There are critical periods during childhood that influence the development of obesity, including gestation and early infancy. Size at birth and early postnatal growth are determinants of adult height and body mass index.
Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, New Zealand researchers conducted a study to assess if birth weight has any effect on body composition and/or fat distribution in adolescents.
Study The effects of changes in nutrition on body composition of the growing animal dep...
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Infants born before 29 weeks of pregnancy appear to have a bigger risk of high blood pressure in young adulthood
Very preterm infants -- those born before 29 weeks of pregnancy -- appear to have a bigger risk of high blood pressure in young adulthood, two small, preliminary Canadian studies suggest.
In one study, researchers found that the risk for high blood pressure was tied to smaller-than-normal kidneys at birth. A second study by the same researchers found a link between high blood pressure and impaired function in the cells that line blood vessels.
"These studies highlight how important it is for t...
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Researchers in Singapore have artificially generated new mouse blood and immune cells from skin cells.
Researchers in Singapore have artificially generated new mouse blood and immune cells from skin cells. This is a significant first step towards the eventual goal: the engineering of new human blood cells from skin cells or other artificial sources.
One of the major challenges of regenerative medicine is to manufacture new blood and immune cells for patients in need. This development could lead to a robust source of new blood or immune cells becoming available to treat patients with immune dis...
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Researchers from Caltech and UCLA have developed a new approach to removing cellular damage that accumulates with age. Turning Back the Aging Clock.
Researchers from Caltech and UCLA have developed a new approach to removing cellular damage that accumulates with age. The technique can potentially help slow or reverse an important cause of aging.
Led by Nikolay Kandul, senior postdoctoral scholar in biology and biological engineering in the laboratory of Professor of Biology Bruce Hay, the team developed a technique to remove mutated DNA from mitochondria, the small organelles that produce most of the chemical energy within a cell. A paper...
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Max-Planck Germany -Carbohydrate-based agent should make vaccinations against bacterial infections cheaper in the future
Under the motto “Building bridges, transcending borders”, 23 start-up companies presented their research projects at the Falling Walls Venture science competition on 8 November in Berlin. The company nominated by Max Planck Innovation, Vaxxilon, emerged as the winner and was proclaimed the “Science Start-Up of the Year 2016” for its development of a carbohydrate-based agent. The new agent should make vaccinations against bacterial infections cheaper in the future and thereby also improve a...
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Researchers have found associations between self-reported sleep duration and drinking of sugar-sweetened beverages
A growing body of research has linked sugary beverage consumption to metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions including high blood sugar and excess body fat, which can lead to obesity and type 2 diabetes. Lack of sleep is also associated with a higher risk for metabolic disease. Recently, several studies have linked the two factors in school-age children, showing that children who get less sleep are more likely to drink soda and other sugary beverages during the day, said Prather, who is also...
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Family research suggest relationships during childhood are related to risk-taking by young adults
Oklahoma State University, used the domain-specific risk-taking scale (DOSPERT) to assess five areas of risk-taking, namely ethical, social, financial, recreational and health.
The research tested the hypothesis that childhood relationships with parents were related to risk-taking by young adults. Prior research has shown that risk-taking by young children is related to their interactions with mothers and fathers.
What makes some young adults behave in ways that have the potential to harm ...
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Power outage in the brain may be source of Alzheimer’s
A 51-year-old woman is admitted to a hospital in Frankfurt, Germany, displaying a bizarre constellation of symptoms. Her behavior is erratic. She shows signs of paranoia as well as auditory hallucinations, disorientation, and severe memory impairment. Asked to write her own name, she manages “Mrs.,” then lingers over the page, unable to remember the rest. “I have lost myself,” she tells the attending physician.
Over time, she will withdraw into her own inscrutable universe, before dying on Ap...
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Mutasem Rawas-Qalaji researcher at Nova Southeastern University is working to develop pill that may soon replace the costly EpiPen
Studies have shown that the United States has one of the highest incidences of fatal anaphylaxis in the world. For anaphylaxis treatment in community settings, epinephrine intramuscular injection using an auto-injector, e.g. EpiPen®, in the thigh is universally recommended. Despite this, many people at risk of anaphylaxis in community settings do not carry their prescribed auto-injectors consistently and hesitate to use them when anaphylaxis occurs.
Mutasem Rawas-Qalaji, B. Pharm., Ph.D., ass...
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Ahmad “Mo” Khalil, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering at the Boston University has been awarded a New Innovator Award for techniques in diagnosing antibiotic resistance
The improper and excessive use of antibiotics has led to the rise of “superbugs,” treatment-resistant bacteria causing a public health crisis of global proportions. To help combat this problem, Ahmad “Mo” Khalil, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering at the Boston University College of Engineering (ENG), has been awarded a New Innovator Award under the High-Risk, High-Reward program sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). His proposed project will focus on developing new...
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Washington University School of Medicine research found excess weight increases the risk that a benign blood disorder will progress into multiple myeloma, a cancer of the blood
New research shows that excess weight increases the risk that a benign blood disorder will progress into multiple myeloma, a cancer of the blood.
The study, by a team at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, is published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Carrying extra weight increases a person's risk that a benign blood disorder will develop into multiple myeloma, a blood cancer. This is particularly true for older, African-American men.
Being overweight...
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Study finds first time “older” mothers live longer
Study finds “older” mothers live longer—to 95+. But, what exactly is “older?” In terms of maternal longevity, the definition of “older” just got younger. Six years ago I reported on The New England Centenarian Study that found women who give birth after age 40 were four times more likely to live to 100 or longer than were women who gave birth at younger ages.
That was really good news since the number of women having babies after 40 had almost quadrupled at that time. It was also welcomed new...
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Propeller – Bluetooth-connected inhaler sensors and patient apps
Propeller Health offers solutions, such as Bluetooth-connected inhaler sensors and patient apps, to help enhance compliance and treatment outcomes for respiratory patients, such as those with asthma or COPD. The system monitors how often patients take their medication and can send alerts to caregivers if the disease is considered poorly controlled.
FDA approved the Propeller platform for use with GSK’s Ellipta inhaler.” David Van Sickle, CEO and co-founder of Propeller said, “Inclusion of GSK...
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Fast-cooking dry beans provide more protein, iron than ‘slower’ cooked
Beans are a versatile, inexpensive staple that can boost essential nutrients in a diet, especially for people in low-resource areas where food options are limited. To get the most out of these legumes, new research suggests choosing fast-cooking dry beans could be the way to go. A study in ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that fast-cooking beans retained more protein, iron and other minerals than “slower” dry beans.
According to the World Health Organization about 2 billi...
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Three-dimensional computer model of the human genome
A group coordinated by the International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA) in Trieste has built a three-dimensional computer model of the human genome. The shape of DNA (as well as its sequence) significantly affects biological processes and is therefore crucial for understanding its function.
This new study has provided a first three-dimensional, approximate but realistic, identikit of the human genome. Thanks to the characteristics of the new method, the structural reconstruction based on...
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University of Wisconsin cold storage solution keeps organs at right temperature prior to transplantation
Viaspan was the trademark under which the University of Wisconsin cold storage solution was sold. Currently, UW solution is sold under the ViaSpan trademark and several other trademarks. UW solution was the first solution thoughtfully designed for use in organ.
Currently in the U.S. there are over 100,000 patients awaiting kidney or liver transplants with transplant rates of only 20% for kidney and 38% for liver. There is clearly a need to improve both preservation of the organs and to expand...
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Northwestern Medicine scientists find new path in brain to ease depression
Northwestern Medicine scientists have discovered a new pathway in the brain that can be manipulated to alleviate depression. The pathway offers a promising new target for developing a drug that could be effective in individuals for whom other antidepressants have failed.
New antidepressant options are important because a significant number of patients don’t adequately improve with currently available antidepressant drugs. The lifetime prevalence of major depressive disorder is between 10 to 2...
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California Institute Of Technology researchers have genetically altered bacteria that release medicines to tumors
A new helper in the fight against cancer and other diseases of the gut may be genetically altered bacteria that release medicines to tumors or the gut.
Now, a new study performed using mice demonstrates how doctors might one day better regulate those therapeutic microbes by engineering them to respond to temperature. For instance, if engineered bacteria were administered to a patient with a disease, doctors could, in theory, instruct the bacteria to release medicine to just the site of intere...
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Turn your smartphone into a gold-standard DNA analysis tool
Turn your smartphone into a gold-standard DNA analysis tool. No lab necessary.
Biomeme's platform transforms your smartphone into a mobile lab for advanced DNA diagnostics and real-time disease surveillance. The system includes a docking station for real-time PCR, a mobile app to control the system and analyze results, and targeted test kits for preparing samples and identifying pathogens or diseases by their specific DNA or RNA signatures. The cutting edge platform performs to the gold stand...
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Dario – pocket-sized smartphone based all-in-one glucose meter
Dario is a personalized, pocket-sized, all-in-one glucose meter coupled with a robust real time mobile app to manage diabetes quickly, efficiently and accurately.
The Dario Smart Meter lets you test blood glucose levels in seconds, directly on your smartphone. Once connected to your mobile device, easily track, monitor and manage diabetes with a simple to use mobile app – when you need it, where you need it!
The Dario mobile app delivers accurate results in real-time and actionab...
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Research suggests the brain uses color to help us choose what to eat
Red means "Green light, go for it!" Green means: "hmm, better not!" Like an upside down traffic light in our brain, color helps us decide whether or not to eat something. This, according to a study at the International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA) in Trieste and recently published in the journal Scientific Reports stating that vision is the main sense we use to guide us in food choices. To evaluate calorie intake, we rely on a "color code."
Non-human primates evaluate food quality base...
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Vegetables, fruits, and disease
Vegetables and fruits are an important part of a healthy diet, and variety is as important as quantity.
No single fruit or vegetable provides all of the nutrients you need to be healthy. Eat plenty everyday.
A diet rich in vegetables and fruits can lower blood pressure, reduce risk of heart disease and stroke, prevent some types of cancer, lower risk of eye and digestive problems, and have a positive effect upon blood sugar which can help keep appetite in check.
Eat a variety of types and c...
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University of Nebraska-Lincoln research shows that Predators can drive increase in virus populations.
The transparent belly of a tiny beast has revealed how algae-infecting chloroviruses bloom in freshwater around the world, says a new study from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Millimeter-sized crustacean known as a copepod excretes partially digested paramecia and the green algae living inside those paramecia. A new study has shown that this partial digestion exposes the otherwise-protected algae to chloroviruses, allowing the viruses to replicate and bloom in their freshwater habitats.
...
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New Drug Clears Atopic Dermatitis in Clinical Trials
Atopic dermatitis (AD), also known as atopic eczema, is a type of inflammation of the skin (dermatitis). It results in itchy, red, swollen, and cracked skin. Clear fluid may come from the affected areas, which often thicken over time. The condition typically starts in childhood with changing severity over the years.In children under one year of age much of the body may be affected. As people get older, the back of the knees and front of the elbows are the most common areas affected. In adults th...
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Gene Signature Predicts Response to Radiation Therapy
Using clinical and genomic databases, a team of scientists including a Northwestern Medicine investigator developed and validated the first molecular signature that can predict responses to radiotherapy for patients with prostate cancer, according to a recently published paper in Lancet Oncology.
“This work is an exciting step toward the integration of genomic data into the real life, decision-making process for our patients,” said Edward Schaeffer, MD, PhD, chair of Urology. Schaeffer is als...
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Wireless Brain and Spine Implant allows primates with spinal cord injurie to walk
The research is a step toward the development of a system that might help in rehabilitating people who have suffered spinal cord injuries.
An international team of scientists has used a wireless “brain-spinal interface” to bypass spinal cord injuries in a pair of rhesus macaques, restoring intentional walking movement to a temporarily paralyzed leg. The researchers, who describe their work in the journal Nature, say this is the first time a neural prosthetic has been used to restore walking m...
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Vacuum-Operated Auto Retractable Safety Syringe that retract the used needle into the barrel of the syringe
Vacuum-Operated Auto Retractable Safety Syringe - 2010 Award Winner
The purpose of this safety syringe is to prevent needle stick injuries. The Vacuumed Auto Retractable Safety Syringe is a patented disposable syringe that is designed for one-handed operation and incorporates vacuum-operated automatic retractable technology. It is the ONLY Syringe that uses vacuum force (instead of spring) to retract the used needle into the barrel of the syringe after an injection is administered. Th...
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Northwestern Longitudinal Study Links Air Pollution With Cardiovascular Disease Risk
An increased concentration of air pollution within metropolitan areas is associated with progression in coronary calcification and with acceleration of atherosclerosis, according to a study published in The Lancet.
In the prospective, 10-year cohort study, Northwestern Medicine scientists and collaborators at other institutions repeatedly measured coronary artery calcium by CT scan in 6,795 participants aged 45 to 84 years, who were enrolled in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis and Ai...
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BioTrace Medical has received FDA clearance for Tempo cardiac pacing lead
BioTrace Medical, Inc. today announced U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance for the company’s Tempo® Lead, an innovative temporary pacing lead designed for use in procedures in which temporary pacing is indicated, including transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and electrophysiology (EP) procedures.
BioTrace Medical’s Tempo® Lead incorporates innovations designed for secure and stable cardiac pacing with the goal of reducing complications and allowing patients to a...
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Mouse experiments with Zika antibody suggest protection for fetuses
In early studies on mice, a research team has found a Zika virus antibody that when given to pregnant animals protected their fetuses, and also protected adult mice from the disease.
The findings raise hope for a potential treatment to prevent maternal-fetal transmission of the virus to prevent microcephaly and other devastating birth defects until a vaccine is available and also may help guide vaccine development. The team, based at Washington University School of Medicine and Vanderbilt Uni...
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