New research, in mice, indicates that a natural sugar called trehalose blocks glucose from the liver and activates a gene that boosts insulin sensitivity, reducing the chance of developing diabetes. Activating the gene also triggers an increase in calories burned, reduces fat accumulation and weight gain, and lessens measures of fats and cholesterol in the blood....
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Alzheimer’s one day may be predicted during eye exam
Noninvasive test may screen for disease before symptoms appear It may be possible in the future to screen patients for Alzheimer’s disease using an eye exam. Using technology similar to what is found in many eye doctors’ offices, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have detected evidence suggesting Alzheimer’s in older patients who...
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Study reveals how enzyme detects ultraviolet light damage
Damage to DNA is a constant threat to cellular life, and so it is constantly monitored and detected by a family of enzymes called RNA polymerases, resulting in subsequent repair to maintain genome integrity. In a paper published this week in the journal PNAS, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, with colleagues in Spain...
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Kids with autism learn, grow with the ‘social robot’
Robots may hold the keys to social success for kids with autism. That’s the takeaway from an experimental home-based therapy in which autonomous “social” robots modeled and encouraged behaviors like maintaining eye contact and paying attention while playing with 12 children with autism spectrum disorder. The kids were between 6 and 12 years of age. Robot...
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Carers of terminally ill up to 7 times more likely to have mental health problems
Carers for people with cancer are between 5 and 7 times more likely to have mental health problems than the general population, according to a landmark new study. The Dimbleby Cancer Care funded study identifies a major public health concern, according to the lead author Gunn Grande, Professor of Palliative Care at The University of...
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Dying elderly need comforting, not rescuing, according to study
UNSW medical researchers are calling for restraint on the use of aggressive life-saving treatments for frail elderly patients at the end of their lives, saying the focus should instead be placed on making patients‘ last days comfortable and dignified. In a study led by UNSW Adjunct Associate Professor Magnolia Cardona and published in the Joint Commission Journal on Quality...
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Chickenpox, shingles and vaccines—expert discusses what you need to know
What’s the difference between chickenpox and shingles? Should you get the vaccine? Find the answers below. Credit: iStock Chickenpox and shingles generally won’t kill you, but for some adults, they could result in a trip to the hospital. So with a new shingles vaccine now available, should you consider vaccination to avoid chickenpox and shingles...
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Why a low-carb diet may not be so good for you
A large-scale, two-part study now published in The Lancet Public Health journal examines the effects of high, moderate, and low carbohydrate intake on mortality risk. As more and more people are concerned with losing weight, the prevalence of the low-carb diet is increasing. Image: The results of a new study could make you think twice before turning...
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What Do Digital Biomarkers Mean?
The spread of wearable digital technologies in healthcare generating big data entailed the appearance of a new type of medical information. They produce actionable insights into the biological state of individuals, just as “general” biomarkers, but are collected through digital tools. Here’s our summary of what digital biomarkers mean and how they will be used...
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Scientist explores the nexus between appetite and psychology
August 21, 2018 by Molly Birnbaum, Brown University Rachel Herz, an adjunct assistant professor in Brown’s Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, arrives at an East Greenwich, Rhode Island, café feeling stressed. She’d lost a document when her computer crashed and she isn’t sure how to retrieve it. “If I were an emotional eater, I’d be...