Category: Health

New view on the mechanisms of how the brain works

Tom Patriot

After a series of studies, researchers at Lund University in Sweden, together with colleagues in Italy, have shown that not only one part, but most parts of the brain can be involved in processing the signals that arise from touch. The results open the way for a new approach to how the brain’s network of neurons processes information, and thereby the mechanisms by which the brain works. The researchers conducted in-depth analyses of how touch signals are transferred and processed in neurons of various parts of the brain and the…

Read More

Being a car commuter with obesity linked to a 32% increased early death risk

Tom Patriot

New research presented at this year’s European Congress on Obesity in Glasgow, Scotland (28 April — 1 May) shows that individuals with obesity who commute by car have a 32% higher risk of death, from any cause, compared with those individuals with a normal weight and commute via cycling and walking. The study is by Edward Toke-Bjolgerud, University of Glasgow, UK, and colleagues. Previous work, using UK Biobank data, has shown that active commuting, mainly cycling, was associated with a 50% lower risk of death, from any cause, and heart…

Read More

The “Vampire Facial” May Have Exposed Patients to HIV and Hepatitis B and C in a New Mexico Spa, Says the New Mexico Department of Health

Tom Patriot

(UPDATE May, 2019): Last September, it was reported by the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) that “vampire facials” at VIP Spa in Albuquerque may have exposed patients to HIV and hepatitis B and C. Now, the New Mexico Department of Health is advising anyone who’s gotten a vampire facial at the spa to get tested for HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C as soon as possible. In addition, the NMDOH is recommending that former clients get tested if they had any injection-related procedure performed at VIP Spa, especially if it was done…

Read More

Early lipids boost brain growth for vulnerable micro-preemies

Tom Patriot

Dietary lipids, already an important source of energy for tiny preemies, also provide a much-needed brain boost by significantly increasing global brain volume as well as increasing volume in regions involved in motor activities and memory, according to research presented during the Pediatric Academic Societies 2019 Annual Meeting. “Compared with macronutrients like carbohydrates and proteins, lipid intake during the first month of life is associated with increased overall and regional brain volume for micro-preemies,” says Catherine Limperopoulos, Ph.D., director of MRI Research of the Developing Brain at Children’s National and…

Read More

It’s OK to indulge once in a while, study suggests: The body adapts to occasional short-term overeating

Tom Patriot

Overeating has been found to impair blood sugar (glucose) control and insulin levels. A new study suggests that the duration of a bout of overeating can affect how the body adapts glucose and insulin processing when calorie intake increases. The article is published ahead of print in the American Journal of Physiology — Endocrinology and Metabolism. Obesity and type 2 diabetes have increased significantly worldwide within the past 30 years. Lifestyle factors such as overindulging in high-calorie foods play a large role in the development of these two serious health conditions.…

Read More