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A sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of adolescent depression

Sedentary behavior during adolescence is a marker of depression in adolescence. A new study reported in The Lancet Psychiatry shows that walking for one hour daily, or doing chores for the same length of time, at the age of 12 years, can reduce the risk of depression at the age of 18 years.

11 Feb 2020

Accumulated brain protein affects genes in Alzheimer's disease

A new study published in February 2020 in the journal Cell Reports shows how the build-up of specific brain cell proteins are linked to altered gene expression that causes the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD).

11 Feb 2020

Individual response to Ebola predicted by new method

The Ebola virus produces widely varying reactions, from asymptomatic illness to death, in people depending on the individual's susceptibility. But what drives this difference in response? A new study published in the journal Cell Reports on February 2020 goes one step further in understanding how the immune system reacts to the virus causing varying levels of severity of disease between cases.

11 Feb 2020

Heroin use increasing among American adults

Earlier studies have shown a startling sevenfold increase in illnesses and deaths directly traceable to heroin use in the USA over less than 20 years. Along with this epidemic, HIV and hepatitis infections acquired by injections of drugs have also broken out in large clusters in many places. Yet, the extent of heroin use itself has been neglected. The current study looked at this overlooked area of research.

11 Feb 2020

Skin cancer-detecting apps could be missing diagnoses finds study

A new study has warned that Smartphone apps that promise to detect skin cancers from moles or marks over the skin could be missing out on potential cancers. These apps say the researchers, could be missing out melanomas and could be declaring potentially dangerous lesions as safe. The results of the study titled, "Algorithm based smartphone apps to assess risk of skin cancer in adults: systematic review of diagnostic accuracy studies," were published this week in The BMJ.

11 Feb 2020

MGH researchers uncover potential antiviral drug target for treating infectious diseases

As the coronavirus outbreak shows, viruses are a constant threat to humanity. Vaccines are regularly developed and deployed against specific viruses, but that process takes a lot of time, doesn't help everyone who needs protection, and still leaves people exposed to new outbreaks and new viruses.

11 Feb 2020

Study finds impact of frailty on long‐term outcomes after emergency surgery

Frailty is the medical term for becoming weaker or experiencing lower levels of activity/energy. Becoming frail as we age increases our risk for poor health, falls, disability, and other serious concerns. This can be especially true for older people facing surgery, up to half of whom are classified as frail.

11 Feb 2020

New technique may yield insights on the immune response to intestinal parasite infections

A new technique may help scientists study the body's immune response to intestinal parasite infections one gut cell at a time, according to a study published today in eLife.

11 Feb 2020

Macrophages migrate from the blood to attack brain tissue shortly after stroke

Macrophages are part of the innate immune system and essential for brain development and function. Using a novel method, scientists from Jena University Hospital, the University of Bonn and the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York (USA) succeeded in visualizing macrophages that were formed in the bone marrow.

11 Feb 2020

Studies analyze impact of soft drink taxation, marketing and labeling laws

Laws affecting the labeling, marketing and taxation of sugary soft drinks impact the behavior of both consumers and manufacturers, according to two studies published this week in PLOS Medicine.

11 Feb 2020

Using synthetic cell scaffolds to replace animal testing in cancer research

In the field of cancer research, the idea that scientists can disrupt cancer growth by changing the environment in which cancerous cells divide is growing in popularity. The primary way researchers have tested this theory is to conduct experiments using animals.

11 Feb 2020

Telemedicine can help pregnant women struggling with opioids

Sarah, a military veteran living on the coast of South Carolina, knew she had a problem. The opioids prescribed for her pain were becoming a headache of their own.

11 Feb 2020

Fossilized dinosaur tail is home to a 60-million-year-old tumor

The fossilized tail of a young dinosaur that lived on a prairie in southern Alberta, Canada, is home to the remains of a 60-million-year-old tumor.

11 Feb 2020

DNA misfolding linked to heightened risk for Type 1 diabetes

It's known that genetics, or an inherited genome, is a major determinant of one's risk for autoimmune diseases, like Type 1 diabetes. In human cells, a person's genome--about six feet of DNA--is compressed into the micrometer space of the nucleus via a three-dimensional folding process.

11 Feb 2020

Standardized malnutrition screening tool can benefit most adults

Using one standardized screening tool to identify adults who may have malnutrition (undernutrition) increases the likelihood of an accurate diagnosis and timely treatment, according to a position paper from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

11 Feb 2020

Tips to care for your skin during menopause

By the time they reach menopause - which officially begins one year after a woman's last period - many women think they have their lives figured out. Careers are well established; children are grown and independent; and there's more time for leisure and self-care.

11 Feb 2020