Over the past several decades, it’s become increasingly recognized that perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs), including postpartum depression, are more than just “baby blues.” They’re the most common complication of childbirth in the U.S., affecting about 14 percent of women in their lifetimes and up to 50 percent in some specific populations. PMADs can […]
Drug that clears out dead cells left mice more active
Could this be the fountain of youth? Drug that clears out dead cells left mice more active with lower levels of inflammation Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel investigated how the immune system clears away ageing cells These cells are not completely dead but are irreparably damaged They administered a drug that […]
Influenza A deliberately enhances levels of the human p53 protein to reduce anti-viral gene and protein expression
Genome editing technology is helping A*STAR scientists unravel how the Influenza A virus (IAV) exploits human anti-viral responses. IAV remains a key challenge for global health resources, not least because of wide variations in symptom severity experienced by different people, even when they are infected by the same strain. This implies that there are host […]
Advanced imaging technology measures magnetite levels in the living brain
Investigators at the Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have used magnetoencephalography (MEG) – a technology that measures brain activity by detecting the weak magnetic fields produced by the brain’s normal electrical currents—to measure levels of the iron-based mineral called magnetite in the human brain. While magnetite is known to be […]
Low levels of carbon monoxide poisoning can be very difficult to spot – and can cause brain damage
Carbon monoxide (CO), like many gases, cannot be detected by our human senses. We cannot see it, smell it or taste it. But unlike many gases, small amounts are extremely harmful to us. In 2015 (the most recent year for which statistics are available), 53 people in the UK died from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. […]
Even ‘good’ levels of air pollution are bad for smokers
(HealthDay)—Even low levels of air pollution can pose a threat to the lungs of cigarette smokers, researchers say. They tested 29 nonsmokers, 71 smokers without lung disease, and 58 smokers with the lung condition chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The study found that the lungs of both groups of smokers could be harmed by levels […]
Genetically encoded sensor tracks changes in oxygen levels with very high sensitivity
Based on a protein from E. coli, scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology have developed a fluorescent protein sensor able to provide real-time information on dynamic changes in oxygen levels with very high sensitivity. As the oxygen level is a major determinant of cellular function, the idea behind this sensor may revolutionize our ability to […]
Technology varies drug levels at different sites of cancerous tumors
A new technology developed by Purdue University researchers allows different concentrations of a drug or a chemical to be targeted at different areas of the same cancerous tissue in the laboratory. The discovery may help the more than 1.7 million people the National Cancer Institute predicts will be diagnosed with the deadly disease this year […]
Men with migraine may have higher estrogen levels
While it has been known that estrogen plays a role in migraine for women, new research shows that the female sex hormone may also play a role in migraine for men, according to a small study published in the June 27, 2018, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. […]