ScienceDaily: Health - February 20, 2025
Top health research news
How the brain balances risk and reward in making decisions
Research in mice identifies brain circuitry that supports certain reward-based decisions.
Pulmonary fibrosis: Study targets proteins to reverse lung scarring
A discovery offers new hope in the battle against pulmonary fibrosis, a debilitating lung condition that progressively makes it harder for patients to breathe. Scientists have pinpointed proteins in immune cells that, when blocked, could significantly reduce lung tissue scarring.
Promising results from first prenatal therapy for spinal muscular atrophy
Scientists report results from a promising new approach to treat the rare neurodegenerative disorder.
New therapeutic 'cocktails' may provide long-lasting relief for treatment-resistant asthma and other immune system inflammatory diseases.
Scientists identify a new cancer immunotherapy target: Dysfunctional B cells
Scientists have discovered a novel subset of cancer-fighting immune cells that reside outside of their normal neighborhood -- known as the tertiary lymphoid structure -- where they become frustratingly dysfunctional when in close contact with tumors.
Study reveals activity of navtemadlin in glioblastoma, points to possible treatment improvements
Clinical research suggests that combining a novel agent called navtemadlin with DNA-damaging chemotherapy for the treatment of glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer, could increase efficacy. Navtemadlin is an MDM2 inhibitor that can help to kill cancer cells by boosting the activity of p53, a protein that controls cell growth and induces cell death in response to DNA damage. In lab experiments, the researchers found that navtemadlin was one of the best drugs at killing glioblastoma cells with intact, non-mutant p53.
New therapy may effectively control HIV in Uganda
A multi-national, multi-institutional study investigators found little natural resistance to a new HIV therapy called lenacapavir in a population of patients in Uganda.
Like human brains, large language models reason about diverse data in a general way
Researchers find large language models process diverse types of data, like different languages, audio inputs, images, etc., similarly to how humans reason about complex problems. Like humans, LLMs integrate data inputs across modalities in a central hub that processes data in an input-type-agnostic fashion.
Breast cancer incidence trends in U.S. women under 40 vary by geography and supports incorporating location information with established risk factors into risk prediction, improving the ability to identify groups of younger women at higher risk for early-onset breast cancer.
Mutation increases enzyme in mouse brains linked to schizophrenia behaviors
A genetic mutation found in two human patients with schizophrenia also increased schizophrenia-related behaviors in mice with the same mutation, a rare finding of a direct genetic link to psychosis, report researchers.
Ginger compound has potential to treat inflammatory bowel disease
Researchers have found a compound in ginger, called furanodienone (FDN), that selectively binds to and regulates a nuclear receptor involved in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). While researchers have been aware of FDN for decades, they had not determined its functions or targets in the body until now.
Cancer cells cooperate to scavenge for nutrients
Cancer cells work together to source nutrients from their environment -- a cooperative process that was previously overlooked by scientists but may be a promising target for treating cancer.
Scientists solve the brain's motion-source separation problem
Neuroscientists have discovered how the brain distinguishes between visual motion occurring in the external world from that caused by the observer moving through it. Known as the 'motion-source separation problem,' researchers have long wondered how the brain achieves this critical sensory distinction. This is the first time scientists have pinpointed the precise mechanisms.
Nerves electrify stomach cancer, sparking growth and spread
Researchers have found that a cancer outside the brain makes electrical connections with the nervous system to fuel cancer growth and aid its spread.
U.S. facing critical hospital bed shortage by 2032
The new post-pandemic national hospital occupancy average is 75% -- a full 11 percentage points higher than the pre-pandemic average, largely due to a reduction in staffed hospital beds. This puts the U.S. on track for a severe shortage of hospital beds by 2032 unless action is taken.
Advances in AI can help prepare the world for the next pandemic, global group of scientists find
Scientists across Africa, America, Asia, Australia, and Europe outline for the first time how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can transform the landscape of infectious disease research and improve pandemic preparedness.
In the face of the alarming number of opioid-related deaths in the U.S., there have been national efforts to increase emergency clinician prescribing of buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid use disorder.
Jumbled proteins paint a bold target on the backs of brain tumors
Immune therapy has transformed how cancer is treated, but many tumors continue to evade these treatments, thanks to their resemblance to healthy tissue.
Socioeconomic factors, unpredictability complicate diagnosis of episodic disabilities, like epilepsy
New research focuses on diagnostic delays experienced by people with epilepsy, a neurological disorder characterized by unpredictable seizures that affects over 3 million people in the United States and 50 million worldwide.
Using light to activate treatments in the right place
Acting in the right place at the right time is the key to effective medical treatment with minimal side effects. However, this feat remains difficult to achieve. Biologists and chemists have now succeeded in developing a tool that controls the location at which a molecule is activated by a simple pulse of light lasting only a few seconds. Tested on a protein essential for cell division, this system could be applied to other molecules. The potential applications are vast, both in basic research and in improving existing medical treatments, such as those for skin cancer.
Study suggests drunk witnesses are less likely to remember a suspect's face
Researchers have tested whether intoxicated people can be reliable witnesses when it comes to identifying a suspect's face after a crime is committed.
A new treatment for post-amputation pain?
War study in Ukraine suggests hydrodissection may reduce pain, opioid use in amputees.
New molecular mechanisms linked to insulin resistance
Insulin resistance precedes and predicts the onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2), a chronic disease that causes high morbidity and mortality worldwide. In affected people, insulin is unable to facilitate the uptake of glucose through tissues and organs, leading to an increase in blood glucose (chronic hyperglycaemia). Since skeletal muscle is the tissue that uses the most glucose in response to insulin action, it is the most affected tissue by insulin resistance.
1 in 5 older adults get infections after heart surgery, and women have a 60% higher risk
One in five older adults gets an infection up to six months after heart surgery, and women are far more likely to develop one, according to recent studies. Black patients also had higher rates of overall infection compared to white patients. Researchers say estimates of postoperative infections are likely vastly underestimated.
A new study demonstrates life-saving benefits of consistent exercise.
Ai in retail: How to spark creativity and improve job satisfaction
AI is reshaping workplaces, particularly in retail. Researchers explored how AI service quality impacts retail employees' innovation, job fit, and satisfaction. Findings show when employees perceive AI as reliable and empathetic, they are more likely to engage in innovative behavior. AI's adaptability also plays a crucial role in enhancing service quality. While reliability strongly supports innovation, transparency and responsiveness had less influence than expected. Empathy in AI systems was found to have a significant positive effect on employee innovation, creating a more engaging work environment. The study underscores AI's potential to drive service innovation in retail.
New research shows neonatal HSV infections may lead to long-term cognitive impairment
Very early exposure to even a very small dose of herpes simplex virus (HSV) in infant mice can lead to cognitive decline later in life, according to new findings. This is significant because of emerging data in human studies showing an association between HSV and Alzheimer's disease in humans.
Scientific insights into how humans access deep spiritual states
Two seemingly opposite spiritual practices -- Buddhist jhana meditation and the Christian practice of speaking in tongues -- have more in common than previously thought, a new study suggests. While one is quiet and deeply focused, and the other emotionally charged and expressive, both appear to harness the same cognitive feedback loop to create profound states of joy and surrender.
'Healthy' vitamin B12 levels not enough to ward off neuro decline
Meeting the minimum requirement for vitamin B12, needed to make DNA, red blood cells and nerve tissue, may not actually be enough -- particularly if you are older. It may even put you at risk for cognitive impairment.
New therapy reduces reoffending in male offenders with antisocial personality disorder
A new psychological therapy has been found to reduce rates of violence and aggression among male offenders with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD).
We are no longer living longer: Study across Europe
The rise in human life expectancy has slowed down across Europe since 2011, according to new research. A new study reveals that the food we eat, physical inactivity and obesity are largely to blame, as well as the Covid pandemic. Of all the countries studied, England experienced the biggest slowdown in life expectancy. It means that rather than looking forward to living longer than our parents or grandparents, we may find that we are dying sooner. The team says that in order to extend our old age, we need to prioritize healthier lifestyles in our younger years -- with governments urged to invest in bold public health initiatives.
New study uncovers how genes influence retinal aging and brain health
Researchers used mice with nine different genetic backgrounds to identify factors influencing eye aging, paving the way for eye-based diagnostics for neurodegenerative diseases.
Multiple sclerosis: Cell-catching implant helps identify successful treatment in mice
A sponge-like implant in mice helped guide a treatment that slowed or stopped a degenerative condition similar to multiple sclerosis in humans. It also gave researchers a look at how primary progressive multiple sclerosis, the fastest-progressing version of the disease, attacks the central nervous system early on.
Avoiding the workplace mediocrity trap
Confidence. Persistence. Ingenuity. Conventional wisdom tells us these are some of the traits needed for success at the office. But within teams, less laudable characteristics -- maintaining the status quo, for instance -- might be just as desirable, according to new research. An expert on organizational thinking reports that teams with high rates of envy often ostracize their best performers, in turn leading those standout employees to sabotage productivity.
From plants to people: How amino acid, vitamin balance links plant immunity to epilepsy
A groundbreaking study has revealed a surprising biochemical connection between plant immune responses and human neurological health. Researchers have discovered that the metabolic pathways regulating vitamin B6 homeostasis -- critical in certain forms of epilepsy and immune function -- are shared by plants and humans.
Patients with localized muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) who received radiation plus the immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) durvalumab (Imfinzi) and tremelimumab (Imjudo) had durable responses that allowed for bladder preservation, according to new results.
A treatment-resistant, severe type of asthma successfully modeled in mice
Researchers are tackling neutrophilic asthma, successfully developing one of the first mouse models of the condition.
Designing antivirals for shape-shifting viruses
Viruses, like those that cause COVID-19 or HIV, are formidable opponents once they invade our bodies. Antiviral treatments strive to block a virus or halt its replication. However, viruses are dynamic -- constantly evolving and changing shape, which can make designing antiviral treatments a challenge.
Older patients can inadvertently be put at risk when they are taken off blood-thinning drugs
A new study suggests that the benefits of prescribing anticoagulation drugs to certain older people outweigh the potential risks.
Newfound circuit better explains how the brain recognizes what is familiar and important
Scientists decode diet from stool DNA -- no questions asked
Scientists have developed a breakthrough method to track diet using stool metagenomic data. This non-invasive, data-driven approach offers an objective alternative to traditional food diaries and questionnaires, which are still the gold standard in dietary assessment but can suffer from misreporting and compliance issues.
Biologists transform gut bacteria into tiny protein pharmacies
Biologists converted gut bacteria into miniature protein factories that manufacture and release a sustained flow of targeted proteins inside the lower intestines. This technique solves one of the longstanding problems surrounding gastrointestinal drug delivery.
New tool reveals disruption of immune cells in blood is linked to cancer outcomes
The immune systems of cancer patients are highly disrupted, with those who have a higher number of immune cells in their blood having a better survival rate, finds a new study that uses a pioneering technique.
A single protein may have helped shape the emergence of spoken language
How much does the evolution of human speech owe to one amino acid?
Researchers develop AI model to automatically segment MRI images
Research scientists in Switzerland have developed and tested a robust AI model that automatically segments major anatomic structures in MRI images, independent of sequence. In the study, the model outperformed other publicly available tools.
Toward improved early detection of pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer (PC) is the worst prognosis cancer globally, with just 13% of patients who are diagnosed with PC surviving for 5 years or more after initial diagnosis. Early detection of PC is the primary concern of most PC research, as it has the potential to make a substantial difference to the treatment and survival of patients. Survival rates, however, remain poor due to the vague nature of the symptoms associated with early-stage PC, and subsequently the late-stage of the disease at diagnosis. Now researchers are focusing on pancreatic cystic lesions to tackle the crucial issue of identifying patients who are at high-risk of developing pancreatic cancer, to improve survival rates.
New research adds evidence that learning a successful strategy for approaching a task doesn't prevent further exploration, even if it reduces performance.
Air inside your home may be more polluted than outside due to everyday chemical products
Bringing aromas indoors with the help of chemical products -- yes, air fresheners, wax melts, floor cleaners, deodorants and others -- rapidly fills the air with nanoscale particles that are small enough to get deep into your lungs, engineers have found over a series of studies.
Global action needed to solve the medical oxygen crisis
Targets for universal access, national roadmaps and more affordable and accessible care are vital to help fill the medical oxygen gap affecting more than half of the world's population, according to a new global report.
Biological clock plays critical role in driving teens' late-day eating habits
The causes of obesity are complex and influenced by many factors. While research has highlighted connections between sleep, eating patterns and weight gain, scientists remain uncertain of the role of the circadian system -- the biological clock -- in shaping eating patterns. But a new study reveals a distinct relationship between circadian rhythms, weight and eating habits in adolescents, a vulnerable age group whose eating patterns influence their lifelong health. The study found that adolescents whose weight was classified as 'overweight' or 'obese' consumed more calories later in the day compared to participants with healthy weights.
Sweet taste receptors in the heart: A new pathway for cardiac regulation
In a surprising discovery, scientists have found that the heart possesses 'sweet taste' receptors, similar to those on our tongues, and that stimulating these receptors with sweet substances can modulate the heartbeat. This research opens new avenues for understanding heart function and potentially for developing novel treatments for heart failure.
A geometric deep learning method for decoding brain dynamics
Scientists have developed a geometric deep learning method that can create a coherent picture of neuronal population activity during cognitive and motor tasks across experimental subjects and conditions.
Researchers identify DNA changes, biological pathways associated with inherited cancer risk
Stanford Medicine researchers sifted through thousands of single nucleotide mutations in DNA to identify fewer than 400 that are functionally associated with inherited cancer risk.
New lipid nanoparticle platform delivers mRNA to the brain through the blood-brain barrier
Scientists have developed a lipid nanoparticle system capable of delivering messenger RNA (mRNA) to the brain via intravenous injection, a challenge that has long been limited by the protective nature of the blood-brain barrier. The findings demonstrate the potential of this technology to pave the way for future treatments for a wide range of conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, brain cancer, and drug addiction.
This research is absolutely nuts -- for better health care
A nut used in herbal tea has become a hydrogel perfect for a variety of biomedical uses in new research. Scientists created a malva nut hydrogel for medical uses ranging from wound care to ECG readings. The research doesn't rely on the rumored health benefits of the nuts -- in China, they're known as the sore throat remedy Pangdahai (PDH) -- but for their ability to swell 20 times their weight in water.
Scientists discovered years ago that the hypothalamus -- which helps to manage body temperature, hunger, sex drive, sleep and more -- includes neurons that express the protein opsin 3 (OPN3). Far less clear, however, was what this light-sensing protein does so deep inside the brain. A study now suggests that OPN3 plays an important role in regulating food consumption.
New research shows sotagliflozin is the only drug in its class to demonstrate these results.
Gene therapy for rare epilepsy shows promise in mice
Recent research takes aim at the a variant in gene SCN1B, which causes a severe form of developmental epileptic encephalopathy.
Mouse study finds impaired cell development: Intermittent fasting could be unsafe for teenagers
A recent study reveals that age plays a significant role in the outcomes of intermittent fasting. Researchers discovered that chronic intermittent fasting disrupted the development of insulin-producing beta cells in young mice. The findings raise concerns about potential risks for humans, especially teenagers.
A new switch for the cell therapies of the future
Researchers have developed a new gene switch that can be activated using a commercially available nitroglycerine patch applied to the skin. One day, researchers want to use switches of this kind to trigger cell therapies for various metabolic diseases.