Medicine

In a study done in mice, a team of researchers found that short-term bursts of exercise — the human equivalent of a weekly game of pickup basketball, or 4,000 steps — promoted an increase in synapses in the hippocampus and prime the brain for learning. The findings were published in …

In a study of mice, an international team of scientists has discovered that signals from gut bacteria help to maintain a first line of defense in the lining of the lung: when mice with healthy gut bacteria were infected with influenza virus, around 80% of them survived; however, only a …

Using the modified CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing system and a therapeutic strategy known as long-acting slow-effective release antiviral therapy (LASER ART), a team of researchers has eliminated replication-competent HIV-1 DNA from the genomes of living mice. Published in the journal Nature Communications, the study marks a critical step toward the development of …

A modified Atkins diet (very low carbohydrates and extra fat) may improve brain function and episodic memory, according to a small study of 14 older adults with mild cognitive problems suggestive of early Alzheimer’s disease. Diet that restricts glucose may help brain function. Image credit: Cattalin. “Typically, the brain uses …

In a new study published this month in the Journal of Medical Entomology, researchers from Aston University collected and analyzed 19,937 flying insects — including houseflies, ‘filth flies’ such as bluebottles and greenbottles and a variety of ’drain flies’ — from seven hospital sites in England. They found that nearly …

Aberrant postures have led to an increase in young adults developing a bone growth at the back of the skull, according to a study by University of the Sunshine Coast scientists. A radiograph of a 28-year-old male participant. Image credit: Shahar Sayers, doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-21625-1. In 2016, University of the Sunshine …

Parkinson’s disease is a debilitating neurological condition affecting more than 1% of the global population aged 60 and above. The primary medication used to treat this disease is levodopa. The efficacy of the treatment is hugely variable between individuals, depending on the composition of their microbiota. Levodopa is converted into …

A new study, published in the June 11 issue of the journal Cell Reports, found that poly(ADP ribose), or PAR, a molecule once thought only to exist inside cells for the purpose of repairing DNA, is responsible for hardening (biomineralization) of the arteries. Additionally, using rats with chronic kidney disease, …

Cerebrovascular changes, including reduced cerebral blood flow, occur early in the development of Alzheimer’s disease and may accelerate disease progression. In a study published online this week in the journal Hypertension, nilvadipine — a calcium channel blocker used to treat high blood pressure — increased cerebral blood flow in the …

Exposure to artificial light while sleeping may be a risk factor for weight gain and development of overweight or obesity, says a new study from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). Sleeping with a TV or artificial light on may be a risk factor for gaining weight or …