Long telomeres may heighten cancer risks
People with mutations that lead to excessively long chromosome tips, or telomeres, may be at increased risk for a range of cancers. (Source: NIH Research Matters from the National Institutes of Health (NIH))
Source: NIH Research Matters from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) - May 23, 2023 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news

Human pangenome boosts accuracy and reflects diversity
Researchers compiled a set of reference human genome sequences —a “pangenome”—that represents human genetic diversity better than any single genome. (Source: NIH Research Matters from the National Institutes of Health (NIH))
Source: NIH Research Matters from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) - May 23, 2023 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news

An mRNA vaccine to treat pancreatic cancer
A personalized mRNA vaccine against pancreatic cancer created a strong anti-tumor immune response in half the participants in a small study. (Source: NIH Research Matters from the National Institutes of Health (NIH))
Source: NIH Research Matters from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) - May 22, 2023 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news

Brain decoder turns a person ’s brain activity into words
Researchers developed a system that can decode language based on a person ’s brain activity. (Source: NIH Research Matters from the National Institutes of Health (NIH))
Source: NIH Research Matters from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) - May 16, 2023 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news

Avoiding RSV in infancy reduces asthma risk
Infants who avoided infection with respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, during the first year of life had a 26% lower risk of developing asthma by age 5. (Source: NIH Research Matters from the National Institutes of Health (NIH))
Source: NIH Research Matters from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) - May 16, 2023 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news

Earlier smoking cessation may improve lung cancer survival
Lung cancer patients who quit smoking before diagnosis had significantly better survival rates than smokers —and the longer without smoking, the better the odds of survival. (Source: NIH Research Matters from the National Institutes of Health (NIH))
Source: NIH Research Matters from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) - May 15, 2023 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news

Sex disparities after heart attack
The year after a heart attack, women ages 55 and younger have worse outcomes and nearly twice the risk of rehospitalization compared to similarly aged men (Source: NIH Research Matters from the National Institutes of Health (NIH))
Source: NIH Research Matters from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) - May 9, 2023 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news

Insomnia drug may lower levels of Alzheimer ’s proteins
In a small study, a drug called suvorexant that is approved to treat insomnia reduced levels of proteins associated with Alzheimer ’s disease in cerebrospinal fluid. (Source: NIH Research Matters from the National Institutes of Health (NIH))
Source: NIH Research Matters from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) - May 9, 2023 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news

Social safety nets may blunt effects of poverty on children ’s mental health
Socioeconomic disparities in children ’s brain development and mental health were lower in states with stronger social safety nets. (Source: NIH Research Matters from the National Institutes of Health (NIH))
Source: NIH Research Matters from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) - May 9, 2023 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news

New insights into the brain ’s motor cortex
A brain region long known to control specific muscle movements also has a more complex role related to planning and coordinating movements. (Source: NIH Research Matters from the National Institutes of Health (NIH))
Source: NIH Research Matters from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) - May 2, 2023 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news

Aging melanocyte stem cells and gray hair
The stem cells responsible for hair color switch between stem cell and maturing states, but with age can get stuck and become unable to perform either function. (Source: NIH Research Matters from the National Institutes of Health (NIH))
Source: NIH Research Matters from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) - May 2, 2023 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news

How boosters produce broad protection against COVID-19
A booster shot targeting the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 produced a broader immune response than one targeting variants more similar to the original strain. (Source: NIH Research Matters from the National Institutes of Health (NIH))
Source: NIH Research Matters from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) - May 1, 2023 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news

Immune system profiles of extremely long-lived people
In a small study, researchers were able to identify distinct features of the immune systems of extremely long-lived people. (Source: NIH Research Matters from the National Institutes of Health (NIH))
Source: NIH Research Matters from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) - April 25, 2023 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news

Drug may not prevent dangerously heavy bleeding after Cesarean delivery
Tranexamic acid didn ’t reduce maternal deaths or the need for blood transfusions in those undergoing either scheduled or emergency Cesarean delivery. (Source: NIH Research Matters from the National Institutes of Health (NIH))
Source: NIH Research Matters from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) - April 25, 2023 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news

Antibiotic can help prevent common sexually transmitted infections
Taking the oral antibiotic doxycycline within three days after unprotected sex reduced the risk of sexually transmitted infections among those at increased risk. (Source: NIH Research Matters from the National Institutes of Health (NIH))
Source: NIH Research Matters from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) - April 24, 2023 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news