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Top stories featured on ScienceDaily's Health & Medicine, Mind & Brain, and Living Well sections.
Discovery of how limiting damage from an asthma attack could stop disease
Scientists have discovered a new cause for asthma that sparks hope for treatment that could prevent the life-threatening disease.
Life expectancy increased as world addressed major killers including diarrhea, lower respiratory infections, and stroke
Global life expectancy increased by 6.2 years since 1990, according to a new study. Over the past three decades, reductions in death from leading killers fueled this progress, including diarrhea and lower respiratory infections, as well as stroke and ischemic heart disease. When the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in 2020, however, it derailed progress in many locations.
Large language models respond differently based on user's motivation
A new study reveals how large language models (LLMs) respond to different motivational states. In their evaluation of three LLM-based generative conversational agents (GAs)--ChatGPT, Google Bard, and Llama 2, scientists found that while GAs are able to identify users' motivation states and provide relevant information when individuals have established goals, they are less likely to provide guidance when the users are hesitant or ambivalent about changing their behavior.
Developing a vaccine for the 'zombie drug' xylazine
Chemical biologists design an early 'proof-of-concept' vaccine that could lead to the first effective treatment of xylazine overdose in people.
Talking politics with strangers isn't as awful as you'd expect, research suggests
Individuals underestimate the social connection they can make with a stranger who disagrees with them on contentious issues, a new research paper suggests.
Working outside the typical 9-5 in younger adulthood may be linked with worse health decades later
The hours you work earlier in life may be associated with worse health years later, according to a new study.
Immunotherapy for Alzheimer's disease shows promise in mouse study
Scientists have shown that treating mice with an antibody that blocks the interaction between APOE proteins (white) sprinkled within Alzheimer's disease plaques and the LILRB4 receptor on microglia cells (purple) activates them to clean up damaging plaques (blue) in the brain.
Researchers map how the brain regulates emotions
A new study is among the first of its kind to separate activity relating to emotion generation from emotion regulation in the human brain. The findings provide new insights that could help inform therapeutic treatments regarding mental health and drug addiction.
Pressure determines which embryonic cells become 'organizers'
A collaboration between research groups at the University of California, TU Dresden in Germany and Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children's in Los Angeles has identified a mechanism by which embryonic cells organize themselves to send signals to surrounding cells, telling them where to go and what to do. While these signaling centers have been known to science for a while, how individual cells turn into organizers has been something of a mystery.
Exploring the effect of the presence of familiar people in interpersonal space
Researchers investigate the influence of social relationships on our bodily responses to the presence of other persons in the interpersonal space.
New discovery unravels malaria invasion mechanism
A recent breakthrough sheds light on how the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, invades human red blood cells. The study reveals the role of a sugar called sialic acid in this invasion process. The findings have major implications for malaria vaccine and drug development.
Testing environmental water to monitor COVID-19 spread in unsheltered encampments
To better understand COVID-19's spread during the pandemic, public health officials expanded wastewater surveillance. These efforts track SARS-CoV-2 levels and health risks among most people, but they miss people who live without shelter, a population particularly vulnerable to severe infection. To fill this information gap, researchers tested flood-control waterways near unsheltered encampments, finding similar transmission patterns as in the broader community and identifying previously unseen v...
Water-based paints: Less stinky, but some still contain potentially hazardous chemicals
Choosing paint for your home brings a lot of options: What kind of paint, what type of finish and what color? Water-based paints have emerged as 'greener' and less smelly than solvent-based options. And they are often advertised as containing little-to-no volatile organic compounds (VOCs). But, according to new research, some of these paints do contain compounds that are considered VOCs, along with other chemicals of emerging concern.
Gunshots in American cities twice as likely at night, potentially disrupting sleep for those in earshot, study finds
Researchers studied six cities, finding that nighttime gunshots were particularly prevalent in low-income neighborhoods. The team found gunshots are twice as likely to occur at night, and that low-income communities are disproportionately affected by them.
Scientists further our understanding of how a foodborne bacterium can survive in food preparation environments
Scientists have discovered that bacterial populations remain stable on factory floor despite cleaning efforts in ready-to-eat food production facilities.
Chicks show vision and touch linked at birth
Study reveals that newly hatched chicks can instantly recognize objects with their vision, even if they've only ever experienced them by touch.
Last chance to record archaic Greek language 'heading for extinction'
A new data crowdsourcing platform aims to preserve the sound of Romeyka, an endangered millennia-old variety of Greek. Experts consider the language to be a linguistic goldmine and a living bridge to the ancient world.
Increasing positive affect in adolescence could lead to improved health and well-being in adulthood
Adolescents with high positive affect may have improved physical and mental health as adults, according to a new study.
Even moderate alcohol usage during pregnancy linked to birth abnormalities
Researchers have found that even low to moderate alcohol use by pregnant patients may contribute to subtle changes in their babies' prenatal development, including lower birth length and a shorter duration of gestation.
YKT6 gene variants cause a new genetic disorder finds a new study
A recent collaborative study has discovered rare variants in the YKT6 gene as the cause of a new neurological disorder characterized by developmental delays along with severe progressive liver disease and a potential risk for liver cancer.
Blended antioxidant supplement improves cognition and memory in aged mice
Cell damage from oxidative stress is a major underlying cause of age-related cognitive and muscle strength decline. Antioxidants can reduce oxidative stress and prevent age-related health decline. A new study has found that mice administered with a blended antioxidant supplement show significant improvements in spatial cognition, short-term memory, and mitigated age-related muscle decline. The study suggests that blended antioxidant supplements hold promise as a dietary intervention for health is...
Early detection of language disorders helps children obtain right interventions
New screening tools in child health care are effective in identifying early language and communication difficulties in children. This is shown by two studies based on more than 6,000 children.
Simulations reveal mechanism behind protein build-up in Parkinson's disease
Researchers have used computational models to understand what drives the accumulation of alpha-synuclein protein, a key culprit in the development of Parkinson's disease.
Investigators develop novel treatment for T-cell leukemias and lymphomas
A novel treatment for leukemias and lymphomas that arise from immune system T cells was found to be effective at killing these cancers in mice bearing human T-cell tumors.
Wound treatment gel fights the battle against antibacterial resistance
Polymer-based hydrogels are used to treat skin ailments and in tissue engineering because of their ability to retain water, deliver drugs into wounds, and biodegrade. However, they are complicated to manufacture and not very resilient to external forces like rubbing against clothing, sheets, or wound dressings. Scientists have now created a hydrogel enhanced with the amino acid polylysine and blood plasma that is easier to synthesize, contains natural antibiotic properties, and promotes cell grow...
Scientists link certain gut bacteria to lower heart disease risk
Changes in the gut microbiome have been implicated in a range of diseases including type 2 diabetes, obesity, and inflammatory bowel disease. Now, a team of researchers has found that microbes in the gut may affect cardiovascular disease as well. The team has identified specific species of bacteria that consume cholesterol in the gut and may help lower cholesterol and heart disease risk in people.
Gloom and doom warnings about climate change do not work
How do you spread a message about climate change? According to an international study involving 59,000 participants, some tactics may actually reduce support.
Infant gut microbes have their own circadian rhythm, and diet has little impact on how the microbiome assembles
Infant gut microbiomes oscillate with a circadian rhythm, even when they are cultivated outside of the body. Researchers report that the rhythm is detectable as early as 2 weeks after birth but becomes more pronounced with age. The finding comes from a randomized controlled trial that also showed that diet has less impact on the development and composition of the infant microbiome than previously thought.
Reducing late-night alcohol sales curbed all violent crimes by 23% annually in a Baltimore neighborhood
New study findings suggest that shortening overnight operations by seven hours at bars and taverns in a Baltimore, Md. neighborhood resulted in a 51 percent immediate drop in homicides within the first month, followed by a 23 percent decline in all violent crimes annually in the surrounding area, compared to similar neighborhoods with no change in hours of sale. Homicide rates decreased by 40 percent in each subsequent year.
Golfers' risk from pesticides used on turfgrass is likely low
For many, spring heralds fresh air and exercise on the golf course. But do players risk exposure to unsafe levels of pesticides used to beautify and maintain a golf course's green grass? To find out, researchers asked volunteers to play 18 holes on a simulated course sprayed with common pesticides.
Researchers develop more broadly protective coronavirus vaccine
Researchers have developed a new vaccine that offers broad protection against not only SARS-CoV-2 variants, but also other bat sarbecoviruses. The groundbreaking trivalent vaccine has shown complete protection with no trace of virus in the lungs, marking a significant step toward a universal vaccine for coronaviruses.
Scientists pioneer immunotherapy technique for autoimmune diseases
Scientists have developed an immunotherapy strategy that potentially lays the groundwork for treating a spectrum of autoimmune diseases.
I spy with my speedy eye: Scientists discover speed of visual perception ranges widely in humans
Using a blink-and-you'll-miss-it experiment, researchers have discovered that individuals differ widely in the rate at which they perceive visual signals. Some people perceive a rapidly changing visual cue at frequencies that others cannot, which means some access more visual information per timeframe than others. This discovery suggests some people have an innate advantage in certain settings where response time is crucial, such as in ball sports, or in competitive gaming.
Study uses artificial intelligence to show how personality influences the expression of our genes
An international study using artificial intelligence has shown that our personalities alter the expression of our genes. The findings shed new light on the long-standing mystery of how the mind and body interact.
Cellphone compass can measure tiny concentrations of compounds important for human health
Nearly every modern cellphone has a built-in compass, or magnetometer, that detects the direction of Earth's magnetic field, providing critical information for navigation. Now a team of researchers has developed a technique that uses an ordinary cellphone magnetometer for an entirely different purpose -- to measure the concentration of glucose, a marker for diabetes, to high accuracy.
New advance against a form of heart failure prevalent in men
Researchers have discovered a gene on the Y chromosome that contributes to the greater incidence of heart failure in men, opening the door to new treatments.
New initiative improves detection, evaluation of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most common pediatric neurobehavioral disorder with a prevalence of approximately 7%-10% in school-age children. ADHD significantly affects functioning throughout life including academic achievement, social and family relationships and occupational success, predisposing individuals to secondary psychopathology, substance use, justice system involvement and suicide. Fortunately, ADHD is treatable, most effectively with a combination of medicat...
Pilot study shows ketogenic diet improves severe mental illness
A small clinical trial found that the metabolic effects of a ketogenic diet may help stabilize the brain.
Universal brain-computer interface lets people play games with just their thoughts
Engineers have created a brain-computer interface that doesn't require calibration for each user, paving the way for widespread clinical applicability.
App may pave way to treatments for no. 1 dementia in under-60s
A smartphone app could enable greater participation in clinical trials for people with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a devastating neurological disorder that often manifests in midlife.
Chatbot outperformed physicians in clinical reasoning in head-to-head study
ChatGPT-4, an artificial intelligence program designed to understand and generate human-like text, outperformed internal medicine residents and attending physicians at two academic medical centers at processing medical data and demonstrating clinical reasoning.
Mosquito detectives track malaria's history
A group of researchers is calling on colleagues around the world to join them in what they call 'pathogen prospecting' by tracking down archival specimens of mosquitoes in museums and other collections to examine them for pathogens that would have infected people with malaria while feeding on their blood.
Researchers produce grafts that replicate the human ear
Using state-of-the-art tissue engineering techniques and a 3D printer, researchers have assembled a replica of an adult human ear that looks and feels natural. The study offers the promise of grafts with well-defined anatomy and the correct biomechanical properties for those who are born with a congenital malformation or who lose an ear later in life.
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