"We have discovered the secret of life," said American scientist James Watson in 1962, along with Maurice Wilkins and Francis Crick, as the trio shared the Physiology and Medicine Nobel Prize for the DNA's double helix structure discovery.

Famous geneticist Watson, who died at 97 as confirmed by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in the US -- where he worked and researched for decades -- was associated with one of the greatest breakthroughs of the 20th century.

Although DNA was discovered in 1869, it took scientists until 1943 to discover that it made up the genetic material in cells.

To date, the structure of DNA remains a mystery.

A team of researchers from Japan has successfully treated spinal fractures in animal models using stem cells from fatty tissue.

The team from the Osaka Metropolitan University used stem cells extracted from adipose -- the body’s fatty tissue -- to treat spine fractures in rats similar to those caused by osteoporosis in humans.

These cells offer the advantages of being easy to collect, even from elderly individuals, and causing little stress to the body, suggesting a non-invasive way of treating bone diseases.

Bone regeneration and strength were significantly improved in rats transplanted with the adipose tissue (ADSCs).

While obesity is a known risk factor for heart disease, a new study showed that the ratio of a person's waist measurement compared to their height is more reliable than body mass index (BMI) at predicting the risk.

The finding, published in The Lancet Regional Health-Americas, could reshape how clinicians and the public assess cardiovascular risk, especially for people who don't meet the classic definition of obesity.

"Higher BMI, waist circumference, and waist-to-height ratio at baseline were all associated with higher risk of developing future cardiovascular disease -- until we adjusted for other classic risk factors, such as age, sex, smoking, exercise, diabetes, hypertension, and cholesterol," said lead author Thiago Bosco Mendes, from the University of Pittsburgh, US

Vietnam's capital Hanoi has reported a rapid increase in dengue fever cases over the past week, with 486 new infections recorded from October 24 to 31, up 94 cases from the previous week, Vietnam News Agency reported on Monday.

According to the Hanoi Centre for Disease Control, the city recorded new outbreaks in 23 communes and wards, bringing the total number of active clusters to 32, with no deaths reported so far.

Since the beginning of 2025, Hanoi has logged 4,388 dengue fever cases, down 20 per cent from the same period last year.

Struggling with memory and stress issues? A bite of dark chocolate or a handful of berries may help boost your memory levels and also cut down stress, according to an animal study.

The improved memory and cognition may be due to flavanols, found abundantly in cocoa and berries, said the team from Shibaura Institute of Technology, Japan.

The study, published in the journal Current Research in Food Science, demonstrated that flavanol intake can trigger wide-ranging physiological responses resembling those induced by exercise -- functioning as a moderate stressor that activates the central nervous system and enhances attention, arousal, and memory. Flavanols also protect against neuronal damage.

Children born to mothers who had Covid-19 while pregnant may be at a high risk of suffering from developmental disorders, including speech delays, autism, and motor disorders, by the time they turn 3 years old, according to new research.

Researchers from the Mass General Brigham in the US explained that these may be due to immune activation during pregnancy, which disrupts normal foetal brain development.

“These findings highlight that Covid-19, like many other infections in pregnancy, may pose risks not only to the mother, but to foetal brain development,” said Andrea Edlow, Maternal-Foetal Medicine specialist in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Mass General Brigham. The findings, published in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology, are based on an analysis of 18,124 live births during the peak Covid window of March 2020 to May 2021.

Older adults whose blood pressure fluctuates widely may indicate a greater risk of brain shrinkage and nerve cell injury, according to a new study.

The study, published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, reveals that short-term “dynamic instability” in blood pressure -- moment-to-moment changes measured over just minutes -- is linked to loss of brain tissue in regions critical for memory and cognition, as well as to blood biomarkers of nerve cell damage.

“Our findings show that even when average blood pressure is normal, instability from one heartbeat to the next may place stress on the brain,” said Daniel Nation, from the University of Southern California’s Leonard Davis School of Gerontology.

 At least 129 more people tested positive for dengue, taking the total number of vector-borne cases to 3,594 this year, officials said on Thursday.

According to a report released by S. Priyokumar Singh, State Malaria Officer (National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme), at least 3,594 people have tested positive for dengue in the state this year, while a patient died in the state's Bishnupur district.

Singh, in his report, said that they have been following the guidelines of the central National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) in curbing the outbreak of dengue in the state since January.

Patients with weak heart function who receive stem cell therapy shortly after a heart attack are less likely to suffer heart failure, according to a study.

Heart failure can occur after a heart attack when the heart muscle is extensively damaged, weakening its ability to pump blood effectively.

This can be a sudden complication (acute heart failure) or a long-term one. Symptoms include trouble breathing, fatigue, swelling in the legs, and an irregular heartbeat.

The clinical trial, published by the BMJ, suggests stem cell therapy may be a valuable add-on procedure for this particular group of patients after a heart attack to prevent subsequent heart failure and reduce the risk of future adverse events.

The national capital's continued poor air quality and thick smog engulfing the city are not only harmful for the lungs but also eye health, said ophthalmologists on Thursday, while reporting a 50 per cent surge in eye-related problems.

The thick blanket of smog and dangerously high levels of pollution have led to a spike in cases of eye allergies, dryness, burning sensations, and excessive watering, affecting both adults and children.

Doctors say that the toxic cocktail of smoke, particulate matter, and chemical residues released during firecracker burning is not only harmful for the lungs, but for the eyes as well.

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, on Wednesday reported 190 cases of firecracker and carbide gun-related eye injuries during Diwali this year.

The number is 19 per cent more than the ocular cases seen last year during the 10-day Diwali period, said experts from the Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, AIIMS, New Delhi, during a press conference. In 2024, a total of 160 patients reported eye injuries during Diwali.

Notably, the country’s premier national referral institute for ocular trauma recorded a notable spike in firecracker-related eye injuries this year, while carbide-based firecrackers presented a new hazard.

Out of 190 cases, 18-20 eye injuries were due to carbide guns, the experts said.

Eating right, staying active, and managing stress can help lower the risk of strokes, said Union Health Minister JP Nadda on World Stroke Day on Wednesday.

World Stroke Day is observed every year on October 29 to raise awareness of the prevention and treatment of the condition, and ensure better care and support for survivors. The theme this year is 'Every Minute Counts'.

Nadda pointed out that although strokes can occur suddenly, they are preventable with lifestyle changes.

Heat-related deaths have increased by 63 per cent since the 1990s, averaging 546,000 deaths yearly from 2012-21, according to an alarming report of the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change on Wednesday.

The report, authored by 128 multidisciplinary experts worldwide, showed how climate inaction is claiming millions of lives every year, causing widespread floods, droughts, and wildfires, and also facilitating the spread of infectious diseases across the globe.

The report, which comes ahead of the COP 30 to be held in November in Brazil, found that 12 of 20 key indicators tracking health threats have reached record levels, showing how climate inaction is costing lives, straining health systems, and undermining economies.

 Commonly used chest X-rays, based on symptoms, are inadequate to detect asymptomatic tuberculosis (TB) infection among household contacts, according to a study published in the journal The Lancet Global Health.

Researchers from the University of Cape Town, South Africa, conducted systematic screening with universal sputum microbiological testing of 979 household contacts of people with pulmonary tuberculosis in three South African communities.

They compared tuberculosis symptom (any duration) and chest radiograph (any abnormality indicative of active tuberculosis) screening approaches against a microbiological reference standard.

The pharma and healthcare sector in India witnessed robust deal momentum valued at $3.5 billion in Q3 2025, according to a report on Tuesday.

Grant Thornton Bharat’s Pharma and Healthcare Dealtracker report showed that the sector recorded a total of 72 transactions, up 28 per cent in volumes and 166 per cent in value quarter on quarter.

This included three IPOs worth $ 428 million and one QIP worth $88 million, the report said.

With an increasing population of senior citizens in India, the silver economy is set for a rapid expansion and growth, said the government on Tuesday.

'Silver economy’ is an economy driven by goods and services designed to meet the needs of the elderly, typically those over 50 years of age.

As per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare-led 'Population Projection' July 2020 report, the elderly population (60 years and above) in the country is projected to more than double from 100 million in 2011 to 230 million by 2036.

Scanning MRI of a person’s tongue may help in the early detection and ongoing monitoring of Motor Neurone Disease (MND), a neurodegenerative disease, according to a study.

Researchers from the University of Queensland in Australia found that people living with MND, also known as ALS, who have difficulty speaking or swallowing tend to have smaller tongue muscles.

This could serve as an early indication of neurodegenerative disease, said Dr Thomas Shaw from the varsity’s School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

“There are eight interconnected muscles in our tongues, each with a different role, allowing us to eat, swallow, and speak. But for someone with a motor neuron disease, the tongue muscles -- like many others in the body -- progressively weaken and sadly, waste away,” Shaw said.

Researchers have developed microscopic metal particles that can kill cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue, offering a potential new direction for more targeted and less toxic cancer treatments.

The study by the team from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) in Australia remains at the cell-culture stage and has not been tested in animals or humans, news agency reported.

However, it suggests a new strategy for designing cancer treatments that exploits cancer's own weaknesses.

The international team led by RMIT researchers created tiny particles, known as nanodots, from molybdenum oxide -- a compound based on a rare metal called molybdenum. It is often used in electronics and alloys.

Canadian researchers have found that scanning the tiny blood vessels in the eyes may help predict a person's risk of developing heart disease and how fast they're biologically ageing.

The study, published in the journal Science Advances, suggests that retinal scans could one day serve as a noninvasive window into the body's overall vascular health and biological ageing status, offering new opportunities for early detection and intervention.

"By connecting retinal scans, genetics, and blood biomarkers, we have uncovered molecular pathways that help explain how aging affects the vascular system," said Marie Pigeyre, Associate Professor at McMaster University’s Department of Medicine in Canada.

The Ministry of Ayush on Friday announced a two-day national seminar to boost liver health through Ayurveda, taking forward its commitment to evidence-based traditional medicine.

The national seminar -- Hepatobiliary Wellness through Ayurveda: Bridging Traditional Wisdom with Contemporary Science -- will be organised along with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), from October 25 to 26 in Odisha’s Bhubaneswar.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) in the Western Pacific region has raised an alarm about the "sharp increases" in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) cases in the Philippines, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea in recent years, "with implications for national and regional security."

At Wednesday's meeting in Fiji that brought together ministers of health from the 38 countries and areas in the Western Pacific Region, as well as civil society and development partners, the WHO and UNAIDS Asia-Pacific convened to confront the region's HIV crisis amid growing national epidemics and seek solutions to accelerate progress on HIV prevention.

World Polio Day reminds of India’s remarkable journey in eliminating polio, with national efforts and strong public participation, said Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Friday.

World Polio Day is celebrated annually on October 24 to raise awareness about the highly infectious disease.

India has been officially declared polio-free, with the World Health Organization (WHO) certifying it on March 27, 2014.

The total number of measles cases in Mongolia has increased to 13,532, the country's National Centre for Communicable Diseases (NCCD) said on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the total number of recoveries has reached 13,514. Currently, seven people remain in hospital, the NCCD said in a statement.

The majority of new measles infections were among school-age children who had only one shot of the measles vaccine, it said.

People eating more junk food can counteract its ill effects on mental health by cardio exercises such as running, according to an animal study on Tuesday.

Researchers at University College Cork in Ireland identified specific metabolic pathways through which exercise counteracts the negative behavioural effects of consuming a Western-style diet.

The research demonstrated that voluntary running exercise can mitigate depression-like behaviours induced by high-fat, high-sugar diets associated with both circulating hormones and gut-derived metabolites.

Ayurveda Day has transformed from national observance into a global health movement, said Dr Naresh Kumar, Chief Scientist, CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR).

Speaking during the 10th Ayurveda Day celebration at the institute last week, the scientist highlighted the remarkable global expansion of Ayurveda.

The occasion marked a significant milestone in promoting Ayurveda, as a holistic approach to health and well-being rooted in sustainability and natural living.

Researchers at the Nagaland University have identified a naturally occurring plant compound called ‘Sinapic acid’ as a powerful therapeutic agent that can significantly enable wound healing in patients with diabetes.

A diabetic wound is a slow-healing sore, most often a foot ulcer. Also known as diabetic foot, it raises the risk of nerve damage (neuropathy) and poor blood circulation, foot ulcers, infections, and amputation in severe cases.

The study, published in the journal Nature Scientific Reports, demonstrated that oral administration of Sinapic acid can accelerate diabetic wound healing in preclinical models.

Sinapic acid is a naturally occurring antioxidant found in various edible plants.

Women experiencing earlier menopause can affect heart health, and can together affect brain and cognitive performance, according to a study on Tuesday.

While previous studies have established that earlier menopause is associated with a higher risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s dementia later in life, little is known about the combined impact of earlier age at menopause and reduced cardiac function on brain and cognitive outcomes, the team said.

Reduced cardiac function can affect brain health by limiting the essential supply of oxygen and nutrients to the brain. This reduced blood flow can damage brain tissue, contribute to silent strokes, and increase the risk of dementia, underscoring the critical connection between heart and brain health.

US researchers have identified a gene on the X chromosome that drives inflammation in the female brain and explains the reason why women are disproportionately affected by conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis.

The team from the University of California-Los Angeles noted that, as females have two X chromosomes, as opposed to only one in males, they get a "double dose" of inflammation, which plays a major role in ageing, Alzheimer's disease, and multiple sclerosis.

Using a mouse model of multiple sclerosis, they found the gene Kdm6a, which causes inflammation in microglia -- immune cells in the brain.

While the keto diet -- high in fat and low in carbohydrates -- is hugely popular for weight loss, a new animal study has warned that it may raise the risk of an aggressive type of breast cancer.

Research from the University of Utah, US, showed that high lipid levels caused by fatty acids -- a key feature of obesity that promotes tumour growth -- can also fuel the risk of triple-negative breast cancer.

The study, conducted in preclinical mouse models, suggests that breast cancer patients and survivors with obesity could benefit from lipid-lowering therapies -- and that they should avoid high-fat weight loss regimens like ketogenic diets.

In a bid to tackle the problem of antimicrobial resistance, researchers at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela have used extracts from medicinal plants to produce potent antibacterial agents that are environmentally safe and effective.

The overuse of traditional antibiotics has resulted in the rise of “superbugs” that have become resistant to these treatments.

The study, published in the Surfaces and Interphases journal, used an eco-friendly approach and produced zinc oxide nanoparticles -- known to damage bacterial cells and disrupt their normal functions.

Loneliness and social isolation can raise the risk of death from cancer as well as from all causes among those with the disease, according to a study.

In a pooled data analysis of 13 studies involving over 15 lakh patients, a team of Canadian researchers led by those from the University of Toronto found that loneliness is relatively common among people with cancer.

The potential impact of loneliness on death from cancer was reported for 2,142,338 patients in nine

One in three people worldwide is living with conditions that affect their brain, while 11 million lives are lost every year due to neurological disorders, according to a new report by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday.

Stroke, neonatal encephalopathy, migraine, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, diabetic neuropathy, meningitis, idiopathic epilepsy, neurological complications linked to preterm birth, autism spectrum disorders, and cancers of the nervous system were identified as the top 10 neurological conditions contributing to death and disability.

The report stated that while these neurological conditions now affect more than 40 per cent of the global population, less than one in three countries around the world has a national policy to address the growing burden of neurological disorders.

The new antibiotic EVG7 has demonstrated the ability to fight the dangerous gut bacterium C. difficile with only a minimal dose, a new study showed.

C. difficile is a persistent intestinal bacterium that can cause severe illness, particularly in older people and those with weakened health.

The bacterium produces a toxin that leads to severe diarrhoea. Current treatments are not always effective, as the infection often returns.

"With existing antibiotics, C. difficile sometimes reappears just weeks after treatment," said researcher and lead author Elma Mons, from the varsity.

Scaling up investment in primary health care is critical to ensure local and global communities are ready to prevent and respond to the next pandemic, said a new report by the World Health Organization (WHO), on Tuesday.

The Global Preparedness Monitoring Board (GPMB) report, released during the ongoing World Health Summit held in Berlin, emphasised the urgent need to transform global health security in a world that is experiencing new volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity while still recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Calling for a transformative shift in pandemic preparedness, it also urged countries to invest more in real-time risk assessment and international cooperation.

While Covid-19 infection is known to have lasting effects on the brain, an alarming animal study showed that SARS-CoV-2 infection in fathers before conception can cause changes in sperm, altering children’s brain development and behaviour, and increasing the risk of anxiety later.

The findings, published in the journal Nature Communications, show that Covid could have long-lasting effects on future generations.

Previous studies have shown that male mice exposed to specific environmental and lifestyle factors, like a poor diet before mating, could change brain development and behaviour in offspring.