Science and Health News

Is 70 the new 60? A new Stony Brook University-led study  published in PLOS ONE uses new measures of aging with probabilistic projections from the United Nations to scientifically illustrate that one’s actual age is not necessarily the best measure of human aging itself, but rather aging should be based on the number of years people are likely to live in a given country in the 21st Century.

The Mediterranean diet, rich in plant-based foods, is associated with a variety of health benefits, including a lower incidence of dementia. Now, researchers at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University (LKSOM) have identified a specific ingredient that protects against cognitive decline: extra-virgin olive oil, a major component of the Mediterranean diet. In a study published online June 21 in the Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology, the researchers show that the consumption of extra-virgin olive oil protects memory and learning ability and reduces the formation of amyloid-beta plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain – classic markers of Alzheimer's disease.

Fungus specifically targets mosquitoes, is safe for humans and other insects

TAU researchers discover molecular pathway involved in toxic interaction between host cells and immune system

Gene transfer is seen as a hopeful therapy for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s patients. The approach involves using harmless laboratory-produced viruses to introduce important genes into the brain cells. In a study on mice, a team of researchers from Vetmeduni Vienna for the first time investigated how far these viruses spread in the brain and which cells they infect. Some of the artificial viruses travelled from the injection site in the brain as far as the olfactory bulb or the cerebellum and infected not only neurons but also other cells. The results, which were published in the journal Histochemistry and Cell Biology, could help to improve the selection of suitable viral “gene transporters” for custom therapies using gene transfer.

Biologists discover the immune system can eliminate cells with too many or too few chromosomes.

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have shown that for the virus that causes the flu, two wrongs can sometimes make a right.

Every human being has a unique DNA "fingerprint". In other words, the genetic material of any two individuals can be clearly distinguished. Computational biologists at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have now determined that the impact of these variations has been greatly underestimated. The new insights could importantly impact advances in personalized medicine.