Reference Terms
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Avian flu
Avian flu (also "bird flu", "avian influenza", "bird influenza"), means "flu from viruses adapted to birds", but is sometimes mistakenly used to refer to both other flu subsets (such as H5N1 flu) or the viruses that cause them (such as H5N1).
"Bird flu" is a phrase similar to "Pig flu", "Dog flu", "Horse flu", or "Human flu" in that it refers to an illness caused by any of many different strains of flu viruses such that the strain in question has adapted to the host. "Avian flu" differs in being named after an entire vertebrate class with 8,800–10,200 species. All known avian flu viruses belong to the species of virus called Influenza A virus. All subtypes (but not all strains of all subtypes) of Influenza A virus are adapted to birds, which is why for many purposes avian flu virus is the Influenza A virus (note that the "A" does not stand for "avian").
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Health & Medicine News
June 8, 2026
June 8, 2026 A major long-term study of more than 54,000 adults found that where nitrate comes from may matter far more than how much you consume. People who got more nitrate from vegetables—roughly the amount in a cup of baby spinach a day—had a lower risk ...
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June 7, 2026 A traditional Chinese medicinal root used for over a thousand years is attracting new scientific attention for its potential to combat hair loss. Studies suggest Polygonum multiflorum can block harmful hormones, activate hair-growth signals, protect ...
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June 6, 2026 Scientists warn that free-living amoebae may be an underappreciated public health threat, capable of causing deadly infections and shielding other dangerous microbes from water treatment. Climate change and aging infrastructure could help these ...
June 5, 2026 Scientists have successfully tested an AI-designed universal coronavirus vaccine in humans for the first time, finding it to be safe and well tolerated. The vaccine generated immune responses against multiple coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, ...
June 5, 2026 Scientists have identified genetic variants that may make some people less responsive to GLP-1 drugs used to treat Type 2 diabetes. Roughly 10% of the population carries these variants, which appear to cause a mysterious form of "GLP-1 resistance." ...
June 5, 2026 A major review of nearly 8,000 participants found that collagen supplements can improve skin health and ease osteoarthritis symptoms, especially when taken consistently over longer periods. Researchers also found modest benefits for muscle and ...
June 4, 2026 A large study of older adults in Brazil found that adding extra salt at the table is still a common habit, especially among men. While too much salt is linked to serious health problems and faster cognitive decline, researchers discovered that ...
June 4, 2026 For decades, pancreatic cancer has been one of the most lethal cancers, with few effective treatment options. A new drug, daraxonrasib, targets the KRAS mutation that fuels most pancreatic ...
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June 4, 2026 Scientists have uncovered a surprising new way the immune system fights cancer, overturning a core belief that has guided immunology for decades. The research found that when cancer cells shut down a ...
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June 3, 2026 Scientists have developed an experimental diabetes and obesity pill that works in a completely different way from drugs like Ozempic. Rather than reducing hunger, it activates metabolism in skeletal ...
June 3, 2026 A newly identified group of amygdala neurons appears to play a central role in anxiety and social behavior. Restoring normal activity in this tiny brain circuit reversed anxiety and social deficits ...
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June 3, 2026 Scientists have uncovered evidence that autism may include at least two biologically distinct subtypes, each marked by a different pattern of brain communication. By combining brain scans from nearly ...
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June 2, 2026 A surprising new study suggests that when it comes to pancreatic cancer, the kind of fat you eat may matter more than how much. Researchers found that oleic acid—the main fat in olive oil and ...
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