Lifeboat Foundation

Researchers from Baylor College of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, and their collaborators have identified a novel compound called BHB-Phe, which is naturally produced by the body. Published in the journal Cell, their findings reveal that BHB-Phe regulates appetite and body weight by interacting with neurons in the brain.

Until now, BHB has been known as a compound produced by the liver to be used as fuel. However, in recent years, scientists have found that BHB increases in the body after fasting or exercise, prompting interest in investigating potential beneficial applications in obesity and diabetes.

AI be leveraged to improve cybersecurity and health equity #PopHealthIT

For Global Health Equity Week, HIMSS senior principal of cybersecurity and privacy Lee Kim describes some of the ways how privacy and security intersect with health access and patient engagement – and how artificial intelligence can help.

These conditions can have symptoms similar to asthma, making it difficult to tell them apart.

Breast cancer is a major health concern worldwide, and early detection is crucial for effective treatment. Traditional imaging methods, such as mammography, have limitations, especially for women with dense breast tissue. Photoacoustic imaging, which combines light and sound to create detailed images of breast tissue, offers a promising alternative. However, recent research has highlighted a significant challenge: skin tone bias.

A team of researchers from Johns Hopkins University recently investigated how skin tone affects the visibility of breast cancer targets in photoacoustic imaging.

As reported in Biophotonics Discovery, the study focused on three image reconstruction methods: fast Fourier transform (FFT)-based reconstruction, delay-and-sum (DAS) beamforming, and short-lag spatial coherence (SLSC) beamforming. The study used simulations with different wavelengths (757800, and 1,064 nm), target sizes (0.5 to 3 mm), and skin tones (ranging from very light to dark).

A new variant of human mpox has claimed the lives of approximately 5% of people with reported infections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since 2023, many of them children. Since then, it has spread to several other countries. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on August 14. In addition, a different but rarely fatal mpox variant was responsible for an outbreak that has spread to more than 100 countries since 2022.

There is an urgent need for faster and more cost-effective diagnostic tools to curb the spread of mpox and to prepare for the possibility of a future global pandemic. Researchers from University of California School of Medicine, Boston University, and their colleagues have now developed an optical biosensor that can rapidly detect monkeypox, the virus that causes mpox. The technology could allow clinicians to diagnose the disease at the point of care rather than wait for lab results.

The team’s study is published in Biosensors and Bioelectronics.

Research from Yale School of Medicine indicates a strong link between air pollution levels and eczema prevalence in the U.S.

The study found that residents in high PM_2.5 areas are twice as likely to develop eczema, suggesting significant health implications of air pollution on skin conditions.

A new study published today, November 13, 2024, in the journal PLOS ONE has found that people living in areas with higher air pollution are more likely to have eczema. Led by Dr. Jeffrey Cohen of Yale School of Medicine, the study explores the potential environmental impact of industrialization on skin health.

This study explores how muscle contractions, such as those that occur during exercise, influence motor neurons—the cells responsible for controlling muscle movement.

There’s no doubt that exercise does a body good. Regular activity not only strengthens muscles but can bolster our bones, blood vessels, and immune system.

Now, MIT engineers have found that exercise can also have benefits at the level of individual neurons. They observed that when muscles contract during exercise, they release a soup of biochemical signals called myokines.

Continue reading “When muscles work out, they help neurons grow: Biochemical and physical effects of exercise could help heal nerves” »

With the holidays coming up I wanted to update this biohacking gift guide to help out anyone looking to get someone a health-promoting gift!

Looking for the best biohacking gifts for 2024? Look no further; we’ve got you covered.

Satellite Data Reveals How Environment Shapes Kids’ Brain Health https://neurosciencenews.com/environment-brain-development-28026/

Adverse childhood experiences can lead to adult symptoms of anxiety and depression, mediated by life history strategies, according to a study published in Biodemography & Social Biology.

Existing research underscores the psychological impact of early-life adversity, with theories across cognitive, behavioral, and evolutionary psychology exploring these long-term effects. The life history theory, specifically, offers insight by framing adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in terms of fast or slow life strategies, each with distinct reproductive and developmental adaptations suited to one’s environment.

Continue reading “Study examines how early experiences shape our mental health trajectory” »