Category: Education
Oxygen production/expenditure may be key to Alzheimer’s treatment
The mutated genes found in Alzheimer’s disease has been linked to the differing ways cells produce energy for brain function in a study by researchers at the University of Adelaide (Adelaide University), South Australia. The research group had used cutting-edge gene technology and mathematical analysis to compare gene activity and detect subtle differences between normal, […]
Plant ingredient offers low-dose alternative treatment for malaria
Researchers from Germany’s Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, along with colleagues from Ethiopia’s Arba Minch and Addis Ababa universities, have identified an active ingredient from the crushed leaves of a plant, used by people in Africa to treat malaria. The plant named Ranunculus multifidus is a member of the flowering buttercup family – it produces a […]
New milk and plant-based protein innovation developed in research
Scientists have enriched the nutritional content of cow’s milk this time by adding low-soluble pea protein – a nonallergenic, gluten-free, and cost-effective plant protein that assists in muscle development. The team from the Department of Food Science and Technology at The Ohio State University (OSU) hopes their innovation will help bolster declining fluid milk sales […]
Ultrasound could treat psychiatric disorders with adaptive behavioural pattern
Some people diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder believe that engaging in certain rituals will lead to positive outcomes such as attributing a good test result to wearing green, rather than study hours put in – this is known as the “credit assignment” process. Researchers at the University of Plymouth, UK, showed that credit assignment-related brain […]
Intranasal vaccination more effective against respiratory viruses, study finds
New preclinical research at Yale University suggests intranasal vaccines (delivered through the nose) may generate stronger immunity against air-borne viruses compared to more conventional injection-delivered vaccines. Not only is an inhalable nasal spray a much easier vaccine delivery system to administer but may even promote immunity against more than just the single viral strain in […]
Daily dose of yoghurt to lower high blood pressure
A new observational study by researchers at the University of South Australia (UniSA) has found associations between yoghurt consumption and lowered blood pressure, especially in people suffering from hypertension. Globally, more than a billion people suffer from hypertension or high blood pressure, putting them at greater risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) such as heart attack […]
Behavioural therapy model shown to successfully treat HIV/AIDS and depression
A new study by researchers at the University of Miami has the potential for treating people struggling with HIV/AIDS and depression. The study was based in South Africa, home to the highest number of cases in the world and a significant shortage of mental health professionals – it demonstrated the effectiveness of training nurses in […]
Alcohol consumption increases risks of atrial fibrillation, study finds
Atrial fibrillation (AF), a common and fatal heart condition, is most affected by alcohol consumption than any other triggers including caffeine and sleep deprivation. Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), US, found “heightened risks of AF” in a personalised assessment study – the I-STOP-AFib study – which tested for presumed individual triggers […]
Moles vs. melanoma formation depends on environmental cues
Moles and melanomas both form from the same cell called melanocytes. Melanocytes are cells that give colour to the skin to protect it from the sun’s rays. It was thought that specific changes to the DNA sequence of melanocytes, called BRAF gene mutations, are what differentiates moles and melanomas: moles are usually harmless while melanocytes […]
US researchers single out plant molecule used by Native Americans to treat pain and diarrhea
Researchers from the University of California-Irvine (UCI) have rediscovered functional uses of plant extracts collected in Muir Woods National Monument, in coastal redwood forest land in California. Plants with a long history of use by Native Americans as topical analgesics, to treat conditions such as insect bites, stings, sores and burns, were also found to […]
