Rare diseases represent a global problem. Until now, the lack of data made it difficult to estimate their prevalence. The Orphanet database, which contains the largest amount of epidemiological data on these diseases taken from the scientific literature, has made it possible to obtain a global estimate.
Read moreResearchers have demonstrated how diabetes contributes to mortality from MERS-CoV infections, and the finding could shed light on why other respiratory illnesses like the flu or pneumonia might strike those with diabetes more severely.
Read moreDrinking small amounts of alcohol frequently is linked with a higher likelihood of atrial fibrillation than binge drinking, according to new research.
Read moreScientists have developed an ultrasensitive new test to detect abnormal forms of the protein tau associated with uncommon types of neurodegenerative diseases called tauopathies. This advance gives them hope of using cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF — an accessible patient sample — to diagnose these and perhaps other, more common neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease.
Read moreResearchers have developed a new smart speaker skill that lets a device use white noise to both soothe sleeping babies and monitor their breathing and movement.
Read moreHow risky is travel in the US? It gets tricky. Despite a lot of research on the dangers of traffic injury and death, there's a lack of clarity on the role of the built environment (roadway designs and adjoining development) and its risk effects. Before we can know how risky a given built environment is, we have to know how many people are traveling there, and in many cases, for pedestrians and cyclists, this data is not available.
Read moreNew research shows that the more a baby weighs at birth relative to its gestational age the higher the risk they will suffer from childhood food allergy or eczema, although not hay fever.
Read moreSome so-called pro-allergic environments strongly promote the development of asthma and are responsible for the dramatic increase in the prevalence of asthma, especially in industrialized countries. Researchers at the GIGA of the University of Liège have identified how all these pro-allergic environments act in the same way on the pulmonary immune system to induce the development of allergic asthma.
Read moreThe risk and severity of developing chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) increases with the number of years playing American football according to a new study. These findings reaffirm the relationship between playing tackle football and CTE, and for the first time quantify the strength of that relationship.
Read moreResearchers, using a method called genome-wide association study, have illuminated the genetic underpinnings of high serum urate, the blood condition that brings on gout. The study will inform efforts to develop screening tests for gout risk as well as potential new treatments.
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