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COVID-19's impact on maternal mortality demands rethink of public health strategies

During the peak of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, there was an increase in maternal mortality in Chile. This is confirmed by a natural population experiment based on data from the Department of Health Statistics and Information (DEIS) of the Chilean Ministry of Health. The research was published in PLOS Global Public Health.

23 Jul 2024

VA Tech discovers new way to genetically control mosquitoes

Virginia Tech researchers have found a new way to identify genetic targets useful for control of mosquito populations, potentially offering an alternative to insecticides.

23 Jul 2024

New study sheds light on irregular heartbeat risk

Two new, basic animal research studies shed light on alcohol consumption and the heart. The first study may help explain why binge drinking sometimes causes an irregular heartbeat and a possible way to prevent it. The second study investigated why alcohol may have a negative impact on heart function in women taking estrogen replacement therapy.

23 Jul 2024

Blood test may aid early detection of Parkinson's and guide treatment strategies

To date Parkinson's disease (PD) is diagnosed clinically and rather late in the course of the disease. There is an urgent need to find an objective, quantifiable biomarker for the diagnosis of this highly prevalent movement disorder. Researchers have now found initial evidence that a blood test to detect the alpha-synuclein protein is a viable, less invasive option to diagnose PD. The study appears in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease, published by IOS Press, now part of Sage.

23 Jul 2024

New strategy for mRNA nanocarriers using triphenyl phosphonium

Among the vastly different ways of tackling a disease, controlling the genetic expression of cells is undoubtedly one of the most powerful. Over the past few decades, scientists have come up with dozens of innovative strategies that involve using messenger RNA (mRNA) to 'force' cells to build specific proteins. These mRNA-based therapies have recently gained prominence as vaccines against infectious diseases like COVID-19. Additionally, they hold significant potential for treating cancer and genetic disorders.

23 Jul 2024

Increased cannabis use in diabetics raises concerns about health risks

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have found a significant increase in cannabis use among adults with diabetes in the United States, raising concerns about the potential impact on their health outcomes. The new study, which analyzed nationally representative data from the 2021-2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), estimated that 9.0 percent of adults with diabetes used cannabis in the past month, with a 33.7 percent increase in prevalence - from 7.7 percent to 10.3 percent - between 2021 and 2022.

23 Jul 2024

Experts unveil first comprehensive guidelines for precision medicine research

A University of Virginia School of Medicine scientist and other top experts from around the world have developed the first comprehensive guidelines for reporting cutting-edge "precision medicine" research in a bid to improve patient care and health equity for people everywhere.

22 Jul 2024