Category: Health
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Vitamin D levels appear to play a role in COVID-19 mortality rates
Patients with severe deficiency are twice as likely to experience major complications Summary Researchers analysed patient data from 10 countries. The team found a correlation between low vitamin D levels and hyperactive immune systems. Vitamin D strengths innate immunity and prevents overactive immune responses. The finding could explain several mysteries, including why children are…
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Plant viruses could be used to prevent and treat human autoimmune diseases
Researchers have taken positive steps towards using plant virus-based particles for the treatment of human autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. Viruses are natural, self-assembling nano-scale structures that have been exploited in the fields of electronics, agriculture, and medicine. The genetically encoded coat proteins of virus nanoparticles (VNPs) can be reprogrammed…
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Essential oil diffusers may cause pollution in the home says watchdog
Essential oil diffusers could be a source of pollution in the home, the French food and environmental safety agency warned Tuesday. ANSES said the popular gadgets, which are supposed to purify and freshen the air, could have some unpleasant side effects. It said that 1,400 cases of people being affected by the products were reported…
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Study analyzes contamination in drug manufacturing plants
Over the past few decades, there have been a handful of incidents in which manufacturing processes for making protein drugs became contaminated with viruses at manufacturing plants. These were all discovered before the drugs reached patients, but many of the incidents led to costly cleanups and in one instance a drug shortage. A new study…
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New decision model shapes strategies for dealing with public health emergencies
The timely results of a long-term project help health experts with the allocation of healthcare resources Summary The efficient allocation of medical resources can be modelled mathematically. The study, which started a few years before coronavirus appeared, offers timely insights for governments and organizations who are faced with an unprecedented healthcare crisis. Specifically, it…
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Infant temperament predicts personality more than 20 years later
Researchers investigating how temperament shapes adult life-course outcomes have found that behavioural inhibition in infancy predicts a reserved, introverted personality at age 26. For those individuals who show sensitivity to making errors in adolescence, the findings indicated a higher risk for internalizing disorders (such as anxiety and depression) in adulthood. The study, funded by the…
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Plants control microbiome diversity inside leaves to promote health
Scientists show how plant genes select which microbes get to live inside their leaves in order to stay healthy. In a new study, published in the journal Nature, Michigan State University scientists show how plant genes select which microbes get to live inside their leaves in order to stay healthy. This is the first study…
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Vitamin D could help fight off COVID-19
Researchers from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) at Trinity College Dublin have released a crucial report today in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The report, “Vitamin D deficiency in Ireland—implications for COVID-19. Results from the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA),” finds that Vitamin D plays a critical role in preventing respiratory infections,…
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35 HEALTH FACTS Your Doctor Wants You to Know
Knowing which of these statements have been verified by SCIENCE—and which are MYTHS—could boost your health. Cold weather makes you sick. Myth! Germs are the only thing that can make you sick. You can go out in the freezing cold with wet hair, and if there aren’t any germs around, you’ll stay sniffle-free. But there…
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Regular exercise benefits immunity – even in isolation
A new analysis highlights the power of regular, daily exercise on our immune system and the importance of people continuing to work-out even in lockdown. Being in isolation without access to gyms and sports clubs should not mean people stop exercising, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Bath. Keeping up…