by Ernie Mundell Ultraprocessed foods have been linked to a myriad of health issues, and a new study suggests that the autoimmune skin disease psoriasis might be added to that list. “Results of this study showed an association between high ultraprocessed food intake and active psoriasis status,” concluded a team led by Dr. Emilie Sbidian,...
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Men’s testosterone levels don’t influence sex drive like we thought
By Bronwyn Thompson November 26, 2024 Higher testosterone levels are more to do with mating competition than sexual desire Depositphotos View 1 Images Upending long-held beliefs that testosterone levels regulate sexual desire, a new study has found that while the hormone plays a key role in reproductive success, elevated concentrations appear more intrinsically tied to ‘courtship’...
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Can Popular Weight Loss Drugs Lower Cancer Risk?
Amy Norton November 25, 2024 Added to Email Alert Blockbuster weight loss and type 2 diabetes drugs, such as Ozempic, carry a growing list of benefits. These drugs — known as glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists — can control blood sugar, spur meaningful weight loss, and, in high-risk patients, help prevent heart attacks and strokes. US...
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Better health diagnostics through genetically engineered embedded sentinel cells
by Justin Jackson , Phys.org Blue-sky opportunities for monitoring and altering disease progression. Credit: Nature Reviews Genetics (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41576-024-00788-w Cells can now be genetically programmed to record their histories within their genomes, a development that could revolutionize the study of developmental and disease processes, according to a collaborative work by researchers from multiple institutions including the...
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Aliens, Ian McShane, and Heart Disease Risk
Welcome to Impact Factor, your weekly dose of commentary on a new medical study. I’m Dr F. Perry Wilson from the Yale School of Medicine. I was really struggling to think of a good analogy to explain the glaring problem of polygenic risk scores (PRS) this week. But I think I have it now. Go with...
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CAN YOU GET SLEEP’S BRAIN BENEFITS WITHOUT ACTUALLY SLEEPING?
NOVEMBER 25TH, 2024POSTED BY ALEXANDRA BECKER – RICE U. (Credit: Getty Images) SHARE THIS ARTICLE You are free to share this article under the Attribution 4.0 International license. TAGS UNIVERSITY RICE UNIVERSITY New research could potentially change our fundamental understanding of how sleep boosts brainpower. While it’s well known that sleep enhances cognitive performance, the underlying neural mechanisms,...
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How neural and hormonal gut-brain communication shapes metabolism and health
By Vijay Kumar MalesuReviewed by Susha Cheriyedath, M.Sc.Nov 25 2024 Unveiling the science of gut-brain signals: How neural and hormonal pathways shape metabolism, behavior, and groundbreaking therapies for health challenges. Review: Interoception and gut–brain communication. Image Credit: Shutterstock AI In a recent review published in the journal Current Biology, researchers examined the origins, mechanisms, and significance of interoception (the...
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Cancers grow uniformly throughout their mass
New research challenges the idea that tumors are ‘two-speed’ entitiesPeer-Reviewed Publication Center for Genomic Regulation image: Computer simulation showing how cells sharing the same type of mutation can either group closely together in one area of the tumour (shown in blue) or be spread out across different parts of the tumour (shown in red).view more Credit:...
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How Nasal Spray Use and Overuse Affects the Nose
By Anthoni Oisin, BScReviewed by Danielle Ellis, B.Sc. Understanding nasal congestionHow nasal sprays workSaline nasal spraysDecongestant nasal spraysSteroid nasal spraysThe rebound effectOther potential side effects of nasal spray overuseTips for responsible nasal spray useReferencesFurther reading Understanding nasal congestion Nasal congestion happens when passages in the nasal cavity are blocked.1 When nasal passages are blocked, nasal breathing can be...
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Photodynamic therapy with annatto colorant found to be effective against bad breath
The study involved 52 mouth-breathing children aged 6-12 with halitosis. The results are published in PLOS ONEPeer-Reviewed Publication Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo image: In the antimicrobial photodynamic therapy session, annatto photosensitizer was sprayed on to the tongue at a concentration of 20% view more Credit: Sandra K. Bussadori et al./PLOS ONE...