Credit: PixabayIn a study on fruit fly larvae, researchers uncovered how swallowing triggers the release of serotonin in the brain, shedding light on the connection between eating and pleasure in animals.If similar mechanisms exist in humans, this could offer valuable insights into our own drive to eat and drink. By mapping the fruit fly's...
A gynecologist points out that sitting for many hours with equipment that generates heat, such as a laptop, causes the temperature inside the scrotum to rise. Credit: compumake,The Covid-19 pandemic brought significant societal changes, including a rise in remote work. Many professionals, especially men, have continued to work from home in various countries. However,...
A microscope image of the new stitches that generate electrical pulses to help heal wounds fasterZhouquan Sun and Chengyi HouTransforming Vulnerability into AdvantageWhile surgical stitches are effective for wound healing, they can sometimes come undone with excessive movement. However, researchers in China have transformed this vulnerability into an advantage by creating stitches that generate...
Unlike some other experimental suction-based adhesive patches, the octopus-inspired AMOS patch should be relatively easy to produce on a commercial scaleKAUSTSensors like electrocardiogram (EEG) electrodes can be lifesaving, but the adhesive patches used to attach them can sometimes damage the skin. A new experimental medical patch tackles this problem by using octopus-inspired suckers.Unlike traditional...
Dr Shannon Chan, located in Hong Kong, uses a game controller to control an endoscope located in Zurich, Switzerland, over 9,000 km (5,500 miles) awayChinese University of Hong KongSurgeons in Switzerland successfully performed an endoscopy on a pig located 9,300 km (5,780 miles) away in Hong Kong using a video game controller. This achievement...
Currently, doctors who need to continuously monitor a patient’s blood pressure must surgically insert a catheter into one of the individual's arteries. However, a safer and much less invasive alternative might be on the horizon, inspired by the tuning of guitar strings.
A new portable, injectable pacemaker could last long enough to get arrhythmia patients to hospital for more permanent treatment. Credit: PixabayA new injectable, temporary pacemaker could address heart arrhythmias in emergencies. This nanoparticle gel can regulate the heart's electrical signals for up to five days before safely dissolving in the body.Arrhythmias occur when the...
A section of the experimental new shunt material gets exposed to blue light via a fiber optic cable, causing its inner walls to get thinnerAkari Seiner and Christopher RodellFor babies with a heart defect, implanting a 'shunt' is vital. A new light-expanding shunt could reduce the need for multiple heart surgeries as the baby...
Scientists have identified where the gluten response begins in celiac disease, potentially opening new treatment optionsDepositphotosScientists have made a significant discovery that could pave the way for new treatment options for celiac patients. The team pinpointed where the gluten response starts and found that certain cells play a bigger role than previously believed.Understanding the...
Mutations in the gene that encodes a receptor called CCR5 can stop HIV (blue) entering immune cells.Credit: NIAID/National Institutes of Health/SPLA 60-year-old man in Germany has become at least the seventh person with HIV to be declared free of the virus after receiving a stem-cell transplant. Although he has been virus-free for almost six...
