What’s Healthcare’s Role in Combating the Climate Crisis?
Amid the U.N.’s climate summit in Glasgow this week, global leaders have made commitments to slash greenhouse gas emissions in an effort to combat the climate crisis. Officials have pledged to support a few green initiatives at the COP26 conference, such as ending deforestation by 2030 and phasing out the use of coal power. But […]
Scientists identify mechanism that may influence infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 variants: Enzyme process alters spike protein function
Scientists at the National Institutes of Health have found that a process in cells may limit infectivity of SARS-CoV-2, and that mutations in the alpha and delta variants overcome this effect, potentially boosting the virus’s ability to spread. The findings were published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study was […]
Blood metabolites associated with coffee consumption may affect kidney disease risk
Food and beverages may have important effects on kidney health, but the potential biological mechanisms involved are often unclear. New research in CJASN identifies several metabolites in the blood whose levels are altered by coffee consumption and may affect the risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD). When Casey M. Rebholz, PhD, MS, MNSP, MPH […]
Physicists discover novel quantum effect in bilayer graphene
Theorists at The University of Texas at Dallas, along with colleagues in Germany, have for the first time observed a rare phenomenon called the quantum anomalous Hall effect in a very simple material. Previous experiments have detected it only in complex or delicate materials. Dr. Fan Zhang, associate professor of physics in the School of […]
Is There a Vaccine for Hepatitis B and C?
What do hepatitis B and C have in common? Hepatitis is a family of viruses that infect the liver. While hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C can all cause short-term infections, hepatitis B and C can also lead to chronic, long-term infections that severely damage the liver over time. This can cause cirrhosis — […]
ACIP: All Adults Ages 59 and Younger Should Get Hep B Vaccine
Adults ages 59 and younger, and adults ages 60 and up who have risk factors for hepatitis B virus (HBV), are recommended to be vaccinated against HBV, the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) said in a unanimous vote Wednesday. ACIP voted 15-0 to recommend this split philosophy for HBV vaccination. The initial recommendation […]
New study proposes expansion of the universe directly impacts black hole growth
Over the past 6 years, gravitational wave observatories have been detecting black hole mergers, verifying a major prediction of Albert Einstein’s theory of gravity. But there is a problem — many of these black holes are unexpectedly large. Now, a team of researchers from the University of Hawai?i at M?noa, the University of Chicago, and […]
Why sugary drink taxes aren’t effective — and how to change that: Study finds price tags need to mention the tax to sway consumers
Several U.S. cities have instituted taxes on drinks with added sugar in order to reduce consumption, but new research suggests these policies currently have one fatal flaw. The study found that sugary drink taxes only reduce purchasing if price tags at stores mention that consumers are paying that tax when they buy the drink. “If […]
Using microbes to make carbon-neutral fuel
Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have discovered a new way to train microbes to make a readily usable biofuel. A team of biologists and engineers modified a microbe called Rhodopseudomonas palustris TIE-1 (TIE-1) so that it can produce a biofuel using only three renewable and naturally abundant source ingredients: carbon dioxide, solar panel-generated […]
U.S. COVID Cases Fell 60% Since September, But Vigilance Still Needed: Health Officials
Latest Coronavirus News FRIDAY, Oct. 29, 2021 (HealthDay News) Coronavirus cases have plunged by 60% since mid-September’s Delta-driven peak, U.S. health officials said earlier this week. But with winter on the way, they warned that Americans still need to protect themselves and others against COVID-19. “We are now heading in the right direction […]