March 25, 2021
Scientists have taken the connection between wisdom, loneliness and biology one step further, reporting that wisdom and loneliness appear to influence -- and/or be influenced by -- microbial diversity of the gut.
March 25, 2021
Pregnant women who consumed the caffeine equivalent of as little as half a cup of coffee a day on average had slightly smaller babies than pregnant women who did not consume caffeinated beverages, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health. The researchers found corresponding reductions in size and lean body mass for infants whose mothers consumed below the 200 milligrams of caffeine per day(link is external) — about two cups of coffee — believed to increase risks to the fetus. Smaller birth size can place infants at higher risk of obesity, heart disease and diabetes later in life.
Moderate daily caffeine intake during pregnancy may lead to smaller birth size
March 25, 2021
Scientists has found evidence that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, infects cells in the mouth. The findings point to the possibility that the mouth plays a role in transmitting SARS-CoV-2 to the lungs or digestive system via saliva laden with virus from infected oral cells. A better understanding of the mouth's involvement could inform strategies to reduce viral transmission within and outside the body.
Scientists find evidence that novel coronavirus infects the mouth's cells
March 25, 2021
Filters made from tree branches can purify drinking water sources, a new study finds. Prototypes of these xylem filters, tested in India, show promise as a low-cost, natural filtration option.
Engineers make filters from tree branches to purify drinking water
March 25, 2021
Early screening can mean the difference between life and death in a cancer and disease diagnosis. That's why researchers are working to develop a new screening technique that's more than 300 times as effective at detecting a biomarker for diseases like cancer than current methods. The technique uses nanoparticles to increase the sensitivity of ELISA.
March 25, 2021
Viruses churn out genetic material in parts of the cell where it's not supposed to be. Cancer cells do too. A new study shows that a tumor-suppressor enzyme called DAPK3 is an essential component of a multi-protein system that senses misplaced genetic material in tumor cells, and slows tumor growth by activating the fierce-sounding STING pathway.
March 25, 2021
Alzheimer's disease seems to progress faster in women than in men. The protein tau accumulates at a higher rate in women.
March 25, 2021
A study shows for the first time that long-term infection and chronic inflammation drive CH mediated by the loss of Dnmt3a function. In addition, the study offers key insights into the mechanism by which chronic inflammation leads to CH and demonstrates the critical role of DNMT3a in regulating normal HSC responses to infections.
Study reveals how long-term infection and inflammation impairs immune response as we age
March 25, 2021
A majority of menstruating women have experienced changes to their cycle over the last year, surveys suggest. One of the main culprits? Persistent stress
Pandemic periods: why women's menstrual cycles have gone haywire
March 24, 2021
The Women's Global Health Institute (WGHI) at Purdue on April 8 will host a virtual interview with Rita Colwell, a pioneering microbiologist and the first female director of the National Science Foundation, on her recent book “A Lab of One’s Own: One Woman’s Personal Journey Through Sexism in Science.”
