Health

“We have revealed a protein pathway that appears to have a direct impact on diseases, which opens up a new area for potential drug development,” says the study’s senior author Aurelio Lorico, MD PhD, Professor of Pathology and interim Chief Research Officer at Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Thrombocytes, another name for platelets, are specialised cellular fragments that form blood clots in the event of a scrape or traumatic injury. Thrombocytopenia, is a condition recognised as decreased platelet levels throughout the body as a result of viral infections, autoimmune disease, and other conditions. After a robust clinical and research collaboration, Stephan Moll, MD, and Jacquelyn Baskin-Miller, MD, both in the UNC School of Medicine, have linked adenovirus infection with a rare blood clotting disorder. This is the first time that the common respiratory virus, which causes mild cold-and flu-like symptoms, has been reported to be associated with blood clots and severe thrombocytopenia. 

It is a mistake to think that sleeping in on weekends will make up for not getting enough sleep during the week due to work or leisure activities. According to recent research from Penn State, when sleep is restricted to five hours per night, cardiovascular health indicators like heart rate and blood pressure deteriorate throughout the course of the week, and trying to make up lost sleep over the weekend is insufficient to bring these indicators back to normal.

In the ageing population, the Apolipoprotein-4 allele has been associated with an increased risk for a variety of illnesses, particularly Alzheimer's and cardiovascular disease. Despite its negative effects, this genetic mutation is nevertheless prevalent in roughly 20 per cent of the population of humans. In an effort to comprehend how this unfavourable allele is surviving natural selection, a group of scientists have discovered that the APOE-4 allele is connected to enhanced fertility in women.

Research from the University of Alberta shows that high-intensity interval training is safe for expectant mothers and their unborn children, in contrast to the typical advice for exercising during pregnancy.

The genetic basis and polygenic nature of hair whorl orientation are both shown by the first gene mapping study on human scalp hair whorls. An article in the Elsevier-distributed Journal of Investigative Dermatology reports the discovery of four linked genetic variants that are likely to have an impact on hair whorl orientation.