Simply looking at nature – or even just digital pictures of it – can relieve pain, according to new research which scanned the brains of people receiving electrical shocks.
Nature’s many health benefits have been documented by decades of research.
More than 40 years ago, a pioneering study showed that hospitalized patients needed fewer painkillers and recovered quicker when they looked out of a window onto green space rather than a brick wall.
In recent years, research has suggested a connection between oral bacteria and Alzheimer’s disease, raising concerns for those with poor dental health.
With nearly 700 species of bacteria inhabiting the human mouth, experts say maintaining good oral hygiene could benefit both heart and brain health.
There is growing evidence suggesting good oral health could help prevent Alzheimer’s disease. One study in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease found that people who flossed regularly had a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s than those who did not.
A groundbreaking study suggests a simple eye test could pick up on signs if someone is at risk of having a stroke. The research suggests that by analyzing the blood vessels in the retina, it’s possible to forecast an individual’s likelihood of having a stroke.
The retinal vascular network reflects characteristics similar to those found in the brain’s vasculature. Scientists can learn a lot about a person’s overall health by examining factors like the density, curliness, and branching angles of the veins and arteries in the eye.
In an extensive study involving over 45,000 participants from the UK Biobank, researchers analyzed eye images and followed the subjects for an average of 13 years, during which 749 suffered a stroke, reports Daily Express UK.
The eyes can reveal a lot about the health of our brain. Indeed, problems with the eyes can be one of the earliest signs of cognitive decline.
Our latest study shows that a loss of visual sensitivity can predict dementia 12 years before it is diagnosed.
Our research was based on 8,623 healthy people in Norfolk, England, who were followed up for many years. By the end of the study, 537 participants had developed dementia, so we could see what factors might have preceded this diagnosis.
A Brazilian study published in Nutrients suggests that fish oil may help reduce insulin resistance and improve glucose tolerance by influencing the body’s inflammatory response.
Funded by FAPESP, the study was conducted on rats that, while not obese, exhibited a condition resembling type 2 diabetes—a disorder marked by high blood sugar levels due to diminished insulin effectiveness.
As the authors explain, supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids such as those present in fish oil has been prescribed for individuals with cardiovascular problems and type 2 diabetes, but the effects of these nutrients on insulin resistance without obesity are poorly understood.
Fish oil supplementation modified the profile of defense cells, shifting them from a pro-inflammatory to an anti-inflammatory state, effectively reversing a condition resembling type 2 diabetes.
A Brazilian study published in Nutrients suggests that fish oil may help reduce insulin.
Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas, crucial for regulating blood glucose levels. It helps cells in the body absorb glucose from the bloodstream and convert it into energy or store it for future use. Insulin production and action are essential for maintaining stable blood sugar levels. In people with diabetes, the body either does not produce enough insulin (Type 1 diabetes) or cannot effectively use the insulin it does produce (Type 2 diabetes), leading to elevated levels of glucose in the blood. This can cause various health complications over time, including heart disease, kidney damage, and nerve dysfunction. Insulin therapy, where insulin is administered through injections or an insulin pump, is a common treatment for managing diabetes, particularly Type 1. The discovery of insulin in 1921 by Frederick Banting and Charles Best was a landmark in medical science, transforming diabetes from a fatal disease to a manageable condition.
Researchers at the TechMed Center of the University of Twente and Radboud University Medical Center have removed blood clots with wireless magnetic robots. This innovation promises to transform treatment for life-threatening vascular conditions like thrombosis.
Cardiovascular diseases such as thrombosis are a major global health challenge. Each year worldwide, 1 in 4 people die from conditions caused by blood clots. A blood clot blocks a blood vessel, preventing the blood from delivering oxygen to certain areas of the body.
Minimally invasive Traditional treatments struggle with clots in hard-to-reach areas. But magnetic microrobots bring hope to patients with otherwise inoperable clots. The screw-shaped robots can navigate through intricate vascular networks since they are operated wirelessly.
A doctor has warned that sleeping on your front with one leg raised is the worst position to sleep in, as it can cause a range of health problems. He has s.
DNA holds the key to understanding life itself… From genetics and the human genome to gene editing, it shapes our health, evolution, and future… Discover how CRISPR, forensic science, and genetic engineering are transforming medicine… Explore the mysteries of ancient DNA, the role of the microbiome, and the promise of gene therapy… Personalized medicine is revolutionizing healthcare, allowing treatments tailored to our genetic code… Learn how hereditary diseases are being decoded and cured through biotechnology and DNA sequencing… The future of medicine depends on genetic research, but genetic ethics raise profound questions… The genome project has paved the way for DNA fingerprinting, cloning, and synthetic biology… With genetic modification, we are reshaping evolution itself… Will genetic testing lead to designer babies or eliminate genetic disorders? As gene therapy advancements push the limits of precision medicine, are we ready for these medical breakthroughs and DNA discoveries?
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#DNABreakthroughs #GeneticsRevolution #HumanGenome #GeneTherapy #FutureOfMedicine.
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Researchers at the University of Turku, Finland, have succeeded in producing sensors from single-wall carbon nanotubes that could enable major advances in health care, such as continuous health monitoring. Single-wall carbon nanotubes are nanomaterial consisting of a single atomic layer of graphene.
A long-standing challenge in developing the material has been that the nanotube manufacturing process produces a mix of conductive and semi-conductive nanotubes which differ in their chirality, i.e., in the way the graphene sheet is rolled to form the cylindrical structure of the nanotube. The electrical and chemical properties of nanotubes are largely dependent on their chirality.
Han Li, Collegium Researcher in materials engineering at the University of Turku, has developed methods to separate nanotubes with different chirality. In the current study, published in Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, the researchers succeeded in distinguishing between two carbon nanotubes with very similar chirality and identifying their typical electrochemical properties.
