Health & Fitness: May 2022

Southeast Asia's most productive agricultural region and home to 17 million people could be mostly underwater within a lifetime. Saving the Mekong River Delta requires urgent, concerted action among countries in the region to lessen the impact of upstream dams and better manage water and sediments within the delta, according to an international team of researchers who outline solutions to the region's dramatic loss of sediment essential to nourishing delta land.

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Thursday, May 5, 2022

Active brown adipose tissue protects against 'pre-prediabetes'

In a prospective study of young, lean adults, PET/CT imaging revealed that higher levels of active brown adipose tissue (also known as 'brown fat') are more prevalent in individuals who exhibit very early indications of metabolic disorders. The study suggests that active brown fat is recruited to counteract 'pre-prediabetic' states, potentially serving as a first-line protective mechanism against very early metabolic or hormonal abnormalities.

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Small changes -- but essential! How peptides are recognized in receptors

The human body consists of trillions of cells that constantly communicate with each other. A central role in this communication process is played by receptor proteins on the cell surface. Since they often serve as drug targets, they have been the subject of intensive research. Often there are whole families of receptors. The signal messengers as well as the receptors are very similar to each other, so it is not clear how the signals are distinguished from each other at the molecular level. Now, scientists have succeeded in determining high-resolution structures for three related signalling complexes that occur naturally in the body for the neuropeptide Y (NPY) receptor family, thus shedding light on the 'small but essential differences'.

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Small changes -- but essential! How peptides are recognized in receptors

The human body consists of trillions of cells that constantly communicate with each other. A central role in this communication process is played by receptor proteins on the cell surface. Since they often serve as drug targets, they have been the subject of intensive research. Often there are whole families of receptors. The signal messengers as well as the receptors are very similar to each other, so it is not clear how the signals are distinguished from each other at the molecular level. Now, scientists have succeeded in determining high-resolution structures for three related signalling complexes that occur naturally in the body for the neuropeptide Y (NPY) receptor family, thus shedding light on the 'small but essential differences'.

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Global bird populations steadily declining

Staggering declines in bird populations are taking place around the world. So concludes a study from scientists at multiple institutions. Loss and degradation of natural habitats and direct overexploitation of many species are cited as the key threats to avian biodiversity. Climate change is identified as an emerging driver of bird population declines.

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How the brain says 'oops!'

Researchers have uncovered how signals from a group of neurons in the brain's frontal lobe simultaneously give humans the flexibility to learn new tasks -- and the focus to develop highly specific skills.

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Wednesday, May 4, 2022

New study reviews anti-cancer activity of sustained release capsaicin formulations

A study provides the first published in-depth description of the anti-cancer activity of capsaicin sustained release formulations. Capsaicin is naturally found in chili peppers and is the agent that provides the hot and spicy taste when eating chili peppers.

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Bye, bye, biopsy? Handheld device could painlessly identify skin cancers

A new device uses millimeter-wave imaging -- the same technology used in airport security scanners -- to scan a patient's skin to detect if they have skin cancer. Millimeter-wave rays harmlessly penetrate about 2mm into human skin, so the team's imaging technology provides a clear 3D map of scanned skin lesions.

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How mosquito brains encode human odor so they can seek us out

Some strains of Aedes aegypti -- the mosquito that carries Zika, malaria and dengue fever -- have evolved to bite humans almost exclusively. A team has now discovered how they target us so precisely.

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Surprising risk factors may predict heart attacks in young women

A new study has for the first time identified which risk factors are more likely to trigger a heart attack or acute myocardial infarction (AMI) for men and women 55 years and younger.

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A healthy lifestyle helps to prevent gestational diabetes in those at highest genetic risk

Researchers have developed a genetic-risk score for identifying individuals who would benefit the most from lifestyle counseling to prevent gestational and postpartum diabetes.

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How mosquito brains encode human odor so they can seek us out

Some strains of Aedes aegypti -- the mosquito that carries Zika, malaria and dengue fever -- have evolved to bite humans almost exclusively. A team has now discovered how they target us so precisely.

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The role of the cerebellum in absence seizures

Researchers have gained new insights into the cellular and molecular mechanisms of absence seizures and potential therapy options.

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Tuesday, May 3, 2022

COVID-19 vaccine technique shows promise for heart disease

A method for delivering genetic material to the body is being tested as a way to repair damaged heart muscle after a heart attack.

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Sensor makes strides in detecting infection indicators

Bioengineers have designed a wearable sensor that can detect two key biomarkers of infection in human sweat, a significant step toward making it possible for users to receive early warnings of infections such as COVID-19 and influenza.

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Researcher looks into little known 'purging disorder'

Though purging is often a condition associated with bulimia nervosa, new research at Ohio University suggests that a different kind of eating disorder could also be responsible.

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Anti-idling campaign reduces idling time at elementary schools

An anti-idling campaign at elementary schools was effective in reducing idling time by 38%, and an air monitoring experiment found that air quality around schools can vary over short distances. These findings can help schools and school districts plan to protect students, staff and the community from unhealthy air pollution both indoors and outdoors.

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New study shows hybrid learning led to significant reduction in COVID-19 spread

A new study shows that hybrid learning utilizing alternating school days for children offers a significant reduction in community disease spread. Total closure in favor of remote learning, however, offers little additional advantage over that hybrid option.

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Monday, May 9, 2022

Sunday, May 8, 2022

Saturday, May 7, 2022

Friday, May 6, 2022

Thursday, May 5, 2022

Wednesday, May 4, 2022

Tuesday, May 3, 2022

Monday, May 2, 2022

Sunday, May 1, 2022