Painkillers such as morphine have transformed the way pain can be controlled—but there are drawbacks, not least the risk of overdose or becoming dependent. The havoc and misery caused by over-prescribing these drugs in the US has seen hundreds of…
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Projecting early molecular signatures of AD through the convergence study of omics and AI
The Korea Brain Research Institute (headed by Suh Pann-ghill) announced on July 24 the discovery that an increase in amyloid-beta in the brain alters cholesterol biosynthesis, which was found by Dr. Cheon Mookyung of KBRI through RNA-seq analysis data (omics)…
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Here’s the real difference between freckles and moles
Sometimes moles, or what we think are moles, can add unexpected anxiety around our health. Whether you’re someone who has always had a few of these dark spots, or are seeing new ones pop up over time, they can be…
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Cloth face masks can reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2: new study
A literature review coordinated by Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and McMaster University in Canada demonstrates that cloth face masks provide clinically useful levels of filtration, which has the potential to reduce the spread of viruses such as SARS-CoV-2. The findings,…
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Birth at a time of national emergency: from the second world war to coronavirus
Women the world over have had their pregnancy and birth experiences drastically altered as a result of the global pandemic. In the UK, the NHS had to quickly put measures in place to ensure that it could safely continue to…
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The surprising reason you get goosebumps
Everything about goosebumps is strange. There’s the name. There’s the way they look on our skin: rows after rows of tiny, pin-prick pimples, fine hairs rising from the centers like the bristles on a toothbrush. Then there are the many,…
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Thermal cameras aren’t perfect, but they can help control the coronavirus pandemic
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the world has rushed to deploy infrared thermal imaging cameras (also known as infrared radiometers) to measure people’s temperature and the technology has become big business. Since the pandemic began, thermal cameras have been…
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Get a proper chair, don’t eat at your desk, and no phones in the loo: How to keep your home workspace safe and hygienic
The onset of COVID-19 saw a dramatic shift, with many in the workforce suddenly finding themselves working from home. As hashtags sprung up on social media documenting makeshift work-from-home setups, it rapidly became evident that for many workers, their new…
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Bacteria in the gut have a direct line to the brain
With its 100 million neurons, the gut has earned a reputation as the body’s “second brain”—corresponding with the real brain to manage things like intestinal muscle activity and enzyme secretions. A growing community of scientists are now seeking to understand…
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A brief history of masks from the 17th-century plague to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic
As of July 18, it is mandatory to wear masks in indoor public spaces in Québec following similar edicts across the country. While inspired by growing evidence that masks can reduce the spread of COVID-19, this seems deeply ironic in…
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