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Changes in the spectral content of ambient light are detectable to most mammals as a blue shift in the color of twilight. Mouland et al show that these blue colors suppress circadian responses to light, supporting robust circadian entrainment when environmental conditions render light intensity a weak or unreliable indicator of time of day. Image credit: Johannes Plenio.

Blue Light is Less Disruptive to Sleep than Previously Thought

Dec 25, 2019 by News Staff

Using dim, cooler lights in the evening and warmer lights in the day may be more beneficial to our health, according to a new study in mice from University...

Conventional ultrasound verifies soft- and hard-tissue features detected in laser ultrasound (LUS) imaging on the forearm: (a) single time trace from LUS imaging of a volunteer’s forearm; (b) photograph of a volunteer’s forearm region, imaged using LUS and conventional ultrasound; a green tracking laser from the LDV is also visible; (c) reconstructed LUS image of a volunteer’s forearm with multiple visible tissue layers; (d) matching conventional ultrasound image of the volunteer’s forearm using a GE Logiq E9 system and a 9 MHz linear probe confirming features detected in the LUS image. Image credit: Zhang et al, doi: 10.1038/s41377-019-0229-8.

Novel Laser Ultrasound Technique Doesn’t Require Contact with Patient’s Body

Dec 24, 2019 by News Staff

The noncontact laser ultrasound technique, developed by a team of MIT engineers, leverages an eye- and skin-safe laser system to remotely image the inside...

An enteroendocrine cell (green) lies within the epithelium (red) that lines the intestines of a zebrafish larvae. Image credit: Lihua Ye.

Study: High-Fat Meal Can Silence Communication between Intestine and Rest of the Body

Dec 18, 2019 by News Staff

According to a new study performed in zebrafish (Danio rerio), a high-fat meal can shut down the communication between the enteroendocrine cells —...

Playing sports has many benefits, including boosting physical, cardiovascular, and mental fitness. Image credit: Mike Kaplan / U.S. Air Force photo.

Athletes Have Quieter Brains, New Research Shows

Dec 10, 2019 by News Staff

Playing sports — including football, soccer and hockey — increases the gain of the external sound signal by turning down the background noise...

A moderate coffee intake is considered to be 3-5 cups of coffee a day. Image credit: Jill Wellington.

Low-to-Moderate Coffee Consumption Cuts Risk of Metabolic Syndrome, New Report Says

Dec 6, 2019 by News Staff

Coffee consumption at a level of 1-4 cups of coffee per day is associated with a reduced risk of metabolic syndrome, according to a new report from the...

Brushing teeth frequently is linked with a lower risk of atrial fibrillation and heart failure. Image credit: Bruno Glätsch.

Good Oral Hygiene May Reduce Risk of Heart Problems, Study Says

Dec 3, 2019 by News Staff

Healthier oral hygiene by frequent tooth brushing and professional dental cleaning may reduce risk of atrial fibrillation (the most common cardiac arrhythmia)...

Mice receiving extra-virgin olive oil displayed improved memory and cognition which was associated with increased basal synaptic activity and short-term plasticity; this effect was accompanied by an upregulation of complexin 1, a key presynaptic protein; moreover, extra-virgin olive oil treatment resulted in a significant reduction of tau oligomers and phosphorylated tau at specific epitopes. Image credit: Skica911.

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil-Rich Diet Protects Mice from Multiple Forms of Dementia

Dec 2, 2019 by News Staff

Extra-virgin olive oil, a major component of the Mediterranean diet, is rich in cell-protecting antioxidants and known for its multiple health benefits....

Chen & van Breemen found drugs in blood supply used for research. Image credit: Allinonemovie.

Researchers Find Caffeine, Other Chemicals in Donor Blood Serum

Nov 28, 2019 by News Staff

In new research, Oregon State University scientists worked with biomedical suppliers to purchase and analyze 18 batches of human blood serum pooled from...

The Expedition 20 crew members share a meal in the Unity node of the International Space Station. Image credit: NASA.

Spaceflight Can Cause Sustained Defect in Epithelial Barrier Function, New Study Shows

Nov 27, 2019 by News Staff

Epithelial cells that line our intestines serve as a robust barrier to invasion by viruses, bacteria and exposure to ingested agents. A new study, published...

Ketamine reduces alcohol intake in high-alcohol male rats but increases it in low-alcohol female rats. Image credit: Mediengestalter.

Study: Ketamine Decreases Alcohol Consumption in Male Rats

Nov 25, 2019 by News Staff

The drug ketamine can decrease alcohol consumption in male rats that previously had consumed high amounts of alcohol when given unrestricted access several...

Dietary pulses with or without other legumes are associated with reduced cardiovascular disease incidence with low certainty and reduced coronary heart disease, hypertension, and obesity incidence with very low certainty. Imager credit: Niek Verlaan.

Eating Legumes Reduces Heart Disease Risks, Says New Review

Nov 22, 2019 by News Staff

According to a review of previous prospective cohort studies, eating beans, lentils, peas, and other legumes reduces the risk for cardiovascular disease,...

This image illustrates the beginning stages of an influenza infection and shows what happens after the influenza viruses enter the human body. Image credit: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Ketogenic Diet Protects against Influenza A Virus Infection, Animal Study Finds

Nov 19, 2019 by News Staff

A new study led by Professor Akiko Iwasaki of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Professor Vishwa Deep Dixit from Yale School of Medicine shows that...

This digitally-colorized scanning electron microscopic (SEM) image depicts a number of mustard-colored, spheroid-shaped Staphylococcus aureus bacteria that were in the process of escaping their destruction by blue-colored human white blood cells. Magnification - 20,000x. Image credit: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Experimental Vaccine Protects Mice from Staphylococcus aureus

Nov 12, 2019 by News Staff

The new biofilm-specific vaccine, developed by researchers from the University of Maryland-Baltimore, Northern Arizona University and the University of...

McMaster undergraduate student Ronald Perinpanayagam works with one of the seniors who participated in the study. Image credit: Paulina Rzeczkowska.

High-Intensity Aerobic Exercise Enhances Memory in Older Adults

Nov 6, 2019 by News Staff

High-intensity interval training results in the greatest memory performance in inactive older adults compared to moderate training or stretching, according...

Avocatin B is a lipid derived from avocado. Image credit: Robert Owen-Wahl.

Avocado Compound May Help Fight Obesity and Diabetes

Oct 30, 2019 by News Staff

Avocatin B, a fat molecule found only in avocados (Persea americana), can inhibit cellular processes that normally lead to diabetes, according to a study...

Elliot et al show that fatty tissue is present within the airway wall and is related to BMI, wall thickness and the number of inflammatory cells. The accumulation of airway fatty tissue in overweight individuals may therefore contribute to airway pathophysiology. Image credit: Kalhh.

Fatty Tissue Accumulates in Airways of Overweight and Obese People, New Study Finds

Oct 21, 2019 by News Staff

According to a new study published in the European Respiratory Journal, fatty tissue accumulates within the airway walls of people who are overweight or...

Açaí palms (Euterpe oleracea) in Summit Park, Panama. Image credit: Dick Culbert / CC BY 2.0.

Scientists Find Antimalarial Compounds in Amazonian Acai Berries

Oct 17, 2019 by News Staff

An international team of researchers from Brazil, the United States and Sweden has found that polyphenols found in berries of the açaí palm (Euterpe...

Nguyen et al examined the effect of an acute but moderate prenatal alcohol exposure on glucose metabolism, lipid levels and dietary preference in adolescent and/or adult rat offspring. Image credit: Bridgesward.

Even Small Amounts of Alcohol during Pregnancy Can Cause Insulin Resistance in Male Offspring

Oct 15, 2019 by News Staff

‘Special occasion drinking’ during pregnancy could cause insulin resistance, which increases the likelihood of diabetes, in male offspring, suggests...

Human breast milk. Image credit: Amada44 / CC BY-SA 3.0.

Study: Human Milk Contains Powerful Antimicrobial Compound

Oct 10, 2019 by News Staff

Human breast milk contains many known antimicrobial and immunomodulatory molecules, including immunoglobulins, antimicrobial peptides, and fatty acids....