For long periods of its history, artificial intelligence has lurked in the hinterland of science, often unloved and unfunded—but two Nobel prizes in one week suggest its time in the sunshine has finally arrived. First on Tuesday, Geoffrey Hinton and John Hopfield won the physics prize for their pioneering work in creating the foundations of modern [...]
A new study provides further evidence that consciousness depends on communication between the brain’s sensory and cognitive regions in the cortex. Our brains are constantly making predictions about our surroundings, enabling us to focus on and respond to unexpected events. A recent study explores how this predictive process functions during consciousness and how it [...]
UC study of Fernald data links environmental phenols to heart toxicities Environmental phenols are present in numerous everyday consumer products, serving as preservatives in packaged foods, parabens in shampoos, and bisphenol A (BPA) in plastic dishware. Consequently, people are consistently exposed to these chemicals on a daily basis. Some of these environmental phenols are [...]
University of Pittsburgh researchers report that deep brain stimulation (DBS) can effectively enhance motor functions in individuals with arm and hand paralysis due to brain injuries, with promising results from early human and monkey trials. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have demonstrated that deep brain stimulation can immediately improve arm [...]
Findings supported by the NIH pave the way for the development of genetic testing, clinical trials, and therapies. Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and their collaborators have discovered a gene linked to certain inherited retinal diseases (IRDs). These diseases, which impair the eye’s light-sensitive retina and pose a threat to vision, collectively affect [...]
Patients tolerated synthetic THC (dronabinol) well, without the adverse effects commonly associated with existing Alzheimer’s agitation medications. A study conducted by researchers from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Tufts University School of Medicine found that a pill form of dronabinol, an FDA-approved synthetic version of THC (the main ingredient in marijuana), reduces agitation in Alzheimer’s patients by an [...]
Understanding rare diseases Rare diseases affect less than 5 people out of 10,000. However, this still amounts to about 7% of the world’s population, with over 10,000 such conditions. Almost all are genetic in origin, with a few being autoimmune or infectious. Most such patients undergo a diagnostic and therapeutic odyssey involving extensive and [...]
The term ‘tripledemic’ has hit headlines this week as the NHS begins its Covid and fluvaccine roll-out for vulnerable adults. As the cold weather sets in, many of us have experienced a decline in health, and this may be due to a trio of viruses that are currently circulating around the UK. Older people, care home residents and [...]
Aug 15 (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared Cresilon's gel to quickly control bleeding, the privately held company said on Thursday, potentially giving emergency medical technicians and combat medics a tool to prevent death from blood loss. Unlike its previously approved product for small nicks and cuts, the new gel, [...]
The presence of microplastics in prostate tumors points to potential health risks, and researchers are calling for urgent studies to explore how take-out food may be driving this exposure. In a recent study published in the journal eBioMedicine, researchers attempted to identify, characterize, and quantify microplastics (including their abundances and types) found in human prostate tissue. [...]
