What is Psoriasis? Psoriasis is a skin disease that causes red, itchy scaly patches, most commonly on the knees, elbows, trunk and scalp. It is a common, chronic disease with no cure. It tends to go through cycles, flaring for a few weeks or months, then subsiding for a while or going into remission. The […]
Cerebrovascular disease is the second leading cause of death in the world. It is also the fifth in the U.S. and was responsible for 37.6 deaths per 100,000 individuals in the U.S. in 2017. Cerebrovascular disease or vascular brain disease, refers to multiple conditions that affect the blood vessels and blood circulation in the brain, […]
What is Traumatic Brain Injury? Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of injury related death and disabilities in the USA and worldwide. According to the CDC, 30% of all injury related deaths (153 people per day in the USA) are attributable to TBI. Cognitive deficits, impaired memory, movement disorders, loss of hearing and […]
A new study from a team of Australian and German researchers has uncovered one mechanism that explains how exercise boosts neurogenesis in mice: the activity causes platelets circulating in the blood to release factors that can boost the growth of neural precursor cells in the hippocampus. The research was published in the journal Stem Cell […]
What are Phthalates? Ortho-phthalates (also referred to as phthalates) are a class of multi-functional, high production volume chemicals used widely in commerce. High molecular weight phthalates like di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and diisononyl phthalate (DiNP) are commonly used as plasticizers in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) materials such as food packaging and food contact materials. In the past […]
What is Pulmonary Fibrosis? Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a chronic, life-threatening disease with a gradual worsening of pulmonary function and shortness of breath, and the median survival time of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) was estimated to be 2.5–3.5 years. Pulmonary fibrosis is a lung disease that occurs when lung tissue becomes damaged and scarred. […]
Although it is hard to accept, many things in our bodies change with age. One of these is the ability of the skin to regenerate. Old skin is just not as good as young skin at healing wounds, but the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. A new study published in the Journal of Cell Biology […]
Diabetes is a major global health concern, affecting mortality rates and the quality of life of those with the condition and their families. There were an estimated 463 million people with diabetes in the world in 2019, of whom 90% to 95% have type 2 diabetes. By 2045, it is estimated that there will be […]
What are Muscular Dystrophies? Muscular dystrophy is a group of diseases that cause progressive weakness and loss of muscle mass. In muscular dystrophy, abnormal genes (mutations) interfere with the production of proteins needed to form healthy muscle. There are many kinds of muscular dystrophy. Symptoms of the most common variety begin in childhood, mostly in […]
Last week the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) approved the use of mix-and-match COVID-19 boosters for Americans at high risk of severe illness or infection. Any of the three authorized vaccines in the United States, Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna-NIAID, or Johnson & Johnson may be used as a booster, regardless of which vaccine people received […]