Daily avocados improve diet quality, help lower cholesterol levels, study finds
Eating one avocado a day for six months was found to have no effect on belly fat, liver fat or waist circumference in people with overweight or obesity, according to a new study. However, it did lead to a slight decrease in unhealthy cholesterol levels. In the randomized trial, the team — including Penn State […]
Stimulating brain circuits promotes neuron growth in adulthood, improving cognition and mood
We humans lose mental acuity, an unfortunate side effect of aging. And for individuals with neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, the loss of cognitive function often accompanied by mood disorders such as anxiety is a harrowing experience. One way to push back against cognitive decline and anxiety would be to spur the creation […]
‘Keto’ molecule may be useful in preventing and treating colorectal cancer, study suggests
A molecule produced in the liver in response to low-carb “ketogenic” diets has a powerful effect in suppressing colorectal tumor growth and may be useful as a preventive and treatment of such cancers, according to a new study from researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. In the study, published […]
Federal research funding has positive ‘ripple effects’
Federal funding for biomedical research has a “ripple effect” of stimulating new studies even beyond the original purposes of a grant and may provide unexpected benefits, a new study suggests. Researchers used a unique dataset to get a never-before-seen view of how science funding is spent and the results it produces. The findings, published today […]
Chemical pollutants disrupt reproduction in anemonefish
Ocean pollution is unfortunately becoming more commonplace, raising concerns over the effect of chemicals that are leaching into the water. In a new study, researchers have discovered how these chemicals can affect the reproduction in common anemonefish Amphiprion ocellaris. Endocrine disrupting chemicals — which interfere with how the body’s hormones work — can obstruct normal […]
Critical groundwater supplies may never recover from drought: Let this sink in
Along with hurricanes and wildfires, there’s another important, but seldom-discussed effect of climate change — toxic water and sinking land made worse by groundwater drought. Water from snow and rain seeps deep into the ground between layers of soil and accumulates in sponge-like underground bathtubs, called aquifers. Farmers rely heavily on this groundwater to irrigate […]
On-Demand PrEP Surpasses Daily Use Among Chinese MSM
Event-driven HIV prevention regimens appeared to have a better protective effect, and a better trend of medication adherence, than daily regimens in a real-world setting among men who have sex with men (MSM), a researcher said. In four cities in China, MSM who opted for event-driven pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) — that is, that they only […]
Visibly transparent radiative cooler under direct sunlight
Since the Paris Climate Agreement that took effect in 2016, 121 countries have pledged to become carbon neutral by 2050 as the world tries to reduce its fuel consumption. The Korean government also unveiled its 2050 Carbon Neutral Strategy on December 7, 2020 and declared Carbon Zero, making transition to new and renewable energy a […]