Researchers have identified a causal genetic variant strongly associated with childhood obesity. The study provides new insight into the importance of the hypothalamus of the brain and its role in common childhood obesity and the target gene may serve as a druggable target for future therapeutic interventions.
The health benefits of exercise are well known but new research shows that the body's response to exercise is more complex and far-reaching than previously thought. In a study on rats, a team of scientists has found that physical activity causes many cellular and molecular changes in all 19 of the organs they studied in the animals.
The team discovered that an essential nutrient called choline is transported into the brain, across the blood-brain barrier, by a protein transporter called FLVCR2. This is discovery will inform future design of drugs for diseases such as Alzheimer's and stroke, mimicking choline so they can be smuggled into the brain.
The mysteries of how memory works are explained in a new book that suggests anyone can boost their powers of recall -- and that losing your keys is normal.
Working with teens, researchers designed RESeT: a snowy virtual world with six activities intended to improve mood. In a 3-week study of 44 teens, researchers found that most of the teens used the technology about twice a week without being prompted and reported lower stress levels after using the environment.
Researchers have found that cells inside clogged arteries have cancer-like properties that aggravate atherosclerosis, and anticancer drugs could be a new treatment.
Better than expected life expectancy in two disadvantaged areas in England is probably due to population change according to local residents and professionals. In the UK, people from the most disadvantaged areas can expect to die nine years earlier compared with people from the least disadvantaged areas while people in the north of England have lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and worse health and wellbeing compared with national averages.
Scientists have discovered that calcium plays a significant role in enhancing the resistance of potato plants to bacterial wilt.
A research team using the ChemCam instrument onboard NASA's Curiosity rover discovered higher-than-usual amounts of manganese in lakebed rocks within Gale Crater on Mars, which indicates that the sediments were formed in a river, delta, or near the shoreline of an ancient lake.
Women are 40% more likely to experience depression in the perimenopause than those who aren't experiencing any menopausal symptoms, finds a new study.
With recent studies having established the presence of nano and microplastic particles in the respiratory systems of both human and bird populations, new research has modeled what happens when people breathe in different kinds of plastic particles and where they end up.
A novel combination of two cancer drugs has shown great potential as a future treatment for patients with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), one of the most common types of blood cancers. A new study has revealed the combination of two existing drugs eradicated AML cancer cells in lab-based tests. The discovery could soon lead to clinical trials.
Researchers have provided new age estimates and revised provenance information for the Liujiang human fossils, shedding light on the presence of Homo sapiens in the region. Using advanced dating techniques including U-series dating on human fossils, and radiocarbon and optically stimulated luminescence dating on fossil-bearing sediments, the study revealed new ages ranging from approximately 33,000 to 23,000 years ago. Previously, studies had reported ages of up to 227,000 years of age for the skeleton.
The body clock has a significant impact on the performance of NBA players. Data shows vastly better win ratio for home teams from the Western Time Zone Area (PDT) when playing an EDT team, compared to vice versa.
For the first time since 1914, a new species of the Japanese lily known as sukashiyuri has been identified. A research team analyzed the morphology and DNA of these lilies and has revised the conventional classification from four taxonomic groups to eight.
Researchers have identified a novel Heat Shock Factor (HSF), designated as HSF5, which plays a crucial role in the completion of meiosis and the activation of genes essential for sperm formation. This discovery provides valuable insights into underlying causes of spermatogenic failure, the major contributor to male infertility. Furthermore, unlike other typical Heat Shock Factors, which primarily regulate gene expression in response to stress, such as heat shock, HSF5 plays a specific role in male germ production during meiosis under non-stress conditions.
A simple blood test could allow doctors to determine whether a person may be at higher risk for stroke or cognitive decline during their lifetime, according to a new study.
When adults became angry after remembering past experiences, the function of cells lining the blood vessels was negatively impaired, which may restrict blood flow, according to a new study. Previous research has found that this may increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. In this study, episodes of anxiety and sadness did not trigger the same change in functioning of the blood vessel lining.
A new computer model uses a better artificial intelligence process to measure snow and water availability more accurately across vast distances in the West, information that could someday be used to better predict water availability for farmers and others. The researchers predict water availability from areas in the West where snow amounts aren't being physically measured.
Conventional plant regeneration approaches by cell culture require the external application of plant growth regulators, including hormones. However, optimizing culture conditions can be laborious. Now, researchers have developed a novel plant regeneration system that omits the need for hormone application by genetically regulating the expression of genes that control plant cell differentiation. Their work holds significant potential in the development of genetically modified plants in a simpler and cost-effective manner.
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