Research News

Scientists Discover Enzyme That Could Result In A Drug Substitute For Exercise

5:59pm July 09, 2020

by Richard Harris

Scientists have discovered an enzyme that is elevated in people and mice who exercise a lot. They hope the discovery could lead to medicine that would have some of the benefits of exercise.

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Faced with a rat trapped in a restrainer, a free rat opens the trap's door to liberate the trapped animal (while stepping on its head — "very rat-ish behavior," says University of Chicago neurobiologist Peggy Mason).

To Come To The Rescue Or Not? Rats, Like People, Take Cues From Bystanders

4:50pm July 08, 2020

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Experiments in people have long shown that the presence of indifferent bystanders hurts the chances that someone will help a stranger in an emergency. Rats, it turns out, behave the same way.

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Science

Scientists Discover A New Formula To Calculate A Dog's Age In Human Years

3:56pm July 08, 2020

Scientists have come up with a new formula to calculate a dog's age in human years — and it is much more complicated than multiplying its real age by seven.

This light micrograph from the brain of someone who died with Alzheimer's disease shows the plaques and neurofibrillary tangles that are typical of the disease. A glitch that prevents healthy cell structures from transitioning from one phase to the next m

New Clues To ALS And Alzheimer's Disease From Physics

11:19am July 08, 2020

by Jon Hamilton

Structures inside healthy brain cells nimbly move from one state to the next to perform different functions. But in certain degenerative brain diseases, scientists now think, that process gets stuck.

Antigen Test For COVID-19 Isn't As Reliable As Genetic Test, Experts Caution

6:05am July 08, 2020

by Rob Stein

Doctors are using a new antigen test that is a faster method to spot people infected with the coronavirus. It's cheaper and simpler but may be less reliable.

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Students move out of dormitories at San Diego State University in March, after the university cancelled the rest of the semester and has asked students to move out within 48 hours. Nine percent of young adults say they've moved due to the COVID-19 pandemi

Survey: 3% Of Americans Moved Due To The Pandemic

5:58pm July 06, 2020

by Laurel Wamsley

Among the young, the numbers shot up: 9% of adults 18-29 have moved due to the coronavirus. Some people moved to avoid catching the virus, while others were forced by the closing of college campuses.

Dental offices have begun seeing patients return for routine procedures. Seattle dentist Kathleen Saturay has increased the layers of protective equipment she wears when treating patients.

The Dentist Will See You Now. But Should You Go?

5:51pm July 06, 2020

by Fran Kritz

Dentists spend their careers eye to eye with infectious patients, their hands inside gaping mouths, and have a vested interest in making sure everyone stays safe. Here's how they do it.

Scientist Makes A Discovery That May Lead To New Drugs For Rare Brain Diseases

4:15pm July 06, 2020

by Jon Hamilton

J. Paul Taylor has found that some brain diseases, like Alzheimer's and ALS, are linked to a basic process inside brain cells. Scientists hope drugs that tweak the process can treat illnesses.

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Recent protests in Philadelphia and across the country have drawn young people. But for most of the pandemic, youth have been quarantined and away from their social circles, which could make depression and other mental illness worse.

Why Some Young People Fear Social Isolation More Than COVID-19

4:08pm July 04, 2020

by Yuki Noguchi

It's not that young adults aren't worried about the pandemic, psychologists say, but they are at far greater risk of dying by suicide. Finding ways beyond screens to foster social bonds is crucial.

A face mask covers the mouth and nose of one of the iconic lion statues in front of the New York Public Library Main Branch on Wednesday, July 1, 2020, in New York, amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Widespread Use Of Face Masks Could Save Tens Of Thousands Of Lives, Models Project

5:04pm July 03, 2020

Models developed by mathematical epidemiologists project that tens thousands of lives across the US can be saved by more people wearing face masks.

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