Obesity is known to be a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes, as well as for the insulin resistance that's a hallmark of the disease. Mouse studies suggest that obesity results in the production of microRNAs by adipose tissue, which diminishes the ability of tissues to respond to insulin.
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This method uses revolutionary “dipstick” technology. The protocol involves a tissue sample that's ground up and the dipstick, made of wax-coated filter paper, is inserted, almost immediately capturing the DNA and RNA.
A single injection of a potential drug makes green lizards turn black in one minute. It's because the drug turns on the production of melanin, a colored pigment that protects us from sunlight. Could this drug reduce our chances of getting melanoma? Maybe.
It would almost be hilarious if it weren't so scary. The CDC warned of the possibility that raw milk from the Udder dairy might be contaminated with Brucella bacteria. These bugs can cause miscarriage in pregnant women and illness in everyone. And all this for the unproven and unlikely benefits of raw milk!
The people at the FDA probably never thought that they would have to officially state that DIY gene editing should not be done. But, they were wrong. People have not only started making HIV gene therapies in their living rooms, but, when they start injecting themselves on FB live, the FDA had to step in.
Jacob Thompson, a 9-year-old suffering from cancer, whose request to help him celebrate his last Christmas went viral – and was met with a global outpouring of love – has died. His death was due to neuroblastoma. What exactly is it?
The main difference between a cat and a lie – Mark Twain once said – is that a cat only has nine lives. As for today, the false linkage between autism and vaccinations continues.
Like most scientific endeavors, depression is hard to study in humans or non-human primates. So like many researchers, neuroscientists study depression in mice. But how can you tell whether a mouse is depressed? Here's how, and it's kind of fascinating.
1. In Las Vegas Review-Journal, Dr. Josh Bloom wrote about a worthwhile effort to combat deaths due to illegal opioids which has transformed into government interfering in the doctor-patient relationship. Though bad doctors have been arrested, and "pill mills" shut down, the overwhelming majority of harm has come from illegal purchases, not cancer patients in real pain.
Amidst the noise of the opioid crisis is a pernicious shift in power, from doctors and their patients to the government. In a futile attempt to fight the unwinnable war on drugs, many states are now restricting what doctors can prescribe. Dr. Josh Bloom whose recent Op-Ed appeared in the Las Vegas Tribune-Review, looks at this frightening trend.
In a nod to science, Newsweek reported that there might be genetic underpinnings to obesity. So kudos, for at least that. But why not share the actual science instead of dumbing it down to, “Regardless of how much you eat, your weight may be out of your hands?” For the scientifically-literate explanation, here it is.
In an effort to combat patient non-compliance with medications, the Food and Drug Administration approved the first pill with an ingestible tracking sensor. Will it be used for good or evil, or something in between?
Before you pay for the juice cleanse, learn how your body actually rids itself of harmful toxins absolutely free of charge. The American Chemical Society's video series explains how our very own bodies are equipped to help keep us clear of toxins.
A review paper (1) recently found that organic crop yields are 19-25% lower than conventional systems.
Predictions have it that this year's flu strain is bad. Tragically, a California toddler's recent death reminds us of just how virulent the flu can be. And he won't be alone. There are roughly 100 pediatric deaths a year from the flu. To see just how soon we will be walloped by flu cases, take a look at the graph in this article.
Vision techniques have become so sophisticated that you can sit in a chair, feel absolutely nothing, and walk out 30 minutes later with 20/20 vision. And, not only that, the knowledge imparted by an ophthalmological surgeon at Columbia University Medical Center in New York.
The rise of the industrial turkey is a story large enough to contain many narratives, which range from the salvation of agriculture to the rise of TV dinners. Indeed, it is a tale of American exceptionalism.
Alzheimer’s Disease is so frustrating to its victims, caregivers, and scientists looking for effective treatments. In what at first glance is a "Dracula moment," Alkahest – a Silicon Valley start-up – weighs in on the effects of infusing the plasma of younger, healthier individuals into patients with Alzheimer's.
Science struggles in a regulatory environment that increasingly puts the precautionary principle over benefit, and regulators that cater to environmental groups that view science as some corporate conspiracy.
“When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less.” - Alice in Wonderland
Science is, above all, a methodology designed for discovering objective “truths” about the natural world. All lawyers and politicians speak quite highly of Truth, and all routinely claim that it is on their side, rather than their opponents’, however, the real function of legal and political debate is not to discover truth, but to win. And, whenever “winning” is the prime directive,
To get us closer to an answer to that question, consider this example: The American Academy of Pediatrics’ recent strategy that makes it acceptable for doctors – as a last resort – to refuse to allow families who decline vaccination to be a part of their practice.
Regulations regarding the use of buprenorphine to help with opioid addiction do not hinder care - they are designed to protect patients and train physicians who did not have formal education in addiction management.
Nature is amazing. When potatoes go bad they sometimes turn green and produce a potent neurotoxin. But the chemical that's responsible for the green is chlorophyll, which is anything but toxic. How does the green color indicate that the potato is bad?
States and councils around Australia have been struggling since the imposition of import restrictions that exclude 99% of the recyclables that the country previously sold to China. Hopes are high that the federal government will step in and take a clear role.
Sepsis, sometimes inaccurately referred to as blood poisoning, is sparked by the body’s reaction to infection. Between 12 and 25 percent of patients with sepsis will die during hospitalization. Sepsis contributes to one-third to one-half of all in-hospital deaths.
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