Research Articles to Check Out This Week
This weekend, I used the holiday to catch up on some of the many articles I have had bookmarked to read. I thought I could share some of my favorites that are related to recent research findings. Read on to learn about some really interesting discoveries!
Scientists breach brain barriers to attack tumors
The human brain has natural barriers that keep out pathogens and when they work correctly these barriers protect your brain. However, these barriers can interfere with the immune system when faced with threats such as glioblastoma, a deadly brain tumor for which there are few effective treatments. In a recent, exciting discovery Yale researchers found a new way to circumvent the brain's natural defenses when they're counterproductive by slipping immune system rescuers through the brain’s drainage system. This will allow glioblastoma patients to benefit from immunotherapy. Read the full article for more about this treatment and its discovery.
Deep learning enables real-time imaging around corners
Researchers have discovered a new type of artificial intelligence, called deep learning, that can be used to develop a system that can image around corners in real-time. This new functionality could allow self-driving cars to “look” around parked cars or busy intersections to see hazards, making them even safer. Read on for details about this new technology.
Pathways that extend lifespan by 500 percent identified
Scientists at the MDI Biological Laboratory, in collaboration with scientists from the Buck Institute for Research on Aging and Nanjing University, have found synergistic cellular pathways for longevity that amplify lifespan fivefold in C. elegans, a nematode worm used in aging research. This increase in lifespan would be the equivalent of a human living for 400 or 500 years. Learn more about these pathways, their impact on the lifespan, and their possible use in anti-aging treatments in the full article.
More Data On The Midlife Crisis
In 2007, David Blanchflower co-authored a study with Andrew Oswald that presented evidence that midlife crises exist. In a new study, Blanchflower found that when you statistically control for things like education and employment status, happiness is always a "U-shaped" curve over people's lifetimes. The hopeful part of the article is that happiness does increase again after middle-age. Check out the article to see some of the reported causes of this curve.
This is actually a short podcast episode, not an article, about some very special mice. They just spent a month on the International Space Station where they were involved in research that could help people with disabling bone and muscle diseases and another group with muscle problems, astronauts.
Polly Share A Cracker? Parrots Can Practice Acts Of Kindness, Study Finds
Parrots are very intelligent and recent research also suggests that they can practice acts of kindness. African grey parrots voluntarily helped a partner get a food reward by giving the other bird a valuable metal token that could be exchanged for a walnut, according to a newly published report in the journal Current Biology. Read more about the study and its implications in the article.
How well can computers connect symptoms to diseases?
Health knowledge graphs have typically been compiled manually by expert clinicians, but that can be a laborious process. Recently, researchers have experimented with automatically generating these knowledge graphs from patient data. These graphs show relationships between symptoms and diseases and are intended to help with diagnosis. A new MIT study finds that they can fall short for certain conditions and patient populations. However, the results also suggest ways to boost their performance. Read on for the full story.
Pathways to a low-carbon future
When the Paris Agreement was signed, nearly 200 nations pledged to cut their contribution to the world’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, but many are not on track to fulfill these pledges. This growing discrepancy between current policies and long-term targets makes it difficult for scientists to project the future of the global energy system and its impact on the global climate. Toward that end, several expert groups continue to produce energy scenarios and analyze their implications for the climate and have recently arrived at three notable findings, read the article to learn about each of them.
Targeted Ultrasound Destroys Cancer Without Harming Healthy Cells: Study
Early research suggests that scientists can use a low-intensity ultrasound technique that kills cancer cells without damaging healthy cells. Focused ultrasound is already used to destroy tumors, with most approaches using either high-intensity beams to heat and destroy cells or injected contrast dyes. But both approaches can harm healthy cells and contrast dyes work only for a minority of tumors. The new approach uses certain physical and structural properties of tumor cells to deliver safer treatment. Read on for more about this exciting new discovery.
Do you have a favorite research related article you read recently? Let us know on Twitter, @Conserisapp. Happy reading!
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