A team from the Champalimaud Foundation (CF) has pinpointed a critical neural circuit for sexual rejection, identifying a set of brain cells that play a crucial role in determining whether a female accepts or rejects mating attempts based on her reproductive cycle. Their findings, published today in Neuron, deepen our understanding of how the brain regulates social and reproductive behaviours. Female mammals, such as rodents, accept mating attempts only during their fertile phase, and actively reject males outside this period. While the brain areas controlling sexual receptivity are well-studied, the mechanisms behind active rejection ...

A wearable electrical nerve stimulation device can provide relief to people experiencing the persistent pain and fatigue linked to long COVID, a study co-led by UCLA and Baylor College of Medicine researchers suggests. Long-COVID, a complex and lingering condition following COVID-19 recovery, affects approximately 1 in 13 adults in the U.S. Symptoms such as widespread pain, fatigue, and muscle weakness often continue to disrupt daily activities, including walking and basic tasks. The study, published in the peer-reviewed Nature Scientific Reports, focused on a wearable Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation ...

ARLINGTON, Va., November 25, 2024 — The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) issued today an updated clinical guideline for physicians who use radiation therapy to treat patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. This update incorporates new data on patient selection and best practices from several practice-changing clinical trials published since the prior guideline was issued in 2020. The updated ASTRO guideline is published in Practical Radiation Oncology. Colorectal cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths for Americans aged 20 to 49 and the second most common cause of cancer-related death overall. In the U.S., the incidence of early ...

See accompanying video here:  https://youtu.be/o-opCV6oe3o New York, NY [November 25, 2024]—Today, the Mount Sinai Health System, one of New York City’s largest academic medical systems, announced the opening of the Hamilton and Amabel James Center for Artificial Intelligence and Human Health, which is dedicated to enhancing health care delivery through the research, development, and application of innovative artificial intelligence (AI) tools and technologies. The state-of-the-art research center solidifies ...

East Hanover, NJ – November 25, 2024 – Kessler Foundation researchers have developed robust measures of neighborhood economic factors to study how social determinants influence health outcomes after spinal cord injury (SCI). The study reveals that individuals in disadvantaged neighborhoods face higher risks of poor health, emphasizing the need for public policy to address environmental inequities. Research scientists developed and validated two composite measures – neighborhood socioeconomic ...

CLEVELAND—Bacterial vaginosis (BV), the most prevalent condition affecting the female reproductive system in women aged 15 to 44, is linked to such serious health risks as preterm birth, gynecological malignancies and sexually transmitted diseases. But effective long-term treatments for BV are limited: More than half experience a recurrence within six months, according to several studies. With a $1.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), researchers at the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine will study the dynamics of BV in hopes of identifying a more effective approach. “We hope to gain insights into promoting ...

In a sense, each of us begins life ready for action. Many animals perform amazing feats soon after they’re born. Spiders spin webs. Whales swim. But where do these innate abilities come from? Obviously, the brain plays a key role as it contains the trillions of neural connections needed to control complex behaviors. However, the genome has space for only a small fraction of that information. This paradox has stumped scientists for decades. Now, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) Professors Anthony Zador and Alexei Koulakov have devised a potential solution using artificial intelligence. When Zador first encounters this problem, he puts a ...

Not all plastics are equal — some types and colors are easier to recycle than others. For instance, black foam and black coffee lids, which are often made of polystyrene, usually end up in landfills because color additives lead to ineffective sorting. Now, researchers report in ACS Central Science the ability to leverage one additive in black plastics, with the help of sunlight or white LEDs, to convert black and colored polystyrene waste into reusable starting materials. “Simple, visible light irradiation holds the potential to ...

Researchers explored protective coatings on advanced to resist corrosion in fusion reactors. They tested α-Al2O3 oxide layers on ODS alloys in a high-temperature, flowing lithium-lead environment. Even bare ODS alloys formed a durable γ-LiAlO2 layer in situ, which suppressed further corrosion. The layers exhibited strong adhesion under mechanical stress, making these findings crucial for improving material durability in fusion reactors and high-temperature energy systems. Fusion reactors, a promising source of sustainable energy, require advanced materials that can withstand extreme temperatures and corrosive environments ...

Mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome (MTDPS) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by a marked decrease in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). This condition can cause symptoms including muscle weakness, fatigue, and neurological issues, particularly affecting the liver and brain in cases of hepatocerebral MTDPS. Mitochondrial diseases, which represent some of the most common types of metabolic disorders, can result in the failure of multiple organ systems. Currently, over 400 genes linked to these diseases have been identified. Notably, many of these genes are associated with the mitochondrial contact site and cristae ...

Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly useful for the prediction of emergency events such as heart attacks, natural disasters, and pipeline failures. This requires state-of-the-art technologies that can rapidly process data. In this regard, reservoir computing, specially designed for time-series data processing with low power consumption, is a promising option. It can be implemented in various frameworks, among which physical reservoir computing (PRC) is the most popular. PRC with optoelectronic artificial synapses (junction structures that permit a nerve cell to transmit an electrical or chemical signal to another cell) that mimic human ...

When bats can’t hear, new research finds that these hearing-dependent animals employ a remarkable compensation strategy. They adapt immediately and robustly, suggesting for the first time that bats’ brains are hard-wired with an ability to launch a Plan B in times of diminished hearing. The Johns Hopkins University work, newly published in Current Biology, raises questions about whether other animals and even humans might be capable of such deft accommodations. “Bats have this amazing flexible adaptive behavior that they can employ anytime,” said senior author ...

CHICAGO – Levothyroxine, the second most commonly prescribed medication among older adults in the U.S., may be associated with bone loss, according to a study being presented next week at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). Levothyroxine, marketed under multiple brand names including Synthroid, is a synthetic version of a hormone called thyroxine and is commonly prescribed to treat the condition hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid. In people with hypothyroidism, the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroxine on its own, often resulting in fatigue, weight gain, hair loss and other symptoms. If left untreated, hypothyroidism ...

CHICAGO – Researchers have identified acute effects of cigarette and e-cigarette smoking on vascular function, even without nicotine. The results of the ongoing research are being presented next week at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). E-cigarettes, also known as vapes, are battery-operated devices that heat a liquid to produce an aerosol, which is then inhaled into the lungs. Vapes contain significantly fewer chemicals and toxins than are found in tobacco smoke. As a result, e-cigarettes are believed by many to be less harmful than cigarette smoking. Vapes also come in various flavors, making them popular among young people. “E-cigarettes ...

Researchers at the University of Lausanne have identified a novel role for the brain’s ‘locus coeruleus’ in sleep and its disruptions. This brain region facilitates the transition between NREM and REM sleep states while maintaining an unconscious vigilance toward the external world. Stress disrupts its functions and negatively impacts on sleep quality. Sleep disorders affect an increasing number of people, with potentially serious consequences for their health. Mammalian sleep consists of cycles between two states: non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and rapid eye ...

New York, NY [November 25, 2024]—Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have developed an innovative approach—demonstrated in mouse models and isolated human brain tissue—to safely and effectively deliver therapeutics into the brain, providing new possibilities for treating a wide range of neurological and psychiatric diseases. Published in the November 25 online issue of Nature Biotechnology [https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-024-02487-7], the study introduces a first-of-its-kind blood-brain barrier-crossing conjugate (BCC) system, designed to overcome the protective barrier that typically blocks large biomolecules from ...

The ancient Vikings certainly had the travel bug. Between the late eighth century and approximately 1050 CE, they roamed the Atlantic in their longships all the way to Newfoundland, Labrador, and Greenland, as well as exploring the Mediterranean and continental Eurasia. Among the places the Vikings are known to have settled were the Faroe Islands, an archipelago of 18 islands in the North Atlantic. They probably weren’t the first to do so: archaeologists have found evidence that these islands had been inhabited since approximately 300 CE, possibly ...

Affordability in Canada affects not just groceries but also medications, with 1 in 20 people unable to take their medications as prescribed because of cost, found new research published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.241024. Prescription medications are not universally covered under Canada’s 13 provincial and territorial health insurance systems. In 2021, Canadian households paid more than $7.4 billion out of pocket for prescription medications.  The study, which included a nationally representative ...

Remotely operated camera traps, sound recorders and drones are increasingly being used in conservation science to monitor wildlife and natural habitats, and to keep watch on protected natural areas. But Cambridge researchers studying a forest in northern India have found that the technologies are being deliberately misused by local government and male villagers to keep watch on women without their consent. Cambridge researcher Dr Trishant Simlai spent 14 months interviewing 270 locals living around the Corbett Tiger Reserve, a national park in northern India, including many women from nearby villages. His report, published today in the journal Environment and Planning ...

Around 450,000 children are being failed by the UK education system because they have a special educational need and disability (SEND) that is effectively unrecognised by most schools and local education authorities, an author has warned. Supporting Colour Blindness in Education and Beyond, by author Marie Difolco, shines a spotlight on a commonly-overlooked SEND in modern classrooms: colour blindness (also known as colour vision deficiency, or CVD). She also warns that many myths surround this condition, with many people believing it just means not being able to tell the ...

Osaka, Japan – Smartphone-based augmented reality, in which visual elements are overlaid on the image of a smartphone camera, are extremely popular apps. These apps allow users to see how furniture would look in their house, or navigate maps better, or to play interactive games. The global phenomenon Pokémon GO, which encourages players to catch digital creatures through their phone, is a well-known example. However, if you want to use augmented reality apps inside a building, prepare to lower your expectations. ...

Study sought to better understand how humans evolved to become skilled at thinking about others Newer parts of the brain that support social interactions are connected to and in constant communication with the ancient amygdala First study to map with fMRI never-before-seen details of the brain’s social cognitive network CHICAGO --- We’ve all been there. Moments after leaving a party, your brain is suddenly filled with intrusive thoughts about what others were thinking. “Did they think I talked too much?” “Did my joke offend them?” “Were ...

Black men on buses and trains — whether as passengers or transit workers — face hostile encounters that threaten their sense of safety and well-being, according to a new study by a Keough School of Global Affairs sociologist. By reinforcing racist tropes that they are dangerous or invisible, these encounters can also erode Black men’s sense of dignity and self-worth. “Black men who want to go to work, school, appointments, visit others, or do any of the other things that people use public transport for, find the experience to be degrading rather than liberating,” said Gwendolyn Purifoye, assistant professor of racial justice and conflict transformation in ...

Increase in annual rates of obesity were largest by far: 7.8% in 2016 to 22.3% in 2023 Vaginal birth complications increased 22.4%; cesarean birth complications increased 48.9% Non-Hispanic Black mothers faced more than double the rate of severe complications compared to non-Hispanic white mothers Illinois data reflects national increases in obesity, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and gestational diabetes in pregnant people of all ages CHICAGO --- A new study from Northwestern Medicine reveals a troubling ...

Alcohol use was the most common predictor of escalating cannabis vaping among youth and young adults, independent of demographic factors, according to research by UTHealth Houston published this month in the journal Social Science & Medicine.  Cannabis vaping is the use of electronic cigarette delivery of liquid tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a concentrated form of cannabis that has been extracted and diluted into a liquid solution.Vaping cannabis has grown in popularity among young people in the U.S., according to ...