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Unexpected versatility of an ancient DNA repair factor revealed

If a bone breaks or a tendon snaps, you know to seek treatment immediately. But your most fragile and precious cellular commodity, chromosomal DNA, breaks with astounding frequency- some estimate as many as 10,000 times a day per cell- usually without consequence.

2 Dec 2019

New study uncovers multiple effects of little-known DNA repair protein

Injury and repair are part of the normal life cycle of any tissue or organ in the human body. However, if macroscopic tears or breaks occur in the bones or joints, for instance, the effects are immediately perceptible. Not so with chromosomes, which contain the DNA of life. Both extremely valuable and extremely fragile, DNA is the focus of highly efficient repair proteins.

2 Dec 2019

People who eat bushmeat may be at risk of contracting life-threatening diseases

People who eat wildebeests, wart hogs and other wild African animals may be at risk for contracting potentially life-threatening diseases, according to an international team of researchers.

2 Dec 2019

Study: Most Australian GPs widely use placebos

Most Australian GPs have used a placebo in practice at least once, with active placebos (active treatments used primarily to generate positive expectations) more commonly used than inert placebos, according to a new study.

2 Dec 2019

Link found between the gut microbiome, host genome, and RA in Japanese population

One of the most astounding discoveries of recent times is just how much influence gut bacteria have on our health and well-being.

2 Dec 2019

Study: Holding intubated infants found to be well tolerated and safe

Critically ill infants who are old enough to move on their own but too young to cooperate with care instructions have been among the last to benefit from patient mobility initiatives.

2 Dec 2019

Leaky gut and space flight – the mechanism revealed

A new study on the effects of simulated microgravity, the condition that astronauts face in space, interferes with the epithelial barrier of the intestine, and the effect persists even after the astronaut returns to a normal environment. The research is published in the journal Scientific Reports.

28 Nov 2019

New vaccine against bovine TB

A new study published in the journal Scientific Reports says that for the first time a vaccine has been created against bovine tuberculosis that can be given without affecting the ability to diagnose tuberculosis later using the PPD skin test.

28 Nov 2019

Scientists sheds light on small protein and its role in immune response

The immune system is the body’s defense against disease-causing pathogens. It works by warding off disease and potentially-damaging foreign bodies. Now, a team of researchers have developed a new method to shed light on the basic defense mechanism of the immune system.

27 Nov 2019

Researchers create new coating to prevent clotting, infection in synthetic vascular grafts

Researchers at McMaster University have created a new coating to prevent clotting and infection in synthetic vascular grafts, while also accelerating the body's own process for integrating the grafted vessels.

27 Nov 2019

TB must also be reduced to achieve the goal of ending AIDS epidemic by 2030

The World Health Organization has set a goal of ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030. To achieve that goal, the Forum of International Respiratory Societies, of which the American Thoracic Society is a founding member, is calling on governments, health advocates and non-government organizations on World AIDS Day to strengthen their response to AIDS and tuberculosis.

27 Nov 2019

Research shows how gut microbes affect stomach flu

A new study shows that gut microbes can modulate the severity of norovirus infection (the stomach flu, or the winter vomiting bug), based on the gut location first affected. Published in the journal Nature Microbiology on November 25, 2019, the study indicates new possibilities to treat norovirus infection.

26 Nov 2019

Simple precautions to avoid food poisoning during the holiday season

Preparing a holiday feast can begin as soon as you get home from the grocery store. But if you want to serve family and friends a delicious meal that keeps them coming back for more, food safety guidelines need to be part of the recipe.

26 Nov 2019

Newly discovered immune cells play key role in group A streptococcal toxic shock

Recently discovered immune cells called MAIT cells play a key role in group A streptococcal toxic shock, researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden report.

25 Nov 2019

People with salmonella infection more likely to be hospitalized longer

Salmonella is acting up in Michigan, and it could be a model for what's happening in other states, according to a new Michigan State University study.

25 Nov 2019

Head shaking to release trapped water from the ears may cause brain damage

Researchers have shown that shaking the head to release any water trapped in the ear canal may cause brain damage.

25 Nov 2019

Scientists record assembly of ribosomes in real time

A team of scientists from Scripps Research and Stanford University has recorded in real time a key step in the assembly of ribosomes--the complex and evolutionarily ancient "molecular machines" that make proteins in cells and are essential for all life forms.

22 Nov 2019

Discovery enables strategies to be developed for preventing malaria transmission

The bacteria that form the gut microbiota influence important processes of the human body, such as digestion, nutrient absorption, and defense against pathogens. The same type of relationship is present in most animals, including in the Anhopheles darlingi mosquito, the main vector of malaria in Brazil.

22 Nov 2019

Higher antibiotic exposure linked to increased risk of Parkinson's disease

Higher exposure to commonly used oral antibiotics is linked to an increased risk of Parkinson's disease according to a recently published study by researchers form the Helsinki University Hospital, Finland.

22 Nov 2019

Dangerous bacteria send out warning signals when attacked by antibiotics

A bacterial infection is not just an unpleasant experience - it can also be a major health problem. Some bacteria develop resistance to otherwise effective treatment with antibiotics.

22 Nov 2019