The film Robot and Frank imagined a near-future where robots could do almost everything humans could. The elderly title character was given a “robot butler” to help him continue living on his own. The robot was capable of everything from cooking and cleaning to socialising (and, it turned out, burglary). This kind of science fiction...
Year: <span>2018</span>
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OCD: Brain mechanism explains symptoms
A large review of existing neuroscientific studies unravels the brain circuits and mechanisms that underpin obsessive-compulsive disorder. The researchers hope that the new findings will make existing therapies more effective, “or guide new treatments.” New research analyzes the brain scans of almost 500 people to unravel the brain mechanisms in OCD. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is...
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Infections and cancer: The link could be stronger than we think
Bacteria could have a bigger involvement in cancer than scientists may have realized, according to recent research. A study from the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore has uncovered a type of bacterial infection that can disrupt DNA repair in cells, which is a known cause of cancer. A viral infection may be...
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Neuroblastoma Molecular Analysis Leads to Potential Prognostic Markers
NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – A team led by researchers at the University of Cologne in Germany has identified telomere maintenance, RAS, and TP53 pathway alterations in neuroblastoma that appear to provide insights into patients’ prognoses. “Our findings may have important implications for the diagnosis and treatment of neuroblastoma patients, which should be validated in future...
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Insider attacks: Purdue developing new treatment options for millions with autoimmune diseases
Living with an autoimmune disease can feel like an insider is attacking your body. An estimated 24 million people in the United States are affected by autoimmune diseases, a group of diseases in which the person’s immune system attacks part of the person’s own body. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Now, Purdue University researchers have developed...
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Fighting the crave for fattening food? Just surround yourself in its scent
Just a whiff of fried food may entice you to order a high-calorie meal. But breathe it in for longer than two minutes, and you’re more likely to be content with fruit. A new study published in the Journal of Marketing Research finds ambient food scent can directly satisfy the belly. That’s because the brain...
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Exercise may improve kidney function in obesity, reduce risk of renal disease
Rat study finds better blood vessel health and lower urinary protein levels AMERICAN PHYSIOLOGICAL SOCIETY Rockville, Md. (December 4, 2018)–Aerobic exercise may reduce the risk of diabetes-related kidney disease in some people, according to a new study. The findings are published ahead of print in the American Journal of Physiology–Renal Physiology and was chosen as...
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Four emerging STIs that you can’t afford to ignore
New diseases emerge all the time, and sexually transmitted infections are no exception. Here are four bacteria that could become serious public health threats. (Warning: contains a description of animal auto-fellatio.) 1. Neisseria meningitidis N. meningitidis can cause invasive meningitis, a potentially deadly infectionof the brain and spinal cord’s protective membranes. More commonly, it’s gaining...
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BEING IN NATURE MAKES YOUR HEART HEALTHIER
New research finds that exposure to the natural world lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease by reducing stress. A new study finds that people who live in leafier areas have lower levels of several stress-related biomarkers, including adrenaline. (Photo: Thomas Tucker/Unsplash) Here’s a novel way to keep health-care costs down: Plant more trees. That might...
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Why you cannot get HIV from kissing
A person can transmit HIV through blood, semen, and breast milk. However, HIV cannot survive in saliva, so there is no risk of contracting HIV through kissing. HIV is a virus that weakens the immune system, which can leave the body vulnerable to infections and diseases. A person can transmit HIV through certain bodily fluids, such...