Study finds roots of mental and neurodegenerative disorders in fetal brain cells

Knowing how many people are vaccinated against an existing or re-emerging threat is a key factor guiding public health decisions, but such information is often sparse or non-existent in many regions, according to researchers at Penn State. Now, in collaboration with a team at the World Health Organization, the researchers have developed a new method to estimate and predict regional measles vaccination coverage levels even when accurate or timely survey data on vaccination is not available. The method uses data that is routinely collected when potential measles cases present at clinics to model vaccination coverage and can be used to guide public health interventions to slow or prevent measles outbreaks.

Melbourne scientists are teasing out how the "Hippo pathway" works at the molecular level, improving understanding of how it exerts control and its potential as a much-needed treatment for the deadly cancer mesothelioma.

A wound can leave a lasting imprint—even after it has healed. A new study in Current Biology finds that past injuries can quietly prime the body to overreact and be more sensitive to stress, pain and fear long after the damage is gone.

Suboptimal dialysis initiation, typically defined as dialysis initiation during a hospitalization and/or with a central venous catheter, is common among patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) followed in multidisciplinary clinics, according to a study published online July 21 in Kidney360.

Ritz peanut butter cracker sandwiches are being recalled due to the possible presence of undeclared peanuts, a major allergen.

Keurig K-Cups are being recalled nationwide due to a packaging issue that could cause ink to run into the coffee during brewing.

Faced with a lack of running water, unsanitary conditions and poverty, the Kinshasa neighborhood of Pakadjuma has struggled to end a cholera epidemic that has claimed hundreds of lives in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) this year.

China is experiencing an outbreak of chikungunya, a mosquito-borne infection, with thousands of cases reported in the south.

Each cell in our bodies carries about two meters of DNA in its nucleus, packed into a tiny volume of just a few hundred cubic micrometers—about a millionth of a milliliter. The cell manages this by winding the strings of DNA around protein spools. The protein-DNA complexes are called nucleosomes, and they ensure that DNA is safely stored.

The laminin-411 protein is vital for the formation of the myelin membrane by oligodendrocytes, report researchers from Japan. Furthermore, the A4G47 peptide from the E8 region of laminin-411 was found to be the main active amino acid sequence that drives myelin formation. The research findings have the potential to transform current cell culture practices to study myelination and may enable the development of novel therapeutic agents to treat demyelinating diseases.

Autophagy is essentially the "rubbish collection" of our cells. If there are problems in this process, which is so important for our health, diseases such as Parkinson's can result. In their latest study, leading cell biologists at the Max Perutz Labs at the University of Vienna investigated mitophagy—a form of autophagy—and came to a remarkable conclusion: the researchers have described a new trigger for mitophagy.

People who are gestational carriers (or "surrogates") appear more likely to be diagnosed with a new mental illness during and after pregnancy, according to new research from ICES, McGill University, and the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center.

Using mathematical analysis of patterns of human and animal cell behavior, scientists say they have developed a computer program that mimics the behavior of such cells in any part of the body. Led by investigators at Indiana University, Johns Hopkins Medicine, the University of Maryland School of Medicine and Oregon Health & Science University, the new work was designed to advance ways of testing and predicting biological processes, drug responses and other cell dynamics before undertaking more costly experiments with live cells.

Thanks to vaccinations against SARS-CoV-2 in the period 2020–2024, 2.533 million deaths were prevented at the global level; one death was avoided for every 5,400 doses of vaccine administered.

Researchers from Columbia Engineering have established a framework for the design of bioactive injectable hydrogels formulated with extracellular vesicles (EVs) for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications.

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East is having a significant impact on the mental health and well-being of Australian women who migrated from directly impacted countries, or have family ties to the region, according to researchers from UNSW Sydney and The Australian National University (ANU).

In soccer games, "ball-trapping"—quickly changing direction after receiving a pass to transition into an attack—is a critical maneuver. This action can significantly influence the flow of a match, especially when executed effectively in the space between an opponent's midfield and defensive lines. However, the specific physical techniques used by skilled ball-trappers during actual gameplay have not been well understood.

The number of Americans caring for an older or disabled family member has risen dramatically during the past 10 years, according to a new AARP policy report.