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Bivalent boosters provide better protection against severe COVID-19
Bivalent booster vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 were 37% more effective than older booster shots at reducing the risk of severe COVID-19.
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Comparing heart failure drugs
A comparison of two diuretic drugs used to treat heart failure suggested either could be used to treat people hospitalized with heart failure.
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Probiotic blocks staph bacteria from colonizing people
A probiotic reduced the amount of Staphylococcus aureus, or “staph,” bacteria in the human gut and nose without harming beneficial gut microbes.
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July 17, 2018 Edition
Protective liquid enables oral insulin delivery in rats
Researchers developed a way to package insulin into pills that lowered blood sugar safely in rats. The approach could lead to an oral insulin option for people with diabetes.
Eliminating senescent cells extends healthy life in mice
Drugs that lowered the number of non-functional (senescent) cells in the body helped mice live longer and maintain their physical abilities.
Technique may improve detection of breast tumors
A small study found that a fast, safe, and more comfortable alternative to mammography provided enough detail for early breast tumor detection. Larger studies are being planned.
July 10, 2018 Edition
Medications reduce risk of death after opioid overdose
Drugs for opioid-use disorder reduced the risk of death by about half for people who’d previously had an opioid overdose. But less than a third of participants received these drugs.
Treatment for depression in young children
Researchers found that a therapy-based approach focused on emotional development may be an effective option for treating early childhood depression.
Intensive weight loss helps knee arthritis
Intensive weight loss from diet and exercise was better than moderate weight loss for relieving symptoms of knee arthritis among obese or overweight older adults.
June 26, 2018 Edition
Targeting inflammation molecules reduces heart and liver disease in mice
In mouse studies, researchers found mechanisms connecting molecules thought to promote inflammation and the increased risk of diseases caused by a high-cholesterol diet.
Breast cancer patient benefits from modified immunotherapy
Researchers designed a novel approach to immunotherapy that led to the complete regression of breast cancer in one patient for whom all other treatments failed.
June 12, 2018 Edition
Test predicts whether chemotherapy will help early-stage breast cancer patients
Among women with the most common type of breast cancer, those with certain genetic risk scores didn’t benefit from receiving chemotherapy in addition to hormone therapy.
Many with mild traumatic brain injury don't receive follow-up care
A study suggests that people with long-term symptoms from concussions may not be receiving treatments that could improve their physical and mental health.
Test vaccine active against many HIV strains
An experimental HIV vaccine prompted animal immune systems to form antibodies that neutralize dozens of HIV strains. A study of the test vaccine in people is being planned.
June 5, 2018 Edition
Adaptive deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease
Researchers designed a self-tuning deep-brain stimulation device and tested it in two patients with Parkinson's disease.
Healthy diets linked to lower risk of hearing loss in women
A long-term study found that women with certain healthy dietary patterns had a lower risk of moderate to severe hearing loss.
Gut microbes affect antitumor activity in liver
A connection between bacteria in the gut and antitumor immune responses in the liver enhances our understanding of liver cancer and suggests new approaches to treat it.
May 22, 2018 Edition
MRI glove enables imaging of moving joints
A flexible glove enables MRI scans of a moving hand.
How opioid drugs activate receptors
Researchers found that opioid drugs and the brain’s natural opioids activate nerve cell receptors differently.
Squirrel hibernation tricks suggest medical uses
Understanding the ways that animals survive hibernation during cold weather could help researchers design better methods for storing human tissues for transplants.
May 15, 2018 Edition
Mediterranean diet may slow development of Alzheimer’s disease
Researchers found that eating a Mediterranean diet slows some changes in the brain that may indicate early Alzheimer’s disease.
Spinal cord stimulation improves hand grip after cervical spinal injury
A noninvasive treatment helped six people with cervical spinal cord injuries improve their hand strength and dexterity.
Butterfly wing inspires design of glaucoma sensor
Inspired by a clear butterfly wing, researchers designed a tiny implantable sensor to measure eye pressure. With further development, it could be tested in people.
May 8, 2018 Edition
Healthy habits can lengthen life
Researchers found that people who maintained five healthy lifestyle factors lived more than a decade longer than those who didn’t maintain any of the five.
Bacteria therapy tested for common skin disease
In a small study, an experimental treatment using bacteria normally found on healthy skin reduced the severity of a common skin disease called atopic dermatitis.
Biomarker predicts benefit from immunotherapy
Researchers found a biomarker that, if confirmed, could be used to identify which people with chronic lymphocytic leukemia would benefit from CAR T-cell therapy.
May 1, 2018 Edition
Gene therapy reduces need for transfusions in severe blood disorder
Gene therapy reduced or eliminated the need for blood transfusions in patients with a severe blood disorder called beta-thalassemia.
Experimental male contraceptive blocks sperm movement
Researchers developed a compound that temporarily interferes with sperm motility in rhesus macaques. The study might point the way toward a reversible male contraceptive.
Dietary fiber protects obese mice from arthritis
A study in obese mice found that boosting the growth of certain gut bacteria with a fiber known as oligofructose reduced osteoarthritis.