Kidney disease drug shows potential as an MS therapy

Publicly released: Mon 18 Jan 2021 at 0500 AEDT | 0700 NZDT

Clinical and Translational Immunology

A drug that’s used in Japan to treat chronic kidney disease may also have a therapeutic potential for multiple sclerosis - an autoimmune disease that attacks the sheath that insulates nerve cells in the brain. In studies using mice New Zealand Read more about Kidney disease drug shows potential as an MS therapy

Virus receptor may help explain why older people and men are more at risk from COVID-19

Publicly released: Mon 18 Jan 2021 at 0500 AEDT | 0700 NZDT

Respirology

The virus which causes COVID-19 gets into our cells through a receptor called ACE2, and now Australian researchers have shown that older people and men tend to have more of this receptor on the cells of their lower lungs, which may go some way to Read more about Virus receptor may help explain why older people and men are more at risk from COVID-19

Diamonds are a cell’s best friend

Publicly released: Sat 16 Jan 2021 at 0600 AEDT | 0800 NZDT

Science Advances

Scientists have used tiny diamonds, or nanodiamonds, to measure heat transfer inside living cells, potentially leading to new diagnostic tools and therapies for cancer. Scientists have used tiny diamonds, or nanodiamonds, to measure heat transfer Read more about Diamonds are a cell’s best friend

COVID-19 increases risks for women giving birth

Publicly released: Sat 16 Jan 2021 at 0300 AEDT | 0500 NZDT

JAMA Internal Medicine

The risks of dying in hospital, venous thromboembolism (where a blood clot lodges in the lungs), and preeclampsia (pregnancy-related high blood pressure), were considerably higher among women who gave birth with COVID-19 than in those without Read more about COVID-19 increases risks for women giving birth

Centenarian study finds some remain mentally sharp despite signs of Alzheimer's in their brains

Publicly released: Sat 16 Jan 2021 at 0300 AEDT | 0500 NZDT

JAMA Network Open

A Dutch study of 330 people over the age of 100 who considered themselves cognitively healthy found they maintained high levels of cognitive performance for up to four years, despite a slight decline in memory. Post mortems of 44 participants found Read more about Centenarian study finds some remain mentally sharp despite signs of Alzheimer's in their brains

Keep your nose out of it: Saliva tests may be just as good as nose swabs for COVID-19

Publicly released: Sat 16 Jan 2021 at 0300 AEDT | 0500 NZDT

JAMA Internal Medicine

A review of studies has found that saliva sample-based tests are just as good as nose swab based tests when it comes to detecting the virus that causes COVID-19, raising all our hopes that we could one day say goodbye to that uncomfortable nose poke. Read more about Keep your nose out of it: Saliva tests may be just as good as nose swabs for COVID-19

Aspirin may help breast and bladder cancer patients live longer

Publicly released: Sat 16 Jan 2021 at 0300 AEDT | 0500 NZDT

JAMA Network Open

A US study of nearly 140,000 people looked at the effects of aspirin use on developing and surviving bladder, breast, esophageal, gastric, pancreatic, and uterine cancers, and found that while aspirin use was not associated with preventing cancers, Read more about Aspirin may help breast and bladder cancer patients live longer

That ‘instinctive gut feeling’ comes from your brain

Publicly released: Fri 15 Jan 2021 at 1730 AEDT | 1930 NZDT

Nature Scientific Reports.

New research from The University of Queensland (UQ) illustrates, to a certain extent, why we can take someone at 'face value' and why we develop ‘gut feelings’ about a person within a split-second. New research from The University of Read more about That ‘instinctive gut feeling’ comes from your brain

Are partially protected areas the ‘red herrings’ of marine conservation?

Publicly released: Fri 15 Jan 2021 at 1617 AEDT | 1817 NZDT

Conservation Biology

Partially protected marine areas create confusion and don’t meet their broad conservation objectives, UNSW researchers have found. Partially protected areas – marine reserves that allow some forms of fishing – are no more effective socially or Read more about Are partially protected areas the ‘red herrings’ of marine conservation?

WMO confirms 2020 was one of the warmest years on record as La Niña failed to tame the global heat

Publicly released: Fri 15 Jan 2021 at 1200 AEDT | 1400 NZDT

The year 2020 was one of the three warmest on record, and rivalled 2016 for the top spot, according to a consolidation of five leading international datasets by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The warmest six years have all been since Read more about WMO confirms 2020 was one of the warmest years on record as La Niña failed to tame the global heat