This winter, the United States is dealing with a unique challenge – a "quademic" of flu, COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and norovirus. While the first three affect the respiratory system, norovirus causes nasty stomach issues. Experts are concerned because norovirus is particularly vic
Ever wondered why finding new medicines for biliary tract cancer is so hard? It's not just one disease, but a group of different tumors affecting the inside and outside of the liver's bile ducts, and even the gallbladder. Each type has its own genetic make-up, making it a real puzzle for scientists.
Have you ever wondered how common and serious the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is among adults living in the UK? Surprisingly, we don't know much about this virus in adults because doctors don't usually test for it. This lack of information makes it hard to know if we need a vaccination program
Imagine you've had heart surgery as a child and now, as an adult, you need more medical help. That's the case for many people with congenital heart disease. About 20% of them need surgery again in adulthood, and 40% need follow-up procedures from their childhood operations. These surgeries can be to
Dr. Smith knows that growing new heart tissue in the lab is tricky. One challenge is making sure the tiny scaffolds that support the cells have the right shape. They should mimic the native heart's structure, like the way muscle fibers line up. Recently, Dr. Smith and their team tried something new
Scientists have found an ingenious way to tackle two various health threats using just one tiny protein. This little protein, originating from the Chikungunya virus, is typically spread by mosquitoes and can trigger large outbreaks. Normally, E. coli bacteria are harmless, but sometimes they can pos
In Ghana, diabetes can lead to serious problems like lower limb amputations if not managed well. People often struggle with managing diabetes due to limited access to proper care, low awareness about the disease, and a strong belief in religious and traditional medicine. When amputations happen, lif
You might be surprised to know that tiny differences in how our bodies process certain food additives can lead to big differences in safety. Take methyleugenol (ME) and its cousin, methylisoeugenol (MIE), for example. Both are used in foods, but one's classified as a potential carcinogen, while the
The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) has just given us new guidelines on how to handle heart pacing and cardiac resynchronization. Here's a fun fact: most of these guidelines are based on expert opinions rather than hard data. This is why a group of Dutch experts stepped in to see if these new r
Superbugs, or germs that are resistant to most medicines, are becoming a major threat, especially in hospitals. These places often see infections caused by these tough germs. That's where next-generation sequencing (NGS) comes into play. It's like a superhero tool that lets scientists understand the
