ScienceDaily: Health - November 30, 2023
Top health research news
Brittle stars can learn just fine -- even without a brain
We humans are fixated on big brains as a proxy for smarts. But headless animals called brittle stars have no brains at all and still manage to learn through experience, new research reveals. These shy marine creatures have no brain to speak of -- just nerve cords running down each of their five wiggly arms. But that seems to be enough to learn by association, researchers report.
Jesus Cobaleda/shutterstock.com
Slippery toilet bowl treatment causes bacteria to slide right off
When entering public restrooms, it's hard not to dwell on what germs previous users have left behind in the toilet bowl. Imagine, instead, a self-cleaning system that doesn't require a brightly colored gel. Researchers have developed a simple, transparent coating that makes surfaces, like porcelain, more water-repellent. They show how this surface treatment effectively prevents bacteria from sticking to the inside of a toilet bowl.
Study of ancient British oral microbiomes reveals shift following Black Death
The Second Plague Pandemic of the mid-14th century, also known as the Black Death, killed 30-60 percent of the European population and profoundly changed the course of European history. New research suggests that this plague, potentially through resulting changes in diet and hygiene, may also be associated with a shift in the composition of the human oral microbiome toward one that contributes to chronic diseases in modern-day humans.
Clever dosage control mechanism of biallelic genes
Researchers have uncovered a mechanism that safeguards the biallelic expression of haploinsufficient genes, shedding light on the importance of having two copies of each chromosome. A study identified the epigenetic regulator MSL2 an 'anti-monoallelic' factor that maintains biallelic gene dosage. This discovery not only reveals a communication system between parental alleles but also points to potential therapeutic strategies for diseases associated with haploinsufficient genes.
Soccer heading linked to measurable decline in brain function
New research links soccer heading -- where players hit the ball with their head -- to a measurable decline in the microstructure and function of the brain over a two-year period.
Conscientious personalities less at risk of dementia diagnosis
People with personality traits such as conscientiousness, extraversion and positive affect are less likely to be diagnosed with dementia than those with neuroticism and negative affect, according to a new analysis. The difference was not linked to physical damage to brain tissue found in dementia patients, but more likely to how certain personality traits help people navigate dementia-related impairments.
Swapping blood for spit -- for convenient at-home health monitoring
Blood tests are a common, yet often painful, step in health care. But what if we could skip the needles altogether? Saliva and blood contain many of the same biomarkers, and collecting spit is as simple as drooling into a container. Researchers have developed a device that detects glucose and adenosine monophosphate (AMP) biomarkers in saliva with high sensitivity, which could help make at-home health monitoring easier and without a poke.
Enhanced treatment of liver carcinoma with a drug-eluting hydrogel
Scientists have developed an injectable or catheter-administered hydrogel with enhanced capabilities for treating hepatocellular carcinoma, a deadly form of liver cancer. This drug-eluting hydrogel can provide sustained, pH-dependent drug co-delivery and has capabilities for promoting anti-tumor immune responses. This reduces tumor cell proliferation and growth and offers a more efficient means of enabling tumor cell death.
Researchers identify cell signaling pathway controlling melanoma cell metastasis to the brain
Researchers have been working to better understand what drives melanoma brain metastasis. They now report on the identification of a cell signaling pathway that regulates the metastatic spread of melanoma cells to the brain.
Brain scans of former NFL athletes show a repair protein in place long after initial injury
In a new study using brain scans of former NFL athletes, researchers say they found high levels of a repair protein present long after a traumatic brain injury such as a concussion takes place.
Mindfulness-based intervention shows promise for PTSD in cardiac arrest survivors
A novel pilot study incorporating mindfulness into exposure therapy shows promise for reducing symptoms of post-traumatic stress in cardiac arrest survivors. One in three survivors of cardiac arrest survivors develop PTSD, increasing their risk of mortality, yet no specific treatment has been developed for this population.
Drugs already licensed could be trialled to potentially treat secondary brain cancer
The largest review of papers for brain cancer that has spread from the lungs has found abnormalities in the brain cancer and for which licensed drugs could be clinically trialed to find out if they could treat the disease. The research also found genetic differences between smokers and non-smokers.
Tracing the evolution of the 'little brain'
The evolution of higher cognitive functions in humans has so far mostly been linked to the expansion of the neocortex. Researchers are increasingly realizing, however, that the 'little brain' or cerebellum also expanded during evolution and probably contributes to the capacities unique to humans. A research team has now generated comprehensive genetic maps of the development of cells in the cerebella of human, mouse and opossum. Comparisons of these maps reveal both ancestral and species-specific cellular and molecular characteristics of cerebellum development.
Eye-safe laser technology to diagnose traumatic brain injury
Researchers have designed and developed a novel diagnostic device to detect traumatic brain injury (TBI) by shining a safe laser into the eye.
To build better tuberculosis vaccines, researchers develop new model by leveraging an old vaccine
Scientists report a promising new approach to speed vaccine testing for TB.
Newborn babies at risk from bacteria commonly carried by mothers
One in 200 newborns is admitted to a neonatal unit with sepsis caused by a bacteria commonly carried by their mothers -- much greater than the previous estimate, say researchers. The team has developed an ultra-sensitive test capable of better detecting the bacteria, as it is missed in the vast majority of cases.
Researchers find connections between neuroinflammation and Alzheimer's disease
Investigators revealed how genetic changes in certain types of brain cells may contribute to the inflammatory response seen in Alzheimer's disease.
Psychological science can help counter spread of misinformation
Debunking, 'prebunking,' nudging and teaching digital literacy are several of the more effective ways to counter misinformation, according to a new report.
Our ability to pay attention to tasks—a key component of our everyday lives—is heavily influenced by factors like motivation, arousal and alertness. Maintaining focus can be especially challenging when the task is boring or repetitive.
Alcohol consumption may have positive and negative effects on cardiovascular disease risk
A new study found that alcohol consumption may have counteractive effects on CVD risk, depending on the biological presence of certain circulating metabolites -- molecules that are produced during or after a substance is metabolized and studied as biomarkers of many diseases. The researchers observed a total of 60 alcohol consumption-related metabolites, identifying seven circulating metabolites that link long-term moderate alcohol consumption with an increased risk of CVD, and three circulating metabolites that link this same drinking pattern with a lower risk of CVD.
Heart over head? Stages of the heart's cycle affect neural responses
Optimal windows exist for action and perception during the 0.8 seconds of a heartbeat, according to new research. The sequence of contraction and relaxation is linked to changes in the motor system and its ability to respond to stimulation, and this could have implications for treatments for depression and stroke that excite nerve cells.
Breathing highway air increases blood pressure
A new study found that unfiltered air from rush-hour traffic significantly increased passengers' blood pressure, both while in the car and up to 24 hours later.
Macaque trials offer hope in pneumonia vaccine development
A research team has successfully developed a novel pneumococcal vaccine by combining the team's proprietary mucosal vaccine technology with pneumococcal surface proteins that can cover a wide range of serotypes. Experiments were conducted using mice and macaques and it was confirmed that pneumonia caused by pneumococcal infection was clearly suppressed in the target groups of animals inoculated with the vaccine.
Cracking the code: Researchers unravel how mutant protein drives cancer growth
Researchers have solved a mystery about the most important driver of cancer development - a mutant protein found in half of all cancers - and how it contributes to tumor growth.
Scientists unveil promising target for Alzheimer's disease treatment
A research team has identified VCAM1, a cell surface protein found on immune cells of the brain, as a therapeutic target for Alzheimer's disease (AD), paving the way for developing novel therapeutics to combat this debilitating condition.
Fat cells help repair damaged nerves
Damage to the body's peripheral nerves can cause pain and movement disorders. Researchers have recently investigated how damaged nerves can regenerate better. They found that fat tissue strongly supports the Schwann cells needed for repair during the healing process.
Study identifies a key protein for healthy aging
Life expectancy and healthy ageing in mice can be determined by a protein present in some cells of the immune system, according to a new study. When this protein -- known as the CD300f immune receptor -- is absent, animal models have a shorter life expectancy and suffer from pathologies associated with cognitive decline and premature ageing, especially in females.
Bidding adieu to sticky ice, but with a grain of salt
Experiments find that impure ice is less sticky than ice made with pure water.
Three genes associated with neurodevelopmental disorders identified
Researchers have identified how three novel genes cause neurodevelopmental disorders. Researchers now have a better sense of the genes' roles in human brain development and function and their ability to serve as potential therapeutic targets in the future.
What if Alexa or Siri sounded more like you? Study says you'll like it better
One voice does not fit all when it comes to virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa, according to researchers who examined how customization and perceived similarity between user and voice assistant (VA) personalities affect user experience. They found a strong preference for extroverted VAs -- those that speak louder, faster and in a lower pitch. They also found that increasing personality similarity by automatically matching user and VA voice profiles encouraged users to resist persuasive information.
Is graphene the best heat conductor ever? Researchers investigate with four-phonon scattering
Graphene, a material which consists of a single layer of carbon atoms, has been celebrated by many as the 'next big thing' in material science. But according to researchers, its thermal properties may not be as revolutionary as previously thought.
Neurodegeneration in myelin disease: No myelin is better than bad myelin
Efficient removal of abnormal myelin allows survival of nerve fibers targeted by adaptive immune cells, according to a novel study.
Taking into account whether people believe they are receiving a real treatment or a fake one (placebo) could provide better insights that could help improve interventions for conditions such as depression and ADHD.
Repairing nerve cells after injury and in chronic disease
Researchers discovered a mechanism for repairing damaged nerves during peripheral neuropathy in mice, wherein the protein Mitf orchestrates nerve repair after both trauma-induced and chronic nerve damage conditions, like Charcot Marie Tooth disease. Their findings may inspire novel therapeutics that bolster repair function and heal peripheral neuropathy -- even in hereditary and developmental cases.
First multi-chamber heart organoids unravel human heart development and disease
Heart disease kills 18 million people each year, but the development of new therapies faces a bottleneck: no physiological model of the entire human heart exists -- so far. A new multi-chamber organoid that mirrors the heart's intricate structure enables scientists to advance screening platforms for drug development, toxicology studies, and understanding heart development.
A new way to see the activity inside a living cell
A new method allows scientists to label and image many different molecules at once within a living cell. The technique relies on 'switchable fluorophores' -- fluorescent proteins that turn on and off at a specific rate.
Radiation therapy may be potential heart failure treatment
In diseased hearts, low-dose radiation therapy appears to improve heart function.
Study reveals hidden immune defense against cancer
Researchers have found certain immune cells can still fight cancer even when the cancer cells lack an important protein that the immune system relies on to help track down cancer cells.
New material reduces bacterial infection and speeds up bone healing
Researchers have developed a new surgical implant that has the potential to transform the treatment of complex bone infections. When implanted on an injured or infected bone, the material can not only speed up bone healing, it also reduces the risk of infections without the need for traditional antibiotics.
Macaque trials offer hope in pneumonia vaccine development
A research team has successfully developed a novel pneumococcal vaccine by combining the team's proprietary mucosal vaccine technology with pneumococcal surface proteins that can cover a wide range of serotypes. Experiments were conducted using mice and macaques and it was confirmed that pneumonia caused by pneumococcal infection was clearly suppressed in the target groups of animals inoculated with the vaccine.
Unlocking the secrets of cells, with AI
Researchers have developed a new program that provides a more accurate understanding of the peptide sequences in cells. The researchers use machine learning to help analyze the makeup of unfamiliar cells, which could lead to more personalized medicine in the treatment of cancer and other serious diseases.
Kids who feel their parents are less reliable take fewer risks vital to learning and growth
The researchers studied decisions that more than 150 children ages 10 to 13 made while playing games that offered opportunities to risk a little and explore for potential gains.
Discrimination during pregnancy can affect infant's brain circuitry
Experiences of discrimination and acculturation are known to have a detrimental effect on a person's health. For pregnant women, these painful experiences can also affect the brain circuitry of their children, a new study finds. These effects, the researchers say, are separate from those caused by general stress and depression. The study was published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology.
Stronger thigh muscles may prevent knee replacement surgery
Stronger quadriceps muscles, relative to the hamstrings, may lower the risk of total knee replacement, according to new research. Researchers said the findings could inform strength-training programs for people with advanced arthritis in the knee.
Defending your voice against deepfakes
Computer scientists have developed AntiFake, a tool to protect voice recordings from unauthorized speech synthesis.
New framework for using AI in health care considers medical knowledge, practices, procedures, values
Health care organizations are looking to artificial intelligence (AI) tools to improve patient care, but their translation into clinical settings has been inconsistent, in part because evaluating AI in health care remains challenging. In a new article, researchers propose a framework for using AI that includes practical guidance for applying values and that incorporates not just the tool's properties but the systems surrounding its use.
Spike in premature births caused by COVID, halted by vaccines, study finds
COVID-19 caused an alarming surge in premature births, but vaccines were key to returning the early birth rate to pre-pandemic levels, according to a new analysis of California birth records.
Why does puberty trigger us to stop growing?
Research on fruit flies has implications for this poorly understood process in humans.
Researchers find neurons work as a team to process social interactions
Researchers have discovered that a part of the brain associated with working memory and multisensory integration may also play an important role in how the brain processes social cues. Previous research has shown that neurons in the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) integrate faces and voices -- but new research shows that neurons in the VLPFC play a role in processing both the identity of the 'speaker' and the expression conveyed by facial gestures and vocalizations.
Child care centers aren't a likely source of COVID-19 spread, study says
Parents who send their children to child care can breathe a little easier. New research shows that children in daycare were not significant spreaders of COVID-19.
Measuring long-term heart stress dynamics with smartwatch data
Biomedical engineers have developed a method using data from wearable devices such as smartwatches to digitally mimic an entire week's worth of an individual's heartbeats. The new 'digital twins' computational framework captures personalized arterial forces over 700,000 heartbeats to better predict risks of heart disease and heart attack. The advance is an important step toward evaluating the risks of heart disease or heart attack over months to years.
Mixing heat with hair styling products may be bad for your health
Hair products often contain ingredients that easily evaporate, so users may inhale some of these chemicals, potentially posing health repercussions. Now, researchers have studied emissions of these volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including siloxanes, which shine and smooth hair. The scientists report that using these hair care products can change indoor air composition quickly, and common heat styling techniques -- straightening and curling -- increase VOC levels even more.
Immersive engagement in mixed reality can be measured with reaction time
In the real world/digital world cross-over of mixed reality, a user's immersive engagement with the program is called presence. Now, researchers have identified reaction time as a potential presence measurement tool. Their findings have implications for calibrating mixed reality to the user in real time.
A common concern about gender-affirming hormone therapy for transmasculine people is the risk of red blood cell volume changes and erythrocytosis, a high concentration of red blood cells, with the use of prescribed testosterone. However, researchers have found that testosterone treatment may be safer than previously reported.
The gene-editing technology CRISPR shows early promise as a therapeutic strategy for the aggressive and difficult-to-treat brain cancer known as primary glioblastoma, according to new findings.
AI may spare breast cancer patients unnecessary treatments
A new AI (Artificial Intelligence) tool may make it possible to spare breast cancer patients unnecessary chemotherapy treatments by using a more precise method of predicting their outcomes, reports a new study. AI evaluations of patient tissues were better at predicting the future course of a patient's disease than evaluations performed by expert pathologists.
Brain boost: Can a coach help elders at risk for Alzheimer's?
As more medications move towards federal approval for Alzheimer's disease, a new study has found that personalized health and lifestyle changes can delay or even prevent memory loss for higher-risk older adults.
Early-stage stem cell therapy trial shows promise for treating progressive MS
An international team has shown that the injection of a type of stem cell into the brains of patients living with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) is safe, well tolerated and has a long-lasting effect that appears to protect the brain from further damage.
Genes influence whether infants prefer to look at faces or non-social objects
Whether infants at five months of age look mostly at faces or non-social objects such as cars or mobile phones is largely determined by genes. The findings suggest that there is a biological basis for how infants create their unique visual experiences and which things they learn most about.
Innovative design achieves tenfold better resolution for functional MRI brain imaging
Hospital MRI scanners, using 3 Tesla magnets, provide poor spatial resolution in brain imaging. More recent 7T MRIs are better but used mainly in the rare research lab. Scientists have now supercharged the standard 7T scanner to improve the resolution by nearly a factor of 10 -- a 50-times improvement over standard 3T MRIs. The NexGen 7T can track signals through the brain and perhaps tie functional changes to brain maladies.
