Scientists at Duke University have developed a handheld colposcope that can be used for cervical screening. The slender wand can be attached to a smartphone or laptop to display images of the cervix. At present, detecting cervical cancer requires specialized equipment. Healthcare professionals use a device called a speculum to spread the vagina and an...
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Omega-3 fatty acid stops lupus trigger, but how?
Michigan State University scientists have received a $2.3 million, five-year National Institutes of Health grant to help uncover why an omega-3 fatty acid, known as DHA, is so effective in stopping a known trigger of lupus. Previous MSU research has shown that consuming DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid, which is found in fatty, cold-water fish,...
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The secret to a long and healthy life? Eat less
Permanently cutting the daily calories you consume may turn out to have a profound effect on your future life, according to some tantalising scientific studies. In a restaurant setting sometime in the not-too distant future, a man and a woman are on their first date. After the initial nerves subside, all is going well. The...
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Can olive oil prevent brain cancer? Key nutrient in the staple Mediterranean ingredient stops tumour-causing cells from functioning
The compound, known as oleic acid, indirectly prevents brain cancer formation Oleic acid inhibits a protein that hinders the production of a molecule – miR-7 miR-7 is a cell molecule that is known to suppress tumour formation in the brain It is unclear whether adding olive oil to your diet could reduce brain cancer risk...
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Oesophageal cancer rates are rocketing—here’s what you need to know about the disease
Oesophageal cancer is an aggressive disease with one of the worst survival rates of all cancers. Our latest research shows that the longer a person waits to see a doctor, the more likely they are to die from their cancer. Early diagnosis and treatment is critical as it can significantly improve survival odds. Unfortunately, many people don’t recognise...
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Stem cells may be the key to staying strong in old age
University of Rochester Medical Center researchers have discovered that loss of muscle stem cells is the main driving force behind muscle decline in old age in mice. Their finding challenges the current prevailing theory that age-related muscle decline is primarily caused by loss of motor neurons. Study authors hope to develop a drug or therapy...
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A protein that stem cells require could be a target in killing breast cancer cells
Researchers have discovered that a chromatin-regulating protein called BPTF must be present for stem cells in the breast to perform their normal functions — maintaining a supply of stem cells and seeding the breast with specialized new …more For years, cancer experts have realized that cancerous cells behave in certain ways like stem cells, unspecialized...
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Virtual reality eases phantom limb pain
Testing at the China Rehabilitation Research Centre. Virtual reality can relieve the sensation of phantom limb pain. A new test devised by researchers at Aalborg University shows that VR technology can trick the amputee’s brain into thinking that it is still in control of a missing limb. If a hand, an arm or a leg...
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Motor neuron disease discovery offers new insights into potential treatment targets
Scientists have discovered how certain forms of motor neuron disease begin and progress at cellular and molecular levels, revealing potential new ways to slow down or even stop this process. The team are already working closely with pharmaceutical companies to use this knowledge to develop new treatments for motor neuron disease and other neurodegenerative conditions....
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Researchers identify specific neurons that distinguish between reality and imagination
Dr. Julio Martinez-Trujillo. New Western University research shows that neurons in the part of the brain found to be abnormal in psychosis are also important in helping people distinguish between reality and imagination. The researchers, Dr. Julio Martinez-Trujillo, principal investigator and professor at Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry and Dr. Diego...