news 2022

Researchers use baker's yeast to study potential targets for fighting cancer cells Scientists at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) and the Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) in Mainz may have discovered new insights into how cancer cells regulate the ends of their chromosomes, called telomeres.

A class of medication for Type 2 diabetes may help older people with the condition reduce their risk of dementia. The findings are contained in a new study by Walter Swardfager , an assistant professor of pharmacology and toxicology at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and a scientist in the Sandra Black Centre for Brain Resilience and Recovery at Sunnybrook Research Institute, and graduate student Che-Yuan (Joey) Wu.

A new pilot study by Carnegie Mellon researchers investigates the mechanisms that underlie a treatment for patients with amblyopia, also known as "lazy eye." Amblyopia is a condition where the brain cannot recognize sight from one eye and favors the other eye. One therapy that shows promise for addressing the condition in adult patients is transient dark exposure, in which a patient has an occlusion that caused their amblyopia removed and lives in darkness for a few days.

Complete abstinence from alcohol is considered a cornerstone in the treatment of patients with alcohol-related liver disease. It has not yet been sufficiently researched whether this measure can still improve the prognosis even in the case of advanced liver cirrhosis. Scientists at the Department of Internal Medicine III at MedUni Vienna and AKH Vienna have now provided evidence of the positive effects of alcohol abstinence even at very advanced stages of the disease.

Researchers of the Faculty of Psychology, the Institute of Neurosciences ( UBNeuro ) and the Institute of Complex Systems ( UBICS ) of the University of Barcelona have identified, using functional magnetic resonance techniques, differences in the spontaneous activity of the brain in a resting state in people with Down syndrome (DS) compared to the general population.

The U.S. states with the highest growth rates of Latinas of childbearing age in recent years are also states that have abortion restrictions. In each of the 29 states with abortion restrictions, Latinas are far more likely to be of childbearing age than non-Hispanic white women. The potentially harmful impacts of the Dobbs v. Jackson ruling are likely to disproportionately affect the Latina population.

A study carried out by the Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio, UV-CSIC) reveals that enveloped viruses with a lipid envelope can better infect different species of animals, including humans. The flu, HIV or coronaviruses are enveloped viruses. This work makes it possible to refine surveillance tools to control zoonoses, the passage of these viruses from animals to people.

These stories have shaped the year. They challenged us, entertained us, educated us, and even changed people's thinking. Discover the vast array of research that dominated the news in 2022. From diets to music, COVID-19 to cancer; here are just a few of the research projects, commentary and stories that captured public attention during the year.

Women are up to 75 per cent more likely to experience adverse reactions to prescription drugs than men because of a range of differences in traits between the sexes, according to a new study from The Australian National University (ANU). The researchers believe more should be done to take this into account when treating diseases.

A dramatic shift toward remote work caused telecommuting parents in the U.S., particularly mothers, to spend significantly more time -parenting- their children. A dramatic shift toward remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic caused telecommuting parents in the United States to spend significantly more time -parenting- their children in the first year of the pandemic than they did before, according to a new study co-authored by Yale sociologist Emma Zang.

TUM researchers discover new cell mechanism in multiple myeloma Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most common type of blood cancer. It attacks the plasma cells in the blood. A team at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has now discovered a mechanism which provides indications of when and why these cells become aggressive.

According to a large-scale analysis of more than 32 million cardiovascular deaths over four decades, more deaths occur on very hot and very cold days. Swiss TPH contributed to this multinational study, which was published today in the journal Circulation of the American Heart Association.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is almost always accompanied by fatigue, a massive tiredness that is described by the vast majority of patients as the most distressing symptom. In a recent scientific study, a research group led by Stefan Seidel from the Department of Neurology at MedUni Vienna and AKH Vienna identified light therapy as a promising non-drug treatment option: patients included in the study showed a measurable improvement after just 14 days of use.

Less known to the general public, mucosal vaccination via the mucus membranes could provide robust protection against SARS-CoV-2 infections. Immune cells in the nose and lungs are considered better prepared to encounter and block the virus that causes COVID-19. An international research team has just demonstrated that its mucosal DNA vaccine is capable of ensuring the total survival of a group of mice infected with a version of the virus adapted to this species, whereas the latter kills 100% of unvaccinated mice 1 .

According to a large-scale analysis of more than 32 million cardiovascular deaths over four decades, more deaths occur on very hot and very cold days. Swiss TPH contributed to this multinational study, which was published today in the journal Circulation of the American Heart Association.

Harnessing these protective molecules may offer a new way to treat the disease, which spreads through contaminated water. MIT researchers have identified molecules found in mucus that can block cholera infection by interfering with the genes that cause the microbe to switch into a harmful state. These protective molecules, known as glycans, are a major constituent of mucins, the gel-forming polymers that make up mucus.

Professor Mark Hamer (UCL Surgery and Interventional Science) and his colleagues at the University of Sydney report in The Conversation their research finding people who averaged a few quick bursts of physical activity a day were significantly less likely to die prematurely. Most of us know that regular exercise is important for our health and longevity.

The new design works with the diaphragm to improve breathing. For many of us, the act of breathing comes naturally. Behind the scenes, our diaphragm - the dome-shaped muscle that lies just beneath the ribcage - works like a slow and steady trampoline, pushing down to create a vacuum for the lungs to expand and draw air in, then relaxing as air is pushed out.

People who are off work due to injury or illness are at higher risk of later suicide and intentional self-harm, a new international study by Monash University School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine researchers has found. They collated findings from 47 studies published over 20 years from 16 different countries, to closely examine the relationship between a disabling work injury or illness, and later suicide or self-harm.

People with a wide range of emotional disorders, including anxiety disorder and depression, react negatively to uncertainty. When worrying about future events, not knowing can feel very uncomfortable, leading to increased avoidance and inflexibility. Study: Reducing social anxiety and intolerance of uncertainty in adolescents with improvisational theater New research from the University of Michigan and Northern Michigan University tested whether addressing discomfort with uncertainty through improvisational training is related to reduced social anxiety.