Regular exercise is associated with a reduction in the odds of depressive symptoms by up to 19 per cent, according to estimates in a new study. Researchers used data from the 1958 British Birth Cohort, which tracked about 11,000 people in the UK who were all born in the same week in 1958 through their lives. […]
Tag: health
Do STIs influence the evolution of monogamy?
One might think that the rate of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) could have an impact on whether an organism evolves monogamous behaviour, but a new study shows that it’s likely not as important as other factors. Researchers built a mathematical model to assess whether the benefit of reducing infection risk via monogamous behaviour outweighs the […]
Drug-carrying nanoparticles could relieve sore eyes
Those suffering from dry eyes have to use eye drops as often as three times a day; a new nanoparticle-based technique could reduce that to once a week. Because our eyes naturally try to flush out any foreign substance, most of the drugs in an eye drop never actually reach the eye. The new nanoparticles […]
Saturated fat and heart disease, revisited
A new review suggests that national guidelines on the amount of saturated fats we consume per day need to be revisited. The authors note that while saturated fats can raise cholesterol levels, they have a relatively neutral impact on other key risk factors for cardiovascular disease, and that recent data from population studies challenge the […]
Pitcher plant inspires non-stick surface for medical implants
Researchers have developed a non-stick coating that could make implanted devices – such as blood catheters to artificial hearts – safer to use. Currently, some patients using these devices must be treated with drugs to prevent clots from forming, but these drugs pose risks to elderly or injured patients, making them prone to uncontrolled bleeding. The […]
China heats up
Eastern China experienced a record-breaking summer heatwave in 2013, but analysis shows that this extreme could soon become the new normal. Researchers looked at temperature records in eastern China from 1950 to 2013 and found that average summer temperatures have increased by 0.82 C during that time. Summers as hot as 2013 are now 60 […]
Electronic monitoring reveals poor handwashing among hospital patients
A new system for monitoring handwashing has revealed that patients in hospitals only wash their hands about 30 per cent of the time while using the washroom. The study used electronic transponders attached to hospital bracelets and soap and hand sanitizer dispensers; by picking up ultrasonic signals from these devices, researchers could track who was […]
Common cause: how genes influence autism
A new study finds that mutations in two very different genes can have similar effects on developing brain cells, shedding light on the origins of autism. Researchers looked at neuronal stem cells with mutations in one of two genes; in humans, each of these mutations leads to a different neurodevelopmental disorder, although both disorders are […]
Need a stress-buster? Try exercise
Exercise has a proven track record for relieving stress, yet less than half of Canadians use it this way, according to a recent study. A survey of 40,000 Canadians 15 or older found that exercise ranked 8th out of 13 coping strategies, below “talking to others”, “looking on the bright side”, “ignoring stress” and even […]
Who is spending time in emergency departments?
Patients who need admission to hospitals but don’t require an operating room or critical care bed spend the most time in the emergency departments (ED) according to a new report. The study analysed 10 million emergency-room visits from the National Ambulatory Care Reporting System (NACRS). Some of the findings include: 90 per cent of ED […]
New rare genetic disorder traced to early Quebec settlers
A rare genetic disorder can be traced to early settlers in Quebec and their European ancestors according to a new study. Researchers have identified 16 people from Eastern Quebec of French descent who have Chronic Atrial and Intestinal Dysrhythmia. The disorder, also called CAID syndrome, is a combination of heart arrhythmia and intestinal obstruction. Researchers […]
Is ‘antimicrobial clothing’ for real?
Plenty of clothing products purport to kill bacteria that cause disease or damage fabric, but a new study suggests that what works in the lab doesn’t always work in practice. Researchers sealed fabric treated with one of three different antimicrobial agents against the skin of volunteers to see if they would reduce the amount of […]
Taking the pulse of stress
Researchers have discovered that, contrary to what you might think, a less variable heartbeat might be associated with a higher susceptibility to stress. The team recorded heart rate variability in 76 student participants while they were relaxing and while they were thinking about things they tend to worry about most. They also tracked participants’ moods […]
A litmus test for bacteria
Researchers have developed a way to use litmus paper – which changes colour to indicate high or low pH – to provide a simple and effective test for bacteria like E. coli. The team used tiny strands of DNA to create probes that are activated in the presence of bacteria. The activated probes then catalyse […]
DNA signature in ice storm babies
A new study has detected a distinctive ‘signature’ in the DNA of children born in the aftermath of the 1998 Quebec ice storm. Five months after the 1998 Quebec ice storm, researchers recruited women who had been pregnant during the disaster and assessed their degrees of distress in a study called Project Ice Storm. Fifteen […]
The highs and lows of marijuana use
A new study helps explain why the same drug can have opposite effects at different doses. Using a drug that binds to cannabinoid receptors in the brain – the same ones that are activated by cannabis – researchers showed the precise pathway by which low doses stimulate the brain’s dopamine system, which can lead to […]
