A larger thigh circumference may be associated with lower blood pressure and a reduced risk of heart disease in people with obesity, according to a new study. In overweight and obese Chinese men and women, larger thigh circumferences were associated with lower blood pressure. These findings suggest that carrying more weight on the thighs may be a marker of better heart health in Chinese obese and overweight people, who are at a greater risk of heart disease.
Nurse researchers underscore that while responses to the problem have resulted in well-motivated innovations, an effective and actionable path for immediate and long-term remediation should encompass micro- and macro-level solutions.
A statistician who worked on the first published large randomized clinical trial for a potential treatment for the COVID-19 virus said the study produced positive results.
Lead-based perovskites efficiently turn light into electricity but they also present some major drawbacks: the most efficient materials are not very stable, while lead is a toxic element. Scientists are studying alternatives to lead-based perovskites. It is very important to investigate in situ how lead-free perovskite crystals form and how the crystal structure affects the functioning of the solar cells.
An approach called the wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), which is already recognized as an effective way to trace illicit drugs and obtain information on health, disease, and pathogens, could provide an effective and rapid way to predict the potential spread of SARS-CoV-2, a novel coronavirus that causes the COVID-19 disease, by picking up on biomarkers in [...]
A team of scientists from the Biomedicine Discovery Institute at Monash University and the Peter Doherty Institute of Infection and Immunity (Doherty Institute) has found that a single dose of the FDA-approved drug, Ivermectin, can stop the SARS-CoV-2 virus growing in cell culture, effectively eradicating all genetic material of the virus within 48 hours. “We [...]
Radiolabeled molecules help nuclear physicians to detect and precisely target tumors, which are often developing due to pathological changes in metabolic processes. Using positron emission tomography, scientists have now developed the first radiotracer labelled with the fluorine isotope 18F, which can visualize special transport proteins often found in the cell membranes of cancer cells. The researchers opted for an unusual radiochemical synthesis approach.
A systematic review of four randomized controlled trials on masks done between 1990 and last month shows the use of medical masks did not increase viral respiratory infection or clinical respiratory illness.
The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus disease officially issued by countries dramatically understates the true number of infections, a report suggests. Researchers used estimates of COVID-19 mortality and time until death from a recent study to test the quality of records. This shows that countries have only discovered on average about 6% of infections. The number of infections worldwide may already have reached several tens of millions.
Researchers have made a major breakthrough in developing gene-editing tools to improve our understanding of one of the most important ocean microbes on the planet. The international project unlocks the potential of the largest untapped genetic resource for the development of natural products such as novel antibacterial, antiviral, anti-parasitic and antifungal compounds.
The oceans help buffer the Earth from climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide and heat at the surface and transporting it to the deep ocean. New research indicates the North Atlantic Subtropical Mode Water, an upper ocean water mass, is shrinking in a changing climate and becoming a less efficient sink for heat and carbon dioxide.
An international panel of cancer experts has recommended a one-week course of radiotherapy and delaying surgery as the best way to treat patients with bowel cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic. The short course of treatment involves higher-intensity radiation rather than five weeks of radiotherapy coupled with chemotherapy. Surgery, which normally happens one to two weeks after radiotherapy, can be safely delayed by up to 12 weeks, say the expert panel.
It's the outside that counts: Their charisma has an impact on the introduction and image of alien species and can even hinder their control. An international research team have investigated the influence of charisma on the management of invasive species.
A new study supports the hypothesis that higher levels of amyloid protein in the brain represent an early stage of Alzheimer's disease. Screening data for the study show that amyloid burden in clinically normal older adults is associated with a family history of disease, lower cognitive test scores, and reports of declines in daily cognitive function.
As the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, a new mathematical model could offer insights on how to improve future epidemic predictions based on how information mutates as it is transmitted from person to person and group to group.
Some insect wings such as cicada and dragonfly possess nanopillar structures that kill bacteria upon contact. However, to date, the precise mechanisms that cause bacterial death have been unknown. Using a range of advanced imaging tools, functional assays and proteomic analyses, a study by the University of Bristol has identified new ways in which nanopillars can damage bacteria.
Researchers analyzed various possibilities for reducing the net CO2 emissions of the chemical industry to zero. Their conclusion? The chemical industry can in fact have a carbon-neutral future.
Astronomers using the CARMENES spectrograph at Calar Alto Observatory in Spain have discovered a super-Earth exoplanet orbiting an M-dwarf star in the binary system Gliese 338. The newfound planet orbits on the inner edge of the habitable zone and is much more massive than Earth. Gliese 338 is a wide binary system located approximately 20.7 [...]
The president’s advocacy of the anti-malarial drug has created tensions in his administration, and fears among doctors that it could unnecessarily expose patients to risks.
