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2020 Research Highlights - Promising Medical Findings
NIH findings with potential for enhancing human health include new approaches to COVID-19, a universal mosquito vaccine, and advances in restoring vis...
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2020 Research Highlights - Human Health Advances
NIH accomplishments in disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment include COVID-19 vaccines and treatments, better diagnosis of prostate cancer, and...
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2020 Research Highlights - Basic Research Insights
Noteworthy NIH advances in basic research include progress in understanding SARS-CoV-2, discovery of an exercise-induced protein that generates new br...
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April 7, 2020 Edition
Diets improve but remain poor for most U.S. children
Although diet quality improved modestly for American children and adolescents from 1999 to 2016, more than half still had poor quality diets.
3D-printed scaffold engineered to grow complex tissues
A new technique to engrave 3D-printed scaffolds could be used to boost the repair of complex tissues with different types of cells, such as bone and cartilage.
Comparing heart disease treatments
For patients with heart disease, invasive procedures showed similar reductions in the risk of heart attack and death to medication and lifestyle changes alone.
March 31, 2020 Edition
Technique reveals organization of tongue bacteria
Using advanced imaging techniques, researchers revealed how different bacteria live together in communities on the human tongue.
Dopamine affects how brain decides whether a goal is worth the effort
Researchers found that drugs like Ritalin may work as a study aid by shifting attention, through the brain chemical dopamine, from the challenges of undertaking a difficult mental task to its rewards.
Number of steps per day more important than step intensity
Adults who took 8,000 or more steps a day had a reduced risk of death over the following decade than those who only walked 4,000 steps a day.
March 24, 2020 Edition
Insights into skin formation
Researchers discovered how distinct liquid droplets within cells help build the skin’s outer layer. The study may lead to a better understanding of conditions like atopic dermatitis and psoriasis.
Study suggests new coronavirus may remain on surfaces for days
Scientists found that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can be detected in aerosols for up to three hours and on plastic and stainless steel surfaces for up to three days.
Spinal nerve healing enhanced by boost in cellular energy
Mice engineered to lack a protein that anchors mitochondria in injured nerve cells showed regrowth of those cells after a spinal cord injury.
March 17, 2020 Edition
Combining tests more accurately diagnoses prostate cancer
Adding MRI-targeted biopsies to the traditional prostate biopsy created a more accurate diagnosis and prediction of the course of prostate cancer.
Artificial intelligence predicts heart disease risk from CT scans
Artificial intelligence-based analysis of CT scans predicted people’s risk of heart disease more accurately than current methods.
Memories involve replay of neural firing patterns
Researchers found that the distinct firing patterns of individual neurons that the brain uses when forming memories are replayed when remembering the experience.
March 10, 2020 Edition
Bone-building protein delivered orally to mice using plants
Diabetic mice fed plants that were engineered to carry a bone-building protein showed accelerated healing of bone fractures.
Irregular sleep patterns may raise risk of heart disease
Researchers found that irregular sleep patterns—varying the timing and amount of sleep—may increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease in people ages 45 to 84.
New blood test method may predict Alzheimer's disease
A blood testing technique to detect Alzheimer’s disease could enable earlier treatments and testing of novel approaches.
March 3, 2020 Edition
How a marine animal makes unlimited eggs and sperm
Findings in a marine animal called Hydractinia symbiolongicarpus could provide insight into the human reproductive system and the causes of reproductive conditions and diseases.
When more information may not lead to better decisions
Researchers found that more information doesn’t always help lead those who have personal experience in a subject to make better decisions.
Novel coronavirus structure reveals targets for vaccines and treatments
Researchers produced a detailed picture of the part of SARS-CoV-2—the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19—that allows it to infect human cells.
February 25, 2020 Edition
Neurons play role in oral cancer
Scientists discovered a new role for nerves in oral cancer progression, in which tumor cells send genetic messages that transform nerves into cancer-promoting agents.
Neural signature predicts antidepressant response
Researchers identified specific patterns of brain activity that predict whether someone with depression is likely to respond to a common antidepressant.
Test distinguishes Parkinson's disease from related condition
A test that uses samples of cerebrospinal fluid was able to distinguish Parkinson's disease from a related condition called multiple system atrophy with 95% accuracy.
February 11, 2020 Edition
Genes linked to schizophrenia identified in ancestral African population
Researchers found damaging genetic variants linked to schizophrenia in the Xhosa population of South Africa.
Low-dose aspirin reduces preterm birth among first-time mothers
In a large trial, daily low-dose aspirin reduced the risk of preterm birth (before 37 weeks) by 11% and early preterm birth (before 34 weeks) by 25% among first-time mothers.
Engineered bacteria protect honey bee health
Bacteria naturally found in honey bees were engineered to help bees fight infections that that have been destroying colonies.
February 4, 2020 Edition
New strategies drive HIV from cellular hiding places
Experimental treatments in animal models of HIV led to the viruses emerging from their hiding places, a first step needed to make HIV vulnerable to the immune system.
Drug activates brown fat, improves glucose metabolism in healthy women
In a small study, a drug approved to treat overactive bladder boosted brown fat activity and improved glucose metabolism in healthy women.
How stress causes gray hair
Stress can cause hair to gray prematurely by affecting the stem cells that are responsible for regenerating hair pigment, researchers found.