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A study published today in the journal Nature Communications analyses the genomic variability of the influenza virus responsible for the 1918 pandemic and how it gave rise to the subsequent seasonal H1N1 influenza.
"The level of alcohol consumption that does not harm health is zero," says a review of dozens of studies conducted in recent years on the effect of light drinking. The 20 or so authors of the paper, and other experts, insist that "alcohol is carcinogenic from the first drink". In their view, this message should be conveyed more clearly to the public.
Studies have shown that the coronavirus has caused life expectancy to fall in many parts of the world in recent years, although differences between countries and regions are considerable. The latest WHO estimates are close to 15 million deaths worldwide between 2020 and 2021.
Caloric restriction (substantially reducing food intake in a controlled way) prolongs longevity in many animal species. A new result in mice, published in Science, finds that this effect is greater if the animals only eat during the body's natural active phase.
A review of studies in rodents and humans examines the relationship between exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and liver damage.
On 27 April, the WHO reported 151 cases of salmonellosis in 11 countries, caused by the consumption of 'kinder eggs' or other contaminated products of the same brand. In Spain, two cases have been confirmed.
Climate change will lead to at least 15,000 new cross-species virus transmissions by 2070, as habitat shifts on a 2°C warmer planet will bring previously distant animals closer together. This result, published in Nature, points to increased exposure of humans to pathogens from wild animals.
A study published today in the journal Nature concludes that people who interact face-to-face in face-to-face meetings are better able to generate creative ideas than those who interact online
In recent weeks, several countries have detected unusually severe cases of hepatitis of unknown origin in healthy children. Some of the patients have required transplantation and at least one of them has died. Researchers are working on several hypotheses around an adenovirus, but the matter is still shrouded in uncertainty.
Whole genome analysis of more than 12,000 tumors has identified new patterns of mutations associated with specific cancers. These combinations generate specific mutational signatures, the study of which provides information on environmental factors causing the mutations. The work is published in Science.