Advancing Health Worldwide Content

Transparent Worms with Glowing Proteins May Help Fertility Treatments

Andy Fell — November 21, 2024 - 2:03pm

The development of maternal egg cells is pivotal for survival – but also precarious. During meiosis, the DNA-containing chromosomes can easily be broken or lost, causing infertility, miscarriage or genetic disorders like Down syndrome. Scientists have struggled to study these crucial cellular events in humans and other mammals.

Probiotics and Prebiotics: Hype or Health?

Jocelyn C Anderson — November 19, 2024 - 12:48pm

Consumers may have noticed a recent trend in food and beverage products labeled probiotic or prebiotic. The products often say they “support a healthy gut” or “boost your immune system” by providing good microbes that are often missing from people’s diets. But how can consumers know if these products are really good for them?

Anti-Anxiety and Hallucination-Like Effects of Psychedelics Mediated by Distinct Neural Circuits

Andy Fell — November 14, 2024 - 10:06am

New research suggests that it could be possible to separate treatment from hallucinations when developing new drugs based on psychedelics. The anti-anxiety andhallucination-inducing qualities of psychedelic drugs work through different neural circuits, according to research using a mouse model. The work is published Nov. 15 in Science.

Asthma May Place Children at Risk of Memory Difficulties, New Research Finds

Andy Fell — November 12, 2024 - 2:41pm

Asthma is associated with memory difficulties in children, and early onset of asthma may exacerbate memory deficits, according to a new study from the University of California, Davis. The study, the first of its kind to connect asthma to memory deficits in children, was published in Nov. 5 in JAMA Network Open.

La Colonia de Elefantes Marinos de Península Valdés Disminuye Un Año Después del Brote de Gripe Aviar

Katherine E Kerlin — November 11, 2024 - 2:00am

Un año después de que un brote masivo de gripe aviar H5N1 altamente patógena matara a más de 17.000 elefantes marinos, os científicos estiman que solo regresaron alrededor de un tercio de los elefantes marinos esperados.

Elephant Seal Colony Declines One Year After Avian Flu Outbreak

Katherine E Kerlin — November 11, 2024 - 2:00am

A year after an outbreak of H5N1 killed thousands of elephant seals, only about a third of the seals normally expected here returned, �ٺ��Ƶ scientists and partners estimate. A study chronicles the 2023 outbreak.

The Roots of Fear: Understanding the Amygdala

Andy Fell — October 30, 2024 - 10:50am

Treating anxiety, depression and other disorders may depend on the amygdala, a part of the brain that controls strong emotional reactions, especially fear. But a deep understanding of this structure has been lacking. Now scientists at the University of California, Davis have identified new clusters of cells with differing patterns of gene expression in the amygdala of humans and non-human primates. The work could lead to more targeted treatments for disorders such as anxiety that affect tens of millions of people.

Invisible Anatomy in the Fruit Fly Uterus

Andy Fell — October 25, 2024 - 11:06am

You have likely not spent much time thinking about the uterus of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. But then, neither have most scientists, even though Drosophila is one of the most thoroughly studied lab animals. Now a team of biologists at the University of California, Davis, has taken the first deep look at the Drosophila uterus and found some surprises, which could have implications not just for understanding insect reproduction and potentially, pest control, but also for understanding fertility in humans.

Exploring the Psychedelics Within Us

Andy Fell — October 21, 2024 - 3:00pm

Our bodies are pharmaceutical factories. From the hormones that regulate our blood sugar to the neurotransmitters that act as the body’s natural painkillers, these endogenous — produced within the body — chemicals ensure our functionality and survival.

But did you know that our bodies also naturally produce psychedelics?

In the 1950s, researchers found chemical signatures of N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) in mammalian bodies, including in humans.

Peregrine Falcon Nox Healed and Flying Free

Katherine E Kerlin — October 21, 2024 - 12:22pm

Nox, a peregrine falcon of UC Berkeley web cam fame, was released to the wild Oct. 18 after recovering from wing surgery at �ٺ��Ƶ and its California Raptor Center.