Category: Medicine

Medicare eligibility improves health care access Becoming eligible for Medicare at age 65 in the USA is associated with more health care coverage, access to health care, and self-reported health for Black and Hispanic adults.

Posted on September 20, 2021September 17, 2021 by CarolineVranaDiaz 146 views

Becoming eligible for Medicare at age 65 in the USA is associated with reductions in the gap in health care coverage, access to health care, and self-reported health for Black and Hispanic adults.

Are mRNA vaccines safe for pregnant women? So far, it seems that the mRNA vaccine platform does not produce many side effects in pregnant women. It passes some immunoglobulins to the fetus, but it is unknown if the fetus develops robust immunity.

Posted on August 26, 2021August 11, 2021 by Begüm Nisa Kasaplı 718 views

So far, it seems that the mRNA vaccine platform does not produce many side effects in pregnant women. It passes some immunoglobulins to the fetus, but it is unknown if the fetus develops robust immunity.

The nuance of mask effectiveness Statistical calculations using past laboratory data show that the effectiveness of masks likely depends on virus type, virus concentration in the environment, and the type of mask.

Posted on August 17, 2021August 18, 2021 by Arnab Kakati 443 views

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, enters our body through our nose and mouth, and therefore, covering your face minimizes the chances of getting infected with coronaviruses. The most commonly used masks are surgical masks and N95/FFP2 masks. But how effective are they? When an infected person sneezes or…

Editing genes before birth as a new therapy Editing the PCSK9 gene in mice resulted in reduced cholesterol levels, a heart disease risk factor. After modification of a gene Hpd involved in hereditary tyrosinemia mice developed with no signs of the disease.

Posted on August 16, 2021August 11, 2021 by Ignacy Gorecki 293 views

Although the term ‘gene editing’ may sound like science fiction, it isn’t! CRISPR-mediated gene editing is a technology first developed in the 1990s that enabled scientists to target and modify particular genes without damaging the whole genome. For example, they could modify crops to make them more resistant to…

How scientists saw the coronavirus in living lung tissue The virus enters the lower respiratory tract immune cells called myeloid cells, causing inflammation and eventually death. These scientists were the first to visualize the coronavirus in the lung tissue of living, severely ill patients.

Posted on August 5, 2021July 27, 2021 by Idaly Aurora Fraire 614 views

Scientists recently discovered key information about SARS-CoV-2 that could improve the medical treatment of patients with severe pneumonia.

Has cannabis legalization changed kids’ drug use? A research group in Seattle surveyed families to learn about how legalization of recreational marijuana has impacted marijuana use for adolescents and which age groups were more sensitive towards substance use.

Posted on July 27, 2021July 27, 2021 by Mahima Banerjee 602 views

Does the legalization of recreational marijuana for adults increase it's use among teenagers?

Scientists identify a pathway that extends lifespan Molecules called sirtuins are involved in lifespan. A study in mice found that higher levels of a sirtuin called SIRT6 lived longer, healthier lives than those with lower levels of this key molecule.

Posted on July 15, 2021July 19, 2021 by Nathan Gock 894 views

Molecules called sirtuins are involved in lifespan. A study in mice found that higher levels of a sirtuin called SIRT6 were able to live longer, healthier lives than those with lower levels of this key molecule.

Going under anesthesia as a teen may change how alcohol affects you Scientists analyzed how a single dose of anesthesia given to adolescent rats later affects the rats' alcohol consumption and behaviors.

Posted on July 7, 2021July 7, 2021 by Madellyn Christie 722 views

Adolescence, anesthesia, and alcohol: a recipe for a captivating new study. Is anesthesia in adolescence affecting our relationship with alcohol?

Using artificial intelligence to diagnose autism in the womb After measuring certain characteristics of unborn babies and following them through the first years of life, researchers input this data into an algorithm that could be used to predict autism diagnosis in other unborn babies.

Posted on June 3, 2021June 3, 2021 by Rachel Holland 1k views

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is one of the most common developmental disorders diagnosed today. It affects an estimated 75 million people worldwide, and the number of cases has been gradually increasing since studies began in the 1960s. The symptoms generally include communication deficits, sensory processing…

Why do some breast cancer cells survive treatment? Researchers found that breast cancer cells survive after chemotherapy and resist future chemotherapy treatments by communicating with one another and releasing molecules called microRNA.

Posted on May 31, 2021May 25, 2021 by Carly Grohs 380 views

For tumor cells that survive treatment, one of their tricks is using microRNA molecules to communicate with one another and stay alive.