Gut check: Teff grain boosts stomach microbiome health

Food scientists confirm that the grain teff helps the stomach and enhances the nutritional value of iron and zinc, according to a new modeling method.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201113141806.htm

Combo pill alone and with aspirin lowers heart disease risk

A 'polypill' is a single pill that includes multiple medications to control more than one health risk factor (such as heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, stroke). In this large, international trial, the polypill included blood pressure and cholesterol lowering medications for people at risk for heart disease. Results from the randomized, placebo-controlled trial show that the combination of a polypill plus aspirin reduced cardiovascular disease by 31%, and the polypill without aspirin reduced CVD by 21%.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201113141804.htm

New cardiac arrest resuscitation treatment demonstrated 100% success rate in cannulation

A new study found that the first four months of the Minnesota Mobile Resuscitation Consortium (MMRC) was 100% effective in cannulation for out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrests. Cannulation is when tubes are placed in large veins and arteries in the legs, neck or chest in a patient by a health care provider.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201113141802.htm

Promising MS drug may worsen disease

The drug has not yet made it to human trials for multiple sclerosis, but scientists are urging their colleagues to move cautiously.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201113141801.htm

A few kilograms weight loss nearly halves the risk of diabetes

Losing a few kilograms in weight almost halves people's risk of developing Type 2 diabetes - according to a large scale research study. The research shows how providing support to help people with prediabetes make small changes to their lifestyle, diet and physical activity can almost halve the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. The findings come from the largest diabetes prevention research study in the world in the last 30 years. The clinical trial involved >1,000 people with prediabetes.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201113124049.htm

Medicaid Expansion Reduces Death Rate for Three Major Cancers

States that expanded access under the Affordable Care Act had fewer deaths from newly diagnosed breast, lung and colorectal cancer.


from Cancer Health RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/medicaid-expansion-reduces-death-rate-three-major-cancers

The future's uncertain, but noradrenaline can help us adapt

A brain chemical called noradrenaline is responsible for our responses to uncertain situations - helping us to learn quickly and adapt our behavior, a new study has found.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201113124100.htm

Computer vision app allows easier monitoring of diabetes

A computer vision technology developed by engineers has now been developed into a free mobile phone app for regular monitoring of glucose levels in people with diabetes.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201113124045.htm

An epidemic outbreak of Mesoamerican Nephropathy in Nicaragua linked to nickel toxicity

For over 20 years, researchers have tried to solve the medical mystery behind Mesoamerican Nephropathy, a form of chronic kidney disease that has caused more than 50,000 deaths in coastal South America. Now, researchers present the strongest evidence to date on the cause of the disease in one of the worst-hit hotspots in the region, Nicaragua, using an unlikely source, the toenails of individuals with the disease.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201113095156.htm

Climate Change Will Give Rise to More Cancers

A study by the University of California San Francisco focuses on the global impact of climate change for major cancers.


from Cancer Health RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/climate-change-will-give-rise-cancers

Shining a light on the role of the genome's 'dark matter' in cancer development

Innovative research has shed light on the mysterious role of long non-coding RNAs in the development of pancreatic cancer and suggests potential new targets for precision cancer therapies.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201113095152.htm

Nearly one in five parents of food-allergic children are bullied

A new study shows that nearly one in five parents of food-allergic kids are the target of bullying by a multitude of sources.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201113075250.htm

Study reveals physical demands of two-hour marathon

Elite runners need a specific combination of physiological abilities to have any chance of running a sub-two-hour marathon, new research shows.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201113075238.htm

Pollution and pandemics: A dangerous mix

Pollution may bear part of the blame for the rapid proliferation in the United States of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the spread of COVID-19, according to new research.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201112145435.htm

Common SARS-CoV-2 mutation may make COVID-19 more susceptible to a vaccine

A common strain of coronavirus has mutated to help it spread quickly, but the spike mutation may make SARS-CoV-2 more susceptible to vaccines under development, according to a new study.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201112144040.htm

Mimicking SARS-CoV-2 nasal infection in monkeys

A new rhesus macaque animal model recapitulates the clinical and pathological manifestations of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) observed in humans by mimicking natural infection via the nasal route, according to a new study.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201112144020.htm

Connection between household chemicals and gut microbiome

A team of researchers for the first time has found a correlation between the levels of bacteria and fungi in the gastrointestinal tract of children and the amount of common chemicals found in their home environment. The work could lead to better understanding of how these semi-volatile organic compounds may affect human health.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201112080906.htm

Internal clocks drive beta cell regeneration

Our body can repair itself after a damage. This phenomenon describes how cells that are still functional start to proliferate to compensate for the loss. By studying diabetic mice, scientists observed that this regeneration mechanism was under the influence of circadian rhythms, allowing new perspectives to be envisaged to promote beta cell regeneration.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201111180651.htm

Once-discounted binding mechanism may be key to targeting viruses

Researchers detail subtle stabilizing effects in cells' ability to recognize coronaviruses that compromise the immune system. The discovery could lead to new targets to prevent disease.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201112165830.htm

Chemists discover the structure of a key coronavirus protein

Chemists have determined the molecular structure of a protein found in the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This protein forms a cation-selective channel and plays a key role in the virus's ability to replicate itself. If researchers could devise ways to block this channel, they may be able to reduce the pathogenicity of the virus and interfere with viral replication.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201112155840.htm

'Smart Wrap' implant may help people better control their bladders

An implantable smart wrap that fits safely and securely around the bladder may one day help people who have under-active bladders, a condition that hinders patients from urinating regularly and comfortably, according to an international team of researchers.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201111153104.htm

New study points to a better way to ward off asthma triggers

Every day, ten Americans die from asthma. While quick-acting inhalers and medications can reduce inflammation during an asthma attack, people with asthma have few tools to prevent the next attack from coming. Now researchers have discovered that blocking two immune molecules at the same time is key to preventing asthma attacks in a mouse model.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201111153100.htm

Protein in blood may predict prognosis, recovery from stroke

Researchers have found that a biomarker in the blood may determine the extent of brain injury from different types of strokes and predict prognosis in these patients.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201111144415.htm

Fluvoxamine may prevent serious illness in COVID-19 patients, study suggests

Researchers have completed a clinical trial suggesting that the antidepressant drug fluvoxamine may help prevent deterioration in COVID-19 patients, making hospitalization less likely.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201112113127.htm

Individualized brain stimulation therapy improves language performance in stroke survivors

Individualized brain stimulation therapy improves language performance in stroke survivors.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201112100902.htm

The young resumed risky behaviors earlier than the elderly as COVID-19 pandemic dragged on, study finds

New research finds that early in the COVID-19 pandemic, old and young individuals did not differ in taking precautions, but over time, older people quickly adopted preventive behaviors and they engaged in more preventive behaviors.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201111144342.htm

COVID-19 leads to measurable life expectancy drop in Spain, study finds

A new study finds that Spain's annual life expectancy at birth dropped by 0.9 years between 2019 and the annual period up until July 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201111144340.htm

Is proton therapy the silver bullet for children with brain cancer?

How safe is proton therapy for children with brain cancer compared to the conventional x-ray radiation delivered post-surgery?

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201112100900.htm

Scientists discover possible genetic target for treating endometriosis

Researchers have identified a potential genetic target for treating an especially painful and invasive form of endometriosis.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201112100858.htm

Researchers show safer, more targeted way to deliver CRISPR gene therapy

Biomedical researchers have come up with a novel way to use a beam of light to deliver CRISPR gene therapy molecules targeting illnesses.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201112093112.htm

A potential game-changer to reverse alcohol intoxication

Researchers present a proof of concept of a simple method that could become a game-changer in rescue therapy for severe alcohol intoxication, as well as just 'sobering up.'

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201112080913.htm

Early-life events linked to lung health in young adulthood

Early-life events, such as the exposure to air pollutants, increases the risk of chronic lung disease in young adulthood, according to new results. The studies add to the growing evidence that chronic lung disease in adulthood can be traced back to childhood.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201112080901.htm

Compounds block stress-enhanced nicotine intake in rats

Researchers have discovered that compounds that activate GABA receptors in the brain can keep rats from self-administering increased levels of nicotine during stressful conditions in an animal model for relapse.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201111144405.htm

Treatments for people with early COVID-19 infection is an urgent research focus

COVID-19 treatments for people with early infection are needed urgently, according to experts. Treating people early in the course of infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, would speed their recovery, reduce the likelihood that they develop severe outcomes and reduce demand on the healthcare system, they write.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201111144354.htm

Life after COVID hospitalization: Study shows major lasting effects on health, work and more

Outcomes for COVID-19 patients two months after a stay in one of 38 Michigan hospitals include high rates of death, rehospitalization, lingering health issues and problems with work and finances.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201111180635.htm

Smell and taste changes provide early indication of COVID-19 community spread

Self-reports of smell and taste changes provide earlier markers of the spread of infection of SARS-CoV-2 than current governmental indicators, according to an international team of researchers. The researchers also observed a decline in self-reports of smell and taste changes as early as five days after lockdown enforcement, with faster declines reported in countries that adopted the most stringent lockdown measures.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201111153107.htm

Study finds lasting fatigue common after COVID-19 infection

More than half of people with acute COVID-19 infection continue to have persistent fatigue 10 weeks after their initial illness, according to a new study.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201111144413.htm

Cloth face masks that can be disinfected by the sun

Researchers have developed a special type of cotton face mask that kills up to 99.9999 percent of bacteria and viruses within 60 minutes of daylight exposure.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201111144407.htm

Detecting Alzheimer's disease before symptoms arise

Both of Andrew Kiselica's grandfathers developed dementia when he was in graduate school.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201111123942.htm

Review of plants' role in antibacterial activity clears new paths for drug discovery

New research examines 459 plant natural products that met rigorous criteria for demonstrating antibacterial activity.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201111122846.htm

Machine learning models to predict critical illness and mortality in COVID-19 patients

Researchers have developed machine learning models that predict the likelihood of critical events and mortality in COVID-19 patients within clinically relevant time windows.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201110151134.htm

Viral vaccines preserved without refrigeration

Half of vaccines are wasted annually because they aren't kept cold. Chemical engineers have now discovered a way to stabilize viruses in vaccines with proteins instead of temperature.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201111180637.htm

Folding proteins feel the heat, and cold

A new study shows proteins that presumably evolved to avoid water as they fold may actually behave in ways scientists did not anticipate.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201111144351.htm

Scientists identify protein that protects against Lyme

Researchers have discovered a protein that helps protect hosts from infection with the tick-borne spirochete that causes Lyme Disease, a finding that may help diagnose and treat this infection.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201111144333.htm

Modelling microswimmers for drug delivery

Theoretical physicists have modeled the motion of microscopic, motile bodies - either powered micro-machines or living cells - in viscous liquid drops, using the Navier-Stokes equations. This work has applications in materials science and medicine.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201111122842.htm

Research identifies 'volume control' in the brain that supports learning and memory

A 'molecular volume knob' regulating electrical signals in the brain helps with learning and memory, according to a new study. The finding could help researchers in their search for ways to manage neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and epilepsy.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201110151204.htm

How a Breast Cancer Hashtag Changed Medicine

#BCSM helps people affected by breast cancer find one another and connect with advocates and health care professionals in a safe space.


from Cancer Health RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/breast-cancer-hashtag-changed-medicine

Researchers trap electrons to create elusive crystal

Now, researchers have developed a way to stack two-dimensional semiconductors and trap electrons in a repeating pattern that forms a specific and long-hypothesized crystal.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201111153106.htm

A molecule from gut bacteria reduces effect of diabetes medication

The action of metformin, the classic drug used to treat diabetes by stabilizing blood sugar, can be blocked by a molecule from the bacteria in our intestines, a new study shows.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201111122802.htm

How molecular chaperones dissolve protein aggregates linked to Parkinson's disease

In many neurodegenerative diseases, proteins clump in the brain, forming so-called amyloid fibrils. Yet there exists a cellular defence mechanism that counteracts this process and even dissolves fibrils already formed. The mechanism is based on the activity of molecular helpers, so-called chaperones of the heat shock protein 70 family.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201111122815.htm

Former NFL players may not suffer more severe cognitive impairment than others, study indicates

Even though repeated hits to the head are common in professional sports, the long-term effects of concussions are still poorly understood. While many believe that professional athletes who experience multiple concussions will end up with severe cognitive impairment later in life, a new study suggests that may not necessarily be the case.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201111122812.htm

DNA repair supports brain cognitive development

Researchers showed that na enzyme functions in genome maintenance by preventing double-stranded breaks in DNA during brain development in mice. In mice lacking this enzyme, these breaks occurred during epigenetic regulation of gene expression in the developing hippocampus, peaking two weeks after birth. The increased breaks were associated with abnormal neuronal dendrites and poor memory ability.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201111122806.htm

Prenatal thyroid hormones influence 'biological age' at birth

The environment we experience in early-life is known to have major consequences on later-life health and lifespan. A new study using an avian model suggests that increased prenatal exposure to maternal thyroid hormones could have beneficial effects on the 'biological age' at birth.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201111122757.htm

Will the Affordable Care Act Survive the Supreme Court?

Experts analyze oral arguments in the GOP’s latest attempt to repeal Obamacare.


from Cancer Health RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/will-affordable-care-act-survive-supreme-court

COVID-19 Vaccine More Than 90% Effective, Pfizer Says

The front-runner coronavirus vaccine protects people from symptomatic disease.


from Cancer Health RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/covid19-vaccine-90-effective-pfizer-says

A viable vaccine for tough tumors

While immunotherapies work well for some cancers, others are immune-resistant and condemn patients to the severe side effects of long-term chemo treatment. A new cancer vaccine successfully treated immune-resistant breast cancer in mice, 100% of which survived a second injection of cancer cells, indicating long-term immunity with no side effects.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201110151136.htm

Kids' physical fitness is more important than BMI

For adults, the goal of exercise is often to shed some pounds, but new research suggests the objective should be different for kids.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201110133220.htm

Loneliness highest in the 20s and lowest in the 60s

Seeking to develop effective interventions, researchers examined the psychological and environmental factors that lead to patterns of loneliness in different age groups.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201110133158.htm

New airflow videos show why masks with exhalation valves do not slow the spread of COVID-19

Using high-speed video and schlieren imaging, a research engineer has created videos that show how air flows through masks with and without exhalation valves.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201110133208.htm

Computer model can predict how COVID-19 spreads in cities

A study of how 98 million Americans move around each day suggests that most infections occur at 'superspreader' sites, and details how mobility patterns help drive higher infection rates among minority and low-income populations.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201110133204.htm

'Goldilocks' neonatal immune response may protect against autism

New research shows that the lowest risk for autism spectrum disorder is associated with mid-levels of an immune marker measured at birth -- whereas too much or not enough were linked to increased risk.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201110133148.htm

Study identifies new 'hidden' gene in COVID-19 virus

Researchers have discovered a new 'hidden' gene in SARS-CoV-2 -- the virus that causes COVID-19 -- that may have contributed to its unique biology and pandemic potential. In a virus that only has about 15 genes in total, knowing more about this and other overlapping genes -- or 'genes within genes' -- could have a significant impact on how we combat the virus.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201110133141.htm

Exoskeletons can reduce strain also in health care

Wearable exoskeletons are increasingly being used in physically demanding jobs to support good ergonomics and augment muscular strength. In ground-breaking studies, exoskeleton vests were worn by nurses to discover how the new technology would suit the special requirements of patient care.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201110132710.htm

High temperatures threaten the survival of insects

Insects have difficulties handling the higher temperatures brought on by climate change, and might risk overheating. The ability to reproduce is also strongly affected by rising temperatures, even in northern areas of the world, according to a new study.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201110112547.htm

Sweet taste reduces appetite?

To date, very little is known about how sweetness perception contributes to satiety. This study provides new insights into the relationship between the sweet taste of sugar, energy intake and the regulatory process of hunger and satiety.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201110112545.htm

Prescriptions of antipsychotic medications in young children is declining

The use of antipsychotics in young children is declining but doctors continue to prescribe these medications off-label for conditions not approved by the Food and Drug Administration and without the recommended psychiatric consultation, a new study found.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201110112532.htm

Young survivors of acute myeloid leukemia have long-term complications from treatment

Adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients treated for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have a high risk of developing several long-term health complications after treatment, a study has found. The most common complications were cardiovascular, endocrine and respiratory diseases. The complications - known as late effects - were more present among non-white AYA patients and those living in more deprived neighborhoods.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201110112529.htm

Plasma treatments quickly kill coronavirus on surfaces

Plasma could yield a significant breakthrough in the fight against the spread of COVID-19. In a new study, modeling conducted showed strains of the coronavirus on surfaces like metal, leather, and plastic were killed in as little as 30 seconds of treatment with argon-fed, cold atmospheric plasma.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201110112520.htm

Tracking down the causes of heart attack

Heart attacks strike suddenly and have a range of different triggers. Researchers were able to uncover a further underlying cause. Studying arterial deposits (plaque) in patients with acute coronary syndrome, the researchers found that, in some patients, these were characterized by activated immune cells which, as a result of altered flow conditions within the vessel, had accumulated on the interior arterial wall, causing damage to the arterial lining.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201110112505.htm

Veganism: Vitamin B12 is well supplemented, iodine is a matter of concern

Those following a vegan diet have an increased risk of iodine deficiency.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201110112502.htm

Implantable sensor could measure bodily functions -- and then safely biodegrade

Sensors that monitor a patient's condition during and after medical procedures can be expensive, uncomfortable and even dangerous. Now, an international team of researchers has designed a highly sensitive flexible gas sensor that can be implanted in the body -- and, after it's no longer needed, safely biodegrade into materials that are absorbed by the body.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201110102552.htm

Fish give insight on sound sensitivity in autism

Scientists used zebrafish that carry the same genetic mutations as humans with Fragile X syndrome and autism, and discovered the neural networks and pathways that produce the hypersensitivities to sound in both species.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201110102527.htm

Severe COVID-19 infection rare in newborns, study finds

Severe COVID-19 infection appears rare in newborn babies, suggests a new study. The study traced all babies, less than 29 days old with COVID-19 across the United Kingdom, who needed to be admitted into hospital.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201109184939.htm

Large, delayed outbreaks of endemic diseases possible following COVID-19 controls

Measures such as mask wearing and social distancing that are key to reducing coronavirus infection have also greatly reduced the incidence of other diseases, such as influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). But researchers report that current reductions in these common respiratory infections, however, may increase people's susceptibility to these diseases, resulting in large future outbreaks when they begin circulating again.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201109184906.htm

Chemicals in your living room cause diabetes

A new study shows flame retardants found in nearly every American home cause mice to give birth to offspring that become diabetic.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201110081546.htm

Diet and lifestyle during pregnancy linked to modifications in infants' DNA

A new study has shown pregnant women with obesity could reduce the health risks for their infants through improved diet and more physical activity.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201109184951.htm

New insight into a placental gene pathway and its association with vitamin D

Vitamin D status during pregnancy has multifaceted effects on maternal health. Researchers found that vitamin D sufficiency lowered the expression of placental genes related to preeclampsia - a severe, and sometimes fatal, condition. Their findings shed new light on the development of preeclampsia during pregnancy and how it may correlate with maternal vitamin D status.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201109184920.htm

Researchers identify new Rickettsia bacteria species in dogs

Researchers have identified a new species of Rickettsia bacteria that may cause significant disease in dogs and humans. This new yet unnamed species, initially identified in three dogs, is part of the spotted-fever group Rickettsia which includes Rickettsia rickettsii, the bacteria that cause Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF).

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201109184912.htm

1 in 5 Grocery Store Workers May Have COVID-19

In one small study, most workers who tested positive for the coronavirus had no symptoms and worked face-to-face with customers.


from Cancer Health RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/1-5-grocery-store-workers-may-covid19

“Today” Cohost Al Roker Reveals He Has Prostate Cancer

The NBC anchor revealed his early-stage yet aggressive cancer diagnosis on air to encourage men, especially Black men, to get screened.


from Cancer Health RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/today-cohost-al-roker-reveals-prostate-cancer

UPDATED: Alex Trebek Dies of Pancreatic Cancer at Age 80

He battled Stage IV pancreatic cancer for 18 months.


from Cancer Health RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/alex-trebek-clarifies-comments-pancreatic-cancer-treatment

Researchers use 'big data' approach to identify melatonin as possible COVID-19 treatment

A new study suggests that melatonin, a hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle and is commonly used as an over-the-counter sleep aid, may be a viable treatment option for COVID-19.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201109152223.htm

Genetic disposition protects immune system from aging

A genetic disposition that plays a role in the development of the heart in the embryo also appears to play a key role in the human immune system.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201109132434.htm

Clinicians who prescribe unnecessary antibiotics fuel future antibiotic use

Receipt of antibiotics for acute respiratory infections makes it more likely that patients and their families will seek care and receive antibiotics for future respiratory viral infections. In the year after their visit, patients randomly assigned to clinicians who prescribed more antibiotics got 15 percent more antibiotics for viral respiratory infections compared with patients seen by clinicians who prescribed the fewest antibiotics. Antibiotics work against bacteria but not against viruses, and improper use can make bacteria resistant to these drugs.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201109124736.htm

Key to piercing harmful bacteria's armor

Researchers have identified a new bacterial protein that assists in delivering components to the outer membrane of the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201109124730.htm

Researchers examine if online physician reviews indicate clinical outcomes

Dr. Atanu Lahiri and Dr. Zhiqiang Zheng studied the relationship between online reviews of physicians and their patients' actual clinical outcomes. They wanted to know how much consumers can rely on the reviews, specifically in regard to chronic-disease care.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201109121251.htm

Bringing drugs to the brain with nanoparticles to treat neurodegenerative diseases

Researchers have shown that nanoparticles could be used to deliver drugs to the brain to treat neurodegenerative diseases.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201109110246.htm

Significant psychological toll from New Zealand COVID-19 lockdown

Research has confirmed the nationwide Alert Level 4 COVID-19 lockdown had a significant toll on New Zealanders' well-being, especially for younger people -- but the results were not all negative.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201109110244.htm

The natural artistry of disease: A wintry landscape in the eye

Researchers report a case of frosted branch angiitis in a woman presenting years after being treated for leukemia-lymphoma with allogeneic human stem cell transplant. The relevance of this ocular finding is discussed and its value as an early warning sign of immune activation following therapeutic immunological interventions is highlighted.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201109110240.htm

90% accuracy in detecting melanoma: New non-invasive method

A team of researchers proposed a non-invasive method for detection of melanoma. A patented computer-aided diagnostic system developed by scientists proved to be more than 90% accurate in detecting malignancy in diagnostic images of skin lesions acquired from 100 patients.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201109110235.htm

Social distancing is increasing loneliness in older adults

Social distancing introduced in response to COVID-19 is increasing feelings of loneliness in Scotland's older population and impacting their wellbeing, according to a new study.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201109110230.htm

COVID-19 can worsen OCD in children and young people, study finds

Many children and young people with obsessive thoughts and compulsions experience that their OCD, anxiety and depressive symptoms worsen during a crisis such as COVID-19, according to new research.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201109110227.htm

Trauma hospitalizations fall in Philly during COVID-19 lockdown, but gun violence rises

Non-intentional trauma fell compared to the period before COVID this year, but ratios of gun violence patients increased after stay-at-home orders were implemented, and were high compared to the same timeframe in previous years, according to new research.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201109105915.htm

More economic worries mean less caution about COVID-19

Workers experiencing job and financial insecurity are less likely to follow the CDC's guidelines for COVID-19, such as physical distancing, limiting trips from home and washing hands, according to a new study. The researchers, who surveyed 745 workers in 43 states, also found that state unemployment benefits and COVID-19 policies affected the connection between economic concerns and compliance with COVID-19 precautions.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201109074101.htm

Comparing Sexual Quality of Life in Cancer Survivors

New study looks at long-term impacts in people with prostate, bladder, colorectal and lung cancers


from Cancer Health RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/comparing-sexual-quality-life-cancer-survivors

High blood pressure complications in US pregnancies have nearly doubled

Researchers found high blood pressure complicated about 80,000 pregnancies in 2018, nearly twice as many as in 2007. Women living in rural areas continue to be approximately 20% more likely to have high blood pressure before pregnancy than women living in urban communities.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201109074122.htm

Calories by the clock? Squeezing most of your calories in early doesn't impact weight loss

Time-restricted eating, which restricts eating to specific hours of the day, did not impact weight among overweight adults with prediabetes or diabetes. Adults in the 12-week study ate the same healthy, pre-prepared foods, however, one group ate the bulk of their calories before 1 p.m. each day, versus the other group that ate 50% of their calories after 5 p.m.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201109074119.htm

People who eat chili pepper may live longer?

Consumption of chili pepper may reduce the relative risk of cardiovascular disease mortality by 26%, according to an analysis of diet and mortality data from four large, international studies. Chili pepper consumption was associated with a 25% reduction in death from any cause and 23% fewer cancer deaths, compared to people who never or only rarely consumed chili pepper.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201109074114.htm

More green spaces can help boost air quality, reduce heart disease deaths

The number of trees, shrubs and grasses in an area - known as green space or greenness - can improve air quality, counteract air pollution and may reduce heart disease deaths. Policies that improve environmental factors also can improve cardiovascular health among a diverse population.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201109074111.htm

Scientists create hybrid tissue construct for cartilage regeneration

Scientists have developed a method to bioprint a type of cartilage that could someday help restore knee function damaged by arthritis or injury.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201109074059.htm

Large-area flexible organic photodiodes can compete with silicon devices

The performance of flexible large-area organic photodiodes has advanced to the point that they can now offer advantages over conventional silicon photodiode technology, particularly for applications such as biomedical imaging and biometric monitoring that require detecting low levels of light across large areas.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201105183838.htm

Skilled Surgeons May Improve Colon Cancer Survival by More Than Half

Those whose surgery is performed by an experienced surgeon are more likely to see their risk of death decrease by 70% over five years.


from Cancer Health RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/skilled-surgeons-may-improve-colon-cancer-survival-half

Patients reported international hydroxychloroquine shortages due to COVID-19

A new study shows that patients with rheumatic diseases across Africa, Southeast Asia, the Americas and Europe had trouble filling their prescriptions of antimalarial drugs, including hydroxychloroquine, during the 2020 global coronavirus pandemic, when antimalarials were touted as a possible COVID-19 treatment. Patients who could not access their antimalarial drugs faced worse physical and mental health outcomes as a result.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201106103103.htm

COVID-19 infection rates low in people with rheumatic diseases, most report mild illness

A new study shows that the COVID-19 infection incidence has been low in people with rheumatic diseases, and most of those infected experience a mild course of illness. Additionally, fatalities have been low among rheumatic disease patients infected with COVID-19.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201106103101.htm

Hydroxychloroquine not linked to longer heart rhythm intervals in rheumatoid arthritis or lupus patients

New research shows that use of hydroxychloroquine, a generic drug, does not cause any significant differences in QTc length or prolonged QTc, key measures of heart rate, in people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or systemic lupus erythematosus.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201106095654.htm

Scientists make breakthrough discovery of new therapeutic targets for Alzheimer's

A team has identified several new potential molecular targets in endothelial cells and microglia for AD drug development.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201105112952.htm

Down Syndrome-associated gene suppresses age-related corneal clouding

Down syndrome and hypercholesterolemia mouse models suggest that the DSCR-1 gene protects against abnormal cornea vascularization and associated blindness by suppressing oxidized LDL cholesterol production and downstream angiogenic signaling during chronic high cholesterol. While the neurological pathology of Down syndrome patients worsens with age, they are less susceptible to age-related vascular diseases. The responsible genes and mechanisms are not yet clear, but DSCR-1 is a strong candidate for a wide range of vascular diseases.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201106113922.htm

Sugar-coated viral proteins hijack and hitch a ride out of cells

Many viruses - including coronaviruses -- have protective outer layer made of proteins, fats and sugars. New research shows targeting sugar production has potential for broad-spectrum antiviral drugs.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201106113919.htm

Photopharmacology: Light-gated control of the cytoskeleton

Researchers have developed photoresponsive derivatives of the anticancer drug Taxol®, which allow light-based control of cytoskeleton dynamics in neurons. The agents can optically pattern cell division and may elucidate how Taxol acts.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201106113906.htm

Pre-existing coronavirus antibodies could help protect children against new pandemic strain

Researchers have found that some antibodies, created by the immune system during infection with common cold coronaviruses, can also target SARS-CoV-2 and may confer a degree of protection against the new viral strain.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201106103057.htm

COVID-19 linked to worse stroke outcomes

People who experience strokes while infected with COVID-19 appear to be left with greater disability after the stroke, according a new study.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201105183846.htm

Pay people to get COVID-19 jab to ensure widespread coverage, says leading ethicist

Governments should consider incentivising people to get a COVID-19 jab, when the vaccine becomes available, to achieve the required level of herd immunity -- which could be up to 80%+ of the population -- and stamp out the infection, argues a leading ethicist.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201105183844.htm

Green prescriptions could undermine the benefits of spending time in nature

Spending time in nature is believed to benefit people's mental health. However, new research suggests that giving people with existing mental health conditions formal 'green prescriptions', may undermine some of the benefits.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201106093024.htm

Anti-depressant repurposed to treat childhood cancer

A new study has found that a commonly prescribed anti-depressant may halt growth of a type of cancer known as childhood sarcoma, at least in mice and laboratory cell experiments. The findings ignite hope of novel treatment strategies against this disease.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201106093020.htm

Vaccine shows promise against herpes virus

A genetically edited form of a herpes simplex virus has outperformed a leading vaccine candidate in a new study. When challenged with a virulent strain of the sexually transmitted HSV-2, vaccinated guinea pigs displayed fewer genital lesions, less viral replication and less of the viral shedding that most readily spreads infection.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201106093014.htm

Poor nutrition in school years may have created 20 cm height gap across nations

A new global analysis has assessed the height and weight of school-aged children and adolescents across the world.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201105183840.htm

COVID-19 is making tinnitus worse, new study finds

New research reveals that tinnitus, a common condition that causes the perception of noise in the ear and head, is being exacerbated by COVID-19. The study, which involved 3,103 participants from 48 countries, found that 40 percent of those displaying symptoms of COVID-19 simultaneously experience a worsening of their tinnitus.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201105183813.htm

Llama nanobodies could be a powerful weapon against COVID-19

Researchers report a new method to extract tiny but extremely powerful SARS-CoV-2 antibody fragments from llamas, which could be fashioned into inhalable therapeutics with the potential to prevent and treat COVID-19.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201105183805.htm

Virus that causes COVID-19 puts a plug in cellular defenses

One of the novel coronavirus' most insidious tricks is that it can block the ability of cells to produce protective proteins without hindering its own ability to replicate. A new study reveals how it does it.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201105183759.htm

COVID-19: Enzyme targeted by virus also influences gut inflammation

An enzyme that helps COVID-19 (coronavirus) infect the body also plays a role in inflammation and patient outcomes in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), according to a new study. The findings raise the possibility that anti-inflammatory drug therapies for IBD may aid recovery from coronavirus.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201105183743.htm

Children produce different antibodies in response to SARS-CoV-2

Compared with adults, children produce a very different antibody response after infection with the new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, suggesting they clear the virus easily.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201105183735.htm

Gene in mice controls food cravings, desire to exercise

National Institutes of Health researchers have discovered a gene in mice that controls the craving for fatty and sugary foods and the desire to exercise. The gene, Prkar2a, is highly expressed in the habenula, a tiny brain region involved in responses to pain, stress, anxiety, sleep and reward. The findings could inform future research to prevent obesity and its accompanying risks for cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201105183801.htm

Mystery molecule in bacteria is revealed to be a guard

Unusual structures in bacterial cells keep viral infection from spreading; a list of new ones could provide improved biotech tools.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201105183757.htm

Most humans are vulnerable to type 2 diabetes

Scientists have found that insulin has met an evolutionary cul-de-sac, limiting its ability to adapt to obesity and thereby rendering most people vulnerable to Type 2 diabetes.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201105183733.htm

Discovery of shape of the SARS-CoV-2 genome after infection could inform new COVID-19 treatments

Scientists have uncovered how the genome of SARS-CoV-2 -- the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 -- uses genome origami to infect and replicate successfully inside host cells.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201105134515.htm

Boosting treatments for metastatic melanoma

Clinician-scientists say that new findings might have identified a treatment-boosting drug to enhance effectiveness of therapies for metastatic cancer and make them less toxic, giving patients a fighting chance at survival and improved quality of life.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201105115203.htm

Researchers study strength-training gender gap, possible solutions

Strength training is an important part of any exercise routine, but some women may not be getting the recommended hours. New research discovered some of the barriers preventing women from strength training, as well as some solutions to overcoming those obstacles.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201105115157.htm

Resensitizing 'last-resort' antibiotics for treatment of infections

A research team discovers that by repurposing an antirheumatic gold drug, auranofin (AUR), 'last-resort' antibiotics can be resensitized for treatment of infections caused by multidrug-resistant superbugs including bloodstream infections, pneumonia and wound infections.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201105113029.htm

Tokyo's voluntary standstill may have stopped COVID-19 in its tracks

Research shows that Japan's noncompulsory state of emergency generally succeeded in reducing human movement. A recent study used mobile phone location data for January-April 2020 to record and plot movement of people in metro Tokyo during the emergence and first wave of COVID-19. Researchers found a movement reduction of over 50 percent, which in turn limited social contact and slowed infection spread.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201105112950.htm

Rapid changes in biomarker of inflammation may be a key predictor of COVID-19 outcomes

Researchers analyzed patients' levels of inflammation, known to be associated with severity of illness, by looking at C-reactive protein (CRP) trends in 100 COVID-19 patients admitted to the hospital. They found that a rapid rise in CRP levels during the first 48 to 72 hours of hospitalization was predictive of subsequent respiratory deterioration and intubation, while steadier CRP levels were observed in patients whose condition remained stable.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201105112947.htm

Face masks don't hinder breathing during exercise, study finds

A new study has found that exercise performance and blood and muscle oxygen levels are not affected for healthy individuals wearing a face mask during strenuous workouts.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201105112934.htm

Social media can guide public pandemic policy, research finds

As global cases of COVID-19 fast approach 50 million, a team of Australian, Afghan, Iranian and Italian researchers examined more than 35,000 tweets and say social media analytics can capture the attitudes and perceptions of the public during a pandemic. They also suggest social media is now the best way to encourage people to follow measures and restrictions which have, in turn, triggered an increase in the use of digital technologies and platforms.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201105092904.htm

Machine learning shows similar performance to traditional risk prediction models

Some claim that machine learning technology has the potential to transform healthcare systems, but a new study finds that machine learning models have similar performance to traditional statistical models and share similar uncertainty in making risk predictions for individual patients.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201104194717.htm

Case study details leukemia patient who shed infectious SARS-CoV-2 for at least 70 days

The majority of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 appear to actively shed infectious virus for about 8 days, but there is a wide range of variability from person to person. Researchers report an unusual case of one woman with leukemia and a low antibody count who was infected with the coronavirus for at least 105 days, and infectious for at least 70, while remaining asymptomatic the entire time.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201104121434.htm

Exposure to high temperatures linked to poor pregnancy outcomes

Exposure to high temperatures in pregnancy is associated with an increase in adverse pregnancy outcomes, especially preterm birth and stillbirth, and among women in lower socioeconomic groups.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201104194712.htm

Every month delayed in cancer treatment can raise risk of death by around 10%

People whose treatment for cancer is delayed by even one month have in many cases a 6 to 13% higher risk of dying - a risk that keeps rising the longer their treatment does not begin.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201104194710.htm

Analysis reveals high burden of musculoskeletal disorders across the globe

Musculoskeletal disorders -- which affect muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, and joints -- can severely affect individuals' physical and mental health, and they're especially prevalent among aging adults. Although many researchers are studying these conditions and their rates in different regions of the world, no study to date has provided an overview of the burden of all musculoskeletal disorders.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201105083717.htm

Axing the Affordable Care Act Means Young Adults with Cancer Lose Coverage

Exclusion from parents’ insurance may lead to life-threatening lapses in chemo and radiation, study shows.


from Cancer Health RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/axing-aca-means-young-adults-cancer-lose-coverage

Technique to regenerate optic nerve offers hope for future glaucoma treatment

Scientists have used gene therapy to regenerate damaged nerve fibers in the eye, in a discovery that could aid the development of new treatments for glaucoma, one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201105083710.htm

New research traces the origins of trench fever

Trench fever was first clinically described in World War 1 when it sickened nearly 500,000 soldiers. New DNA evidence proves the disease predates that time period by thousands of years.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201104194701.htm

Researchers identify key marker to help speed development of CMV vaccines

A research team has identified a key marker that will help speed effective vaccine designs for cytomegalovirus (CMV), the most common congenital infection worldwide and a leading cause of infant brain damage.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201104143635.htm

Identifying communities at risk for impacts of extreme heat

An analysis of ways to measure a community's vulnerability to climate change suggests that California's current method may leave some at-risk communities behind in efforts to reduce health impacts of extreme heat.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201104143649.htm

Local cooking preferences drove acceptance of new crop staples in prehistoric China

The food preparation preferences of Chinese cooks -- such as the technological choice to boil or steam grains, instead of grinding or processing them into flour -- had continental-scale consequences for the adoption of new crops in prehistoric China, according to new research. The authors drew on data from the bones of nearly 2,500 humans to map patterns of changing cuisines over the course of 6,000 years.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201104143626.htm

How birth experience shapes development

During birth, hormones in the body surge in both mother and baby, sent along by the nervous system. These stress hormones are there to spur delivery and to help a baby adapt to living outside the womb. A new study finds how one is born can have an effect on the amount of stress hormones released at the time of delivery. For example, vaginal delivery had the highest presence of birth signaling hormones.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201104131520.htm

Why protecting the brain against infection takes guts

The brain is uniquely protected against invading bacteria and viruses, but its defence mechanism has long remained a mystery. Now, a study in mice, confirmed in human samples, has shown that the brain has a surprising ally in its protection: the gut.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201104121444.htm

Biologists create 'atlas' of gene expression in neurons, documenting diversity of brain cells

Researchers have created a 'developmental atlas' of gene expression in neurons, using gene sequencing and machine learning to categorize more than 250,000 neurons in the brains of fruit flies. Their study finds that neurons exhibit the most molecular diversity during development and reveals a previously unknown type of neurons only present before flies hatch.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201104114741.htm

'Monster tumors' could offer new glimpse at human development

Finding just the right model to study human development -- from the early embryonic stage onward -- has been a challenge for scientists over the last decade. Now, bioengineers have homed in on an unusual candidate: teratomas.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201104114739.htm

Understanding the spread of infectious diseases

Physicists have shown in model simulations that the COVID-19 infection rates decrease significantly through social distancing. For this, they combined the dynamical density functional theory to describe interacting particles and the SIR model, a theory to describe the spread of infectious diseases.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201104114730.htm

Scientists find Ebola virus antibodies in people before 2018 DRC outbreak

Scientists found antibodies to Ebola virus in people up to a year before the 2018 Ebola virus disease outbreak began in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, or DRC. This suggests that either early cases may have been missed or that exposure occurs more commonly than previously thought.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201104114728.htm

Four major predictors of COVID-19 emerge in new study

In March 2020, New York City, an icon of America, was unfortunately named an early epicenter of the novel coronavirus. Now seven months later, America faces a new surge in coronavirus cases and researchers hope to provide information and context to help with the battle ahead.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201104114724.htm

Western diet impairs odor-related learning and olfactory memory in mice

Problems with the sense of smell appear to be an early indicator of cognitive decline in people with type 2 diabetes. However, it's unknown whether factors such as diet and obesity play a role in who develops these symptoms. Now, researchers have found that mice fed a moderate-fat, high-sugar chow (simulating a Western diet) showed a faster decline in their ability to learn and remember new odors.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201104103713.htm

The dangers of collecting drinking water

Fetching drinking water in low and middle income countries can cause serious injury, particularly for women. A new study reveals dangers including falls, traffic accidents, animal attacks, and fights, which can result in broken bones, spinal injuries, lacerations, and other physical injuries. The work draws on a survey of 6,291 randomly selected households across 24 sites in 21 low- and middle-income countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201104102213.htm

Lighting the way to selective membrane imaging

Scientists have shown how water-soluble tetraphenylethene molecules can become fluorescent when aggregating at a biomembrane-mimetic liquid-liquid interface. This work may lead to new optical molecular probes and smart vesicles for delivering pharmaceuticals directly to cells.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201104102002.htm

Scientists identify synthetic mini-antibody to combat COVID-19

By screening hundreds of synthetic mini-antibodies, scientists have identified one that might stop SARS-CoV-2 from infecting human cells.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201104083016.htm

COVID-19 lung damage caused by persistence of 'abnormal cells'

New research shows the SARS-CoV-2 virus' unique characteristics and may explain why patients suffer from 'long COVID'.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201104001307.htm

New method shows great potential for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease

In Alzheimer's disease, a protein (peptide) forms clumps in the brain and causes sufferers to lose their memory. A research group has now described a new treatment method that increases the body's own degradation of the building blocks that lead to these protein clumps.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201103104719.htm

Different outcomes by race/ethnicity among patients with COVID-19 and rheumatic disease

Among U.S. patients with rheumatic disease and COVID-19, racial/ethnic minorities had higher risks of needing to be hospitalized and put on ventilators, according to new research.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201104083022.htm

Genetic elements involved in heart development identified

Researchers have identified a suite of genes and regulatory elements critical to normal heart development. Their study outlines the importance of 'hub genes' in heart development.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201103172606.htm

Breakdown of gene coordination during aging suggests a substantial challenge to longevity

Researchers report evidence that supports, for the first time, a longstanding theory on the aging process in cells. Using a novel approach from physics, they developed a computational method that quantifies the coordination level between different genes. With this approach, they measured the gene activity of individual cells and compared cells from old and young subjects, discovering phenomena never before observed.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201102120051.htm

'BAH-code' reader senses gene-silencing tag in cells

Researchers have identified an evolutionarily conserved pathway responsible for 'closing down' gene activity in the mammalian cell. The finding is closely related to the Polycomb pathway defined decades ago by a set of classic genetic experiments carried out in fruit flies. They repor the BAHCC1 protein is critically involved in silencing genes and acts as an integral component of the Polycomb gene-repressive pathway in mammalian cells.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201102120045.htm

Study uncovers subset of COVID-19 patients who recover quickly and sustain antibodies

Researchers examined blood samples and cells from patients who had recovered from mild to moderate COVID-19 and found that while antibodies against the virus declined in most individuals after disease resolution, a subset of patients sustained anti-virus antibody production several months following infection.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201103121044.htm

Researchers pioneer more effective way to block malaria transmission in mosquitoes

Employing a strategy known as 'population modification,' which involves using a CRISPR-Cas9 gene drive system to introduce genes preventing parasite transmission into mosquito chromosomes, researchers have made a major advance in the use of genetic technologies to control the transmission of malaria parasites.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201103140613.htm

Europe took center-stage in global spread of the coronavirus, says new research

Genome researchers have discovered that it is Europe, not China, which has been the main source of spreading the coronavirus disease around the world.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201103140609.htm

Implantable device can monitor and treat heart disease

Researchers reported developing a cardiac patch made from fully rubbery electronics that can be placed directly on the heart to collect electrophysiological activity, temperature, heartbeat and other indicators, all at the same time.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201103132742.htm

Researchers engineer tiny machines that deliver medicine efficiently

Inspired by a parasitic worm that digs its sharp teeth into its host's intestines, researchers have designed tiny, star-shaped microdevices that can latch onto intestinal mucosa and release drugs into the body.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201103132738.htm

Harnessing the 'wisdom of crowds' can help combat antibiotic over-prescription

A new study has demonstrated that using the 'wisdom of crowds' (also known as collective intelligence) of three or more medical prescribers, can improve decisions about antibiotic prescribing and help combat rising levels of antibiotic resistance.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201103115656.htm

Avoiding inflammatory foods can lower heart disease, stroke risk

Diets high in red and processed meat, refined grains and sugary beverages, which have been associated with increased inflammation in the body, can increase subsequent risk of heart disease and stroke compared to diets filled with anti-inflammatory foods. A separate study assessed the positive effects eating walnuts, an anti-inflammatory food, had on decreasing inflammation and heart disease risk.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201102142257.htm

New insight into how brain neurons influence choices

By studying animals choosing between two drink options, researchers have discovered that the activity of certain neurons in the brain leads directly to the choice of one option over another. The findings could lead to better understanding of how decision-making goes wrong in conditions such as addiction and depression.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201102120058.htm

Combo-drug treatment for Type 2 diabetes remains effective after two years

Patients whose Type 2 diabetes is not controlled with metformin can benefit long-term from a two-drug combination treatment that also reduces weight.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201102110037.htm

Tracking flight trajectory of evaporating cough droplets

Researchers conducted a numerical study on droplet dispersion using high fidelity air flow simulation. The scientists found a single 100-micrometer cough droplet under wind speed of 2 meters per second can travel up to 6.6 meters and even further under dry air conditions due to droplet evaporation.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201103112540.htm

Venous origin of brain blood-vessel malformations

In the condition known as cavernoma, lesions arise in a cluster of blood vessels in the brain, spinal cord or retina. Researchers can now show, at molecular level, that these changes originate in vein cells. This new knowledge of the condition creates potential for developing better therapies for patients.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201103112533.htm

Study finds 1 in 8 patients with cancer harbor inherited genetic mutations

Genetic testing can uncover inherited genetic mutations, and could individualize cancer therapies, improve survival, manage cancer in loved ones and push the boundaries of precision medicine.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201103112528.htm

New study reveals poisoning exposures in Australian schools

New research has found poisoning exposures in children and adolescents while at school are relatively common and appear to be increasing, highlighting the need for more robust prevention measures.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201103104742.htm

Some of the principal treatments for osteoporosis could reduce the incidence of COVID-19, study finds

A new study suggests that certain drugs used to treat osteoporosis are safe for COVID-19 patients and could even have a protective effect. The results support the recommendations of the scientific guidelines relating to the desirability of maintaining treatments for osteoporosis in patients with COVID-19.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201103104754.htm

Study finds 1.7 million New Yorkers have been infected with SARS-Cov-2 and virus was in NYC earlier than reported

The virus that causes COVID-19 was present in New York City long before the city's first case of the disease was confirmed on March 1, according to a new study.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201103104736.htm

Review finds almost 20 percent of COVID-19 patients only show gastrointestinal symptoms

Almost one in five patients with COVID-19 may only show gastrointestinal symptoms, according to a review of academic studies. The findings of the review suggest abdominal radiologists need to remain vigilant during the pandemic while imaging patients.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201103104734.htm

COVID-19 'super-spreading' events play outsized role in overall disease transmission

Researchers find COVID-19 super-spreading events, in which one person infects more than six other people, are much more frequent than anticipated, and that they have an outsized contribution to coronavirus transmission.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201102173232.htm

Rapid method finds potent COVID-19 monoclonal antibody among a trillion possibilities

Scientists have discovered the fastest way to identify potent, neutralizing human monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The method -- as well as a trio of successful animal studies on an antibody called 'Ab1' -- are described today in a new study. Ab1 is on track for human clinical trials by early next year.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201102173228.htm

Changes in Alcohol Use Linked to Coronavirus Lockdowns

Those who reported either an increase or decrease in imbibing were more likely to experience stress and anxiety.


from Cancer Health RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/changes-alcohol-use-linked-coronavirus-lockdowns

“Mr. Bojangles” Lyricist Jerry Jeff Walker Dies of Throat Cancer

Walker, who pioneered the “outlaw country” sound, was 78.


from Cancer Health RSS - Categories https://www.cancerhealth.com/article/mr-bojangles-lyricist-jerry-jeff-walker-dies-throat-cancer

New simulation finds max cost for cost-effective health treatments

As health care costs balloon in the U.S., experts say it may be important to analyze whether those costs translate into better population health. A new study analyzed existing data to find a dividing line - or ''threshold - for what makes a treatment cost-effective or not.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201102173241.htm

Hot or cold, weather alone has no significant effect on COVID-19 spread

New research is adding some clarity on weather's role in COVID-19 infection, with a new study finding that temperature and humidity do not play a significant role in coronavirus spread.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201102155409.htm

New cause of COVID-19 blood clots identified

A new study reveals that COVID-19 triggers production of antibodies circulating through the blood, causing clots in people hospitalized with the disease.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201102142254.htm

Excessive alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic

The full impact of COVID-19 on alcohol use is not yet known, but rates have been rising during the first few months of the pandemic. There's an urgent need for public health and medical responses to address harmful alcohol use.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201102133334.htm

A.I. tool provides more accurate flu forecasts

Scientists developed an A.I. tool using real-world state and regional data from the U.S. and Japan, then tested its forecasts against historical flu data. By incorporating location data, the A.I. system is able to outperform other state-of-the-art forecasting methods, delivering up to an 11% increase in accuracy and predicting influenza outbreaks up to 15 weeks in advance.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201102142250.htm

Microfluidics helps engineers watch viral infection in real time

Watching a viral infection happen in real time is like a cross between a zombie horror film, paint drying, and a Bollywood epic on repeat. Over a 10-hour span, chemical engineers from Michigan Tech watched viral infections happen with precision inside a microfluidics device and can measure when the infection cycle gets interrupted by an antiviral compound.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201102142247.htm

Vitamin D levels during pregnancy linked with child IQ

A study showed that mothers' vitamin D levels during pregnancy were associated with their children's IQ, suggesting that higher vitamin D levels in pregnancy may lead to greater childhood IQ scores.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201102142242.htm

Machine learning predicts anti-cancer drug efficacy

Research on anti-cancer drug response in patient-derived artificial organoids and transcriptome learning of genes associated with anti-cancer target proteins.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201102120108.htm

Root bacterium to fight Alzheimer's

A bacterium found among the soil close to roots of ginseng plants could provide a new approach for the treatment of Alzheimer's. Rhizolutin, a novel class of compounds with a tricyclic framework, significantly dissociates the protein aggregates associated with Alzheimer's disease both in vivo and in vitro, as reported by scientists.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201102120039.htm

Follow your gut: How farms protect from childhood asthma

Asthma impacts millions of children already at a young age. Children growing up on a farm have a lower risk of developing asthma than children not living on a farm. The mechanisms behind this protective farm effect on childhood asthma are largely unknown. A group of researchers has now clarified how the children's gut microbiome is involved in the protection process.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201102120033.htm

Emergency care doctors not getting sufficient 'down time'

A survey of more than 4,000 UK emergency care doctors has shown that they need more support to recover from work pressures between shifts.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201102120031.htm

Malaria test as simple as a bandage

A test for malaria looks like a bandage, but can diagnose the disease in minutes without the need for medical expertise or specialized equipment.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201102115937.htm

How the immune system remembers viruses

For a person to acquire immunity to a disease, T cells must develop into memory cells after contact with the pathogen. Until now, the number of cells that do this was believed to depend above all on the magnitude of the initial immune response. A team of researchers has now called this into question.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201102110039.htm

Age is a primary determinant of melanoma treatment resistance

Age may cause identical cancer cells with the same mutations to behave differently. In animal and laboratory models of melanoma cells, age was a primary factor in treatment response.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201102110034.htm

Ultrapotent COVID-19 vaccine candidate designed via computer

An ultrapotent nanoparticle candidate vaccine against COVID-19 has been developed with structure-based vaccine design techniques invented at UW Medicine. It is a self-assembling protein nanoparticle that displays 60 copies of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein's receptor-binding domain in a highly immunogenic array. The molecular structure of the vaccine roughly mimics that of a virus, which may account for its enhanced ability to provoke an immune response.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201102110024.htm

Seven different 'disease forms' identified in mild COVID-19

A new study finds that there are seven 'forms of disease' in COVID-19 with mild disease course and that the disease leaves behind significant changes in the immune system, even after 10 weeks. These findings could play a significant role in the treatment of patients and in the development of a potent vaccine.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201102110019.htm

Focus on COVID-19 deaths in under-65s for better insights into infection rates

Simply comparing the total number of deaths across countries may provide a misleading representation of the underlying level of transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, because of large differences in reported COVID-19 death rates in elderly populations in different countries.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201102110015.htm

Outcome of 2016 US election associated with poorer mental health in Clinton voters

There were 54.6 million more days of poor mental health among adults in states that voted for Hillary Clinton in December 2016, compared to October 2016, according to a new study. No such increase in poor mental health following the 2016 US election was observed in states that voted for Donald Trump. The increase in average number of poor mental health days per person in Clinton-voting states largely persisted in the six months after the election.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201102110013.htm

The protein dress of a neuron

New method marks proteins and reveals the receptors in which neurons are dressed.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201102090846.htm

Melding biology and physical sciences yields deeper understanding of cancer

An evolving understanding of cancer that incorporates the physical properties of tumors and their surrounding tissues into existing biologic and genetic models can direct cancer researchers down previously uncharted avenues, potentially leading to new drugs and new treatment strategies, say investigators.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/10/201030122549.htm

Children with asymptomatic brain bleeds as newborns show normal brain development at age 2

A study finds that neurodevelopmental scores and gray matter volumes at age two years did not differ between children who had MRI-confirmed asymptomatic subdural hemorrhages when they were neonates, compared to children with no history of subdural hemorrhage.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/10/201030122538.htm