Swedish researchers have tracked how nerve cells get activated by weight loss drugs such as semaglutide and how it affects the brain.

Semaglutide belongs to a group of drugs called GLP-1R agonists and has been shown to effectively reduce food intake and body weight. The drug is already well established as part of the treatment for obesity and type 2 diabetes but can cause side effects such as nausea and muscle loss.

In the study, researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg showed that it is possible to distinguish the nerve cells in the brain that control the beneficial effects --such as reduced food intake and fat loss -- from those that contribute to side effects.

To investigate how semaglutide affects the brain, the researchers worked with mice. They tracked which nerve cells were activated by the drug and were then able to stimulate these cells—without administering the drug itself.

Two women, including a doctor from AIIMS Rishikesh, have tested positive for Covid-19 in Uttarakhand, prompting the state health department to issue a high alert.

According to officials, both individuals recently travelled to Uttarakhand from other states.

Dr Sunita Tamta, Director General of Health, Uttarakhand, confirmed that a 57-year-old woman from Gujarat who had come to Rishikesh for religious purposes exhibited symptoms of coronavirus.

After testing, she was confirmed positive and is currently under treatment. The second patient is a doctor from Bengaluru who has also tested positive and is receiving treatment at home, said Tamta.

Australian researchers have developed a new blood test that can rapidly diagnose rare genetic diseases in babies and children.

The simple blood test, developed by researchers from the University of Melbourne and Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI), eliminates the need for costly and invasive procedures.

It can rapidly detect abnormalities in up to 50 per cent of all known rare genetic diseases in a matter of days. The test works by analysing the pathogenicity of thousands of gene mutations at once, potentially replacing thousands of other functional tests, said the team in the research, published in the journal Genome Medicine.

"A disease is rare if it affects fewer than one in 2,000 people and there are more than 7,000 different rare diseases, most of which have a genetic origin and many of these diseases are serious and progressive," said David Stroud, Associate Professor at University of Melbourne.

An international team led by Chinese scientists has developed revolutionary contact lenses that allow humans to see near-infrared light, a breakthrough that could transform medical imaging and visual assistance technologies.

The study, published in the journal Cell on Thursday, combines visual neuroscience with rare earth elements to create transparent, wearable lenses that convert invisible infrared light into visible images, news agency reported.

The human eye only detects light with wavelengths between 400 and 700 nanometres, thus missing much of nature's information.

Near-infrared light, with wavelengths between 700 and 2,500 nanometres, excels at penetrating biological tissue with minimal radiation damage.

People with RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) infection are more likely to suffer from in-hospital cardiac events than those with flu or Covid-19, according to a study.

Researchers at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases in Singapore conducted a nationwide study among 32,960 adults hospitalised for an RSV, flu, or Covid infection.

They compared the risk of cardiovascular events (any cardiac, cerebrovascular, or thrombotic event) and intensive care unit (ICU) admission with or without a cardiovascular event among the patients.

Of the 32,960 adult patients, 6.5 per cent had RSV, 43.7 per cent had flu, and 49.8 per cent had Covid.

Researchers at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela have designd a novel semiconductor device-based biosensor that can identify breast cancer cells without the need for complicated or expensive laboratory procedures.

The device ‘TFET’ (Tunnel Field Effect Transistor) is based on TCAD (Technology Computer-Aided Design) simulation results, that can effectively detect breast cancer cells.

FETs are commonly used in electronics, but here they have been adapted to function as a sensitive detector of biological materials.

Unlike many traditional tests, this biosensor does not need any added chemicals or labels to work.

It uses the physical properties of cancer cells to detect them. Cancerous breast tissues, which hold more water and are denser than healthy tissues, interact differently with microwave radiation. These differences, known as dielectric properties, make it possible to distinguish between healthy and cancerous cells.

US researchers have engineered a novel gene therapy to target the airway and lungs via a nasal spray.

For gene therapy to work well, therapeutic molecules need to be efficiently delivered to the correct locations in the body. It is commonly done by using adeno-associated viruses (AAV) gene therapy.

To improve the AAV's ability to deliver therapeutics specifically to the lungs and airway, researchers at the Mass General Brigham engineered a new version, called AAV.CPP.16, which can be administered with a nasal spray.

In preclinical models, AAV.CPP.16 outperformed previous versions by more effectively targeting the airway and lungs and showing promise for respiratory and lung gene therapy, said the researchers in the paper published in the journal Cell Reports Medicine.

Treatment with an experimental drug has shown significant improvements in young patients with a rare form of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) -- a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, said a team of US researchers on Friday.

ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a rare disorder that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, leading to the loss of motor neurons causing difficulty with movement, balance, coordination, and potentially even breathing.

While experimental therapies have so far slowed down the disease or halted its progression, the new treatment using ulefnersen (previously known as jacifusen) -- showed that functional losses in young patients can be reversed.

"When testing new drugs for ALS, we do not expect to see clinical improvement," said neurologist and scientist Neil Shneider at Columbia University.

Taking birth control pills or combined oral contraceptives containing both oestrogen and progestin may triple the risk of cryptogenic stroke in young women, according to a study.

Strokes without a known cause are called cryptogenic. It accounts for up to 40 per cent of all ischaemic strokes in young adults. Despite its prevalence, the contribution of sex-specific risk factors, such as contraceptive use, has remained underexplored.

The findings add to a growing body of evidence linking hormonal contraception to vascular risk in women of reproductive age.

“Our findings confirm earlier evidence linking oral contraceptives to stroke risk,” said lead author Dr. Mine Sezgin, Department of Neurology, Istanbul University.

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on Thursday launched a nationwide campaign to end plastic pollution, ahead of World Environment Day.

World Environment Day is observed every year on June 5, and the theme this year is Beat Plastic Pollution. The day serves as the principal platform of the UN for encouraging global awareness and action for environmental protection.

The mass mobilisation campaign ‘One Nation, One Mission: End Plastic Pollution’, highlights India’s unwavering commitment to environmental protection and sustainability. It is also aligned with the country’s flagship initiative -- Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment).