ScienceDaily: Health - November 16, 2023
Top health research news
Scientists piece together DNA repair pathway implicated in breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers
Medical researchers have learned more about an enzyme found to be overly expressed in patients with hereditary breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and prostate cancer.
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People with obesity burn less energy during day
A study found people who have a healthy weight use more energy during the day, when most people are active and eat, while those who have obesity spend more energy during the night, when most people sleep. Researchers also found that, during the day, those with obesity have higher levels of the hormone insulin -- a sign that the body is working harder to use glucose, an energy-packed sugar.
Exposure to air pollution in utero may affect reproductive system development
From invisible wafts of diesel exhaust to sun-choking plumes of orange smoke, air pollution is known to damage respiratory well-being. Now, research suggests another reason to hold our breath: Polluted air also may hurt reproductive health. In a study of air pollution data in relation to markers of reproductive development in infancy, Rutgers researchers found certain pollutants may negatively alter anogenital distance, a measure of prenatal exposure to hormones.
Can gene expression predict if a brain tumor is likely to grow back?
Doctors often prescribe radiation along with surgery to treat a brain tumor called meningioma that originates in the protective membranes surrounding the brain. But side effects from radiation can be serious, including memory loss and cognitive decline, so it's important to know which patients really need it. Now, researchers at UC San Francisco and Northwestern Medicine, in collaboration with 10 other medical centers, have found a highly accurate way to predict the best treatment for patients based on patterns of gene expression -- which genes are turned on and off -- in their tumors.
Focus groups can work without a moderator, shows research
Focus groups that feed views, experiences and opinions into politics, business and research might yield more open interaction and discussion within groups by moving moderators to a separate room, shows new research.
Nanoparticles for optimized cancer therapy
Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest types of cancers in humans. It is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the western world. The early stages of the disease often progress without symptoms, so diagnosis is usually very late.
Colliding ribosomes activate RNA repair
Researchers discover how ribosomes contribute to the recognition and removal of RNA crosslinking damage.
Scientists 3D-print hair follicles in lab-grown skin
Scientists have 3D-printed hair follicles in human skin tissue cultured in the lab. This marks the first time researchers have used the technology to generate hair follicles, which play an important role in skin healing and function. When it comes to engineering human skin, hair may at first seem superfluous. However, hair follicles are quite important: They produce sweat, helping regulate body temperature, and they contain stem cells that help skin heal. The finding has potential applications in regenerative medicine and drug testing, though engineering skin grafts that grow hair are still several years away.
Novel C. diff structures are required for infection, offer new therapeutic targets
Newly discovered iron storage 'ferrosomes' inside the bacterium C. diff -- the leading cause of hospital-acquired infections -- are important for infection in an animal model and could offer new targets for antibacterial drugs. They also represent a rare demonstration of a membrane-bound structure inside a pathogenic bacterium, upsetting the biological dogma that bacteria do not contain organelles.
Researcher helps solve 60-year mystery inside heart
Scientists have solve a 60-year-old mystery about one of the body's most vital organs: the heart.
Tau-ting the importance of protein mapping
Researchers have shown how the tau protein, known for its role in dementias, behaves where communication in the brain takes place.
US men die 6 years before women, as life expectancy gap widens
We've known for more than a century that women outlive men. But new research shows that, at least in the United States, the gap has been widening for more than a decade.
Monitoring brain injury biomarkers and glucose variation in patients who have suffered an acute cranial injury during the entire first week of hospitalization can provide a more accurate picture of the pathological process.
Delaying cord clamping could halve risk of death in premature babies
Two new studies have given further weight to the benefits of delayed cord clamping, finding waiting for at least 2 minutes to clamp the umbilical cord of premature babies at birth could decrease the child's risk of death.
Increased threat of war enhances pup survival
Animal offspring may survive better when their groups are in greater conflict with rival factions, new research has shown.
Genetic testing could greatly benefit patients with depression, save health system millions
A special kind of genetic test that helps determine the best antidepressant for patients with moderate-to-severe depression could generate substantive health system savings and greatly improve patient outcomes, according to new research. The study shows that in B.C. alone, implementing pharmacogenomic testing could save the provincial public health system an estimated $956 million over 20 years.
Ultrafine particles from traffic disturb human olfactory cell function
Exposure to ultrafine particles from traffic alters the expression of many genes in human olfactory mucosa cells, a new study shows. The study is the first to combine an analysis of emissions from different diesel fuels and exhaust after-treatment systems with an examination of their effects in a human-derived cell model of the olfactory mucosa.
Cancer stem cells trigger macrophage aging
Cancer stem cells cause the aging of macrophages in mice with healthy immune systems, creating conditions for the formation of tumors.
Researchers chart the contents of human bone marrow
A team has mapped the location and spatial features of blood-forming cells within human bone marrow. Their findings confirm hypotheses about the anatomy of this tissue and provide a powerful new means to study diseases, ranging from noncancerous conditions, such as sickle cell anemia, to malignant conditions, such as acute leukemia, that affect bone marrow.
High lung cancer rates in naval veterans linked to asbestos
A new study has discovered asbestos exposure led to a higher incidence of asbestos-related lung cancers in British and Australian naval personnel than in other armed forces.
When we feel things that are not there
The discovery of the phantom touch illusion provides insights into human perception and opens up new perspectives for interaction with virtual reality technology.
Shedding new light on sugars, the 'dark matter' of cellular biology
Chemists have developed a new tool for detecting interactions between sugars and lectins, a discovery that could help in the fight against diseases like cancer.
Individual back training machine developed
18 percent of reported sick leave relates to musculoskeletal ailments, in particular back-related disorders. The GyroTrainer is an intelligent training device that resembles a balance board. It uses artificial intelligence to adjust the difficulty level to the individual patient's current ability.
New twist on AI makes the most of sparse sensor data
An innovative approach to artificial intelligence (AI) enables reconstructing a broad field of data, such as overall ocean temperature, from a small number of field-deployable sensors using low-powered 'edge' computing, with broad applications across industry, science and medicine.
Pharmaceutical compound sounds the alarm on cancer cells and unleashes T cells
Researchers are leveraging the dual roles played by an enzyme found in both cancer cells and T cells to create a novel cancer immunotherapy compound.
When we see what others do, our brain sees not what we see, but what we expect
When we engage in social interactions, like shaking hands or having a conversation, our observation of other people's actions is crucial. But what exactly happens in our brain during this process: how do the different brain regions talk to each other? Researchers provide an intriguing answer: our perception of what others do depends more on what we expect to happen than previously believed.
Drug that kills off sleeping bone cells could treat lower back pain
An existing drug that targets senescent, or sleeping cells could provide the answer to treating lower back pain, according to a new study.
Another step toward the HIV-1 vaccine: Dynamics of neutralizing antibodies
Longevity of neutralizing antibodies is an essential factor for an effective HIV-1 vaccination.
Peer educators play key role in new recipe development and testing
Cooking and recipe demonstrations encourage healthy eating and adoption of unfamiliar foods by class participants.
When languages collide, which survives?
Researchers incorporate language ideologies, along with the impact of interaction between individuals with opposing preferences, on the language shift process. The team chose a quantitative approach based on a society in which only one language with two varieties, the standard and the vernacular, existed. The resulting mathematical model can predict the conditions that allow for the coexistence of different languages, presenting a comprehensive view of how language varieties are distributed within societies.
Putting sound waves to work to create safer public spaces
Absorbing excess sound to make public environments like theaters and concert halls safer for hearing and using the unwanted sound waves to create electricity is the aim of a new paper. The authors built a system of piezoelectric sensors that can be installed in walls, floors, and ceilings to absorb sound waves and collect their energy. They used computer simulations to fine-tune variables including the voltage needed to power the main device component, the frequency and intensity of the input sound, and piezoelectric sensors tested in parallel and serial configurations.
Researchers identify unexpected twist while developing new polymer-based semiconductors
Chemists bring fresh insight into the development of semiconductor materials that can do things their traditional silicon counterparts cannot -- harness the power of chirality, a non-superimposable mirror image.
How tiny hinges bend the infection-spreading spikes of a coronavirus
Far from being stiff and pointy, a coronavirus's infectious spikes are shaped like chicken drumsticks with the meaty part facing out, and the meaty part can tilt every which way on its slender stalk. A new study suggests that disabling those hinges could block infection.
How teachers would handle student violence against educators
For the first time, teachers in a nationwide study have told researchers what strategies they think work best to deal with student violence against educators. Teachers rated suspending or expelling students as the least effective way of addressing violence, despite the popularity of 'zero tolerance' policies in many school districts.
Hormonal contraceptives in teens may alter risk assessment, rat study suggests
Hormonal contraceptives taken by adolescents may influence development of the brain in a way that alters the recognition of risks, a new study in rats suggests.
Reducing systolic blood pressure to less than 120 mm Hg reduced cardiovascular event risk
An intensive three-year intervention to lower the top blood pressure number to less than 120 mm Hg was more effective at preventing death, heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular events in adults at high risk for cardiovascular disease, compared to the standard treatment target of under 140 mm Hg, according to new research.
Researchers develop gel to deliver cancer drugs for solid tumors
Intratumoral therapy -- in which cancer drugs are injected directly into tumors -- is a promising treatment option for solid cancers but has shown limited success in clinical trials due to an inability to precisely deliver the drug and because most immunotherapies quickly dissipate from the site of injection. A team of researchers has developed a gel delivery system that overcomes these challenges. The gel is injectable but solidifies upon delivery; contains an imaging agent for visualization under CT scan; and can hold a high concentration of drug for slow, controlled release.
One in five patients experience rebound COVID after taking Paxlovid, new study finds
A new study has found that one in five individuals taking Nirmatrelvir-ritonavir therapy, commonly known as Paxlovid, to treat severe symptoms of COVID-19, experienced a positive test result and shedding of live and potentially contagious virus following an initial recovery and negative test -- a phenomenon known as virologic rebound. By contrast, people not taking Paxlovid only experienced rebound about 2 percent of the time.
Scientists discover key to a potential natural cancer treatment's potency
Scientists have discovered two enzymes that enable bacteria to target and break up DNA. This chemical defense likely evolved to help the organism fight off germs. The chemical riches were found within the institute's one-of-a-kind Natural Products Discovery Center collection.
This wireless, handheld, non-invasive device detects Alzheimer's and Parkinson's biomarkers
An international team of researchers has developed a handheld, non-invasive device that can detect biomarkers for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases. The biosensor can also transmit the results wirelessly to a laptop or smartphone. The team tested the device on in vitro samples from patients and showed that it is as accurate as the state of the art method. Ultimately, researchers plan to test saliva and urine samples with the biosensor. The device could be modified to detect biomarkers for other conditions as well. The device relies on electrical rather than chemical detection, which researchers say is easier to implement and more accurate.
Appropriate statin prescriptions increase sixfold with automated referrals
The odds of prescribing the appropriate dose of statins -- a medicine used to lower 'bad' cholesterol levels -- increased sixfold when automated referrals were made to pharmacy services, instead of relying on traditional prescribing methods. More than 90 million people in the U.S. use statins, making it one of the most prescribed medications in the country. Despite their effectiveness in lowering cholesterol levels and the risk of cardiovascular diseases, previous studies have highlighted suboptimal prescribing trends.
Antiviral treatment is largely underused in children with influenza, study findings show
Despite national medical guidelines supporting the use of antiviral medications in young children diagnosed with influenza, a new study reports an underuse of the treatment.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is on the rise. Until now, AI applications generally have 'black box' character: How AI arrives at its results remains hidden. A cheminformatics scientist has now developed a method that reveals how certain AI applications work in pharmaceutical research. The results are unexpected: the AI programs largely remembered known data and hardly learned specific chemical interactions when predicting drug potency.
How climate change could be affecting your brain
A new element of the catastrophic impacts of climate change is emerging -- how global warming is impacting the human brain.
Cycle of fasting and feeding is crucial for healthy aging
Fasting interventions, which involve alternating periods of fasting and refeeding, are generally thought to improve health. But these interventions don't work as well in old animals. The question is: Why? By studying the short-lived killifish, researchers have shown that older fish deviate from a youthful fasting and refeeding cycle, and instead enter a state of perpetual fasting, even when ingesting food. However, the benefits of refeeding after fasting in old killifish can be restored by genetically activating a specific subunit of AMP kinase, an important sensor of cellular energy. These mutant fish experienced improved health and longevity, indicating that both fasting and refeeding are needed to confer health benefits and act through AMP kinase to do so.
Early-life stress changes more genes in brain than a head injury
A surprising thing happened when researchers began exploring whether early-life stress compounds the effects of a childhood head injury on health and behavior later in life: In an animal study, stress changed the activation level of many more genes in the brain than were changed by a bump to the head.
New medication given every 1-3 months may slash stubborn high cholesterol
While currently available PCSK9 inhibitor medications to lower cholesterol must be administered every few weeks by injection, a new, investigational PCSK9 inhibitor called recaticimab safely lowered bad cholesterol more than 50% when injected every 1-3 months, depending on dose.
Survey finds many Americans are letting their guard down during respiratory illness season
Despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warning this year will be potentially dangerous for respiratory illnesses, a third of Americans are not concerned about the threat, according to a new national survey.
Semaglutide reduced cardiovascular events by 20% in certain adults
Semaglutide reduced cardiovascular events by 20% in adults with overweight or obesity and established cardiovascular disease who do not have diabetes, according to new research. Semaglutide is primarily prescribed for adults with type 2 diabetes but is also approved for chronic weight management in adults with obesity or overweight and have at least one other health issue. In the trial, patients treated with semaglutide lost an average of 9.4% of their body weight and experienced improvements in other risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Results from the 'SELECT -- Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients with Overweight or Obesity Who Do Not Have Diabetes' trial were presented today during a late-breaking science session at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2023 and simultaneously published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Nearly everyone can lower their blood pressure, even people currently on blood pressure-reducing drugs, by lowering their sodium intake, reports a new study. It found 70-75% of all people, regardless of whether they are already on blood pressure medications or not, are likely to see a reduction in their blood pressure if they lower the sodium in their diet. Losing one teaspoon of salt a day results in systolic blood pressure decline comparable to effect achieved with drugs.
Study finds poor ventilation use during CPR for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest
The ventilation technique, also known as rescue breathing, commonly used during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for people with cardiac arrest is often performed poorly by professional emergency responders, and this ineffective strategy is linked to significantly worse patient survival rates, according to a new study. Ventilation involves administering breaths to a patient to provide life-sustaining oxygen and inflate the lungs when they stop breathing or during cardiac arrest, when the heart suddenly stops pumping blood. Among the nearly 2,000 people in the study who received CPR for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, those who were given a higher number of effective ventilations had survival rates three times greater than those who were given fewer ventilations.
New research maps 14 potential evolutionary dead ends for humanity and ways to avoid them
Humankind risks getting stuck in 14 evolutionary dead ends, ranging from global climate tipping points to misaligned artificial intelligence, chemical pollution, and accelerating infectious diseases, finds a new major assessment by scientists from multiple different disciplines. To break these trends, humans must become self-aware of our common futures.
An intravenous needle that irreversibly softens via body temperature on insertion?
A research team has developed an intravenous (IV) needle that softens upon insertion, minimizing risk of damage to blood vessels and tissues. Once used, it remains soft even at room temperature, preventing accidental needle stick injuries and unethical multiple use of needle. A thin-film temperature sensor can be embedded with this needle, enabling real-time monitoring of the patient's core body temperature, or detection of unintended fluid leakage, during IV medication.
Researchers have discovered the mechanism by which cholesterol in our diet is absorbed into our cells. This discovery opens up new opportunities for therapeutic intervention to control cholesterol uptake that could complement other therapies and potentially save lives.
Exhaustion caused by video conferencing demonstrated on a neurophysiological level
Using EEG and ECG data, researchers were able to demonstrate that video conferences and online education formats lead to greater fatigue than face-to-face alternatives.
AI faces look more real than actual human face
White faces generated by artificial intelligence (AI) now appear more real than human faces, according to new research. In the study, more people thought AI-generated white faces were human than the faces of real people. The same wasn't true for images of people of color.
When keeping secrets could brighten your day
Though people often want to share good news as soon as they learn it, a study has found that keeping good news a secret before telling someone else could make people feel more energized and alive.
The Goldilocks Effect: Researchers establish framework for protein regulation
Researchers are working to understand how protein quality control works in cells.
Researchers explore origins of lupus, find reason for condition's prevalence among women
For years, researchers and clinicians have known that lupus, an autoimmune condition, occurs in women at a rate nine times higher than in men. Some of the factors that cause the disease's high prevalence in women have eluded discovery, but in a new study investigating the immune system processes in lupus and the X chromosome, researchers have uncovered answers about the disease's frequency in females.
Having healthy mitochondria, the organelles that produce energy in all our cells, usually portends a long healthy life whether in humans or in C. elegans, a tiny, short-lived nematode worm often used to study the aging process. Researchers have identified a new drug-like molecule that keeps mitochondria healthy via mitophagy, a process that removes and recycles damaged mitochondria in multicellular organisms. The compound, dubbed MIC, is a natural compound that extended lifespan in C. elegans, ameliorated pathology in neurodegenerative disease models of C. elegans, and improved mitochondrial function in mouse muscle cells.
