Author: healthadmin

To prevent viruses from making us sick or dying, whether it’s in individual cases of hepatitis B or the coronavirus pandemic, it’s important to understand how the proteins that viruses produce cause changes in our bodies that allow them to multiply. The new tools will greatly expand the scale at which researchers can study these proteins, and are expected to accelerate fundamental discoveries in virology, inform the development of new vaccines and treatments, and help protect humanity from emerging pathogens. The tool is called viral ORFeome and was described on July 2 as follows: cellis the largest of its kind,…

A new study led by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai finds that while the total number of radiation oncology clinics in the United States appears to have stabilized in recent years, many individual treatment centers have quietly closed and others have opened. Closures have disproportionately affected rural and independent clinics, reducing access to life-saving radiotherapy for patients to receive life-saving cancer treatment closer to home. Published in International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics (10.1016/j.ijrobp.2026.06.3090 ), This study is the first national analysis to systematically track individual radiation oncology practices rather than physician groups…

New research presented today at the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) 2026 Annual Meeting explores an approach that could expand the potential of cell replacement therapy for type 1 diabetes by assessing whether immune-modified allogeneic insulin-producing cells can survive and function without chronic immunosuppression. This research addresses one of the central challenges of the field: overcoming immune rejection, which has limited the widespread use of islet- and stem cell-based replacement therapies for type 1 diabetes. “Type 1 diabetes is still primarily treated by replacing insulin, rather than replacing lost insulin-producing cells,” Sonya Schlöpfer, MD, of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center…

When archaeologists find adults and children buried together in medieval tombs, it is often assumed that they may have been members of the same family. A new study from Stockholm University published in Science Advances suggests otherwise. Researchers at Stockholm University analyzed the DNA of 142 people from the late Viking Age to the Middle Ages, including more than 60 children and adolescents buried in graves in Sigtuna near Stockholm, Västerhus in Jämtland, and Fjerkinge in Skåne. The results showed that even in cemeteries where high levels of kinship were detected, the existence of close biological relatives among people buried…

Can informing people about their genetic risk for obesity help them change their habits and lose excess weight? Study published in the journal obesity reviews Research by scientists, including those at SWPS University, shows that knowing your genes alone is not enough. Effective behavior change requires long-term, individualized support. Obesity is a global problem. By 2022, one in eight people worldwide will be living with the condition. In 2019 alone, being overweight was responsible for an estimated 5 million non-communicable disease deaths. The economic effect is also large. Experts predict that the global costs associated with obesity will reach $3…

According to a study published in *BMJ Mental Health*, older adults who have used cannabis do not appear to have faster cognitive decline or increased risk of dementia. The study also found no genetic evidence that cannabis use directly causes poor brain health later in life. As cannabis becomes available for both medical and recreational use, its popularity among older adults is increasing. This has led to concerns that cannabis may accelerate memory loss or increase the likelihood of developing dementia. Previous studies have yielded conflicting results, with some suggesting long-term cognitive impairment and others finding little evidence of lasting…

A new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the American Enterprise Institute finds that insurance denials for first-time prescriptions for brand-name prescription drugs with no generic competitors increased by more than two-thirds between 2018 and 2024. Researchers analyzed more than 2 million prescription attempts for brand-name drugs with no generic substitutes across commercial insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, and Affordable Care Act marketplace plans. Overall, the rejection rate among brand name first prescription attempts increased from 24.3% in 2018 to 40.7% in 2024, an increase of 67%. Of the initially rejected fill attempts, 48.4%…

Oxalate not only contributes to the formation of kidney stones, but it may also be an underappreciated factor causing inflammation and heart damage in people with reduced kidney function. Researchers from Berlin and Wurzburg report their findings in ​“Cardiovascular Research.” People with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have a significantly increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease. They also suffer from chronic inflammation, the causes of which are still only partially understood. Oxalic acid (oxalate) is so far primarily known for its role in the formation of kidney stones. This molecule is a natural metabolic byproduct of the body, found in…

Praying mantises have fascinated people for centuries. Across different cultures, they have been seen as everything from mystical guides who help lost travelers find their way home to creepy creatures associated with bad luck. Beyond legend, native praying mantises also play an important ecological role as indicators of healthy and biodiverse ecosystems. But now scientists say two Asian praying mantis species pose a growing threat to Europe’s native wildlife. Asian giant praying mantis officially classified as an invasive species New research published in open access Orthoptera Research Journal Two species of praying mantises discovered in Europe have been officially designated.…

Instagram posts tagged with #SexPositivity more often promote objectification, narrow beauty standards, and commercial branding than sexual empowerment, a study has found. sexual roles. Sex positivity is usually understood as a movement that treats sexuality as a healthy and potentially empowering part of life. It emphasizes consent, autonomy, pleasure, respect, sex education, and acceptance of diverse sexual identities and expressions. In this sense, sex positivity is not just about being ‘pro-sex’, it’s also about challenging shame, prejudice, coercion and narrow-minded thinking about sexuality. But as sex-positive words have become more prominent online, some researchers and critics have questioned whether their…