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 >
A double dose of China’s CoronaVac vaccine is 83.5% effective against symptomatic COVID-19, researchers say. Their phase 3 trial included more than 10,000 people, aged 18 to 59, in Turkey who received either two doses of CoronaVac 14 days apart or an inactive placebo. An immune response analysis of 981 participants who got the vaccine… 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 >
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday issued new prescribing rules for the controversial Alzheimer’s medication Aduhelm that will likely limit its use. When first approved a month ago, the FDA said Biogen’s monthly IV drug was for all Alzheimer’s patients. The agency now says the drug is appropriate for patients with early or… 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 >
California plans to approve reparations of up to $25,000 to some of the thousands of people who were sterilized decades ago by the state’s government. California will be the third state — after Virginia and North Carolina — to compensate victims of the so-called eugenics movement that peaked in the 1930s, the Associated Press reported.… read on > read on >
Children tend to sleep less as they approach early adolescence, perhaps because of the pressures of homework and the presence of social media. Now, new research suggests that loss of precious slumber is not inevitable. The researchers found that a school-based program in mindfulness training — which involves being present in the moment, deep breathing… 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 >
Researchers have identified specific brain circuitry that is related to people’s sense of spirituality — and it’s centered in a brain region linked to pain inhibition, altruism and unconditional love. The findings add to research seeking to understand the biological basis for human spirituality. “It is something of a treacherous subject to navigate,” said lead… read on > read on >
