ScienceDaily: Top Health News

Boosting the immune defense: Interleukin-2 promotes fate decisions in CD8 T cells for long- or short-term immune protection

Posted: 11 Feb 2022 01:13 PM PST

A new study shows how two subsets of one type of immune cell -- the CD8 T cell -- develop to provide either short-term or long-term immune protection. The study focuses on one factor that guides that developmental bifurcation -- interleukin-2, or IL-2.

Exercise post-vaccine bumps up antibodies, new study finds

Posted: 11 Feb 2022 01:13 PM PST

A study found people who cycled on a stationary bike or took a brisk walk for an hour-and-a-half after getting a flu shot or COVID-19 jab produced more antibodies in the following four weeks compared to participants who sat or continued with their daily routine post-immunization.

New clues in the brain linking pain and food

Posted: 11 Feb 2022 01:13 PM PST

Researchers may have found an explanation in a new study that suggests that circuitry in the brain responsible for motivation and pleasure is impacted when someone experiences pain.

Study shows waning effectiveness of third dose of mRNA vaccines

Posted: 11 Feb 2022 01:13 PM PST

A new study shows that immunity against severe COVID-19 disease begins to wane 4 months after receipt of the third dose of an mRNA vaccine. Waning immunity was observed during both the Delta and Omicron variant waves in similar fashion to how mRNA vaccine effectiveness wanes after a second dose. Although protection decreased with time, a third dose was still highly effective at preventing severe illness with COVID-19.

Diabetes, metabolic syndrome in mice treated with novel class of compounds

Posted: 11 Feb 2022 01:12 PM PST

Researchers have shown, in mice, that a new class of compounds they developed can improve several aspects of metabolic syndrome. Such conditions often lead to cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death worldwide.

Lifetime of knowledge can clutter memories of older adults

Posted: 11 Feb 2022 08:18 AM PST

When a person tries to access a memory, their brain quickly sifts through everything stored in it to find the relevant information. But as we age, many of us have difficulty retrieving memories. Researchers propose an explanation for why this might be happening: the brains of older adults allocate more space to accumulated knowledge and have more material to navigate when attempting to access memories. While this wealth of prior knowledge can make memory retrieval challenging, the researchers say it has its upsides -- this life experience can aid with creativity and decision-making.

Researchers call for greater clarity over what constitutes ‘a mental health problem’

Posted: 11 Feb 2022 07:27 AM PST

A systematic review has uncovered a plethora of models used to understand mental health problems with ramifications for how people are assessed and supported.

Treatment for spatial neglect based on immersive virtual reality offers advantages over traditional therapies

Posted: 11 Feb 2022 07:27 AM PST

Researchers describe the development of a user-centered virtual reality system using head-mounted display and hand-tracking technology to engage stroke survivors with spatial neglect in intensive, repetitive therapy.

This bizarre looking helmet can create better brain scans

Posted: 11 Feb 2022 07:27 AM PST

Researchers have developed a dome-shaped device, which fits over a person's head and can be worn during a brain scan, that boosts MRI performance, creating crisper images that can be captured at twice the normal speed. Eventually, the magnetic metamaterial has the potential to be used in conjunction with cheaper low-field MRI machines to make the technology more widely available, particularly in the developing world.

Cellular tornadoes sculpt our organs

Posted: 11 Feb 2022 07:26 AM PST

How are the different shapes of our organs and tissues generated? To answer this question, a team forced muscle cells to spontaneously reproduce simple shapes in vitro. By confining them on adhesion discs, the biochemists and physicists observed that the cells rapidly self-organize by aligning themselves in the same direction. A circular motion is created around a vortex -- called a topological defect -- which, by orienting the cells, allows them to join forces, deforming the cell monolayer into a protrusion, a structure commonly observed in embryo development. This cylindrical protrusion is maintained by the collective rotational forces of the cells, creating a tornado-like effect. The formation of these cellular tornadoes would therefore constitute a simple mechanism of spontaneous morphogenesis, dictated by the unique properties of multicellular assemblies.

Machine learning outperforms clinical experts in classifying hip fractures

Posted: 11 Feb 2022 07:26 AM PST

A new machine learning process designed to identify and classify hip fractures has been shown to outperform human clinicians. Two convolutional neural networks (CNNs) were able to identify and classify hip fractures from X-rays with a 19% greater degree of accuracy and confidence than hospital-based clinicians.

Colonic gene mapping gives insights into intestinal diseases

Posted: 11 Feb 2022 07:26 AM PST

Using a technique called spatial transcriptomics, researchers have analyzed the gene expression in the mouse colon and created a map showing where in the tissue individual genes are expressed. When they superimposed previously known human transcription data onto the map, the researchers gained new insights into inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

The secret hideouts of ovarian cancer revealed

Posted: 11 Feb 2022 07:26 AM PST

Researchers discovered how ovarian cancer hides from the body's immune system. The findings will help develop novel precision therapies for ovarian cancer, a common and aggressive cancer type.

Chemotherapy or not? Physicists study gene expression tests

Posted: 11 Feb 2022 07:26 AM PST

Following surgery, patients with breast cancer are faced with the question of whether additional chemotherapy is necessary and really effective. It is important that these women do not receive too much treatment -- but not too little treatment either. Physicists modeled the gene expression tests and examined their usefulness on the basis of these models.

Reusable plastic bottles release hundreds of chemicals

Posted: 11 Feb 2022 07:26 AM PST

Researchers have found several hundred different chemical substances in tap water stored in reusable plastic bottles. Several of these substances are potentially harmful to human health. There is a need for better regulation and manufacturing standards for manufacturers, according to the chemists behind the study.

Molecular mechanism of cerebral venous thrombosis discovered

Posted: 11 Feb 2022 07:26 AM PST

Cerebral venous thrombosis is a rare, often severe disease that has been brought to public attention by the COVID-19 pandemic. A research group has now succeeded for the first time in deciphering a molecular cause of this disease. This opens the way to new therapeutic approaches.

Eye provides clues to insidious vascular disease

Posted: 11 Feb 2022 07:26 AM PST

Researchers have developed a method that could be used to diagnose atherosclerosis. Using self-learning software, they were able to identify vascular changes in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD), often at an early stage. Although these early stages do not yet cause symptoms, they are nevertheless already associated with increased mortality. The algorithm used photos from an organ not normally associated with PAD: the eye.

Smartphone app can vibrate a single drop of blood to determine how well it clots

Posted: 11 Feb 2022 05:06 AM PST

Researchers have developed a new blood-clotting test that uses only a single drop of blood and a smartphone vibration motor and camera.

Vaccinated patients less likely to need critical care during Omicron surge

Posted: 11 Feb 2022 05:06 AM PST

A new study of COVID-19 patients who had the Omicron variant of the disease shows that vaccinated adults had less severe illness than unvaccinated adults and were less likely to land in intensive care.

Researchers reveal largest catalog of gene activators

Posted: 11 Feb 2022 05:06 AM PST

Researchers have created a functional catalog of proteins that activate gene expression, with implications for tailored therapy for cancer and other diseases that occur when wrong genes are switched on.

Portable toilets of the ancient Roman world

Posted: 11 Feb 2022 05:06 AM PST

Archaeologists develop method of identifying intestinal parasites concealed within 1,500-year-old 'chamber pot'. New technique helps distinguish portable toilets from other jars and ceramic vessels, leading to greater understanding of gut health in the past.

Third wave of COVID-19 hit rural America especially hard

Posted: 10 Feb 2022 12:42 PM PST

Rural counties saw 2.4 times more COVID-19 infections per capita compared to urban counties in July and August of 2021 during a surge of the delta variant, a new study finds. Early data suggest omicron is spreading faster in urban areas but causing more hospitalization and death in rural counties where vaccination is lagging.

Clearance of protein linked to Alzheimer's controlled by circadian cycle

Posted: 10 Feb 2022 12:42 PM PST

The brain's ability to clear a protein closely linked to Alzheimer's disease is tied to our circadian cycle, according to new research. The research underscores the importance of healthy sleep habits in preventing the protein Amyloid-Beta 42 (AB42) from forming clumps in the brain, and opens a path to potential Alzheimer's therapies.

Researchers identify brain region associated with feeling full after eating

Posted: 10 Feb 2022 12:41 PM PST

Researchers have learned more about the part of the brain that mediates satiation. This could help lead to better treatments for eating disorders and weight management.

Protein p53 plays a key role in tissue repair, study finds

Posted: 10 Feb 2022 12:41 PM PST

New research has found the protein p53 plays a key role in epithelial migration and tissue repair. The findings could improve our understanding of the processes used by cells to repair tissues, and be used to identify interventions that could accelerate and improve wound repair.

Mitochondria efficiently adapt to changing metabolic conditions

Posted: 10 Feb 2022 12:41 PM PST

A recent study explains an essential component for proper mitochondrial function: The protein complexes MICOS and ATP synthase can communicate with each other. Researchers have uncovered an important mechanism that ensures efficient metabolic adaptation of mitochondria.

New insights into how metal exposures can impact fetal growth

Posted: 10 Feb 2022 12:41 PM PST

A new study reveals how prenatal exposure to mixtures of commonly found metals can adversely affect fetal growth.

Capturing hidden data for asymptomatic COVID-19 cases provides a better pandemic picture

Posted: 10 Feb 2022 12:41 PM PST

Asymptomatic COVID-19 cases are the bane of computer modelers' existences -- they throw off the modeling data to an unknown degree. A new approach explores using historic epidemic data from eight different countries to estimate the transmission rate and fraction of under-reported cases.

Harvesting baker's yeast for aging-related therapeutics

Posted: 10 Feb 2022 12:41 PM PST

Researchers have successfully engineered common baker's yeast to produce D-lysergic acid (DLA), an ingredient used in medicine for dementia and Parkinson's Disease.

Cellular proteins enable tissues to sense, react to mechanical force

Posted: 10 Feb 2022 12:41 PM PST

Cellular proteins that hold cells and tissues together also perform critical functions when they experience increased tension. A new study observed that when tugged upon in a controlled manner, these proteins -- called cadherins -- communicate with growth factors to influence in vitro tumor growth in human carcinoma cells.

Researchers identify COVID-19 variants with potential to escape cellular immune response

Posted: 10 Feb 2022 12:32 PM PST

A number of existing strains of SARS-CoV-2, as well as other future variants that could arise, have the potential to escape the immune system's cytotoxic T cell response in some portion of the population, according to a new modeling study.

Poorest people bear growing burden of heat waves as temperatures rise

Posted: 10 Feb 2022 09:58 AM PST

Lower income populations currently face a 40% higher exposure to heat waves than people with higher incomes, according to a new study. By the end of the century, the poorest 25% of the world's population will be exposed to heat waves at a rate equivalent to the rest of the population combined.

In the quest for a TBI therapy, astrocytes may be the bull’s-eye

Posted: 10 Feb 2022 09:58 AM PST

New studies show what happens when an enzyme called monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) is genetically inactivated in experimental mice. Typically, MAGL breaks down a neuroprotective molecule called 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), diminishing the latter's beneficial effects in the brain. Findings point to the need to develop therapeutic interventions for inhibition of 2-AG degradation in astrocytes, cells that enhance the activity of neurons.

Infusion of 3D cellular structures might repair damaged intestine

Posted: 10 Feb 2022 09:58 AM PST

Researchers have developed a protocol to transplant 3D cellular structures called organoids into the damaged colon and intestine of mice. Once delivered via rectal infusion, the organoids are able to attach to the injured region and rebuild the tissue damaged by conditions such as colitis. The significant advantage of this technique is that the organoids can be derived from the same individual that will receive them, avoiding any rejection issue when they are transplanted.

Promising molecule for treatment of COVID-19

Posted: 10 Feb 2022 09:58 AM PST

Researchers have succeeded in designing a molecule that inhibits the replication of coronaviruses and that has great potential for development into a drug suitable for treating COVID-19. The molecule is effective against both the new variant and previously identified coronaviruses.

Researchers identify potential new means of slowing neurodegenerative diseases

Posted: 10 Feb 2022 09:58 AM PST

Scientists have discovered a new class of potential drug targets for people suffering from neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Lou Gehrig's disease.

Three proteins found that help fine tune movement

Posted: 10 Feb 2022 08:41 AM PST

Three members of a family of proteins have been identified that are important to helping us fine tune the activity of brain chemicals which enable us to walk or stand at will, scientists report.

Futuristic coating for hospital fabrics and activewear kills COVID virus and E. coli

Posted: 10 Feb 2022 08:41 AM PST

Researchers have developed an inexpensive, non-toxic coating for almost any fabric that decreases the infectivity of the virus that causes COVID-19 by up to 90 per cent. And in the future, you might be able to spray it on fabric yourself.

Spatial training with blocks and puzzles could unlock the UK's mathematical potential

Posted: 10 Feb 2022 08:41 AM PST

A sustained focus on spatial reasoning training could help children learn science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Insight into the genetics of autism offers hope for new drug treatments

Posted: 10 Feb 2022 08:41 AM PST

Drugs to increase insulin signaling may be effective for treating autism, say researchers who have discovered how a genetic change impacts on insulin signaling and glucose metabolism in the brain.

Undernourished infants at risk for lung restriction, weaker health as adults, study finds

Posted: 10 Feb 2022 08:41 AM PST

Researchers examined 40 years of respiratory studies from three countries and found that poor childhood nutrition and growth increase the risk of lung disease as an adult.

New system speeds screening of drug-delivering nanoparticles

Posted: 10 Feb 2022 08:40 AM PST

A new study demonstrates 'species agnostic' screening of lipid nanoparticles, which could significantly accelerate the development of cutting edge mRNA targeted therapies.

Men with high levels of body fat may be at risk for osteoporosis

Posted: 10 Feb 2022 08:40 AM PST

Men with high levels of body fat have lower bone density and may be more likely to break a bone than those with normal levels of body fat, according to a new study.

Exploring the signals that underlie learning

Posted: 10 Feb 2022 08:40 AM PST

When you start learning how to do something new, like playing a musical instrument, the simplest tasks can feel difficult. But as you gain experience, you play with ease and without conscious thought. Researchers are mapping the signals that correlate with adaptive behavior and learning.

Black Death mortality not as widespread as long thought

Posted: 10 Feb 2022 08:40 AM PST

A new study used pollen data to evaluate the second plague pandemic's mortality at a regional scale across Europe. Results showed that the impacts of the Black Death varied substantially from region to region and demonstrated the importance of cross-disciplinary approaches for understanding past -- and present -- pandemics.

Simplifying RNA editing for treating genetic diseases

Posted: 10 Feb 2022 08:40 AM PST

New research could make it much simpler to repair disease-causing mutations in RNA without compromising precision or efficiency. The new RNA editing technology holds promise as a gene therapy for treating genetic diseases. In a proof of concept, researchers showed that the technology can treat a mouse model of Hurler syndrome, a rare genetic disease, by correcting its disease-causing mutation in RNA.

Illuminating real-time brain dynamics of neuropeptides with a fluorescent biosensor

Posted: 10 Feb 2022 08:40 AM PST

Neuropeptides play fundamental roles in modulating cellular and circuit functions within the brain. One such signaling molecule -- orexin -- regulates arousal and wakefulness, and its failure can lead to constant daytime sleepiness (narcolepsy). Researchers have now developed a fluorescent orexin biosensor to observe this molecule 'live' in the living mouse brain.

Facial analysis improves diagnosis

Posted: 10 Feb 2022 08:40 AM PST

Rare genetic diseases can sometimes be recognized through facial features, such as characteristically shaped brows, nose or cheeks. Researchers have now trained software that uses portrait photos to better diagnose such diseases. The improved version "GestaltMatcher" can now also detect diseases that are not yet known to it. It also manages to diagnose known diseases with very small numbers of patients.

Potential to identify risk of Alzheimer’s in middle age with simple eye test

Posted: 10 Feb 2022 08:32 AM PST

A simple eye test may make diagnosing the earliest stages of 'diseases of old age' possible when people are much younger, researchers hope.

New mechanism involved in learning and memory

Posted: 10 Feb 2022 05:50 AM PST

FMRP, a protein whose loss causes intellectual disability, may regulate a neuron's synaptic response by establishing a feedback loop between the cell's nucleus and its faraway dendrites.

Aboriginal Australians in cities have dementia rates as high as those in rural areas

Posted: 10 Feb 2022 05:50 AM PST

Studies have shown that Aboriginal Australians living in remote areas of the country are disproportionately affected by dementia, with rates approximately double those of non-Indigenous people. A new study shows that Aboriginal Australians living in urban areas also have similar high rates of dementia.

Neurobiological processes occurring during puberty that trigger sex differences in learning and memory

Posted: 10 Feb 2022 05:50 AM PST

New research reveals that sex differences in learning and memory mechanisms are triggered by biological events occurring during puberty. Findings show prepubescent female rodents have much better hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) and spatial learning than same-age males, but puberty has opposite consequences for synaptic plasticity in the two sexes.

Babies in bike trailers exposed to higher levels of pollutants than their parents

Posted: 10 Feb 2022 05:49 AM PST

Babies and children sitting in bicycle trailers breathe in more polluted air than the adults riding the bikes that pull them --- but trailer covers can help halve air pollution levels.

One out of three people exposed to potentially harmful pesticide

Posted: 10 Feb 2022 05:49 AM PST

One out of three people in a large survey showed signs of exposure to a pesticide called 2,4-D, according to a new study. This novel research found that human exposure to this chemical has been rising as agricultural use of the chemical has increased, a finding that raises worries about possible health implications.