Study finds body mass index for children greatest in Midwest, least in West
A study examining the body mass index (BMI) of over 14,000 children from birth to age 15 shows those in the Midwest have the highest BMI levels while kids in the West have the lowest, suggesting regional influences may play a role in the development of childhood obesity. The study, published today in the journal […]
Novel assessment of platelet-rich plasma treatment shows efficacy in patients with osteoarthritis
A pilot study conducted by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine combined wearable technology and patient-reported outcomes to assess the efficacy of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment in osteoarthritis (OA). The results, published in the journal Regenerative Medicine, showed that a single injection of leukocyte-rich/PRP in the knee joint significantly improved functional mobility, pain and quality […]
Common pesticide may contribute to global obesity crisis: Chlorpyrifos slows down the burning of calories in the brown adipose tissue of mice fos
A commonly-used pesticide could be partially responsible for the global obesity epidemic, says a study led by McMaster University scientists. Researchers discovered that chlorpyrifos, which is banned for use on foods in Canada but widely sprayed on fruits and vegetables in many other parts of the world, slows down the burning of calories in the […]
Study confirms virus variants reduce protection against COVID-19: Researchers say findings suggest need to double down on vaccinations, public health measures
A new laboratory study from Oregon Health & Science University finds that blood serum drawn from people previously vaccinated or naturally infected show “significantly reduced” defense against two widely circulating variants of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. The study published today in the journal Nature Communications. Researchers said that their findings emphasize the importance of vaccinations […]
To understand future habitat needs for chimpanzees, look to the past: New study examines where chimpanzees found refuge from climate instability during the past 120,000 years
A new study provides insight into where chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) avoided climate instability during glacial and interglacial periods in Africa over the past 120,000 years. Using bioclimatic variables and other data, the study identified previously unknown swaths of habitat, rich in figs and palms, where chimps rode out the changes seen since the Last Interglacial […]
How schools of ‘microswimmers’ can increase their cargo capacity
A new study published in Physical Review Letters describes a way to increase the cargo capacity of microscopic, self-propelled droplets known as “microswimmers.” Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and the Max Planck Institutefor Dynamics and Self-Organisation found that when a school of microswimmers move in the same direction inside a narrow channel, they can […]
Varying immune cell levels in canine brain tumors could provide therapeutic targets
A new study reveals that high-grade gliomas, or brain tumors, in dogs contained more immune cells associated with suppressing immune response than low-grade gliomas. The work, which is the most extensive examination of immune cell infiltration in canine glioma to date, adds to the body of evidence that these brain tumors might recruit cells that […]
Varying immune cell levels in canine brain tumors could provide therapeutic targets
A new study reveals that high-grade gliomas, or brain tumors, in dogs contained more immune cells associated with suppressing immune response than low-grade gliomas. The work, which is the most extensive examination of immune cell infiltration in canine glioma to date, adds to the body of evidence that these brain tumors might recruit cells that […]
Scientists identify live immune cells in a coral and sea anemone
A new study led by scientists at the University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science and the Ben Gurion University of the Negev has identified specialized immune cells in the cauliflower coral and starlet sea anemone that can help fight infection. The findings are important to better understand how reef-building corals […]
Small protein protects pancreatic cells in model of type 1 diabetes
A new study has shown that treating type 1 diabetes-prone mice with the small protein MOTS-c prevented the immune system from destroying insulin-producing pancreatic cells, effectively preventing the onset of the autoimmune disease. The small protein that first made headlines as an “exercise mimetic” increasingly appears to also have a big role in regulating the […]