Tag: diseases

An Amazonian Tea May Stimulate the Formation of New Brain Cells

Popular Mechanics writes: In a new study, researchers found the traditional psychoactive drug ayahuasca stimulates the growth of new brain cells in the hippocampi of research mice. The hippocampus is responsible for many memory functions, and the mice dosed with ayahuasca also performed better in a battery of memory tests. While ayahuasca, a hallucinogenic and often purgative tea brewed from leaves…

Pfizer Stuns Experts With Early Data that Vaccine Is More Than 90% Effective

The drug maker Pfizer announced on Monday that an early analysis of its coronavirus vaccine trial suggested the vaccine was robustly effective in preventing Covid-19, a promising development as the world has waited anxiously for any positive news about a pandemic that has killed more than 1.2 million people. From a report: Pfizer, which developed the vaccine with the German drugmaker…

New Nasal Spray Prevents Covid Infection in Ferrets, Study Finds

The New York Times reports: A nasal spray that blocks the absorption of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has completely protected ferrets it was tested on, according to a small study released on Thursday by an international team of scientists. The study, which was limited to animals and has not yet been peer-reviewed, was assessed by several health experts at the request of…

Tiny Variants In Genes May Dictate Severity of Coronavirus

Scientists are tracking small differences in DNA to explain why the disease has different effects. An anonymous reader shares a report from The Guardian: Key developments include research which indicates that interferon — a molecular messenger that stimulates immune defenses against invading viruses — may play a vital role in defending the body. Scientists have found that rare mutations in some…

Linux Foundation Creates Its Own Versions of Apple/Google Coronavirus Tracing Apps

“The Linux Foundation has formed a new group to provide public health authorities with free technology for tracking the spread of the coronavirus and future epidemics,” writes Business Insider. Launched in July, the group has already released two apps “that notify users if they’ve been in contact with someone who has tested positive with COVID-19.” Since these apps are open source,…

Controlling deforestation and wildlife trade could prevent pandemics

Diseases like covid-19 come from wild animals, so reducing unsustainable practices like deforestation could stop future outbreaks from happening, according to a global biodiversity report Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2258527-controlling-deforestation-and-wildlife-trade-could-prevent-pandemics/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…

Covid-19 will probably become endemic. Here’s what that means

Rather than completely disappear – even when vaccines become available- it’s likely that the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 will be added to the family of infectious diseases known as “endemic” in the human population. Source: https://earthsky.org/human-world/covid-19-coronavirus-will-probably-become-endemic-defintion…

Cats cost Australia A$6 billion a year by spreading diseases

Toxoplasmosis and cat scratch disease, which spread parasites and bacteria, cost Australia billions each year in lost productivity and medical costs Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2257684-cats-cost-australia-a6-billion-a-year-by-spreading-diseases/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…

A Man Caught Coronavirus Twice — and It Was Worse the Second Time

According to a study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, a man in the U.S. caught COVID-19 for a second time and had a worse bout of illness. MIT Technology Review reports: The 25-year-old man tested positive for the first time on April 18, after experiencing several weeks of symptoms including sore throat, cough, headache, nausea, and diarrhea. He felt fully…