Author: Tom Patriot

How skin ages, loses fat and immunity

Tom Patriot

This is a microscopic image of the skin reveals skin cells in blue and fat cells in green. The fat cell layer forms the final barrier against bacteria entering deep into the body. Dermal fibroblasts are specialized cells deep in the skin that generate connective tissue and help the skin recover from injury. Some fibroblasts have the ability to convert into fat cells that reside under the dermis, giving the skin a plump, youthful look and producing a peptide that plays a critical role in fighting infections. In a study…

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Fight or flight: Serotonin neurons prompt brain to make the right call

Tom Patriot

Serotonin neurons as seen from under a confocal laser scanning microscope, photographed by doctoral candidate Changwoo Seo and laboratory technician Andrew Recknagel. Known for its role in relieving depression, the neurochemical serotonin may also help the brain execute instantaneous, appropriate behaviors in emergency situations, according to a new Cornell study published Feb. 1 in Science. The researchers studied brain activity patterns in mice. If a mouse was experiencing a threat, dorsal raphe serotonin neurons would fire during movements. But, when there was a calm, positive environment, these serotonin neurons would fire…

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Lisa Rinna Had the Best Response When Someone Compared a Photo of Her and a Former Miss Universe in the Same Bikini

Tom Patriot

“Who wore it better?” photos are a social media tradition, but if you ask us, we would all be better off without them. Actress Lisa Rinna seems to agree. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star recently clapped back when a news outlet turned a photo of her wearing a bikini into a comparison with beauty contest winner. “Who wore it better #OliviaCulpo or #LisaRinna?!” Too Fab News wrote in a recent Instagram post with a side-by-side shot of each woman in the same Fendi bikini. Rinna wasted no time making it clear she was having none of…

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Exercise may improve thinking skills in people as young as 20

Tom Patriot

Regular aerobic exercise such as walking, cycling or climbing stairs may improve thinking skills not only in older people but in young people as well, according to a study published in the January 30, 2019, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study also found that the positive effect of exercise on thinking skills may increase as people age. The specific set of thinking skills that improved with exercise is called executive function. Executive function is a person’s ability to regulate their own behavior,…

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