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(04/28/16 6:28pm)
Recently a team of researchers from Binghamton University have discovered that humans have unique “brainprints,” which can be measured by using an electroencephalogram (EEG) to visualize the unique brain activity that occurs when different individuals are exposed to the same images. The researchers believe that their discovery could replace current security and identification methods such as fingerprint identification, retinal scans and DNA fingerprinting.
(04/21/16 6:16pm)
While few people claim that fresh fruit and vegetables are unhealthy, a recent study shows that fresh produce might carry long-term health benefits in addition to its short-term nutritional value.
(04/14/16 6:04pm)
Animals adapt to survive. When we think of this concept, we can imagine animals facing challenges in the wild: foraging for food, searching for shelter or competing for a mate. Recent studies show that animals living in our cities also need to adapt in order to survive in the urban jungle. Some of their unique adaptations allow them to survive just as well as, if not better than, their counterparts in the wild.
(04/07/16 7:21pm)
Hippocrates, who lived in ancient Greece, first described a connection between seasonality and disease almost 2,500 years ago, and the study of the seasonality of birth and its relationship to health and disease has been the focus of many research projects in recent years.
(03/31/16 10:24pm)
Obesity has more than doubled worldwide since 1980. Currently, about 600 million people are considered obese and about two billion individuals are considered overweight. The factors that have caused this explosion are debatable, with evolving food trends, economic stressors and changes in the built environment ranking among the front-runners in terms of explaining the rise in obesity.
(03/10/16 3:48pm)
The next time you see a child coloring, take a moment and observe him or her. It may seem like this child is consumed with the experience and not showing any signs of stress or despair. Perhaps the child is even showing outward signs of enjoyment and relaxation. A recent movement suggests that coloring might have similar effects on adults as well.
(03/03/16 3:08pm)
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) consists of a group of neurodevelopmental disorders. Individuals with autism tend to experience social, emotional and communication skill disabilities.
(02/25/16 9:24pm)
We all carry a unique assemblage of bacterial colonies in and on ourselves that we began to collect before we were born and that continues to evolve as we pass through life. This “microbiome” helps us to fend off pathogenic bacteria and keeps us healthy. However, it can also cause health problems.
(02/18/16 6:00pm)
First discovered in Uganda in 1947 as a mosquito-borne virus that caused a brief, mild illness, the Zika virus’s notoriety has expanded significantly as it continues to live up to its recent designation by the World Health Organization as a global public health emergency.
(02/11/16 10:12pm)
The expression “we are not alone” is truly an understatement when considering the number of microbes that live in and on the human body.
(02/04/16 7:51pm)
The next time you enter a classroom for a test, you might want to choose a seat that has a view of a green landscape. You may do better on the test and be less stressed, according to the results of a recently published study.
(01/29/16 4:31pm)
Winter storm Jonas blew through the Homewood Campus on Jan. 22-25, leaving upwards of 30 inches of snow in its path.
(04/30/15 8:07pm)
Almost half of Costa Rica is covered by forests that host an array of flora and fauna, including a newly discovered specie of glass frogs.
(04/23/15 1:11pm)
Hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking, has become a controversial subject in recent years as it becomes a more and more common way to dredge natural gas and petroleum out of the ground. However, the process may not be safe for people who live near the fracking sites. A recent study by researchers at the Bloomberg School of Public Health has suggested that increased levels of radon in homes in Pennsylvania are related to the onset of fracking in the area.
(04/16/15 3:13pm)
Injecting someone with a virus in order to cure brain cancer may sound surprising, but it also may be the cancer treatment of the future. Although still at the beginning of their research, scientists at Duke University have successfully used the polio virus to treat brain tumors. Each year, eight out of every 100,000 persons in the United States are diagnosed with primary malignant brain tumors, representing about two percent of all cancers diagnosed. Primary brain tumors localize in the brain and rarely travel to other parts of the body. Brain tumors that are considered “malignant” are life-threatening and invade the normal brain tissue that surrounds it, growing rapidly. Malignant brain tumors may also spread to the spine. Brain tumors are caused by an abnormal change in the cells’ genes. In most cases the cause is unknown and could have resulted from a complex set of circumstances. This change in the structure of the genetic material is thought to result from inherited genes, environmental factors or even just a random mutation. Gliomas are specific types of tumors that occur within the brain and are the most commonly diagnosed brain tumors. These tumors are thought to arise from glial tissue, which has the role of supporting and nourishing the brain tissue. They are graded I (most optimistic outlook) to IV (most malignant) based on their microscopic appearance. The grade is indicative of their malignancy; growth rate, blood supply, presence of a necrotic center, invasive potential and similarity to normal cells are taken into account. Glioblastomas are grade IV tumors that are highly aggressive, growing rapidly and spreading quickly to other parts of the brain. Early symptoms depend upon the region of the brain that the tumor invades. Sometimes glioblastomas are discovered only when a brain scan is done for some other unrelated reason. These tumors are difficult to treat because they are composed of different types of cells that may or may not respond to certain types of therapies. Also, the tumors commonly contain finger-like projections, which make surgical removal particularly challenging. Once diagnosed, brain tumors can be treated by several methods. Tumors may be removed during an open skull surgical procedure called a craniotomy; however, if the tumor is located in an inaccessible location or near critical structures, a surgical procedure may cause damage to other areas of the brain. Stereotactic radiosurgery is a technique using Cobalt-60 radiation to damage the tumor cells to the extent that they are unable to reproduce and perform their cellular activity. Radiotherapy uses multiple treatments of radiation from linear accelerator machines. Chemotherapy employs pharmaceutical medicines to kill abnormal cells. However, many are plagued with toxic side effects so sometimes the treatment regime consists of a combination of methods. Recently, a new, radical treatment method for brain tumors has been introduced by the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center. The idea of employing viruses to attack cancer tumors has existed for over 100 years. However, only recent advances in the application of genetic engineering to these viruses have made the practical use of this technology a reality. Dr. Matthias Gromeier is a molecular biologist at Duke University and has been working on the application of viruses to treat cancer tumors for 25 years. He has developed a method to slightly alter the virus by removing the part of its genetic material that makes it harmful to normal cells. Then, the virus can only make more copies of itself using the only other cells around — the cancer cells. During this process, it kills the cancer cells and leaves the normal surrounding cells unharmed. These “oncolytic viruses” are therefore altered so they only infect and kill cancer cells. Stephanie Lipscomb, a 23-year-old nursing student from South Carolina, was the first patient to receive a successful oncolytic virus treatment for her brain tumor. Lipscomb was diagnosed with a stage IV glioblastoma when she was 20 years old, and doctors predicted she would only have two years left to live. She underwent surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The tumor reoccurred each time. In 2012, Lipscomb underwent an experimental treatment at Duke University Medical Center. Doctors there injected a genetically modified polio virus directly into her brain tumor. The entire procedure took over six hours. The tumor began to shrink, disappeared and has not returned to date. There is no sign of a tumor in Lipscomb’s brain now, and the word “cured” is being used by some of her doctors. While this new treatment modality is promising, researchers at Duke caution that much more work is needed before it can become routine. For Stephanie Lipscomb, however, it is a lifesaver.
(04/02/15 2:19pm)
As full-time students, most of us spend a lot of time indoors, and that could be hurting our health.
(03/26/15 2:16pm)
On Earth, plant and animal species are continuously going extinct — more species are extinct than are alive on our planet right now.
(03/12/15 4:11pm)
Contrary to popular belief, elephants do not eat peanuts. According to the Ringling Brothers, they are too small for their trunks to grasp. That’s unfortunate for them because recent studies suggest that eating this legume may lower the risk for cardiovascular disease and death.
(03/05/15 5:55pm)
Antibiotics are the most commonly prescribed medicine in the United States, but are they always really necessary?
(03/05/15 5:44pm)
Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, a war is raging on in our bodies and we are totally unaware of it. What are these combatants that are scheming against each other to win ultimate control?