clinic in Alabama in 1988. Listen to a recent podcast with the infectious disease specialist.


from POZ RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/renowned-aids-doctor-tests-positive-covid19

Coronavirus testing kits to be developed using RNA imaging technology

Researchers will use a pioneering imaging technology -- called Mango, for its bright color -- to develop coronavirus testing kits.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200319144647.htm

Parental diet affects sperm and health of future offspring

When parents eat low-protein or high-fat diets it can lead to metabolic disorders in their adult offspring. Now, an international team has identified a key player and the molecular events underlying this phenomenon in mice.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200319125232.htm

Public health leadership paramount to emerging coronavirus pandemic

In the 1960s, public health officials led the US and worldwide efforts that resulted in smallpox becoming the first human disease ever eradicated from the face of the earth. Researchers say appropriate concerns and not fear should play a major role in the emerging coronavirus pandemic, and public health efforts should focus on public health issues, not political or economic considerations.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200319125142.htm

Populations most at risk of opiate addiction

Researchers found that white males ages 30 to 39 were most at risk of fatal overdoses in Ohio. The study also identified 12 clusters in the state where overdose rates were highest.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200319125140.htm

Understanding how COVID-19 affects children vital to slowing pandemic, doctors say

Though COVID-19 so far appears to be largely sparing children, researchers are cautioning that it is critical to understand how the virus affects kids to model the pandemic accurately, limit the disease's spread and ensure the youngest patients get the care they need.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200319125201.htm

Could disease pathogens be the dark matter behind Alzheimer's disease?

Researchers discuss the idea that bacteria, viruses or other infectious pathogens may play a role in Alzheimer's disease.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200318143802.htm

Bacteria cause problems for genetic research

A puzzling modification of DNA that is typical in bacteria does not occur in humans or other mammals. This has been shown in a new study. The study shows that findings from the epigenetic marker 6mdA in animals are probably the result of limitations in technology and bacterial contamination of samples.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200318143718.htm

How to manage cancer care during COVID-19 pandemic

Experts share lessons learned from early experiences treating people with cancer during COVID-19 outbreak.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200318143632.htm

New COVID-19 info for gastroenterologists and patients

An article outlines key information gastroenterologists and patients with chronic digestive conditions need to know about COVID-19, or coronavirus.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200319090246.htm

'Sushi parasites' have increased 283-fold in past 40 years

A new study finds dramatic increases in the abundance of a worm that can be transmitted to humans who eat raw or undercooked seafood. Its 283-fold increase in abundance since the 1970s could have implications for the health of humans and marine mammals, which both can inadvertently eat the worm.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200319090232.htm

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Using 'organs-on-a-chip' to model complicated diseases

Biological engineers have created a multitissue model that lets them study the relationships between different organs and the immune system on a microfluidic chip seeded with human cells. With this 'organs-on-a-chip' model, they could explore the role of immune cells in ulcerative colitis and other inflammatory diseases.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200318143758.htm

Ball-and-chain inactivation of ion channels visualized by cryo-electron microscopy

Ion channels, which allow potassium and sodium ions to flow in and out of cells, are crucial in neuronal 'firing' in the central nervous system and for brain and heart function. These channels use a ''ball-and-chain'' mechanism to help regulate their ion flow, according to a new study.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200318143739.htm

New technique 'prints' cells to create diverse biological environments

With the help of photolithography and programmable DNA, researchers have created a new technique that can rapidly 'print' two-dimensional arrays of cells and proteins that mimic a wide variety of cellular environments in the body. This technique could help scientists develop a better understanding of the complex cell-to-cell messaging that dictates a cell's final fate.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200318143655.htm

No, Your Dog Won't Give You the New Coronavirus

Plus: information about caring for your furry friends during the health crisis.


from POZ RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/dog-give-new-coronavirus

A new window into psychosis

A recent study in mice led a team of researchers in Japan to believe that psychosis may be caused by problems with specialized nerve cells deep within the brain, as well as a certain kind of learning behavior. The researchers hope this could provide insight into the emergence of delusions in patients with psychosis or schizophrenia with the aim of finding ways to help them.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200318143708.htm

Maggot analysis goes molecular for forensic cases

Maggots on a dead body or wound can help pinpoint when a person or animal died, or when maltreatment began in elder, child care or animal neglect cases. However, the current process for making this determination is time consuming and resource intensive. It also relies on species assessment by trained entomologists. Now, researchers report the development of a molecular maggot analysis method that's quick, easy and less subjective.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200318143643.htm

'Natural killer' cells could halt Parkinson's progression

Researchers have found that 'natural killer' white blood cells could guard against the cascade of cellular changes that lead to Parkinson's disease and help stop its progression.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200318104503.htm

No Proof That HIV Med Prezista Treats COVID-19, Warns Drugmaker

What’s more, reports that Kaletra can fight the novel coronavirus have not been confirmed.


from POZ RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/proof-hiv-med-prezista-treats-covid19-warns-drugmaker

HIV Prevention PrEP to Be Readily Available in England (Finally)

The country’s National Health Service will pay for the drug as part of its goal to end HIV transmission by 2030.


from POZ RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/hiv-prevention-prep-readily-available-england-finally

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

COVID-19 coronavirus epidemic has a natural origin

An analysis of public genome sequence data from SARS-CoV-2 and related viruses found no evidence that the virus was made in a laboratory or otherwise engineered.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200317175442.htm

Median incubation period for COVID-19

A new study calculates that the median incubation period for COVID-19 is just over 5 days and that 97.5% of people who develop symptoms will do so within 11.5 days of infection.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200317175438.htm

Rethinking mortality and how we plan for old age

Many people dream of comfortably living out their golden years. A new study however shows that older Europeans, and especially women, frequently underestimate how many years they have left, which could lead to costly decisions related to planning for their remaining life course.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200317155846.htm

Physicists propose new filter for blocking high-pitched sounds

Need to reduce high-pitched noises? Science may have an answer. Theoretical physicists report that materials made from tapered chains of spherical beads could help dampen sounds that lie at the upper range of human hearing or just beyond.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200317130727.htm

Two hormones drive anemonefish fathering, aggression

Two brain-signaling molecules control how anemonefish dads care for their young and respond to nest intruders, researchers report in a new study. Because there are many similarities in brain structure between fish and humans, the findings offer insight into the fundamental nature of parental care, the scientists say.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200316141445.htm

New kind of CRISPR technology to target RNA, including RNA viruses like coronavirus

Researchers have developed a new kind of CRISPR screen technology to target RNA. The team leveraged their technology for a critical analysis: The COVID-19 public health emergency is due to a coronavirus, which contains an RNA - not DNA - genome.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200316141514.htm

Engineered Botulinum toxin is more potent and safer in mice

Botulinum toxin (BoNT) is used for a range of applications, but when injected it can diffuse into the surrounding tissue and give rise to adverse effects. A new study shows that a subtle modification of an FDA-approved form of BoNT enhances binding to the nerve cells and improves the drug's potency and safety.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200317155843.htm

COVID-19: The immune system can fight back

Researchers were able to test blood samples at four different time points in an otherwise healthy woman in her 40s, who presented with COVID-19 and had mild-to-moderate symptoms requiring hospital admission.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200317103815.htm

Experts stress radiology preparedness for COVID-19

A new article outlines priorities for handling COVID-19 cases and suggests strategies that radiology departments can implement to contain further infection spread and protect hospital staff and other patients.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200316145328.htm

'Stealth transmission' fuels fast spread of coronavirus outbreak

Undetected cases, many of which were likely not severely symptomatic, were largely responsible for the rapid spread of the COVID-19 outbreak in China, according to new research.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200316141454.htm

New coronavirus stable for hours on surfaces

New research finds that the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is stable for several hours to days in aerosols and on surfaces. Scientists found that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was detectable in aerosols for up to three hours, up to four hours on copper, up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to two to three days on plastic and stainless steel.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200317150116.htm

Bacterial enzyme could become a new target for antibiotics

Scientists discover the structure of an enzyme, found in the human gut, that breaks down a component of collagen.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200317130718.htm

House Panel Debates Bills to Boost Docs’ Capacity to Combat Addiction

One bill would create 1,000 new residency positions for physicians going into addiction treatment medicine.


from POZ RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/house-panel-debates-bills-boost-docs-capacity-combat-addiction

Tips for Stocking an Emergency Supply of Your Meds

During the COVID-19 crisis, some insurers are relaxing their refill rules and allowing 90-day supplies of meds to be prescribed.


from POZ RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/tips-stocking-emergency-supply-meds

Monday, March 16, 2020

Coronavirus Vaccine Trial Now Underway in Seattle

The trial will enroll healthy volunteers to test the vaccine's safety and ability to trigger an immune response.


from POZ RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/coronavirus-vaccine-trial

Caught in a spin: Spiral vortex streamlines delivery of nanomaterials into cells

Researchers have developed a rapid and efficient device that uses the power of a tiny fluid vortex to deform the cell membranes, allowing delivery of nanomaterials into cells.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200311100838.htm

Researchers stop blood vessel, tumor growth in mice

Scientists have devised a new strategy to stop tumors from developing the new blood vessels they need to grow. Once thought to be extremely promising for the treatment of cancer, blocking molecules that stimulate new blood vessel growth (angiogenesis) has proven ineffective because tumor cells respond by producing more stimulatory molecules.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200311090806.htm

Brain-doping produced by your own body

Researchers have uncovered the mechanism by which Epo acts in nerve cells.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200313115659.htm

How associative fear memory is formed in the brain

Using a mouse model, researchers demonstrated the formation of fear memory involves the strengthening of neural pathways between two brain areas: the hippocampus, which responds to a particular context and encodes it, and the amygdala, which triggers defensive behavior, including fear responses.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200313112137.htm

Artificial intelligence and family medicine: Better together

Researchers are encouraging family medicine physicians to actively engage in the development and evolution of artificial intelligence to open new horizons that make AI more effective, equitable and pervasive.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200311131028.htm

Coronavirus spreads quickly and sometimes before people have symptoms, study finds

Infectious disease researchers studying the novel coronavirus were able to identify how quickly the virus can spread, a factor that may help public health officials in their efforts at containment. They found that time between cases in a chain of transmission is less than a week and that more than 10 percent of patients are infected by somebody who has the virus but does not yet have symptoms.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200316143313.htm

New Yorkers and Coronavirus -- Support for school closures, while most feel not at risk

A new survey released today found that 60% of New York State residents believe their chances of contracting the novel Coronavirus are low or very low. The survey of 1000 New York households, conducted between March 13-15, 2020 and considered accurate within a range of 3%, also found that more than half (55%) of all respondents live in households with one or more members over age 60, the highest risk age group for Coronavirus infection.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200316141550.htm

3 Reasons COVID-19 Poses a Higher Risk to the LGBTQ Population

And how the novel coronavirus is (or isn’t) altering the lives of health care providers, drag queens and Grindr users


from POZ RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/3-reasons-covid19-poses-higher-risk-lgbtq-population

Not finding new goals post-retirement associated with greater cognitive decline

Certain middle-aged and older adults, especially women who tend to disengage from difficult tasks and goals after they retire, may be at greater risk of cognitive decline as they age, according to new research.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200316090346.htm

Nanostructured rubber-like material with optimal properties could replace human tissue

Researchers have created a new, rubber-like material with a unique set of properties, which could act as a replacement for human tissue in medical procedures. The material has the potential to make a big difference to many people's lives.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200316090334.htm

Parkinson's disease linked to gene targeted by blue-green algae toxin

Scientists have discovered a possible link between Parkinson's disease and a gene impacted by a neurotoxin found in blue-green algae.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200316104018.htm

A more balanced protein intake can reduce age-related muscle loss

Eating more protein at breakfast or lunchtime could help older people maintain muscle mass with advancing age -- but most people eat proteins fairly unevenly throughout the day, new research has found.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200316104012.htm

People fearful of taking part in vital clinical research

A review has found that fear about testing new treatments and possible side effects was the most common reason given by patients for not wanting to participate.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200316104010.htm

Sunday, March 15, 2020

Demographics linked to choice not to vaccinate children in Texas

Texans who are college-educated, live in suburban or urban areas, have higher median incomes and are ethnically white are less likely to vaccinate their children, according to an analysis.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200310141309.htm

Ouch: Patients prescribed opioids after tooth extraction report worse pain

The use of opioids to soothe the pain of a pulled tooth could be drastically reduced or eliminated altogether from dentistry, say researchers.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200313180825.htm

Alzheimer's and an unusual molecular chaperone

A research team elucidates the aggregation mechanism of the Alzheimer protein tau.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200313180829.htm

Saturday, March 14, 2020

How to Practice Harm Reduction in the Age of COVID-19

Novel coronavirus guidance for people who use drugs and for groups that provide syringe services.


from POZ RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/practice-harm-reduction-age-covid19

Gold nanoparticles uncover amyloid fibrils

Scientists have developed powerful tools to unmask the diversity of amyloid fibrils, which are associated with Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. The scientists made the breakthrough by developing gold nanoparticles that combine with cryogenic transmission electron microscopy, to provide rapid and unprecedented images of fibrils.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200312142249.htm

Tomosynthesis outperforms digital mammography in five-year study

A new study has found that the advantages of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) over digital mammography (DM), including increased cancer detection and fewer false positive findings, are maintained over multiple years and rounds of screening. In addition, research showed that DBT screening helped detect a higher proportion of poor prognosis cancers than DM.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200310101544.htm

Modern virtual and augmented reality device can help simulate sight loss

A new study demonstrates how commercially available head mounted displays (HMD) can be used to simulate the day-to-day challenges faced by people with sight loss from glaucoma. The study suggests potential applications of the technology could include helping policymakers better assess the impact of visual impairment on patients, and helping architects to design more accessible buildings.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200310094229.htm

Scientists create tool to detect genes associated with psychiatric, brain diseases

Scientists have created a new computational tool called H-MAGMA to study the genetic underpinnings of nine brain disorders, including the identification of new genes associated with each disorder.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200309165237.htm

Friday, March 13, 2020

Squatting or kneeling may have health benefits

A team of researchers found by tracking the movements and health of the Hadza, a hunter-gatherer community, that they lack the markers for heart disease and metabolic disease that are common in people in industrialized societies. A key factor: the Hadza kneel and squat more than they sit.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200309165235.htm

Protecting DNA origami for anti-cancer drug delivery

Scientists coated octahedral-shaped DNA origami with peptoids that help protect the nanostructures in physiological environments relevant to biomedical applications including anti-cancer drug delivery.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200309152051.htm

Call for older people in poor countries to be considered in global responses to COVID-19

Current guidance on coronavirus 'largely ignores' the implications for public health and clinical responses in light of those most at risk, according to an international group of global health experts.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200313155256.htm

Facebook language changes before an emergency hospital visit

A new study reveals that the language people use on Facebook subtly changes before they make a visit to the emergency department (ED). A team of researchers provides more evidence that social media is often an unseen signal of medical distress and could be used to better understand the contexts in which patients seek care, such as during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200312163828.htm

Potential therapeutic agents, vaccines for COVID-19

Since the first reports of a new coronavirus disease in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, COVID-19 has spread rapidly across the globe, threatening a pandemic.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200312101037.htm

How skin cells embark on a swift yet elaborate death

Scientists have identified the mechanism that allows skin cells to sense changes in their environment, and very quickly respond to reinforce the skin's outermost layer. The findings provide insight into how errors in this process might lead to skin conditions like psoriasis.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200313155327.htm

How sperm unpack dad's genome so it can merge with mom's

Researchers discover the enzyme SPRK1's role in reorganizing the paternal genome during the first moments of fertilization -- a finding that might help explain infertility cases of unknown cause.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200313155325.htm

How stem cells repair damage from heart attacks

Researchers have uncovered stem cell-activated mechanisms of healing after a heart attack. Stem cells restored cardiac muscle back to its condition before the heart attack, in turn providing a blueprint of how stem cells may work.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200313112144.htm

C-sections: Moving beyond 'defensive medicine'

A new study shows removing liability concerns slightly increases C-section procedures during childbirth.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200312142320.htm

Massive Display of AIDS Quilt in San Francisco to Be Rescheduled

In other AIDS Memorial news: Applications are being accepted for the Mary Bowman arts award and the Pedro Zamora youth scholarship.


from POZ RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/massive-display-aids-quilt-san-francisco-rescheduled

COVID-19 appears less severe in children

As outbreaks of COVID-19 disease caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continue worldwide, there's reassuring evidence that children have fewer symptoms and less severe disease.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200313112145.htm

Study details first known person-to-person transmission of new coronavirus in U.S.

New research describes in detail the first locally-transmitted case of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes COVID-19, in the USA, from a woman who had recently traveled to China and transmitted the infection to her husband.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200312123641.htm

Scientists identify potential targets for immune responses to novel coronavirus

Newly published research provides the first analysis of potential targets for effective immune responses against the novel coronavirus. Researchers used existing data from known coronaviruses to predict which parts of SARS-CoV-2 are capable of activating the human immune system.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200312101056.htm

Thursday, March 12, 2020

Can poor air quality make you gain weight?

A new study links air pollution to changes in the human gut microbiome which could fuel diabetes, obesity and inflammatory bowel diseases like colitis and Crohn's disease.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200312101033.htm

Bumblebees aversion to pumpkin pollen may help plants thrive

Researchers have found that squash and pumpkin pollen have physical, nutritional and chemical defense qualities that are harmful to bumblebees. The results of their recent study suggest that deterring bumblebees from collecting and eating pollen may provide an evolutionary benefit to cucurbit plants.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200311161908.htm

Gene therapy reverses heart failure in mouse model of Barth syndrome

Barth syndrome is a rare genetic disease in boys that can cause life-threatening heart failure and also weakens the skeletal muscles and the immune system. There is no specific treatment, but new research, involving new mouse models, shows the potential of a gene therapy approach in preventing and reversing cardiac dysfunction in Barth syndrome.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200309165231.htm

Yes, Kids Can Get the New Coronavirus

Children can contract the virus, although they usually have no symptoms or mild illness.


from POZ RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/yes-kids-can-get-new-coronavirus

Mathematical model could lead to better treatment for diabetes

Researchers have developed a mathematical model that can predict the behavior of glucose-responsive insulin in humans and in rodents. They believe this model could be used to design GRIs that are more likely to work in patients with diabetes.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200309130025.htm

Gratitude interventions don't help with depression, anxiety

Go ahead and be grateful for the good things in your life. Just don't think that a gratitude intervention will help you feel less depressed or anxious. In a new study, researchers analyzed results from 27 separate studies that examined the effectiveness of gratitude interventions on reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression. The results showed that such interventions had limited benefits at best.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200309130010.htm

Monty Python's silly walk: A gait analysis and wake-up call to peer review inefficiencies

Fifty years ago, Monty Python's famous sketch, 'The Ministry of Silly Walks,' first aired. The sketch pokes fun at the inefficiency of government bureaucracy. It opens with the Minister (John Cleese) walks in a rather unusual manner to his work, the Ministry of Silly Walks, where Mr. Pudey (Michael Palin) is waiting for him. Based on a gait analysis, a research team finds that the Minister's silly walk is 6.7 times more variable than a normal walk.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200312163830.htm

Athletes who play indoor sports at risk of vitamin D deficiency

A new study assesses vitamin D status and supplementation of college athletes. Researchers found that the majority of athletes were vitamin D insufficient and a daily vitamin D supplement of 10,000 IU improved their status.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200309110242.htm

Heat stress may affect more than 1.2 billion people annually by 2100

Heat stress from extreme heat and humidity will annually affect areas now home to 1.2 billion people by 2100, assuming current greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new study. That's more than four times the number of people affected today, and more than 12 times the number who would have been affected without industrial era global warming.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200312142256.htm

Producing human tissue in space

Scientists have sent adult human stem cells to the International Space Station (ISS). Researchers will explore the production of human tissue in weightlessness.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200309093035.htm

Experts discover toolkit to repair DNA breaks linked to aging, cancer and MND

A new 'toolkit' to repair damaged DNA that can lead to aging, cancer and motor neuron disease (MND) has been discovered by scientists.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200309093031.htm

Babies born prematurely can catch up their immune systems

Researchers have found babies born before 32 weeks' gestation can rapidly acquire some adult immune functions after birth, equivalent to that achieved by infants born at term.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200309093029.htm

How intermittent fasting changes liver enzymes and helps prevent disease

Research on mice reveals the surprising impact on fat metabolism and the role played by a regulator protein in the liver.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200310164737.htm

Is your coffee contributing to malaria risk?

Researchers estimate 20% of the malaria risk in deforestation hot spots is driven by the international trade of exports including: coffee, timber, soybean, cocoa, wood products, palm oil, tobacco, beef and cotton. The results of the study can be used for more demand-side approaches to mitigating malaria incidence by focusing on regulating malaria-impacted global supply chains.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200309093025.htm

Cough that spreads tuberculosis has pain-linked trigger

Researchers have pinpointed a molecule that the tuberculosis bacterium manufactures to induce the coughing that spreads the disease by triggering a pain-receptor response. Their findings illustrate that the spread of the disease might be prevented by developing a drug that inhibits production of a fatty acid called sulfolipid-1.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200306183349.htm

An HIV Update From “the Overdose Capital of America”

What has happened since health experts identified an HIV cluster in Huntington, West Virginia, in 2018?


from POZ RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/hiv-update-overdose-capital-america

Wednesday, March 11, 2020

WHO Declares Novel Coronavirus Outbreak a Pandemic. Now What?

Four key ways countries can prevent infections, save lives and minimize impact


from POZ RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/declares-novel-coronavirus-outbreak-pandemic-now

Neuroscientists discover new structure of important protein in the brain

A novel structure of a so-called 'neurotransmitter: sodium symporter' has been mapped. The discovery adds to the researchers' knowledge of neurotransmitters in the brain and may lead to better drugs for, for example, ADHD, depression and epilepsy.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200306122512.htm

Music therapy helps stroke patients

New research has found that music therapy sessions have a positive effect on the neurorehabilitation of acute stroke patients, as well as their mood.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200305203539.htm

More than half of Americans want money, control in exchange for genetic data

As people become more aware of privacy concerns and the ways in which genomic database companies are profiting from their data, their expectations for compensation and control may increase, according to researchers at Penn State and Cornell University.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200311140544.htm

Individual response to COVID-19 'as important' as government action

How individuals respond to government advice on preventing the spread of COVID-19 will be at least as important, if not more important, than government action, according to a recent commentary.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200306183353.htm

Many lyme disease cases go unreported; A new model could help change that

A new model based on 17 years of data can help predict the trajectory of where Lyme disease will spread. Identifying high-risk areas can lead to surveillance in counties and areas where infections are likely to emerge. It also allows authorities to alert physicians and the public, which can lead to early treatment, when it is most effective.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200305135034.htm

For older adults, more physical activity could mean longer, healthier lives

Older adults were 67% less likely to die of any cause if they were moderately or vigorously physically active for at least 150 minutes per week, compared to people who exercised less. Women with an average age of 79 who walked 2,100 to 4,500 steps daily reduced their risk of dying from heart attacks, heart failure, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases by up to 38%, compared to women who walked less than 2,100 daily steps.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200305132217.htm

Drug that keeps surface receptors on cancer cells makes them more visible to immune cells

A drug that is already clinically available for the treatment of nausea and psychosis, called prochlorperazine (PCZ), inhibits the internalization of receptors on the surface of tumor cells, thereby increasing the ability of anticancer antibodies to bind to the receptors and mount more effective immune responses.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200305132210.htm

New method to grow human blood vessels

A team of researchers recently proved the ability to grow human-derived blood vessels in a pig -- a novel approach that has the potential for providing unlimited human vessels for transplant purposes.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200311121839.htm

Your back pain may be due to evolution and spine shape

The cause of back pain can be linked to humanity's evolutionary past, according to new research.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200305132047.htm

Pesticides increase the risk of schistosomiasis, a tropical disease

Schistosomiasis is a severe infectious disease caused by parasitic worms. As an intermediate host, freshwater snails play a central role in the life cycle of the parasite. Researchers succeeded in demonstrating that snail populations in waterbodies contaminated with pesticides were significantly larger than in uncontaminated waterbodies. The pesticides used in agriculture may well be an outright driver for the risk of infection with schistosomiasis, the researchers warn.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200305132038.htm

Watch Out for These Coronavirus and HIV Email Scams

Don’t be lured by phishing messages claiming to be from the World Health Organization, FedEx and others.


from POZ RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/watch-coronavirus-hiv-email-scams

A new model of vision

Researchers have developed a computer model of face processing that could reveal how the brain produces richly detailed visual representations so quickly.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200305002834.htm

Second patient has been cured of HIV, study suggests

A study of the second HIV patient to undergo successful stem cell transplantation from donors with a HIV-resistant gene, finds that there was no active viral infection in the patient's blood 30 months after they stopped anti-retroviral therapy, according to a case report.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200310164741.htm

First study identifies risk factors associated with death in adults hospitalized with new coronavirus disease in Wuhan

Being of an older age, showing signs of sepsis, and having blood clotting issues when admitted to hospital are key risk factors associated with higher risk of death from the new coronavirus (COVID-19), according to a new observational study of 191 patients with confirmed COVID-19 from two hospitals in Wuhan, China.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200309130109.htm

Tuesday, March 10, 2020

New study on COVID-19 estimates 5.1 days for incubation period

An analysis of publicly available data on infections from the new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, that causes the respiratory illness COVID-19 yielded an estimate of 5.1 days for the median disease incubation period, according to a new study.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200310164744.htm

Severe Opioid Poisoning Is Up Among Children, Adolescents

Teenagers are attempting suicide with opioids at increasing rates.


from POZ RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/severe-opioid-poisoning-among-children-adolescents

Community factors influence how long you'll live, study shows

While lifestyle choices and genetics go a long way toward predicting longevity, a new study shows that certain community characteristics also play important roles. American communities with more fast food restaurants, a larger share of extraction industry-based jobs, or higher population density have shorter life expectancies, according to researchers.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200310124706.htm

Knowing more about a virus threat may not satisfy you

People who rate themselves as highly knowledgeable about a new infectious disease threat could also be more likely to believe they don't know enough, a new study suggests. In the case of this study, the infectious disease threat was the Zika virus. But the authors of the new study say the results could apply to the recent novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200310094233.htm

Sensory information underpins abstract knowledge

What we learn through our senses drives how knowledge is sorted in our brains, according to new research.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200309143201.htm

Circulatory failure is predictable

Researchers have developed a method for predicting circulatory failure in patients in intensive care units -- enabling clinicians to intervene at an early stage. Their approach uses machine learning methods to evaluate an extensive body of patient data.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200309130050.htm