Category: Education
Infection study shows steep decline in vaccine effectiveness over eight months
A study by the Public Health Institutes (PHI) has detected a sharp decline in the protection from infection conferred by three major COVID-19 vaccines among US veterans. At the same time, the vaccines’ protection from death remained strong across the […]
Oestrogen may have a protective effect on the female brain
A study of menopausal women suggests that greater cumulative exposure to oestrogen in life, for example from having a longer reproductive span or from having taken hormone replacement therapy (HRT), may potentially reduce the brain-shrinking effects of Alzheimer’s disease. “Our […]
US researchers optimise human mental function with targeted brain stimulation
Specific human brain functions linked to mental illness, including self-control and mental flexibility, can be enhanced using targeted electrical brain stimulation and artificial intelligence (AI). In studying patients with epilepsy at Massachusetts General Hospital, researchers from the University of Minnesota […]
Protein that suppresses inflammation controlled by healthy gut bacteria
New research from the University of Bath, UK, and the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School (UMass Chan), US, has revealed how major imbalances in gut bacteria influences the expression of a key protein that controls gut inflammation. The international […]
Spreading awareness on benign prostatic hyperplasia, according to a Malaysian urologist
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland, affecting nearly a third of men over 50 years old globally. In Asia, studies indicate the overall prevalence rate of BPH increases rapidly with age and is tied […]
SARS-CoV-2 infection directly alters brain’s essential vasculature, autopsies reveal
An infection with SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, is known to have some effects on the human brain leading to short and long-term neurological symptoms. New research by scientists at the Center of Immunity and Infection at Lille (CIIL), France, is […]
Serious cardiovascular events risk increased with the flu, US research finds
Coming down with the flu increases the risk of serious or fatal cardiovascular events, especially for patients predisposed to the condition. While getting the influenza vaccine can reduce this risk, influenza (flu) vaccination rates continue to remain low despite higher […]
Memory processing during sleep encourages motor skill learning and neurorehabilitation
Researchers at Northwestern University, US, have found that additional memory processing during sleep fortifies learning and executing a new and challenging motor skill. The research provides insight into the relationship between slumber and brain function by demonstrating how sound cues […]
Certain personality traits linked to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
Two distinct personality traits predict the accumulation of pathology associated with dementia, say researchers from the Florida State University (FSU) College of Medicine, US: neuroticism, which measures a predisposition for negative emotions; and conscientiousness, which measures the tendency to be […]
New, rare nanomaterial fabric effective against COVID-19 and other threats
Researchers have developed a type of material that can protect its wearer from various biological and chemical threats, including the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. Developed by a team from Northwestern University in Illinois, US, the rare nanomaterial i.e., metal-organic framework (MOF)/fibre […]
