01 Oct, 2013 | by Labroots
Szechuan Peppers Tap at Nerve FibersChefs, foodies, and international diners can all attest to the fact that Szechuan peppers give you a food experience unlike any other. Chinaâs favorite spicy condiment, Szechuan peppers deliver a tingly experience straight to your lips. Not necessarily spicy on their own, the lemony Szechuan peppers are often paired with hot chilies and spices to really bring home the tingling, numbing sensation...... Read More
30 Sep, 2013 | by Labroots
MERS Virus Jumped from Animals to HumansMiddle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome, or MERS, is a coronavirus. It first made news in 2012, when a man in Saudi Arabia was found to have âSARS-like symptomsâ and later died. Coronaviruses are known to cause respiratory illness in mammals, including humans. And while corona viruses are often responsible for things like the common cold, MERS has proven itself much more deadly than any coronavirus...... Read More
27 Sep, 2013 | by Labroots
Babies React to Age-Old Danger SoundsThe sounds of a hissing snake or the crackle of a forest fire are enough to give any smart adult a fright. And parents everywhere know the importance of teaching their children the sounds of nearby peril. A new study shows that babies only months old are already paying attention to these types of audible danger signals. In fact, the bodyâs response to frightening sounds has evolved over thousands...... Read More
26 Sep, 2013 | by Labroots
Limit Chemo Pain with a Chemical Added to Dog FoodThere is a chemical added to dog food to keep it fresh that might be able to help prevent painful side effects from the cancer drug Taxol. Four out of five Taxol users experience hand and feet pain, called peripheral neuropathy. Some completely recover, while others have to live with debilitating pain for the rest of their lives. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have conducted...... Read More
25 Sep, 2013 | by Labroots
Blood Test to Determine Use of AntibioticsA new test from researchers at Duke University School of Medicine can help diagnosis and treatment of infections by distinguishing between a viral vs bacterial infection. This is big news that could aid in solving the global threat of bacterial resistance through overuse of antibiotics. Current tests require information about the pathogen in question in order to confirm infection. This newly developed...... Read More
24 Sep, 2013 | by Labroots
Is Fructose the Key to Weight Gain?According to a newly published study from the University of Colorado, mice models that lack the ability to metabolize fructose donât gain nearly as much weight as normal ones. Fructose, or fruit sugar, has gained quite a bit of notoriety of late â especially in relation to obesity and its myriad related health concerns. Fructose can be found naturally, in fruit and honey, as well as in table sugar...... Read More
23 Sep, 2013 | by Labroots
A Link Between Autism and Autoimmunity?The first large-scale study on a possible link between parents with autoimmune diseases and children with autism has yielded some surprising results. The research, which emerged following a study of nearly 3,000 mothers of autistic children, was conducted at New Yorkâs Center for Autoimmune and Musculoskeletal Disorders at the Feinstein Institute. The study was able to show that roughly one in ten...... Read More
19 Sep, 2013 | by Labroots
About Half of Fibromyalgia Patients Exhibit Nerve DamageA new study on a group of patients with fibromyalgia (a common syndrome that causes, among other symptoms, chronic and sometimes debilitating pain) showed that roughly half of the patients were found to have a type of nerve damage known as SFPN. Small fiber polyneuropathy, or SFPN, consists mainly of damage to nerve fibers in the skin. The study might provide some insight into the possible causes...... Read More
18 Sep, 2013 | by Labroots
Prevent Prostate Cancer with Broccoli and Antimalarial MedicationA new study from the University of Pittsburgh suggests a combination of a phytochemical in broccoli and a malaria drug could lower prostate cancer rates. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, watercress, and cabbage have the phytochemical sulforaphane, which is thought to help lower prostate cancer risk. When tested, researchers found that it works to prevent early-stage but not late-stage prostate...... Read More
16 Sep, 2013 | by Labroots
Memory Tests Identify Alzheimer’s Risk at Early AgeResearchers from Cornell University and the Institute for Human Neuroscience have created a test to distinguish between healthy aging and cognitive decline due to Alzheimerâs disease years before symptoms appear. Memory abilities donât necessarily decline with age. The team looked at two kinds of memory, reconstructive and recollective. Reconstructive memory is recalling a word or event by putting...... Read More