Author: healthadmin

New research published in JNeurosci We’re investigating how short periods of sleep, like brain activity during wakefulness, affect a person’s ability to stay focused. Elaine Pingal and her team at Monash University investigated whether this type of brain activity is particularly involved in poor attention in adults with ADHD. To find out, researchers measured sleep and similar brain activity in 32 adults with ADHD who had stopped taking their medications and compared them to 31 neurotypical adults. All participants completed tasks that required sustained attention. The results showed that people with ADHD experience more frequent sleep episodes like brain activity.…

Five years ago, Oklahoma oil regulators undertook a project with the catchy name “Source of Truth.” State officials wanted a comprehensive database containing all the important information about Oklahoma’s more than 11,000 wells that pump toxic byproducts of oil production underground. I had heard about this project from several people during the 18 months I was reporting on the growing number of cases of oil field wastewater spewing out of old wells, known as purges, after being injected underground at high pressure. State officials also mentioned the project in internal communications I received after filing more than a dozen public…

Successful root canal treatment may provide benefits beyond saving the tooth. New research suggests that treating certain dental infections may reduce inflammation associated with heart disease and may also improve blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Researchers at King’s College London conducted a clinical study to examine changes in blood chemistry after patients underwent root canal treatment for a common dental infection (apical periodontitis). This infection can allow bacteria from the tooth to enter the bloodstream, causing inflammation. Increased inflammation is associated with increased risk of heart disease and difficulty controlling blood sugar. Scientists have long suspected that oral infections can…

Due to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines have attracted worldwide attention. After clinical trials were completed, the first COVID-19 mRNA vaccine was administered on December 8, 2020. Researchers later estimated through modeling that these vaccines prevented at least 14.4 million deaths worldwide in the first year. Because of its strong impact, scientists have begun developing mRNA vaccines for other infectious diseases. Ongoing clinical trials target influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), HIV, Zika virus, Epstein-Barr virus, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. At the same time, research into COVID-19 vaccines has revealed important limitations, pointing to the need…

Astronomers may be getting closer to understanding one of the biggest mysteries in cosmology: dark energy, the unknown force thought to be driving the accelerating expansion of the universe. Dark energy is thought to make up about 68% of the universe. Despite its enormous impact, scientists still don’t know exactly what it is or how it affects the growth of the universe. Now, researchers have identified a rare supernova in the early universe that could provide valuable new clues. The light from this powerful explosion has been traveling toward Earth for over 10 billion years. The event was so bright…

Analysis of satellite data has revealed the world’s worst large-scale leak of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, in 2025.Super-polluting plumes from oil and gas facilities have a significant heating impact on the climate, but are often caused by poor maintenance and are easily remedied. The assessment uncovered dozens of large leaks, each with the same global heating impact as a coal-fired power plant.Researchers said it was “frustrating” that such easy-to-follow action was not taken to combat the climate crisis and said people should be angry. Stopping a leak is even free, given that the recovered gas can be sold. Methane…

Refeyn, developer of pioneering mass photometry technology, announces the launch of the MyMass™ Mass Photometer (MyMassMP). This is a compact instrument designed to answer important research questions: “Is the sample of sufficient quality for further analysis?” Structure-based drug design and AI-powered therapeutic development are transforming the way new drugs are discovered, but they require high-quality samples. Structural and biophysical workflows such as cryo-EM, native mass spectrometry (MS), biolayer interferometry (BLI), and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) are time-consuming and costly, and poor sample quality remains one of the main reasons for failure. MyMassMP allows researchers to quickly and accurately assess purity,…

Scientists have turned invasive aquatic weeds into high-performance biodegradable sanitary napkins, demonstrating how sustainable materials can reduce plastic waste while maintaining menstrual hygiene safety. Research: Biodegradable menstrual pads from hydrophilic weeds: sustainability assessment, absorption performance, and microbial safety. Image credit: Joel 100×35 Por.Ahi.PR / Shutterstock A recent study published in the journal Processes developed a laboratory-scale approach to produce a biodegradable absorbent material for sanitary napkins from water hyacinth. Effective menstrual protection is essential to the physical, mental and economic well-being of the approximately 300 million people who regularly menstruate. Access to safe, hygienic and affordable menstrual products is critical…

Researchers studying a mysterious cosmic phenomenon called cosmic birefringence have developed a new approach to reduce uncertainty in how they measure it. Progress reported in physical review lettercould improve the accuracy of observations that probe fundamental physics. This study is the first to quantitatively investigate the uncertainty in the birefringence angle. This measurement is important because it may provide clues about unknown physical theories that break the bilateral symmetry of the universe. It could also help scientists better understand dark matter and dark energy. A subtle twist in the universe’s oldest light The cosmic microwave background radiation, the faint afterglow…

Even though car accidents remain the leading cause of death for teens and young adults, many families may be underestimating the dangers close to home, a new national poll suggests. According to the National Poll on Children’s Health by the University of Michigan Health Center CS Mott Children’s Hospital, one in three parents are worried that their teen or young adult driver will cause an accident. However, nearly all parents believed their children drove as well or better than other young drivers, and relatively few parents said they penalized their teens for risky driving behavior. Our report suggests a disconnect…