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At birth, the brain is the most underdeveloped organ in our body. It takes up until our mid-20s for our brains to fully mature. Any serious and prolonged adversity, such as a sudden, unexpected and lasting separation from a caretaker, changes the structure of the developing brain. It damages a child’s ability to process emotion and leaves scars that are […]
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A fulsome smile in a photo makes it easier for people to identify the individual, say researchers at the University of York. Previous research at York has shown that it is difficult for people to match a pair of unfamiliar faces in photographs, presenting significant issues for authorities to spot identity fraud. Research has also shown that new face morphing […]
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Just when you were getting worried about a dearth of royal baby news (at least for a while), Zara Tindall — daughter of Princess Anne and granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth — and her husband have welcomed a second child (their second daughter). The happy news was confirmed by Buckingham Palace, which released a sweetly stuffy statement about the birth. “Mrs […]
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An analysis of small molecules called “metabolites” in a blood sample may be used to determine whether a person is following a prescribed diet, scientists at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have shown. Clinical trials of diets and their health impacts are often plagued by participants’ poor adherence to assigned diets, which can make it difficult or even […]
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A strong majority of Americans view child abuse and neglect as a public health problem in the United States, a sentiment shared across populations with 81% of Hispanics, 76% of non-Hispanic whites, 74% of African-Americans and 67% of Asians in agreement, according to a new survey commissioned by Research!America and the National Foundation to End Child Abuse and Neglect (EndCAN). […]
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Telomerase is a reverse transcriptase that uses an RNA template to synthesize telomeres. These repeat sequences bind special proteins that fold the ends of chromosomes back onto themselves to create a stable cap. When this cap is damaged, the cell often interprets the exposed DNA as a double strand break and attempts to ‘repair’ it. The problem with repairing chromosome […]
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A substantial fraction of non-central nervous system cancer survivors, especially those who have received chemotherapy, experience long-lasting cognitive difficulties, including problems with concentration, word-finding, short-term memory, and multitasking. Though well documented, cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI), known colloquially as chemobrain or chemofog, remains a mystery regarding its underlying neurological causes. In a Forum paper published June 12 in the journal Trends […]
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Until now, it was thought that multiple brain areas were needed to control sleep and wakefulness. Neuroscientists from Bern have now identified one single control center for the sleep-wake cycle in the brain. The findings are of great importance for finding new sleep therapies. Every night we spend several hours asleep and every morning we awaken to go about our […]
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Despite efforts to eradicate it, syphilis is on the rise. Until now, most health agencies focused on treating infected people and their sex partners but new discoveries may make a vaccine possible, UConn Health researchers report in the 12 June issue of mBio. The World Health Organization estimates that 10.7 million people between the ages of 15 and 49 had […]
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One of the most severe outcomes of spinal cord injury from car accidents, sports impacts, or other neck trauma, is losing the ability to control breathing, with patients often requiring artificial ventilation for the rest of their lives. Researchers at Jefferson (Philadelphia University + Thomas Jefferson University) recently tested a hydrogel that releases a nerve-protecting agent at the site of […]
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