Culture
A group of proteins called 4E-BPs, involved in memory formation, is the key to unlocking the antidepressant effect of ketamine in the brain, according to researchers from three Canadian universities. The discovery could lead to better and safer treatments for certain patients suffering from major depression.
Because more than 30% of patients are resistant to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), the most commonly-prescribed antidepressants, finding an effective treatment for major depressive disorder is challenging.
LA JOLLA--(December 16, 2020) Getting computers to "think" like humans is the holy grail of artificial intelligence, but human brains turn out to be tough acts to follow. The human brain is a master of applying previously learned knowledge to new situations and constantly refining what's been learned. This ability to be adaptive has been hard to replicate in machines.
PHOENIX, Ariz. -- Dec. 15, 2020 -- The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), an affiliate of City of Hope, has identified a specific genetic target that could help explain the tremendous variation in how sick those infected with COVID-19 become.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A new study offers strong evidence that kids who use e-cigarettes are more likely to take up smoking or smokeless tobacco, researchers say.
Teen boys who vaped were almost three times as likely to start smoking as other teen boys with similar risk profiles and more than two times as likely to try smokeless tobacco, the study from The Ohio State University found. The research was published online this week in the journal Addictive Behaviors.
BOSTON - (December 16, 2020) - Intensive interventions to reduce blood glucose and blood pressure levels in type 2 diabetes reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN), a frequent but underdiagnosed complication of diabetes that can be life-threatening.
Natural variations in ultraviolet radiation influence the spread of COVID-19, but the influence is modest compared to preventive measures such as physical distancing, mask wearing, and quarantine, according to new research from Harvard University.
Groundbreaking research led by a team of scientists including a University of Massachusetts Amherst biostatistician shows that oral hormone therapy (HT) significantly alters the metabolome of postmenopausal women. This finding, which examined blood specimens from the landmark Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study, may help explain the disease risks and protective effects associated with different regimens of hormone therapy.
CAMBRIDGE, MA--December 16, 2020--In 2019, the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) published a consensus report for the US Congress--Reproducibility and Replicability in Science--which addressed a major methodological crisis in the sciences: The fact that many experiments and results are difficult or impossible to reproduce.
People in industrialized regions like the United States of America or Europe are generally urged to eat less meat and animal-source foods as part of a healthier and lower-emissions diet. But such recommendations are not universal solutions in low- or middle-income countries, where livestock are critical to incomes and diets, argue scientists in recently published research in Environmental Research Letters.
The spread of the Internet is shaping migration in profound ways. A McGill-led study of over 150 countries links Internet penetration with migration intentions and behaviours, suggesting that digital connectivity plays a key role in migration decisions and actively supports the migration process.
LA JOLLA, CA--Scientists at Scripps Research have demonstrated a promising new strategy for treating lymphomas, a group of cancers that begin in infection-fighting cells of the immune system called lymphocytes.
LA JOLLA, CA--Made in clandestine laboratories and sold widely across the United States, the diverse class of drugs known as synthetic cannabinoids presents a growing public health threat.
In a new study, Scripps Research scientists have devised a way to deactivate these designer drugs after they've been administered--offering a potential path for treating addiction and overdose.
A common analogy used to describe the brain is that it consists of tiny interconnected computers. Each one of these computers, or neurons, process and relay activity from thousands of other neurons, forming complex networks that allow us to perceive our surroundings, make decisions, and guide our actions. Communication between neurons occurs through tiny connections called synapses, and each neuron integrates the activity across these synapses to form a single output signal. However, not all synapses are created equal.
OTTAWA, ON _The COVID-19 pandemic is seriously affecting the sleep habits of half of those surveyed in a new study from The Royal and the University of Ottawa, leading to further stress and anxiety plus further dependence on sleep medication.
At some point, everyone experiences nausea. Whether it occurs after unwisely eating a week-old slice of pizza or as an accompaniment to a serious infection, that queasy, unsettling sensation centered around the stomach is a signal that something is amiss within the body and typically portends a bout of vomiting.
Most of the time, nausea is only temporary. But for some people, such as those on certain chemotherapy regimens, it can be severe, chronic and even life-threatening when it prevents patients from adhering to treatment.