Monthly Archives: April 2023

Immune System Mediates Volume and Function of Rat Brains

Researchers have established that biological sex plays a role in determining an individual’s risk of brain disorders.  For example, boys are more likely to be diagnosed with behavioral conditions like autism or attention deficit disorder, whereas women are more likely to suffer from anxiety disorders, depression, or migraines.  However, experts do not fully understand how […]

Ingestible ‘Electric’ Capsule Curbs Appetite

Hormones released by the stomach, such as ghrelin, play a key role in stimulating appetite. These hormones are produced by endocrine cells that are part of the enteric nervous system, which controls hunger, nausea, and feelings of fullness. MIT engineers have now shown that they can stimulate these endocrine cells to produce ghrelin, using an […]

Is Bone Health Linked to Brain Health?

People who have low bone density may have an increased risk of developing dementia compared to people who have higher bone density, according to a study. “Low bone density and dementia are two conditions that commonly affect older people simultaneously, especially as bone loss often increases due to physical inactivity and poor nutrition during dementia,” […]

Lipid Molecules Help to Get Stroke Therapies into the Brain

To get therapies into the brain after a stroke, researchers are increasingly making use of the blood-brain barrier, which allows only certain molecules to pass from the blood into the brain. Current stroke therapies are only effective if they are delivered within a short window of time, which limits their effectiveness in many patients.Many new […]

Smartphones Are Reservoirs of Allergens According to New Research

A new study being presented at this year’s American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Annual Scientific Meeting in Louisville, KY, showed elevated levels of cat and dog allergens, as well as β-D glucans (BDG) and endotoxin on simulated phone models. “Smartphones showed elevated and variable levels of BDG and endotoxin, and cat and dog […]

A Promising Wound Dressing That Can Reveal Infection

The skin is the largest organ of the human body. A wound disrupts the normal function of the skin and can take a long time to heal, be very painful for the patient and may, in a worst case scenario, lead to death if not treated correctly.  In traditional wound care, dressings are changed regularly, […]

Testing Antibiotic Resistance With a Fast, Cheap, and Easy Method

“We have developed a technique in our laboratories that allows us to obtain an antibiogram within 2-4 hours — instead of the current 24 hours for the most common germs and one month for tuberculosis,” says Dr Sandor Kasas at EPFL. Professor Ronnie Willaert at Vrije Universiteit Brussel adds: “Our technique is not only faster […]

Gel Stops Brain Tumors in Mice

Medication delivered by a novel gel cured 100% of mice with an aggressive brain cancer, a striking result that offers new hope for patients diagnosed with glioblastoma, one of the deadliest and most common brain tumors in humans. “Despite recent technological advancements, there is a dire need for new treatment strategies,” said Honggang Cui, a […]

Capsule May One Day Replace Insulin Injection for Diabetics

Scientists in Melbourne have designed a new type of oral capsule that could mean pain-free delivery of insulin and other protein drugs. “These types of drugs (protein) are typically administered with an injection — thousands of diabetics in Australia need insulin injections up to several times a day, which can be unpleasant for the patient […]

Two or More Cups of Coffee Daily May Double Risk of Heart Death in People with Severe Hypertension

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, occurs when the force of blood pushing against the walls of blood vessels is consistently too high The current blood pressure guidelines classify hypertension as a blood pressure reading of 130/80 mm Hg or higher. The blood pressure criteria for this study are slightly different from the ACC/AHA […]