During neuroendoscopic surgery of, for example, brain tumors, the characteristics of the operating space, usually narrower than that of other endoscopic surgeries, are determined by visual inspection through the endoscope. However, when bleeding occurs, the surgical site is covered in blood, disrupting visualization. The surgeon may intend to resect a tumor with minimal hemorrhage but can unintentionally cut a blood vessel in the tumor that could not be confirmed visually. Therefore, identification of the presence of blood vessels during brain tumor resection is critical. So far, a number of studies have developed methods to detect invisible blood vessels. Nonetheless, further development of such methods is crucial.
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An enriched environment—with increased opportunities for physical activity, socialization and exploring novel stimuli—helped lessen functional, anatomical and cellular deficits in an experimental model of brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation at birth. What’s more, recovery of the brain’s white matter required a combination of all experimental interventions, not just a single intervention, suggests a new study led by researchers at Children’s National Hospital. Their findings, published online Feb. 19, 2020, in Nature Communications, could lead to new treatments for children affected by this condition.
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A research group led by Prof. Du Xuemin from the Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology (SIAT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed a “smart” contact lens that can show real-time changes in moisture and pressure by altering colors. The “smart” contact lens can potentially be used for point-of-care (POC) diagnosis of xerophthalmia and high intraocular pressure disease.
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Many teens lost access to confidential family planning services in Texas due to family planning budget cuts and loss of Title X funds, says a new study led by the University of Colorado College of Nursing just published in the Journal of Adolescent Health. Lack of clarity around parental consent laws, confusion among staff, and funding uncertainty made it more difficult for organizations to provide confidential, low-cost, and quality services to teens. This research suggests that contraception access for teens throughout the nation could worsen as new changes to Title X are implemented.
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UCLA researchers who previously found that intravenous administration of fish oil can treat a rare but potentially deadly form of liver disease in children have now monitored levels of a small molecule at the center of the disorder to track treatment results. In a new study, they also have identified the way specific genes change after fish oil treatment is started.
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The tobacco control policies of Japan, the world’s ninth largest cigarette market and host of the 2020 Olympics, are not working, according to new studies from researchers at the University of Waterloo.
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Some links between our environment and our health are well known; air-quality alerts, for instance, are a regular part of the daily news. But few of us are aware that some of our major health risks were actually predicted by environmental factors our mothers experienced while we were still in the womb. Perhaps more surprising, some environmental conditions, including temperature and humidity, can even affect the number of grandchildren we will have. This bigger picture is known as the “birth environment”—and its influence on health has long fascinated Mary Regina Boland, Ph.D. Her work on the theme—conducted using data from around the world, on a myriad of health conditions and diseases—has yielded a series of scientific insights that has colored her thinking about which things we can change in our environment and our lives to achieve better health outcomes.
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Free, open-source software created by a U of T Mississauga professor is giving science communicators access to real data for science illustrations and animations.
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Traditional stroke risk factors, such as high blood pressure, smoking and diabetes, impact people of various races and genders differently, new research shows.
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A team of researchers from Australia, the U.S. and the U.K. has found that eating junk food can alter the ability of the hippocampus to constrain junk food intake. In their paper published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, the group describes experiments they conducted with volunteers and their eating habits, and what they learned from them.
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