In the mid 19th century, French neurologist Guillaume Duchenne wanted to distinguish real smiles from fake. Interested in the response of nerves and muscles to stimulation, he applied electricity to particular parts of faces to see the results. He divided smiles into two groups: those that involved the crinkling of the eyes – sincere smiles
Blood flow changes in the brains of children, adolescents and young adults with chronic kidney disease may explain why many face a higher risk of cognitive impairment, according to a study published online in the journal Radiology. Prior research has linked chronic kidney disease, a condition characterized by the loss of kidney function over time,
Cells have traditionally been categorized into different types, such as T-cells and B-cells, based on observable features. But new research published in Nature Communications shows cells are far more complex. Purdue University researchers created an algorithm called ACTION to group cells based on their primary function and pinpoint the genes responsible for those functions. They
According to a report by the World Health Organization, close to 1 in 10 people in the world are affected by anxiety and/or depression. Alarmingly, the amount has nearly doubled, from 416 million to 615 million, between 1990 and 2013. Since adequate treatments are still lacking for many patients, the scientists at the Max Planck
Stroke is the most common cause of adult disability. This is due not only to the high incidence of stroke, but also because spontaneous recovery is often incomplete and no drugs are available that hasten recovery. Mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor MANF is neuroprotective when administered before experimental stroke in rats. A massive immune response mediated
To diagnose rheumatoid arthritis, antibodies to the amino acid citrulline are commonly measured. A new study from Uppsala University shows that a broad mix of different antibodies in the joints is the dominant factor that can be associated with severe inflammation and joint damage. These findings, published in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, may eventually
People who are prescribed a combination pill to manage their high blood pressure are more likely to take their medicine as instructed and have better health outcomes than those who take the same medications prescribed as separate pills, according to a new study published today. “Using single-pill combinations rather than multiple pills may represent a
A new study of the educational needs of students who are native users of American Sign Language (ASL) shows glaring disparities in their treatment by the U.S Department of Education. The article, “If you use ASL, should you study ESL? Limitations of a modality-b(i)ased policy”, by Elena Koulidobrova (Central Connecticut State University), Marlon Kunze (Gallaudet
Clinicians may take upwards of 15 minutes to double-check a patient’s medication list in an electronic health record system, but according to a new study, this reconciliation process may be well worth the time for diabetes patients. In a paper to be published in the Diabetes Care journal, Brigham and Women’s Hospital physician Alexander Turchin,
Researchers at Western University have shown that our brains are pre-wired to perceive wrinkles around the eyes as conveying more intense and more sincere emotions. This eye-wrinkle feature, called the Duchenne marker, occurs across multiple facial expressions, including smiles, expressions associated with pain, and —as found by these researchers—expressions of sadness. Using a method called
If you’ve suffered a sinus infection, you probably want to do whatever you can to avoid suffering from it again. Symptoms are worse than those of a cold, and often make it difficult to go to work or complete your usual daily activities. When you do feel that telltale stuffed nose and headache, though, it
A new study conducted at the University of California, Davis found that two cups of mangos a day had beneficial effects on systolic blood pressure among healthy postmenopausal women. Mango consumption helped relax blood vessels in as little as two hours after intake. Additionally, some of the participants showed favorable changes in the production of
The findings revealed that a special group of genes that function within the body’s normal DNA repair process were vital to the effectiveness of p53. This new information could help doctors to better identify patients with an increased risk of developing certain cancers. It could also help to develop safer, more effective treatments for patients.
In the current issue of Cardiovascular Innovations and Applications , Dipankar Gupta, Jana Reid, Diego Moguillansky, Renata Shih, Mark S. Bleiweis, Frederick J. Fricker and Biagio A. Pietra from the Congenital Heart Center, Department of Pediatrics, UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA consider how with improvements in surgical and medical
In the current issue of Cardiovascular Innovations and Applications , Ali N. Zaidi and W. Aaron Kay from Columbus Ohio Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program, The Heart Center, Nationwide Children’s Hospital and Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA and the Division of Pediatric Cardiology, The Heart Center,
In the current issue of Cardiovascular Innovations and Applications , researchers Ahmed Kheiwa, Anushree Agarwal and Anitha John from the Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA and the Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Children’s National Health System, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA provide a
Treating severe skin conditions with UV light rather than creams, pills and injections could save the NHS millions of pounds while improving patient outcomes, according to a new University of Dundee study. Dr. John Foerster and colleagues from the University’s School of Medicine found the annual per-patient cost of filtered UV light treatment, known as
Consumers who perceive the benefits of large sums of money promised in mass marketing scams (MMS) are more likely to discount the risks and fall prey to perpetrators, according to new research co-authored by the University of Plymouth. The study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology, also shows that less-educated consumers are more likely
Researchers at Emory University have found that depressed patients who have not responded to multiple antidepressants exhibit evidence of increased inflammation. Findings were recently published online in the journal, Psychoneuroendocrinology. The study shows that antidepressant treatment resistance is associated with increased inflammatory markers in patients with depression. One third of patients with depression fail to
A new study reveals that pediatric neuroblastoma patients are at elevated risk for long-term psychological impairment. In addition, those who experience such impairment as they get older tend to require special education services and to not go on to college. The findings are published early online in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer