Author: healthadmin

A new study led by Curtin University researchers has provided new insight into one of Stonehenge’s most enduring mysteries: how the giant stone moved across Britain and became part of the famous monument. The focus of the study is the Altar Stone, a six-tonne sandstone megalith at the center of Stonehenge. Previous research has suggested that the stone came from northeastern Scotland, about 700 kilometers (435 miles) from Salisbury Plain, making its presence at Stonehenge one of the most remarkable examples of long-distance transport in prehistoric Europe. The latest discoveries strengthen the idea that ancient people, rather than natural forces,…

People with diabetes are at increased risk of periodontitis (gum disease) and tooth loss. The risk of inflammation and bone loss in dental implants has also increased. These are the results of a paper at the University of Gothenburg. Diabetes is associated with complications in multiple organs, including the oral cavity. As a group, people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes are at increased risk for oral disease. This paper is based on a comprehensive dataset with high completeness from seven Swedish registries covering a long period of time. The paper was presented by Anna Torlenke Eriksson, a dentist…

New longitudinal study published in Development and psychopathology provide evidence that most children have low or declining levels of lying as they grow up, but that this generally does not cause serious problems in adulthood. However, the study also suggests that a small number of children who lie frequently or whose deception increases over time tend to develop symptoms of antisocial personality and are at higher risk of being convicted of a crime later in life. Deception is a common human behavior that emerges from the preschool stage. Although most people have the cognitive ability to lie, research shows that…

Even what many Americans consider moderate drinking is associated with an increased risk of death, disability, and chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease, a new study published in the journal Science finds. Journal of Alcohol and Drug Research. “This study provides the most comprehensive U.S. estimate of lifetime risk of alcohol-related mortality and morbidity to date, and shows that even moderate drinking increases the risk of premature death and disability,” said study co-author Katherine M. Keyes, Ph.D., professor of epidemiology at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. “We did not observe any protective effect of alcohol consumption,…

Blood tests have proven to be a promising tool for detecting and monitoring cancer. Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology and the University of Gothenburg in Sweden have developed a new method that allows them to analyze samples containing just 5 percent cancer DNA in blood, compared to the 15 to 20 percent currently required. This method could lead to better cancer treatment and improved monitoring of tumor progression. The technique of using blood tests to analyze changes in tumor DNA is being studied in several clinical trials around the world. Current analytical methods work well when the amount of…

IIn the parched fields of northwestern Bangladesh, where the unforgiving sun has hardened the earth into cracked red clay, farmers in the Barind region say they are watching the foundations of their rural life disappear underground.Over the decades, groundwater has transformed Barind, one of Bangladesh’s driest regions, into a productive agricultural region. Thanks to deep tube wells, farmers were able to grow rice, wheat, corn, and vegetables all year round on land that was once formed by drought.But now the aquifers that drove that change are collapsing under the combined pressures of the climate emergency, extreme rainfall, and decades of…

The upcoming loss of deep-sea monitoring systems is causing deep anxiety in Alaska, the nation’s largest fish-producing state, where temperatures are rising twice as fast as the global average. In May, the National Science Foundation announced plans to eliminate the Ocean Observatory Initiative, a nearly $368 million network of scientific instruments that track ocean chemistry, wave movement, water temperature, salinity and many other metrics. Real-time information from these ocean observatories helps scientists, fisheries managers, coastal hazard planners, and even military planning and future preparedness. Whether it’s calculating how much fish to harvest or when ocean heatwaves or giant wave activity…

Scientists at the Vrije Universiteit Bruxelles (VUB) have taken a major step forward in pancreatic cancer research. By mapping the healthy pancreas in detail down to the cellular level, they discovered that certain rare cells within the healthy organ already had strong similarities to the most aggressive tumor cells. This fundamental discovery, published in the leading journal Gut, opens new doors to early detection and targeted treatment of the deadly disease. Pancreatic cancer is known to be one of the most aggressive and difficult to treat cancers. Part of the reason is that the biological background of different types of…

More than a dozen wildfires broke out across Southern California last month, spewing smoke and particulate matter into the air. Los Angeles public health officials issued a multi-day air quality advisory for the county, warning of “possible direct smoke effects” and advising anyone who can see or smell smoke to “avoid unnecessary outdoor exposure and limit physical activity.” The red zone on the map included Los Angeles Stadium (also known as SoFi Stadium), one of the venues for soccer’s marquee World Cup event, which begins Thursday. Eight games will be held in Los Angeles from June 12th to July 10th,…

After the Associated Press stylebook’s surprising decision to move from “health care” to “healthcare” in April, it sparked a heated debate among readers as well as the STAT newsroom, which uses a slightly modified version of the Associated Press style. As STAT’s executive director of editorial operations and a longtime copy editor, I consulted with colleagues and enlisted the help of readers. The battle for a single space that has been raging for years may seem a bit ridiculous from the outside, but perhaps it is. However, this issue is probably of great importance and many people, including myself, have…