Oldest Technologies Scientists Still Can’t Explain
Author: Tom Patriot
Genetic switch controls conversion of bad to good fat
Fat cells are the bane of a dieter’s existence, but fat is important. Previous studies showed the subcutaneous white fat cells can transform to brown and beige varieties when exposed to cold stress. These dusky forms of fat, burn energy more effectively to keep an organism warm. Researchers at University of Utah Health have figured out a way to make more of these energy-burning fat cells. They have identified TLE3, a genetic switch that stops the conversion of white fat into these thermogenic varieties. The results are available online in…
Read MoreOpioid-exposed newborns may react to pain differently after birth
Babies exposed to opioids while their mothers were pregnant with them may need special care even before they start to experience withdrawal symptoms, according to Penn State research. Researchers from Penn State College of Medicine found that as soon as 24 and 48 hours after birth, babies who were exposed to opioids prenatally reacted more strongly to pain and scored higher on a skin conductance test, which measures the electrical differences in skin in response to pain or stress. Dr. Christiana Oji-Mmuo, assistant professor of pediatrics, said the study suggests…
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Home-schoolers see no added health risks over time
Years of home-schooling don’t appear to influence the general health of children, according to a Rice University study. A report by Rice kinesiology lecturer Laura Kabiri and colleagues in the Oxford University Press journal Health Promotion International puts forth evidence that the amount of time a student spends in home school is “weakly or not at all related to multiple aspects of youth physical health.” “Although there may be differences in the health of elementary through high school home-schoolers, those differences don’t seem to change with additional time spent in home school,”…
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