Sixth sense: How do we sense electric fields? A variety of animals are able to sense and react to electric fields, and living human cells will move along an electric field, for example in wound healing. Now researchers have found the first actual 'sensor mechanism' that allows a living cell detect an electric field.
Breast cancer drug beats super bug Researchers have found that the breast cancer drug tamoxifen gives white blood cells a boost, better enabling them to respond to, ensnare and kill bacteria in laboratory experiments. Tamoxifen treatment in mice also enhances clearance of the antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogen MRSA and reduces mortality.
Extra brain cells make males remember sex A pair of neurons have been found in the brain of male nematode worms that allow them to remember and seek sex even at the expense of food. These neurons, which are male-specific, are required for sex-based differences in learning, suggesting that sex differences in cognitive abilities can be genetically hardwired. This is important as very little is known about how brains vary to give the two sexes different preferences, aptitudes and judgments.
Maternal chronic stress linked to more dental cavities in children Chronic maternal stress, when measured by biological markers, has been found for the first time to be associated with a higher prevalence of cavities among children Chronic stress was also found to be linked to lower probabilities of breastfeeding and dental visits by children.
Physical activity, sadness, and suicidality in bullied U.S. adolescents Across the U.S., nearly 20% of students report being bullied on school property. Bullying is associated with academic struggle, low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and self-harm. Exercise has been widely reported to have robust positive effects on mental health including reduction in depression, anxiety, and substance abuse, and now research suggests that exercise for 4 or more days per week is associated with an approximate 23% reduction in both suicidal ideation and attempt in bullied adolescents in the United States.
Childhood kidney stones associated with atherosclerosis. A recent study is the first to examine and identify a link between kidney stones in children and thickened or hardened arteries -- precursors to a wide variety of cardiovascular diseases. Understanding the connection between kidney stones and cardiovascular risk factors in children may help physicians and parents implement prevention measures to reduce future risk of stroke, heart attack or other forms of vascular disease for affected children.
Benefits of word repetition to infants New research suggests that young infants benefit from hearing words repeated by their parents. With this knowledge, parents may make conscious communication choices that could pay off in their babies' toddler years and beyond
Bust up big kidney stones with tamsulosin Tamsulosin works no better than placebo on small kidney stones, but does improve passage of more large kidney stones than placebo does, a new study concludes. 83.3 percent of patients treated with tamsulosin whose kidney stones measured between 5 and 10 millimeters in length passed their stones, compared to only 61 percent of those who were treated with placebo.
iPSCs show promise for kidney treatment Renal progenitor cells derived from human iPS cells were shown to have therapeutic effects when transplanted into acute kidney injury model mice. The transplants resulted in a significant reduction of fibrosis, suggesting that they may have preventative measures against chronic kidney disease.
New mussel-inspired surgical protein glue: Close wounds, open medical possibilities Inspired by nature's wonders, scientists have developed new light-activated adhesive hydrogel that is mussel protein-based. The innovative surgical protein glue, called LAMBA, not only closes an open wound on a wet bleeding site within less than 60 seconds but also effectively facilitates the healing process without inflammation or a scar.
