BioMedWire Stocks Archives - Page 33 of 74

FridayNov 17, 2023 11:25 am

Study Examines Role of African Sleeping Sickness in Body Wasting

African trypanosomiasis is a progressive illness that affects both humans and animals. The illness is caused by a parasite known as Trypanosoma brucei (T. brucei). In the course of infection, T. brucei colonizes adipose tissue and rapidly grows in the host. This, researchers theorize, may cause weight loss because it primarily affects the biggest visceral adipose tissue depot, the gonadal AT. The infection works by offsetting the balance between anabolism and catabolism, which takes place in the adipocytes’ lipid droplets. An increase in lipid catabolism then causes degradation of triacylglycerol, which is hydrolyzed by lipase, monoacylglycerol lipase and adipose triglyceride…

ThursdayNov 16, 2023 2:10 pm

Study Links Cat Parasite to Accelerated Frailty in Aging People

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a single-cell parasite that can cause severe physical and mental conditions. This parasite is known to trigger risky behavior in hosts. The most common way for an individual to be exposed to this parasite is when disposing of cat litter. This is because while the parasite does affect rodents and birds, it thrives in cats. In felines, it can multiply in the cat’s intestines, with its eggs being excreted for easier and faster transmission. While the parasite can stay alive in the host for a long time, most healthy individuals rarely present with symptoms because…

WednesdayNov 15, 2023 1:48 pm

Blood Test Could Detect Worsening MS Symptoms in Patients

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic illness that affects an individual’s brain and spinal cord, resulting in problems moving one’s arms or legs, issues with vision, and problems with balance or sensation. While the cause of this disease is still not known, researchers theorize that it may be caused by the immune system of an individual attacking its own tissues. Estimates show that roughly 2.8 million individuals around the globe live with this illness. The disease’s symptoms often get worse as time goes by, which lowers the quality of life of some patients. Dr. Ari J. Green, cosenior author of a…

TuesdayNov 14, 2023 3:17 pm

New, Deadly Infectious Diseases Could Emerge as Climate Change Worsens

Researchers believe worsening climate change could lead to the emergence of new and deadly infectious diseases. Climate change has the potential to significantly alter weather patterns globally and is already contributing to extreme weather events in several regions. A recent study from the Barcelona Supercomputing Center-Centro Nacional de Supercomputación (BSC-CNS) and the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) has revealed that climate change could also contribute to the proliferation of more deadly infectious diseases. Infectious diseases are the bane of a connected world. As with COVID-19, these diseases have the potential to quickly spill across borders, infect million, and…

MondayNov 13, 2023 12:55 pm

How Immunotherapy Is Cementing a Role in Cancer Treatment

After decades of dominating cancer treatment protocols across the globe, surgery, radiation and chemotherapy are facing increased competition from a fourth treatment option: immunotherapy. Miami Cancer Institute’s CEO and executive medical director Dr. Micahel Zinner notes that cancer treatments traditionally involve using surgery to remove as much of the cancerous tumor as possible followed by chemotherapy or radiation to kill off the remaining cancer cells. While these treatments aren’t fully effective and often have many negative side effects, they have saved millions of lives worldwide over the decades. However, some pundits are now referring to immunotherapy, a relatively new cancer…

FridayNov 10, 2023 3:05 pm

UPS Looks to Tap e-Commerce Revenue Through Strategic Acquisitions

The United Postal Service (UPS) recently announced that it will spend more than $1 billion this quarter on the acquisition of two companies to increase its reach in e-commerce and bolster its revenue. Currently the largest parcel delivery firm on the globe, UPS has been grappling with increasing competition from rival delivery companies such as FedEx, DHL, DB Schenker and the federal agency United States Postal Service. In late October, UPS cut its revenue projections for the year citing lower demand in the e-commerce sector. The impending $1 billion acquisitions are most likely an attempt by UPS to boost its…

ThursdayNov 09, 2023 11:57 am

Brain Cancer Reemergence Could Soon Be Detected Using a Finger-Prick Test

A team of researchers from Nottingham Trent University and the University of Sheffield is developing a first-of-its-kind finger-prick test to test for brain cancer. The research team says the simple test could make it easier to spot recurring brain tumors and even extend the lives of tens of thousands of cancer patients globally. More than 300,000 people worldwide are diagnosed with brain tumors every year, and experts predict that slightly more than 18,000 Americans will lose their lives to brain cancer and central nervous system tumors this year. In addition, even though brain cancer treatments have gotten significantly better over…

WednesdayNov 08, 2023 10:21 am

Meta-Analysis Says Nutraceuticals Show Potential in Acne Treatment

According to a recent meta-analysis by researchers from the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, nutraceutical supplements may have the potential to treat acne. The meta-analysis reviewed 42 papers covering how various nutraceuticals affect acne and found that they may play a role in acne treatment in the future. However, researchers behind the meta-analysis say prior studies on the matter aren’t enough and more research is necessary to ascertain the connection between nutraceuticals and acne. Titled "Safety and Effectiveness of Oral Nutraceuticals for Treating Acne — A Systematic Review," the paper analyzed studies that had relatively small sample sizes but…

TuesdayNov 07, 2023 3:36 pm

Study Finds Autism Compromises Sleep Quality, Physical Activity in Kids

New research has found that children with disorders on the autism spectrum have lower physical activity levels and worse sleep in comparison to their peers. One of the study’s coauthors, Xiao Liang, stated that the study was driven by results from earlier research as well as his experience as an inclusive education teacher in Hong Kong. Liang, who is a research assistant professor in the rehabilitation sciences department at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, added that he discovered that students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) had low levels of physical activity during class as well as recess and lunch break. For…

MondayNov 06, 2023 2:17 pm

Sex Hormones Could Influence Alzheimer’s Development, Researchers Say

University of Western Ontario researchers have discovered that sex hormones may play a role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. The neurodegenerative condition affects roughly 32 million people globally and is characterized by disruptive symptoms such as poor judgment, memory loss and loss of sense of initiative. With two-thirds of Alzheimer’s patients being women, researchers from the University of Western Ontario sought to understand the role of female sex hormones in how the disease develops in the brain. Some researchers posit that women develop Alzheimer’s disease at higher rates because they tend to live longer than men, while others say…