Lifeboat Foundation

Dementia and stroke often have devastating consequences, so patients want to know what they can do to protect themselves against these diseases. A team of clinicians in partnership with patients developed a Brain Care Score (BCS) based on modifiable risk factors identified in past epidemiological studies. In the BCS, weights are assigned to four physical components (i.e., blood pressure, glycosylated hemoglobin, cholesterol, and body-mass index), to five lifestyle elements (i.e., nutrition, alcohol intake, smoking, aerobic activities, and sleep), and to three social factors (i.e., stress, relationships, and purpose in life). Lower scores on the BCS (range, 0–19) predict higher risk.

The team then validated whether the BCS predicted new dementia or stroke in the U.K. Biobank cohort, which consisted of 398,900 people (age range at baseline, 40–69). During average follow-up of nearly 13 years, new dementia or stroke occurred in ≈3% of the cohort. The BCS identified people who were at highest risk for these outcomes. For example, among those who were younger than 50 at baseline, a 5-point higher score predicted 59% lower risk for dementia and 48% lower risk for stroke.

This score could be computed automatically from information already in electronic health records and used to identify risk factors and to engage patients in modifying those risk factors. Whether such scoring would actually lead to lower incidences of dementia and stroke remains to be seen.

Edwin Ostrin, M.D., Ph.D., discusses the ongoing research into whether vaping is linked to lung cancer and other lung health issues.

The technique of inhaling nanoparticle sensors followed by a urine test may offer the potential for faster and early detection of lung cancer.

Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have introduced this cutting-edge medical technology, presenting a simplified approach to diagnosing lung cancer.

Additionally, this innovation holds particular promise for low-and middle-income countries where the accessibility of computed tomography (CT) scanners is limited.

The survival strategies employed by one of the most aggressive, territorial and venomous ant species may pave the way to revolutionize robotics, medicine and engineering.

Fire ants survive floods by temporarily interlinking their legs to create a raft-like structure, allowing them to float collectively to safety as a unified colony and then releasing to resume their individual forms.

Continue reading “Ant behavior inspires autonomous material assembly research” »

Emerging evidence implicates the gut microbiome in cognitive outcomes and neurodevelopmental disorders, but the influence of gut microbial metabolism on typical neurodevelopment has not been explored in detail. Researchers from Wellesley College, in collaboration with other institutions, have demonstrated that differences in the gut microbiome are associated with overall cognitive function and brain structure in healthy children.

This study—published Dec. 22 in Science Advances—is a part of the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcome (ECHO) Program. This study investigates this relationship in 381 healthy children, all part of The RESONANCE cohort in Providence, Rhode Island, offering novel insights into early childhood development.

The research reveals a connection between the gut microbiome and cognitive function in children. Specific gut microbial species, such as Alistipes obesi and Blautia wexlerae, are associated with higher cognitive functions. Conversely, species like Ruminococcus gnavus are more prevalent in children with lower cognitive scores. The study emphasizes the role of microbial genes, particularly those involved in the metabolism of neuroactive compounds like short-chain fatty acids, in influencing cognitive abilities.

Machine learning and laboratory experiments have provided scientists with insights into the different languages bacteria use to communicate. By understanding the ways in which bacteria interact and the circumstances under which their communication is disrupted, researchers can tackle issues related to drug-resistant bacteria and advance the development of biocomputing technologies.

The study builds on an earlier project in which the researchers showed that disrupting bacterial communication is an effective way to fight multidrug-resistant bacteria. Bacteria use small molecules to communicate with each other and coordinate infection, and the team showed that interfering with bacterial communication by blocking these molecules reduced inflammation and made the bacteria more vulnerable to antibiotics.

University of Chicago scientists have developed a way to improve chemical reactions in drug manufacturing using electricity. This breakthrough in electrochemistry, enhancing efficiency and sustainability, opens new avenues in green chemical production. Credit: SciTechDaily.com.

As the world moves away from gas towards electricity as a greener power source, the to-do list goes beyond cars. The vast global manufacturing network that makes everything from our batteries to our fertilizers needs to flip the switch, too.

A study from UChicago chemists found a way to use electricity to boost a type of chemical reaction often used in synthesizing new candidates for pharmaceutical drugs.

Furthermore, they are recognized transcription factors critical in human embryo development and tissue function.

Potential novel cancer therapeutics

The statement noted that this discovery opens the door to potential novel cancer therapeutics.

Continue reading “Scientists are advancing cancer treatments after cracking IKAROS code” »

Sitting alongside the neurons in your enteric nervous system are underappreciated glial cells, which play key roles in digestion and disease that scientists are only just starting to understand.