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Category: health – Page 8

Spaceflight study reveals men experience greater eye changes, while brain differences between sexes are subtle

A new study into how spaceflight impacts the human brain and eyes revealed notable sex differences in brain fluid shifts, with female astronauts showing a greater reduction in fluid around the uppermost part of the brain than their male counterparts.

Led by Rachael D. Seidler, Ph.D., director of the University of Florida’s Astraeus Space Institute and professor of applied physiology and kinesiology, the study analyzed data from astronauts to determine how factors such as sex, age and body metrics relate to structural and eye changes after .

The findings, published in npj Microgravity, provide key information for protecting astronaut health on long-duration missions to the moon and Mars.

Sensory expectations configure neural responses before disturbances occur, study reveals

A study led by Jonathan Michaels, a Faculty of Health professor at York’s School of Kinesiology and Health Science, reveals how the brains of humans and monkeys use sensory expectations to prepare for unexpected disturbances, enabling faster and more accurate motor responses.

Published today in Nature, the study demonstrates that motor circuits across the brain do not passively wait for sensory signals. Instead, they proactively anticipate potential challenges, configuring themselves to respond effectively to disturbances. The research represents a significant leap forward in uncovering the brain’s predictive capabilities and its role in .

This advancement provides a clearer picture of the neural mechanisms underlying movement preparation and response, illustrating how expectation itself enhances precision and stability. The discovery opens new pathways for improving rehabilitation techniques and advancing brain-computer interface technology.

Why Some 80-Year-Olds Have the Memory of 50-Year-Olds

For 25 years, scientists have studied “SuperAgers”—people aged 80 and above whose memory rivals those decades younger. Research reveals that their brains either resist Alzheimer’s-related plaques and tangles or remain resilient despite having them.

These individuals maintain a youthful brain structure, with a thicker cortex and unique neurons linked to memory and social skills. Insights from their biology and behavior could inspire new strategies to protect cognitive health into late life.

For the past 25 years, researchers at Northwestern Medicine have been examining people aged 80 and older, known as “SuperAgers,” to uncover why their minds stay so sharp.

Skin-inspired organic biosensors can reliably track health-related signals in real-time

The rapid advancement of sensing and artificial intelligence (AI) systems has paved the way for the introduction of increasingly sophisticated wearable devices, such as fitness trackers and technologies that closely monitor signals associated with specific diseases or medical conditions. Many of these wearable electronics rely on so-called biosensors, devices that can convert biological responses into measurable electrical signals in real-time.

While and other are now widely used, the signals that many existing devices pick up are sometimes inaccurate or distorted. This is because the bending of sensors, moisture and temperature fluctuations sometimes produce inaccurate readings and drifts (i.e., gradual changes that are unrelated to a measured signal).

Researchers at Stanford University have developed new skin-inspired biosensors based on organic field effect transistors (OFETs), devices based on organic semiconductors that control the flow of current in electronics.

Merck Videos

Strategic Investments To Improve Patients’ Lives — Joel Krikston — Managing Director Venture Investments, [#Merck](https://www.facebook.com/watch/hashtag/merck?__eep__=6%2F&__cft__[0]=AZWHa0kseUKzVNcB3y0qk8cwqKXrjPP9UHHhebflI6mZJnviQw17L_42P2gl-qGy_e2nvTkuEHEy3wU-ru0SkJ7BqaUNULXHPS8QJnyFad71Ur_o9bODPNd_7Qk9jcnY_ftbVN0gZHTGyveR05k3WGcA8J2Vm_cyhkoo0w0kkbPi0qgSkNThFHMOi_ERtUgFhJqdO4otO9uKSoxgc4Joq0xf&__tn__=*NK-R) Global Health Innovation Fund / Co-Founder, [#MSD](https://www.facebook.com/watch/hashtag/msd?__eep__=6%2F&__cft__[0]=AZWHa0kseUKzVNcB3y0qk8cwqKXrjPP9UHHhebflI6mZJnviQw17L_42P2gl-qGy_e2nvTkuEHEy3wU-ru0SkJ7BqaUNULXHPS8QJnyFad71Ur_o9bODPNd_7Qk9jcnY_ftbVN0gZHTGyveR05k3WGcA8J2Vm_cyhkoo0w0kkbPi0qgSkNThFHMOi_ERtUgFhJqdO4otO9uKSoxgc4Joq0xf&__tn__=*NK-R) Idea Studios, joins me on Progress, Potential, And Possibilities.

Merck | 22K people are posting about this.

Chemists discover antibiotic for drug-resistant bacteria ‘hiding in plain sight’

Chemists from the University of Warwick and Monash University have discovered a promising new antibiotic that shows activity against drug-resistant bacterial pathogens, including MRSA and VRE

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the world’s most urgent health challenges, with the WHO’s new report showing there are ‘too few antibacterials in the pipeline. Most of the ‘low-hanging fruit’ has already been found, and the limited commercial incentives deter investment in antibiotic discovery.

In a study published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, researchers from the Monash Warwick Alliance Combating Emerging Superbug Threats Initiative have discovered a promising new antibiotic—pre-methylenomycin C lactone.

Turning Point in Heart Health Occurs at 1 Key Age (It’s Younger Than You’d Think)

Emerging adulthood – the life stage that unfolds around ages 18–25 – is full of major transitions, such as starting college or learning a trade, making new friends and romantic connections, and generally becoming more independent.

It’s also a stage where behaviors that diminish heart health, such as spending more time sitting, consuming more fast food, and using more tobacco and alcohol, become more common.

In fact, only about 1 in 4 youths maintain positive health behavior patterns during the transition to adulthood.

Scientists smash record in stacking semiconductor transistors for large-area electronics

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST; Saudi Arabia) researchers have set a record in microchip design, achieving the first six-stack hybrid CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) for large-area electronics. With no other reported hybrid CMOS exceeding two stacks, the feat marks a new benchmark in integration density and efficiency, opening possibilities in electronic miniaturization and performance.

A paper detailing the team’s research appears in Nature Electronics.

Among microchip technologies, CMOS microchips are found in nearly all electronics, from phones and televisions to satellites and medical devices. Compared with conventional silicon chips, hybrid CMOS microchips hold greater promise for large-area electronics. Electronic miniaturization is crucial for flexible electronics, smart health, and the Internet of Things, but current design approaches are reaching their limits.

Physical activity raises daily calorie burn without conserving energy used elsewhere, study finds

The effects of physical activity don’t stop when the movement does. In a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Virginia Tech researchers, in collaboration with researchers at the University of Aberdeen and Shenzhen University, have found that being active adds to the total energy you use every day without causing the body to conserve energy in other ways.

This is important because the health benefits of increasing are already well-documented, but there is less research about how exercise impacts a person’s “energy budget,” or the allocation of energy to different bodily functions.

It has been thought that a person’s energy budget functions in one of two ways: like a fixed salary where energy is redistributed from other functions to cover the cost of movement, or like a flexible, commission-based system that is additive and allows for increased . The team wanted to determine which model better explains how the energy budget actually changes across different levels of physical activity.

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