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Health & Medicine News

Top headlines, latest headlines.

• H5N1 Virus Isolated from Infected Dairy Worker
• Cannabis During Pregnancy: Impact On Children
• Childhood Attention, Genes: Psychosis Risk
• Depression: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
• RSV Vaccines Effective
• Keeping Fewer Friends Protects Aging Monkeys
• Towards New Cancer Blood Test
• Wearables That Measure Blood Glucose Levels
• Understanding How Mutations Affect Diseases
• Children's BMI and Future Lung Function

Earlier Headlines

Monday, october 28, 2024.

• Superspreader Fibrils Caught in the Act
• Heart Failure Mortality Declining in Sweden
• Breaks in Resistance Training Do Not Impair Long-Term Development in Strength and Muscle Size
• Thin Skin Significantly Blunts Injury from Puncture
• Dramatic Drop in Marijuana Use Among U.S. Youth Over a Decade (2011 to 2021)
• Genomic Variants That Increase Risk of Kidney Disease Are Found in Nearly One-Third of West Africans
• A New Chemistry for CRISPR

Friday, October 25, 2024

• Asthma and Fine Particulate Matter
• Scientific Discovery Scratching Beneath the Surface of Itchiness
• Invisible Anatomy in the Fruit Fly Uterus
• Skeletal Muscle Health Amid Growing Use of Weight Loss Medications
• Cancer Risk Linked to P53 in Ulcerative Colitis
• Pitchers Rejoice? Plasma Irradiation Might Prevent Tendon Re-Tears
• A Lung Pathogen's Dilemma: Infect or Resist Antibiotics?
• Batteries for Miniature Bio-Integrated Devices and Robotics
• Researchers Uncover Novel Role of Protein GPNMB in Heart Repair
• Political Polarization Poses Health Risks, New Analysis Concludes
• Lymph Node-Like Structures May Trigger the Demise of Cancer Tumors
• Depression: Dysfunction of Neurons in the Amygdala May Be Behind Negative Perceptions of the Environment
• Daylight Saving Time Clock Changes Have Substantial, but Short-Lived Effect on How Much Sleep We Get
• Curbing Air Pollution Control Devices Would Cost Thousands of Lives and Billions of Dollars
• New Optical Technique Could Revolutionize Medical Diagnostics
• Professional Ice Hockey: Depressive Symptoms and Burnout Linked to More Concussions
• 'The Way to a Man's Heart Disease': Can Social Expectations of Masculinity Be Bad for Cardiovascular Health?
• Study Finds Bariatric Surgery Declined With Rise in GLP-1 Drugs to Treat Obesity
• Researcher Trains AI to Predict Diarrheal Outbreaks Related to Climate Change
• Researchers Discover That Errors in Protein Location Are a Common Cause of Disease
• Gene Named for Mythical Irish Land Could Aid Muscle Function After Traumatic Nerve Injuries
• Novel Role of BRCA1 in Tumor Suppression
• Researchers Complete the Largest Compilation of Cancer Prevalence Across Vertebrates

Thursday, October 24, 2024

• Millions in the U.S. May Rely on Groundwater Contaminated With PFAS for Drinking Water Supplies
• Researchers Develop Low-Cost Device That Detects Cancer in an Hour
• Could a New Medical Approach Fix Faulty Genes Before Birth?
• Nigerians Are Experiencing Neuro-Long COVID, Research Finds
• Mouse Model Reveals Liver Involvement in Muscular Dystrophy
• An Individual's Reward-Seeking Strategy Reflects Responses to Nicotine
• Beneficial Gut Microbe Has Surprising Metabolic Capabilities
• Plastic Chemical Causes Causes DNA Breakage and Chromosome Defects in Sex Cells, Study Finds
• A New Hydrogel Semiconductor Represents a Breakthrough for Tissue-Interfaced Bioelectronics
• Research in Mice Suggests Zinc Supplements Have Potential Value to Directly Treat Short Bowel Syndrome
• Study Increases Understanding of What Makes Multiply Recurrent Meningiomas a Most Aggressive Form of Brain Tumor
• New Formation of Neurons from Stem Cell Niche Disrupted After Stroke
• No Wasted Effort: Effective Wastewater Surveillance Methods for Monitoring Infections Gleaned from COVID-19 Case Study in Japan
• Cancer Prevalence Across Vertebrate Species Decreases With Gestation Time, May Increase With Adult Mass
• New Precision Medicine Approach Helps Detect Subgroups of People With Obesity at High Risk of Diabetes and Heart Disease
• Chronic Pain Can Be Predicted Within Three Days of an Injury
• Popular Diabetes and Weight-Loss Drug May Reduce Risk of Alzheimer's Disease
• Tiny Medicine Combats Infections and Drug Resistance
• Burning Incense Can Pose Health Risks for Those With Allergies and Asthma
• Scientists May Have Discovered Important Step in the Fight Against Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria
• Study Finds Intense Exercise May Suppress Appetite in Healthy Humans
• Experimental Drug Engineered to Prevent Heart Failure After Heart Attacks
• AI in Medicine: New Approach for More Efficient Diagnostics
• Opioids May Negatively Impact Hormone Health
• The Cellular Superhero That Protects Us Against RNA Viruses
• Bacterial Pathogen Shows Alarming Resistance to Common Cleaners, Chemists Discover
• Experts Call for Clear and Concise Regulation of Exosome-Based Treatments
• Unnoticeable Electric Currents Could Reduce Skin Infections
• In Pioneering Study, Gene Technology Outperforms Standard Newborn Screening Tests
• Engineers Unveil AI Model for Predicting, Controlling Pandemic Spread
• ClinGen Creates a Robust, Open-Access Platform to Define the Clinical Relevance of Genes and Variants
• Maternal Antibodies Interfere With Malaria Vaccine Responses
• Common Drug Shows Promise in Extending Lifespan

Wednesday, October 23, 2024

• Mouse Study Sheds Light on Secret to Maintaining a Youthful Immune System
• What Standing on One Leg Can Tell You: Biological Age
• Let Sleeping Babies Lie: Scientists Highlight Negative Impacts of Sleep Disruption on Early Brain Development
• 'Human Mini-Brains' Reveal Autism Biology and Potential Treatments
• Researchers Show Why Cannabis Policies Should Shift to a Harm Reduction, Health Promotion Approach to Safeguard Public Health
• Live Well, Think Well: Research Shows Healthy Habits Tied to Brain Health
• Could Poor Sleep in Middle Age Speed Up Brain Aging?
• Research Shows Urine Tests May Detect Early Diseases
• Antibiotics and Antifungals May Slightly Affect Parkinson's Risk, Study Finds
• Implantable Device May Prevent Death from Opioid Overdose
• Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Linked to Long-Term Exposure to Arsenic in Community Water Supplies
• Taking the 'vibrational Fingerprints' Of Molecules Got 100 Times Faster
• Lyme Borreliosis: New Approach for Developing Targeted Therapy
• How Limiting New Fast-Food Outlets May Reduce Childhood Obesity
• Sleep Experts Call for UK to Abolish Twice-Yearly Clock Changes
• Femtosecond-Fieldoscopy Accesses Molecules Fingerprints at Near-Infrared Spectral Range
• New Method for Producing Innovative 3D Molecules
• Birth: It's a Tight Squeeze for Chimpanzees, Too
• Cannabis Use in Adolescence: Visible Effects on Brain Structure
• Dehydration Linked to Muscle Cramps in IRONMAN Triathletes
• Data Security: Breakthrough in Research With Personalized Health Data
• Novel Antibody Platform Tackles Viral Mutations
• Immunotherapy Blocks Scarring, Improves Heart Function in Mice With Heart Failure
• How Ovarian Cancer Disables Immune Cells
• A 'chemical ChatGPT' For New Medications
• Ultra-Small Spectrometer Yields the Power of a 1,000 Times Bigger Device
• The Decision to Eat May Come Down to These Three Neurons

Tuesday, October 22, 2024

• Clinical Study Confirms Tissue Stiffening in Breast Cancer Can Drive Metastasis
• How Climate Change Will Impact Outdoor Activities in the US
• A Fully Automated AI-Based System for Assessing IVF Embryo Quality
• Bilingualism May Maintain Protection Against Alzheimer's
• Expanding Access to Weight-Loss Drugs Could Save Thousands of Lives a Year
• Starving Cancer Cells of Fat May Improve Cancer Treatment
• Structural Biology Analysis of a Pseudomonas Bacterial Virus Reveals a Genome Ejection Motor
• How Our Gut Cells Detect Harmful Invaders
• Soft Microelectronics Technologies Enabling Wearable AI for Digital Health
• Stirred, Not Shaken: Scientists Uncover How Transcription Drives Motion Within the Genome
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Science News

Here are some of the biggest medical advances in 2023.

New treatments include the first CRISPR gene-editing therapy, an Alzheimer’s drug and RSV vaccines

In March, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said the nasal spray Narcan, which can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, could be sold over the counter.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images News

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By Erin Wayman

December 14, 2023 at 7:00 am

Weight-loss drugs stole much of the spotlight in 2023, but these medical advances treating other conditions are also worthy of attention ( SN: 12/13/23 ).

Green light for CRISPR gene editing

On December 8, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the world’s first CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing therapy ( SN: 12/8/23 ). The treatment, called Casgevy, targets sickle cell disease by helping patients produce healthy hemoglobin. In people with the disease, hemoglobin is abnormal, causing red blood cells to become hard and crescent shaped, which can block blood flow. By March 2024, the FDA will decide whether the same therapy can be used to treat beta-thalassemia, a disorder that reduces hemoglobin production.

Slowing down Alzheimer’s

The Alzheimer’s drug lecanemab (brand name Leqembi) won full FDA approval in July. Like the drug aducanumab approved in 2021, lecanemab removes the amyloid plaques that build up in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s. The drug doesn’t stop the disease, but in a clinical trial, lecanemab slowed cognitive decline by about 30 percent over 18 months compared with a placebo ( SN: 8/12/23, p. 9 ).

A gene therapy for muscular dystrophy

In June, the FDA approved the first gene therapy for children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Due to a faulty gene, people with this muscle-wasting disease don’t make the protein dystrophin, which helps keep muscle cells intact. The therapy helps the body produce a version of the missing protein ( SN: 6/22/23 ).

Guarding against RSV

Several ways to protect against respiratory syncytial virus arrived this year. In May, the FDA approved the first RSV vaccine, called Arexvy, in the United States , for adults age 60 and older ( SN: 6/17/23, p. 8 ), and then in August, a vaccine for pregnant people , called Abrysvo ( SN: 8/25/23 ). A monoclonal antibody — a lab-made antibody that mimics immune system proteins — won approval in July to protect children 2 and younger from the virus, which sends as many as 80,000 young children to U.S. hospitals each year (S N: 4/27/23 ). But in October, limited supplies of the therapy led the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to recommend reserving it for babies at highest risk for complications from RSV.

A pill for postpartum depression

Until August, the only medication in the United States specifically targeting postpartum depression required a 60-hour intravenous infusion in a hospital ( SN: 3/22/19 ). With FDA approval of zuranolone (brand name Zurzuvae), those afflicted with postpartum depression can take an oral medication at home and experience improvement in as little as three days .

Birth control, no prescription required

In July, the FDA ruled that the oral contraceptive norgestrel, first approved in 1973, be available without a prescription. It’s the first OTC daily birth control pill in the United States. Some public health experts argue that reducing barriers to contraception is especially important to reproductive autonomy now that state bans have limited access to abortion ( SN: 5/19/23 ).

A shot against chikungunya

The chikungunya virus can cause fever and severe joint pain, and be fatal to newborns. In November, the FDA approved the first vaccine against the virus , which is transmitted by mosquitoes. The virus is most prevalent in tropical regions, but the FDA warns that it’s spreading to new parts of the globe.

Narcan over the counter

The nasal spray Narcan, aka naloxone, can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose within minutes. In March, the FDA ruled this life-saving drug can be sold over the counter . Officials hope that easier access to Narcan can help fight the opioid epidemic, which claimed the lives of nearly 645,000 people from 1999 to 2021 due to overdoses.

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Collection  06 March 2024

The Top 25 Health Sciences Articles of 2023

We are pleased to share with you the 25 most downloaded Nature Communications articles* in health sciences published in 2023. (Please note we have a separate collection for the Top 25 COVID-19 papers .) Featuring authors from around the world, these papers highlight valuable research from an international community.

Browse all Top 25 subject area collections .

*Data obtained from SN Insights (based on Digital Science's Dimensions) and have been normalised to account for articles published later in the year.

Top Articles

Dietary circadian rhythms and cardiovascular disease risk in the prospective nutrinet-santé cohort.

The relation between daily meal and fasting timing with cardiovascular disease incidence remains unclear. Here, authors show that a later daily meal timing is associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk, especially in women. This study suggests that adopting earlier daily eating patterns may be beneficial for cardiovascular prevention.

• Anna Palomar-Cros
• Valentina A. Andreeva
• Bernard Srour

On-demand male contraception via acute inhibition of soluble adenylyl cyclase

Half of all pregnancies are unintended; thus, existing family planning options are inadequate. This proof-of-concept study validates an on-demand contraception strategy for men, showing high effectiveness in quickly and temporarily reducing male fertility in mice.

• Melanie Balbach
• Thomas Rossetti
• Lonny R. Levin

Identification of 5-HT 2A receptor signaling pathways associated with psychedelic potential

Serotonin 5-HT 2A receptor signaling mechanisms associated with predicting psychedelic potential remain elusive. Using 5-HT 2A -selective β-arrestin-biased ligands, here the authors show that a threshold level of 5-HT 2A -Gq efficacy and not β-arrestin recruitment is associated with psychedelic potential.

• Jason Wallach
• Andrew B. Cao
• John D. McCorvy

Mid-old cells are a potential target for anti-aging interventions in the elderly

In this study, the authors introduce the concept of a unique cellular subtype within the organic stroma, which does not conform to a typical young or senescent but is significantly associated with age-related organic dysfunction among the elderly.

• Young Hwa Kim
• Young-Kyoung Lee
• Tae Jun Park

Injectable and biodegradable piezoelectric hydrogel for osteoarthritis treatment

The use of biomaterial scaffolds-based cartilage grafts could potentially innovate the Osteoarthritis (OA) treatment, but has been limited by toxicity concerns and invasive surgical procedures. Here, the authors report an injectable and biodegradable piezoelectric hydrogel with ultrasound activation to offer a minimally invasive approach for OA treatment.

• Tra Vinikoor
• Godwin K. Dzidotor
• Thanh D. Nguyen

Host-diet-gut microbiome interactions influence human energy balance: a randomized clinical trial

The gut microbiome is causally linked to body weight in preclinical models. Here, in a controlled feeding study, the authors show that greater delivery of gut-microbiome fermentable dietary substrates to the colon leads to a net negative energy balance that is accompanied by robust microbial and host responses.

• Karen D. Corbin
• Elvis A. Carnero
• Steven R. Smith

Respiration modulates sleep oscillations and memory reactivation in humans

The memory function of sleep relies on the coordination of slow oscillations and spindles. Here the authors show that respiration is associated with the emergence and interplay of these sleep rhythms, and that this coupling is linked to memory reactivation.

• Thomas Schreiner
• Marit Petzka
• Bernhard P. Staresina

Delayed gut microbiota maturation in the first year of life is a hallmark of pediatric allergic disease

Here, using participants in the CHILD birth cohort, the authors reveal that impaired 1-year microbiota maturation may be universal to 5-year pediatric allergies, mediated by functional and metabolic imbalances of compromised mucous integrity, elevated oxidative activity, decreased fermentation, and elevated trace amines.

• Courtney Hoskinson
• Darlene L. Y. Dai
• Stuart E. Turvey

Platelet-derived exerkine CXCL4/platelet factor 4 rejuvenates hippocampal neurogenesis and restores cognitive function in aged mice

Exercise has positive effects on the brain during aging. Here the authors show that in mice, platelet-released exerkine PF4 mediates the effects of exercise on the brain.

• Odette Leiter
• David Brici
• Tara L. Walker

mRNA trans-splicing dual AAV vectors for (epi)genome editing and gene therapy

Large genes require dual adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors for in vivo delivery/expression, but current methods have limitations. Here the authors develop and functionally evaluate REVeRT, an efficient and flexible dual AAV vector technology based on reconstitution via mRNA trans-splicing.

• Lisa Maria Riedmayr
• Klara Sonnie Hinrichsmeyer
• Elvir Becirovic

Biofilm microenvironment triggered self-enhancing photodynamic immunomodulatory microneedle for diabetic wound therapy

The treatment of diabetic wounds tends to be hindered by complex wound environments, and the critical role of the microenvironment in the chronic diabetic wounds has not been explored for therapeutic development. Here, the authors develop a wound microenvironment-responsive microneedle bandage to achieve self-enhanced, catabolic and dynamic therapy of chronic wounds.

• Xiaowei Zeng

Ultra-durable cell-free bioactive hydrogel with fast shape memory and on-demand drug release for cartilage regeneration

Achieving successful in vivo cartilage regeneration remains challenging. Here they present a cell-free, multiple hydrogen-bond crosslinked hydrogel loaded with tannic acid and Kartogenin with ultra-durable mechanical properties and stage-dependent drug release behavior to promote cartilage regeneration.

• Yuxuan Yang
• Xiaodan Zhao

Cancer-associated fibroblasts actively compress cancer cells and modulate mechanotransduction

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) can produce ECM and form a physical barrier around the tumour. Here, the authors show in transgenic mouse models and in vitro systems that CAFs are able to actively compress cancer cells using actomyosin contractility and this leads to a modulation of cancer cell mechanosensing and tumour reorganisation.

• Jorge Barbazan
• Carlos Pérez-González
• Danijela Matic Vignjevic

Essential transcription factors for induced neuron differentiation

Using integrative multi-omics and CRISPR knock-out of all ~1,900 transcription factors, the authors identify essential transcription factors required for Neurogenin-driven differentiation of human cortical neurons.

• Görkem Garipler
• Neville E. Sanjana

Differential responses of the gut microbiome and resistome to antibiotic exposures in infants and adults

Knowledge on how the gut microbiome and resistome responds to antibiotics across age remains limited. Here, using metagenomics data from Danish infants and young adults, the authors show that antibiotics have a more lasting impact on adults compared to infants.

• Asker Brejnrod
• Søren Johannes Sørensen

Cell type-specific delivery by modular envelope design

Targetable delivery vectors for genetic cargo are needed. Here the authors report a modular platform with separate fusion and targeting components—Delivery to Intended REcipient Cells Through Envelope Design (DIRECTED)—and show cell type-specific delivery.

• Daniel Strebinger
• Chris J. Frangieh

Characterizations of a neutralizing antibody broadly reactive to multiple gluten peptide:HLA-DQ2.5 complexes in the context of celiac disease

Targeting gluten antigens presents a plausible therapy option for celiac disease. Here the authors generate and characterize a broadly neutralizing antibody recognizing more than 25 gluten peptide:HLA-DQ2.5 complexes, with structural analyses implicating its mode of interaction, and with mouse in vivo studies supporting its therapeutic feasibility.

• Yuri Ikawa-Teranishi
• Tomoyuki Igawa

Identification of indocyanine green as a STT3B inhibitor against mushroom α-amanitin cytotoxicity

There is currently no specific antidote for death cap mushroom poisoning treatment. Here, the authors identify STT3B as a druggable target and show that indocyanine green is a STT3B inhibitor that can block α-amanitin toxicity in cell lines, liver organoids and mice.

• Arabella H. Wan
• Qiao-Ping Wang

Associations of timing of physical activity with all-cause and cause-specific mortality in a prospective cohort study

There is a growing interest in the role of timing of physical activity (PA) in improving health. Here, using a large-scale cohort study, the authors show that moderate-to-vigorous PA at the optimal time of day robustly predicts lower mortality risk and may maximize the beneficial effect of PA.

• Hongliang Feng
• Jihui Zhang

Mitochondrial malfunction and atrophy of astrocytes in the aged human cerebral cortex

How aging affects the brain active milieu remains unknown. Here, the authors reveal atrophy and mitochondrial malfunction of astrocytes but not neurons in older human neocortex.

• Alexander Popov
• Nadezda Brazhe
• Alexey Semyanov

A class of secreted mammalian peptides with potential to expand cell-cell communication

The cells of our bodies use chemical signals to talk with each other. Here the authors describe a class of signaling molecules called “capped peptides” that may mediate cell-cell communication. Unlike other peptides, capped peptides have unique chemical modifications which make them potentially more active and stable.

• Amanda L. Wiggenhorn
• Hind Z. Abuzaid
• Jonathan Z. Long

Human and mouse neutrophils share core transcriptional programs in both homeostatic and inflamed contexts

Difficulties can be encountered when translating research between cells from animals and humans because of gene expression differences. Here the authors perform an integrative transcriptomic analysis from human and mouse neutrophils and identify a core inflammation program shared across inflamed contexts.

• Nicolaj S. Hackert
• Felix A. Radtke
• Ricardo Grieshaber-Bouyer

Open access repository-scale propagated nearest neighbor suspect spectral library for untargeted metabolomics

Interpreting untargeted mass spectrometry (MS) data is challenging due to incomplete reference libraries. Here, the authors created the nearest neighbor suspect spectral library from largescale public MS data, significantly enhancing the ability to hypothesize structures for unknown mass spectra.

• Wout Bittremieux
• Nicole E. Avalon
• Pieter C. Dorrestein

Temporal morphogen gradient-driven neural induction shapes single expanded neuroepithelium brain organoids with enhanced cortical identity

PSC-brain organoids are typically formed by static medium switches. Here, authors show that a temporal morphogen gradient during neural induction allows the formation of well-specified cortical organoids with a self-organized single neuroepithelium.

• Anna Pagliaro
• Roxy Finger
• Benedetta Artegiani

High-resolution neural recordings improve the accuracy of speech decoding

Previous work has shown speech decoding in the human brain for the development of neural speech prostheses. Here the authors show that high density µECoG electrodes can record at micro-scale spatial resolution to improve neural speech decoding.

• Suseendrakumar Duraivel
• Shervin Rahimpour
• Gregory B. Cogan

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