Medical research

The cold, flu, and COVID-19 season brings the now-familiar ritual of swabbing, waiting, and looking at the results. But what if, instead of taking 15 minutes or more, a test could instantly establish whether you had COVID-19 using a luminous chemical? In ACS Central Science, researchers report a potential COVID-19 test based on bioluminescence. They devised a quick method for detecting SARS-CoV-2 protein using a chemical found in crustaceans that is similar to one utilized in vaccine research. Many creatures, including fireflies and lanternfish, have chemical instruments for producing light. Typically, this process involves the substrate luciferin as well as

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common mental health condition that can be debilitating for many people. It has long been recognized that MDD is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Researchers identify a gene that interacts with stress to mediate aspects of treatment-resistant MDD in an animal model in a new study published in Biological Psychiatry by Elsevier. Neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine have been studied in the development and persistence of depression. Antidepressants frequently target imbalances in these neurotransmitters. Jing Zhang, Ph.D., at Fujian Medical University and senior author of the study, said, "Emerging evidence

A study led by Oregon State University has revealed why particular polyunsaturated fatty acids act to battle a hazardous liver ailment, paving the way for new therapeutic research for a disease with no FDA-approved therapies. Scientists led by Natalia Shulzhenko, Andrey Morgun, and Donald Jump of Oregon State University employed a technique known as multi-omic network analysis to uncover the mechanism by which dietary omega 3 supplements eased nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH. The mechanism involves betacellulin, a protein growth factor that has many beneficial effects in the body but also leads to liver fibrosis, or scarring, as well as the

Type 2 diabetics are more likely to develop heart disease (cardiovascular disease) and kidney problems (diabetic nephropathy). Regular monitoring and early diagnosis of these dangers are critical for diabetes patients' health management. A study of almost 2,500 persons with Type 2 diabetes and renal illness discovered that high levels of four biomarkers are strongly predictive of the development of heart and kidney problems. According to new study published today in the American Heart Association's flagship journal Circulation, a simple blood test may predict the risk of progressive heart and kidney failure in adults with Type 2 diabetes and kidney disease.