A study led by researchers at Center for Infection and Immunity (CII) reports on the use of a genetic sequencing method to identify viral pathogens behind unexplained respiratory illnesses in Uganda over a five-year period. The method, called VirCapSeq-VERT and developed at CII, identified nine clusters of infections, including one potentially related to tourism from the U.K.
Researchers have found that a group of viruses that cause severe stomach illness—including the one famous for widespread outbreaks on cruise ships— get transmitted to humans through membrane-cloaked "virus clusters" that exacerbate the spread and severity of the disease. Previously, it was believed that these viruses only spread through individual virus particles.
The discovery of these clusters, the scientists say, marks a turning point in the understanding of how these viruses spread and why they are so infectious. This preliminary work could lead to the development of more effective antiviral agents than existing treatments that mainly target individual particles.
A mathematical model created by University of Illinois researchers could help scientists better understand an intriguing characteristic of microbial communities: their ability to achieve stability despite being so diverse.
Older women with osteoporosis who consistently take a bisphosphonate may have a lower risk of fractures and lower total health costs than their counterparts who stop taking these drugs, a U.S. study suggests
Aggressive brain tumor cells taken from patients self-destructed after being exposed to a chemical in laboratory tests, according to the researchers in the study
Childhood leukemia is a diagnosis that no family ever wants to endure. While the treatment of most types of leukemia has improved steadily over the years, a few specific types remain very difficult to treat. One of these is called "mixed-lineage leukemia," and the survival rate for children affected by this cancer is only around 50%
Researchers have designed a new way to grow nose cells in the lab heralding hope for sufferers of spinal cord injuries, including those who are wheelchair bound
A new clinical trial shows the benefits of an innovative form of radiation therapy, which delivers the radiation in only five sessions instead of the usual 37. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) estimated that prostate cancer affects over 160,000 people in the United States.
As children spend more time tethered to screens, there is increasing concern about potential harm to their visual development. Ophthalmologists—physicians who specialize in medical and surgical eye care—are seeing a marked increase in children with dry eye and eye strain from too much screen time
New York state has sued Purdue Pharma LP, accusing the OxyContin (oxycodone hydrochloride) maker of widespread fraud and deception in the marketing of opioid products, contributing to a nationwide epidemic that has killed thousands.
Higher PIRADS scores are associated with a higher likelihood of a diagnosis of prostate cancer, according to a retrospective study. The Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PIRADS) score classifies MRI lesions on a scale from 1 to 5.
An aquarium fish that senses the Earth's magnetic field as it swims could help unlock how the human brain works and how diseases such as Parkinson's and other neurological disorders function.