by American Society for Microbiology New research has found that Cannnabidiol is active against Gram-positive bacteria, including those responsible for many serious infections (such as Staphyloccocus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae), with potency similar to that of established antibiotics such as vancomycin or daptomycin. The research is presented at ASM Microbe, the annual meeting of the American Society for Microbiology....
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ELECTRONIC ‘TATTOO’ MONITORS HEART FOR DAYS
New wearable technology made from stretchy, lightweight material could make heart health monitoring easier and more accurate, a new study reports. Existing electrocardiogram (ECG) technology hasn’t changed much in almost a century, researchers say. The new device is so lightweight and stretchable that it can remain over the heart for extended periods with little or no discomfort. It measures...
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Seeing the doctor? Relax, you’ll remember more
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN ANN ARBOR–Some patients feel shame, anxiety or fear immediately before seeing their doctor, making them tense. But if they can relax and become calm, patients will likely pay attention to and better comprehend health messages, suggests a new University of Michigan study. Researchers tested whether increasing one’s positive self through meditation can lessen the patient’s negative feelings...
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Can deprescribing drugs linked to cognitive impairment actually reduce risk of dementia?
JAMA Internal Medicine commentary highlights opportunity to discover modifiable risk factor for dementia REGENSTRIEF INSTITUTE INDIANAPOLIS – In a commentary published in JAMA Internal Medicine, three Regenstrief Institute research scientists write that while they and other researchers have identified a strong and consistent link between anticholinergic drugs and cognitive impairment from observational studies, randomized clinical trials represent the only rigorous method to definitively establish...
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Intelligent testing could save lives by defusing ticking time bomb of liver disease
by Dominic Glasgow, University of Dundee A new way of detecting liver disease decades before it can become fatal has been developed by a team of scientists at the University of Dundee and NHS Tayside. It comes as clinicians warn of a “ticking time bomb” of alcohol-related and obesity-related liver diseases. Liver disease, which is notoriously asymptomatic, has become...
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How to help patients recover after a stroke
Researchers propose new approach to post-stroke rehabilitation NATIONAL RESEARCH UNIVERSITY HIGHER SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS The existing approach to brain stimulation for rehabilitation after a stroke does not take into account the diversity of lesions and the individual characteristics of patients’ brains. This was the conclusion made by researchers of the Higher School of Economics (HSE University)...
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Researchers 3D Print Wearable Mesh That Can Function As Flexible Medical Braces
3D printing has enabled the production of medicaldevices tailored to a patient’s needs but, often, they are made using solid and inflexible materials. As a result, these devices restrict movement; using them can be inconvenient and uncomfortable. Moreover, they are not ideal to support the recovery of joints and muscles, which are more complex and nonlinear. Recently, engineers from MIT demonstrated 3D-printed mesh materials...
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Nanoemulsion’ gels offer new way to deliver drugs through the skin
Novel materials made with FDA-approved components could deliver large payloads of active ingredients MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY CAMBRIDGE, MA — MIT chemical engineers have devised a new way to create very tiny droplets of one liquid suspended within another liquid, known as nanoemulsions. Such emulsions are similar to the mixture that forms when you shake an oil-and-vinegar salad dressing, but...
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Study: Phenols in cocoa bean shells may reverse obesity-related problems in mouse cells
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN, NEWS BUREAU CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Scientists may have discovered more reasons to love chocolate. A new study by researchers at the University of Illinois suggests that three of the phenolic compounds in cocoa bean shells have powerful effects on the fat and immune cells in mice, potentially reversing the chronic inflammation and insulin resistance associated with obesity. Visiting scholar in food...
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Bacteria live on our eyeballs—and understanding their role could help treat common eye diseases
by Tony St. Leger, The Conversation You may be familiar with the idea that your gut and skin are home to a collection of microbes—fungi, bacteria and viruses—that are vital for keeping you healthy. But did you know that your eyes also host a unique menagerie of microbes? Together, they’re called the eye microbiome. When these microbes are out of...