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Possible sites of HML-2 expression. Image credit: Burn et al., doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001826.

Ancient Retroviruses Make Up 8% of Human Genome, Researchers Say

Oct 26, 2022 by The Conversation

Like modern HIV, ancient human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) had to insert their genetic material into their host’s genome to replicate. Possible sites...

Sakamaki-Ching et al. demonstrated that acute dermal exposure to thirdhand smoke mimics the harmful effects of cigarette smoking, alters the human plasma proteome, initiates mechanisms of skin inflammatory disease, and elevates urinary biomarkers of oxidative harm. Image credit: Tumisu.

Acute Dermal Exposure to Thirdhand Smoke Can Trigger Skin Diseases, Study Says

Oct 13, 2022 by News Staff

Thirdhand smoke can remain on indoor surfaces indefinitely, causing potentially harmful exposure to both smokers and non-smokers. Acute exposure of the...

Model for the structure of the first enzyme-free precursor of solanimycin. Image credit: Matilla et al., doi: 10.1128/mbio.02472.

Solanimycin: New Antifungal Antibiotic Isolated from Pathogenic Bacterium

Oct 11, 2022 by News Staff

Solanimycin, which is produced by Dickeya solani, the enterobacterial pathogen of potato, is active against a broad range of plant-pathogenic fungi and...

Stylized structural diagram of oxytocin (DARPA).

Oxytocin Has Heart Healing Properties, New Study Suggests

Oct 2, 2022 by News Staff

New research shows that in zebrafish and human cell cultures, the neurohormone oxytocin — also known as the ‘love hormone’ — stimulates...

Drinking two to three cups of coffee a day is linked with a longer lifespan and lower risk of cardiovascular disease compared with avoiding coffee. Image credit: Sci.News.

Habitual Coffee Consumption May Prolong Life

Sep 28, 2022 by News Staff

In a large prospective cohort study, decaffeinated, ground, and instant coffee — particularly at 2-3 cups a day — were associated with significant...

Abidemi Otaiku suggests nightmares may become prevalent several years or even decades before the characteristic memory and thinking problems of dementia set in. Image credit: Bingo Naranjo.

Study: Distressing Dreams Predict Cognitive Decline and Dementia in Middle-Aged and Older Adults

Sep 22, 2022 by News Staff

Adults who report having nightmares during middle and older age may experience accelerated cognitive decline and are at increased risk of developing dementia,...

Guo et al. reveal succinate’s effect on periodontitis pathogenesis and provides a topical treatment for this disease. Image credit: Guo et al., doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111389.

Newly-Developed Topical Gel Could Potentially Treat Periodontitis

Sep 20, 2022 by News Staff

The new topical gel that blocks the receptor for a molecule called succinate treats periodontitis — also known as gum disease or periodontal disease...

Li et al. found that moderate consumption of black, green or oolong tea is linked to a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Image credit: Sci.News.

Moderate Tea Consumption Lowers Type 2 Diabetes Risk, New Review Suggests

Sep 19, 2022 by News Staff

A review of previous cohort studies suggests that drinking at least four cups of black, green or oolong tea a day is associated with a 17% lower risk of...

Surgically amputated site of the left tibia and fibula of the Liang Tebo individual: (a) left and right legs with pelvic girdle, demonstrating the complete absence of the distal third of the left lower leg; (b) left tibia and fibula showing the amputation surface, atrophy and necrosis; the bone surface is more porous because lysis occurred to remove the dead bone (necrosis); (c) radiograph of the left tibia and fibula; (d) left tibia medial aspect; (e) left tibia medial aspect; (f) left fibula anterior aspect. Scale bars - 5 cm in (a), 5 mm in (b and c) and 2 mm in (d-f). Image credit: Maloney et al., doi: 10.1038/s41586-022-05160-8.

Stone Age Humans Conducted Surgical Amputation 31,000 Years Ago

Sep 12, 2022 by News Staff

Archaeologists excavating Liang Tebo Cave on the Indonesian island of Borneo have discovered the skeletal remains of a young individual who had the distal...

Nolan et al. demonstrate the utility of manuka honey for incorporation into nebulized antibiotic treatment for respiratory infections, in particular Mycobacterium abscessus. Image credit: Yevgen Kyrylko.

Manuka Honey Can Be Used to Inhibit Drug-Resistant Mycobacteria: Study

Sep 9, 2022 by News Staff

For millennia manuka honey has been shown to have wide ranging medicinal properties, which have more recently been identified for its broad spectrum of...

van der Meulen et al. show that both systemic and inhaled glucocorticoid use are associated with an apparently widespread reduction in white matter integrity, which may in part underly the neuropsychiatric side effects observed in patients using glucocorticoids. Image credit: Steve Buissinne.

Glucocorticoid Use Associated with Structural and Volume Changes in White and Gray Matter

Sep 1, 2022 by News Staff

New research from the Leiden University Medical Center shows that both systemic and inhaled glucocorticoids — a class of synthetic steroids —...

Yang et al. provide new insights into the mechanisms by which blue light interferes with vital metabolic pathways that are conserved between fly and human cells. Image credit: Pexels.

Excessive Blue Light Leads to Accelerated Aging in Fruit Flies, Research Finds

Aug 31, 2022 by News Staff

Blue light is becoming increasingly prevalent in artificial illumination, raising concerns about its potential health hazard to humans. In a new study,...

Kawano et al. show that intestinal microbiota protects against development of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and pre-diabetic phenotypes by inducing commensal-specific Th17 cells. Image credit: Kawano et al., doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.08.005.

Dietary Sugar Disrupts Gut Microbiome, Says New Study

Aug 31, 2022 by News Staff

Dietary sugar alters the gut microbiome, setting off a chain of events that leads to metabolic disease, pre-diabetes, and weight gain, according to a new...

Drinking tea may be associated with a moderately lower mortality risk. Image credit: Sci.News.

Tea, Even at Higher Levels of Intake, Can Be Part of Healthy Diet, New Study Suggests

Aug 30, 2022 by Sergio Prostak

In a new prospective cohort study, higher tea intake was associated with lower mortality risk among those drinking two or more cups per day, regardless...

Characterization of human accumbens electrophysiological signal provoked by exposure to preferred food stimuli: (a) schematic of the multi-stage, staggered enrollment, early feasibility study design; the current stage of each participant within the trial is highlighted (blue - subject 1; green - subject 2); (b) two quadripolar depth electrodes placed bilaterally in the nucleus accumbens; (c) the multi-item buffet of preferred foods allowing us to examine nucleus accumbens electrophysiology during LOC eating as well as the preceding in-lab standardized meals. Image credit: Shivacharan et al., doi: 10.1038/s41591-022-01941-w.

Deep Brain Stimulation May Help Treat Binge-Eating Disorder

Aug 30, 2022 by News Staff

In a pilot study led by Pennsylvania Hospital and the Stanford University School of Medicine, deep brain stimulation — guided by patterns of neural...

7-methylxanthine may slow the progression of myopia in children. Image credit: National Eye Institute.

Caffeine Metabolite Slows Myopia Progression in Children, New Study Suggests

Aug 24, 2022 by News Staff

Myopia (short-sightedness) is associated with an increased risk of permanent vision loss. A metabolite of caffeine called 7-methylxanthine, licensed in...

Consumption of non-nutritive sweeteners may induce person-specific, microbiome-dependent glycemic alterations, necessitating future assessment of clinical implications. Image credit: Suez et al., doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.07.016.

Some Artificial Sweeteners Can Alter Gut Microbiome, New Study Says

Aug 22, 2022 by News Staff

Non-nutritive sweeteners are commonly integrated into human diet and presumed to be inert. However, previous studies suggest that they may impact the microbiome...

Jafari et al. found that in a mouse model of human type 2 diabetes, Rhodiola rosea lowered fasting blood sugar levels, improved response to insulin injections, modulated the composition of bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract and decreased several biomarkers of inflammation. Image credit: Jerzy Opiola / CC BY-SA 3.0.

Extract from Rhodiola rosea Roots Might Be Effective for Helping Manage Type 2 Diabetes

Aug 17, 2022 by News Staff

In a study published recently in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers from the University of California, Irvine and elsewhere investigated the effects...

Ultrasound exposure improved depressive-like behavior in olfactory bulbectomized rats and reduced their plasma corticosterone levels. Image credit: Mary Theresa McLean.

Ultrasound Exposure Improves Depressive-Like Behavior in Rats, New Study Shows

Aug 16, 2022 by Enrico de Lazaro

Scientists from the Tokyo University of Science and FUJIMIC, Inc. have investigated the effects of ultrasound exposure in olfactory bulbectomized rats...