A small clinical trial of a late-liver-stage attenuated malaria parasite vaccine has shown to be safe and effective against the disease spread by mosquitoes and claims 608,000 lives globally.

The trial, led by researchers at Leiden University Medical Center and Radboud University Medical Center in Netherlands, found that immunisation with a genetically modified Plasmodium falciparum parasite, known as GA2, induced a favorable immune response, while also protecting against infection.

For the trial, the team randomly assigned 25 healthy adult volunteers with no prior malaria exposure to receive immunisation with a genetically modified P. falciparum parasite (GA2) -- designed to continue developing longer in the liver.

While 10 participants were assigned to the GA2 group, another 10 were added to the GA1 group, and five to the placebo group. Each group consisted of both male and female volunteers.

The Healthcare sector in India grew strongly in Q2 of FY25, with revenue increasing by 17.6 per cent year on year (YoY), according to a report.

The report by Axis Securities showed that the healthcare sector also grew strongly by 10.4 per cent in quarter on quarter (QoQ).

Hospital occupancy rates, which rose by 340 basis points (bps) YoY and 470 bps QoQ were a key driver behind the growth.

Further, insurance payers contributed 33 per cent of total revenues in the hospital segment -- marking a 23 per cent YoY and 12 per cent QoQ growth.

However, the insurance penetration continues to remain low, the report said. It also offers room for expansion as awareness and purchasing power increase.

Biologic therapies are revolutionising severe asthma management, showcasing potential for remission, but cost and equitable access are the major barriers, according to a report on Tuesday.

Biologic therapy, also known as immunotherapy, is a type of treatment that uses substances derived from living organisms to treat disease.

The report by GlobalData, a data and analytics company, showed that the new Biologics target specific inflammatory pathways, shifting care from symptom control to potential remission.

Biologic treatments like dupilumab interleukin-4 receptor alpha and tezepelumab (anti-thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP)) show potential for wider application. They also offer benefits to patients with various inflammatory profiles.

As per real-world evidence, these therapies have proved their efficacy across diverse patient profiles, including those with complex asthma cases.

The US scientists have decoded why obesity increases the risk of type 2 diabetes by targeting the fat cells.

The study, published in Cell Reports, may advance new treatments for type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases that work by helping fat stem cells differentiate and make new, smaller fat cells.

In a first, the team from the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) showed that obesity can make it difficult for the body to produce key cellular building blocks called ribosomal factors.

Without sufficient ribosomal factors, fat stem cells cannot produce functioning fat cells. Their energy gets trapped and they become enlarged and play a crucial role in diabetes development.

Researchers from JNCASR, an autonomous institution of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), have identified a new method to understand the virology of monkeypox virus (MPV).

The new findings can help develop diagnostic tools for the deadly infection, declared a global health emergency twice by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the last three years. The 2024 global outbreak saw the disease spread to about 15 countries in Africa, and three out of Africa.

The outbreak has raised serious concern about its unanticipated spread across the globe, as the modes of transmission and symptoms are not well understood. A comprehensive understanding of virology, alongside the rapid development of effective diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, is of paramount importance.

Amid rising threats of bird flu killing hundreds of birds and also spilling over to some mammals and even humans, a global research team on Friday announced Steadfast -- an advanced diagnostic kit for detecting the highly pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza Virus (AIV).

This development marks a significant breakthrough in avian influenza monitoring, reinforcing global efforts in pandemic preparedness, said the team from Diagnostics Development Hub (DxD Hub) -- a national platform hosted by the Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A-STAR), Singapore, in collaboration with researchers from Japan.

The newly developed Steadfast offers rapid detection of the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu virus. It also helps differentiate between highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) strains -- critical for effective control measures.

While conventional sequencing methods take two to three days for results, Steadfast can detect HPAI H5 strains (H5N1, H5N5, H5N6) in about three hours.

In the recent past, the highly pathogenic bird flu virus has caused mass mortality in chickens and wild birds worldwide. The infections also spread to seals, cats, cattle, and even from cattle to humans -- increasing the threat of a potential next pandemic virus.

While caregiving roles often take a toll on women’s sleep, a new study on Thursday suggested that biological factors may also play a role in why females sleep less.

The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, showed that women sleep less, and wake up more often. They also get less restorative sleep than men.

The findings based on experiments in mice shed new light on what may underlie sleep differences in men and women.

“In humans, men and women exhibit distinct sleep patterns, often attributed to lifestyle factors and caregiving roles,” said Rachel Rowe, assistant professor of integrative physiology at the University of Colorado at Boulder, US.

Scientists at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), an autonomous institution under the Department of Science and Technology, have developed a novel diagnostic technology to aid in the early and accurate detection of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) -- a retrovirus responsible for the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

The GQ Topology-Targeted Reliable Conformational Polymorphism (GQ-RCP) platform was initially designed for the fluorometric detection of pathogens like SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind the recent Covid-19 pandemic, said the team.

The novel technology can better detect the HIV genome using G-Quadruplex (GQ) -- a four-stranded unusual and characteristic DNA structure -- via a fluorometric test.

Even as the national capital continues to battle poor air quality, experts on Wednesday said that the toxic pollutants are raising dry eyes, irritations, and allergies in the eyes of children and adults.

On Wednesday morning, Delhi’s air quality remained in the “severe” category with the average Air Quality Index (AQI) at 427 at 10 am, making it the most polluted city in India, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.

“Pollution poses a serious threat to our eyes, particularly to the conjunctiva and the cornea, which is the first point of contact with harmful particles in the air. The fine particulate matter, allergens, and toxins in polluted environments can irritate the ocular surface and make it highly susceptible to infections,” Dr. Rohit Saxena, professor of ophthalmology, R P Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, AIIMS New Delhi,

“This is especially of concern in children and adults already experiencing dry eyes or allergic reactions, as these conditions worsen with exposure to poor air quality,” he added.

Nearly 7 in 10 married South Korean women have experienced career interruptions due to pregnancy and child-rearing, data showed on Tuesday.

The number of married women aged 15-54 who left the workforce reached 1.22 million in the first half of this year, according to the data from Statistics Korea, news agency reported.

This year's figure represents a decrease of 133,000, partly due to a reduction in the total married female population within the age group, the agency said.

The total number of married women in the country came to 7.65 million, down some 290,000 from a year earlier, the data showed.