For the first time ever, researchers are comprehensively sequencing the human immune system, which is billions of times larger than the human genome. In a new study published in Naturefrom the Human Vaccines Project, scientists have sequenced a key part of this vast and mysterious system—the genes encoding the circulating B cell receptor repertoire. TechGenYZ...
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Cannabis use in teens raises risk of depression in young adults
While there has been a lot of focus on the role of cannabis use in psychosis, there has been less attention on whether cannabis use is associated with an increased risk of common mental health disorders, such as depression and anxiety. University of Oxford Researchers from McGill University and the University of Oxford carried out...
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Sea worms and jellyfish treat cancer and kill insects
Scientists of the Pacific Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry (PIBOC) of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (FEB RAS) and the Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU) found out marine invertebrates living in Troitsa Bay, the Sea of Japan, contain biologically active compounds with strong antitumor and antimicrobial properties, and also capable of...
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New molecules reverse memory loss linked to depression, aging
New therapeutic molecules developed at Toronto’s Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) show promise in reversing the memory loss linked to depression and aging. Credit: Medibulletin These molecules not only rapidly improve symptoms, but remarkably, also appear to renew the underlying brain impairments causing memory loss in preclinical models. These findings were presented today...
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Neural processing during trauma and lifetime adversity interact to increase core symptom of PTSD
Lifetime adversity and increased neural processing during a traumatic event combine to increase the frequency of intrusive traumatic memories and the distress they cause, according to a new study in Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging. The increased neural processing was found in brain regions important for emotion and memory. The involuntary recollection of traumatic...
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San Diego neuroscientist says brain-buzzing device causes weight loss
A San Diego entrepreneur just took first place in a big startup competition put on by all the University of California schools, winning judges over with its brain-manipulating wearable device used for weight loss. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Neurovalens makes a headset (worn like headphones) that stimulates a region of the braintied to appetite. Wearing...
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Aspartame and artificial sweeteners – helping or hindering weight loss?
With our appetite for low or zero sugar products increasing, artificial sweeteners are big business. Food or drinks containing artificial sweeteners are often marketed as a healthier option, and it’s understandable why. Because artificial sweeteners are significantly sweeter than sugar, they can be used in very small amounts and contribute little to no calories. There...
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Which vitamins and minerals are good for acne?
Acne is an inflammatory skin condition that causes pimples and other skin lesions. Some vitamins and minerals may help treat and prevent acne. Acne is a common condition that can affect anyone, but it often occurs during puberty. It develops when glands on the skin produce too much oil and become clogged with bacteria and...
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Too much screen time linked to an epidemic of myopia among young people
Ask anyone about the benefits of technology and it probably won’t take them long to rhyme off a list of examples: it helps broaden your knowledge, connect with friends, both new and old, and allows you to see things you’ve never seen before. But what about the drawbacks? Here’s a major one: increased screen time...
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New machine learning method could spare some women from unnecessary breast surgery
Dartmouth researchers led by Saeed Hassanpour, PhD, found a machine learning method to predict the likelihood that a high-risk ADH breast lesion is cancerous. The approach can identify 98% of all malignant cases prior to surgery while sparing 16% of women from undergoing an unnecessary operation for a benign lesion. Once confirmed in larger studies,...