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ScienceDaily: Top Health News |
| Immune memory less durable after severe COVID-19, study suggests Posted: 23 Dec 2021 01:10 PM PST Patients recovering from severe COVID-19 may have a more dysfunctional B cell response than patients who had less-severe COVID-19, a new study suggests. |
| New study adds more evidence for omicron immune evasion Posted: 23 Dec 2021 12:15 PM PST A new study adds more evidence that the omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can evade the immune protection conferred by vaccines and natural infection and suggests the need for new vaccines and treatments that anticipate how the virus may soon evolve. |
| COVID-19 infection detected in deer in six Ohio locations Posted: 23 Dec 2021 08:32 AM PST Scientists have detected infection by at least three variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 in free-ranging white-tailed deer in six northeast Ohio locations, the research team has reported. |
| SARS-CoV-2 goes 'underground' to spread from cell to cell Posted: 23 Dec 2021 08:31 AM PST The virus that causes COVID-19 has adopted some stealth moves to stay alive and kicking, and one secret to its success is hiding from the immune system by spreading through cell-to-cell transmission, a new study has found. |
| What makes an mRNA vaccine so effective against severe COVID-19? Posted: 23 Dec 2021 08:31 AM PST A new study helps explain why mRNA vaccines have been so successful at preventing severe disease. |
| No more annual flu shot? New target for universal influenza vaccine Posted: 23 Dec 2021 08:30 AM PST Scientists have identified a new Achilles' heel of influenza virus, making progress in the quest for a universal flu vaccine. Antibodies against a long-ignored section of the virus, which the team dubbed the anchor, have the potential to recognize a broad variety of flu strains, even as the virus mutates from year to year. |
| Dominant SARS-CoV-2 Alpha variant evolved to evade our innate immune system Posted: 23 Dec 2021 08:30 AM PST The SARS-CoV-2 Alpha (B.1.1.7) variant mutated to evade our 'innate immune system', helping establish it as the world's first 'Variant of Concern', a new study finds. |
| Posted: 23 Dec 2021 07:14 AM PST Researchers used magnetic resonance imaging to study the brains of secondary school students during a task focused on musical observation. They found that students trained to play music from a young age exhibited certain kinds of brain activity more strongly than other students. The researchers also observed a specific link between musical processing and areas of the brain associated with language processing for the first time. |
| Exposure to formaldehyde at work linked to cognitive problems later Posted: 22 Dec 2021 03:54 PM PST A variety of jobs expose people to formaldehyde, a strong-smelling gas used in manufacturing wood and chemical products, plastics and in other applications. A new study suggests that long-term exposure to formaldehyde during work may be associated with cognitive impairment later on. |
| Researchers lay groundwork for potential dog-allergy vaccine Posted: 22 Dec 2021 12:32 PM PST Scientists have identified a series of molecular candidates for those parts of dog allergens that cause immune reactions in people--the first step in developing a vaccine against most causes of dog allergies. |
| Estimating the strength of selection for new COVID-19 variants Posted: 22 Dec 2021 12:31 PM PST In an effort to make sense of new COVID-19 variants, scientists have developed methods to quantify how much more or less transmissible they are, which could have far-reaching implications for public health in terms of COVID-19 risk and the vaccination levels required to obtain herd immunity. |
| How tissues form complex shapes that enable organ function Posted: 22 Dec 2021 12:31 PM PST From the smooth tubes of our arteries and veins to the textured pockets of our internal organs, our bodies are made of tissues arranged in complex shapes that aid in performing specific functions. |
| Study confirms nutrient’s role in childhood blood cancer Posted: 22 Dec 2021 12:31 PM PST A molecular building block of many animal proteins, the amino acid valine, plays a key role in cancerous growth seen in T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a new study shows. |
| Posted: 22 Dec 2021 12:31 PM PST Patients hospitalized with COVID-19 who had a combination of high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, or other conditions associated with metabolic syndrome were at much higher risk of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and death, according to a new study. |
| How do our organs know when to stop growing? Posted: 22 Dec 2021 12:30 PM PST The smallest fish in the world, the Paedocypris, measures only 7 millimeters. This is nothing compared to the 9 meters of the whale shark. The small fish shares many of the same genes and the same anatomy with the shark, but the dorsal and caudal fins, gills, stomach and heart, are thousands of times smaller! How do organs and tissues of this miniature fish stop growing very quickly, unlike those of their giant cousin? A multidisciplinary team was able to answer this fundamental question by studying its physics and using mathematical equations. |
| Solar flare throws light on ancient trade between the Islamic Middle East and the Viking Age Posted: 22 Dec 2021 12:30 PM PST An interdisciplinary Danish team of researchers has used new astronomical knowledge to establish an exact time anchor for the arrival of trade flows from the Middle East in Viking-age Scandinavia. The results are published in the leading international journal Nature. |
| Humble lizards offer surprising approach to engineering artificial lungs Posted: 22 Dec 2021 12:29 PM PST A new study shows how the brown anole lizard solves one of nature's most complex problems -- breathing -- with ultimate simplicity. Whereas human lungs develop over months and years into baroque tree-like structures, the anole lung develops in just a few days into crude lobes covered with bulbous protuberances. These gourd-like structures, while far less refined, allow the lizard to exchange oxygen for waste gases just as human lungs do. And because they grow quickly by leveraging simple mechanical processes, anole lungs provide new inspiration for engineers designing advanced biotechnologies. |
| Innovative X-ray imaging shows COVID-19 can cause vascular damage to the heart Posted: 22 Dec 2021 07:49 AM PST Researchers have detected significant changes in the heart muscle tissue of people who died from COVID-19. The study underpins the involvement of the heart in COVID-19 at the microscopic level by imaging and analyzing the affected tissue in the three dimensions. |
| For some Greenlanders, eating sugar is healthy Posted: 22 Dec 2021 07:08 AM PST A genetic variation among some Greenlanders makes sugar healthy -- significantly more than for most people. According to a new study, gut bacteria and a unique diet that has nourished Greenlanders for millennia have provided them with a genetic variation that offers an incredible advantage. |
| Novel biosensors set to revolutionize brain-controlled robotics Posted: 22 Dec 2021 07:08 AM PST A novel carbon-based biosensor is set to drive new innovations in brain-controlled robotics. The biosensor adheres to the skin of the face and head in order to detect electrical signals being sent by the brain. These signals can be translated into commands to control autonomous robotic systems. The sensor, made of epitaxial graphene grown onto a silicon carbide on silicon substrate, overcomes three major challenges of graphene-based biosensing: corrosion, durability and skin-contact resistance. |
| Reduce frailty to lower dementia Posted: 22 Dec 2021 05:40 AM PST Reducing frailty in older adults could be an effective strategy to prevent dementia, according to a largescale new study. |
| Developing bioactive coatings for better orthopaedic implants Posted: 22 Dec 2021 05:40 AM PST Bioactive coatings play a vital role in the success of implants such as those for knees or hips, because their properties induce a biological response that is good for the health. Researchers are working on a coating that mimics bone tissue. |
| People with IBD have more microplastics in their feces Posted: 22 Dec 2021 05:40 AM PST Microplastics -- tiny pieces of plastic less than 5 mm in length -- are everywhere, from bottled water to food to air. According to recent estimates, people consume tens of thousands of these particles each year, with unknown health consequences. Now, researchers have found that people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have more microplastics in their feces than healthy controls, suggesting that the fragments could be related to the disease process. |
| Toxoplasma parasites manipulate brain cells to survive Posted: 21 Dec 2021 06:24 PM PST Researchers have discovered that Toxoplasma parasites lay dormant and undetected inside neurons (brain cells) and muscle cells by releasing proteins that switch off the cells' ability to alert the immune system. |
| Could EKGs help doctors use AI to detect pulmonary embolisms? Posted: 21 Dec 2021 01:27 PM PST Pulmonary embolisms are dangerous, lung-clogging blot clots. In a pilot study, scientists showed that artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms can detect signs of these clots in electrocardiograms (EKGs), a finding which may one day help doctors with screening. |
| First model to predict lifetime risk of heart failure Posted: 21 Dec 2021 01:27 PM PST By answering a few basic questions, a new heart failure-risk model can provide an on-the-spot estimate of whether an individual will experience heart failure in the next 30 years. The ability to identify who is at greatest risk for heart failure -- especially among high-risk young adult populations -- will allow physicians to start prevention measures sooner. |
| Key neural mechanism believed to support advanced cognitive abilities discovered Posted: 21 Dec 2021 01:27 PM PST Scientists have discovered a neural mechanism that is believed to support advanced cognitive abilities such as planning and problem-solving. |
| Form, function and a deadly fungus Posted: 21 Dec 2021 10:35 AM PST New research marks a major step forward in understanding C. auris biology, homing in on the genetics behind its ability to shape-shift from a round yeast form to a more hair-like, filamentous form -- potentially unlocking how the emerging pathogen causes disease. |
| 3D-bioprinted tissues can now be stored in the freezer until needed Posted: 21 Dec 2021 10:35 AM PST A major obstacle to widespread study and clinical use of 3D tissues is their short shelf-life, which may be anywhere from a just few hours to a few days. As in the case of an organ transplant, a bioprinted tissue must be transported rapidly to the location where it is needed, or it will not be viable. Researchers now describe new work combining 3D bioprinting with cryopreservative techniques to create tissues which can be preserved in a freezer at -196°C and thawed within minutes for immediate use. |
| Your seat on public transportation determines level of exposure to exhaled droplets, study finds Posted: 21 Dec 2021 10:35 AM PST In a new study, researchers developed a model with an unprecedented level of detail and focused on conditions that are more characteristic of asymptomatic transmission. The multiphysics model involved air and droplet dynamics, heat transfer, evaporation, humidity, and effects of ventilation systems. The researchers modeled various scenarios in close detail and were able to reconstruct their ventilation paths. |
| Robotic manipulators inspired by nature Posted: 21 Dec 2021 10:35 AM PST Traditional robots can have difficulty grasping and manipulating soft objects if their manipulators are not flexible in the way elephant trunks, octopus tentacles, or human fingers can be. Investigators developed a type of multiple-segment soft manipulator inspired by these biological systems. The soft manipulators are based on pneu-nets, which are pneumatically actuated elastomeric structures. The group designed manipulators for a variety of 3D trajectories by varying the geometric, material, and loading parameters for their pneu-net structures. |
| Genes are switched on in the human embryo from the get-go Posted: 21 Dec 2021 10:35 AM PST Scientists have discovered that genes in human embryos rapidly become active after fertilization, opening a new window onto the start of human embryonic life. |
| Honing in on shared network of cancer genes Posted: 21 Dec 2021 10:35 AM PST Using network modeling, researchers have honed in on a set of gene interactions that are critical to malignancy and likely to be fertile ground for broad cancer therapies. |
| Sensor based on quantum physics could detect SARS-CoV-2 virus Posted: 21 Dec 2021 10:34 AM PST Researchers found it's possible to design a sensor, based on quantum physics, that could detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The approach may offer faster, cheaper, and more accurate detection of Covid-19, including of new variants. |
| Promising new target for tuberculosis treatment Posted: 21 Dec 2021 10:31 AM PST Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the hardy bacterial species that causes tuberculosis (TB), has an unexpected vulnerability that future drugs may be able to exploit, according to a new study. |
| Anesthesia: Double chalice breaks the blockade Posted: 21 Dec 2021 07:42 AM PST Under anesthesia, patients are often given muscle-relaxing neuromuscular blockers to make intubations easier and reduce the skeletal muscle tone during surgery. Using a drug to remove the blocking agent after the operation improves patient recovery and reduces the risk of complications. A research team has now reported a novel broad-spectrum antidote. It consists of two 'chalices' that are linked together and cover the two ends of the blocker. |
| Posted: 21 Dec 2021 07:42 AM PST The cochlear implant (CI) is the most successful neural prosthesis worldwide. Thanks to direct stimulation of the auditory nerve, it enables more than half a million people worldwide to hear, even though those affected were born deaf or deafened. Researchers have developed a method to convert the stimulation electrodes of common CIs into electrochemical sensors. With the help of this novel sensor function, the functionality of cochlear implants could be monitored directly in the inner ear in the long term. |
| Brain mechanisms involved in learning also drive social conformity Posted: 21 Dec 2021 07:42 AM PST Some of the same brain systems known to play a role in learning from trial and error also are engaged when people conform to social norms, scientists report in a new study. The findings are important, the researchers said, because changing one's behavior to align with one's peers can contribute to community-building or -- depending on the goals and values of the group -- societal breakdown. |
| Study finds artificial intelligence accurately detects fractures on x-rays, alert human readers Posted: 21 Dec 2021 07:28 AM PST Emergency room and urgent care clinics are typically busy and patients often have to wait many hours before they can be seen, evaluated and receive treatment. Waiting for x-rays to be interpreted by radiologists can contribute to this long wait time because radiologists often read x-rays for a large number of patients. A new study has found that artificial intelligence (AI) can help physicians in interpreting x-rays after an injury and suspected fracture. |
| Face detection in untrained deep neural networks? Posted: 21 Dec 2021 07:27 AM PST Researchers have found that higher visual cognitive functions can arise spontaneously in untrained neural networks. A research team has shown that visual selectivity of facial images can arise even in completely untrained deep neural networks. This new finding has provided revelatory insights into mechanisms underlying the development of cognitive functions in both biological and artificial neural networks, also making a significant impact on our understanding of the origin of early brain functions before sensory experiences. |
| Star cells in the brain render memory flexible Posted: 21 Dec 2021 07:27 AM PST Star cells in the brain render memory flexible. Hippocampal astrocytes co-release D-serine and glutamate for the regulation of synaptic plasticity and cognitive flexibility. |
| Autism-linked gene, if deleted, results in less myelin Posted: 21 Dec 2021 07:26 AM PST In a new study, mice bearing a gene deletion associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) showed evidence of slower cognition. Another finding: cells that make myelin, a sheath around nerves that conducts electrical impulses quickly and efficiently, were diminished in the mice. This points to a mechanism that can be explored to further understand developmental disorders such as ASD. |
| Treatments in weeks, not months: Scientists develop ambitious pandemic response plan Posted: 21 Dec 2021 07:26 AM PST An international team of scientists has created a plan for an accelerated pipeline for developing drug cocktails to battle the COVID-19 pandemic. The pipeline could speed new and better treatments that the newly diagnosed and recently exposed could take at home to prevent serious illness. |
| Alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic projected to cause more liver disease and deaths Posted: 20 Dec 2021 04:07 PM PST A one-year increase in alcohol consumption in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic is estimated to cause 8,000 additional deaths from alcohol-related liver disease, 18,700 cases of liver failure, and 1,000 cases of liver cancer by 2040. A sustained increase in alcohol consumption for more than one year could result in 19-35 percent additional mortality. |
| Study compares COVID-19 vaccines' ability to stimulate immune protection against the coronavirus Posted: 20 Dec 2021 04:07 PM PST Three COVID-19 vaccines are available in the United States, but little was known about their comparative abilities to stimulate an immune response. A lab analysis found that the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines induced the greatest concentrations of neutralizing antibodies. A separate analysis found that recipients of the Moderna vaccine have the lowest risk for breakthrough COVID-19 infections. |
| First genetic risk factors identified for sudden unexplained death in children after age one Posted: 20 Dec 2021 04:06 PM PST A new study, the largest of its kind to date, finds the first genetic causes of sudden unexplained death in children (SUDC). |
| Scientists identify gut-derived metabolites that play a role in neurodegeneration Posted: 20 Dec 2021 04:06 PM PST A New York-based, multi-institutional research team has found high levels of three toxic metabolites produced by gut bacteria in the cerebrospinal fluid and plasma samples of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The important findings further scientists' understanding of how gut bacteria can impact the course of neurological diseases by producing compounds that are toxic to nerve cells. |
| Breakthrough identification of proteins necessary for muscle regeneration Posted: 20 Dec 2021 11:49 AM PST A researcher has identified the proteins necessary for efficient regeneration of skeletal muscles after acute injury and in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) clearing the way for drug development for skeletal muscle diseases. |
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