Toad Venom The Colorado River toad, also called the Sonoran Desert toad, is famous for its psychedelic venom, which it secretes when it feels threatened, and this venom is known to induce intense hallucinations. However, until recently, scientists did not fully understand how this compound affects the human brain. A recent study has shed light on this question, suggesting that the toad's hallucinogenic compound could have potential as the basis for a new antidepressant. The researchers focused on a modified form of a DMT compound and its interaction with a serotonin receptor known as 5-HT1A, which is involved in regulating mood and anxiety. Although much of the research on psychedelics has focused on another serotonin receptor, 5-HT2A, which is activated during hallucinogenic experiences, the team led by pharmacologist Dr. Daniel Wacker of the Icahn School of Medicine opted to explore the effects of the compound on 5-HT1A receptors. The scientists made chemical modifications to ...

  Bird flu in US dairy cows Bird flu, a highly pathogenic virus known as H5N1 , had been silently circulating among dairy cows in the United States for at least four months before scientists and government regulators confirmed its presence. A new analysis of genomic data by scientists at the US Department of Agriculture's Animal Disease Center reveals this disturbing reality. This study, posted on the BioRXIV server as a preprint, reveals that the H5N1 virus likely moved from wild birds to cows between mid-November and mid-January, meaning it was active in the dairy industry long before it was identified. Additionally, infected cows were found with no apparent connections, suggesting that the extent of the outbreak could be much larger than has been documented so far. Official confirmation of the presence of the virus in dairy cows occurred on March 25 in Texas. Since then, at least three dozen infected herds have been recorded in nine states. Alarmingly, at least one farm worker ...

Cottage cheese and sour cream The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a reassuring statement Wednesday, assuring people that dairy products, including the popular cottage cheese and sour cream, are safe to consume despite the recent outbreak of avian flu in dairy cows. This announcement comes after extensive testing on 297 pasteurized dairy products sold at retail, which returned results free of live viruses that could pose a risk to human health. The data collected from samples from 38 states is encouraging, according to Don Prater, acting director of the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. Prater stressed that these preliminary results reinforce confidence in the security of the commercial milk supply in the United States. Despite the outbreak of bird flu in dairy herds in nine states, the FDA has confirmed that processed dairy products remain safe for human consumption. The bird flu outbreak has affected 36 dairy herds in several states, with Texas as...

  AstraZeneca Covid Vaccine AstraZeneca, one of the main pharmaceutical companies involved in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, has officially acknowledged the possibility that its vaccine against the virus could cause a rare side effect, which could trigger a series of million-dollar lawsuits, according to legal documents cited by the British newspaper The Telegraph . This recognition comes amid a series of legal disputes brought by families in the United Kingdom who have been affected by the AstraZeneca vaccine. Although the company is defending its position, it has admitted that its vaccine can, in very rare cases, trigger the so-called Thrombocytopenia Thrombosis Syndrome (TTS). TTS is a condition that can cause blood clots to form and a reduction in the number of platelets in the blood, which can lead to serious complications and even death in some cases. The first case to highlight the severity of these side effects was that of Jamie Scott, who suffered a permanent bra...

  Noise Related Heart Diseases An international team of noise experts from the Copenhagen Cancer Institute (Denmark), the Swiss Institute of Tropical and Public Health (Swiss TPH), the Perelman School of Medicine at Philadelphia University (USA), and the Department of Cardiology at the Medical University of Mainz has carried out an eye-opening epidemiological study that highlights the close relationship between transport noise and cardiovascular diseases . According to their analysis, traffic noise, including sounds from roads, railways, and airplanes, poses a significant risk to cardiovascular health. Researchers have observed an increase in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, as well as the development of cardiometabolic diseases such as ischemic heart disease, heart failure, stroke, and diabetes, associated with exposure to traffic noise. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 1.6 million years of healthy life are lost each year in Western Europe due to...

  Pig heart pump and kidney transplant Hope shines on the medical horizon with the successful completion of a new breakthrough in transplant science. In an unprecedented development, the first transplant surgery combining a mechanical heart pump and a gene-edited pig kidney has been performed at NYU Langone Health , marking a monumental advance in the search for solutions to the chronic organ shortage. The protagonist of this innovative feat is Lisa Pisano , a 54-year-old woman from New Jersey, who suffered from heart failure and end-stage renal disease, requiring regular dialysis to stay alive. However, his case presented medical complications that made a standard transplant difficult, and the general lack of donor organs in the United States aggravated the situation. Faced with this challenging reality, Pisano clung to hope when presented with the opportunity to participate in this innovative procedure. “I have tried everything else and exhausted all other resources. So when this...

  Personality Disorders Personality disorders , a category of mental health conditions that alter the way people think, feel, and behave, are emerging as a significant global challenge, according to research from the University of Cambridge. These disorders, which affect approximately 7.8% of the world's population, can trigger significant distress and difficulties in interpersonal relationships and work performance. A thorough understanding of these conditions becomes crucial for early identification and effective treatment. What does a personality disorder entail? Personality disorders are characterized by inflexible and unhealthy patterns of thinking, functioning, and behavior that differ substantially from cultural norms, causing distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. Often, sufferers do not seek treatment until they face a crisis or do so in conjunction with another mental illness, often after acts of self-harm or criminal beha...

  Psychosis Groundbreaking research is shedding light on the mysteries of the human brain and the complexities of psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. According to a recent study published in the prestigious journal Molecular Psychiatry on April 11, a significant step has been taken toward understanding the neurobiological bases of the hallucinations and delusions that characterize these disorders. The prevailing theory to date suggests that people who experience psychosis suffer from dysfunctions in the brain networks responsible for regulating attention. This leads to false perceptual experiences and beliefs that have no basis in reality. However, understanding the precise details of how these dysfunctions manifest in the brain has long been a challenge for scientists. The study, led by Professor Kaustubh Supekar of Stanford University School of Medicine, focused on identifying underlying mechanisms involved in psychosis from an early age. To do this, ...

  Cancer Rates are Rising Among Young People Cancer cases among young people are experiencing a dramatic increase, according to recent data. Early-onset cancers, diagnosed in individuals under 50 years of age, have seen a staggering 79% increase globally. This phenomenon is not exclusive to a particular region; Even in the United States, the demographics of cancer patients are undergoing significant change, with a progressive shift from older to middle-aged people. Although adults over 50 years of age have experienced a decline in overall cancer incidence from 1995 to 2020, a notable increase in cases has been seen among those under 50 years of age. This increase raises questions about the need to start cancer screening at younger ages and who should be most concerned about this trend. Additionally, it raises the question of what preventative measures young people might consider to reduce their risk. Also Read:  Salt Replacement Linked to Lower Risk of Premature Death To addre...

Skin Cancer With the arrival of the summer season and the increase in outdoor activities, health experts warn about the importance of taking seriously the threat of melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer that affects one in five Americans at some point in their lives. Melanoma , fueled by exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays, represents a significant public health risk. According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 100,000 people are diagnosed with melanoma each year in the United States, and about 8,000 die from the disease annually. Dr. Michael Davies, chair of the Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, emphasizes the aggressive nature of melanoma and the importance of early detection to improve survival rates. Melanoma usually starts in skin cells called melanocytes, which produce skin pigment. Although it can appear anywhere on the body, it is most common in areas exposed to sunlight, such as the face, neck...