5,993 articles from JUNE 2020
Developing better fabrication techniques for pH-responsive microcapsules
Researchers have developed a new method to create microcapsules, which are tiny droplets surrounded by a solid shell. The technique can be used to make microcapsules that respond to changes in pH, which are useful for applications such as anti-corrosion coatings.
Does sarcoponic obesity link to metabolic syndrome? An issue that needs clarification
A systematic review and meta-analysis with the main scope to provide benchmark data on the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (Mets) among individuals with Sarcopenic Obesity (SO), as well as to detect the potential association between the presence of SO and the higher risk of Mets.
Down to the bone: Understanding how bone-dissolving cells are generated
Bone-dissolving cells called osteoclasts are derived from a type of immune cells called macrophages. They are necessary for the maintenance and renewal of bones. But the intracellular mechanisms through which macrophages convert to osteoclasts are not fully understood. Recently, scientists at the Tokyo University of Science uncovered the role of a protein called Cpeb4 in this process. Their...
Essential components of dietary restriction revealed
Studies by Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI), have provided a new understanding into the roles two essential amino acids play in metabolic health, which may help scientists in the fight against obesity.
EULAR advocates deployment of health care professionals -- study confirms effectiveness
Inflammatory-rheumatic disorders are a widespread ailment, affecting at least 1.5 million people in Germany alone. Because of the shortage of rheumatologists, however, only half of the patients are adequately treated (1,2). A study in Germany has shown for the first time that the care of patients with inflammatory-rheumatic diseases by 'rheumatological assistants' (RFA*) is just as effective as...
Eye scanner detects molecular aging in humans
People often say that eyes are windows to the soul. Now it appears they may also be windows to human aging.
Fecal transplants show promise as treatment for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
A new study from Lawson Health Research Institute and Western University suggests that fecal transplants could be used as a treatment for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The randomized controlled trial published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology found that fecal transplants in patients with NAFLD result in a reduction in how easily pathogens and other unwanted molecules pass...
Feeding habits differ by age and sex in Asian black bears: Data may help wildlife experts better manage bears' habitats
A ten-year study shows that Asian black bears' diets vary greatly depending on sex, stage of life, and resource availability, providing important information on foraging strategy according to age-sex classes. Researchers at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT) in Japan published their findings on April 15 in Mammal Study.
Female athletes at risk for nutritional deficiencies
Two decades of research among female athletes over the age of 13 years shows that a lack of nutrition knowledge about what they need to eat to stay healthy and compete may contribute to poor performance, low energy and nutrient intake, and potential health risks, according to a Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School study.
Happiness might protect you from gastrointestinal distress
Serotonin, a chemical known for its role in producing feelings of well-being and happiness in the brain, can reduce the ability of some intestinal pathogens to cause deadly infections, new research by UT Southwestern scientists suggests. The findings, publishing online today in Cell Host & Microbe, could offer a new way to fight infections for which few truly effective treatments currently exist.
Health services should learn long-term lessons of earlier coronavirus outbreaks
Patients recovering from COVID-19 could suffer significant long-term effects, according to research into the experiences of people hospitalised by previous coronavirus outbreaks.
Heat and humidity battle sunshine for influence over the spread of COVID-19, research
An international team of researchers led by McMaster University has found that while higher heat and humidity can slow the spread of COVID-19, longer hours of sunlight are associated with a higher incidence of the disease, in a sign that sunny days can tempt more people out even if this means a higher risk of infection.
High-salt diet impacts health of gut microbiome
Particularly in females with untreated hypertension, reducing salt intake to what's considered a healthier level appears to be good for both their gut microbiome and their blood pressure, scientists report.
Holders of negative opinions towards GM food likely to be against other novel food tech
Scientists at NTU Singapore and the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health have found that people who hold negative opinions of genetically-modified (GM) food are likely to feel the same about nano-enabled food -- food with nano-additives to enhance flavor, nutrition or prolong shelf life. The 'spillover effect' they observed from GM food to nano-enabled food could possibly extend to other...
How effective are language learning apps?
Researchers from Michigan State University recently conducted a study focusing on Babbel, a popular subscription-based language learning app and e-learning platform, to see if it really worked at teaching a new language.
How magnetic fields and 3D printers will create the pills of tomorrow
Doctors could soon be administering an entire course of treatment for life-threatening conditions with a 3D printed capsule controlled by magnetic fields thanks to advances made by University of Sussex researchers.
Human presence weakens social relationships of giraffes
Living close to human settlements disturbs the social networks of giraffes. They have weaker bonds with other giraffes and fewer interactions with other members of the species, an international study led by the University of Zurich on the social structure of over 500 female giraffes in Tanzania has shown.
Immune cell discovery could improve the fight against hepatitis B
For the first time, researchers at The Westmead Institute for Medical Research (WIMR) have identified and described a new and unique subset of human cells that are involved in the immune response against hepatitis B (HBV) infection. The discovery could help develop new treatments for HBV and inform future vaccine design.
Improved MRI scans could aid in development of arthritis treatments
An algorithm which analyses MRI images and automatically detects small changes in knee joints over time could be used in the development of new treatments for arthritis.
Infected insects may warn of impending citrus disease a year in advance
Despite the first appearance of citrus greening disease in Florida in 2005, the bacterium wasn't found in Texas until 2011, when scientists detected it in the psyllids. The disease was not detected in citrus years until 2012, suggesting that psyllids may actually be used for early detection of the HLB pathogen in newly invaded areas.
Invasive rushes spreading in upland farm fields
Scientists have used a series of Google Earth images to plot the spread of rushes in farm fields in the West Pennine Moor SSSI -- an area of the Lancashire uplands between Bolton, Bury and Darwen. Using more than 200 images from Google Earth taken across a 13-year period between 2005 and 2018, the researchers found that rushes have spread across the surveyed area by between 82 per cent and 174 per...
Ischemic stroke rates decrease during COVID-19 pandemic
Research reveals fewer people have been admitted to stroke centers in Michigan and northwest Ohio since the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic, and significantly fewer patients received a mechanical thrombectomy for their ischemic stroke.
Kidneys deteriorate with age, regardless of health
Why we age remains an unanswered question. But recently, researchers at UiT, along with colleagues in Berlin and Reykjavik, have discovered that kidneys age, regardless if people are sick or not.
Lab makes 4D printing more practical
Soft robots and biomedical implants that reconfigure themselves upon demand are closer to reality with a method developed at Rice University to print shapeshifting materials.
Late blight research pairs spectroscopy with classic plant pathology diagnostics
Gold and colleagues at the University of Wisconsin-Madison recently published research showing how they used contact spectroscopy to non-destructively sense how plant pathogens differentially damage, impair, and alter plant traits during the course of infection. This research centered on late blight of potato and tomato. The hyperspectral sensors Gold and colleagues used measure light reflectance...