A single-dose dengue vaccine produced by Butantan Institute in São Paulo state (Brazil) prevents development of the disease in 79.6% of those vaccinated, according to an article published today (February 1) in The New England Journal of Medicine. Called Butantan-DV, the vaccine contains attenuated versions of all four dengue virus serotypes. The results of the ongoing Phase 3 trial show that it is safe and effective for all age groups between 2 and 59, and for people with or without a prior history of infection by dengue virus.  “Publication of the article in the world’s le ..read more

Food manufacturers often add preservatives to food products to keep them fresh. A primary purpose of these preservatives is to kill microbes that could break down and otherwise spoil the food. Common additives like sugar, salt, vinegar and alcohol have been used as preservatives for centuries, but modern-day food labels now reveal more unfamiliar ingredients such as sodium benzoate, calcium propionate, and potassium sorbate. Bacteria produce chemicals called bacteriocins to kill microbial competitors. These chemicals can serve as natural preservatives by killing potentially dangerous pathogens ..read more

Despite the growing social and political discourse in favor of energy transition and the greening of the industry, big oil companies continue to rely almost exclusively on fossil fuels to perpetuate their function of obtaining and concentrating energy.   A study carried out by the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB) shows that, far from choosing new alternative and sustainable energy sources, the companies are relentless in their efforts to expand their extractive operations. To do so, they deploy new technologies and ..read more

Do climate change deniers bend the facts to avoid having to modify their environmentally harmful behavior? Researchers from the University of Bonn and the Institute of Labor Economics (IZA) ran an online experiment involving 4,000 US adults, and found no evidence to support this idea. The authors of the study were themselves surprised by the results. Whether they are good or bad news for the fight against global heating remains to be seen. The study is being published in the journal Nature Climate Change. A surprisingly large number of people still downplay the impact of climate ..read more

ENGLAND’S WOMEN FACE CRITICAL DELAYS IN HEALTHCARE. In England, nearly 600,000 women are on a waiting list for gynecological treatment, marking a 33% increase over two years. This surge includes a 43% rise in women waiting over a year for treatment. Additionally, cervical cancer screening rates fall below the government’s 80% target, with only 68.7% coverage. For breast cancer, 26% of women with suspected cases experienced delays of more than two weeks to see a specialist, and only 66.4% of eligible women were screened in the past three years, against a target of 70%. The NHS aims for 92% of p ..read more

Two months after a cyberattack on a UnitedHealth Group subsidiary halted payments to some doctors, medical providers say they’re still grappling with the fallout, even though UnitedHealth told shareholders on Tuesday that business is largely back to normal. “We are still desperately struggling,” said Emily Benson, a therapist in Edina, Minnesota, who runs her own practice, Beginnings & Beyond. “This was way more devastating than covid ever was.” Change Healthcare, a business unit of the Minnesota-based insurance giant UnitedHealth Group, controls a digital network so vast it processes ..read more

Analysis of mooring observations and hydrographic data suggest the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation deep water limb in the North Atlantic has weakened. Two decades of continual observations provide a greater understanding of the Earth’s climate regulating system. A new study published in the journal Nature Geoscience led by scientists at University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, found that human-induced environmental changes ..read more

People with a history of cognitively stimulating occupations during their 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s had a lower risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia after age 70, according to a new study from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, the Columbia Aging Center, and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. The findings highlight the importance of cognitive stimulation during midlife for maintaining cognitive function in old age. This is the first study to fully advance this association with objective assessments rather than subjective evaluations.  The results are ..read more

As we celebrate Earth Day 2024, it’s worth a minute to reflect on the fragility and preciousness of our planet. One powerful reminder of this comes from the iconic “Pale Blue Dot” image and the words of the late astronomer and science communicator, Carl Sagan. In 1977, NASA launched the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 probes to explore the giant planets of the solar system. After visiting Saturn, Voyager 1’s path took it “up” out of the plane of the solar system, giving it a unique vantage point.  Sagan, who was part of the Voyager imaging team, had the idea in 1981 to use Voyager 1’s position to ..read more

In 1990, the Voyager 1 spacecraft captured a groundbreaking photograph of Earth from a distance of about 6 billion kilometers (3.7 billion miles). This image, known as the “Pale Blue Dot,” inspired the late astronomer and science communicator Carl Sagan to reflect on the fragility and preciousness of our planet. Now, as we look back on the 34 years since this iconic photograph was taken, it is striking to see how much the Earth has changed in such a relatively short period. From the rise in global temperatures to the loss of biodiversity, the impact of human activities on our planet has become ..read more