Thirsty mosquitoes may bite more in droughts

(HealthDay)—Your blood mght be a thirst quencher for mosquitoes during a drought. A new study found that while female mosquitoes need the protein in blood to lay eggs, they also bite you to stay hydrated. According to the research team from the University of Cincinnati, learning more about how often these insects need to drink blood in dry conditions could […]

Continue reading »

First 3D-printed human corneas

The first human corneas have been 3-D printed by scientists at Newcastle University, UK. It means the technique could be used in the future to ensure an unlimited supply of corneas. As the outermost layer of the human eye, the cornea has an important role in focusing vision. Yet there is a significant shortage of corneas available to transplant, with […]

Continue reading »

Researchers magnify the brain in motion with every heartbeat

Understanding how the brain moves—at rest and upon impact—has been crucial to understanding brain disorders, but technology to clearly see these movements has lagged behind. Now, researchers from Stevens Institute of Technology, in collaboration with University of Auckland and Stanford University, have developed an imaging technique that captures and magnifies the brain in motion, in real time, every time the […]

Continue reading »

WIC participation better among vulnerable, US citizen children whose mothers are eligible for DACA

Results of a study of nearly 2,000 U.S. citizen children and their mothers add to growing evidence of the multigenerational, beneficial effects of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) immigration policy on children who are citizens, illustrating increased participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) among citizen children whose mothers are likely eligible […]

Continue reading »

‘Second brain’ neurons keep colon moving

Millions of neurons in the gastrointestinal tract coordinate their activity to generate the muscle contractions that propel waste through the last leg of the digestive system, according to a study of isolated mouse colons published in JNeurosci. The newly identified neuronal firing pattern may represent an early feature preserved through the evolution of nervous systems. The enteric nervous system (ENS) […]

Continue reading »

No, laundry doesn't count as a hobby

If your primary job is parenting, you know that staying at home is anything but easy. Between feeding everyone, picking up and dropping off kids at their various activities and tackling the seemingly never-ending heap of laundry, it’s hard for parents to carve out time for sleep, let alone for a hobby. But making time to do something you enjoy […]

Continue reading »

Scientists show how brain circuit generates anxiety

Neuroscientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) have identified a neural circuit in the amygdala, the brain’s seat of emotion processing, that gives rise to anxiety. Their insight has revealed the critical role of a molecule called dynorphin, which could serve as a target for treatment of anxiety-related disorders including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Though they are distinct, fear and […]

Continue reading »

Impaired energy production may explain why brain is susceptible to age-related diseases

Defective energy production in old neurons might explain why our brains are so prone to age-related diseases. Salk researchers used a new method to discover that cells from older individuals had impaired mitochondria—the power stations of cells—and reduced energy production. A better understanding of the effects of aging on mitochondria could reveal more about the link between mitochondrial dysfunction and […]

Continue reading »

A key switch in biological clocks

Just as we abide by an external time schedule to eat, sleep, and go to work, our body is similarly dictated by internal clocks. Known as circadian rhythms, these daily cycles keep us on a regular 24-hour day and are involved in numerous aspects of our well-being. When these biological clocks fail to work as they should, our bodies are […]

Continue reading »
1 334 335 336 337 338 387