A new study conducted by researchers in Leicester and Nottingham has shown the potential for a new blood test to not only diagnose human tuberculosis (TB) but also identify those at most risk of developing the disease, according to findings published in medical journal Clinical Infectious Diseases. Despite recent reductions, England still has one of […]
Brain imaging may help identify teens at risk of increasing alcohol use
Teenagers with large amounts of grey matter in the brain at age 14 are more likely to increase their alcohol use over the next five years, according to a whole brain imaging study reported today in eLife. The findings may help scientists understand what makes some teens more vulnerable to developing alcohol use disorders. They […]
Researchers identify how liver cells protect against viral attacks
Liver cells have an innate resistance to RNA viral infections like hepatitis A, dengue and Zika thanks to a protein called IRF1, according to researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) and Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science (TMIMS). When present in liver cells, this IRF1 protein regulates RARRES3, an enzyme […]
Researchers identify ‘beauty spots’ in the genome
Genes play a role in determining the beauty of a person’s face, but that role varies with the person’s sex, according to a new study by Qiongshi Lu and colleagues at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, published 4th April in PLOS Genetics. Humans tend to be preoccupied with beauty—a person’s attractiveness is associated with academic performance, […]
Antibiotics: we’ve found faster, better way to identify the right one to use
Bacterial infections are best dealt with rapidly, but lab tests to determine the type of infection a patient has are slow. So if a doctor suspects a bacterial infection, she will probably prescribe a broad-spectrum antibiotic. In other words, an antibiotic that kills a wide range of disease-causing bacteria. It’s a buckshot approach rather than […]
Researchers identify high-risk areas for infant deaths in Harris County
To help Harris County target its preventive strategies for sudden unexpected infant death (SUID), researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) have identified areas of the county where these tragic deaths are most likely to occur. Their research appears in the American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology and was […]
Scientists identify new genetic causes linked to abnormal pregnancies and miscarriages
A team of scientists at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) and McGill University have identified three genes responsible for recurrent molar pregnancies, a rare complication that occurs when a non-viable pregnancy with no embryo implants in the uterus. The results of this study could have important implications, since until now […]
Trauma researchers identify characteristics of communities where mass shootings occur
A trauma research team has developed a profile of commonalities among communities where mass shootings have occurred. It includes a shortage of mental health professionals, a relative lack of socialization opportunities, higher rates of income inequality, and relatively high housing costs, according to findings presented today at the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress 2018. […]
Protein found in patients with severe asthma can help identify who would benefit from targeted drugs
In a novel study, researchers succeeded in identifying patients with a form of severe asthma (type 2 endotype) by measuring periostin concentrations in their airways. These patients with the type 2 (T2) endotype may benefit from newly developed targeted treatments that have the potential to transform their quality of life, report researchers in the journal […]
Lab test may identify dangerous gene mutations, study finds
The technique is aimed at easing a frustrating problem in genetic testing. (AP) NEW YORK – Scientists say they’ve found a new way to help determine whether specific genetic abnormalities are likely to make people sick, a step toward avoiding a vexing uncertainty that can surround DNA test results. Researchers used genetic engineering to create […]