Category:

Facts

Latest

Worrying decline in health of Gen X, Y in US: Study

The researchers showed that compared to previous generations, members of Generation X and Generation Y showed poorer physical health, higher levels of unhealthy behaviour such as alcohol use and smoking, and more depression and anxiety.

According to the lead researcher, Hui Zheng from The Ohio State University, the results suggest the likelihood of higher levels of diseases and more deaths in younger generations than seen in the past.

“The worsening health profiles we found in Gen X and Gen Y is alarming,” Zheng said.

read more

Study discovers crucial step in formation of deadly brain diseases

The research concerned prion diseases- a group of brain diseases caused by proteins called prions that malfunction and ‘misfold’, turning into a form that can accumulate and kill brain cells. These diseases can take decades to manifest but are then aggressive and fatal.

They include Kuru, mad cow disease and its human equivalent Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), and a heritable condition called fatal familial insomnia.

read more

First known baby born with antibodies after mother vaccinated: Doctors

According to the yet-to-be peer-reviewed study, posted in the preprint server medRxiv, the mother had received a single dose of the Moderna mRNA vaccine at 36 weeks and three days of her gestation period.

Three weeks later, she gave birth to a vigorous, healthy, full-term girl, whose blood sample taken immediately after birth revealed the presence of antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the study noted.

read more

COVID-19 patients above 65 years of age more prone to reinfection, says study

“Our study confirms what a number of others appeared to suggest — reinfection with COVID-19 is rare in younger, healthy people, but the elderly are at greater risk of catching it again,” said study co-author Steen Ethelberg, from the Statens Serum Institut.

“Since older people are also more likely to experience severe disease symptoms, and sadly die, our findings make clear how important it is to implement policies to protect the elderly during the pandemic,” Ethelberg said.

read more

Scientist behind coronavirus shot says next target is Cancer

“We have several different cancer vaccines based on mRNA,” said Tureci, who is BioNTech’s chief medical officer.

Asked when such a therapy might be available, Tureci said “that’s very difficult to predict in innovative development. But we expect that within only a couple of years, we will also have our vaccines (against) cancer at a place where we can offer them to people.”

read more