Imagine visiting the doctor, answering a few basic questions, and getting an on-the-spot estimate of whether you’ll experience heart failure in the next 30 years. Such a model now exists, thanks to a new Northwestern Medicine study, which derived and validated the first set of risk prediction models for lifetime risk of heart failure. The ability...
Month: <span>January 2022</span>
Post
The Aging Kidney Harms the Brain
A good deal of evidence points to declining kidney function as a cause of declining cognitive function in aging. There are strong correlations between loss of kidney function and risk of dementia, for example. Correlation isn’t a smoking gun in matters of aging, however: it is possible for any one of the underlying forms of molecular damage that cause aging, or...
Post
Detecting attention deficit disorder more accurately
NATIONAL CENTER OF COMPETENCE IN RESEARCH SYNAPSY IMAGE: THE CEREBRAL MICROSTATE D IS THE MOST PRONOUNCED AMONG PEOPLE WITH ADHD AND COULD BE USED AS A NON-INVASIVE FUNCTIONAL BIOMARKER. THIS IS A NOTABLE ADVANCE FOR ASSESSING THIS VERY COMMON AND DIVERSE PSYCHIATRIC DISORDER. CREDIT: @ROS/UNIGE/CIBM/HUG Adult diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) is based...
Post
Nearly 2 million children worldwide develop asthma as a result of breathing in traffic-related pollution
by George Washington University Nearly 2 million new cases of pediatric asthma every year may be caused by a traffic-related air pollutant, according to a new study published today. Credit: Chris Leboutillier Nearly 2 million new cases of pediatric asthma every year may be caused by a traffic-related air pollutant, a problem particularly important in...
Post
Dry heat disinfecting of N95 mask works, preserves fit
by Stony Brook University Electron microscopy image showing that dry head disinfection at 100 degrees C did not damage the microscopic structure of N95 masks. Credit: Stony Brook University Entering a third year of the COVID-19 pandemic and the latest infection surge nationwide comes with many challenges. One of those is for a continued adequate...
Post
US urges COVID boosters starting at age 12 to fight omicron
by Lauran Neergaard and Mike Stobbe Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain The U.S. is urging that everyone 12 and older get a COVID-19 booster as soon as they’re eligible, to help fight back the hugely contagious omicron mutant that’s ripping through the country. Boosters already were encouraged for all Americans 16 and older, but Wednesday the...
Post
Can severe weather changes make allergies worse?
by Kaylee Dusang, Baylor College of Medicine Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Although allergies are normally associated with the spring and fall, it may feel like allergy season never left this winter. From cold fronts to rainy days and back to warmer days, an allergy expert at Baylor College of Medicine explains that it is not...
Post
What’s the difference between sugar, other natural sweeteners and artificial sweeteners?
by Kristine Nolin, The Conversation Glucose is the simplest of sugars and is a circle of carbon atoms with oxygen and hydrogen atoms attached to the ring. Credit: NEUROtiker/WikimediaCommons A quick walk down the drink aisle of any corner store reveals the incredible ingenuity of food scientists in search of sweet flavors. In some drinks...
Post
Action needed on vitamin B12 deficiency in people following plant-based diets
by University of Surrey Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Plant-based diets (vegetarian or vegan) are becoming significantly more popular as people look to adopt a diet that is seen to be better for the environment, animal welfare, and/or personal health. Sales of plant-based foods have seen a 49 percent increase in Western Europe since 2018. Scientists...
Post
Common osteoporosis medication boosts immune response in lungs
by Garvan Institute of Medical Research Bisphosphonate is internalized by alveolar and peritoneal macrophages in vivo. (a) An in vitro prenylation assay detects unprenylated Rab GTPases (uRabs) in bone marrow-derived macrophages after culture for 24 hr with 1, 5, or 10 μM zoledronic acid (ZOL) compared to 1, 5, or 10 μM AF647-ZOL. (b) FACS...