Why do we do things? What persuades us to put an effort to achieve goals, however mundane? What, for instance, drives us to search for food? Neurologically, the answer is hidden in the reward system of the brain—an evolutionary mechanism that controls our willingness to work or to take a…
Science and need—not wealth or nationality—should guide vaccine allocation and prioritization
Ensuring COVID-19 vaccine access for refugee and displaced populations, and addressing health inequities, is vital for an effective pandemic response. Yet, vaccine allocation and distribution has been neither equitable nor inclusive, despite that global leaders have stressed this as a critical aspect to globally overcoming the pandemic, according to a…
To avoid withdrawal symptoms, patients should slowly decrease doses of antipsychotics over months or even years
Withdrawing from antipsychotics may require months or even years, and patients need to gradually reduce to very low doses, according to a new analysis led by UCL and King’s College London academics. The review, published in Schizophrenia Bulletin, is the first-ever scientific paper outlining how exactly antipsychotic medication should be…
Delivering vaccines directly to the lungs can boost immune responses to respiratory infections or lung cancer: study
Many viruses infect their hosts through mucosal surfaces such as the lining of the respiratory tract. MIT researchers have now developed a vaccination strategy that can create an army of T cells that are ready and waiting at those surfaces, offering a quicker response to viral invaders. The researchers showed…
Whether at home, school or daycare, 3- to 5-year-olds experience similar levels of physical activity
Many parents assume children in center-based child care experience higher levels of daily physical activity, but a first-of-its-kind study out of Western’s Child Health and Physical Activity Lab suggests they’re no more active over all than those who stay at home. The study, conducted by Julie Statler, MSc’18, BSc’16, and…
Imagine having your period and no money for pads or tampons. Would you still go to school?
The New South Wales Education Department said last week said it would trial a program to hand out free pads and tampons in schools. Department secretary Mark Scott said: “We are developing work on a pilot program around this and details will be emerging on that shortly.” In a recent…
Store fat or burn it? Targeting a single protein flips the switch
As obesity becomes a growing issue worldwide—nearly tripling over the last-half century—scientists are trying to gain a better understanding of the condition at the molecular level. Now, new research led by UC San Francisco scientists suggests that a single protein could play an outsize role in weight gain. As reported…
How governments address COVID-19 misinformation—for better or for worse
As COVID-19 spread across the world, so did conspiracy theories and false information about the virus. This proliferation of misinformation—labeled an “infodemic” by the World Health Organization (WHO)—makes it difficult to identify trustworthy sources and can threaten public health by undermining confidence in science, governments, and public health recommendations. The…
The coronavirus pandemic is killing people with diabetes or Alzheimer’s who didn’t even contract the virus
The coronavirus has so far killed about 325,000 people in this country, but that staggering toll does not include the multitudes who have died because of disruptions, isolation and destitution related to the pandemic. People with diabetes or Alzheimer’s disease are particularly vulnerable. An Inquirer analysis of federal data found…
AI technique that predicts cell growth could someday diagnose cancer or develop new drugs
Machine learning technologies are everywhere. They’re used by search engines, social media, and even in online banking. But one area that this technology is still emerging is medicine. Machine learning technologies could be very promising in medicine, and could be used for many applications, such as detecting signs of disease…
Does Chris Lane Want Lauren Bushnell to Have a Boy or Girl? He Says …
Country cutie on the way! Chris Lane is over the moon as he and pregnant Lauren Bushnell await the arrival of their first child — and his fingers are crossed for a mini-me. ‘Bachelor’ Baby Bumps! See Reality Stars’ Pregnancy Pics “We’re going to find out [the sex]. We don’t…