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Baby-led weaning approach does not increase choking risk, research finds

New research from Swansea University shows that letting babies feed themselves solid foods from as young as six months does not increase the risk of them choking compared to spoon-feeding them.

7 Dec 2017

Increasing hydroxyurea dose linked to reduction in hospitalization for young sickle cell anemia patients

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital investigators have shown that using the drug hydroxyurea to boost average fetal hemoglobin levels above 20 percent in children and teenagers with sickle cell anemia was associated with at least a two-fold reduction in hospitalization for any reason.

9 Nov 2017

New pencil-like spectrometer holds promise for remote medical diagnostics

Spectral images, which contain more color information than is obtainable with a typical camera, reveal characteristics of tissue and other biological samples that can't be seen by the naked eye.

9 Nov 2017

Two distinct brain regions involve in decision-making process, research shows

Often when we make a decision, we calculate its "expected value," by multiplying the value of something (how much we want or need it) with the probability that we might be able to obtain it, a concept first introduced by 17th-century mathematician Blaise Pascal.

30 Aug 2017

Research shows probiotics can reduce incidence of sepsis in infants

A research team at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health has determined that a special mixture of good bacteria in the body reduced the incidence of sepsis in infants in India by 40 percent at a cost of only $1 per infant.

16 Aug 2017

Penn State researchers find that eating almonds may help improve function of HDL cholesterol

Eating almonds on a regular basis may help boost levels of HDL cholesterol while simultaneously improving the way it removes cholesterol from the body, according to researchers.

11 Aug 2017

Restaurant placemats can encourage children to choose healthier food options

Placemats can be used to encourage children to eat healthier food in restaurants, according to a new study by the University at Buffalo and Independent Health Foundation.

18 Jul 2017

QUT researchers develop golden-orange bananas rich in pro-vitamin A

The decade-long research, led by Distinguished Professor James Dale, involved extensive laboratory tests at QUT as well as field trials in north Queensland.

7 Jul 2017

Researchers develop new system with robot hands that learns how to grasp objects

Researchers at Bielefeld University have developed a grasp system with robot hands that autonomously familiarizes itself with novel objects. The new system works without previously knowing the characteristics of objects, such as pieces of fruit or tools.

8 Jun 2017

University of Utah students develop new, 100% biodegradable feminine maxi pad

Each year, nearly 20 billion sanitary pads, tampons and applicators are dumped into North American landfills every year, and it takes centuries for them to biodegrade inside plastic bags, according to a 2016 Harvard Business School report. Additionally, it requires high amounts of fossil fuel energy to produce the plastic for these products, resulting in a large carbon footprint.

16 May 2017

UCLA study traces Pavlovian response to small cluster of brain cells

In his famous experiment, Russian scientist Ivan Pavlov rang a bell each time he fed his dogs. Soon, the dogs began drooling in anticipation when they heard the bell, even before food appeared.

22 Mar 2017

UNIGE scientists identify complementary role played by two neurons in processing olfactory information

The human brain has the ability to recognise and process a very wide range of sensory stimuli, from which it builds a mental representation.

8 Mar 2017

Eating up to ten portions of fruit and vegetables a day may reduce disease, early death risk

A fruit and vegetable intake above five-a-day shows major benefit in reducing the chance of heart attack, stroke, cancer and early death.

23 Feb 2017

Bariatric nutritionist shares few tips to beat weight gain

"As we look forward to the fresh start that a new year brings, many of us will also be struggling with the addition of the unwanted pounds we've gained during the holidays" explains Meredith Urban, MS, RD, CDN, The Center for Metabolic Surgery and Weight-Loss Management, The Valley Hospital.

27 Jan 2017

Walnuts could be key to happier state-of-mind in young healthy men

College can be a stressful time for young adults as they figure out how to manage intense daily routines that include work, study and play.

18 Nov 2016

Testing ability to recognize, remember odors may help identify people at risk for Alzheimer's disease

A non-invasive protocol testing the ability to recognize, remember and distinguish between odors was able to identify older individuals who - according to genetic, imaging and more detailed memory tests - were at increased risk of Alzheimer's disease.

15 Nov 2016

Researchers discover olfactory receptors in human muscle cells of bronchi

Researchers identified two types of olfactory receptors in human muscle cells of bronchi. If those receptors are activated by binding an odorant, bronchi dilate and contract - a potential approach for asthma therapy.

8 Aug 2016

Chronic marijuana use can interrupt the brain's natural reward processes

Chronic marijuana use disrupts the brain's natural reward processes, according to researchers at the Center for BrainHealth at The University of Texas at Dallas.

8 Jun 2016

Adolescent fruit intake may reduce breast cancer risk

Two linked papers in The BMJ this week shed new light on the relation of alcohol and diet with breast cancer and heart disease.

12 May 2016

Researchers examine role of neural circuit in making decisions

Choosing what shirt to buy, what to order for lunch or whether to go with the hearty red wine or the lighter white all involve assigning values to the options. A small brain structure plays a central role in the many decisions like this we make each day. But it hasn't been clear how a limited number of neurons in this small part of the brain can support an unlimited number of choices.

10 May 2016