Author: healthadmin

An international team of researchers has identified a previously unknown fossil ape that lived during the early Miocene epoch, some 17 to 18 million years ago. named species Maslipithecus mograensisdescribed in a study published in the journal Science by scientists from Mansoura University Center for Vertebrate Paleontology (Egypt) and the University of Southern California (USA). The fossil was discovered in Wadi Mogra in northern Egypt and is the first definitive evidence of apes from North Africa. Their age and location widen the known distribution of early apes and suggest that Egypt, along with the wider Middle East region, played an…

A large U.S. health records study suggests a new GLP-1 drug may reduce alcohol-related emergency department visits, but the findings remain observational and need to be confirmed in clinical trials. In a recent study published in the journal BMJ OpenA group of researchers evaluated whether new glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), including semaglutide and tirzepatide, are associated with a reduced risk of alcohol-related emergency department (ED) visits or hospitalizations in adults with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) or obesity. background Excessive alcohol consumption remains one of the most important preventable causes of illness and death…

Scientists have tracked microplastics from the ocean to the atmosphere to human brain tissue. In the new review, the investigation moves into the skeleton, and the pictures it assembles contain warnings that orthopedic surgeons recognized decades ago. Biological tissue under stress Bones are not fixed frames. Living cells destroy and rebuild themselves in a constant cycle, with some cells building new tissue and others removing old tissue. When this balance tips toward removal, bone density is lost and fractures are more likely. Researchers from Brazil, Canada and France have compiled evidence of how plastic particles can tip the balance in…

USC researchers have discovered nine additional genes associated with the most serious pregnancy disorder, hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). Six of these genes had not previously been associated with this condition. The same research team previously identified the hormone-producing gene GDF15 as a major cause of pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting. The latest findings greatly expand scientists’ understanding of the genetics behind HG and may point to new ways to prevent or treat it. Serious symptoms that are often misunderstood HG affects about 2% of women and can cause extreme nausea and vomiting, making it very difficult to eat and drink. In severe…

A US study found that when people with poorly controlled asthma replaced gas or stovetops with electric stoves, hospitalizations and absences from work or school were reduced by 70%.Ohio’s publicly-run MetroHealth began the study in December 2024, but funding was cut off early by the incoming Trump administration. The study aimed to find out whether replacing a gas cooker would improve asthma in 1,200 people living near Cleveland, Ohio.”We completed the project with less than 100 households. As a result, more than 1,100 households did not receive any benefits, and we also had to lay off about 20 project staff,”…

GLP-1 drugs commonly used to manage type 2 diabetes and obesity may be associated with a small increase in hair loss, according to published research. BMJ July 22, 2026. This drug class includes semaglutide, sold under brand names such as Ozempic and Wegovy, and tirzepatide, sold under brand names such as Mounjaro and Zepbound. Researchers found that adults with type 2 diabetes who took GLP-1 receptor agonists developed hair loss more often than patients taking two other common diabetes medications. Although the relative increase was significant, the researchers emphasized that the absolute risk of hair loss remains low. Still, knowing…

Siemens Healthineers today announced that it has launched capillary testing on its Atellica CH, IM, and CI analyzers after receiving CE marks for 24 capillary blood testing claims. This is an advancement in capillary testing that provides clinical laboratories with greater confidence in test results and higher throughput. Atellica analyzer capillary testing supports the most common laboratory testing needs, including a comprehensive metabolic panel, lipid panel, and key assays including thyroid, vitamin D, and HbA1c. Blood collection for capillary testing is often done through a finger prick or heel stick, rather than the standard blood draw that involves inserting a…

By stabilizing the enzyme’s starting point prior to evolution, researchers have opened new mutational routes to engineer highly specific proteases, including candidates targeting protein targets associated with disease. Research: AI-engineered starting points and outcomes accelerate protein evolution. Image credit: Corona Borealis Studio / Shutterstock In a recent study published in the journal natureresearchers established a practical workflow in a botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) protease model. In this workflow, artificial intelligence (AI)-based protein sequence redesign improved the starting point and outcome of automated directed evolution while helping to alleviate stability-activity trade-offs that can constrain enzyme engineering. In this study, we utilized a…

Binghamton University assistant professor Jian Zhou, PhD ’18, will lead a five-year, $1.84 million project funded by the National Institutes of Health to create a dual-sensing ear canal probe that more accurately and reliably detects otoacoustic emissions. Chou will work with co-investigators Distinguished Professor Ronald Miles of Binghamton University and Professor Christopher Shera of the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California. The team hopes to build a prototype over the first three years and refine its performance through participant testing. Flow mics have so many potential uses. By reimagining it as a medical device, millions…

A study in mice mapped two specialized populations of nerve cells in the heart, revealing how one supports daily heart function and the other helps prevent electrical collapse during severe stress. Research: The intrinsic cardiac nervous system is essential to heart function and survival Recent Mouse Research Published in the Journal cell suggest that the intrinsic cardiac nervous system (ICNS) is essential for the proper functioning of the mouse heart. Researchers integrated genetic, imaging, and cell-specific neuromodulatory studies in adult mice to identify two distinct types of intrinsic cardiac neurons (ICNs). One is important for regulating heart rate and supporting…