Imagine trying to solve a complex puzzle where some pieces look almost identical but have tiny differences. That's what scientists are up against when studying LILRB3 and LILRA6, two genes that are part of a larger family called Leukocyte immunoglobulin-like receptors (LILRs). These genes are found on chromosome 19 and are known for their tricky genetic makeup. LILR...
Ever wondered if the age of a father can affect the mental health of his children? Well, it turns out that there might be a link between a father's age and the risk of mental health issues in his kids. The idea is that as men get older, their sperm can accumulate more mutations. These mutations, known as de novo mutations (DNMs), are not in...
TB is still a big problem in the Western Pacific. The World Health Organization (WHO) made a plan to fight it, called the Western Pacific Regional Framework to End TB. This plan is part of bigger global health goals, like the End TB Strategy and the Sustainable Development Goals. The plan has some strong points. It aims to reduce the number of TB cases and deaths. B...
The Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) has been a hotspot for trouble for over ten years. Nearly half of its 22 countries and territories have been in chaos due to political conflicts, increasing violence, and natural disasters. These events have torn apart communities, sparked disease outbreaks, and put immense pressure on healthcare systems. Imagine living in a pl...
Whooping cough, a disease that was once common in the 1800s, is making a worrying comeback. In 2024, more than 35, 000 cases were reported, and sadly, ten children lost their lives to the illness. This is the highest number of deaths since 2017, when 13 people died. The disease is caused by a bacteria that attaches to tiny hairs in your throat and nose and releases...
Philadelphia’s Whole Foods Market employees have voted to form the grocery chain’s first union. The vote, which took place on Monday, was close—130 in favor, 100 against. This move comes as Amazon, which owns Whole Foods, faces pushback from workers across different parts of its business. Workers at the Philadelphia store hope the union can help them negotiate better...
Imagine a situation where the President of the United States decided to make a significant move. He considered leaving the World Health Organization (WHO), an agency designed to tackle global health issues. The WHO has been around for a while, but its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic left some people feeling unsatisfied. They believed the WHO was too lenient on Chin...
River blindness, also known as onchocerciasis, is a major health concern in Africa. The World Health Organization (WHO) has set a target to eliminate this neglected tropical disease (NTD) by 2030. More than 99% of people infected live in 31 countries across sub-Saharan Africa. The goal here is to explore how effective the measures taken to control river blindness hav...
Have you ever wondered how fish survive in different types of water? Scientists have been studying this adaptation in Eurasian perch. They looked at the genes of perch from 42 different populations using whole-genome sequencing. By comparing individuals and pooled samples, they found over 2, 600 gene variations that help perch adapt to both humic (brown) and clear wa...
You know how sometimes people leave a club or an organization because they're not happy? Well, President Trump just did something like that. He announced that the US is leaving the World Health Organization, or WHO. This group is like a big club that helps countries work together on health problems. President Trump has been unhappy with WHO for a while, and he thinks...