Why do some people infected with SARS-CoV-2 have either no or negligible symptoms, while others sicken and die? Scientists who’ve pinpointed several genetic markers associated with severe COVID-19 say their findings could provide answers to that important question — and targets for future treatments. The investigators spotted 13 locations in human DNA that are strongly…  read on >  read on >

Groggy? Grumpy? Depressed? Just a few nights of poor sleep can take a big toll on your mental health, a new study confirms “Many of us think that we can pay our sleep debt on weekends and be more productive on weekdays,” said lead author Soomi Lee, an assistant professor in the School of Aging…  read on >  read on >

Your job may significantly increase your risk of catching the flu, with potential implications for the spread of other infectious diseases including COVID-19, according to new research. On average, working folks are 35% more likely to get the flu than those without jobs, but an analysis of U.S. federal data found sharp differences between certain…  read on >  read on >

Americans’ overall death rate from cancer continues to fall — but rising rates of certain cancers and ongoing racial disparities linger. Those are among the findings of an annual report to the nation from several major cancer organizations. The good news includes an accelerating decline in the overall cancer death rate, among both women and…  read on >  read on >

A longer prison sentence has been handed to the founder of a now-closed Massachusetts pharmaceutical facility responsible for the 2012 meningitis outbreak that killed 100 people and sickened hundreds of others. Barry Cadden, who was president and co-owner of the New England Compounding Center (NECC), received a 14-and-a-half year sentence from a federal judge Wednesday.…  read on >  read on >